Chapter 9: 8. Bread and a Snack

“Allow me to explain to you how to take quests,” Tom said, having just recovered from the mental damage. “You may choose any quest your rank allows for. Once you’ve chosen your quest, inform the person at the reception about the quest you want to take. Once we’ve confirmed that you are able to take the quest, we will give you a small tag to place on the quest on the wall to show that someone has claimed it.” Tom revealed a small wooden tag with a copper coloured symbol. 

Adam turned to Jurot. “What do you think? Which quest should we take?”

“You’re letting me pick?” Jurot asked.

“Why not? I don’t really mind what we pick, but I might choose something you don’t like.” Adam shrugged his shoulders casually.

Seeing that Adam was giving him the power to choose, Jurot stepped up towards the large wall littered with posters. Adam stood near him, making sure everyone else saw how he was standing beside an Iyrman, just in case they had any ideas.

‘It’s probably not just elves and dwarves. I feel like there are some humans who don’t like elves either. I should probably figure out why soon.’ He had felt the way some people looked at him, and had thought there was something odd going on.

Jurot tapped a posted his solid finger. “This one,” he said. 

“Boar Hunting,” Adam said. “Offers at least three gold per boar, not bad.”

“It depends on how big the boar is. Larger boars also come with larger tusks, which the guild takes into consideration, not just the meat.”

“Right, for alchemy and stuff?”

“Right, for alchemy and stuff.” Jurot nodded, wondering if he had made the right decision in teaming up with the half elf.

“We’ll take the Boar Hunting quest,” Adam said, approaching Tom. 

“I’ve confirmed that you are able to take the quest,” Tom said, handing over a tag with a copper symbol. The copper symbol meant that a part was tackling the quest, but it didn’t give any specifics beyond it. “Usually, when you fail a quest you might need to pay a fee. However, Copper Rank quests don’t have such a stipulation, unless under certain circumstances when you’ll be told.” 

“Understood.” Adam nodded. “Let me grab my stuff and we can head out,” Adam said, tossing the tag to Jurot as he went to go and grab his pack. 

Jurot raised his brow, wondering why Adam needed to go and grab his pack as they were only going a few miles away.

Quest
Boar Hunting
Reward
50XP

Adam, on the other hand, knew how it was for life to turn to hell within the span of a few seconds. ‘Best to be prepared,’ he thought, grabbing his pack and hoisting it onto his back. He placed a few items into the warddrobe, since he didn’t need everything, but he took most of his adventuring gear with him. 

“I’m ready,” Adam said, fully adorned in heavy chain mail, a blade at his side, a shield on his back, a pair of hand axes within arm’s reach, his pouch, and his large backpack. He was like a child about to go on a school trip, except it was a trip which could easily kill him if he let down his guard.

“…” Jurot turned, wordless. He led Adam out the Adventurer’s Guild, and followed the road towards the centre of town. 

The Iyrmen watched as Jurot and the half elf followed the road towards the centre, one of them soon entering the Adventurer’s Guild. He caught Tom’s eye, who then invited him around back. “Keep an eye on the half elf,” the Iyrman said. “There’s something up with him.”

“I will take that into consideration,” Tom said. “However, there’s only so much we can do, even for you.”

“We’re just asking you to keep an eye on him. If something happens to Jurot, please let us know.”

“We will, of course.” Tom nodded. 

The Iyrmen weren’t sure about Adam as of yet. There was something off about him, but they couldn’t quite place it. 

“Hold on,” Adam said as Jurot tried to veer off towards the main road to leave the town. “There’s something we need to do.”

“What?” Jurot turned back to look at him. “Did you leave behind something?”

“No, no, nothing like that.” Adam continued to look around, trying to spot someone. He clasped his hands together. “I just need a little assist for this first.” 

Spell
Guidance
D3 = 3 (3)

Perception Check
D20 + 2 + 3 = 20 (15)

His eyes scanned along the town before he found a young boy. He had dirt all over his face, and wore ragged clothing. His hair was dark, a dirty dirt blonde, but there was something more to him.

Spell
Guidance
D3 = 1 (1)

Insight Check
D20 + 1 + 2 = 21 (18)

The boy moved differently than others. It wasn’t quite like he had grown up in the streets, but more than he was becoming used to them. He walked with his head held slightly too high.

“Hey, kid,” Adam called out, taking out a silver coin. “I need your help.” Adam wondered what was so special about the young man. ‘He doesn’t seem like someone who would grow up on the street. Through all the dirt and raggedness, he’s actually a pretty cute kid. Meaning…’ Adam sighed. ‘No, no point getting involved in his business when I’m this weak. I don’t even remember him from my previous life, so he’s going to have to hold on for now.’

The young child, no older than ten, approached Adam quickly. “Yes?” he said, his voice lacking the feigned excitement of urchins. 

“I need you to guide me to some bakeries. Do a good job and I’ll tip you.” Adam smiled. 

“As you wish,” he said, turning on his heel and leading Adam to a bakery. 

‘He didn’t even try to take my coin first. Suspicious!’

‘Why are you looking for a bakery? Suspicious!’

The youngster led Adam around, through the crowds, and towards the nearest bakery.

It was a large building with a small front, a small door which opened to a tiny room, revealing some of what the bakery had to offer. There was a young woman, who very much looked like a woman who grew up on bread, at the front packing some bread. She was a young woman, barely an adult. She was full bodied, and looked as though she smelt of pastries, with copper touched hair and acorn eyes. 

