Chapter 8: Special Reward

I heard two soft knocks against my door.

“Raki, breakfast is ready. Mei and I will be heading to the guild,” Lily’s voice called.

The sound pulled me from my deep sleep.

Sunlight was already slipping through the narrow cracks of the window.

I shuffled over and peeked outside, one of the suns was just beginning to rise on the horizon.

“Phone,” I muttered.

The device appeared in my hand.

It read 6 a.m.

I couldn’t help but wonder if time in this world ran differently from my old one, but the sunrise and sunset seemed almost the same.

Last night’s meal came back to me: a rich stew packed with meat and vegetables, paired with warm, freshly baked bread.

The flavors blended so well it was easily one of the best meals I’ve had here.

Janbo enjoyed it even more, Lily’s mother had taken a liking to him and gave him double portions, which he devoured with obvious delight.

From what she told me, Spirit Wolves are regarded as local deities here, always shown the utmost respect.

No wonder Janbo’s treated like a celebrity.

As I stretched, I noticed my clothes were still damp from washing them before bed.

The chill last night didn’t help either.

Thankfully, with Janbo curled up beside me, his warm fur made sleeping bearable.

Looks like I’ll have to wear my Lunar Armor Set today.

I summoned the Divine Gacha to draw it out.

The Lunar Armor Set was light and comfortable, perfect for traveling outdoors.

Its dark gray plates and silver-lined cloth matched my hair almost too well, as if it were made for me.

It even came with a sturdy pair of boots.

“All set. How do I look, Janbo?” I asked as I finished strapping on the last piece.

“Bau bau!” Janbo barked happily, hopping off the bed.

“Glad you approve. Come on, let’s grab some food.”

Janbo trotted behind me as I opened the door.

After he stepped out, I quietly closed it behind us. Time to start earning some coin, I thought as we headed downstairs.

The moment we reached the first floor, a savory aroma greeted me… rich, warm, and mouthwatering, just like last night’s dinner.

I couldn’t help but wonder what Aunt Iris had cooked this time.

The common room was lively, a handful of guests already eating.

It seemed the Moonlight Inn doubled as a diner.

“Raki! Janbo!” Aunt Iris waved from behind the counter.

“Take a seat, I’ll bring your food right over.”

Smiling, I led Janbo to an empty table.

He curled up at my feet while I settled into a chair. Some of the other diners stole curious glances our way, but no one bothered us.

A short while later, Aunt Iris returned with a tray.

She set down a steaming bowl of meat-and-vegetable soup, a fresh loaf of bread, and a warm brown drink with a rich mocha-like taste, coffee and chocolate blended into one.

Janbo, meanwhile, received last night’s leftover stew along with a couple of loaves.

His tail wagged furiously as he dug in.

Clearly, Aunt Iris had realized her stew was one of his favorites.

“Raki, are you heading to the Guild today?” she asked.

“Yeah, we’ll stop by and check for some quest,” I replied.

“Lily and Reimei asked me to tell you to head to the Guildmaster’s office,” Aunt Iris said.

“Thanks, Aunt Iris. I’ll drop by the Guildmaster’s then,” I answered, wondering why the two wanted me there.

“Call me if you’d like another serving,” Aunt Iris added before walking off.

I glanced at the spread in front of me.

Just finishing it all would leave me stuffed.

She probably still felt indebted, but I didn’t want to become a freeloader.

Besides, I need to start learning more about this world so I can figure out how to achieve the real reason I came here.

Janbo, on the other hand, devoured his stew and bread, washing it down with a bowl of fresh milk.

A few minutes later, once we were both done, we left the inn and headed for the Guild.

The Moonlight Inn wasn’t far from it… just a few blocks, no more than a short walk.

Soon we stood at the entrance.

Along the way, I noticed plenty of eyes on us.

Maybe it was the new armor, though Lily’s mother hadn’t said a word about it earlier.

I pushed the thought aside and made my way inside, straight toward the Guildmaster’s office.

“Sir Raki, the Guildmaster is waiting for you,” a familiar voice called.

It was Kayla.

She stepped forward and led me through the hallway.

“You sure took your time, Raki,” a cold voice greeted as I entered the room.

Guildmaster Rion sat inside with Reimei and Lily.

Papers were scattered across the table, evidence of a serious discussion.

“I came straight here right after finishing breakfast,” I replied, which seemed to catch Reimei and Lily off guard.

