Realm of Opportunity

10: Non-Stop

^^ Johnny Gloating ^^

--- Dorian ---

I opened the thick scroll I'd been handed, and blinked slowly. "Miss Riviera... these aren't Chores. These are Bounties, Contracts, and Requests for Rare Items." I said slowly.

She held out a hand. "If you think you're not up to the task, I can take it back, and ask someone else to assist me-"

I pulled it away from her. "I can do it... but I'll need some time..."

"How much time?" She asked critically.

I read over the list again, and nodded. "Two weeks, absolute tops."

Her eyebrow crept upwards. "Alright. If you don't finish this list within two weeks, I will never teach you anything else about Magic. Deal?"

I cleared my throat. "How about... I will do my utmost best to complete these missions, and your threat is very clear, and understood, but let's not be too hasty? A deal is a serious thing, and one with ramifications such as these should be very carefully considered." I chuckled nervously.

She smiled. "My threat stands. If your work doesn't impress me, I'll never teach you again. Get busy."

I nodded and darted out, looking for Bete, and finding him in his room, lifting weights. "Uhm, Bete, I know we aren't good enough friends to ask favors, but Riviera just gave me this list, and says that if I don't finish it all in two weeks, she'll never teach me magic, so I'd really like your help understanding some of it." I spat out in one go.

He blinked, then set down his weights. "That Elf... always doing weird Training... give me that." He snatched the list, and read it swiftly. "No way you finish this alone. No way in all nine hells. Some of these ingredients are only found in the lower floors, and others are a ways from here, travel wise... you'll have to barter for them, instead."

"Okay... makes sense. The requests aren't time-crucial, which means they don't have to be from the source. Okay... but what about the money? I only have a bit-"

"Go into the Dungeon, and find as many low-level monsters as you can, just like yesterday. Rack up money in quantity, not quality. Then come back here, and I'll have found out where to get these herbs... but you'll owe me a favor, and a big one." He sat back down, and scribbled down some notes from the list, tossing it back to me.

I rolled it up and nodded. "It'll be worth it! I'll be back!!!"

I grinned and sprinted out, heading to Apollo's Inn, and barging in on Johnny. "Ooooi! Wake up, we've got serious problems that need fixing!" I barked at his prone form.

He groaned and stood, stretching. "Well, good, I need a workout. My wound is feeling just fine, so don't worry about it, eh?"

I wrote down all the smaller jobs that didn't involve going into the Dungeon, and handed him the new list. "I need you to do everything on this list, ASAP, I am not kidding in the slightest, no matter how stupid the job seems, okay?"

He blinked and started reading. "Okay, I can... these seem..."

"Yeah, well, I've got the harder ones, it's a really long list." I grumbled, then tossed him a long katana, that matched his long arms perfectly. "I bought that for you, just in case anyone gives you shit."

He caught it, and grinned savagely. "Much appreciated..."

"Alright, we're on a clock, here, so I've got to go, alright? You good?" I asked.