Chapter 8: The Adventurer's Guild and the Knowledge Contract
Mark joined the long, slow-moving line leading into Port Elmswood City. With the Alpha hide sold and the cart abandoned back in the Outer Market—a necessary sacrifice to avoid paying the smuggling toll—he walked lighter, both physically and mentally. The heavy pouch containing 75 Silver Shillings was secured in his tunic, a constant, comforting weight.
At the massive gate, the City Guard was a different breed from the road guards. They wore polished steel and carried an air of professional competence.
"Halt, peasant. Identification and purpose of entry," barked a gruff sergeant, not even looking at Mark.
Mark, having anticipated this, didn't fumble. He was dressed in his old, patched clothes, but he projected a sudden, non-negotiable authority.
"Mark Noax of Oakhaven. Purpose: Commerce. I am an Elemental Courier seeking an audience with the Mage Guild on matters of regional stability. I carry no weapons, only silver."
Mark produced his ten-copper transit fee immediately. The sergeant finally looked up, catching the intensity in Mark's eyes and the faint scent of wintergreen (which still clung to him, smelling vaguely official). The mention of the Mage Guild and the silver money—unlike the usual coin of the realm—was enough.
"Elemental Courier. Right. Pay the fee and move on. Don't cause trouble in the Central Ward."
"Analysis: Success. The [Eccentric But Official] profile combined with immediate fee payment bypassed the inspection protocol. Efficiency: 95%," Jarvis noted.
Mark stepped through the gate.
The city was an overwhelming sensory assault. The streets were paved with smooth cobblestone, slick with rain and commerce. Buildings rose three and four stories high, a chaotic patchwork of timber-frame houses, carved stone guild halls, and the occasional spire of pure, shimmering crystal—a testament to the city's magical foundation. Wagons, wealthy citizens in fine clothes, beggars, and mercenaries flowed in a dazzling river.
"Jarvis. I feel like I just went from a black-and-white movie into a full IMAX 3D experience. Focus. We have three immediate goals."
"Affirmative. Goal 1: Improve Host Charisma/Defense. The current attire and limp project vulnerability. Goal 2: Acquire Temporary Base. Safe house required for equipment storage and rest. Goal 3: Locate Adventurer Contracts."
Mark immediately headed to the nearest respectable clothier's shop, avoiding the high-end boutiques and settling for a merchant selling sturdy, dark-colored traveler's clothes. He bought a simple, dark green linen tunic, a durable pair of trousers, and a functional leather vest. Cost: 5 Silver Shillings. He also spent 2 Silver Shillings on a simple traveler's cloak, which was essential for concealing his limp and his possessions.
"Charisma Score Adjusted: +2. Vulnerability Profile: Decreased to [Modest Merchant]."
Next, Mark located an apothecary and bought high-grade antiseptic salves and strong painkillers. He cleaned and re-dressed his thigh wound properly, feeling the immediate relief. He was still injured, but now he was managing it, not succumbing to it. Cost: 3 Silver Shillings.
He found his temporary base in the Tanner's Quarter—a section of the city that smelled perpetually of cured leather and chemicals, keeping the respectable element away. He rented a small, clean, ground-floor room at a dilapidated inn, paying a full week in advance. Cost: 5 Silver Shillings.
Total expenditure: 15 SS. Remaining Capital: 60 SS.
"Jarvis. We are now a Modest Merchant with a temporary safe house. Time for the main event."
The Adventurer's Guild Hall was everything Mark had ever read about. It was a massive, boisterous building made of dark, heavy timber, located strategically between the Merchant Quarter and the poorer Residential Wards. The interior was a cavern of noise, smelling of stale ale, sweat, and cheap pipe tobacco.
The walls were lined with cork boards, absolutely plastered with contracts of varying colors.
Bronze (Low-Rank): Retrieve 5 bundles of medicinal herbs; Clear a rat nest. (Reward: 1–5 SS)
Silver (Mid-Rank): Escort a trade wagon through the King's Road; Clear a Bandit Camp. (Reward: 10–50 SS)
Gold (High-Rank): Slay a Lesser Dragon; Secure a lost ruin. (Reward: 100+ SS)
Mark ignored the vast majority of the contracts. They required fighting, magic, and brute strength—all things his Level 3 Courier class severely lacked.
