Fiona stood in front of the small town Lullin alongside Reo and Grant; it was a place rooted on top of a rocky peak overlooking swampy lowlands and beasts. The entrance was a humble bridge with spiked barricades, which were guarded by some local defenders. On top of their tunics were tiny pauldrons that offered some protection, and a helmet served to protect the skull. Strapped to their hips was a short sword.

The town beyond the bridge lay bathed in the warm, golden light of the rising sun, casting long shadows that stretched across the pebbled streets. From where Fiona stood, she could see the thatched roofs of quaint cottages, their chimneys trailing plumes of fragrant wood smoke into the clear sky. The distant hum of life mingled with the cheerful chatter of townsfolk and the clatter of a blacksmith's hammer.

Fiona started, "We're about to work on a contract that we haven't done before. I don't know why Reo suggested a basic investigation contract when we should be hunting beasts instead. Think of all the resources and potential mana cores we're missing out on!"

Reo leaned over the edge and scoffed. "If I'm not mistaken, you're the one who agreed to accept the contract, fully aware of its contents. If you want to hunt beasts and break them apart for materials, then be my guest. There's a lot of them over there with your name on it."

With a smug expression, he pointed at a patch of flora with striking pink leaves and pitcher-like bodies with an opening. Its body was a gross snot green with thorns protruding like spikes in its tendrils. In addition, it makes use of its roots to move around, but it was laughably sluggish. The flora Reo was motioning over at were carnivorous plants that plagued swamps or places with lots of water.

Positioned near the flesh-eating plants were toads with a complexion similar to the color of mud, equipped with venomous sacs on their slick skin, and dragonflies that could be heard as loud as a church bell, despite being the size of toddlers. For why there were so many grotesque creatures, Lullin rested near the Wasteful Wetlands, a place that was a breeding ground of disgust and misery. It was a mystery to Fiona of why the Lullin folks lived in such nasty conditions. If it were her, she'd pack her bags and never look back, no matter what connection she had with the place.

She wrinkled her nose at the thought of living in Lullin. "I despise you for suggesting such a thing. And because of that, you will do most of the investigation while Grant and I watch from afar. Scouting being your specialty, you don't require our help."

"I'll gladly accept if it means I get to take your fair share of the rewards. Can't have the leader–who has decided not to contribute and therefore isn't deserving of the rewards–adopt bad habits. What if our new member were to follow in your footsteps? One of you is enough of a pain to deal with."

Fiona clenched her jaw while approaching Reo. "I'll have you know I am of no bad influence on anyone. Isn't that right, Grant?"

Instead of a brief response, she was met with silence. Fiona spun on her heels to see her comrade already walking through the town's streets. Her mouth hung open as Reo walked past her, snickering without a word. Displaying his guild badge, he gained permission from the town guard to pass through, leaving her behind in solitude.

"This isn't how you should treat your leader," she grumbled. Fiona trudged up and displayed the copper badge to the men. After receiving the green light, she scuffled across the bridge. Despite the planks creaking under her weight, the structure remained steadfast. She resisted the urge to gaze over the edge as her attention was locked forward. A faint breeze rustled the seams of her robes as her feet clopped along. As soon as she crossed it safely, she hurried over to Reo.

"Grant should be heading for the mayor's residence," he said once she stopped next to him. "Your constant yapping may have caused the big guy to start right away."

They stood next to a stable housing horses and feathered creatures called the arvians; a bird creature comparable to horses in terms of transportation. A middle-aged man with spectacles was tending to them, feeding the beasts apples and other fruits. In front of the stable, a two-story tavern towered, its entrance scarcely frequented by pedestrians. Although the exterior of the place had scratched paint and weathered wood, it seemed to provide a safe and clean environment. She and her friends would have to stop by and eat once they were done with the contract.

"We better get there early if we want to make a good impression," Fiona said. Without a word, Reo took the lead and strolled by the trickling townsfolk.

As Fiona and Reo navigated the bustling thoroughfares, their keen eyes caught glimpses of laboring men, their burly forms burdened by stout sacks that rested upon their perspiring shoulders. Beads of sweat glistened on their weathered faces, testifying to the weight of their toil.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Next to a blacksmith's shop that produced plumes of smoke, a squad of guards enjoyed each other's company. Their laughter echoed amidst the ambient sounds, occasionally punctuated by gestures towards passersby, a majority of whom happened to be women.

When Fiona and Reo climbed up some cracked steps and turned the corner, they strolled past some stalls selling raw meat and vegetables. An aroma of fresh produce and cooked fowl filled the streets.

Because Lullin wasn't all that big to begin with, locating the mayor's residence was easy. It was the only building that looked nicer and bigger than the rest of the homes. Near the entrance was a small well, and next to it was a well-dressed man with a shiny head. Next to him was Grant, holding two large buckets in his hands.

