Purpose At Daunting Work

The man who arrived with the cart stepped down, giving it a cursory inspection before nodding in satisfaction. "I'll be back in eight hours to collect the cart," he said, his tone brisk. Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and walked away.

Amukelo glanced at the cart, then at the pile of debris. The amount of work ahead was clear, but it didn't seem daunting. He rolled up his sleeves and turned to the man who had hired him. "Alright, let's get started."

Together, they began hauling the rubbish onto the cart. Broken planks, shattered bricks, and splinters of furniture made up most of the mess, though there were occasional odd items—a bent lantern, scraps of cloth, and even a half-melted sign. Amukelo worked steadily, finding the rhythm of the task almost meditative. The repetitive nature of lifting and carrying wasn't physically taxing for him, and he even found himself enjoying the simplicity of the job.

The man worked alongside him, muttering under his breath about the inconvenience of it all but never complaining directly to Amukelo. They didn't talk much at first, both focused on clearing the road as efficiently as possible. The pile of debris began to shrink as the cart filled.

Once the cart was full, the man climbed up to the driver's seat and motioned for Amukelo to join him. "Come on, we're heading out."

Amukelo hopped onto the cart, sitting beside the man as the horse began pulling them forward. The road ahead was bumpy, the cart creaking slightly under the weight of the load. They traveled in silence for a while.

Amukelo eventually broke the silence. "I wonder," he began, looking at the man. "What would've happened if I hadn't shown up? I mean, it looks like you already had the cart ready. What if no one had taken the quest?"

The man gave him a curious look, raising an eyebrow. "Then I would've done it myself," he said simply. "Don't you adventurers have expiration dates listed at the bottom of the quest slips?"

Amukelo blinked, caught off guard by the response. "Expiration dates?"

The man chuckled, shaking his head. "Yep. Check the bottom of your quest slip."

Amukelo pulled the slip out of his pocket and inspected it closely. Sure enough, there was a small date printed at the bottom. He frowned, feeling a little foolish for not noticing it before. "Oh, I didn't know it worked that way."

"New to adventuring?" the man asked with a knowing smile.

Amukelo nodded, a little embarrassed. "Yeah. I'm still figuring things out."

"You'll get through it," the man said kindly. "Everyone starts somewhere."

Amukelo sat back, mulling over the man's words. His thoughts drifted briefly to the other quests he'd passed over—like helping the old lady with her party—and he realized that task, too, must have had a specific deadline.

Before he could dwell on it further, the cart came to a halt in front of a building with a large open yard. Several workers stood around, waiting to unload the rubbish. The man waved at them and gestured for Amukelo to help.

Amukelo and the workers unloaded the cart, tossing the debris into designated piles. Once the cart was empty, they returned to the shop to reload it with more rubbish, repeating the process several times. Though the work was monotonous, the man's gratitude and the visible progress they were making kept Amukelo's spirits high.

By the time they returned to the shop for the final load, the road was almost entirely clear, and the building's surroundings looked far less chaotic. Amukelo wiped his brow with the back of his hand, glancing at the setting sun. 

As they finished unloading the last pile, the man turned to Amukelo, his expression one of genuine gratitude. "Thank you so much for your help, young man," he said, extending a hand. "I really appreciate it. Thanks to you, I can finally start rebuilding."

Amukelo shook his hand, smiling. "No problem. I'm glad I could help."

The man hesitated, then added with a small laugh, "Honestly, I wasn't expecting anyone to take the quest. Most adventurers avoid jobs like this."

Amukelo's smile grew. "I guess I'm not like most adventurers."

The man chuckled, nodding. "Apparently not. You're a kind soul, and I can tell you've got a good heart."

Amukelo's chest swelled with a warm sense of pride. The man's words, simple as they were, made him feel like his efforts had been worthwhile. "If there's anything else I can help with—"

The man shook his head, smiling. "No, no. I already have people lined up for the reconstruction. You've done a good job. Thank you."

Amukelo nodded, giving the man a final wave as he turned and began walking back toward the adventurer's association. The work hadn't been glamorous or exciting, but it had been meaningful. He felt lighter somehow, as if the act of helping someone had cleared away some invisible weight.

