Chapter LXXIII - An Old Lady's Tea Cup (part 2)

Cony arrived a few minutes after the second bell rang. She was quite surprised to see me here, and when asked why, I just answered I got bored at the inn.

Knowing how empty my inn was, she understood.

I pushed the books about the wind magic that I had found to her. There are two books, one explained wind magic for beginners and the other is for professionals. She obviously should read the beginners first, but somehow she opened the one for the professionals.

She kept on mumbling about not being able to do the stuff said in the professionals book, so she closed the book and read the one for beginners.

I wanted to laugh, but the old lady would just throw a large book to my head.

Valey came minutes after Cony. She decided to pick up books about lightning magic, since she wants to explore more on her abilities. Good choice, actually.

I left Cony on the reading table and searched with Valey. She picked one for the professionals, and I also picked a book about fire magic for professionals.

We both went back to the table and read. Seeing how the two of us are reading the books for professionals silently, Cony started to get jealous.

While she reads, she practiced a little bit. While reading, she practiced with the wind ball in her hand, and it started to become obvious and better. Until it somehow pushes everything away on the table after it exploded. We cleaned up the table while being stared at by the old lady.

We all just read for the whole day. Sometimes we went back to the shelves to grab a couple more books to read, and at the end, we decided to bring the books back home.

After we left the library (I had to compromise with the old lady to take the books home), we decided to go back home for a while and then get ready for a mission.

"An afternoon mission! This should be interesting."

Valey said as we walked back. Cony nodded as she lifted her right hand.

"We should definitely use these books to train on the field. Because training in the library just doesn't sound right."

Cony said as she slowly creates a ball of wind, but since it's difficult to walk and concentrate, the ball doesn't look too good.

It ended up exploding, throwing a breeze everywhere.

"Right. Let's all meet up at the Office. Call Hod and Barett."

After splitting up, we all went back home to get ready. I can hear some voices coming from the coms crystal on my left pocket while preparing. It sounds like Hod and Barett are ready.

We all went out at the same time, but I arrived first since I'm the closest.

I picked a table at the diner right next to the receptionist. One by one, my team members came, and we all finally grouped up once more.

"Let's go for a high ranking one."

Hod declared, and everyone agreed. Now that I'm here, the team can go at full strength, so Hod doesn't hesitate in taking a high ranking mission anymore.

We picked up a Yellow ranked mission about hunting down a Yellow ranked beast called Malicio.

"Cool name. What does the beast do?"

I asked Hod. Even though I already know, but maybe the others don't, so this will be a good chance to share information.

"Well, the beast is like a speed demon. It moves on four legs, and it's fast as hell. The skin is also very thick and powerful. A normal sword wouldn't be able to damage it."

Hod explained to the others.

The Malicio is more like an alligator on steroids. It's a tad bigger than an alligator, with slightly longer legs, and it moves so much faster. It also had these sharp scales sticking on top of its body.

I think they are called earth dragons on mythologies. Which means in the end, we are dealing with another type of dragon.

"The real problem is that they come in packs. They are never alone."

"How many are in a pack?"

Hod lifted all of his fingers on his hands, and Barett nodded.

"Okay. Ten it is."

"We have to defeat all ten Yellow ranked beasts. This might be a little too difficult. Why is this not a White ranked mission, anyways?"

Hod turned to Keila, who is right behind him and listening.

"W-Well, Malicio are... Yellow ranked each, you know? We... don't know if they move in packs..."

"Ugh..."

Hod turned to me and gave the mission scroll to me.

"What do you think?"

I opened the content. The reward for killing one earth dragon/Malicio is seven hundred Jules. My eyes stared at the number and thought how many we can get by killing ten.

I turned my gaze away from the paper and closed it. Then I gave Hod the scroll back.

"We are going to be rich."

I said with a serious face. Hod took the scroll from my hand and nodded with a serious face as well.

"Then let's get rich."

Hod turned around and nodded with a serious face too at Keila, who seemed to be very confused.

We all left the Office using our serious faces (imagine jojo) to hunt down some earth dragons. Everyone else watches as we march towards the door in pure seriousness. 

That day, we earned nearly fourteen thousand Jules, because there are actually eighteen earth dragons at the location, creating their den. It was very close to being called a dungeon, but since the numbers aren't that huge and there is no leader to become the boss, it's simply a den.

No one got hurt, because it was actually quite easy to kill the earth dragons. We all laid a trap by creating a giant hole, and then killed the earth dragon in one shot using Hod's ice magic.

And we all brought home a souvenir. 

The earth dragon's head scale, which is the earth dragon's largest spike placed on top of it's head. The spike was very strong too, it can withstand most damage done to it. Sadly, it can't be turned into a weapon because it will turn to dust when it's burned.

And after that day, we all turned rich.