I log back in to Dungeon Quest. I'm in a small copse of trees, and I pull my clothes on and walk out towards the city. Last night I logged out as soon as I left the orchard, but then remembered that I can't just log out anywhere. I logged back in, grabbed my clothes, and found the group of trees near the city wall where I'm at now.
I still have no idea what happened yesterday. The one job I thought I would be good at ended up getting me yelled at by a nice old farmer.
I mean, it was bad enough that I didn't even get paid.
But things like that happen right? I mean, this game is sort of like real life. Maybe the quest was sketchy? Or maybe I damaged the fruit badly. But why would the guy get angry right at the end in that case? I'd expect him to get more and more angry... not just suddenly explode with no warning.
I replay the experience over and over. The farmer seemed to be in a good mood the entire experience, until I brought out the last tray of weird fruit. Something about that tray must have been the problem. Maybe keeping fruit like that was a bad omen? Or maybe he took the damage as an offense?
I could ask at the guild, but I doubt anyone would even understand. I don't know who I can ask. I realize that I don't really have a recourse for anything.
Either way... I still need to repay the money for my clothes. I want to be debt-free.
I walk into the guild and go back to the same counter I attended yesterday.
"Good morning! How can I help you today?"
I pass the employee my adventurer card. "I need a quest that is low-risk, involves gathering, and has increased monetary reward based on performance... those are the right words right?"
The employee looks at my card, then back up at me. "It looks like you have a payment for a finished quest available. Would you like to receive the payment?"
"Huh? Payment for a finished quest?"
"Yes. A green half-star quest to pick fruit in the orchards outside town. The quest-giver responded to our request this morning and confirmed that the quest had been completed, and approved payment."
"That's so weird... he was so angry last night..."
"The quest giver was angry? The guild investigates any quests of one-half star that are failed, as one-half star quests are designed with beginners in mind. It should be exceptionally difficult to fail such a quest."
"The quest giver has sent 60 copper coins as payment. Is that appropriate?"
"Yeah. That's totally fine."
60 copper coins is enough to pay back the tailor for my clothing, as well as 10 extra to put toward savings. I'll finally be out of debt and able to actually play Dungeon Quest.
Well.
I still can't hold an inventory. Or even clothes. I haven't gotten an adaptive stat yet, but I'm sure it's gotta come sometime soon.
I sign the paper and receive 60 copper coins into my electronic account.
"Do you still need a quest?"
"Yes. But first I need to do something."
I walk out of the adventurer's guild, cross the square, and head to the tailor I met the first day. I walk in and the same clerk... Miyoko, right?... is there. She blushes when she sees me.
"Miyoko. I finally earned some money. I know it's not a lot, but I brought 50 copper to pay for the clothing you gave me before."
"Oh... I could never take money for that..."
A sound comes from the back room and a well-dressed man comes out. He looks exactly how I'd expect a tailor to look like. Cloth measuring tape around his neck, spectacles on a strap, tailored clothing along with a vest and a belt full of sewing tools.
This must be the owner.
"Good morning fine..."
The man starts his greeting, but his words drop to the ground and his eyes burn with fire as soon as he looks at me.
"Miyoko, is this man irritating you?"
Her eyes drop to the ground. "No master."
He turns to me.
"What business do you have with Miyoko?"
I glance at her. She is still looking at the ground. This guy seems like a pretty harsh boss... and if I tell the truth it's possible she could lose her job.
But if I tell a lie I'll regret it forever.
I gather my breath to break the truth out into the open.
"Miss Miyoko was so kind to"
The bell jingles behind me, and a handful of loud customers enter the store, dressed in what looks like really expensive clothing. We're far enough in the back that they don't see me yet. The owner looks at me with a sneer. Then, under his breath, he says, "Miyoko, you have 1 minute. Remove this from my sight or remove yourself as well."
He walks out to greet the guests with a totally different attitude. I guess in this shop clothes *do* make the man.
Miyoko looks between me and the guests with a stressed look. She probably needs me to leave fast.
I offer the 50 copper again.
"Really, sir... I can't take the money. If my master found out that I gave you those clothes, I would lose my job. Please, keep your money...and..."
"My master looks down on those with poor clothing. He will not take kindly to me if you return dressed as you are, even if it is to purchase clothes. And our clothing is quite expensive..."
She pulls a tag from her pocket and scribbles on it.
"Contact me using this when you have at least 2 silver to purchase new clothing, and I'll help you find something suitable."
She looks toward the front of the store.
"Thank you sir. But please..."
I take the hint, and walk out the back door with a mix of feelings.
---
As soon as he walks out the door, Miyoko's blush turns bright red yet again. She still remembers seeing Gabe as he walked in just wearing underwear. He promised so earnestly that he would return the payment for the borrowed clothing, and she wondered if he really would. Every day since, she has made sure that she has taken hours. Even on days and during times when it wasn't convenient, she was at the store, watching to see if he would walk through the door again.
And today, of all days, he comes!?! Right before distinguished customers...
And he remembered her name. It took the master two weeks to remember her name, and even now, the only time he uses it is when he is angry.
And he was going to tell the truth!?! If the master had found out that she had given a beggar clothing from the garbage box she would likely lose her job. Those clothes were supposed to have been thrown away in the first place - the only reason she saved them was for her own sewing projects. Fabric at the shop is so costly that there is no way she could afford to practice on it. But scraps of clothing that the master threw away she can use. The master never goes into the smallest storage room, and that is where she stores her projects and the clothing she gave to Gabe. And during quiet times, when the shop is open but no one, not even the master, is there, she sews and dreams of making clothes for adventurers.
