When The Cute Godkiller Opens A Tavern [OP Mentor, SoL, LitRPG]

"Quests. Lady Shallies never made one. It's usually my job to do it for her." ~Stachie, System Assistant

With the Quest Client relenting, Shallies and the others sat at an empty table. The Quest Handler and Amabelle, along with a few new people they grabbed outside, helped carry Gar into the back of the building towards their Guild Hall's infirmary. She looked to those who were left: Ren, Tayin, and Grace. They sat in a group across the table. Apple was also there, just enjoying a freshly brewed tea bath.

"How long have you guys been adventuring?" Shallies asked the two new faces, wanting to break the ice between them. Not that she needed much effort in that department, thanks to Gar's fiasco.

"Two years," Ren replied. "But we graduated from the academy three years ago."

"Took a year break?"

"We practiced some Skills, increasing our Proficiencies until Apprentice Proficiency. Progressing's locked behind Class Ascension after that."

"But thanks to that, you can take on better assignments."

"Yes and no," Tayin answered.

"Hmm?" Shallies raised an eyebrow.

"As you saw, we have terrible luck." The halfling gestured towards herself and Ren. "From the get go, we've had no issues dealing with monsters. Or doing escorts. Or doing security. But for one reason or another, we get a minor hiccup somewhere during the quest. The issue with Gar was probably the worst of it all."

"Is it every quest?" Grace asked curiously.

"Not exactly," Ren said defensively. "It's not all bad luck, I'd say."

"Well, for what it's worth, doing quests isn't exactly as simple as following what's written on paper." Shallies crossed her arms. "Minor hiccups are expected. Almost nothing goes according to plan. Your adaptability to whatever spontaneous situation is one of the most crucial parts of being an adventurer. It's something a Skill wouldn't help you with."

"Well…" Tayin gazed towards the infirmary, then towards her companion. Her expression turned from a desire to speak up, to simply sighing in admission. "I suppose that's true. We've had some good luck on extremely rare occasions."

"That being said," Shallies began, taking Ren and Tayin's attention away from the gloomy mood. "I do have a proposal."

"To help us get the remaining stonehorns, right?" the knight asked.

"Yes." Shallies opened her Class Inventory and retrieved exactly those items. "I actually have them here. They don't depreciate for a very long time, so these will be enough for your client. Aside from the amount, he didn't demand any specifics for it, so we should be safe with these."

"Why don't you just give those to them?" Grace asked. She noticed that the other two didn't have the same question in mind.

"We can pay you with our quest reward," Tayin offered. Shallies pointed towards her while giving Grace a look. Noticing this, the halfling gave an explanation to the young adventurer. "The completion's more important to us."

"Oh," the half-orc nodded. "I see, I get it."

"Yes, quest requirements have to be earned," Shallies said, appreciating the Spell Sword's quick understanding. She returned to the conversation. "Though I'm not asking for bits."

"The proposal," Ren mentioned, holding back Tayin from making a sudden outburst. "What do you have in mind?"

"I happen to find myself looking for some cooking ingredients," Shallies explained, returning the stonehorns back to her Class Inventory. "I wanted to put up a quest, but…"

She gestured towards them, wordlessly pointing out what had happened.

"I also happen to be the 'potentially-could-be' mentor of Grace here. So I figured, I can kill two birds with one stone… probably three birds, actually."

"You want us to take a gathering quest?" Tayin asked before pointing towards Grace. "And you want her to leech off us?"

"No!" Grace exclaimed. "Not leech!"

"Not leech," Shallies repeated, calmer compared to the young adventurer. "I want you to support her during the quest. She wants to be able to face and fight monsters alone, but she can start with people who can help her get there for now. Based on the small skirmish we had earlier, I'm guessing you two match just what she needs."

"I see. Well, what's your Class, Grace?" Ren asked, he looked like he was considering a Scan, but eventually decided otherwise. "Sorry, I never actually bothered to ask before."

"I'm a Spell Sword," the girl replied.

"Shield Knight," Ren said, returning the information.

"Chronospark," Tayin followed, realizing what they were leading into.

The three turned to Shallies, expecting her to say her Class. She narrowed her eyes.

"Chef," she said.

A plethora of reactions appeared in front of her. Ren was confused, Tayin was in disbelief, and Grace was holding back a laugh. Apple's giggles rang joyous bells from her teacup.