Fiona walked up to them and smiled. "Ah, Grant, I see you found the place. It wasn't hard, I presume?"

He turned and nodded. "It wasn't too hard. It was Mayor Ward who came to me when I was searching around. He asked me if I could help him carry these buckets to his place."

Methodically, Grant lifted each bucket and emptied its contents into the well. The mayor beamed, showcasing a perfect set of pearly whites. Following Grant's completion and bucket drop, Mayor Ward advanced toward Fiona and greeted her with an upraised arm.

"You must be the explorers sent by the guild. I am pleased that they sent over such capable young people. With your help, I'm sure things will progress smoothly. I'm to believe you've gone over the contract?"

Happily, she shook his hand. "We've gone over it many times, Mayor Ward. You've been anxious about the sudden surge of creatures around Lullin, specifically near the Wasteful Wetlands. The guards of Lullin have managed the danger with no difficulty. However, you preferred to verify if there was any significant issue and therefore dispatched a contract to the Explorer Guild. By completing the task, we'll have six sil in total. Have I missed anything important?"

"Er, yes, right to the minute detail."

"Lovely! You don't mind if we get to work quickly, right? The sooner we finish our findings and report them to you, the more at ease you'll feel."

Mayor Ward held up his hand. "Before commencing, let me provide a preemptive warning, given that you're not locals. Be extremely careful when navigating the waters. The creatures living beneath its depths are hostile towards intruders. Yet, your history as explorers and your ability to handle combat lets me believe my anxieties are unfounded. Once you are finished, return to my residence and we will chat further."

"We will finish our business before nightfall," Grant said firmly.

"I'm sure you will. To reach the edge of the Wasteful Wetlands, you must take the south exit and travel along Toad Hollow. Be sure to be careful with the poison-sac toads. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be in my residence." Giving them each a curt nod, the mayor grabbed his things and shuffled away. Fiona waited until the man was out of sight before turning to her companions.

"You heard the man; our job is mainly investigating, so we don't have to fight beasts unless we have to. We'll check the outskirts for clues and explore some parts of the Wasteful Wetlands. After that, we head back and tell Mayor Ward what we found. Any objections?"

"None here," Reo said.

"Good, let's get going then. We'll assume our regular positions once we reach hostile territory. As much as it pains me to say it, we aren't here to hunt beasts... yet. We can do that afterward. I don't have many potions and salves, so try not to get hurt. I'll just tell you to suck it up and spit on the wound."

Investigation contracts offered limited compensation owing to the type of work involved. Depending on the contract's risk or those who commission the contracts, the rewards vary. Well, there were more reasons, but those two were the most important; contracts commissioned by a noble or the common folk would obviously have different rewards. Common folk who request help may not have the same financial resources as nobles, therefore, they may offer lower payments based on their budget constraints.

Since contracts that deal with beast hunts, dungeon diving, escorts, or bounty hunts are the most sought after for their rewards, they are usually taken up by higher ranked explorers. Fundamentally, the greater a person's rank within the Explorer Guild, the higher the quality of contracts they received.

The contracts that Blue Dawn qualifies for are the bottom of the barrel. Selena's benevolence in passing the goblin contract to Fiona was the only reason they were able to obtain it. In spite of her hesitation to infringe, her aunt affirmed her that nothing negative would occur. Ultimately, she gave in and was delighted with the outcome, for several reasons.

Either way, Blue Dawn needed to climb the ranks in order to take advantage of the sought-after contracts. And with the help of Tyrus, who has displayed monstrous growth in his skills in such a short amount of time, it would take them a few years to hit the halfway mark. His membership into the guild hinged on his ability to prove himself to the other members. With the exam only a few days away, she was sure that Tyrus was conducting the preparations for it.

Hopefully, he took our advice and is being cautious of the red bison and Wildwood. That kid better arrive on time or else I'll drag him by the collar for lying to me.

Scowling to herself, Fiona felt something hard on her shoulder. She lifted her eyes and caught sight of Grant giving her a reserved smile.

"I thought we were to finish by nightfall. Are you perhaps scared of approaching the dragonflies?"

"Like hell I'm scared of some overgrown bugs. I was just thinking about something else." She brushed his hand off and looked around. "He said the south exit, right? Let's get this thing over with so I can take a bath later. Lingering around in a swamp would be bad for my skin. Can you imagine your beautiful and glorious leader growing boils all over her body?"

Bringing out her staff, Fiona took the lead without waiting for a reply. If they were to be attacked by carnivorous plants or insects, a single spell would reduce them to ashes. She had gone through much worse things to be worried about a low-ranked beast. Getting fearful of such things would only lower her value. No matter the beast or challenge, she’d take it on the chin. Only then would she prove them wrong.