Morning sunlight spilled across the room as Rian stood in front of the mirror above the tiny sink. His reflection looked tired but more focused than before. The system hovered quietly in the corner of his vision. For once, it wasn't prompting him. It was waiting.
He pulled on the patched jacket from the closet and tightened the worn laces of the second-hand shoes that barely fit. The clothing felt old, but it also felt real. Grounding. He had survived his first few days. Now he needed money.
He stepped outside and took a path he hadn't tried yet. The air in the district was brisk, filled with the scent of frying dough from breakfast stalls and the metallic tang of mana runes flickering overhead. Vendors were setting up tables. Hunters patrolled the far ends of the street. Civilians rushed past with bags, scrolls, and mana chargers tucked neatly into their pockets.
He stopped at a bulletin board covered in posters. Some advertised lessons on mana control, others offered cheap meals. One simple paper caught his eye:
Help Wanted - Parcel Delivery
Pay: 8 copper per completed route
No experience required
Report to South Alley Loading Point
Eight copper.
He swallowed.
In this city, currency was simple but unforgiving.Ten copper made one silver. A cheap meal cost two or three copper.Rent didn't care how hard you worked it demanded silver.
He stared at the words for several seconds.
Eight copper per route wasn't much.
But he needed anything he could get.
He tore the bottom strip with the address and followed the winding alleys until the street opened into a small loading yard behind a row of shops. Wooden crates and canvas-wrapped packages lay stacked high. A harried supervisor barked orders at workers who moved in all directions with hurried steps.
The man noticed Rian instantly.
"You!" he snapped. "You here for delivery work?"
Rian flinched at the sharp tone. "Yes. I… I'm here to help."
"Help? We'll see about that." The supervisor thrust a clipboard into his chest. "Sign your name. You break anything, you pay. You're late, you lose the route pay. Questions?"
Rian stared at the form, swallowed, and shook his head.
"No questions."
"Good. Route 3. Grab that cart. Move fast unless you want the shops yelling at me."
Rian grabbed a wooden handcart loaded with small wrapped parcels. The handles creaked under his grip. He pushed it carefully into the street, his shoulders tightening with each step.
The district felt different when he walked it with responsibility on his shoulders. Every bump in the pavement threatened to spill something. Every corner filled him with worry he was late.
He followed the map on the clipboard to the first shop , a small apothecary lined with jars and glowing herbs. He stumbled through the doorway, took a breath, and approached the counter.
"H-hello. Delivery for… um… Naro's Apothecary."
The shopkeeper , a silver-haired woman with sharp eyes looked him up and down.
"You're new."
"Yes."
"Fast or slow?"
Rian blinked. "I'll try to be fast."
"You try. That means slow." She took the parcel anyway. "Thank you."
Embarrassment burned along his neck as he left the shop. He pushed the cart faster without breaking into a jog. The system flickered in response.
New Microquest: Maintain punctuality during an assigned job.
Reward: +10 XP, Responsibility +0.1
"Okay," Rian whispered. "I can do that."
The next shop was farther past the fruit stalls and under the rune lit signs. People flowed around him, not even glancing at the awkward boy pushing a squeaky cart. A hunter patrol crossed the street ahead, moving smoothly like a blade through water. For a moment, Rian watched them with quiet longing.
Then the cart hit a raised stone.
Packages rattled.
Rian lurched forward, catching them just in time.
A passerby laughed under his breath.
"Careful, rookie."
Rian's cheeks burned. He kept moving.
Shop after shop, he delivered. Some shopkeepers were polite. Some were rushed. One scolded him because he didn't knock loud enough. Another told him he walked too quietly and startled her. Every interaction pricked him, but he pushed through it.
Halfway through the shift, the supervisor's earlier words echoed in his mind.
"You break anything, you pay."
He couldn't afford even one mistake.
The sun rose higher. Sweat gathered under his collar. His shoes rubbed painfully against his heels. But he kept pushing. For the first time in both lives, he wasn't running from responsibility. He was running toward it.
At the seventh shop, a gruff man opened the door and barked, "Late!"
Rian panicked. He checked the clipboard.
"I…I'm not late," he stammered. "The time slot says- "
"Don't talk back," the man snapped. "Do better."
He slammed the door.
Rian stood there for a moment, shaking.
Humiliation sank deep.
The system pulsed.
Minor Emotional Impact: Confidence −0.05
Note: Maintaining composure builds Discipline.
He wiped his eyes quickly before anyone saw.
He had work to finish.
The last three deliveries went smoother. His movements became deliberate, less shaky. He watched other delivery workers and copied the angle of how they pushed their carts. He learned to hold parcels closer to his chest on uneven ground. By the time he returned to the loading yard, most of the crates had been cleared.
The supervisor glanced up.
"You finished?"
Rian nodded.
"Huh. Didn't expect you to." The man tossed him a small pouch. "Twenty-four copper. Three routes today. Try not to look so scared tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Rian blinked.
"If you show up," the supervisor said. "Up to you."
Rian bowed awkwardly and stepped away.
As he left the yard, the system glowed brightly.
Job Objective Complete.
Reward: +10 XP
Attribute Gain: Responsibility +0.2, Discipline +0.05
Currency Acquired: 24 copper
A soft warmth filled his chest.
He had earned this.
Not from pity.
Not from luck.
But from effort.
When he reached the street, he paused to catch his breath. His palms were sore. His legs ached. His throat felt dry. But something steadier lived inside him now.
He walked home with his shoulders a little higher. The district looked the same rune signs glowing, hunters patrolling, kids playing with crystal sparks but it felt different.
He had participated in it.
Even if only for a few hours.
When he reached his apartment door, the sun had dipped behind the buildings. Rian opened the door, stepped inside, and closed it gently behind him.
He set the pouch of coins on the table.
Then he whispered, with quiet pride:
"I earned this today."
The system pulsed softly, as if agreeing.