Adam stepped away and turned to face the boy, a smile on his face. “Good job, this is exactly what I was looking for.” 

Currency
9SP, 9CP -> 8SP, 7CP

Adam tipped the boy a couple of copper pieces for his good work in bringing him to the right bakery. The youngster quickly took the coins, turned, and fled from him. ‘…’

‘The young boy run away from you so quickly…’ Jurot narrowed his eyes. ‘Suspicious!’

‘Didn’t I bathe last night?’ Adam decided against sniffing his pits to make sure, not wanting to ruin his appetite just in case. 

“We shouldn’t waste our time,” Jurot said, seeing Adam wait outside the bakery with a huge smirk on his face.

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“Waste time? We’re not wasting time. Just this once, you should follow my lead. I let you choose the quest, didn’t I?” Adam continued to smirk wide. “In here is some bread and a snack for you. Come on, I’ll pay for what we buy.” Adam stepped into the bakery, inhaling the sweet smells of the bread and pastries.

The young woman looked at the two men, noticing how they were armed, but then noticed Jurot’s tattoos and the adventurer’s tags displayed over their chests. 

“How can I be helping you?” she asked, her fingers continuing to work the parchment over the bread, not needing to look at what she was doing as she packed up the food. 

Jurot hadn’t understood why Adam wanted to come here. However, as he looked all around, he indeed found lots of bread, and a snack. 

“Go ahead,” Adam said. “Why don’t you pick out some bread for us, Jurot?” Adam’s smile wasn’t innocent in the slightest as he stared at Jurot.

Jurot’s eyes were avoiding his, scanning all across the bread which was on offer. He could feel his cheeks burn slightly, feeling the piercing gazes of two people against his back. ‘…’

“Why don’t we take your most popular bread?” Adam asked eventually. “I’d also like four jam filled buns too, if you have any.”

“That we do,” she said. “Coming right up.” Her hands blurred as she grabbed some bread for them, packing them up post haste. She went around back to find some buns, forcing some jam into them, before returning to pack them up for the two men before her. “That’ll be two silver pieces.” She should have charged much higher, but it was an Iyrman before her, so she couldn’t just charge adventurer prices to them. 

“Thank you,” Adam said, placing down the two silver pieces on the table, and accepting the bread.

Currency
8SP-> 6SP 

“I hope to see you again,” the baker said. 

“I’m Adam by the way,” he said, elbowing Jurot.

“Jurot,” the Iyrman grumbled.

“Pam,” the baker said.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, isn’t that right Jurot?”

“Right.”

“You as well, Adam, Jurot.” She smiled at them. She had hoped they came around more often, even if she couldn’t charge them exorbitant prices.

Adam waved a goodbye, leaving first. Jurot nodded his head in her general direction and followed after him. As they stepped outside, Adam smirked. He handed Jurot a bun, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Jurot didn’t say anything, instead he grabbed the bun and bit into it. 

‘Soft. Thick. The bun is pretty good too.’

“Do you understand now?” Adam asked. 

“Some bread and a snack for me,” Jurot said. Jurot’s thoughts fell away from his control for a moment. “I understand.”

“Alright, let’s get to hunting.” Adam chuckled. He touched the bag with the jam buns, cooling them using Tricks so that it would still be fine later on. ‘Should have probably thought about that.’ 

Jurot continued to lead them as they ate the soft and fluffy bread. His thoughts soon came back to the task at hand, stepping with confidence as they approached the gate. There they saw a pair of guards, the same guards Adam had seen previously.

“If it isn’t the young man from yesterday,” Marie said, smiling down at Adam.

“If it isn’t the beautiful Marie, and her beautiful sister, Mary.”

“The cheek! You can’t be saying that to guards.”

“My mother didn’t raise no liar,” Adam said. “What do you think, Jurot? You’re an Iyrman, you can’t lie.”

Jurot nodded, but didn’t say more.

“You see?” 

“Right, right. Well, off to adventure are we?” Mary spotted the tags. “Both of you are new, huh? I didn’t expect you to have three stamps already.”

“Well, I’m very talented.”

“Do you have your copper?”

“That I do,” Adam said, nodding his head. “Enough to head on back.”

“Well good luck to the pair of you, though I’m not sure you need it, Jurot was it?”

Jurot nodded. 

“If you come across anything too dangerous, make sure you run away. A bit of gold isn’t worth your life, alright?”

“There’s no dishonour in running when you’re a Copper Rank adventurer, you hear?”

“Right,” Adam said, nodding his head. “Understood.”

“Are you sure? You’re not going to tell me that you aren’t a coward, and that nothing can take you on, it’s just a Copper Rank quest?”

“I’m a fan of living,” Adam said, chuckling. “If I wanted to die, I’d have chosen another way than to die to a few boars.”

“Boars are quite touch, so be careful. If you come across one which is too big to handle, just toss some rations and run back here.”

Adam looked to Jurot, whose face was blank. He hadn’t replied to the women when they were talking about running away. “Understood. We’ll be heading out now. Come on, Jurot.” 

“You’d better come back safe and sound!” the guard sisters shouted after them as they left.

'Did you really just set off our death flags?'

 

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Mary and Marie out here trying to kill our protagonists...

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