Chapter 127: Forgotten Pint

Applying to become a porter was easy. But being a porter wasn't a fulfilling job at all, especially if the attendant who welcomed Ned showing an unfriendly smile.

After she scribbled with her black quill, she told Ned to look for hunters that were looking for porters.

"Where?" Ned asked, direct and flat.

Which made the short and curly-haired plump lady rolled eyes. "Outside, kiddo," she said, brief while munching a food, probably meat, since some part of brown thread like meat slipped outside her mouth. "To the right, a billboard where hunters post a job. Go look."

Ned left without having to say a word. With an empty bag, a hanging pouch, and black to black clothing that sneered under the gleaming sun, Ned would not be lost on the hundred of crowds as he exited the building.

Ned turned the paper he holds. It was the contract of being a companion porter. Behind the contract was the map of the Du'kki island: a C shaped and double the size of O'rriadt island; torrented with, mostly, forests, swamps, and nerves of rivers coming from the mountain that was labeled 'Du'kki Mountain', and below the label was a written form or a warning 'Caution: Grade A and B monsters. Recommended hunter rank: Silver above and a minimum of six-member per party.'

At the foot of the Du'kki mountain were the forests. There were precisely drawn areas while there were areas covered with black fog which Ned assumed to be unexplored.

Each area was labeled according to the grade of monsters:

Outer Area; was labeled Grade Es. This area was where most of the hunters partied up for a raid. Each area was marked according to the monsters. At the edges of the Outer Area were monsters of low grade took territory: Wargs, Sinking Hounds, Bog Slimes, Butrikis, were one of the notable Grade E monsters.

At the Middle Area were Grade Ds: Wadingos, Water Wargs, Bunyips, Swamp Goblins, and an out of the ordinary Fire Salamanders.

And the notable monsters in the Inner Area were Grade Cs: Snugs, Ahools, and the monster only available in the Bogblot Region, the Bogland Frog. And for some reason, a Grade E monster was included inside the Inner Area names Swamp Eye.

Ned reached the outside of the Hunter's Guild Association building. He later learned through the hunter guards that only Hunters were allowed to enter Hunter's building.

At the front of the hunter's building was a unison of greenery scene. Planted shrub lined that encompasses the entire front of the building, with some sprinkles of flowers, and thin palm trees carefully planted in each corner of the building.

To the right of Ned were a long, wooden advertising board and a long queue of crowded people.

Ned sighed as he watched the scattered people, mostly companions, that we're looking for jobs posted by the Hunters and the association alike.

"It is pointless to join," Ned said shaking his head and once again, examined the contract. This time he flipped it around to show the front.

As Ned read the contract, he was confronted by different rules a companion must follow.

Hunter's Guild Companionship Contract; a Companion must:

'Be willing to take order from hunters.'

'Must be in the vicinity of the hunter whom he made a contract with for a maximum of twenty meters. This, to stop the companion from leaving the party out of sight, that might endanger the party.'

'Hunter's Guild Association (HGA) has nothing to do between the negotiations of the Hunters and the Companions in terms of their stipend; Depending on the type of Grade the hunter takes. The minimum agreed payment is 30 silver. Demanding to increase the payment will happen only between the leader of the party and the companion.'

'There can only be one Porter, Runner, and Looter in every party. This to avoid the Hunters from hoarding.'

'There is no limit as to how many times a companion can take a job in a day.'

'To protect the wellbeing of the Companions from unforeseen events; both during the raid and the party within the raid. Hunters are required to submit the name of the Companion to the HGA before a raid started.'

'Porters cannot be forced to carry any more than the allotted weight. Unless the Companion is willing to do so. Hunters who failed to do so will have their ranks affected by issuing demerits. The demerit depends on rank.'

'Runners cannot be forced to do an advance scouting anymore than two kilometers. Unless the Companion is willing to do so. Hunters who failed to do so will have their ranks affected by issuing demerits. The demerit depends on rank.'

'Looters cannot be forced to pick-up loots that were deemed dangerous and ruinous to their wellbeing. Unless the Companion is willing to do so. Looters are not allowed to pick-up loot from other teams. Hunters who failed to do so will have their ranks affected by issuing demerits. The demerit depends on rank.'

'Party Leaders are held accountable for the Companions' error in judgments and actions.'

'As a Companion. You are advised to report your job, the team, and how they treated you to the HGA.'

Sincerely, HGA.

Ned folded the paper, tucked it inside his pouch. And stared at the ever-growing number of people in front of the wooden board.

But Ned had his own plans, he walked passing Hunter's building and the crowd, the sun was high noon, but there's no stopping a hunter to quench their thirst.

Along the edges of the buildings, not far from Hunter's building, Ned found his starting point. A pub: both for drinking and serving food—which he badly needed.

Ned entered the Forgotten Pint: the name of the tavern. And was welcomed by a great amount of silence. Which to his liking, but frowned for what he needed now were hunters looking to party a companion.

Seven rounded tables on the center, and medium-size couches lined at the edges, three on each side. In the far center was the bar, bottles of different intoxicating drinks lined from a wooden case divided into three. Behind the bar was a room visible from the open space behind the man standing inside the bar. The room was handled by at least three or four kitchen crew. There was a door beside the bar that, Ned assumed, led to the outhouse. The front of the house was composed of curvy but restrained ladies serving the people seated in silence. A stair leading to the second floor ascended to the entrance door. Aside from a single frame (hanging in the entrance) and a medium-size wooden board (standing across the bar), there was nothing notable decoration at all. Which made Ned led to a conclusion the owner was a minimalistic person.

A hidden source of light shone orange the tavern. A smell of vanilla coming out from the wooden wall added with the aromatic smell of roasted meat must have made the patrons (hunters, freeborns, or nobles alike) sat in complete silence.

Three tables were filled with patrons out of seven: first table; two patrons sat, second; another two patrons, and the third; four people sat which Ned recognized as hunters from there get-go outfit. And a single person seated at the couch (good for six, sitting on each side of the couch) sat at the far end right with his head dumping on the table.

"Bilbao's table!" Cried the man in the bar. It broke the complete silence. "Lampaca meat is up! For Bilbao!"

The table with four people murmured and one of them stood. Two blades (one gray and chipped; the other shining, newly bought silver-colored) slung behind him, long and braided hair tied as a ponytail with thick eyebrows, and confused clothing (chainmail he wore but under it, his undergarment, was decorated with green flowers).

Must be the Bilbao guy. Ned thought.

"Master Claire!" Cried Bilbao, standing. "It was my pleasure to be served by the famous Lampaca meat!"

The rest of the cried burst in laughter (aside from the head dumped guy).

Bilbao blushed in his forties. "It was my first time eating Master Claire's famous Lampaca meat!" He muttered also shouting.

One of their group stood and bowed. A lady, in her twenties. "Forgive him, Master Claire," she said. And pulled Bilbao seated.

One of the lady, (wearing white linen aprons, yellow dyed hair, big rounded eyes, and bustling front) picked the meat and served at the group of four.

Ned walked at the side of the tables. There he noticed the wooden board plastered with papers of different writings. Some looked like a wanted poster, and signs labeled with different monster grades.

It was also at this moment that the man in the bar, who Ned assumed to be Master Claire, recognized his presence.

Master Claire, in his forties with a perfect greyish buzz-cut hair, warrior jaw, and an old cut ran from the top of his right eye down to his neck, some silver facial hair trimmed to fit his square jaw.

"You lost, lad?" He said. Rolling the toothpick between his upper lips and lower.

"Lad?"