3 Chapter 3

It was the next day, and Michael and Aqua stood outside of the guild.

Finally, it was time to do a kill quest and start their lives as adventurers. Michael took three "Kill 5 Giant Toads" quests, because they are beginner quests that should be doable without too much worry, provide easy EXP, and a nice sum of income. The three day time limit on the quest was't that much pressure.

He instantly rejected Aqua's suggestion to take on kill quests about monsters that, while lower than a Dragon, are still pretty damn high on the threat level.

"By the way," Michael spoke. "Are you familiar with Giant Toads? Do you think you have a high enough Strength stat to carry one?"

"Ehh? You want me to manual labor? To carry gross Giant Toads around?" Aqua jumped back in shock.

"Aqua," Michael gave his companion a dry look. "Doing kill quests is manual labor."

"Don't say it like that," Aqua crossed her arms in an X. "I refused to look at adventuring like that. That just kills the romance of being an adventurer!"

"Yes, yes, I'm not saying that." Michael smiled and calmly waved her down. "The thing is, killing the 5 toads is easy, bringing them back so we could sell them is the hard part." He explained, Aqua's eyes slowly widened in that 'student realizing new information look' of amazement. "Right now we don't have the money to rent or buy a cart to carry the toads, so we'll have to carry them back. I'm asking about your Strength, because it would be easier if we could carry five back, and finish one quest, get enough money for a cart, then finish the other two."

"Why not just put them in the inventory?"

"Say what?"

"Yeah, here." Aqua brings out her Adventurer Card, focused for a moment, and her pink flowing sash disappears. And a moment later it comes back. "Every Adventurer Card comes with it's own inventory. The limit is how much the adventurer themself can physically carry, but that's how people carry loot around."

"...That is ridiculously conven..." Michael was about to express his surprise and approval, when he noticed a blonde hair knight enter his vision. She was just coming out of the corner of another street, when she turned and saw the duo.

A look of recognition, and determination came to her, and she stomped toward Michael and Aqua.

"Aqua."

"Hmm?"

A sly smile came to Michael's face. "That Crusader from yesterday, she's coming at us."

"What? You wanna prank her again?" A similar conspiratory smile came to Aqua.

"Yep, just play along with my act."

Finally the Crusader reached the duo.

"You!" She shouted, pointed accusingly at the Dark Paladin, like a detective finally catching a culprit.

"ACK!" Michael clutch his shirt where his heart's at, and fell over on the ground.

"No! Michael!" Aqua shouted dramatically and kneeled down to hold his downed body.

"What? No, why!? Please don't die! I specifically never learned Holy Magic so this wouldn't happen!" Darkness shouted and rushed to Michael's other side.

"Huh?" Aqua stopped her act to give the Crusader a shrewd look. Anyone actually watching can even see Michael open one eye to look at Darkness with a raised eyebrow.

"I mean, no! I never meant to harm him, I swear! As a knight I would never discriminate against someone for their Job, only their actions." Darkness quickly backed tracked. "I just wanted to join your party to, um, prove that this Dark Paladin was still a noble person!"

"Acck!" Michael fakely cough getting attention again. "A-aqua."

"Michael, save your strength! Don't worry, I'll heal you!" Aqua actually started to cast healing magic, which did nothing, because Michael was fine, but it made him feel tingly.

"I-It's too late for me, Aqua. Save...your magic." He coughed again, and Aqua (thankfully) stopped her healing to listen to his "dying" words. "Please..." Michael paused for a moment, then mentally shrugged. "Tell my wife and kids, I love them."

"D-D-Don't say that. Maria is cooking dinner for us next week. Timmy has finally learned how to ride a bike!"

"He, he did?" Tear started forming in Michael's eyes.

"Yes! He wanted to surprise you when you visited, but now he'll never get tooo~" Aqua shouted to the sky, her hand on her forehead, like a lamenting maiden.

"Wife? Kids!?" Darkness looked frantically between Aqua and Michael.

