Book of Kings

Chapter 12

"It was horrible!" I said outraged. "First he insulted me, then he made his way down to mock my looks, my posture, why even the way I speak."

Nidle, who was sitting next to me, shook his head slightly and rolled his eyes, "I'm sure he didn't mean it and you can always re-apply later."
"Yeah," I said cheerfully but then slumped down again, "but where am I going to get the money to buy a weapon?"
He looked at me and hesitantly said, "I might have an idea."
"Really?" I asked curiously while drawing out the word, "go on then."

He tried to take back what he said, "no, that would be too dangerous. You should just work an honest man's job for a month. Or just stop trying to be one altogether," he suggested.
I fell to my knees and cried out in an overdramatic fashion, "oh please Master Nidle! Just tell me. Being an Adventurer is what I have always longed for."
"Fine, fine," he really didn't show much resistance. "If you are going to be one of them then this shouldn't be that much of a risk anyway."

"Outside, two hours or so on foot, on the east side of the city there are woods," I nodded many times in excitement, "and they are untamed. You must know that people generally avoid such places, there you could earn some money."
"How's that?"
"Herbs, spices, everything plant-related. If you can find some nice bunches you could get some good money. You won't get as much as you need in one day but going multiple times you could get enough I guess. At least enough to buy an old spear and a helmet."

"And how would I recognize those plants?"
"I could describe them," he said but stood up with a flash of brilliance in his face. "I have a better idea, wait here," he ran into another building that was almost next to the church, it almost looked like one too, just worse.
It must have been the monastery or was it an abbey? I didn't know what the difference was.

As he came running back he was holding something, "this will help us out immensely."
It was a red book whose title I couldn't read, "sorry to disappoint but I can't read."
"That IS disappointing to hear but you won't need to," he flipped it open. There were drawings of plants in it. "It's a book about floriculture and herbology. I'll just point out which ones are worth something and you can try to collect them."
"Genius," I said, "I can't wait to start collecting."

While flipping through the book Nidle pointed at colorful plants, saying weird names I would just forget again, and commented on them with, "this one is good against swells... This one is good against infections... This one doesn't really do anything but smells nice, mostly used for perfumes."

After boring me some with the details of some of his favorite plants he closed the book, "got it?"
"Of course I did. I soaked up everything. I'm like a wet rag."
Looking doubtful he said, "just find flowers that look like very thick daisies and purple weed, okay?"
"Don't worry so much, and, uh, can you lend me a sack or some sort of container?"
He sighed, "of course I can. Wait here."

After waiting for him again he came back with a large brown sack. Handing it over to me, I declared, "thanks, next time you're going to see me I'm gonna be a richer man."
Looking at the empty sack I imagined it being full, not with plants and herbs but with gold coins, "where are we going to sell them anyway?"
"There's a herbalist in town and I happen to know them, do you think the idea of collecting them just came to me at random?"

I left but then turned around and asked, "where is east again?"
He pointed the way with his finger then put his palm to his forehead.
"By the gods. It's okay, you do this for your fellow man," he mumbled under his breath then loudly said while waving, "be careful."

I had to walk for a long time, again. I passed a few fields where I saw some farmers work. But this time I had a clearer goal, money, the blood of countries, and some of it is going to be mine! I can't wait, maybe if I get a whole sack full of rare herbs I can buy a sword and a full suit of armor, then I would be a true knight or at least look like one. That wasn't even my goal, the people I saw outside of the Adventurers Guild had armor too but nothing I would want. I don't want chains or leather. I want full metal plates covering my whole body, I'd feel invincible wearing something like that.