Edited by: KenChi死

She said she wanted a duel. That’s what she said. I am pretty sure that what she wanted was a duel, and the duel was what she desired…

The way she move, the very air around her, her confident gaze and posture. All those things told me one ultimate truth: “You definitely DON’T want to have a duel with her”.

…. But here she stands… Maybe if I look at her like an idiot long enough she will walk away? No? Damn.

That’s the right moment for some prince on a white horse to came in a save poor Zari in distress…

* “Hm? Gisele, I hope you don’t bully rookies that just came from their first mission ever? One: he still needs to report to me, I have many things to ask him… and just look at him, he is barely standing.”

The guild master walked from behind same door as so the called Gisele…

… oh, that’s right! I have anemia! And mana fever! Perfect excuse!

* “So…” Jericho continued “… I was told, that you killed a high elder dragon all by yourself…”

* “I was told that too…” I chuckled putting one hand behind my head – just to look as innocent as it was only possible. In the end Gisele was still there… “… you see… we were losing pretty hard… so I decided to use a bit.. let’s call it a dirty… spell of the blood magic class. I gave lots of my blood for power, but as I couldn’t handle all this magic I got, literally, drunk with it. I woke up the next day with anemia, mana fever and a hangover greater than Alojzy ever felt.”

* “So you saved those who were assigned to protect you? I will take it into consideration while assigning ranking points… How’s your body and mind? When will you be able to take another job? I am not pushing anything onto you. I am nothing more but curious.”

That what he said, but who he meant was: when would you like to fight with that angry ball of fury behind me – Gisele. Well, I should be ok in a day or two max…

* “I think that full regeneration may take even a week…” I said with sad expression “… Dragon or not, it still sucks to came back in such condition after a first mission…”

* “I see…” his eyes told clearly that he got my hidden message “… just don’t let your muscles grow weak.”

* “Fret not! I can’t take any serious mission nor overdo myself on trainings, but I can do some easy training to build stamina, maybe I will meditate a little… Speaking about training… may I ask you for very quick lesson in the training room? I think I learned a new stance in spear wielding. I would like you to show me all possible opening I make.” I cheered.

Jericho turned to Gisele and said

* “Such spirit. Such desire of self improvement. To check abilities even while he is exhausted Guess who this boy resembles… Come boy, let that old man witness what you got.”

We moved on the floor, occasionally I supported my body weight with the staff. The door to the training room was left open wide. I walked in, Guild Master behind me. Gisele also wanted to enter, but old man stopped her.

* “Not this time, Gis. The time for lessons for both of you has yet to come. For now I want to focus completely on this young boy. If you would know what he is capable of doing before the fight, wouldn’t that be cheating?”

Gisele was trying every possible way to bribe herself in. From begging to threatening to even making an offer, that she wouldn’t take remuneration for an S rank job. When the topic of moneys was used, for a short moment the eyes of Jericho shined. So I used only tool I go

* “ potion market ”

Yes, I reminded him that he will have some more coins for sticking up with me. Was that low? Maybe, but it was also effective. You can trust greedy people that until your offer would not be bested, they will stay loyal to you. Aaaand Jericho was a greedy person.

And my offer was not bested.

* “Okay kid, what ya wanted to show me…”

I took a stance that was show me in last wave on the arena inside of Halloween world

* “By the way, some fair lady asked me to say hello to you. She was also the one who showed me this… do you, perhaps, know an Oni named Nori?”

And I jumped at him.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

…

Yeah…. An hour later I was sipping a beer at the inn section. All sore and swollen. Damn it!

Hm? Wasn’t Jericho curious where I met his old teacher? Of course he was. I sold him a story that I prepared for that very moment. Did he believe it? Probably yes.

Someone sat next to me. That woman again.

* “… We weren’t properly introduced. I am Gisele. S+ rank adventurer. I use the sword, I prefer to wield one but depending on the quest I also take shield or few other swords. I am also student of master Jericho. A… a… and I also want to apology… I wanted it to be done properly, but as I heard you killed the dragon I got a bit excited… It happens a bit too frequently.”

O-ho. So she is the rumored student

* “Nice to meet you… I am… um… Zariel. Rank F… but hopefully I will rank up soon… just a few… dozens… quests more. But that’s what adventure stands for! I am guided by Master Jericho in the arts of sword and spear. But I guess I am mostly a mage. I am skilled with fire, more than skilled with nature arts, I know a thing or two about summoning and can barely use chaos magic. And I know exactly one spell of the blood domain… I can make potions, but I am afraid that only basic recovery potions and a few antidotes… oh I think I can also make hexbags, so if you would need a charm…”

… I… I said to much. She was ok with what I said about weapons. As I told her about magic she also was ok. But I definitely shouldn’t say a damn thing about how many magic domains I can use. Nor about alchemy. Nor hexes.

* “… What the hell are you? Don’t you now that mastering hundreds arts means mastering none?!”

She was partly outraged … and surprised.

* “I didn’t start learning those with the idea of mastering.”

* “Then why?”

