(Nakishodo)
While washing dishes wasn''t exactly a mentally stimulating activity. My mind and my gaze wandered while occasionally at least every 20 mins or so I made sure to cast Purification. The bucket I had chosen was quite full by now and I found myself wondering where I would be dumping it. If they had pigs then possibly that would do good in their feeding trough. I will admit I hadn''t noticed if there was a stable or anything of the sort when I entered the place at first.
I would also need to find another bucket soon. Though I had been working diligently it seemed as if the stack in front of me was barley shrinking. Curious I poked the status window...and I swear I felt like I had fainted.
Stack Of Dishes (Dirty) 4852/5000
"Damn. That''s a lot. I bet she would be impressed if I could clean the entire stack..." I muttered before looking at the even spaced 4 towers. "I wonder..." I speculated and imperiously pointed at a small bit near the bottom about ten plates. "Purification." I said with conviction as if by saying the words what I wanted to happen would. Well instead what happened is the soil slogged off like black sludge and floated near me awaiting my will. "Well...that''s faster than using the soap and water approach."
I checked my MP (980/1000) and then looked back at the tower of dirty plates that was now showing (4842/5000) "Well it works. And I can sort of spam it. But do I have to say it every time?" I mused. Purification! I thought and it seemed to work. Well with that bit of experimentation done I decided to grab a few extra buckets I had noticed lying around that were nicely empty and got to work.
I glared at the stack of dirty dishes as if it had offended me and kept spamming my skill. Eventually after several hours had passed I managed to complete the final dish. I now had about 10 buckets of what might charitably be called slop. As stated before I was grateful that it didn''t smell.
I began to head outside to look to see if there was a trough for pigs and to my surprise I did find one. I began to dump the pails making several trips back and forth until they were done. The animals seemed delighted at such making excited squeals and snorts. I quickly headed back inside wincing at the ruckus I had inadvertently caused.
Once back inside I see Ms. Coral stalking away from the kitchen itself hands on her hips. "I see that you finished your task. Very well you may stay here for the night."
Lodging For The Night Completed!
Rewards: 1 Night Free Stay At Mariner''s Rest. 25 XP Earned!
Level 1 (25/100)XP
Seeing that the quest was completed I gave an internal sigh of relief before nodding to Ms. Coral and thanking her for her kindness. "Hmmph." she replied before moving behind the counter and passing me a key. "Room 705 will be yours. Hope you can manage to climb that many stairs."
I looked at her with some trepidation before watching her break into a smile and start to laugh. I guess my expression betrayed my anxiety because when I examined the key myself I saw that the number 105 was written.
I smiled softly once I realized she had pranked me and with a little chuckle of my own I went up to my room. I found it not to far from the stairs and I knocked once before entering just in case a cleaner or someone like that was inside prior to my arrival. I waited for a bit longer and after not receiving any response I unlocked the door and entered.
The room...was just as amazing as the exterior of the inn. Though I will freely admit it might have just been my fatigue catching up to me after the monotonous task of washing all those dishes. You could have told me the mattress of that bed was spun from fresh spring clouds and I would have believed you. I sunk in gratefully and was out like a light within moments. I wish then that I had started to question how it was that I was asleep in the game. By all rights the functions of the Drive should have booted me out into the real world. True I would still be within the depths of the beast so to speak but I would be in the real world not the game. However due to my own foolishness I staid asleep not questioning a thing.
Come morning I woke refreshed but instead of finding myself staring up at the Drive''s ceiling like I expected I was instead still seeing the morning sky in the game. I found myself frowning a little before saying aloud "System Window." and as it flickered up within my line of sight "Fuck." I muttered looking at the greyed out option for Logging out. "I am not in an anime. I am not in an anime I am not in an anime." I said aloud three times then closed my eyes as if I just chanted a spell then opened my eyes once more. Log out option still greyed out.
"I swear when I get out of this fucking drive unit I am going to kill whoever got me trapped in here." I muttered to myself before stabbing the button. Nothing happened...which pretty much is what I expected. No system message telling me Error. No platitude assuring me that such and such was working on it. Nothing to indicate that I was in fact NOT trapped in the game. However as I looked over my HUD I noticed for a fact that the fatigue meter was empty at the moment. The hunger and thirst meters however were dangerously low...and I doubted highly that it was just the game making me feel those particular problems.
So now I would need to legitimately eat and drink in game to survive. As well as sleep. That was a bother. With a sight I opened my Inventory and pulled out the basic bitch bread that they gave everyone at the start of every fantasy game. I took a bite and the taste almost made me spit it back out again. I grimaced and forced myself to finish it washing it down with the ration of water provided. I''d have a to find a way to refill the water skin. Unless it refilled itself after a certain number of hours. Feeling that it was good to know this I perused the item description.
