A job

Squeak-

The bucket slowly rose up.

“Kla- daddy when?” The little kid asked.

“Soon,” His brother, Klaus answered. “Soon….” He repeated pulling the bucket up from the well.

The sun was about to set and birds were returning to their homes.

It was time for the two to get back as well.

To their home.

Their lonely home.

“Kla…” The little boy mumbled.

He’d been asking it ever since that day-

But-

“Yeah?”

“Will… da… really come?”

For a moment his little brother’s voice almost sounded normal- almost.

Klaus had buried his father’s remains the same night. He didn’t let the little boy know- “Yeah, of course!” Klaus smiled, reassuring. Strained.

Jacob also smiled.

But-

Something-

Didn’t really feel normal.

Nothing did.

After all-

Despite how they avoided the topic-

Both knew-

Their father-

Wasn’t coming back.

One knew for a fact-

And the other-

Perhaps, instinct.

***

It had been days.

Two whole weeks even, since Klaus learned of the event.

Lately he’d been taking magic lessons from the witch next door and he also practiced spearmanship.

But neither were going to get him a job-

At least not yet.

He wasn’t in great need of money for at least a year- thanks to the small fortune handed down to him by that man.

But even so-

He couldn’t just live off of this forever and he knew that.

If he was alone, that would have been one thing. But he wasn’t.

He had a little brother.

Someone he had to take care of.

And for him, for Jacob, he wasn’t afraid to take on the world.

But for now, he just had to find a job.

And for that-

“Miss, I saw a poster you were hiring-” Klaus found himself just behind the counter of the adventurer’s guild.

No, he wasn’t here to become an adventurer.

He’d left Jacob with the neighbor’s kid and he planned to go back right after this. Normally, Klaus took Jacob to everywhere, even practice sessions. But today, he didn’t. If he got the job, then Jacob would have to be alone for most of the day, so it was best the kid at least got a bit used to this.

Klaus was a well-developed boy for his age. Even so, he got plenty of annoyed stares from the adventurers around him.

“Yes. But-” The woman- middle-aged but pretty- eyed the boy- “We’re only accepting intermediate-”

All she saw was a teenager, a boy.

Not a man.

“The requirements state you’d take intermediate rank Knights or Mages, I’m aware. I’m Intermediate on both. I special in spear and fireballs.”

“Both?” She paused; eyebrows raised. “Come with me.”

***

People with exceptional abilities were classified under the ranking system.

Beginner, for those who possessed the key knowledge and little practical prowess; intermediate for those who possessed moderate practical prowess and Master, for those who’d mastered the basics.

Of course, there were higher forms of classification. But normally those were only achievable for heroes and masters who’d practiced for years and years.

Not achievable for common folk-

So even intermediate in a single discipline was said to be rare-

Let alone two-

At least for a sixteen-year-old.

Meaning- Klaus must be a prodigy-

Or so the receptionist surmised and took him to the guild master’s room.

“Intermediate in both spear and offensive magic?” She wondered-

Old lady, maybe in her one hundred and nineties- half-elf.

She wore a white robe with smell rectangular patterns near the edges.

“Did you verify it?” The lady asked the receptionist.

She was seated in her chair.

Though the room was small, it was fairly lit thanks to the two windows letting in sunlight.

A stack of papers and some books-

That’s all the room had to offer.

“Not yet, I was just-”

A disapproving nod. “Come here boy-”

Klaus went forward.

Stood before the woman.

“Let’s see-” she said, closing one eye- and peering the boy’s chest.

“What are you-” Klaus mumbled and tried to step back-

But he couldn’t.

He couldn’t move.

Body, paralyzed, as he stared at the woman before him.

“Yes, he does appear to be intermediate… albeit barely. And though there’s potential, he probably won’t have a breakthrough… at least not while he’s still kicking.” A chuckle and the woman went back to her seat.

Panting, Klaus took a step back. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“She means you can’t get stronger past a point…” The receptionist said. “However, being intermediate in two schools means you’re at least some sort of a prodigy.”

The old lady snorted. “He who is everywhere, is nowhere. Focus on one thing only. Walking on two roads at the same time and succeeding isn’t possible.”

“With all due respect, I never said I want to get stronger. I just want a job,” he formed a fist, glared for a second but let go… “I don’t need revenge…” In the heat of the moment he might or might not have spoken words he didn’t mean to.

“Getting stronger for revenge isn’t the only thing in life.” The old woman had seen a lot in her life. She knew determination when she saw it. However, she also knew the will to destroy- and the desire for revenge. She knew it… “But- getting stronger to protect others is a noble deed. I’m sure you have someone to protect? For their sake focus on something that’d allow you to shine in that moment of need. Of course, that’s just a bit of advice from an old lady. Feel free to do whatever.”

“And the job?”

“It’s yours. 5 silvers a month. You’ll work from morning till sundown.”

Klaus stood there for a second… kind of dazed. “6 Silver and please allow me to leave before sunset. I don’t have parents and it’ll be really hard for me to find proper groceries and cook for my little brother if-”

“5 Silver and 50 Copper, and you may leave half an hour earlier.”

“Thank you…”

With that Klaus got the job.

But he also got a lecture he didn’t want.

Or rather, he didn’t think he needed.

A lecture on why it was better to perhaps pursue higher pay and demand better working conditions without just accepting it outright.

And from the receptionist no less!

Outside the guildmaster’s office of course.