* “To survive. I was born in the forest. With no one. Magic came almost naturally. The rest of skills were essential. I needed alchemy to cure bites from venomous animals. Spear was firstly staff – in case I would be ambushed and had no time to chant a spell. And familiars helped me with tracking, fighting… and were friends. The only I had in the dark forest…”

Ah… those were the times. Hard, but fulfilling… wait, wasn’t that about two weeks ago? Damn.

* “I am sorry. I didn’t know…”

* “Nay! Forget bout’ tis’! A harsh environment creates strong people! I am proud of my scars. Even if there is still a long way to go, I am not going to stop. There is still too many things I want to watch… But if I may ask, bit off topic. Why did you want to fight with me? Honestly speaking… I firstly though that I annoyed someone and he sent a thug for me.”

* “Me? A thug? Oy, you little! Now you really done it! Heal yourself faster so I can put you back in the hospital section!”

She punched me in the arm while laughing. It was meant to be a friend-like punch in the arm.

But I heard one of my bones crack silently as I was blown out of my chair.

* “I am sorry! I am so, so sorry! I used to do so with my teammate Miroslav! He is one huge mountain of muscles and I need to punch him bit harder, otherwise he wouldn’t even notice!”

Some guys around us burst into laughter, good to know that someone enjoys my misery… Assholes…

Bone? Still all, I hope…

* “I’m fine! I’m still breathing!”

She helped me to stand… I AM DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO SPAR WITH HER! SHE IS A WALKING MADNESS! If that was supposed to be a punch of friendship then I don’t want to know how she treats enemies!

Someone opened the door to the inn section. Almost no one even noticed or bother to take a look. A gentleman in a nice black magician robe. The one that smelled like blood.

* “Isn’t that my favorite adventurer? How are you doing Zari!? I heard that you had just finished your first mission! Was it hard? Something interesting happened?”

* “Yo Daralon! Nay. Nothing unusual. Just your average dungeon. Smelly, dark like the insides of a dwarven asshole in the night, monsters left and right.”

* “And a dragon, that you killed, on a secret floor, that you found? Indeed, nothing extraordinary.”

* “Then why did you even bother to ask?”

* “Courtesy. Mind telling me where old man is?”

* “Should be in his office, if not he should be in one of training rooms, but ask Alesia if you have problems…”

* “Whatever would happen I am not going to ask that old hag about anyt… she is right behind me. Isn’t she?”

Nod-nod(ED: Run.)

* “… of course that whatever would happen I am not going to ask that fair woman about anything! She is soooo busy, and her work is soooo important, that wasting her time is almost a crime!”

Alesia, that was walking by and only stopped for a second.

* “I am indeed busy, brat, that is why I will let you go this time. But next time prepare for a beating.” And she moved away

* “Anyway…” I said to break the awkward silence “… why are you looking for old man?”

* “Hm? Ah, yes, old man… You see, the council has a task for the guild. I am here to pass it. By the way, you may be interested. Investigation of ruins that once belonged to the ancients, four days from now. Full of magic, traps, logic puzzles… one piece of hell hole with [Guardians] that can be awoken if you would step on wrong plate…”

* “Guardians?” He got my curiosity

* “Golems…” Gisele answered “…annoying one atop of that. Built of White Onyx. Durable fuckers.”

White Onyx? Tell me more damn it!

Apparently Daralon saw my growing confusion, for he decided to elaborate

* “Indeed. By the way, did you know that inquisition uses it to build chains for witches? It has very high magic resistance abilities… how high? If on such lovely creature like our Zari right here, would be put a bracelet, thin, very thin made of White Onyx, you couldn’t even make a coin trick…”

* “Why me? Because you are sooo different and powerful, hm?” He annoyed me. I don’t know why… damn… I am angry… like really angry

* “Indeed. I am a Curse Speaker!... that’s a hopeless title. You can cast curses on far to many ways, for example, by touch…”

This is when I noticed that he had his arm on my shoulder… I shivered as I felt heat and anger inside of me… that little fucker just tried to cast some shit on me? I WILL FUCKING K…

He took his hand away, as soon as he did that, my anger completely left me. What the…

He only smiled gently.

* “Anyway. White Onyx makes it impossible to manifest mana outside your body. All elementalist would be completely useless… well, fire mages could still blow themselves from the inside… in case they would wish to avoid interrogation. But empowering magic, and so on would still work. Remember about it. It may save your life…” He got up from the chair “… Oh, Gisele, let me say it, on this quest we would prefer to take magicians mostly… but for you we would make an exception. Will you come?”

* “Depends. How much are you paying?”

* “Not me. The council. And you know that they do not spare coins on explorations.”

* “Then you can count me in!” she cheered

* “… I know that you prefer swords… but would you mind taking with yourself…”

* “A hammer. Got it.”

* “Gisele… a big hammer… and take one or two spare hammer too… just in case, you know.”

He left, heading for the stairs to the floor. A quest for mages? Am I invited?

Okay, this one is short. Sorry guyz I am exhausted. Tomorrow I have barely any lessons, so I should write actual chapter as soon as I d get back from university… By the way, I think that next chap will be just a short intro and then I would skip right to the next mission… Crap, I forgot to level up Zari and distribute points. Well, will do it tomorrow.