Chapter 6 20 tasks, introductions
'What am I gonna do about dinner I guess I could try to learn how to cook?' Thought Simon looking at the pouch of gald on the way back to the inn, he was worried about spending it all in one go. 'I also need to learn how to fight with that sword if I have any hope to get into the guild.' When he got back to the inn Lediemn was filing her nails at the front desk.
"What's up?" She greeted.
"Due to amnesia I'm probably gonna get rejected by every job I try to apply for. Unless you know anyone that will have some use for someone like me." Sighed Simon. "Well, you could always try to work here as a housekeeper." Suggested Lediemn. "Is there anything else?" "Do you know anyone who knows how to cook or sword fight?" He asked. Lediemn raised an eyebrow at him. "Well I don't want to waste all of my money on food before I can get a job, and learning how to use a sword would help me get into the guild, or so I've heard." He explained.
"I know how to cook a little, but I'm only limited to baked goods and rice. As for sword fighting, sorry, I only know a few healing and support spells, I doubt there is anyone in the inn that could teach you." Apologized Lediemn.
"It's all right, um … forgive me for sounding a bit stupid, but how do you make rice?" asked Simon.
"It's simple, you take some rice and dump a cup into a pot then dump in two cups of water and heat it up, but you do have to be careful to not burn the rice." Instructed Lediemn.
"Thank you." Said Simon walking off, "Do you have a kitchen?" "It's down the hall past the stairs to your left." Ordered Lediemn.
In the kitchen Simon looked in the cabinets and drawers to look for the rice, he found a pot and a cup but he was having trouble looking for the rice. He didn't realize that it was in a big brown bag sitting in the corner labeled "Rice," until he turned around. He went over to the bag and scooped out a cup, dumped it in the pot. He went for the faucet, next to one of the cabinets and turned it on, the water was brown and the quality was questionable.
"I would boil that if I were you." Said a male voice, he turned to see the boy he met earlier that day, Robin. "Most of the city has crappy water quality, the only ones who get the good water are the aristocrats and royalty, and filters are expensive. There should be a kettle somewhere around here." He shrugged.
"What are you doing here? I though you went to your home, also I didn't expect to see you again so soon." Wondered Simon aloud.
"Well, while I was trying to apply for a job our land lord kicked out of our home because we weren't able to pay the rent. The shelter was too crowded and my mother felt that it wouldn't be very … "ideal" for my sisters. So the Lylia inn seemed like a cheap place until someone gets a job." He explained. "Sounds tough." Said Simon filling a tea kettle with the brown water. "Yeah, but it could be worse, at least we're still alive." Said Robin, Simon smiled then he looked confused as he tried to figure out how to turn on the stove. It looked like it was fueled by something. He opened a hatch under the stove where he could see the charred remains of logs and figured that that's what he had to put in. He found the logs near the same corner as the rice, he rolled his eyes and grabbed some logs and put them into the stove. He looked for something that could be use to light the wood on fire.
"What are you looking for?" Robin asked leaning over the stove.
"Something to turn on the stove with."
"Move" ordered Robin, searching through the cabinets and pulling out the matchbox. "Since you obviously don't know your way around the kitchen, I'm taking over before you hurt yourself." Simon couldn't come up with a witty comeback because it was true.
Once the stove got going and the water was at a slightly better quality the rice sat on the stove. Robin and Simon were at the other side of the kitchen to keep Simon from opening the pot. Robin flipped through some dusty cook books while Simon constantly glanced over to the rice a bit bored.
"Say Robin …" He began, "you sure do know your way around the kitchen."
"With two, until recently, busy parents, four hyper little sisters, and a dead beat brother, you kinda have to learn how to work around the house. Sure mom does some of the cleaning but she's usually cleaning out other people's houses. Since I'm home most of the time I'm usually taking care of my sisters." He explained, Simon did want to ask about the "until recently" part but he felt it was too personal. "Is there anything else in this kitchen besides possibly stale rice?"
"I don't think so, this inn stopped having a chef when people stopped coming so I don't think they would have anything that would go bad."
"I see, I think your rice is ready." Said Robin, "Don't worry about the stove, I'll take care of it." Simon scooped out some very mushy rice when a hotel employee came in.
"Is one of your names Simon?" He asked. Simon turned, letting some rice burn.
"Yeah …" Said Simon.
"I think this is for you." Said the employee giving Simon an envelope while Robin put out the stove. "And you're Robin I presume?" The employee asked, Robin nodded. "Your parents want to see you." Robin left the kitchen along with the employee. Simon opened the envelope, with some difficulty picking at the wax seal. Inside was a letter, he took it out and read it over.
To Simon,We are considering to let you into the guild, but this is a time where several are considering to apply and we have few positions available. Even though your application is hardly full you will have to make due with your work effort. You have to go through a test to prove yourself. Come into the guild's headquarters tomorrow for information of the test. Best wishes. Sincerely, Ad LibitumSimon was surprised, he didn't even completely fill out the resumé due to his amnesia, yet he got a response from the guild. He didn't know whether to feel happy, shocked, or insulted (probably because it was out of pity).
