Fantasy Realm [One Piece] [Harry Potter] [Naruto] - [Progression] [LitRPG]

Chapter 35: A Little Trickery, a Lot of Gil, and a Bloody Lesson

The market square is packed with people enjoying their day, and Alex can't help but be impressed.

"So many people, wow," he thinks, looking around at the colorful residents of Alexandria. Some of them look strange, but he's slowly getting used to it.

Alex reaches the ticket booth, which, despite the crowded square, is... empty? He reads the notice beside the small, round building:

"NOTICE The hit epic that captivated all of Lindblum, 'I want to Be Your Canary,' triumphantly returns to Alexandria on the Theater Ship Prima Vista! But this time, the performance commemorates the sixteenth birthday of Her Highness, Princess Garnet. Don't miss it!

Tickets available at the ticket booth."

He approaches and sees a bored-looking animal hybrid man, common in Alexandria, sitting behind the counter. The man brightens when he spots Alex.

"Good day, son. Can I help you?" he asks with a welcoming smile.

"Hello, sir. I'm new to Alexandria and interested in the upcoming performance. How much are tickets?"

The man's expression drops. "I'm sorry, but all tickets are already sold out."

Alex stares, a bit confused. "Aren't there still weeks left until it happens? It must be really popular... too bad. Guess that doesn't leave you much else to do until then, huh?"

The ticketmaster sighs. "They sold out on day one, and since then, I've just been sitting here. The next performance doesn't happen for weeks after I Want to Be Your Canary, and people barely show up for the other plays."

"Too bad; I really wanted to see it," Alex says, acting disappointed, though he had assumed he wouldn't be able to simply buy a ticket.

"It's too soon to give up. You're a young man, and where there's a will, there's a way." The man's tone grabs Alex's attention.

"What do you mean, sir? Isn't it sold out?"

"I know the castle is recruiting workers to help set up for the event and secure the area during the performance," the ticketmaster explains. "If you're interested, you can leave your name. The recruitment starts two weeks before the play, so you have time to think it over. Don't expect much pay, but hey, you might get a spot to stand and watch, even if you'll still have a job to do on the day of the performance. That's at least something, right?"

Alex puts on a grateful smile. "That sounds great. Thank you so much! I'll have to see if I can make it... I'm new here and desperately need a job. Thank you again for the tip. I'll seriously consider it."

Side Quest Offered:
Mission: Help prepare the castle for the upcoming play 'I want to Be Your Canary'
Reward: 150 gil per day and access to the play as a helper, provided you don't miss a single day of work.
Time Limit: 2 Weeks before Princess Garnet's birthday
Failure: Missing 2 consecutive days will result in dismissal, no penalty applied.
Note: You can only accept a single position of employment at a time.