"Yes!" Aqua passionately shouted, getting into the role. "Maria the kind, generous yamato nadeshiko, who was enjoying her retirement from the police force."

"And pregnant." Michael added to the scenario.

"And pregnant, now that child will grow up without a father."

"No!" Darkeness stared in horror.

"My regrets are many, but mostly that I won't be able to attend John's wedding. That's my actually first born by the way." Michael stopped gasping as he spoke to clarify that point. "Or that I wouldn't be able to pay for Joana's college tuition." He returned to gasping. "That's the second born." He clarified.

"Ah, yes." Darkness nodded awkward, as she usually did when people started introducing their relatives to her.

"And now I will leave this world!" Michael dramatically raised his arm in the air. "With nothing but regret...and dreams unfulfilled. Like...tears in rain...Blaaauh." His face fell to the side, eyes closed, tongue hanging out to show he's dead.

"Really, quoting 'Blade Runner'? How unoriginal can you get?" Aqua deadpanned.

"Blaaauh." Michael made his death animation sound again

"I mean, noooooooo~." Aqua throw herself over Michael's chest to "cry" her eyes out.

"I-I can get an Arch Priest to cast Resurrection." Darkness started scrambling to help.

"Don't!" Aqua sat up, arm stretched out, with her palm open to Darkness in a stop gesture, while she looked away with a huff. "You have done enough. Leave~ oh cruel Crusader, so I may bury my friend in peace."

"But--"

"Leave~." Aqua said theatrically again.

"We can just--"

"Leave~."

"But I--"

"Leave~."

Eventually Darkness ran away, mostly from the awkwardness of the situation than the looks people were giving her. Nah, she liked the looks of condemnation.

People dispersed afterwards as the show was over.

"Oh the humanity of it all, first day as an adventurer and my partner already killed." Aqua held one arm of Michael's over her shoulder as she intended to carry him out of the city to bury him.

"Aqua, she's gone." Michael was acting dead till Darkness left the area, then he walked under his own power. Aqua didn't left go of his arm though.

"To think such horrible fate can befall me. And Michael too."

"Oi! Also I'm right here."

"And thus the story of Michael the Dark Paladin ends. Dying so young~!"

"Aqua." Michael said in a warning tone.

"Truly it's a tragedy. He died at last, like the first time. Completely lame."

"Okay, that's it." Michael grabbed Aqua in a headlock and gave her a noogie. "Whose dead? Tell me, whose dead!?"

"Not you! Not you!"

===x===

The first kill quest was easily finished. Michael let Aqua hang in the back, mostly so he would get a feel for his new body, and his limits in fighting, as well as see how the monsters of this world acted.

There were some close calls with a toad rising out of the ground behind Aqua, but Michael acted quickly, throwing his projected sword between it's eyes, ending it in one shot.

All in all, it was a good first day haul. One odd thing was how people were whispering at Michael and Aqua when they returned from their quest, while walking away quickly or avoiding Michael's eyes when they met them.

The duo reached the guild, and upon entering all talking instantly dropped as the people inside looked at Michael with wide eyes.

Oh what is it now? Michael thought exasperated.

"LIIIICH!" Someone screamed in horror, pointing at Michael.

"The Dark Paladin returned from the dead to wreck vengeance on us all!"

"His grudge at being killed on his first day as an adventurer, must have made him want to inflict that pain on every other adventurer. There is no escape for us!"

"I quit! I quit! I'm not an adventurer, see!?" A guy said lifting up his Adventurer Card to show everyone.

"You damn coward...I wanted to do that first!"

And thus multiple people shouted in panic, and chaos ensued once more.

"I'm the one responsible! Throw all of your grudges on me! Leave them, but TAKE ME!" And of course Darkness jumped in front of everyone with a giant happy and excited grin, her arms spread wide, ready to take any "grudge" Michael would unleash on them.

"God fucking dammit." Michael facepalmed.