“In the 63rd reign of Her Imperial Majesty…” I read out loud the first line.

Umen, the [Court Clerk], raised his brow, “Where did you learn Murvini?”

“I don’t know.”

Murvini was different from Ornic, too different for me to understand the other by knowing the one. But I must have learnt Murvini somewhere.

“Do you perhaps have a special skill that helps you understand new languages?”

I shook my head. If I had such a skill, it didn’t help me when I was learning Ornic.

Umen spoke up once again, “You must have learnt it somewhere then.”

Yes, that was true but I had no recollection of myself learning Murvini. Could I have learnt it when I was younger? I don’t have many memories about myself before coming here at age seven. So I don’t really know what to do here.

I shut the book Umen gave me, “Let’s put that aside. I came here to learn how to write a formal complaint.”

“I strongly suggest that you let a professional such as myself do that.”

“I insist that it will be easier if you just gave me a guideline.”

He sighed and agreed.

I spent the next hour being taught the basics of writing a proper formal complaint. Then Umen was kind enough to give me a draft court papers as examples of how complaints are.

With this in hand, I walked back to my apartment and started writing the romantic complaint letter.

The idea is simple, I will write her a romantic letter in the design of a formal complaint.

With a pen in hand, I wrote rapidly. Not forgetting to add a crossed circle in the corner of the paper as per the writing rules of Murvini.

Strange. I know the grammar rules of Murvini confidently and also know the common mistakes I like to do.

I scratched my hand. When did I ever get taught this?

I looked at my pocket watch. Well, I don’t have time to go over my childhood memories. I have a deadline to meet.

I kept writing until my hand was sore and the room was stinking with ink. But I was done, after hours of writing. I looked back at my pocket watch. Wow, I still had plenty of time to kill before needing to bring this to Myh. Though, as I always say, it is better to be early then late.

[Class level up!]

[Bard lvl 19]

Sweet, I got levelled up. Though admittedly the plan was to practise on my lute and level up, this also seemed to work.

Just to ease my mind, I had to read out the letter:

“I, Dillen of house Yarsh, hereby bring you, Beatrice, to order, over your blind insistence to refuse this marriage proposal. Therefore my hands are tied, I am forced by principle alone and not the passions of the heart to have justice be received.”

I gritted my teeth. What if she takes this complaint seriously? Maybe I should make it more obviously tongue and cheek.

I continued to read the next paragraph.

I can’t read it anymore. This was stupid. I should just give them the commission they paid for. Wait a minute, I didn’t get paid for this.

It’s not like I’m going to get fired or have money taken away from me. And Beatrice wouldn’t even know that it was I who wrote this letter as from her viewpoint, this letter was written by Dillen.

I folded the letter neatly and prepared to leave and give this letter to Dillen. If he rejects it then that is it. At least I levelled up from this so it wasn’t a total waste of time.

When I approached the district where the nobles lived, I remembered one thing: I didn’t have a pass. And I didn’t plan before hand with Myh when for him to meet up with me.

“I thought you’d be here by now,” I heard Myh’s voice behind me.

I turned around, “How did you know I was going to be here at this time?”

He grinned, “Well I do know how punctual you are. I was waiting here for you an hour ago. I thought you might come early.”

Nice.

“Well, I’ve been around you for quite some time. Is that the poem in your hand?” Myh asked me.

Now it was my turn to grin, though a bit quivering, “It’s not a poem. Not exactly.”

“Then what is it?”

“A formal complaint to Beatrice, like a complaint letter you give to someone you’re about to take to court.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. But it shouldn’t be taken too seriously. It’s kind of difficult to explain.”

“I better give it to Beatrice directly then.”

“Aren’t you going to ask me about the letter?”

“It’s sealed.”

“Yes, but I can unseal it for you to check on it.”

“Nope, I trust your artistic judgement. It’s unusual to have a love letter written as though you were taking someone to court but you’ve always been weird.”

“Hey, such words wound me!”

Myh laughed. I saw him holding a wrapped item on his left hand.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Dinner. Garlic bread and a few other bits for you to eat.”

“Garlic bread? Where did you buy it?”