"You're kidding! No way a Chef can fight off a Wroth Fell!" Tayin exclaimed. She knew what was going on. "What's your second Class!"

Shallies smiled. "I'm a Guiding Star."

Now both Ren and Tayin were in disbelief, standing up in shock.

"But that's a Support Class!" the Shield Knight insisted. "That's not enough to match Gar!"

"Well, I was a raiding Guiding Star," Shallies explained, pulling once again from her white-lie-influenced fabricated story. "I've retired from that scene, though."

The increasing levels of shock and disbelief, and the rapid transformation of expressions between these little revelations, were what Shallies had already expected. She enjoyed them. What she didn't foresee was how star-struck the two would be. Tayin literally jumped on the table just to be able to reach her hands.

"That's amazing!" she said, eyes sparkling with admiration. "I never expected to meet a raider out here."

"Former."

Shallies had to urge the halfling to sit beside her, just so she wouldn't have to stay in such a precarious position. Tayin refused to let go of her hands, though.

"Are you two—three, locals from here, then?" Shallies asked, almost forgetting about Gar.

"We are," Ren replied. Unlike the halfling, he chose to stay where he was, but his admiration was obviously apparent. He turned to Grace, then back to Shallies, his jealousy through the roof.

"All from Cinterbrim Town," the Shield Knight continued after catching himself gawking too much. "We're the odd few who decided to return here instead of trying our luck in the big cities."

Shallies felt awkward, and Apple was having a blast observing her master getting flustered by Tayin's smothering attention and Ren's star-struck gaze. It was worse compared to her mandatory speeches before, during, and after Divine Wars. This was up close and too personal for her liking. She endured, not willing to jeopardize her plans for Grace.

"Not for the hustle and bustle?" she asked.

"We want to take it easy, yeah," Tayin admitted. "If we get the chance to ascend to a Hero Class, or take a second Class, we might try our luck there again."

"You have an uncommon setup, though," Shallies commented. "Two vanguards and a saboteur support."

"It just ended up that way," Ren said, blushing slightly "But Gar takes a more offensive approach, as you've seen. I'm the one who has to really think about our defenses."

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"Well, that said," Shallies began, subtly maneuvering her arms away from the halfling. "I take it you're agreeing to accept my request? If it makes it easier, I can give you the stonehorns as part of the initial payment when you sign the contract."

"That's perfect!" Tayin said, standing once again. "That way we can focus more on the quest, rather than rushing it. I'll go get Rio right now!"

"I'll come with you," Ren said, standing up. "I want to check on Gar for a bit. Make sure he's alright."

With the two finally out of sight, Shallies gave a sigh of relief.

"I thought I was going to take on solo quests," Grace commented, still smiling, but not energetically so. "I want to become strong on my own."

"There'll be a time for that," Shallies said. "You're nowhere near strong, experienced, or capable enough to face a dungeon on your own. Even if we're talking about creatures just outside, an Apex can easily kill you. Give it time."

"Yeah… I guess so."

"Besides, to be strong on your own, and be someone your party can depend on rather than the other way around, you have to get used to fighting alongside different people with a variety of Classes. This way, you can be more flexible when it comes to synergizing with others, or cover whatever they're lacking.

"Lone wolves can sometimes get invited into packs, and if you can't adjust, you'll disrupt their flow rather than help them. It's a little ironic, but understanding how teamwork works will help you become better on your own."

Seeing as the young Spell Sword was still a little disappointed, Shallies added something more to help motivate her.

"I guess, if you're up for it, we can add your trial for your apprenticeship along with this quest," she said, and immediately the half-orc sprung to life.

"Really?"

"Your proctors will be Tayin and Ren. If they're satisfied with your performance, I'll happily accept you as my apprentice." Shallies opened her Class Inventory and retrieved a sphere. "You also need to take care of this."

"What's that?"

"A cradle egg." Shallies tapped a finger on the sphere which immediately glowed, revealing a dark silhouette of a creature within.

"As part of your trial, you're not allowed to store this egg in your Class Inventory. It must never leave your person, and no one else is allowed to touch it, no matter how curious they are. If you bend or break any of these rules, or break the egg, you won't become my apprentice. I'll know right away. Protect it even while you sleep. If you return with the egg intact, then I'll take your proctors' reports on your performance."