When Amukelo arrived back at the association, the hall was livelier than it had been earlier. He made his way to the quest board, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. This time, he didn't skim past the simpler quests. His eyes landed on the quest to help the old lady prepare her party.

He checked the details, noticing the date printed clearly at the bottom that suggested the quest was expiring the next day. He smiled to himself, appreciating the practicality of the system. Without a second thought, he grabbed the slip and headed to the counter to accept the quest, already eager to see what it might bring.

Amukelo arrived at the address listed on the quest slip, the building modest but welcoming with its well-kept exterior and neatly trimmed garden. The early morning sunlight cast soft shadows across the front steps, and Amukelo hesitated for a moment before knocking on the wooden door.

After a brief pause, the door creaked open to reveal a young girl, maybe a few years younger than him. She had bright eyes and an eager expression, though her hands were dusted with flour, suggesting she'd been helping with preparations inside. She glanced at him curiously.

"Is… is this the right house?" Amukelo asked awkwardly, holding up the quest slip for her to see. "I'm here for the quest."

The girl leaned in, reading the paper quickly. Her face lit up with a smile. "Yes, this is the right house! It's great you're here; we really need some help." She stepped aside, motioning for him to come in. "Come in, come in."

Amukelo stepped inside and was immediately greeted by the warm, savory aroma of food wafting from the kitchen. The interior was cozy, with wooden beams supporting the ceiling and shelves lined with jars of spices and preserves. The hum of activity filled the space as someone bustled about in the kitchen.

The girl led him further in, calling out, "Grandma, someone from the quest came!"

An older woman, her back turned as she stirred a large pot, looked over her shoulder. She wiped her hands on her apron and turned to face Amukelo, her face lighting up with a welcoming smile. "Oh my, what a strong, handsome young man! Thank you for coming."

Amukelo gave a polite smile, scratching the back of his head. "Happy to help. What do you need me to do?"

"Let me get you the shopping list," the grandmother said, reaching for a piece of paper on the counter. "My granddaughter here will need help with some heavy shopping in town. The supplies are too much for her to carry alone."

"Sure," Amukelo said. "Is there anything else I can help with?"

The grandmother chuckled softlyl. "Since you're offering, there are a couple of other things. While I prepare the list, we need some firewood chopped for the pig roast. And speaking of the pig, it's down in the basement. Too heavy for me or my granddaughter to carry. Think you could handle that?"

Amukelo straightened up, nodding confidently. "Absolutely."

The girl stepped forward, motioning for him to follow. "I'll show you where the basement is."

The basement was cool and dimly lit. At the center of the space lay a large, plump pig, carefully positioned on a bed of wheat to keep it off the ground. Amukelo looked it over, estimating the weight. It wasn't light, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

The girl folded her arms, giving him a doubtful look. "I don't know if you can lift this by yourself," she said. "We can work together if you need."

Amukelo grinned, rolling up his sleeves. "Don't worry," he said, bending to grab the pig. "I've gained a lot of experience with pigs recently."

The girl raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What do you mean?"

As Amukelo lifted the pig effortlessly, her expression turned to one of genuine surprise. He carried the pig toward the stairs, chuckling. "I just finished a quest yesterday where I had to catch runaway livestock. It was a whole day of chasing and carrying pigs."

The girl laughed, following him up the stairs. "You must be the perfect person for this job, then."

They brought the pig out to the backyard, where a large roasting spit had been prepared. With some effort, Amukelo hoisted the pig onto the spit, securing it in place. The girl worked quickly, seasoning the pig and brushing it with oil to prepare it for roasting.

As Amukelo wiped his hands on a cloth, he watched her work. "Isn't it a little early to start cooking it?" he asked. "I mean, the quest said the time limit was until tomorrow. This thing's going to cook all day."

The girl smiled, chuckling at his question. "Actually, the party is tomorrow, but because of the size of this pig, it'll take all day to cook. We need to start now to have it ready in time. But you're right—if you'd come tomorrow, it would've been too late."

Amukelo nodded, crossing his arms thoughtfully. "I'm glad I came on time, then."

"Me too," she said, her voice warm with gratitude. "It's already a lot easier with your help."