The next morning, Simon went to 108 Gates Street, with sword in hand, a bit tired because through out the night he constantly had nightmares about a tree burning to the ground and him screaming in pain because he could feel the fire torching off his flesh. Also he was constantly awakened by one of Robin's sisters because of cockroaches or something else. Robin left early to look for a job while Simon was sleeping. In there the silver haired man was sitting in his desk up front, he also spotted Robin carrying a staff, along with an older man carrying an axe, and two women, both carrying nothing.
"Finally, it seems like you five are the only ones who want the job. So it doesn't seem like there will be too much competition." Mused the man, "We only have two spots available." Just then a man with messy shoulder length red-brown hair with a very serious look on his face. Like Simon, he wore a long coat over his shirt and vest, but his bottoms of his pants were tucked in, he had googles on his head and he wore some sort of neck tie. Simon got a chill down his spine.
"Claus, are these the new recruits?" The man asked.
"Yes sir, the ones who filled out the application, well except one of them." Said the silver haired man. Simon felt uncomfortable at the remark.
"Very well." Said the red head, clearing his throat. "I am the head of Speg's branch of Ad Libitum, Kratos Aurion, and this is vice president Claus F. Lester." The man introduced. "Allow me to explain the test, you five have to do 20 jobs for the guild."
"You'll have to ask me for a job and you have to go to the location. These jobs will be within St. Gabriel or near the city. These job will range from monster control to community service, to simple errands." Continued Claus. "Your client will be evaluating you based on your stamina, diligence, power, knowledge, and how you act around your client. Keep in mind that these jobs may require more of one field than any other. Any questions?" Simon, slightly embarrassed raised his hand slightly.
"Yes?"
"I'm guessing that you will have to fight, but … what if you don't know how to fight?" Simon asked.
"You're going to have to train on your own time." Answered Kratos, Simon looked over to Robin. "The ability to at least defend yourself will be a necessity in the guild. Any other questions?" No one spoke up. "Very well, meet the rest of the guild, it would be wise to know who may be evaluating you, keep in mind that not everyone's here, you'll be able to meet them as you go along."
"And when you're done, come back for your first job." Ordered Claus The five were free to roam the building.
Simon went into a white room that had a table, with medical utensils hanging next to it, a book shelf for keeping records, and a desk covered in paper work. A blond woman wearing a lab coat over the rest of her clothes which he assumed is just a shirt, vest, and a skirt, was talking to the magenta haired waitress from the cafe, except wearing a dress with a relatively short skirt, a flat cap, and a jacket over the top. Simon knocked on the door to get the girls' attention.
"Am I … interrupting anything?" He asked.
"Not at all, you must be one of the applicants for the job, right?" asked the blond, Simon nodded. "Well then, my name is Mint Adane."
"I'm Cheria Barnes." Introduced the magenta haired girl. "You're in the medical corps of Ad Libitum."
"Medical corps? You help people with their illnesses, right?" asked Simon.
"In a basic sense, yes, but we also heal the injured and we do come on missions, meaning that we have to know how to defend ourselves." Explained Mint.
"That's a pretty useful position." Said Simon.
"It's the least we can do." Said Mint."Hopefully we'll end up working together sometime." Simon nodded.
"It's very nice to meet you." Simon left the room and went to another section of the building where he bumped into a girl or rather, the girl bumped into him. The girl had long blonde hair, wearing a little hat, a jacket buttoned closed, and a layered skirt, she wore a pendant around her neck.
"I'm sorry." They both said at the same time Simon was embarrassed and stopped himself before he could continue.
"You must be one of the new recruits." She observed.
"Yes … Simon." Simon introduced.
"I'm Colette Brunel, nice to meet you." She greeted. "As you can tell I'm kind of clumsy." She laughed.
"Um … what do you do for the guild?" Simon asked.
"I can fight, but I'm usually helping the church with guild related things." Said Colette.
"Thanks, hope to see you sometime." Said Simon, then going to another room, where he met up with Cress and his friend.
"Ah, you're the refugee from Medine, how are you doing in St. Gabriel?" Greeted Cress.
"Well … It's fine … I've only seen the area between the Lylia inn and Frederic's." Said Simon, honestly. "
You're probably gonna see the rest of St. Gabriel sooner or later." Shrugged Cress's friend. "By the way, I'm Chester Burklight." He introduced offering a hand shake.
"Simon." He said taking the offer.
"So what brings you here?" Cress asked.
"Well … I applied for a job and now … I'm being tested." Simon said.
"So Kratos is being hard on the applicants this time around huh?" Chester muttered to Cress. Simon looked at them confused. "Good luck."
"Um … thanks …?" Said Simon, rather nervously.
He explored the building some more, but didn't meet any other guild member, he figured that they're probably out and went back to Claus.
"About time, the others have already gotten their jobs." Sighed Claus.
"I'm sorry …" Apologized Simon.
"Ah whatever, it's not like it's a race, here's your assignment." Claus gave him a slip of paper that said: Cat-sitting, 235 Wydern Street. 50 gald.
This will not take 20 chapters that would be ridiculous, most of the jobs will be skipped the only ones that will have any depth will be the first and 20th job even though they don't really mean anything. Please review, I could really use the feedback.