Chapter 122: Kaiser's :| Headache:- Garret :) & Robert :]

Garret and Robert, the green-haired man with spectacles, were paired together for their patrol duty under the supervision of Lieutenant Kaiser.

Their dynamic was anything but harmonious, as their constant bickering turned every patrol into a chaotic spectacle.

On their first day, as they strolled down the city streets, Garret, unable to resist, elbowed Robert playfully. "Hey, Robert, did you hear about the new 'Green Thumb' potion? They say it can make your hair grow even greener!"

Robert adjusted his spectacles with a scowl. "Oh, very funny. Why don't you focus on not getting us lost for once?"

Lieutenant Kaiser, who was trailing behind them with a stern expression, interrupted with a sharp tone. "Enough with the banter. We're here to patrol, not to provide entertainment. Keep it professional!"

Despite the warning, the squabbling didn't cease. On the second day, while walking near a merchant's stall, Garret grabbed a shiny, fake sword from the display. "Look, Robert, it's the legendary sword of the 'Great Swordsman'—but only if you're blind and have no sense of humor!"

Robert rolled his eyes, snatching the sword from Garret's hand. "At least I don't try to be a clown in public. Who knows what kind of trouble we'll attract with your antics?"

Lieutenant Kaiser's face turned red with frustration. "Focus! We've already had to break up three arguments today. If you two don't stop, I'll have you polishing the entire precinct as punishment!"

The next day, Garret and Robert decided to test their luck by sneaking into a local tavern's kitchen. As Garret attempted to balance a tray of pies on his head, Robert laughed uncontrollably. "Seriously, Garret? Do you think you're a circus performer now?"

Their laughter echoed through the kitchen, drawing the ire of Lieutenant Kaiser, who stormed in, face twisted with anger. "What in the world are you two doing? This is a kitchen, not a comedy club!"

Garret, still trying to balance the pies, stammered, "Uh, just making sure the pies are... balanced. You know, for the perfect patrol experience."

Kaiser's patience had worn thin. "Enough! You're both grounded from patrol duties until you can behave. I'm assigning you to clean the mess hall for the next week."

Robert groaned. "Great, now we're going to be cleaning up after everyone's meals."

Garret, with a mischievous grin, added, "Well, at least we'll get to see more of the mess hall's entertainment."

Kaiser sighed, rubbing his temples. "I give up. Just stay out of trouble for once."

As the day ended, Garret and Robert trudged off to their new assignment, exchanging smirks. Despite the punishment, they knew their antics had succeeded in making their patrols memorable.

"Hey, Robert," Garret said, "do you think Kaiser will let us keep the pies?"

Robert chuckled, shaking his head. "Only if we manage to escape the mess hall first."

The next day, the mess hall was buzzing with the usual activity when Garret and Robert arrived, mops and brooms in hand. The Head of the Mess Hall, Mrs. Hargrove, met them at the door with a steely glare.

"Alright, you two," Mrs. Hargrove said, her voice stern. "You're here to clean up, not to make a mess. Get to work."

Garret flashed a mischievous grin. "Don't worry, ma'am. We'll have this place sparkling in no time!"

Robert, already unimpressed, muttered, "Let's just get this over with."

As Garret began mopping the floor with an exaggerated twirl, he called out, "Behold the art of mop dance!"

Robert shook his head, grabbing his broom like a sword. "En garde! Prepare for the sweep of destiny!"

Garret laughed, "Oh, a swordsman! What's next, a magician?"

Robert didn't miss a beat. "Only if you can find a way to magically avoid all the spills you're causing."

Their antics quickly caught the attention of the diners. A patron near the front table watched Garret spin around, mopping water onto his plate, and said, "Hey, watch it! My food's getting wet!"

Garret, waving his mop around, replied, "Sorry! It's part of the new 'interactive dining' experience!"

Robert snatched a handful of napkins and tossed them into the air. "Congratulations! You've won free napkins!"

Just then, Mrs. Hargrove stormed in, her face red with frustration. "What in the world is going on here? This is a mess hall, not a circus!"

Garret, still dancing with the mop, said, "We're adding a bit of flair to the cleaning, ma'am!"

Mrs. Hargrove's eyes narrowed. "Flair? You're supposed to be cleaning, not turning it into a show! If you can't behave, I'll have to assign you an even worse punishment."

Robert, trying to smooth things over, said, "We didn't mean to cause trouble. We were just trying to make the best of the situation."

"Make the best of it?" Mrs. Hargrove's frustration was palpable. "You've made a mess of the mess hall! Now, you're both scrubbing every inch of this place—by hand!"

Garret groaned. "Scrubbing by hand? You're killing us!"

Robert sighed. "Great, now we're stuck with the worst punishment."

As they began their manual scrubbing, Garret grumbled, "You know, Robert, if you didn't keep dropping things, we wouldn't be in this mess."

"Me?" Robert retorted, "You're the one who turned cleaning into a slapstick routine. You've splashed more water than we've cleaned!"

A diner at a nearby table shouted, "Can you two keep it down? Some of us are trying to eat!"

Mrs. Hargrove stood with her arms crossed, looking increasingly exasperated. "This is your last chance. Behave yourselves, or I'll report this to higher authorities!"