He chuckled, “Well, I didn’t exactly buy the thing.”

“You stole it?”

“It’s not like the cooks are going to care. And Dillen is too busy with his stargazing to notice food items going missing once in awhile.”

“I thought you turned your back on crime!”

“I did. But, I thought I’d make a tiny exception for you since I still owe you lunch.”

That’s sweet. We exchanged items, him giving the garlic bread and I giving the letter.

“By the way, Myh. You still owe me probable a dozen more garlic breads in order to cover the cost of writing this letter,” I pointed out at him.

“What kind of friend keeps score?”

“A poor friend,” I chuckled.

My job was done and we parted ways. Well not before informing him of my upcoming performance. Thankfully, he’s going to be there.

I walked back with starlight once again guiding me back home. I ate the garlic bread on my way home. Can’t wait until I’m rich and can eat garlic bread on a whim.

I didn’t have to go to the tavern today and so I went straight to my room.

I stared at the lute in the corner of my room. I should practise and try reaching level 20 in my class.

I yawned. Well, I levelled up today and so I deserve to sleep early. Besides, playing a lute while people are going to sleep will be rude.

So I climbed on my bed and went to sleep.

5 days until the S-rank mission….

“No jobs today,” the clerk told me while chewing that gum.

“Seriously?”

He shrugged, “Boss told me to tell you that you shouldn’t be taking jobs before your big assignment.”

In fact, the clerk gave me a note from the boss. It read: ‘Get Rest For The Big Mission’.

It was five days before the mission and I’d hate to sit around doing nothing. I guess now is the perfect time to practise on my lute.

I went back to my little apartment and picked my lute that has been sitting for ages in the corner.

I cradled the instrument on my arms and touched the first double string of the lute. I plucked it.

The lute sounded off, it needed tuning. I adjusted the tension in the strings until it has been tuned correctly. I plucked the string once again.

Wow, the note sounded very muddy. More like a dull sound instead of the clear crisp music that I prefer coming from my lute.

Then again, it’s been awhile since I played this lute. I might as well give my hands warming and play few scales.

Tsk.

Three of the strings snapped.

“Ouch!” It didn’t hurt that much but the surprise took me off guard.

The strings needed changing. I searched under my bed for my savings box. Replacing lute strings is expensive and therefore it is important to save up.

All in all, I had 429 crown coins to my name. It sounds a lot but I’ve been saving for years. I use this money for emergency purposes only. And since I’m going to be performing in the tavern, I’ll probably make back the money used here.

I rushed out to the busy city square where all the merchants were selling their goods. I’m looking for a weapon’s shop that sells a lute. Very few sell musical instruments unless they have some magic in them.

“You’re searching for someone?” I heard someone shout behind me.

I turned around. It was Mr Hukabell, the guy who gives me free apples when I run in the mornings

“Just looking for a shop that sells strings for a lute.”

“I think that shop over there is the best,” he pointed. “That’s where my best friend works. You can say I sent you there.”

“Thanks, sir,” I bowed.

I had to push several people on the street to get by. This place is always busy

A little bell rang when I stepped into the shop. A dwarf appeared behind the shop counter.

“Welcome customer,” then she took a good look at me and my ears. “Elf? I don’t sell bows and arrows in this fine establishment.”

“I was recommended this place by Mr Huckabell.

The hostility in her face washed away.

“A friend of Huckabell is a friend of mine. In fact, I have the finest bows for of your character. Just wait a for a second.”

She rushed to the back room of the shop before I could stop her. Why in the world does she think I need a bow?

After five minutes, she returned to me and presented a fine looking bow indeed. I don’t know much about bows but it looked impressive.

When I touched it, I could feel the bow sing to me.

“As you can see, this bow is of the finest quality. For you my friend, I’ll sell it for 900 crowns. Just for you.”

I coughed, nearly dropping the bow.

900 crowns and she makes it sound as though she’s doing me a favour!

“Well… I’m not an [Archer] so I won’t be buying this bow,” I said to her.

She abruptly took the bow away from me, “Then don’t waste my time! What weapon do you need, elf!”

“What I need is…”

“I know! I can see it in your eyes,” she rushed back to back room to get another weapon for me.

