A Casual Collection: Season 2

Ep2: First Bounty

"Please sir! I'll do everything in the back! Even bring in the raw materials!" Lao said, bowing in front of the store owner. He was a big-bodied strongman with hime-cut mop hair that ended over his eyes, but his uneven awkward grimace on his face portrayed his uncomfortableness all the more. Here was a man, with a cut on him that leaked spirit mana onto the floor, pressing his head into the ground to look for a job and sanctuary. If only to stop the public display, he nodded and lifted him up. "Thank you, sir! I won't disappoint!" Lao said, finding the mop rather fast before beginning to clean up.

He spent the day working through his pain, taking frequent breaks before going back inside to continue cleaning off surfaces and kitchen things used. It was a trial learning which was soap and which was oil, but after a short tutorial, he got the hang of it. He worked until he had enough money to pay for a meal, which he ate in one of the booths in the corner.

From there, he noticed things about the patrons of the tavern. Each one was decked out in some form or manner. It wasn't emblems from armies either. Mercenaries, bounty hunters, mana wielders, and healers populated the setting. He was the odd one out, still in torn and dirtied pants and a bare, although nice looking chest. He needed clothing.

After eating a real meal, he worked until the end of the afternoon rush, taking his satchel of coins to go looking around. He promised his new boss he will be back before the lanterns went on to help with the evening influx of patrons. Keeping the whereabouts of the sun in mind, he went searching around the small town, looking for a place to find new clothes. He found a small shop that sold some small items, but nothing like the armor in the tavern.

He came out of it with a near-empty satchel, but now he was looking more of the part. Under the grey work shirt and brown overalls, he found a nice brown cape with a hood and a satchel to store his items. He thought it was cool, until he found a reflection to look into. He realized he just looked like he was on the run, not any mercenary or orderite hero. It would have to do for now.

Next on his mind was weapons, but he realized he already had a blade tucked under his old pants. Sure enough, the demon blade fell out of his old pants, still smelling like that elf he slashed earlier in the morning. Yuck. He found a nearby water source to clean it off, then put it in his satchel to keep until he had a proper weapon for an Orderite.

At last! He was ready....to at least defend himself. His clothing can still be torn by practically everything, but nothing better could be gotten. The cloak at least added a bit of mystery to him, so he can elude capture. He went back to the tavern to do the night shift, watching as people milled in. He then noticed that a few went to a wall then back, then went to go check himself. He saw a list of bounties all plastered onto the wall, ranging from escort missions to what seemed like suicide runs. Each one carried warnings given by people that had been to the area. Most of them carried labels such as "monsterization" or "better to do when married".

He got curious, looking for any that could be a good starting point for him. He found a simple one that even he could do with his limited arsenal-

A Dhamphir has committed a heinous crime. Reports lead to conclude she is wandering among the forests that surround her hometown. 10G for death with proof, 15G for live capture.

Warnings - vampire halfling has experience in close-range combat. Will be hard to take down

Posted by - The Vampire Aristocracy.

"KIll a vampire..." he took the paper, looking over each detail. He had the blade to immobilize her, but if he killed her, he could also gain a rank in the Order. It was a win-win no matter the outcome, well except for if he lost.

"Don't like that paper fool you," Said a nearby swordswoman that had noticed. "I tried that bounty once, and it turned out to be more of a hassle than it's worth. Although, you look like you don't have anything else to do..."