Chapter 29

Iron

"Remmi, what kind of combatant are you?"

I look over to the worried-looking elf. Ayre and I opted to continue our plans for the dungeon culling over a light lunch, but I couldn't help noticing how she grew more and more distant toward the end of it. Now, it seems she's finally voicing whatever's bothering her.

"Mid-range, focus on speed, I'd say," I reply. "Why?"

"Well, as an archer, I'm, to use your style of summary, long-range and precision-focused," she explains. "Normally, two Bronze-rank adventurers should be fine for a Bronze-rank dungeon, since they're relatively low-risk. The way I fight, though, I'm really vulnerable if anything is able to get to me."

"And I don't exactly look like a shield bearer," I finish.

Ayre nods, looking apologetic, and I lean back in my chair with a sigh. Lunch is just some meat, cheese and bread, and I toss one of the last pieces of it in my mouth, chewing it over.

"Do you know the levels of the monsters in there," I ask after I swallow.

"As a Bronze," she provides, "it's usually about ten to fifteen. Don't let that number fool you, though. The monsters make up for it in numbers and other hazards."

So ten to fifteen is considered low for a dungeon. Probably not a good time to mention that's two to three times my actual level. Though considering I've been dealing with a level 11 rabbit for a month, I'm fairly confident.

... Of course, overconfidence is just as deadly as shooting myself in the face.

"I'm pretty sure I can keep them off of you," I answer honestly, "but there's no reason we have to jump right to it. I don't mind knocking out an Iron mission with you first. We can see how we work in a less dangerous situation, and then if we decide we need buttressing up somewhere, we'll know what we need to look for."

Ayre thinks that over for a moment and nods. "That's a pretty good idea, actually. If you really don't mind splitting an Iron. It's pretty far under our weight class for two Bronze."

"That's the whole point, isn't it?" I point out with a grin. "Besides, believe me, I'm fine with anything so long as it's not another Wood."

She looks at me with surprise. "You've been doing Wood missions?!"

My grin turns embarrassed again. "Eh, I told you I'm not from around here. I've got a friend serving as my handler who doesn't want me taking anything higher without another Bronze around since I may not know what I'm walking into."

Ayre's face starts twisting in confusion again. "But you're Bronze. Surely you've done enough lower quests to know your way around getting there in the first place?"

I shake my head. "Sorry, jumped right to Bronze when they tested me. I've only been a guild member for about a week. Before that, I've only been in Furinshao for a month and a half."

And now, her eyes are wide as saucers. "You were that strong before you even came here?! Without monsters or dungeons or magic?!"

"Just because we didn't have any monsters," I correct, "that doesn't mean we didn't have threats. We've got birds that attack at, like, over two hundred miles an hour, bears so big shooting them just ticks them off, and spiders with venom that causes your flesh to rot. And that's just picking a few highlights."

Ayre swallows nearly audibly. "Those certainly sound like monsters."

"Regular critters, every one of them," I insist. "We've even got deer that could shatter the side of one of your carriages just because you looked at them funny."

I know I'm laying it on a little thick - it's all true, but that doesn't make any of it particularly likely for most people to ever experience. Still, I feel like I've gotta speak up for Earth since nobody else is around to do so.

And, besides, the only reason animal attacks aren't something constantly looming over all of our heads is because we've so completely overcome them.

The elf shakes and lowers her head in surrender. "Maybe it's a good thing there isn't a magic cycle in your homeland, Remmi. I can't imagine what such beasts would be like enhanced into monsters."

I push myself up, toss my payment onto the table and give Zeiya a wave so she knows I did so. "Well, it doesn't really matter. An Iron rank mission sounds much more entertaining than chopping logs. I can't believe even the pay for it is as bad as it is."

That got a giggle out of the elf as she stood, too. "That's because Wood rank missions are meant for training, Remmi. They're repetitive and labor-heavy to help low-level adventurers build up their status. Already being Bronze, it's little wonder you found them a waste of time."

We continue chatting and getting to know each other as we pick out an Iron rank mission - clearing out a reported monster nest - and sign our names down for it before leaving the guild hall.

It's approaching noon and the village's main street is bustling, but Ayre stops.

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"Where are you staying, Remmi?"

"Oh, I've got a place here in town," I answer, flinging my thumb toward the back end of the village.

"In that case, we should probably pick up your equipment first," she points out. "I'm staying at the inn near the gates, so it's easiest to grab mine on our way out."

I nod along with the suggestion. "Sure. I don't have a lot to grab, but I should probably tell Yorin that we're heading out."

"Is that the handler you mentioned?"

"That's her," I confirm. "She's a priestess, overseeing construction of the town's new temple. So not much of a walk."

"... How did you end up with a priestess as a handler?" Ayre asks as we start heading up the cobblestone street, weaving our way out of the thicker traffic of the businesses.

"She was assigned to me." I think that over for a moment. "Or I was assigned to her. I'm not really sure of the framing." But I shrug it off. "She's nice, though, you'll like her."

It's not long before we're standing in a large clearing full of building supplies. There's a large section of ground fenced off with red rope, and inside of it is the growing skeleton of the future temple.

Ayre admires it with appropriately reverent oohs and ahhs, no doubt having a better idea of where things would be in the layout than I do. I'll bet she can practically picture the pews.

For my part, my hand is twitching. I can't help but wonder if Auto-Mode would be able to complete the construction, and I'm itching to try.

