This ti around, both jobs were simple 'Black Iron' level tasks, straightforward, low-risk. Naturally, the combined reward was modest: just two gold coins and forty-nine silvers total.
If they had taken on sothing tougher. say, a mission brushing the edge of Bronze-level difficulty, they'd be looking at two gold coins per commission. And their current team? They were more than capable of handling that kind of challenge.
Sylph's eyes lit up. "A Bronze-level commission…" she said, almost dreamily.
That was where things started getting exciting.
The lower tier bronze jobs paid a decent two or three gold coins, but the difficult ones? Those could pay as much as ten gold coins, enough to cover gear upgrades, potion refills, and more. A real step up.
"Let's hurry and find our fifth teammate already!" Sylph suddenly yelled, her eyes sparkling. "I want to take on a Bronze commission so bad!"
Raymond and the others just chuckled. They understood her enthusiasm; hell, they felt the sa, but there were steps to follow.
After that, Raymond calmly handed out the remaining silver coins.
"Eighty-six silver coins left," he said, sliding them across the table. "Sylph, Lorene, these are yours. Arya, hold onto ours for now."
Sylph blinked. "Wait, what? Raymond… Arya…?" She pointed at the two of them with a look of exaggerated shock. "You're just handing your share over like that?"
"We live together," Raymond said with a shrug, like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Money's money. It doesn't matter who holds it."
Sylph's jaw dropped. "You… you don't even distinguish between each other?"
Even Lorene, normally unreadable, looked at them with a flicker of sothing unspoken in her eyes.
Arya turned red instantly. "W-What are you even thinking?! Don't look at like that!" she burst out. "It's not… It's not what you think, okay? I just… I can't really explain what's between us right now!"
Raymond gave a soft sigh. He could see where their minds were going, but he wasn't about to explain, not yet. "You'll understand later," he said simply, glancing at Sylph.
Sylph caught the aning, Raymond would tell the whole story when they all sat down to open up properly. So she let the topic drop and nodded. "Alright then. In that case, we're done here. Let's head back."
"Yeah," Raymond agreed.
The four of them stood and made their way out of the tavern. Once they were outside, Raymond and Arya went one way, while Sylph and Lorene headed the other.
It wasn't long before Raymond and Arya returned to their ho on Red Rose Street, number 26. A modest townhouse, but cozy and quiet.
Inside, Raymond shed his gear; backpack, cloak, sword, armor. The familiar weight lifted from his body, leaving him feeling noticeably lighter.
Even for soone with his strength, carrying equipnt all day wore you down eventually.
Arya followed suit, removing her bow and quiver. She ran her fingers along the fletching of the arrows, counting them quickly.
"Did you find them all?" she asked.
"Almost," Raymond replied. "One missed the Red-Eyed Crow, it dodged at the last second. Took a bit, but I tracked it down eventually."
Arya looked at him for a mont, then said sothing unexpected.
"Raymond… I want to learn close combat."
He blinked, turning to face her. "You're serious?"
"I am," she said, nodding with conviction. "I know we'll be recruiting a warrior soon, soone who can protect Sylph and Lorene up front. But I don't want to just rely on that. If I can handle myself in close quarters, I won't be a burden. I'll be one less person they have to cover."
Raymond watched her quietly. She wasn't saying it to impress anyone. She ant it.
"I'm an archer," Arya continued. "That ans I should be finding vantage points, controlling space, staying ahead of the enemy. But what if they get too close? What if I don't have ti to relocate?"
She clenched her fist slightly. "I don't want to be helpless."
Raymond nodded, the corners of his mouth turning up just a little. "Alright. If you're ready for it, I'll help you."
Because deep down, he believed in sothing simple: never put your life entirely in soone else's hands. Trust your teammates, yes; but prepare for the monts when trust alone isn't enough.
It wasn't about doubt. It was about survival.
And Arya? She was starting to understand that too.
In battle, anything could happen, at any ti.
There were no guarantees. No matter how strong your teammates were or how fast they could move, there might co a mont when no one could reach you in ti. And when that mont ca, you'd have only one person to rely on: yourself.
Arya understood that.
As an archer, her role demanded distance. She couldn't fight shoulder-to-shoulder with Sylph and Lorene. Instead, she needed to find high ground, perhaps the top of a boulder or the thick branch of a tree, anywhere with a clear view of the battlefield. She needed to be fast, silent, precise... and alone.
