A Test of Masculinity

The door to the barn slams shut with a heavy thud, after that, I lock it up before walking to town.

I've left instructions to my various creations in the event that the potential buyers show up at the property before I've returned from what I think should be a brief excursion.

It's a quick, and thankfully uneventful, walk to the town.

The town's gates are small, only a simple fence surrounds it to protect it from the attacks of wild animals.

Fortunately for it, it's small enough that it won't particularly attract the attention of bandits or raiders.

From what I can presume, at most, they would deal with monsters on the lower end of the scale like dire-wolves and such.

Then a sharp yell interrupts my line of thought, "Halt! What brings you here?"

Looking to where the sound had come from I see that it's a pair of guards that had been waiting by the gates.

"You're holding up everyone else! State your purpose and move along!"

Looking around, I saw that a small line had formed behind me. The cart that I had been standing behind before had long since departed.

"Ah, my apologies then. Sorry for holding everyone up here. I'm just here to post a simple hunting commission if that's okay."

"Very well then, you may enter."

The guards step out of my way, moving their spears back to the rest position before calling the next people waiting in line forward.

Stepping into the town, it feels all too easy to infiltrate perhaps they're simply lulling me into a false sense of security, but no matter staying vigilant is always a priority.

Usually, the commission board is near the center of the town, where the town hall is also strategically located.

Moving across the cobble streets I see many people staring at me, but I honestly don't even look that out of place. Sure my clothes are a bit tattered, but I am pretty old and this town is on the poorer side. Not to mention considering that they most likely don't recognize this face that they would assume I'm a traveler, hence the bedraggled clothes would only make my alias fit further in.

So there shouldn't be a problem with my attire, yet they still cast their glances towards me. Perhaps they just aren't too kind to outsiders, there's too little information right now.

The view of the board and the officials in front of the town get closer and closer as I approach the official in charge of setting up commissions.

"Are you here to post a quest, sir?"

"Yes, I would like to issue a commission."

"Name and work details please."

Hmmm… using my name may draw some risks given the particular circumstances tied to it but given how it's a relatively common name I should be fine.

"Medraut, Medraut Annas Renald. That is my name. As for my profession, you may call me a researcher of sorts."

"Mhm, and details regarding the commission?"

"I would like to commission someone to hunt and capture a young owl, dead or alive, but just leave its wings undamaged."

"Ok… This commission fee comes out to be 2 Valeurs."

"Here you go."

I take out 24 coppers that I looted from the group of now-deceased Ravens. After I handed them over, the official wrote down the details on a piece of paper and gave me a wooden medallion with a carving of the town's symbol on the front and a number on the back.

The symbol of the town looks like a tree and the number is 42.

"Do you have any contact information so that we can inform you once the commission has been completed?"

"Don't worry, I will know."

The man looks at me puzzled but it's no bother and I turn around to explore the town looking for people. More specifically, people suitable for my next project.

Going around the streets of the town I search for my next victim and I start seeing that people are getting acclimated to my presence as I make my rounds. Fewer and fewer people stared at me and more people simply went on with their business.

Just as I was about to go back around to the other side of town I saw in the corner of my eye, a person being thrown out of a building.

An ordinary enough event but given the subject, it seems interesting. With my interest aroused, I quickly move over and see the women that had been thrown out of the building. Her long blue hair was dirty from the road. I look up to see a wooden sign hanging from a bar on the side of the building that depicts a barrel of ale.

A pub… huh? This could work really well for me. Walking up towards the woman, I offer out my hand to help her up.

"Th-Thank you."

Lifting her up, I sense an abnormality. Given her appearance and how she looks rather young; I suspect she's around her twenties. For her estimated age she's far too light for me to just heft her around like this. Especially since I don't especially engage in much physical activity.

"What is your name?"

"V-Viola Avenburgh, sir."

She seems gullible enough.

"What's wrong? Did something happen inside?"

"I was asking for information on someone I am looking for, my sister, b-but women aren't allowed into pubs."

Ah, the ever-lasting presence of sexism. How annoying, much like a gnat always lingering around no matter how much you try to kill it. It seems like I'll have to deal with this.

Donning my grandfatherly persona I say, "Stay here, I will go consult with them."

"Wait, what are you going to do?"

Ignoring her, I go up to the door of the noisy pub and push through.

Instantly, the chatter inside stops as the door is slammed causing everyone inside to turn their heads over to me in the doorway. As I scan around the room I can confirm that this pub is truly males only.

"What do you want, old man?"

One of the bartenders on the other side of the room shouted and broke the silence of the pub.

"I am here to give everyone a way to express their strength and masculinity through a friendly competition of strength. Treat it as a drinking game if you will.."

"Pfft, Hahaha!"

All the men in the bar started laughing when I finished my sentence.

"Who do you think you are?"

"Come test and see if you really are that strong."

I sit down at a table and place my elbow with my hand out. The arm wrestle. The simplest way to determine strength between two people.