Fortunately, as if summoned by my impulsiveness, Yorin appears out of nowhere before I can give in and do anything stupid.

"Remmi, why are you staring at my temple like you are about to try and eat it?"

I startle at her arrival and give an embarrassed smile as I rub the back of my head. "Aha ... Hi, Yorin."

"Hello, Remmi," she indulges. "If you need the extra time to come up with an answer to that, you could tell me why you've been drinking coffee first."

That question really surprises me, as I thought I'd been keeping my behavior well under control. "How did you ...?"

The white-haired woman gives a sigh. "Well, thank you for at least not lying to my face about it." She opens her eyes again to look directly at me with surprisingly effective disappointment in them. "I'm a priestess, Remmi. Diagnose is an entry-level spell for us. It tells us all of the ongoing effects on a target and a general idea of their current well-being."

That gaze turns flat when she notices my eyes darting around for a moment, as if I'm looking at something in front of me she can't see. "Remmi ..."

Of course, I just bought it. Like the cleaning spell and Identify, it only costs a hundred points, but I can tell she knows I did it and doesn't approve.

I give another nervous laugh. "It sounds like a really useful spell! I can imagine a lot of uses for that sort of thing besides just healing!"

I know I got her when she sighs again. It's the surrendering sigh instead of the put-upon one. Maybe she communicates with sighs like Ayre communicates with her ears. It's certainly more reliable than Yorin's facial expressions.

... But on the tail end of that thought, I feel kind of guilty for making a friend sigh so much that I can tell the difference.

"It is," she answers instead, moving into her teacher mode. "It can determine what augmenting magics may be on monsters or how close they are to defeat. It can also tell you if food is toxic or poisoned."

"Um," Ayre opens, drawing attention to herself for the first time since Yorin's arrival, and the older elf (who, ironically, doesn't hardly look any older at all) turns toward her with an eyebrow raised in surprise. "Is Remmi a priestess in training?"

Yorin's other eyebrow joins the first, and she blinks a couple times as she processes that. "... No. No, she is not. What gave you that idea?"

The archer fidgets a bit with the attention suddenly on her, her ears wilting as if trying to hide themselves in her hair. "Well, she's overseen by a sacred priestess, and you're telling her about a Priest spell as if you expect her to use it ..."

Said priestess blinks one more time, and adjusts her stance to more fully take the other elf in. "You're observant. Who are you, again?"

Ayre bows to Yorin with utmost respect. "Ayre, Your Grace. I am a bronze-rank adventurer."

"We're going to do an iron quest to see how well we work together," I put in helpfully. "That's what I came to let you know."

"Hmm," Yorin hmms thoughtfully, "that's actually a very good idea." And then she glances toward me.

... I immediately recognize the look and jut my bottom lip out in what I intend to be an objecting scowl. She just gives her motherly smile and then turns back to Ayre like she hadn't been silently teasing me.

"I wholly approve," Yorin concludes. "Remmi, your gear is inside. I'll help you gather it."

Well, if that isn't code for, We're about to have words in private, this isn't my second time through adolescence ...

"Sure," I agree anyway and smile to Ayre. "I'll be right out!"

Once inside, Yorin does, in fact, help me gather my things. It had been her idea that I leave them here, so that I didn't have to go all the way back to the estate if I needed to leave quickly. Of course, that means there really isn't much to gather. It's already in a drawstring bag sitting in the corner.

So by helping me gather my things, I mean she goes over and picks it up before coming back over to me. She stops a solid couple meters away from me.

"Remmi, you don't seem to understand why I want you to stay away from coffee."

Yeah, I figured it was going to be that or undue suspicion about Ayre.

"You think it's bad for me," I offer. "Makes me too hyper. Maybe bad for my heart."

She arches an eyebrow, but remains silent, her way of telling me to continue.

So I cross my arms. "Coffee is actually very beneficial! It helps the body process sugar, fortifies the liver, reduces the chances of developing several types of cancer, and even protects against strokes!"

"In moderation, perhaps." Yorin doesn't bother challenging my foreign knowledge of things her world probably hasn't ever dealt with. "The benefits we know of include increased stamina regeneration, heightened awareness, and minor boosts to Agility. However, overuse accrues negative status effects, including lowered Intellect and penalties to focus, and it is known to be addictive."

"That's all normal caffeine stuff," I wave her off. "I already know about it."

"To be blunt, Remmi," she says directly, looking me in the eyes, "it's not the beverage that concerns me. It is your lack of self-restraint."

"Are you still hung up on the estate grounds, Yorin?!" I throw my hands up in the air in frustration. "Just because I get carried away when I work doesn't mean I don't know when to stop drinking coffee!"

"You arrived here with the Caffeine Overdose II negative status, Remmi."

That stuns me enough to pause. "... Really?"

She nods. "It has faded to Stage One now, and your body does process such things quickly, but you clearly do not know when you have had too much."

I frown at that, furrowing my brows in consideration. "I usually just figure I've had too much when I get the jitters."

I've actually driven Yorin to grinding the palm of her hand against her face now as she exhales her frustration. "... Remmi, that's Stage Three. Stage Four starts with palpitations and ends in heart failure."

My reflexive swallow sounds loud in my ears. It's hard to argue with that. Maybe I really have been drinking too much, but going without entirely is unthinkable.

Finally, I hold up a single finger. "One cup, once a day. No more. Will you permit me that much?"

That motherly smile returns, and she nods. "One cup. That would be acceptable restraint."