As an F-rank adventurer, my job options were pretty damn limited. The board was mostly filled with the usual beginner stuff; herb gathering, weed removal from farmers' fields, slime disposal in the town's outskirts, and... ugh, cleaning the sewers.

  Speaking of which, thank god they had plumbing here. I'd been half-expecting to find chamber pots and open ditches everywhere, but Oakenford actually had a functioning sewer system. Crude compared to what I was used to back home, but it worked.

  Still, even with indoor plumbing, I wasn't desperate enough to take sewer cleaning jobs. Not yet, anyway.

  My choices were limited, to be honest. Most of the decent F-rank work had already been snatched up by other adventurers, leaving me with the scraps that nobody else wanted.

  But I opted to go herb gathering again. With Nox's help, it had become ridiculously easy, his enhanced sense of smell turned what should have been hours of aimless searching into a quick scavenger hunt. Point him at the right scent, and he'd lead me straight to whatever plants I needed.

  Might as well play to my strengths.

  I pulled a posting for moonbell flowers off the board. Different from the moongazing flowers I'd collected yesterday, but the pay was similar—four silver per flower.

  Easy money, and it would keep me busy while I waited for my wild power to accumulate.

  Plus, I wasn't exactly eager to take on anything that might involve combat.

  So herb gathering it is.

  I took the posting and walked back to Garrick's desk, placing the parchment in front of him.

  "Moonbell flowers, eh?" He glanced at the job description and nodded approvingly. "Another herb gathering job. You're being smart about this, missy.”

  I felt a small surge of pride at his approval.

  He stamped the posting with the guild seal, then looked up at me with a knowing expression. "I presume you also have no idea about the appearance of moonbell flowers?"

  I felt my cheeks heat up again. "You're right. I was about to ask if I could look at that book again."

  Garrick chuckled and reached under his desk for the thick leather-bound tome. But instead of just opening it for me to peek at, he slid the entire book across the desk.

  "Tell you what, missy. You can borrow this for a week. Make your own notes, memorize what you need. Just make sure you return it in good condition, understand?"

  I stared at the book, then back at his scarred face. "Really? You'd trust me with this?"

  "You brought back quality work yesterday, paid attention to my instructions, and you're not taking jobs above your skill level." He shrugged, but there was something almost paternal in his expression. "Besides, a good tamer needs to know her plants. Monsters get sick too, and the right herbs can make all the difference."

  I carefully picked up the book, feeling its weight in my hands. It was clearly well-used, the leather cover worn smooth from years of handling, but it was also well-maintained. Pages and pages of detailed illustrations and descriptions of every plant an adventurer might encounter.

  "Thank you, Garrick. This... this really means a lot."

  "Don't get all sentimental on me, girl." But his gruff tone couldn't hide the slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Just bring it back in one piece and not lose it.”

  ‘He really is kind underneath all that gruffness.’ I thought, clutching the book to my chest.

  Who would've thought the scary guild receptionist was actually looking out for rookies like me?

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  "Now get going," Garrick said, waving his hand dismissively. "Those flowers won't pick themselves, and daylight's burning. Off with you, missy."

  I nodded, tucking the precious book under my arm alongside the stamped posting. "Thanks again, Garrick."

  "Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, already turning his attention to some paperwork on his desk. "Just don't make me regret it."

  But I caught the hint of warmth in his voice as I headed for the guild's front door.

  I smiled.

  ‘Time to get to work.’ I thought, stepping out into the morning air where Nox and Fei were waiting for me.

  I patted the pack at my side with the book inside and straightened my clothes. Right now I was wearing simple leather armor, nothing fancy, but it covered the essentials.

  There was a small hunting knife hanging from my belt too. I'd wanted to buy a proper sword, but unfortunately I didn't have the money left unless I risked starving. So a hunting knife would have to do for the meantime.

  As soon as I stepped out of the guild, both Fei and Nox perked up from their spots.

  “Time to go.” I scratched behind Nox's ears while Fei preened under my touch as I told them.