I hope this time around, she guesses the right one.

The dwarf returned with a rapier in hand. “Made from the finest Oynean Steal. For you my elven friend, 1300 crowns!”

I sighed. The prices seem to be getting higher and higher.

“I don’t need a rapier!”

The dwarf twisted her mouth, “Then what do you want! Stop wasting my time here!”

“Strings. Lute strings!” I cried out before she could even decide to guess my weapon of choice.

The dwarf nodded slowly, “A lute you say. Give me a few seconds, I’m certain I can find something for you.”

It took her two minutes before coming back from the back room, carrying a beautiful carved lute

The dwarf let me hold the instrument, “The wood comes from the Myrrhil tree, the strings were sewn from the guts of a wyvern. Thus lute is a marvel to gaze upon. Just pluck a single string to feel it.”

Though I wanted to replace only strings, I couldn’t help but like this lute .I plucked a single string. The sweet crisp sound the spread out melted my ears. If one could get an auditory orgasm, this would be it.

I grinned, “How much is this?’ I asked with gleeful sparkled eyes.

She chuckled, “You’re a true musician, I can see that in your eyes. I’ll sell this lute for a discounted price.”

“Really?”

“Yes, a friend of Huckabell is a friend of mine.”

“Okay. How amuch then.”

“32,000 crowns.”

She said it so effortlessly, I thought she was joking.

I laughed, “Okay, seriously how much is it?”

She clicked her tongue, “32,000 crowns!”

“You’re robbing me blind. You can’t be serious.”

The shopkeeper roughly took the lute away from me, “I see you’re cheapskate. Now bugger off.”

32,000 crowns was simply too much. I could buy a modestly sized plantation in the countryside with that money.

“I just want to replace the string.”

“You want to just replace the strings?”

I nodded.

“Fine, 2800 crowns will do. For the cheapest strings.”

My mouth was left gaping open.

“That’s still too expensive for me,” I cried out.

“Then get a guitar instead. Lutes are expensive.”

A guitar?

“How much will be the lowest price guitar cost?”

“About 300 crowns.”

That I could afford. But the idea of abandoning the lute, my heart trembled. I had to find a way to pay for those strings.

“Can I not buy the lute strings on credit?”

She shook her head.

“I could help you around the shop to pay for the lute strings.”

“As you can see, my shop is in tip toe shape.”

I looked around the weapon shop. The swords, magic wands and other item used by adventurers were lined up perfectly on the shelves.

I can’t accept this. I need those strings.

“How about I work for you? Selling your weapons.”

The dwarf groaned, “Are you saying I can’t sell my own weapons!”

“NO!” I raised my hands. “But there hasn’t been anyone coming in the shop. I’d think that someone who is selling premium weapons would be more popular.”

Then again, she constantly tried to predict my weapon choice without asking. If I wasn’t a patient person, I’d have stomped off. And I don’t think adventurers are known for being patient and understanding.

“I can sell my weapons fine!”

There has to be something I could do for her to reduce the price, “How about I clean the weapons then or wash the windows. Anything, really.”

“Why are you so eager to get lute strings when you can get a guitar?”

I lowered my head, “I have my reasons and I don’t think it would be appropriate to explain it to you, since you’re stranger.”

Did I just say that? I better apologise. I looked up but the dwarf shopkeeper didn’t seem offended, she was grinning.

“Fine, I won’t snoop around about your reasons. If you’re so desperate, you can be a waiter to a restaurant my family just bought.”

“Really?” I smiled.

“You won’t get paid, though.”

What’s the point of getting a side job if I don’t get paid?

“Tips. You’ll keep only 10% of the tips you make. The rest will be used to pay for those strings.”

This deal sounds unfair, because it isn’t fair. But to get that 2800 crown lute strings, I’m willing to suck it up.

Technically speaking, I’m not going against Boss’s orders. I haven’t taken jobs from the criminal business. Rather, I took a job from a legitimate business.

“So can I start now?” I asked the shopkeeper.

“Now?! Don’t you need time to prepare?” she asked me.

I shook my head.

She laughed, “I forgot how elves can be so greedy.”