Chapter 69 - Jack Of All Traits
Pao folded her arms as she exhaled sharply. "I'm going to the magic shop now."
Bral blinked, slightly taken aback by how abruptly she said it. "You're... not doing this just because I interrupted earlier, right?"
Pao turned her head to the side. "Hmm... I have to go there anyway. The sooner I start my studies, the better."
Bral scratched his head, still a little wary of her mood. "Ahh... right... Okay then." He quickly shook it off and turned to Amukelo. "Anyway, Amukelo, go ask someone for directions."
Pao rolled her eyes. "You don't have to come with me. I'll go by myself."
Bral waved a hand dismissively. "Come on, don't be like this. It's actually useful for us to know where the magic shop is, even if we're not mages. And besides, Amukelo still needs practice talking to people."
Pao sighed heavily, clearly still irritated. "Do whatever you want."
Bral grinned as if he won some kind of battle. "Alright, Amukelo, your turn again. But this time, speak to them as you approach. Don't just stand there like a creep."
Amukelo let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "I got it, I got it." He scanned the area for someone approachable, eventually spotting an older man walking leisurely through the street, his hands clasped behind his back as he enjoyed the pleasant midday air.
Taking a breath, Amukelo stepped forward, keeping his movements deliberate this time. As he neared, he called out first, "Excuse me, sir."
The older man stopped and turned, giving him a once-over before humming in understanding. "Ohh... a young man, huh?"
Amukelo nodded, keeping his expression polite. "Yes. Would you happen to know where the magic shop is?"
The man turned slightly and gestured down the street. "That way. After the third turn, take a right, and the shop will be on the left just before the second turn."
Amukelo repeated the directions in his head before nodding. "Thank you, sir. Have a nice day."
The old man smiled, amused. "Good manners. That's rare these days. You too, young man."
Amukelo turned back, feeling satisfied, and walked over to where Bral and Pao were waiting. With a confident wave of his hand, he motioned for them to follow. "Got it. Let's go."
Bral, arms crossed, tilted his head as he appraised Amukelo. "Huh. That one was actually good. I'm impressed—you learn pretty fast."
Amukelo smirked, his earlier awkwardness nowhere in sight. "Like I told you, I can talk to people. I just haven't done it in a while. It's not like I'm some wild animal who's lived in the wilderness my entire life."
Bral chuckled, nudging him lightly. "Yes, yes... sure. Whatever you say."
They made their way through the busy streets, following the directions given. Pao walked beside them, her expression gradually softening. The frustration from earlier seemed to be fading as she listened to their lighthearted banter. Every now and then, she'd glance at Amukelo, an amused glint in her eyes, though she said nothing.
Bral noticed this and smirked to himself but didn't say anything—at least not yet.
Soon, they reached their destination. The magic shop stood with an ornate wooden sign above the door, glowing faintly with an enchanted shimmer. The windows were lined with various trinkets and glowing artifacts, giving the place an almost mystical aura.
Pao turned to Amukelo and gave him a small smile. "Well, I'm really going to get back to my studies now." She paused briefly before adding, "Enjoy the rest of your day, Amukelo."
Amukelo nodded, smiling slightly. "You too."
Bral stood there, his grin widening as he watched the exchange. After a moment, he lifted a hand and said, "Hey! What about me?"
Pao barely spared him a glance, huffing in mild annoyance before turning sharply toward the shop and stepping inside.
Bral's mouth hung open slightly before he let out an exaggerated sigh. "Unbelievable."
Amukelo just laughed. "Looks like she's still mad at you."
Bral shook his head, placing a hand on his hip. "I don't get why I always get treated like this."
This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.
Amukelo grinned. "Maybe because you always deserve it?"
Bral gasped in mock offense. "Et tu, Amukelo?"
The two of them shared a laugh before Bral patted his shoulder. "Alright, we're down one mage, but we still have a city to explore. Let's see what else we can find."
With that, they continued on, leaving the magic shop behind as they ventured deeper into the heart of the city.