Adventure''s Water Skin Level 1
Capacity (650/1000)
Durability: (100/100)
Quenchability: Every sip restores 2.5% of the Thirst Meter. If a big enough drink is taken has the ability to make the thirst meter hold it''s full level for 48 hours.
Description: A cured goat skin filled with water. The skin keeps the water from evaporating and keeps it fresh. Must be manually refilled upon draining. Public Fountains can grant this Service for Free.
Well at least the game was kind enough to give me a hint. Out of morbid curiosity I decided to do the same with one of my remaining 6 bread loaves. It was a good thing I didn''t have any water in my mouth cuase I would have done a spit take at the name. Apparently the game either liked my sarcasm or was trying to be sarcastic to prove a point.
Basic Bitch Bread Level 1
Durability:(100/100)
Satability:100%
Despite it''s rather bland taste this item has the ability to fully restore the hunger meter and keep it full for 2 in game days. If taken without water however it will cause a "Dehydrated" debuff which makes the user steadily lose health if not addressed in a timely manner.
"Yeesh. They are very much wanting to make sure that players eat and drink regularly even if they aren''t being force to do it like me to literally stay alive." I thought to myself as I glared at the floating text in front of me.
Well first order of business then will be learning how to COOK." I moved to get out of the bed feeling a little grungy. Wondering if it was just mental fatigue I checked my HUD again and groaned aloud. "FUCK ME!!!!!!! Why In the HELL would they put a HYGIENE METER in a GAME?" I mean sure immersion blah blah blah.....we are literally experience the game through our brains. If that is not immersive enough then I don''t know what is.
Ok Fine. I''ll admit it that I''m bitching about every little thing to hide my inner anxiety. And I wanted to be a healer dammit. I mean sure learning cooking would be beneficial in the long run and I suppose black smithing would as well. However with the starting basic mage class I was going to be having some issues. Or at least I was guessing that I was. I mean usually people don''t play a fantasy game to become a Gatherer Class. Seems I was being forced into the role however.
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Still I best get out of this room and inquire about where I could get some basic pots and pans...and a shower. A shower would be really nice right about now. Almost as if my thoughts had summoned her there was an echoing knock at my door. "Are you In good Sir?" Came a refined voice.
Curious I considered not answering. "Yes. I''m in." I replied quickly running a hand down to smooth over my clothes. "May I come in?" they asked once more and I glanced at my spell list noticing to late that it was grayed out. SHIT in a safe zone or something...dammit. I''ve got no way to defend myself if I allow him entrance." "Might I ask the nature of who has come to call on this fine morning?" I asked mainly to by myself thinking time while I stood up from the bed and started to make it. Sadly no hidden cache of weapons revealed itself.
A hearty chuckle resounded from the other side of the door. "My name is Romulus. I am but a humble merchant within the city. I couldn''t help but to remember you from last night and I wonder if you might take a package for me to the port."
Quest Found!: Romulus The Merchant
Description: Romulus The Merchant has asked you to take a package to the docks for him.
Accept Y/N?
That was all the information the system gave me. YES I thought with some measure of annoyance. I mean I had all but had a heart attack over someone wishing nothing more than for me to be an errand boy for them.
Besides if I got a good rep with this merchant it might lead to opportunity later. Also he was a merchant I should be ok to at least let him in the room. I rose and I cracked the door acting as if I wasn''t decent behind it.
Turns out it was a good thing that I did as a dagger thudded into the wood an inch from my eye. A weird flooding of heat filled me and before I could think about it I ripped my door open to see that someone in stereotypical thief''s gear was holding a night with a dribbling purple substance. "Ok Congratulations." I said to the NPC Merchant as I roughly shoved him aside. "You''ve just become important." I pretended not to notice how my shove had actually sent him over the rail and into the floor below.
I reached out my hand as the next knife was flung which would have hit the Merchant''s head had I not shoved him literally out of the way. "Purification!" I found myself shouting...and it did jack squat to the knife... Well ok. It removed the poison...but...wait. he was practically giving me weapons here. I reached behind me and pulled the knife from my door.
Warning!!!! Insufficient Stats Detected!! You cannot use the following item properly "Poison Dagger."
