All-purpose butler Aphra was indeed remarkable.
After examining the wound on Ye Chui’s arm, she leaned down and gently kissed it. Just as Ye Chui thought, “What the hell, if the wound was on my butt, how would she heal that?” the bite marks from the water snake visibly healed, and the piercing pain vanished.
Ye Chui waved his arm. Apart from his torn clothes, it felt as good as new.
“It’s really healed. Thank you,” Ye Chui said sincerely to Aphra.
Aphra gave a gentle, big-sisterly smile. “Stinky man, I wouldn’t have healed you if Miss Debbie hadn’t asked.”
“…Huh?”
“Aphra really dislikes men,” Debbie explained, waving her hand. “Alright, Aphra, you can go back. I’ll summon you when I need you.”
Aphra bowed to Debbie in farewell. A pink door appeared beside her. As she opened it and was about to step through, she paused, speaking in a deliberately low voice that was still audible to those nearby. “Miss Debbie, my new fortieth chest-enhancement massage technique will definitely work. When do you…”
“Go away!”
Debbie’s face flushed red again. She hurriedly pushed Aphra through the door, slamming it shut. As the summoning door vanished, Debbie tried to salvage the awkward atmosphere with a forced laugh. “Aphra loves to joke, haha…”
The guild hall’s atmosphere grew even more awkward.
Breaking the silence was a woman with short, light red hair. A tall female swordsman, she wore light leather armour. Her slightly tanned face wasn’t conventionally beautiful but had a unique charm, especially her long, toned legs under her skirt-like armour, which drew attention. Ye Chui stole several glances as she approached. She smiled and said, “Hello, I’m Los, a mid-level swordsman. Nice to meet you both.”
“Oh, hello,” Ye Chui replied, wondering what she wanted. He introduced himself, “I’m Wade, a novice mage, which you probably know. This flat-chested girl beside me is Debbie, a summoner, as you just saw.” Debbie glared, clearly annoyed at the “flat-chested” remark and ready to argue, but Ye Chui ignored her and asked Los, “What’s up?”
“I’d love to be friends with you both. My team just took a task to clear a pack of wolf-rats in Black Peach Forest near Stan Town. We’re short on people and want to recruit two more.”
Los explained, “Since you’re here, you must be looking for tasks, right? I’d like you to join my team. If you agree, we’ll head out now. Wolf-rats are nocturnal, so we’ll camp outside until tomorrow. Killing one wolf-rat earns two silver coins. How about it?”
Ye Chui and Debbie’s eyes lit up. They had expected their first task at the guild to be something simple, like “finding a pet” or “collecting items,” as many mercenaries started with such tasks. They hadn’t expected to luck into a beast-hunting task with two silver coins per wolf-rat.
“Miss Los’s team is one of the most reputable in the guild. She won’t scam newbies. It’s a great opportunity,” the blonde maid said with a smile.
It did seem like a good chance.
But Ye Chui and Debbie needed to confirm one thing first. They exchanged a glance and asked Los in unison, “Does it include dinner?”
Los paused. “…Yes.”
“We’re in!” Ye Chui said eagerly.
Dinner was sorted.
…
Outside Stan Town, the Elf Plain stretched endlessly. Said to be the burial ground of an elf king, it was filled with pale green vine grass. The plain wasn’t entirely empty; scattered villages, small groves, lakes, and hills dotted the landscape.
Los’s mercenary team had four members: three swordsmen and one mage. With Ye Chui and Debbie, they rode horses to a small grove twenty miles west of Stan Town.
Called Black Peach Forest, it was filled with sour black peach trees.
Years ago, an evil mage was killed there, cursing the place before dying, making it an ominous site that attracted ferocious beasts like the wolf-rat pack now living there. Entering the cursed forest recklessly wasn’t wise.
Los clearly had experience with such tasks. Upon arriving, she led the team to camp behind a small hill near the forest, waiting for nightfall when the wolf-rats would hunt, allowing the team to ambush them.
They arrived at dusk.
Los distributed prepared rations: bread, dried meat, and water in pouches. One of her mages used a fire spell to cook a pot of vegetable soup. Los, slightly amused, shared the food with Ye Chui and Debbie. Seeing their delight, she couldn’t shake the feeling they’d joined the task just for the meal.
“Los, this task isn’t tough for us, and we weren’t short on people. Why recruit them?” Matt, one of Los’s swordsmen, asked as they returned to their group.
Matt was cleaning a finely crafted crossbow. Though called a swordsman, the term covered those using bows, spears, or similar weapons. Matt was a crossbowman. He glanced at Ye Chui and Debbie, eating behind a mound, his voice full of doubt.
“Wolf-rats are dangerous. Wade beat Kemith, but as a novice mage, his [Lightning] spell likely won’t help much against a pack. Wolf-rats won’t just run up to him. And that summoner doesn’t seem reliable either.”
Debbie’s summoner status was impressive, but when Los asked if she could summon a combat spirit after joining the team, Debbie claimed her spirit was powerful enough to handle wolf-rats easily. Yet when asked to summon it, she refused, citing a high cost, sounding like an excuse.
The girl seemed as unreliable as her chest.
“I’m not expecting them to contribute much,” Los said with a faint smile, biting into her bread. “I brought them into our team to build a friendship.”
“Friendship?” Matt and the other two team members looked at Los curiously.
“No matter Debbie’s summoning skills, she’s a rare summoner. Having her in our team adds value. As for Wade, his magic book may be weak, but he has real combat talent worth nurturing.” Los glanced at them again. “Recruiting them is the right move. I trust my instincts.”
“I see,” the others nodded, understanding Los’s deeper intent.
Hare, the fire mage, said, “When the wolf-rats appear, let’s leave a couple for them. It’ll do them a favour and ensure they don’t leave empty-handed.”
“Hope they don’t get scared. Wolf-rats are ferocious. Wade may have beaten Kemith, but facing them for the first time might shake him,” Matt said with the confidence of a seasoned hunter.
“Yeah, hope they don’t freak out,” Los agreed, licking her lips as if eyeing Ye Chui and Debbie like fresh prey.
But a few hours later, these “fresh prey” would shock them profoundly.