That gave her range. Within 200 ters, she could shoot with deadly accuracy. Even at 300 ters, she only suffered a slight deviation. But that distance, her greatest advantage, was also her biggest risk. If a monster caught wind of her and closed the gap, there'd be no ti for anyone to co to her aid.
In that scenario, survival would depend on her own ability to defend herself.
That's why Raymond didn't hesitate. Seeing the fire in Arya's eyes, he gave a short nod and said, "Alright. Starting tomorrow, I'll teach you the basics of close combat."
But he didn't stop there.
"There are different types of lee fighting," he explained. "You've got the unard combat of a Fighter, the disciplined swordplay of a Swordsman, the quick stabbing techniques used by Hunters, Assassins, and Thieves... What kind of combat are you aiming for?"
He paused, then added thoughtfully, "If you ask , you should focus on daggers and short swords. Long swords would interfere with your bow handling. Plus, the Hunter class fits well with your skill set, it emphasizes mobility, stealth, and survival."
Arya nodded without hesitation. "Then I'll go with daggers and short knives."
Raymond gave a small smile. "Good choice. You'll rest today. Starting tomorrow, I'll train you in dagger combat. And I'll teach you camouflage techniques as well, what the Hunters excel at. If you can't be seen, you're far less likely to be attacked."
He ant what he said. Camouflage could be the difference between life and death, especially for soone who operated solo from a distance. If Arya got spotted by a monster mid-fight, she couldn't always count on backup. She needed to be able to disappear.
Despite the popular view, Raymond had long believed that there were no such things as weak classes, only weak players.
A job's not useless. Only the person holding it can be, he mused silently with a smirk.
Then a thought ca to him. "Oh, right," he said suddenly, "I need to go out and ask the buyer to pick up so materials for . I want to brew more Primary Mana Recovery Potions."
Arya nodded cheerfully. "Go ahead! I'll go grab so ingredients for dinner and sothing for breakfast too!"
Before heading out, Raymond took a quick shower, cleaned his gear, and hung it to dry. It was part of his routine, but also a discipline. A clean blade and clean armor could save your life.
Before leaving, he opened his status panel:
---
Na: Raymond Kelton
Age: 15
Mana: 1151.2 / 1151.2
Professions: Fighter, Warrior, Craftsman, Magician, Swordsman, Hunter, Pharmacist, Archer, Thief, Assassin
Skills:
Bone Crushing
Taunt (Upgradable)
Wind Slash
Camouflage
Forging (Upgradable)
Primary Mana Recovery Potion
Skill Points: 2
Progress to Next Point: 55%
Awakenable Class:
Priest — Progress: 16 / 200 grateful people
Available Skills to Learn:
Locked Arrow (Archer) — Cost: 1 SP
Wind-breaking Arrow (Archer / Hunter) — Cost: 3 SP
Sprint (Thief) — Cost: 1 SP
Random Steal (Thief) — Cost: 3 SP
---
After confirming his stats, Raymond grabbed his disguise kit and headed out. Once he found a quiet alleyway, he applied his makeup, altering his facial features just enough to throw off casual observers.
With his identity hidden, he made his way straight to the tavern where Manik, his contact, usually dealt in potions and magical ingredients.
He stepped inside and approached the bar. "I'm looking for Manik," he said in a low, scratchy voice.
The barkeep glanced at him, then shook his head. "No stock today. He's not taking materials either. Try again tomorrow."
Raymond leaned in slightly. "Tell him... he can start collecting now. et at the usual place tonight."
At those words, the bartender's deanor shifted instantly. He'd been briefed. He knew who Raymond was.
"Understood. I'll have soone notify him imdiately."
Raymond gave a brief nod and turned to leave.
By the ti he returned ho, Arya had just co back from the market, holding a basket filled with fresh goods.
"Beef stew tonight!" she said with a grin, lifting the at and spice bundle in her hands. "I even found so mountain herbs to kick up the flavor."
Raymond smiled faintly. This world, while dangerous, was bountiful. Ingredients, magical flora, and rare materials were everywhere… but the threat of monsters made even the most common items feel rare. Still, monts like this simple, dostic monts, were a kind of luxury.
The kind that made all the fighting worth it.
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