Garret and Robert exchanged glances, their faces still reflecting a hint of defiance.

Garret grinned. "Well, at least we're providing some entertainment."

Robert added, "Sure, if 'entertainment' means getting yelled at and causing chaos."

As they scrubbed away, their bickering continued, adding to the general frustration of the diners.

Mrs. Hargrove's expression was a mix of irritation and resignation, watching as her mess hall was slowly restored to order by the most troublesome cleaners she'd ever had.

The next day, Lieutenant Kaiser's frustration was evident as he greeted Garret and Robert for their patrol shift. The sight of their faces seemed to set him on edge, and he barely managed a grumbled "Good morning" before starting his briefing.

"Alright, you two," Kaiser began, his tone clipped. "We're out on patrol again. I expect you to behave yourselves this time. No more antics, no more trouble. Just keep your eyes and ears open and stay out of trouble."

Garret, trying to look earnest, nodded vigorously. "Got it, Kaiser! We'll be model citizens."

Robert chimed in, his voice equally sincere but with a hint of mischief, "Absolutely. No trouble here."

Kaiser gave them a skeptical look but decided to trust them this time. "I'm heading over to check on some reports. While I'm gone, behave yourselves like good little patrollers. Understand?"

"Yes, sir!" both Garret and Robert replied in unison, their faces carefully schooled into expressions of earnestness.

Kaiser shook his head and walked off, leaving the two men alone. As soon as he was out of sight, Garret nudged Robert and grinned. "Looks like we're on our own. Time to spice things up a bit!"

Robert's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Absolutely. But remember, let's keep it under control this time. We don't want Kaiser blowing a fuse."

As they wandered down the street, the two men tried to keep a low profile. For a while, they were remarkably well-behaved, walking in silence and nodding to passersby. However, it wasn't long before their patience wore thin. They spotted a shop up ahead with a commotion outside.

"Let's check it out," Garret suggested, already heading in the direction of the noise.

The shop was a small, quaint place with a sign that read "Mystic Trinkets and Curios." Outside, a small crowd had gathered, and voices were raised in agitation.

Garret and Robert squeezed through the crowd and entered the shop, which was filled with an assortment of strange and magical items.

Inside, a portly shopkeeper was arguing with a customer. "I'm telling you, this amulet is genuine! It's enchanted to bring good luck!"

The customer, a young woman with a skeptical look, countered, "It doesn't look enchanted. I bought it yesterday, and my cat just ran away!"

Garret's eyes lit up. "Hey, Robert, this sounds like the perfect chance for some fun. Let's get involved."

Robert nodded, barely hiding his amusement. "Sure, let's see if we can make things more interesting."

Garret approached the arguing duo with a wide grin. "Excuse me, folks! I couldn't help but overhear. It sounds like there's a magical problem here."

The shopkeeper, seeing Garret's cheerful demeanor, let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness. Maybe you can help. This amulet is supposed to bring good luck, but it seems to have the opposite effect."

Garret, putting on his best serious expression, said, "I think I can help. But first, let me consult my expert."

Robert, stepping forward, cleared his throat and examined the amulet with exaggerated care. "Hmm, yes. This amulet definitely has magical properties. However, it might be confused about its purpose."

The customer looked at them, clearly baffled. "What do you mean, confused?"

Garret joined in, "Well, sometimes magic items get mixed up. It's like they have their own personalities. Maybe this one's feeling a bit rebellious."

Robert nodded sagely. "Precisely. But don't worry. We just need to perform a quick ritual to reset its enchantments."

The shopkeeper's eyes widened. "Really? What kind of ritual?"

Garret held up his hands, making dramatic gestures. "Simple. We'll need a pinch of salt, three drops of moonlight, and a dash of good intentions."

Robert, catching on, added, "And don't forget the most important ingredient—a sincere apology from the amulet for the inconvenience."

The crowd began to murmur in confusion, clearly unsure whether to believe them. The customer, though skeptical, played along. "Alright, fine. Do your ritual."

As Garret and Robert began their "ritual," they dramatically sprinkled salt and made exaggerated gestures with their hands. The shopkeeper watched in stunned silence, while the crowd looked on in amusement and bewilderment.

Just then, Lieutenant Kaiser walked in, his face darkening as he took in the scene. "What is going on here?"

Garret and Robert froze, looking sheepish. "Uh, just helping with a bit of magical confusion," Garret said, trying to sound casual.

Kaiser's eyes narrowed. "Didn't I tell you to behave?"

Robert, still holding a pinch of salt, said, "We were being good. Just... spreading some cheer."

Kaiser shook his head, his patience clearly wearing thin. "This is not what I had in mind. We're leaving. Now."

The crowd, still amused, watched as Garret and Robert were escorted out, their heads hanging slightly. The shopkeeper sighed in relief, muttering, "Thanks for the help, I guess."

As they exited the shop, Garret elbowed Robert. "Well, that was fun while it lasted."

Robert grinned. "Yeah, let's hope Kaiser doesn't have any more surprises for us."

They followed Kaiser out, their brief moment of mischief over, leaving behind a crowd of amused and bewildered onlookers.