"Jarvis, search for Information-based, Investigation, or Logistics contracts. Ignore any with a combat rating above Level 5."
"Scanning… filtering by keywords: Analysis, Route, Blueprint, Translation, Survey… Eight matches found."
Mark walked straight to a corner board, where only high-level, strange contracts were posted. He found three promising leads:
[Silver Contract: Lost Caravan Route]
Task: Map and verify a new, safer route through the Whispering Peaks for the Northern Trade Consortium. Reward: 30 SS. (Requires weeks of dangerous travel.)
[Gold Contract: Translation of the Cryptic Stone Tablet]
Task: Translate 50 lines of an ancient Dwarven runic tablet recovered from the Deep Tunnels. Reward: 150 SS. (Requires Linguistics/History knowledge, but zero combat.)
[Silver Contract: The Elemental Drain Survey]
Task: Survey the water mills along the River Tine to pinpoint the source of an unusual and sudden drop in ambient water elemental energy. Reward: 40 SS. (Requires environmental analysis and basic magical literacy.)
Mark pointed to the last one. "The Elemental Drain Survey. It's perfect. It's local, it's low-combat, and it requires [Advanced Analysis (Lvl 1)]—a skill I just unlocked. Why is this only Silver?"
"Analysis: The contract is low-grade because it requires a specific, difficult-to-find skillset—a combination of engineering and elemental knowledge. Most adventurers are fighters, not scholars. Furthermore, the task is considered boring, and the solution is likely mundane, leading to low interest," Jarvis explained.
"Mundane is my specialty, Jarvis. Mundane analysis is how we save the world. It's boring, it's local, and it pays 40 Silver Shillings for a week of mental effort. Let's take it."
Mark approached the stern-faced Guild Clerk behind the counter, a muscular woman with a perpetually unimpressed expression.
"I'll take the Elemental Drain Survey, Silver Contract 44-T," Mark stated, using the correct identification number.
The clerk looked at Mark—the Modest Merchant with the determined look—and scoffed.
"That contract requires specialized knowledge, not a strong back, traveler. Are you a certified Water Mage or an Engineer?"
"I am an Elemental Courier with a proficiency in geological flow dynamics and resource distribution systems," Mark replied, using the high-level jargon Jarvis had just fed him. He activated his [Basic Negotiation (Lvl 1)] skill again. "I solved the Variant Alpha contamination in Oakhaven on behalf of the Church. I assure you, I am overqualified for this survey."
The clerk raised an eyebrow, a flicker of professional interest finally appearing in her eyes. "The Oakhaven Alpha? That was you? The story is already legendary."
"Only slightly exaggerated," Mark allowed, with a weary, knowing smile.
She slid the contract across the counter. "Fine. Sign here, Mark Noax. The client is Master Peverell, the Guild's liaison to the Port Elmswood Water Ministry. He expects results, not excuses."
Mark signed the contract with a firm hand. The contract was instantly updated in his mental System.
[New Quest Accepted]
Quest: Elemental Drain Survey
Client: Master Peverell (Water Ministry)
Location: River Tine Water Mills (Western City Perimeter)
Reward: 40 Silver Shillings
Primary Skill Required: Advanced Analysis (Lvl 1)
Time Constraint: 7 days.
Mark felt the familiar low hum of the System's anticipation. He had money, a safe house, and now, his first real, legitimate job in this new world. He was no longer a trash man seeking a shortcut, but a professional strategist.
"Jarvis. We need to acquire a map of the River Tine's water mill system and any historical logs on elemental flow. Let's get to the Ministry and start the analysis."
"Affirmative, Host. Commencing [Advanced Analysis] prep phase. The process is simple: Find the mundane answer to the magical problem. All systems nominal."
Mark walked out of the boisterous Guild Hall, a new man in new clothes, ready to turn a fantasy mystery into an economic report.
Sorry for late Update,
Thank you for reading