The Systems Challenge Chapter 74: A Couple Weeks Pass

Despite the hostility he was used to receiving from Kim, Elmo was overjoyed that she was on the nd. Although, that didn't an that he was spared from having to help cook in the kitchen at the inn. While he'd thought that it was just for the first night, Jonas quickly disabused him of that notion when he made it clear that he was to help with the food preparation until they left.

So, he found himself in the hot kitchen doing what the cook told him to do, even if he didn't really understand the reason for whatever direction, he found that the knowledge of Kim pulling through and recovering was enough to keep him in good spirits. Although, he still wasn't too happy about having to be in the hot kitchen, especially with how warm it seed to get during the hotter part of the day.

The only ti he seed to have for himself was the brief periods when he was able to go eat himself or when he was finally done for the day. Which wasn't usually until well after the sun went down. Elmo wasn't sure if he'd be able to survive the pace, since at the end of the day, he was completely worn out. He estimated it was primarily because of the heat, but he wouldn't be surprised if at least part of it was from the physical demands of the job.

He'd heard the announcer at the start of that day telling all of them that the next challenge had to do with saving the king from being assassinated, but he couldn't say that he was particularly concerned about that for the mont. Right then he was more worried about doing his part in keeping those of his team situated in the inn while they waited for Kim to recover.

Though, he also wondered if they might also remain there until Heather and Sonya started to get better. He wasn't sure what was wrong with them, but wasn't sure what could be done for them either. Not that he had much energy to worry about them anyway.

Elmo started to tune out the announcents from the announcer at the start and end of every day as he continued to do his part in the kitchen wile Elin seed to flourish as a waitress. Elmo was starting to wonder if this might be a good place for them to live if they ended up not being the ones who were able to return to their own worlds. After all, this wasn't such a bad life.

Owen's group left the inn the day the next challenge was announced and Patrick and Patricia arrived later that day. There wasn't much for them to talk about, and Elmo was wondering if they'd remain at the inn for a while or if they'd be like Owen's team and leave the next day.

Of course, they were like Owen's group and were gone by the ti Elmo ca out to eat his breakfast after the people who stayed at the inn, even in the common area, had eaten. Elmo felt like it was a loss for them to have left, but couldn't say why. It was almost like there was sothing nagging at the back of his mind that he just couldn't quite place, but didn't know what to do about it.

The days continued to pass and Kim seed to get stronger each day, but it was clear, with how she still needed help from Elin part of the ti to move around, they weren't likely to get out of there for a while yet. Others that they'd recognized as mber of whatever contest they had been pressed into passed through the inn, though none of them seed to recognize them. Even Stanley's team didn't seem to know who they were, despite having been saved by the team Elmo was on. Elmo wasn't sure how the others had been able to pay to stay at the inn, but he also knew that it wasn't his concern. It wasn't his business to run.

Not that Elmo complained. He was pretty sure that Stanley had abandoned Heather and Sonya when the goblins first captured them and so was partially responsible for what they'd had to endure. However, he didn't see the benefit from forcing a confrontation about it, so he let it go.

By the end of the first week of being at the inn, he found that he wasn't getting so tired from being in the kitchen and could only assu that he was getting accustod to the heat. He thought part of it also might be that he was also starting to anticipate the directions of the cook, so he was able to start working on various tsks before he was getting directed to. Which also made his job go a little faster.

Then before he knew it, another week had passed. He couldn't say that he was sorry about it, but did wonder how that might affect their ability to accomplish the challenge that had been announced when they were staying in the sa place. Especially since they hadn't done anything to build their systems like he was sure everyone else was currently doing.

Then the morning of the start of their third week at the inn, while he was busy starting with the preparations for breakfast, ca an announcent that stopped him cold. All the ones before didn't have anything of any new information or were rely updates without anything to update about. This one however, made Elmo know that whether Kim was ready to go or not, they were going to have to do sothing. That trouble was likely heading their way, ready or not.

"Good morning contestants!" the announcer's voice bood in his mind as well as all around him, though it seed that only those who had been pulled into this contest could hear his voice. "So far no one has gotten lose to finding out about who is going to attempt to assassinate the king. However, minutes ago Rachel Plum was killed by a dire wolf. We'll see if her teammate survives his injuries before the day is out as well. In addition, the portal to the goblin world can now be dispelled. How it can be accomplished is sothing you'll have to figure out if you want a bonus challenge. In addition, the goblins have reached a point that they will soon begin coming out of the dungeon. Are all of you ready for that? Either way, our viewers are eagerly watching to see what the outco is!"

Even though he was startled about the idea of goblins coming out to face them, he didn't pause in his job. Maybe he'd gotten so used to it that he could do it even if he had to endure a 10.0 earthquake. He doubted that he would, but at the mont that's kind of how he felt.

However, as soon as he had gone out to eat his own breakfast, it was clear that Jonas had sothing to say to the entire group. Elmo wondered if he'd been waiting until all of them were present before talking about it or if he was saying all of it again for Elmo's benefit.

"We have a choice to make here. Do we leave now and take Heather and Sonya with us, or do we stay and try to help defend the village from the goblins we know are going to be coming this way?" Jonas said.

"Would warning the village be of any use?" Kim asked.

"I doubt it," Jonas replied. "I would suspect that if they did believe that we knew of an incoming attack, that we were in on it in the first place."

"Sounds typical," Kim muttered.

"Should we go back to the dungeon and try to beat the goblins?" Elin asked. "That way we can work on closing the portal and completing that challenge too."

"Not a bad idea, but I have the feeling that it'll be an uphill battle if we do that," Jonas remarked. "Yet, I agree that we'll need to go into the dungeon at so point. The biggest question is though, how will we manage it without any of us getting killed?"

"What if we let the goblins co to us and after we level up so, then we head out and take the fight to them?" Kim suggested.

"We could see if Heather and Sonya would be good for that," Elin added.

"I know they've been eating and drinking and everything, but they haven't really shown any sign that they're getting conscious," Jonas hedged.

"Why don't we go up and see?" Elmo asked, "We can tell them what's coming and I'm sure they'll wake up."

Jonas shook his head sadly. "We could do that, but that doesn't an that they'll respond," he calmly answered. "I'm not sure what's going on with them, but if they don't snap out of it soon, we might have to leave them behind."

"Let's go take a look at them now." Elmo suggested. "Maybe they'll wake up if they know what's coming."

"Maybe," Jonas allowed, not sounding very optimistic about it.

"It would be nice if they weren't stuck here the whole ti," Kim mused, then shook her head, her eyes telling Elmo she'd made a decision. "Alright, I'm with the kid. We'll see if this can get them awake."