The Elders' Hall had that same cold, suffocating air that made me wonder if they kept it that way on purpose to drive everyone insane. Honestly, if I'd spent enough time in there, I'd probably lose my mind too.

"Sit down, Amon," Elder Wei's voice rumbled, like the sound of a rockslide.

I lowered myself into the seat, trying not to look too eager. You never want to look too eager when you're about to get scolded, even if you haven't done anything that bad. In my case, just existing seemed to be enough to get me summoned. Classic Amon.

"We need to talk about Master Fang Zheng," Elder Wei said, his tone serious.

I straightened up. "Uh, what about him?"

"He's been taken to the Inner Chambers for... well, let's call it a mental health break," he said, as though I was supposed to feel some sense of sympathy. "And you're the one responsible for it."

"What?!" I shot up from my seat, my heart dropping into my stomach. "How am I responsible? I didn't do anything!"

Elder Wei gave me a long look, like he was trying to decide whether I was just this dumb or if I was actively trying to annoy him. "You didn't do anything? You're the last one he trained, Amon. His breakdown didn't happen overnight. It happened because of your... methods."

I blinked, unsure how to respond. "Well... technically, it did happen overnight."

Elder Wei gave me a long, disappointed stare. "It's not my fault he's crazy," I muttered under my breath, but I don't think he bought it.

After a long pause, Elder Wei sighed. "You are truly a special case, Amon. You'll have to make amends for what you've done."

I swallowed. "Make amends? How? Do I need to get him a fruit basket or something?"

"You'll need to prove that you're capable of handling responsibility," Elder Wei said with a grave tone. "It's time for you to show us that you're more than just a waste of space."

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

I blinked again. "Wait, are you saying I've been a waste of space this whole time? I thought that was just a rumor."

Elder Wei ignored me, instead handing me a small scroll. "You'll be taking on a mission. A simple one. Don't mess it up."

I took the scroll cautiously, staring at it like it might explode at any moment. "A mission? Like... a real mission?" I asked, trying to make sense of this sudden shift in responsibility. This was the kind of thing that usually happened in real stories, not in my daily existence where even getting through the day without embarrassing myself was an achievement.

Elder Wei gave me a look. "Yes, Amon. A real mission. And if you mess this up, there will be consequences. Understand?"

I gulped. "Yeah, yeah, I understand. So... what's the mission?"

Elder Wei gestured to the scroll in my hand. "Take this to a contact in the nearby town. It's a simple errand. Don't screw it up."

I raised an eyebrow. "That's it? Just deliver a scroll? No treasure hunts? No fighting evil overlords? No complex puzzles? Just... deliver a scroll?"

"Yes, Amon. Just deliver the scroll."

I glanced down at the scroll in my hand, the weight of the task settling on my shoulders. This was it. This was my big chance to prove that I wasn't just some walking disaster. I could do this, right?

But let's be real. The moment I left the Elders' Hall, I was already thinking of ways this could go wrong. Because, come on, if I didn't screw it up somehow, it wouldn't be my story.

I just hoped the readers weren't expecting too much from me. Because we all know how this is going to end.

I had barely stepped outside when Astel caught up with me, looking way too serious for my liking.

"You're really going to deliver that scroll, huh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, what's the problem with that? Elder Wei said it was simple," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. Deep down, I knew things were about to go sideways.

Astel shook his head, his smirk growing. "You and 'simple' never mix well. I've been around long enough to know that whenever they say 'simple,' you should expect trouble."

I puffed out my chest. "I'm not going to mess this up," I insisted, though even I had trouble believing it.

Astel shot me a look like he was already predicting my future failure. "Sure, sure. Just don't come crying to me when something goes wrong."

"Thanks for the confidence boost," I muttered, rolling my eyes as I turned to leave.

If this mission was truly as "simple" as they said... well, disaster was probably just waiting to happen. But hey, at least I wasn't stuck with more training, right? Just delivering a scroll. What could go wrong?

Famous last words.