Chapter 31 (1/2)
The quest from the guild was for taking Shayna Lonbaltear back to the city-state of Hanza.
Back at the inn, as soon as Loren and Lapis got back from buying everything they needed, word came from Jack that there was a meeting the next day with the other adventurers they would be joining for quest at the guild.
Loren’s debt to Lapis had increased quite a bit.
A new set of leather armor costed fifteen silver coins.
The black coat that Lapis had recommended him to buy costed five gold coins
The weapon that Lapis found him costed fifteen gold coins.
She also bought him stuff like medicine and daggers and such.
They bought everything adventurers needed from armor and weapons, to tools for maintenance, rations, and a change of clothes.
“Along with the amount that you already owe as well as rounding down the cost, your debt is now twenty-three gold coins and eighty silver coins. You don’t have to worry about the copper coins.”
“That sounds like a small fortune right there.”
“Adventurer equipment itself is worth a small fortune, after all.”
As soon as Lapis paid the frowning store owner, Loren had finally got everything to be able to work as an adventurer.
Loren thought the meeting with the other partic.i.p.ants was pretty sudden, but proceeded to cancel the room for two that Lapis had checked in and switch to two separate rooms. He left Lapis, who looked dissatisfied, and spent the night alone, and the next morning he met up with her and headed to the guild.
As soon as they got there, Loren went to the counter and told them that they were recommended by Ritz for the quest.
In the room that they were brought to, was a female employee that posted the quest as well as Shayna herself, wearing travelling clothes instead of the dress that they found her in.
Around them were around twenty iron rank adventurers who decided to partic.i.p.ate in the quest.
If a handful of them were from one party, it meant that there were a few parties partic.i.p.ating in the quest.
Among the iron rank adventurers, Loren noticed the red-haired boy that he had met at the store the day before, who had s.n.a.t.c.hed the sword in front of his eyes.
At the same time, the boy noticed Loren as well, pointed at the copper tag on his chest, and complained to the employee.
“Hey. Isn’t this quest meant for adventurers who’re iron rank and above?”
“Those two have been accepted to join this quest by the recommendation of silver rank adventurers.”
“So they used connections.”
On the laughing boy’s waist was the black longsword he purchased the day before.
His armor was well made as well, reinforced with steel plating.
“There is a rule by the guild that if recommended by a silver rank adventurer, a copper rank adventurer can be treated the same as an iron rank adventurer. There is no problem for the two of them to partic.i.p.ate in this quest.”
As the employee gave an explanation to all the adventurers who were staring at Loren and Lapis, trying to judge their worth, Loren smiled slightly at the fact that the employee didn’t deny the fact that it was all about connections.
But apparently the explanation irritated the boy even more, and he stuck his finger at the tag on Loren’s chest.
“I already told you yesterday to know your place, low rank. I don’t know what kind of tricks you played to get beneath a silver rank adventurer, but you’d better not get in our way.”
In fact, Lapis was a copper rank adventurer just like Loren.
But she didn’t look interested at all in what the boy was saying, but instead was just looking at how the situation was playing out with a troubled expression.
Loren then reluctantly replied to the boy’s words
“Yeah, yeah. We’ll be on the edges and make sure not to get in your way.”
“Don’t you even have the guts to talk back?”
Loren wasn’t sure what do say at the boy’s further provocation, but the employee decided to b.u.t.t in.
“Please leave it at that. You’re all here to join the same quest.”
“Don’t lump me in with them.”
“If you don’t stop, I’ll take it that you want to get in the way of completing the quest and penalize you by the guild’s standards.”
That was enough to make the boy close his mouth, and after glaring at Loren, he walked back towards where the rest of his party was.
“You two as well, please be aware that partic.i.p.ating in quests with this manner is an exceptional case. Please try not to stir up any trouble.”
“Sorry about that. I’ll apologize so can you let us off the hook this time?”
As Loren bowed his head and apologized, the employee didn’t have anything else to say, so she turned back and scanned around the room at all the adventurers inside and said in a loud voice.
“I’d like to thank all of you that decided to partic.i.p.ate in this quest. This quest will be an official one from the guild itself. You must safely take Shayna Lonbaltear to the city-state of Hanza.”
The blonde haired girl named Shayna looked scared at all the adventurers standing in front of her, but managed to bow her head when the employee mentioned her.
“Shayna is the daughter of the president. Please make sure not to be disrespectful. It will take three days to get to Hanza, and the guild will provide carriages for you to ride. We want you to guard her on the way there. The reward will be twelve silver coins per person.”
To Loren, the amount that the employee showed seemed like quite a bit of money, but it was a three-day trip getting there and another three-day trip coming back.
It meant two silver coins a day, and since it cost around fifty copper coins for an adult to live for one day, it wasn’t that good of a reward either.
“Wait a second. Those copper ranks are getting the same amount?”