The morning sun filtered through the narrow window of Julien's cramped inn room, casting long golden stripes across the wooden floor.
Outside, the streets of Arven the small but infamous mercenary hub on the northern border of the Melbon Empire were already alive with the usual clamor: merchants hawking wares, armored warriors clanking past, and the distant clang of a blacksmith's hammer.
Julien stood by the window, leaning against the sill, staring out at the bustling scene with a distant expression.
His gaze drifted downward to his bed. The thin straw mattress was stained with dark, dried patches of blood is blood.
His gray apprentice robe, crumpled on the floor, bore similar crimson smears along the sleeves and collar.
He touched his chest gingerly; no visible wounds, no cuts, no bruises. Just a dull, lingering ache deep inside, like every muscle and bone had been stretched and torn the night before.
He let out a long, weary sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. That hurt like hell last night… he thought, wincing at the memory of the searing pain as his circuits forced open.
But it doesn't hurt anymore. Not like that, at least. Still… internal wounds? Shit. What do I even do for basic healing potions? I need money and I don't have any.
A soft ping echoed in his mind, and the familiar system window appeared before his eyes.
Skill Learned: Mana Arrow (Basic)
A small, crooked smile tugged at the corner of Julien's mouth the first genuine one in what felt like forever.
His red eyes softened for just a moment as he stared at the words floating in the air. Finally… something.
He straightened up, wincing slightly as his body protested the movement. He quickly changed out of the bloodied gray robe into his spare one: a clean white garment, simple but unmistakably the mark of a proper apprentice mage.
No longer just a learner.he had crossed the threshold. The white fabric felt strangely heavy on his shoulders, a symbol of progress that came at the cost of last night's agony.
Julien splashed cold water from the basin onto his face, scrubbing away the remnants of sweat and exhaustion.
He glanced at the spell book still lying open on the small table. With careful hands, he closed it and slipped it deep into the worn leather satchel slung over his shoulder, making sure it was well hidden beneath a spare shirt.
The black market book was far too valuable and far too dangerous to leave lying around.
He descended the creaking wooden stairs of the inn. The common room was already packed with mercenaries: some hunched over bowls of watery porridge, others nursing tankards of weak morning ale, and a few arguing loudly about quest rewards. The air smelled of stale bread, sweat, and cheap stew.
Julien made his way to the counter, where a surprisingly small man stood polishing a mug. Mr. Morfe short, wiry, with a perpetual squint and an easy grin was a mystery to Julien.
How a man this size hadn't been robbed blind by the rough crowd that frequented the inn was beyond him.
"Morning, Mr. Morfe," Julien said, leaning on the counter. "Can I get two cream breads?"
Morfe's eyes lit up as he glanced at Julien's new white robe. Without a word, he reached under the counter and placed two golden-brown pastries in front of him.
"Hoho, child," Morfe said, his voice warm and teasing, "it seems you've finally achieved something since coming to this city of Arven."
Julien placed fifty copper coins on the counter with a soft clink. He gave an awkward, sheepish smile. "Yes… luckily, I became a proper apprentice mage."
Morfe let out a hearty chuckle, shaking his head. "Haha, luck, huh? Then it seems you have incredible luck, boy."
He turned to serve another customer, still chuckling to himself.
Julien picked up the two cream breads. They were barely edible by any normal standard dry, slightly stale, and oddly chewy but in this world, they had unique properties.
The special grains and herbs used in their making made them surprisingly filling, enough to keep a person going for an entire day. He took a bite as he walked out of the inn, chewing slowly.
On the street, he waved casually to the familiar faces he passed. For an entire month, he had taken every cleaning job, supply-hauling quest, and odd task the guild had thrown at him.
Most of the mercenaries knew him by now the strange red-eyed kid who never tired and never complained. He waved back at grizzled warriors and scarred veterans alike, earning nods and gruff greetings in return.
A short walk brought him to the mercenary guild. The large stone building was buzzing with activity even this early.
Warriors crowded the quest board, arguing over postings. Others sat at long tables, discussing strategies over mugs of ale. A few heads turned as Julien entered some with surprise, others with knowing grins when they noticed the white robe.
The guild receptionist, Miss Sera a cheerful woman in her late twenties with short auburn hair and bright hazel eyes spotted him immediately and waved enthusiastically.
Julien made his way over to her counter.
"Any quests today, Miss Sera?" he asked.
Sera's eyes widened as she took in his new attire. "Huhu! It seems our little Julien has become a proper apprentice mage! Congratulations on advancing successfully!"
Julien rubbed the back of his neck, a shy smile creeping onto his face. "Thank you."
Sera leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands. "If you're already an apprentice mage, that means you've learned a basic spell, right?"
Julien hesitated for only a second. Hiding it would do him no good he needed reputation if he ever hoped to get his hands on more spellbooks. "It's Mana Arrow."
Sera's eyes lit up like fireworks. "Ohh! That's amazing! Mana Arrow is considered one of the best spells among the basics, and you learned it in just one day? That's really impressive!"
She clapped her hands together excitedly. "If you're already a mage, why not take an E-rank subjugation quest? I think you could handle it alone it's one of the lowest in the E-rank subjugation requests."
Julien paused, his expression turning thoughtful. An E-rank quest… Since arriving in this world, he had only taken F-rank jobs.
They paid decently enough if you worked day and night, and that was how he'd saved up his seven gold coins.
But an E-rank subjugation quest? He hadn't even seen a single monster yet. He didn't even know what they looked like in real life.
Out loud, he asked, "Miss Sera… what kind of subjugation quest is it?"
Sera blinked, then laughed lightly. "Ahh, sorry! I forgot you're from the mountain villages, so you wouldn't know.
The quest is to subjugate an abnormal E-rank slime. Most slimes are F-rank and completely harmless, but an E-rank one can definitely kill people. Still, a mage or even an E-rank warrior should be able to handle it easily. So, will you accept it?"
Julien's mind raced. Slimes… so they really do have slimes here, huh? And what's with the 'abnormal' part? If my game knowledge from my past life is right, shouldn't an abnormal one be stronger? Whatever… I can't understand this world half the time.
He took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, I'll accept it."
Sera beamed and handed him the quest paper.
Quest: Abnormal Slime Subjugation
Proof: Slime Core (E-rank)
Reward: 2 gold coins
Julien's eyes widened as he read the reward. "It's… it's two gold coins?"
Sera chuckled. "Of course it is! It's an E-rank quest, after all."
Julien carefully folded the paper and tucked it into his satchel. With a quick bow of thanks, he turned and left the guild.
Outside the city gates, the world felt completely different. The crowd thinned out, replaced by open fields and rolling hills. A gentle breeze carried the scent of grass and wildflowers.
The sky was a brilliant, cloudless blue. For a moment, Julien simply stood there, breathing in the clean air, feeling the warmth of the sun on his face.
But beneath the peaceful scenery, a knot of unease twisted in his stomach.
He had no idea what an E-rank slime even an "abnormal" one would do to him.