I growled my annoyance and prepared the knife in my hand only to find that the assassin/thief had already jumped and was in the air. "Ya got one shot." I muttered before chucking the knife in my hand at his back. "BAMF!" my knife impaled itself in a log. "Crap." I muttered before hitting the deck in a roll. And good thing I did too. A solid Thunk and the thief had teleported to the remaining knife already in the door. With a groan of timber he wrenched both knives out of the door and turned towards me grinning wickedly.
I was desperate now and since it was literally the only skill available to me I began to spam it. It may not have done damage but apparently it was the equivalent of bitch slapping the guy repeatedly. "Purification! Purification! Purification!" I shouted desperately and watched his head crack back in to the timber door slowly cracking and breaking it.
I kept going. "Purification! Purification Purification! Purification! Purification!" apparently I had them stun locked. I didn''t know how long it would last but I couldn''t stand here spamming that skill forever. Turns out I didn''t have to worry about that much longer. A rapier flashed through the air and before I could blink it was stabbing the thief through the heart.
I got a moment to take in the ornately carved coral like designs on the blade before it wrenched itself back out of the thief and went for their eyes next. Somehow the thief managed to parry the blade...apparently getting stabbed through the heart wasn''t lethal enough for them.
I quickly summoned my caster''s staff and taking a step forward I swung it like a baseball bat for their head. CRACK!!!!! well...huh. Apparently my staff was sturdy enough to cave their skull in.
You have Leveled Up!
You have Leveled Up!
You have Leveled Up!
"Ok I know I''m level one...but to gain three level ups instantly?" I thought to myself vaguely noting that there was something mentioned about attribute points and further skill points to assign.
Ms. Coral''s blade or at least it had better be hers skewered the guy through the eye to make sure they were dead. Sparkles of red light began to drift from the defeated form before the sword flew back to whence it came.
You have obtained the following items:
Poison Dagger x 1
Thief''s Cloak x1
Orders Of Murder x1
Thief''s Hood x1
Thief''s Boots x1
Well ok apparently I got to their clothes...and the reason why they had attacked. I leaned my head over the railing to see if Romulus was still breathing down there. The Merchant had hit a couch and while the structure itself looked a little battered it had held together. "I''ll have to pay for that." I muttered before glancing around once more senses still on alert for further attacks.
No more random knives materialized though I was skeptical of the sudden peace that was currently filling the establishment. As I made my way down the stairs Ms. Coral made her appearance.
"Ruffians! Thieves! How dare they disturb my home!" she somewhat shouted sounding majorly pissed. "And you young man. You did basically nothing to stop them." she jabbed her finger at me. I grimaced. "Look hun. I ain''t even had my coffee yet. I literally JUST woke up. Forgive me for not firing on all cylinders. Sides I did something." I jerked my thumb over to Romulus as he FINALLY sat up. "I kept useless over there alive."
Romulus made a noise in his throat as if he was going to object to my words then he realized it was due to my quick thinking he was even had a chance to say those words so remained silent.
"I Also have the contract or reason that he was target." I added pulling the Orders Of Murder out if my inventory. I flicked it open and with my best performer''s voice I began to read.
"To Who it May Concern I wish the following person/persons to be taken out under contract. Upon the completion of this contract the person that bought it is to head to the Mayor''s office and present it to the secretary there to receive their reward.
Person''s Marked For Termination:
1. Romulus The Merchant
2. Any Party That Is Found To Be Aiding Him
Failure to complete this contact once it is bought shall result in a maximum of three days in jail for the buyer. You have 72 hours from the buying of this contact to complete it. "
I gave a low whistle when I finished before looking up at Ms. Coral who regarded me evenly "Fine. But your paying for the couch." Before I could blink another system message was placed in front of me.
Debit Of 20G Owed To Ms. Coral For Damaging Property. Must Be Paid Immediately!
I scowled but forked over the money before glancing to Romulus who had been trying to sneak out. "HEY!." I raised my voice and he cringed stopping in place. "Someone is trying to kill you. I think you just hired me on as your bodyguard correct?" I said in such a fake sweet tone that from beside me Ms. Coral snorted but departed from my side to go deal with other matters that obviously deserved more attention.
"I Um. Yes that was exactly what I was doing." replied Romulus and before I could reply the system slapped the following words into my face.
Quest Accepted! Bodyguard The Merchant Romulus
Description: For the next 72 hours you are to guard Romulus. You fail the quest if he dies.
Reward: ???
Duration Remaining: 72:59:00
Me and my big mouth. I thought before looking over to him. He seemed stressed out. "Get your ass over here!." I said once more and once he was safely within my sights I sighed lightly. "First your going to reimburse me the 20G for paying for that couch." I said tapping my foot.