“So, what did you call me here for, Rion?” I asked, unable to keep the irritation from my voice.

“Sorry, just teasing you a little. I wanted to see how you’d react… you’ve got quite the strong personality, Raki,” Rion said with a faint smile.

“Anyway, the reason I called you here was to hand out rewards for yesterday, killing two Sword Ghouls and a Tainted Giant,” he continued.

“And for saving some of our residents,” he added.

“What kind of reward are we talking about?” I asked.

“I’ve already deposited it to your guild card, about three gold worth of coins,” Rion replied.

“But I wasn’t the only one. Reimei and Lily helped too,” I pointed out.

“They’ve each been rewarded with three gold as well,” Rion assured me.

“I see… thanks,” I said.

“No… Thank you, Raki. For keeping those two alive, and for protecting our people,” Guildmaster Rion said, bowing his head.

Then, his sharp gaze shifted toward me.

“By the way… that armor you’re wearing. Quite a rare piece.

I won’t ask how you got it, but you really are something.

I can’t help but wonder how many other secrets you’re hiding”, Rion suddenly stated.

“Is there anything else you need from me?” I asked carefully.

“Yes. I know you’re looking for work, and I have just the thing for you three… well, four,” Rion said, glancing at Janbo.

“I want your group to head to the Dragon Graveyard and slay the Zombie Dragon that’s been terrorizing nearby villages.”

“But that’s a B-rank quest, Guildmaster!” Reimei protested.

“I already promoted you and Lily to D-rank, and Raki to C-rank,” Rion explained.

“After confirming last night’s reports, defeating two Sword Ghouls and a Tainted Giant, it was only right.”

“But our stats are still too low to match that rank,” Lily said uneasily.

“Perhaps. But in terms of ability, both of you should be on par with C-rank adventurers,” Rion replied. “As for Raki… well, his performance speaks for itself.”

“Since Tainted Giants and Sword Ghouls are classified as C-rank monsters,” Rion added.

“You three should ask Kayla to update your Guild Cards. That way, you’ll see how much your stats have grown”, Rion continued.

“I haven’t even accepted the quest yet,” I said, narrowing my eyes, “but the way you’re talking… it’s like you already know I will.”

“That’s because I do know,” Rion replied with confidence.

“Aside from the gold, I’ll throw in something far more valuable, a book containing the full map of this world, and another with detailed records of every monster I’ve personally studied.”

My breath caught.

He really did know exactly what I needed.

“I’m sure you don’t want to stumble into another unknown creature in an unfamiliar land,” Rion teased.

I sighed.

He was right.

There was no way I could refuse.

“Here, take this.” Rion slid a packet of documents across the table.

“It contains everything I know about the Dragon Graveyard and the Zombie Dragon.

I’ve also listed other possible monsters you might encounter there”, Rion added.

“You can leave tomorrow or the day after,” he continued.

“But the sooner you set out, the more lives can be spared.”

“That’s all I needed to say. Now, head to Kayla and update your Guild Cards, you’ll want to know just how strong your party has become.”

With that, the three of us left for Kayla.

To my surprise, neither Reimei nor Lily looked the least bit shaken by the idea of facing a dragon, especially a zombified one.

Kayla led us into a private room, where each of us placed our hands on a glowing white tablet.

When my turn came, I felt a pulse of energy, and the numbers that appeared stunned me, my stats had doubled.

Reimei and Lily’s growth was just as impressive, their attributes spiking sharply in key areas.

“I think we should spend today shopping for equipment and supplies before heading to the Dragon Graveyard,” Reimei suggested once our cards were updated.

Lily and Reimei both glanced at me, their eyes lingering on my new armor.

“You look amazing in that set, Raki,” Reimei said with a bright smile.

“Yeah, you look even cooler now,” Lily said with a grin.

“Raki, do you want to come with us while we shop for supplies?” Reimei asked.

“Of course. I’ve got a few things I want to buy too,” I replied.

Then, scratching my head, I added, “By the way… how much is three gold actually worth?”

“You can stay at our inn for one silver coin a day, three meals included,” Lily explained.

“And one gold equals a hundred silver coins,” she continued.

“I see. Thanks for clearing that up, Lily,” I said.

As we walked, a thought crossed my mind, if I come across a good pair of daggers.

Maybe I can buy Reimei a replacement dagger for the ones I broke.