The apple hadn't filled him. By evening, JP's stomach growled like a faulty generator. He sat on a bench near the village square, watching merchants close their stalls for the night. The smell of roasted meat drifted from the inn, making his hunger unbearable.
Then reality hit him. I don't have a single coin to my name.
Back home, his wallet had bills, cards, and a few crumpled receipts. Here, he had nothing but his satchel of strange rocks and fungi.
JP rubbed his forehead. "Alright, think. Food, shelter, money. Basics first. Can't exactly install an electrical grid on an empty stomach."
He considered bartering with his repaired lantern, but without trust or reputation, no one would hand over food for a stranger's "magic tricks." He needed a way to earn coin—and fast.
That's when his eyes fell on a large timber hall at the edge of the square. A weathered sign swung above the door, painted with a sword and shield crossed together. People in armor and cloaks came and went, laughing boisterously.
A passing child whispered to her friend: "The Adventurers' Guild."
JP sat up straighter. "Guild, huh? Like a union? Maybe quests, jobs, payments… perfect."
He stepped inside.
The hall was noisy and smelled of sweat, ale, and leather. A massive bulletin board dominated one wall, covered with parchment sheets. Adventurers clustered around it, arguing over jobs.
Behind a counter sat a sharp-eyed receptionist, quill in hand. She looked up as JP approached.
"You're new," she said. Her tone wasn't unkind, but cautious. "Looking to register?"
JP nodded. "Yeah. I need work. Honest work. What's the process?"
She tilted her head. "Name?"
"JP."
Her quill scratched against parchment. "No family crest, no origin listed… odd, but not disqualifying. Place your hand on this."
She slid a faintly glowing crystal across the counter. JP hesitated, then pressed his palm to it. The crystal pulsed weakly.
"Mana capacity: below average," she said flatly. "Still, it's enough. You're E-rank. Beginner."
JP frowned. "Beginner? Lady, I've been working with currents that could fry a house in seconds."
She blinked. "…Currents?"
"Never mind," he sighed.
She handed him a wooden tag carved with the guild's emblem. "This identifies you. Complete quests, earn coin. Fail, and… well, try not to die."
JP smirked. "Great pep talk."
He moved to the quest board. The parchment sheets listed jobs in neat script he could somehow read:
Gather 10 bundles of herbs – 2 copper.
Escort a wagon to Crestfall – 6 copper.
Eliminate 5 slimes in the western fields – 4 copper.
Survey the abandoned Copper Veins mine – 5 silver, plus ore collected.
JP's eyes lingered on the last one. Ore. Copper. His old friend.
But his stomach growled again, and reality intruded. Start small, JP. You're not eating copper tonight.
He plucked the herb-gathering request off the board. "Two copper's enough for food. One step at a time."
As he left the guild, he muttered to himself: "Alright. Adventurer, huh? Guess I've traded my hard hat for a wooden tag. Let's see how this gig pays."