1 A Simple Adventurer Goes on a Quest

The Adventurer's Guild was busy today, but that was nothing new, especially first thing in the morning. The weather was good - crisp and cloudless - which made gathering, hunting, and escort quests much easier on the adventurer; more adventurers were lined up at the desks on days like this.

The building was a large one, structured like a sturdy tavern. Where the bar might have been was instead a long stone counter, staffed by Guild personnel in charge of assigning, receiving, and distributing rewards for quests. A large noticeboard of town announcements, party recruitment notices, and other memos dominated one wall, while high windows opposite showed the view of the street outside. Stairs to the second floor climbed up both sides of the large hall to an open balcony leading off into multiple hallways and resident dormitories available to both Adventurers and Guild Staff alike. The lower level was dotted with tables and chairs where adventurers could relax and socialize in between jobs, meet party members, or wait for the queues at the desk to thin instead of standing in line while it was busy.

I was lucky to arrive early enough this morning to snag one of the more comfortable arm chairs for myself, propping my sword and buckler against the low table in front, able to wait out the first rush in comfort. The seat was near enough the notice board that I could read the headings on most of the papers posted. There were a few announcements from the Town Hall, a few room rental notices for lodging, and a few party recruitment ads.

-- Looking for experienced Healer for escort missions --

-- Rookie Scout looking for Class D group for exp --

-- Class B Fighter wanted for bodyguard job --

Nothing out of the ordinary.

"Hey! Hey, it's Tor! Hi~!"

One of the adventurers I had partied with before had spotted me, a fox-kin Scout named Melanie. She was a in her early twenties - same as me - with bright red hair braided under a green and brown scarf, blue eyes, and a smattering of freckles across her face. As usual, she was equipped with leather armor, a shortbow, and a long knife sheathed at her side. Her tufted vulpine ears were perked forwards as she bounded through the crowd by the desk over to where I sat.

"Good morning, Melanie. Come to grab a quest bright and early?"

"Sure thing! We got ourselves a good quest escorting a merchant caravan to Dorian trade outpost north of here. About a week's worth of work including the layover."

"Got room for a Class C Fighter? I don't have anything scheduled if you need a plus-one," I offered.

A Class C Fighter like myself was the most common type of adventurer. Strong enough to solo most gathering quests, and bodyguard gigs, but needing to party up for away missions or extermination quests. Because there were so many of us, there were often more adventurers available than quests, so it wasn't unusual for me to ask about an extra spot. Class C's often tried to rank up to B as soon as possible for more job opportunities, but I was content where I was. I usually took gathering and delivery missions while filling in the gaps as needed for acquaintances like Melanie, and I was able to live reasonably well as a result. Fame or fortune - the driving force for most adventurers - held no real interest for me.

Melanie frowned slightly, and I was already nodding along when she replied in the negative.

"Sorry, Tor. We got a group of three fighters, a healer and two scouts already. Any more than that would be overkill."

"Hah, that's true," I agreed. "Keep me in mind for the next one?"

"Sure!" Melanie reached out her hand and we shook on it. "Oh! Before I forget," she added, giving me a considering look. The way she narrowed her eyes made her expression even more fox-like than usual. "There was a rookie party - mostly Class D - looking at a Giant Ant extermination quest. They might welcome a Class C fighter to give them the D+ rank required to accept it."

I nodded in thanks. "Sounds good. Be safe out there, Melanie."

"You too, Tor. Hah, maybe you'll rank up this time!"

"No way!"

Waving over her shoulder, Melanie disappeared back into the crowd at the desk to register her quest. Shaking my head, I looked over to the part of the desk where Class D groups could accept quests, and sure enough, there was a full party of rookies in their late teens trying to badger one of the guild staff into assigning them an extermination quest. Snatching up my gear and clipping my sword and buckler to their respective places on my belt, I made my way over.

----

Agh, this dumbass kid! I want to tear my hair out and shove it down this little turd's throat.

Deep breath, Sally. I'm cool. I'm calm. Keep the rage on the inside, business smile on the outside.

"Look, Adventurer Lukas. Your party is Class D. You need at least one Class C member to take this quest. I can not give it to you otherwise - it sets a dangerous precedent than can get people killed if I do that. I might also lose my job. Find yourself a goddamn-!" I cut myself off - startring to lose my cool there!

"...Find yourself a Class C to join your party, or choose another quest. I have an excellent one to gather red-spot mushrooms in the fields out the east gate."

Lukas - the young rookie mage in front of me opens his mouth to start badgering me again (after three years manning the desk I know the signs) when a timely intervention steps up. Sorry Tor, I'm throwing you at my problems. Again. Deal with it~!

"Take Tor with you. Class C fighter, decently experienced. Coming right this way."

"Morning, Sally," Tor said, trying and failing to hide a smile as he walked up to lean against the counter and give the rookie group a once over. "I see everything is running smoothly in your neck of the woods."

"Get bent," I snarled before biting my lip. Business smile, business smile. Think non-violent thoughts.

"Sorry," he apologized before addressing the Class D group. "I'm Tor, a Class C fighter. If you want to take the extermination quest, I'd be happy to tag along. You don't have to include me in the reward if that's an issue - I didn't have anything planned today and wouldn't mind the trip out of town."

Tor was a decent sort, as far as adventurers go. He's almost painfully normal. Black hair and eyes, plain features, half-plate armor, sword and shield. He's in his early twenties, average height - he only stands out because he's so average it's uncanny. When it comes to quests he's not picky or pushy, is willing to take the low-ranked work no-one wants, and has an infamous aversion to ranking up. He certainly has enough successful quests to do so, but will change the subject if you try to bring it up. He's pretty much ideal to throw at babysitting jobs like this one.

After a brief moment of dithering, the rookies accepted.

"Great," I informed them, stamping the quest [ACCEPTED] and giving them the receipt. "Now get out of my face and go kill giant bugs for money like the weirdos you are."

They are looking at me oddly now.

"...I said that last bit out loud, didn't I?"

This was going to be a long day.