Without warning, she tossed the egg towards Grace. The Spell Sword caught it with a yelp. It slipped once from her grasp, and for a second, it looked like she would immediately fail the quest. Thankfully, she managed to retrieve it with both hands before it hit the floor.

"Your trial starts now," Shallies said, not letting Grace see her own sigh of relief.

"Hello. I'm Rio, Cinterbrim Town's Quest Handler. What can I do for you today?"

As if the morning chaos hadn't occurred, this auburn haired woman, wearing a frilly maid uniform, made a practiced gesture and greeted Shallies with a smile. Her purple eyes glinted with anticipation, excited at the prospect of a new client.

"Hello, Rio. I'm Shallies. Yes, I'm here to put up a quest." Shallies turned to the adventurers behind her. They were busy at the table, discussing how they would coordinate their teamwork. Despite Grace's desire to be self-dependent, she seemed happy enough to cooperate. "I do have people who already agreed to take it. So I'm just here to make sure the details are written down."

"Certainly! Let me get you the application form."

"By the way, if you don't mind me asking, Rio. Where's the current Guild Master for this Hall?"

"Guild Master Robert is on a quest, Miss Shallies. We're expecting him to return within the next week."

Rio passed a document consisting of two pieces of paper. One for Shallies to fill out with her basic personal information, and the other to put the details of the quest. These same documents would be copied over to the System by the Handler for verification and recording, while the papers themselves would be posted on the board.

"There really aren't a lot of adventurers here, then."

"As difficult as it is for me to admit. Sadly, it is true." Rio controlled her expressions, not exactly hiding her sadness but still keeping a somber smile. "Aside from Ren's group, there's only the Guild Master and one other group which Amabelle sometimes joins."

"Oh, I thought she didn't want to do adventures anymore?" Shallies asked curiously. The woman in question had returned to work, not bothering to say farewell. "Here's my information."

"Thank you. Let me verify it in the meantime." Rio opened up her System Console and started typing and swiping away as if she was on automatic. Her hand-eye coordination was top-notch. "Amabelle only really rarely joins. This year, she's gone on only one quest, if I recall correctly."

"I see. Looks like she's settled roots quite deeply." Shallies finished up the details of the quest and passed it to Rio.

"Thank you. I'll let you know once I'm done finalizing the quest. Then they can sign and accept it." Rio gestured to the tables and the snack and drink bar like she had done it over a million times before. "Please make yourself comfortable in the meantime."

Shallies nodded and returned to the group. Grace was showing the other two her cradle egg.

"You can't touch it, though," said the half-orc. "Shallies said I'll fail the trial if someone else touches it."

"How would she know?" Tayin asked, not noticing the woman in question behind her.

"Because you'll tell me," Shallies said, placing a hand on the halfling's shoulder. There were enchantments on the egg that she didn't bother telling them.

Whether Tayin was surprised or not, she hid it well. Grace almost jumped. Ren was reading something on his System Console, too absorbed to notice. And Apple was asleep in her teacup.

"What's that mean?" the halfling asked.

"I want you and Ren to assess Grace's performance on this quest. Let her plan first, let her initiate first, and let her fight first. But you're free to give suggestions, point out flaws, and assist her when needed. The number one priority is the group's safety."

"Oh…" The halfling nodded, passing Grace a curious look. "So she's really training to be a party leader, huh?"

"Sort of," said Shallies before the young half-orc could interject. "She mostly wants to be self-dependent, but she needs all sorts of qualities to be that flexible."

"I don't mind," Ren said, closing his System Console. "But since our safety is the main priority, I'll still have the final say in our every move."

"I prefer it that way, yes."

"Then we don't mind accepting this request."

"Yes!" Grace proclaimed.

"Oh, one more thing," Shallies added. "Gar's not allowed to join this quest. A three-man group should be enough for this. So even if he recovers earlier than expected, have someone explain it to him and let him stay back."

"Not a problem," Tayin agreed. "We just need the Quest Agreement now."

"Sorry for the wait!" Rio said, delivering the document Shallies had filled in earlier. "The System has determined that this quest is appropriate for Base and Advanced Classes, has clear objectives, but has left the approach to the adventurers. Thus, you have permission to accept this quest. Here are the deets!"

[Quest name: Ingredient Gathering]

[Quest duration: No duration specified.]

