Chapter 98

Chapter 98: Don’t fool around at the adventurer’s guild, please! part

“Yes! we want that!”

Luke replied a split second after she finished speaking.

“Oh, so you already know about it?”

“No, I don’t. But if it’s like an adventurer’s card I’m in”

“In that case, let me explain. It is a card and it does function as proof of identity, but it’s not related to adventurers in the sense that everyone can get one. Having one is a basic requirement to join any guild, even the church!”

Ebi takes some cards from a drawer, they are just silver colored plain cards, they seem to be made from a non reflective metal.

“When you touch a card it’ll link to your souls inmediately, that’s why I’m wearing gloves. Now please proceed and touch them bare handed”

.....

We all touch the cards that were handed to us, but nothing seems to happen.

“You must be wondering why are they not active yet, that’s because it takes some time for them to charge up. Just keep them close and they’ll start working within a day, as long as you keep them charged you’ll be able to unlock new features but the basics are all the same for everyone.”

“Excuse me, miss Ebi”

“Do you have a question miss?”

“Yes, what happens if someone loses their card or if it gets stolen?”

“There’s no cost to issue you a new card, but just like now, they’ll inactive until charged up and you’ll lose all the features your previous card had activated. In case it gets stolen they wouldn’t be able to use it or see any personal information, that’s why they don’t usually get stolen, unless of course someone robbed it with the intention of causing harm. So, you’ll still need to be ware of other adventurers”

“Other adventurers? do they play dirty?”

Bob asks Ebi.

“The purpose of this guild is to keep beasts and monsters at bay, in theory others adventurers are just different teams working for the same purpose but... you may find one or two rotten apples. It’s against the guild’s rules to purposedly get in the way of other teams, it’s also against rules to harm others adventurers for no reason. If, by chance, you have a grudge with someone and it’s clear it has nothing to do with the adventurers guild you could technically fight against others, but you would still need to respect the law. Some cities are very strict regarding fights, while others are more relaxed. Just don’t get ahead of yourselves, since you’re just starting no one will want to mess with you guys, there’s nothing to gain and a lot to lose by doing it and I don’t think there’s someone so stupid as to harm novices. Oh! by the way, there’s an issue you may encounter from the start so I’ll be clear, you cannot perform kill steal no matter the circumstances, understood?”

“What’s kill steal?”

I do have an idea, but I don’t lose anything by asking.

“Don’t be silly Ryu, you’re supposed to be our party leader. Kill steal is whenever you attack a beast someone else has targeted. Only the first one to properly land a hit can attempt to kill the beast, it’s a basic rule to keep order among different parties. Of course you can attack monsters someone from your party attacked since your party should be clear on how to share the loot, you can also aid someone if he clearly asks for help. In any other case it’s better to not intervene at all”

“You sure are knowledgeable mister, everything you said is correct. Anyway, you should head home to charge your soulbound cards, I almost forgot! as soon as your soulbound card charges up you should head back there to take a test. Don’t worry, it’s not difficult at all. I would say it’s impossible to fail the test, it’s sole purpose is to find rare talents that may be stronger than F rank so we can assign them to a higher rank up to D rank”

“Is there a chance to reach S rank inmediately?”

“S rank? impossible, even if you were as strong as an S rank you would still be assigned a D rank because as you rank up you’ll be taking responsabilities such as guarding the building, protecting our sponsors, defending the city or training novices”

“Isn’t that the same as taking a quest?”

“Not at all, it’s completely different since you won’t be paid after completing the task, instead you get a steady wage. You would be required in emergencies or if we’re seriously understaffed, but some people volunteer just because it’s safer and the wages are steady”

After listening to Ebi’s explanation we go back to the shop, Luke is so happy he’s literally skipping and even Bob has a broad smile on his face.

“Since it’s late, I think you guys should stay with us at the shop, I really don’t recommend you to stay at that crappy inn. I’ve been getting a lot of money lately and, despite saving every coin for a better craftmen station, I made sure to furnish the place appropriately to receive you guys”

“In that case, I think I’ll take your offer Ryu. It’s getting a bit late and I don’t think Veronika will be in the mood to be looking for a place to stay”

Time flew by so fast I didn’t realize when it was time to go to bed already. Bob and Luke had been discussing about their expectations for the adventurers guild while the girls just wondered if it was a safe profession, or if it was as dangerous as becoming a hunter at Ironwoods.

Veronika was especially scared that Bob may be sent into a dangerous quest and he might end up dying for biting more than he could swallow. But Mia did her best to calm everyone down.

She wasn’t an adventurer herself, but since she had been in the business for a couple years she heard lots of stories from adventurers.

From what Luke told us, being and adventurer in here was nothing short of being a salary man. I wasn’t sure of what he meant by that, but he explained that back on his world people used to go to employement agencies to look for work.

Mia proceeded to explain everything she knew about the adventurers and how they worked, I was glad to hear that the adventurers guild wasn’t just a place that sent people on tasks and then collected the money, they took care of gathering information and choosing the right team for the job.

Not only that, sometimes they even provide equipment, hints, supplies and even transportation fees. They took care of the adventurers that fell ill or were cursed during adventures. When I tried to ask her if maybe I could find someone to help me with my problem she said she didn’t know for sure but it was the best choice I had.

Since I refurnished the whole building after making the repairs and fixes it needed, my bed now is a lot more comfortable. It is true I’ve been making a killing out of selling tonics and potions, but it’s also true that Athela’s wealth seems bottomless.

Now we’re fighting each other without violence. I would make as many tonics I can, she would come pick them up and pay the required amount. Then she would go sell them to other merchants at the same price she bought them from me, just as her contract states so, in theory her wealth should be the same.

I know that’s not true though, because I know she’s been bribing people to keep them from selling me the medicinal herbs I need to make the tonic.

If she runs out of money I win, and she will end up being my slave. On the other hand, If I fail to craft at least ten tonics, even if it’s a single day, it’s her win and I’ll be unable to make any more business in this city.

When I deviced the mechanism to keep her from using the haggle skill on me she seemed to be defeated and was on the verge of crying, but after going back home she recomposed herself and came back with confidence in beating me. She always keeps a sly smile on her face and uses any underhanded method to keep me from making enough tonics, but she never once recurred to violence or breaking the law which is one of the advantages I have.

But there’s two things she didn’t count on, the first one being my friends bringing me enough medicinal herbs to cure a plague, that alone may not be enough for me to beat her. But there’s one more thing and I have it on my hands right now.

The soulbound card provides information about oneself, I have the feeling there are many possibilities lying in the use of this artifact and also, it allows me to join the adventurers guild. As long as I’m able to gather herbs myself there won’t be a single day I won’t be able to provide the tonics.

There’s no way I’m losing this.