Instructor Aaron returned to the camp after some time, a thoughtful look on his face.
"Well, listen up!" Aaron called out. "From now on, you'll be taking on small missions. These will be things like gathering herbs, helping the soldiers with supplies, or even guarding certain areas for short periods. These tasks are all suitable for you all. It'll be a good way to earn some experience and, of course, some rewards."
Aaron continued, "You'll choose your missions from the mission hall. Each mission will reward you with either silver coins or military merits. Now, I know some of you may think military merits are something distant, something for higher-ranked soldiers, but even at your stage, you can start earning them. You won't earn as much as the higher-ranked soldiers, but every little bit helps. As you complete more missions, you'll accumulate more military merits, which will be more useful for you in the future."
Luca's eyes widened as he listened closely. He remembered the conversation with the shopkeeper when he had tried to buy that scroll, and how the shopkeeper had mentioned needing a certain amount of military merits to buy the scrolls. He also remembered how it was cheaper to buy with military merits instead of using coins.
Aaron continued, "When you're not out on missions, you can train individually. But I want to make something clear: I'm counting on you not to slack off. I'm not here to babysit, so if you're going to train on your own, I expect you to put in the effort. You won't improve if you don't push yourself. And if you have any questions or doubts, you can always come to me. I'll be in my tent when I'm not off with the higher-ups. And no, you don't need to be afraid to ask, just don't be lazy about it."
He paused, a slight smirk playing on his lips as he finished his sentence. Aaron wasn't the type to be overly harsh, but he cared about their growth and expected them to take responsibility for their own training.
The group nodded, some of the boys more excited than others.
Aaron went on to explain the changes to their monthly competition. "From now on, the competition won't just be between you guys. It'll be between two different batches after three months. That means you'll face more challenging opponents, but also better rewards. The winners will get something much better than the usual. We'll give you details on the rewards later, but I promise they'll be better than before."
Luca felt a rush of excitement at the mention of better rewards. He was beginning to notice that the effect of the herbal paste on his training was decreasing. Even though it seemed to be working, he thought that after two or more sessions, it wouldn't be of much use. Military merits, better rewards, and tougher opponents, it was all starting to feel real now.
Aaron grinned and continued, "So, work hard, alright? You'll have to prove yourselves against other batches now. I want to see all of you push your limits. And no slacking, got it?"
"Got it!" the boys shouted in unison, their spirits high and their determination strong.
Aaron gave them a satisfied nod and turned to leave, but not before giving them one final piece of advice. "Remember, don't burn yourselves out. Just train smart, and do your best. I'm looking forward to seeing what you all can do."
With those final words, Aaron walked off, leaving the group to talk excitedly among themselves.
*****
Luca and the others made their way toward the mission hall, a large building that was located near the army camp. The hall was always busy, but today, it seemed even more crowded than usual. As they approached, Luca could hear the buzz of conversation and the shuffling of feet. Inside, many soldiers and trainees were waiting in line to sign up for their missions.
Some guards were stationed around the hall, keeping a close eye on the crowd. Their stern faces and sharp voices added to the tension in the air. "Line up, don't cause trouble!" one of the guards called out, his voice booming over the noise. "Anyone who causes a disturbance will be punished severely!"
The threat was clear, and the crowd quickly fell silent. Luca and Finn joined the line with the others, trying to stay calm as they waited their turn.
The wait seemed long, but after what felt like an eternity, it was finally Luca's turn. He stepped up to the desk, where a soldier handed him a thin scroll. The soldier's eyes scanned him briefly before speaking in a businesslike tone.
"This is your mission," the soldier said. "It's a herb-gathering task. You'll be collecting ten different herbs. The descriptions of the herbs are written on this scroll, so be sure to study it carefully before you leave."
Luca nodded, taking the scroll from the soldier. It was thin and light, but it held important information. The soldier continued, explaining the rules. "To take the mission, you'll need to pay a deposit of 5 silvers. When you return the herbs and the scroll, you'll get your deposit back, along with your reward for completing the task. But be careful with the scroll, it's important. If you lose it or damage it, you'll lose your deposit."
Luca quickly reached into his pouch and handed over the 5 silver coins. He took the scroll carefully, feeling the weight of it in his hands. He knew he had to keep it safe.
As Luca took a moment to inspect the scroll, Finn, who had been standing beside him, leaned in. "I'm doing the same mission," Finn said with a grin. "Let's head out tomorrow morning, yeah?"
Luca smiled back. "Yeah, sounds good. The herbs are in the mountains and forests near the camp, right? It's about two hours' walk from here. We could leave early and get back by midday."
The two of them agreed to meet early the next morning to start the mission.
As Luca examined the scroll, he couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. The silver coins and rewards were nice, but what really mattered was the military merit. This was the first step in earning what he needed to buy that would be helpful in his Luminis training.
He tucked the scroll safely into his bag, making sure it wouldn't get damaged.