With the basic needs of his done, Nine made his way to the Guild once more.
Entering the guild, he made his way to the corner right of the table where the quest-making receptionist is.
Since it was around two in the afternoon, the guild barely had anyone in it, leaving the receptionist area empty. Within this time the receptionist can take it easy in their seat and do what they want.
Stepping into the table, Nine looked at the other table. On the next table to the one he was on, the blond man from before was napping with his head down.
"The hell is this guy doing? Sleeping on the job just because there's barely anyone here…." Ignoring Alexander, Nine looked forward to the green-haired lady sitting before him.
Slowly he said in a mannered way: "I'd like to make a quest, please." Which the lady replied back with a smile before grabbing a paper and pen to start making the quest.
Though Nine wanted to start learning how to read and write, he still had no starting point in doing this. Sure, he could just learn by himself, but this isn't the modern world.
Where you can just type the language you want to learn on the web and obtain a pointer on how a word is pronounced. What Nine needed right now is someone who can teach him the very basics of how words are pronounced and how they sound.
So the quest Nine is making right now is a quest that asked for help to teach him. Not just to write and read but how to say the words of this world.
"From the details of the quest you requested, we can put this in a D-rank at best. And that will be around 10–18 silver coins," the green-haired lady said.
Though Nine was satisfied with it, he knew having such a low-rank quest would only attract unwanted business. People might take the quest only to cause trouble and take the money without helping him at all. So…
"How much would the B-rank reward money be?" he asked. Nine still had multiple gold coins on him; with those he can increase the rank along with increasing the requirements for it to be considered completed.
If he made specific requirements for his quest to be completed, then he can make sure people could not scam him for the money.
Hearing the sudden question of Nine, the receptionist was a bit surprised by it. Normally when someone made one, they would ask if the guild can lower the promised reward money, but instead of asking that he made the opposite side of it.
Still a bit off by his words, she said:
*****
Three weeks later, within the town library set in the north.
Within the town each direction has their own main establishment... the library in the north, adventurer stores in the south which also have a small library, the west having stores for daily life needs, and the guild is on the east.
After making the quest in the guild, Nine made his way to this library and started to get learning. But when he got here, he realized he had forgotten some very important things to do it.
Which is a pen and paper to use. So in the end Nine spent that day going in every store to find someone selling those two.
It took Nine until night time to find someone selling them, and when he asked how much it would be, he was told it was three gold in total.
At first he was concerned if he accidentally made himself a victim to a scammer, but when the seller showed why it was expensive, Nine bought it without a second thought.
"God… It took so long to get an actual lecturer." Nine muttered within himself. Within this time, Nine had to deal with all kinds of takers (adventurers) taking his quest.
The first taker was a mage. At first Nine was delighted seeing her, with the idea of mages being a bookworm to him, he was sure she would be a hardcore lecturer.
But when the lesson started, the mage just threw a book on the table and said: "Read this," before going to sleep. Nine threw her out of the library with her butt first and listed her off from taking the quest again.
Leaving him on the first day, alone without anyone helping him. In the end Nine ended up doing nothing but copying how the letters are made.
The second taker on the second day after the quest was posted was a male adventurer. Though the quest specifically said it only needed one person, this guy brought his entire group.
Which is already a problem, but when the members of the group introduced themselves, all of them were women. Nine already knew something was about to happen.
And just like he thought, something was happening. The lesson started well at first, with the male adventurer teaching him which of the letters of the alphabet was first and last.
After that, he was told to write the entire alphabet in order. When Nine was in the fifth letter, one of the women of the group started moving toward him.
Nine only told her to move away since he was being distracted by her, then suddenly one of them pushed him on the back, making him off balance in his seat.
He knew from that moment this was their plan. With him talking to another person back then, he would surely crash into her chest.
Which Nine already deduced that they were gonna claim that he sexually assaulted one of them, taking his money and ruining his reputation as a low-rank adventurer.
Nine was already prepared for this, so he made himself fall onto the floor and quickly grabbed his chair he was sitting on and started hitting them one by one.
Telling himself: "Physical assault is better than sexual assault." As he assaulted each and every single one of them.
In the end the guild was called over for his action, but when the situation was explained, Nine was free to go while the group had to pay him 20 silver coins each, and they were forced to take five quests without payment.
And from this situation, Nine spent the next week having no one taking his quest. Leaving him alone in self-study, where he learned nothing at all.
He thought for sure because of that situation the next takers would be better, but no, the next three takers were worse.
The next one after that group tried to rob him two minutes into the lesson. Nine just straight up beat him up till he was on the floor and kicked this man's nuts till the guild came over again. Nine was glad because this person was the same height as him and only strength is his magic abilities.
After that a woman appeared. She lasted two days before trying to grope his lower body. Nine stood up from his seat and went back to his inn he was staying in and told the guild the next morning to list her off from continuing the quest.
So far Nine's quest takers are: A lazy mage, scammer group, mage acting like he can win a physical fight, and a perverted woman trying her way with a 17-year-old kid.
***
End of chapter 12.