  But this time I had Fei take to the skies alone as I was planning to walk with Nox and ride him as soon as we got outside of town.

  As I walked through Oakenford's streets with Nox beside me, I noticed people weren't staring as much as they had yesterday. Maybe they were getting used to seeing my monsters around, especially since both Nox and Fei had been behaving themselves.

  There I stopped by a food stall and bought some jerky—apparently something very popular with adventurers due to its long preservation time and cheap cost. The vendor didn't even blink when Nox sniffed curiously at the dried meat.

  I tucked the jerky into my pack as my thoughts turned back to the quest. Based on the job posting, Moonbell flowers could be found in the plains east of Oakenford. Different terrain from yesterday's, but hopefully just as straightforward.

  Time to earn another day's pay.

  The eastern gate was less busy than the main entrance I'd used yesterday. Just a couple of guards lounging in the shade, barely glancing up as I passed through with Nox. One of them gave my monster a wary look, but when Nox just kept walking calmly at my side, the guard relaxed.

  Once we were clear of the gate, I climbed onto Nox's back, settling into the familiar position between his shoulder blades. Above us, Fei circled lazily, keeping an eye on our surroundings while I pulled out Garrick's book.

  Moonbell flowers.

  I read, flipping through the pages until I found the right illustration.

  White petals with a distinctive bell shape, hence the name. Grows in clusters near rocky outcroppings. Blooms during daylight hours, unlike moongazing flowers.

  The drawing showed delicate, drooping white flowers that did indeed look like tiny bells. The description mentioned they preferred areas with good drainage and partial shade.

  In the distance, I could see a few scattered rock formations rising from the grassland like ancient monuments. Perfect places to start looking.

  I tucked the book away and directed Nox toward the nearest outcropping, feeling optimistic about today's job.

  =====

  3rd POV

  Gorvain wiped blood from his sword blade, the last bandit's death gurgle still echoing in his ears. Twenty years of warfare had taught him that leaving loose ends was a luxury he couldn't afford.

  "Sir," one of his knights called out, approaching with his helmet tucked under his arm. "Our scouts report back from Oakenford."

  "Speak."

  "There's a boy matching the description in the town clinic. Golden blonde hair, blue eyes. Age fits what we're looking for."

  Gorvain's gauntleted fist clenched around his sword hilt. So the little bastard did survive. Duke Blackwind would be pleased to finally have confirmation, even if it meant more work for them.

  "Excellent," he said, already mentally planning their approach.

  His lieutenant shifted uncomfortably. "That's... there's been a complication, sir."

  "What kind of complication?"

  "The A-rank adventuring team Silver Wings is currently in town."

  Gorvain went very still. Every knight within earshot stopped what they were doing, the weight of that name settling over them like a lead blanket.

  Silver Wings.

  One of the rising stars of the five kingdoms, famous throughout for their flawless mission record.

  Their leader Leon was rumored to be S-rank—a monster in human skin who could cut through a dozen knights without breaking a sweat. The rest of the team were solid A-rank veterans, and Gorvain had heard whispers about a new B-rank member, though that was irrelevant.

  What mattered was that Leon could probably kill Gorvain and half his men before they even knew what hit them.

  "Sir?" his lieutenant asked quietly. "Do we proceed with the assault?"

  Gorvain was quiet for a long moment, weighing their options. As much as he wanted to storm into Oakenford and complete their mission, he wasn't suicidal. He was A-rank himself but he had no delusions about his chances against an S-rank in direct combat.

  Even if Magus Kellan were here, they would still have trouble taking down Silver Wings. Add in the other adventurers likely resting in town, plus whatever local militia Oakenford could muster, and it would be a bloodbath.

  "We wait," he said finally.

  "Sir?"

  "I said we wait." Gorvain sheathed his sword with deliberate calm. "Set up a perimeter camp. We monitor the town, track their movements, but we don't move until Silver Wings leaves."

  "And if they don't leave, sir?"

  Gorvain's scarred face twisted into something that might have been a smile. "Oh, they will.

  “Once they finish whatever business brought them here, they'll move on. Then we finish what we came to do."