Darnell moved forwards threateningly as Sophie raised her voice, but Ventress waved him back.
“But I don’t think that’s what you wanted,” Sophie continued. “That might get you out of our deal when I’m hauled away by the guard, but everyone will know that you sold me out. Where would your precious reputation be then? Stop sending your goons to drag me back here, Ventress. You’re only slowing me down.”
“Two weeks,” Ventress said. “I want to hear about your first bold caper within two weeks, or I will consider you as having failed to live up to your side of our little pact. At which point, I will throw you to whichever wolf leaves the thickest slab of meat at my door. And if I hear you try to run out on me…”
She gave Sophie her best serpentine grin.
“…there are men in this city with tastes that would make someone even as hard as you turn soft, Sophie dear.”
Sophie looked ready to spit venom, but kept her lips pressed tightly together. She stared daggers at Ventress, who smiled back as if Sophie’s glare was good for the skin.
“Can I go now?” Sophie asked, biting off every word.
“Of course, dear,” Ventress said. “Two weeks; don’t forget, now.”
64
Take My Wife, Please
Luckily for Jason, most of the contracts in the jobs hall were for areas close to the city. Unless the threat was urgent, those further afield were posted on each town or village’s noticeboard. Every month, the Adventure Society would send out a number of people to patrol those areas and resolve those notices. It was not a popular task, as it meant a full month away from the city and any opportunities that might arise.
Jason started taking one or two contracts a day, depending on the location. He would then try and clear a notice or two off the local boards while he was out, even if it meant spending the night out in the delta. People were more than welcoming, especially as he took the time to help any sick locals.
In the jobs hall, Jason placed a notice on the desk. Albert was on duty again today, making a record of the contract.
“Badge, please,” Albert said.
Jason took out his Adventure Society badge and touched it to the contract. There was a shimmer as the badge touched the magic paper and Albert filed it in one of the desk drawers.
New Quest: [Contract: Bog Shambler]
A bog shambler has appeared close to the village of Hule. You have accepted a contract to eliminate the creature.
Objective: Eliminate [Bog Shambler] 0/1.
Reward: Spirit coins.
The Adventure Society rewarded iron spirit coins for an iron-rank monster-slaying contract. The amount depended on number of monsters, travel time and perceived difficulty, from ten, anywhere up to a hundred. If the contract proved more difficult than was originally assessed, bonuses would be given. They went from extra coins, all the way up to an awakening stone, although such a reward was extremely rare.
Jason himself could loot coins from each monster, while the quests that appeared for each contract would give more coins again, and sometimes other valuables. He was effectively being paid three times for each contract.
“Your armour is looking a bit ragged,” Albert observed. “That thorny-tongue frog from yesterday?”
“It certainly was as thorny-tongued as advertised,” Jason said. “The armour self-repairs, but it got torn-up pretty well. It’ll be fine in a few days.”
“I imagine you got torn-up as well.”
“I self-repair too,” Jason said. “You on tomorrow, Bert?”
“Nah, they’ve got me on the admin desk, tomorrow.”
“I’ll see you in a few, then.”
Jason made to leave, but found someone standing in his path. It was a tall, gangly fellow who looked a few years older than Jason. He had an iron-rank aura, so he was probably the age he looked. He was wearing robes that were a size too big, with the emblem of the Magic Society prominently placed.
“Mr Asano?” the man asked.
“And you are?” Jason asked.
“Standish,” the man said. “Clive Standish, of the Magic Society. To be precise, I am Adjunct Assistant to the Deputy Director of the Magic Society, Greenstone branch.”
“That must make for a long desk plate. Is there a reason you’re standing in my way, Standish?”
“Actually, Mr Asano, I’ve been looking for you for some time.”
“Well it isn’t my fault,” Jason said. “I had no idea she was your wife, so you can’t blame me.”
“What?” Clive asked. “I’m not married.”
“She told me the same thing,” Jason said, shaking his head ruefully. “I wouldn’t worry about it.”
Clive’s brow creased into a frown. “I’m not entirely sure what’s going on here.”
Jason patted him consolingly on the arm.
“Welcome to my life,” Jason said, then walked past Clive and out the door.
Left alone inside the jobs hall, Clive stood on the spot, confused.
“What just happened?”
“That’s Jason,” Albert said. “Nice enough guy. A bit odd.”
“Bert?” Clive said, turning to the man behind the desk. “I thought you sold fruit?”
“You’re probably thinking of my brother, sir.”
In the delta, Jason had been given a room at the only inn in the village. After clearing out a monster and healing some of the sick, the innkeeper refused to take payment. The room was humble, but clean, and Jason sat on the floor performing his evening meditation.
Jason had yet to arrive in Greenstone when Rufus told him the three foundations of building his power as an essence user: training, to prepare himself; danger, to push his limits; and meditation, to consolidate his efforts. For months, Jason worked on two of the three pillars, under the guidance of Rufus, Farrah and Gary. Without all three, however, his abilities made little progress.
Jason was driven to take contract after contract, fighting monster after monster. He was caught up in the heady rush of danger, his skills and powers the line between life and death. It was one of the three pillars Rufus described as the foundations of power advancement, and Jason was starting to see results.
The fastest was his vision power, which Farrah told him was normal. After all, it was constantly in use. The next fastest was the spell he used to cleanse sickness and poison, feast of absolution. It had been crawling slowly but surely upwards as he used it over and over at the clinic. Once he started using it in combat, the slow climb turned into a regular upwards tick.
Feast of absolution was more useful in combat than he anticipated, as many monsters spawned in groups. He could use it on a monster right before finishing it off, replenishing himself on the afflictions he had placed on it himself. The injection of mana and stamina gave him the endurance to go full-bore through an extended fight, instead of needing to pace himself.
Ability [Feast of Blood] (Blood) has reached Iron 1 (100%).
Ability [Feast of Blood] (Blood) has advanced to Iron 2 (00%).
It was usually during meditation that Jason’s abilities broke through. He smiled with satisfaction, breaking his meditation and taking a sandwich from his inventory to munch on.
His abilities grew stronger with each rank, although it was easier to see with some than others. His vision power, for example, not only increased his ability to see through darkness, but also his normal visual acuity. Colours were brighter, distant objects clearer. It was a concrete reminder of what all his efforts were for.
He decided that after pushing himself so hard, he would take a few days to rest on returning to the city. He also wanted to look into obtaining more awakening stones. Until he awakened all of his abilities, he couldn’t make any true progress towards bronze rank.