The rest of the day was spent wandering through the streets of Llyn, with Bral keeping true to his word of putting Amukelo through "torture" by making him handle all the talking. At first, Amukelo hesitated every time he approached a stranger, still somewhat awkward, but as the hours passed, he gradually found himself getting more comfortable with the interactions. What started as a task he dreaded slowly became something he wanted to master. It was a new kind of challenge—one that didn't involve swords, monsters, or survival. A different kind of skill entirely. And as much as Bral joked about "tormenting" him, Amukelo could tell that he was genuinely pleased with his progress.
By the time they returned to the inn that evening, Bral stretched his arms with a satisfied grin. "Alright, rookie, I have to admit—you learn fast. Maybe there's hope for you after all."
Amukelo smirked, rolling his shoulders. "Like I told you, I just haven't done it in a while."
Bral clapped him on the back. "Well, keep at it. We'll make a civilized man out of you yet."
The next morning, the entire group gathered outside the inn, ready to begin their first official day of questing together. Bral stretched his arms over his head and yawned. "Alright, rookie. It's your first quest as an adventurer. Let's get you something manageable." He rubbed his temple. "Because I still feel the effects of all that drinking."
Bao shot him a sharp look. "That's your own fault."
Bral grinned. "Yeah, yeah. Let's see what we've got."
They made their way through the bustling streets and arrived at the Adventurers' Association, stepping into the main hall where the quest board stood prominently against the far wall. Various adventurers crowded around, inspecting the parchment postings, murmuring among themselves as they decided which tasks to take. Some quests had already been torn down—either claimed or dismissed.
Amukelo's eyes scanned the board, taking in the various job descriptions. Some of them sounded exciting, while others were more mundane. Then one in particular caught his eye. "What about this one?" He pointed at a parchment. "Scan explored dungeon. Risk unknown."
Idin leaned over and immediately gave him a flat look. "Did you read the requirements?"
Amukelo blinked, then looked at the board again. His eyes landed on the bold print at the bottom of the parchment:
REQUIREMENTS:
A Golden Rank Guild or at least eight adventurers, three of whom must be at least Golden Rank 3 and five at Silver Rank 7.
Amukelo's expression fell. "Ugh... I guess we don't."
Idin exhaled and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You guess."
Bral snorted. "Come on, let's not get him killed on his first job."
As they continued browsing the board, Bao suddenly plucked a parchment off the board. "This one will be good."
They all turned their heads toward her as she held up the quest.
ELIMINATE A GROUP OF SLIMES TROUBLING THE AREA.
Bao glanced at Pao. "We can take this. With Pao's magic, the slimes will be effortless. It's a simple job, good even if some of us"—she shot another look at Bral—"are still feeling the effects of drinking."
Bral held up his hands. "I get it, I get it."
Idin nodded, inspecting the quest details. "Yeah, this one's good."
Pao smiled softly. "It's a nice warm-up."
Bao made her decision. "Alright. I'll take this one."
Before she could turn to the counter, Amukelo suddenly asked, "Can I take it to the lady?"
Bao blinked at him. "Huh? Sure... I guess." She handed him the quest slip.
Amukelo smiled. "Thanks."
As he walked toward the counter, he glanced down at the quest slip again and read the requirements:
A Bronze Rank 6 Guild.
His brow furrowed. Bronze Six? Weren't they only Bronze Five?
Before he could think about it further, he arrived at the counter. The same lady from before stood there, working through some documents. She looked up as he approached, recognizing him from yesterday.
"We'd like to take this quest," Amukelo said, handing over the slip along with his badge.
Back at the board, Bao frowned slightly. "Why did he want to do that?"
Bral crossed his arms and smirked. "He's practicing talking to people."
Bao raised an eyebrow. "What? He's seriously making that a priority?"
Bral chuckled. "Honestly? That kid doesn't just think about improving his swordsmanship. It's kind of remarkable how much effort he's putting into getting good at every skill he can."
Idin glanced toward the counter, watching as Amukelo interacted with the lady. "Yeah. He's got a drive you don't see often."
They all watched as Amukelo continued speaking with the receptionist, completely unaware of their conversation about him.