50 copper is nothing. There are articles of clothing in the shop that cost one hundred times that much. Buying clothing at their shop makes no sense for an adventurer; their fabric, styles, and prices cater to nobility. But with 2 silver Gabe should be able to find great adventurer gear no matter which class he is.
She blushes deep red as the master calls for her. Would he be able to find her? Would he want to?
---
I walk out of the shop, but I feel like I'm still in debt. It's obvious now, though, that it's not the shop to whom I am indebted. It's a girl named Miyoko. (Is she an NPC or a character? I still haven't figured that out)
And both she and her boss made it pretty clear that they don't want me to set foot inside the shop again. Seeing the clientele that visits, I guess it makes sense. I look like a beggar, which means that just by being close to their shop I lower the real estate value.
At least I have some kind of goal again. I need to save at least 2 silver and then contact Miyoko.
I turn over the tag in my hand. It's a clothing store price tag. In the spot where the price would normally be, there are two prices. 17.33, 24.65
What?
I turn the ticket over and over, but the only written numbers are the prices on the ticket.
I'm scared that I'm going to lose the ticket, so I memorize the numbers and log out. There's a text message from my best friend - don't get distracted - I write the numbers in the notes section of my phone, along with Miyoko's name and my goal: "17.33, 24.65 - save 2 silver and then contact Miyoko using that information."
The text message says, "See you soon!"
Oh yeah! We're playing together today!
I suddenly realize with a shock that I logged out in the alleyway behind the tailor. My clothes will disappear from there for sure. I log back in, pull back on my clothes and jog back towards Fountain Square.
I don't know what he's going to look like. We didn't come up with a code word. And, as usual, there are a ton of people here.
There's a big group of cat-people with all sorts of brightly colored fur. My best friend is a bit of a loner. And he's a dog person more than a cat person. 😝
A handful of parties are scattered around. Some are big, some small, some sitting on the ground, others standing. The square has a very European feel without vehicles and with such a wide open space. You definitely don't see many walkable places like this in America.
Wand-users, sword-users, and bow-users seem to be the most popular. I guess that makes sense. Swords are the simplest weapon, with lots of history in most countries. Bows are actually available in real life, so anyone who has practiced with them before will have a step up. And they're ranged. And the post-Harry Potter world has millions wishing they could wave a wand to make their problems go away. Maybe half the people seem to be wearing starting equipment - the sturdy material that ranges from beige to brown. The other half is decked out in all sorts of stuff.
An excessively tall adventurer is lounging by the central fountain. He's wearing a bright green headband, black boots, rugged black pants, a black sleeveless vest, and has a massive battle axe strapped to his back.
My best friend is excessively tall. Most people choose avatars that are their same height, a little bigger, or really small. I'm guessing he chose to be even taller than in real life. Lol.
Yep, I'm pretty sure the berserker in front of me is my best friend. His character is also about as different from mine as you could get at this point.
"Hey fren."
"Fren?"
"Yup. Nice color coordination."
"The headband I bought at the market because it was colorful. They didn't have any other bright colors. The rest of the clothes are made from black leather from rare black wolves. I farmed them to get matching stuff."
"Yeah... I definitely haven't done that."
I flip my status screen to show him. His eyes go wide just like Koji's did.
"What did you do?"
"I didn't pick a weapon. Apparently this game is a bit prejudiced against pacifists."
"Or maybe it's just prejudiced against *you*."
He pulls up his status screen and flips it to show me.
>>
Name: Fred
Proficiency: Beginner Greataxe
Level: 4
HP: 145
MP: 5
STR: 82
AGI: 7
DEX: 7
END: 10
INT: 6
WIS: 6
CHA: 6
PER: 7
LUC: 5
>>
"Yep. A pacifist who is best friends with a berserker. What a world."
"So what do you want to do?"
"Um... we could go exploring. I die really easily though, and when I die I drop all my stuff and clothes on the ground."
"Wait what?"
"Yeah. I have no stats, so I can't carry anything. I can't run, can't keep an inventory, and I have no skills. And I doubt anyone will ever want me in their party if I won't let them kill stuff."
"Fren. You could just be a healer or something to help in battles."
"Yeah but who's gonna be happy about a healer who heals everyone?"
"You're right. But still you could learn healing magic."
That does sound like a good idea. As a pacifist, I should probably prioritize learning skills that will help people, rather than harming them.
"That sounds like a good idea. I'm pretty sure I can't learn any good magic with an INT of 0 and a WIS of 0 tho. I'll have to raise my stats to be able to handle that."
"Should we do that then today?"
"Do what?"
"Train for adaptive stats."
"You can do that?"
"Yeah. Like go running to get AGI or get hit a lot to increase END."
"Have you gotten an adaptive stat?"
"Yeah. I got a point in END. I like to charge in and attack everything, so I end up taking a lot of damage. Except for my clothes, most of my money goes toward herbs and potions."
"Yeah I expected as much. I'm surprised you haven't found a vorpal sword yet."
"Those are life-stealing ones right?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah I want one of those."
"I know. We are so different... so what are we gonna do? The only skill I have is gathering."
"Then let's just explore? I haven't really taken time to see the city much. As soon as I log in, I usually go out to farm wolves, turn in the quest, sell the drops and repeat. It took forever to get enough black pelts to get my stuff made."
"Sounds like a good idea."