[Quest objective: Gather 10 different ingredients from level 20 or above beast-or-plant-type monsters.]

[Notes:

This is an exclusive quest. No other quests may be taken by the party once accepted, barring Emergency and Special Emergency Quests.

Upon submission, the Quest Client will purchase all ingredients gathered from this quest. Exceeding the required amount will not be an issue.

At least 10 different ingredients is mandatory for completion.

The adventurers are only allowed to hunt near Cinterbrim Town up to a day's caravan ride away. Only Beginner Dungeons are allowed. No exceptions.]

[Quest Reward: An initial payment of 2 stonehorns. 1,000 bits per adventurer upon completion. Additional bits equal to market price of all ingredients acquired.]

"If what you see is acceptable, please sign right here," Rio said, pointing towards the bottom of the document while presenting a feathered pen.

Ren inspected the details of the quest, his eyes moving carefully to make sure there were no hidden motives. Shallies summed it up to his cautious nature rather than lack of trust. Besides, it should be expected of every adventurer to know exactly what sort of quest they were going into.

Finally, the Shield Knight nodded. "This is quite a generous reward."

"I added more for the deal we agreed on."

"Why didn't you add it to the quest details?" Grace inquired.

"It's not exactly what I initially came for," Shallies explained. "And your circumstances shouldn't impact these two adventurers. As long as they get my ingredients, it'll be a quest complete from me."

She turned to Tayin and Ren. "You two seem to be well-reputable adventurers. I trust that you'll fulfill my quest and request while keeping Grace and yourselves safe."

"You can trust us," Ren said with a slight bow.

"I already know five sources to gather ingredients," Tayin proclaimed with a smile. "This should be a walk in a park!"

"That's reassuring." Shallies smiled at them before turning back to Grace. "This time, there'll be no support from me. I will not be able to track you."

"No problem!"

Shallies had expected a slight complaint, but apparently, Grace was already too hyped for her next adventure. She smiled and gave Rio the signal that they were all in agreement.

After the adventurers and the client signed the document, the Quest Handler used mana-control to post it on the Quest Board. It might've been on a whim, but she placed it at the dead center of the board. A sign of good luck. Shallies appreciated the gesture with a subtle nod before addressing Grace and the rest.

"Give yourselves some time to rest," she began, bringing out the stonehorns and handing them over to Ren. "Grace also just finished a quest yesterday. Plan out as much as you can and let me know when you're ready to depart."

[Shallies, should we include Grace on our contacts whitelist?] Stachie informed her telepathically.

"Yes, thanks."

[No problem. I'll keep blocking everyone else, as usual.]

"Can you put Valor'el on the whitelist, while you're at it? Inform him as well."

[Sure.]

"Sounds good to me," Ren said as he took the horns. "I want to make sure Gar's alright before we depart. Hopefully he wakes up soon."

"He'll be fine," Tayin said dismissively. "Bro's got so much muscle, he's probably immune to poison."

I doubt that… Shallies made sure not to mention it. She understood the halfling's intentions.

"But Shallies' right," Tayin continued. "I have a few Attribute Points and a Skill Point to allocate. And I really want to finish this stupid stonehorn quest first."

"Alright," Shallies said, nodding. "I'll leave you all to it, then. Do any of you know if there are any Farmers herding some cowblinks? I want to look into purchasing a couple or two."

Tayin and Ren shrugged in unison. Grace was a little late. And Rio did the same.

"Try Ben and Marisa's?" the half-orc said. "Even if they don't have one, they can probably point you in the right direction."

"I suppose…" Shallies remembered she wanted to check up on those two as well. "I should give them my thanks too."

"Can I come over tomorrow, Shallies?" Grace asked. "Amabelle said she wanted to see the friendly competition."

"Sure thing." The Chef turned to the other adventurers and even included Rio. "You're all welcome anytime. I open my tavern at sunrise. I don't have a defined menu yet, but I can still serve you something."

With that, Shallies woke Apple up, said her goodbyes to familiar and new faces, and left the Guild Hall. When they were finally alone, the teacup fairy floated in front of her and gestured a question.

"Robert's not around, apparently," Shallies answered. "Out on a quest. We can check in on him some other time. I bet he wouldn't recognize us."

Apple's mischievous giggles rang like clear bells as they made their way to Ben and Marisa's Shopping Center.