Morning light filtered softly through the wooden shutters, casting pale golden beams across the small bedroom.
Arthur lay awake, enjoying the tranquil quiet before the world fully stirred. Beside him, Martha rested peacefully, her white hair spread across his chest and a faint, contented smile gracing her features. He carefully shifted his arm, sliding out from under the blankets without waking her, and pulled on his trousers and tunic.
Stepping into the main room, he found Robin sitting at the table, eagerly polishing the new set of iron carving knives Arthur had brought home the previous evening.
"Morning, Arthur!" Robin whispered excitedly, glancing toward Martha's room to ensure he didn't speak too loudly. "Look how sharp these are!"
Arthur chuckled, walking over to pour two cups of fresh water. "They're solid tools. Keep them clean and oiled, and they'll last you years."
"I will," Robin said proudly, testing the edge with a thumb before looking up with wide, ambitious eyes. "Hey, Arthur... when I get a little older, do you think you could teach me how to fight? Like a real hunter?"
Arthur took a sip of water, contemplating the request. He looked around the modest, rustic cabin. It was warm and comfortable, but it lacked proper defenses against high-tier monsters or harsh winter storms.
"I'll teach you," Arthur agreed, placing a firm, encouraging hand on the boy's shoulder. "In the meantime, my goal is to earn enough from the guild to buy a spacious, safe estate closer to town—somewhere secure with high stone walls and proper training grounds."
Robin's eyes shone with awe. "A real estate? With stone walls?"
"With stone walls and proper grounds," Arthur said with a confident nod. "Which means I need to push past the beginner contracts at the guild and take on higher-tier work."
An hour later, after sharing a hearty breakfast of smoked meat and fresh bread, Arthur prepared to head back toward the frontier settlement.
Martha walked him out onto the porch, keeping her posture natural while Robin finished clearing the breakfast table inside. Her bright blue eyes searched Arthur's face with deep, quiet affection. You are reading on novelping dot com, the official source.
"Don't do anything reckless," she murmured, her voice kept soft. "E-Rank is one thing, but pushing into higher ranks brings real danger."
Arthur offered a warm, reassuring smile, stepping close enough to gently squeeze her hand out of sight. "I won't be careless. My stats are growing fast, and I want to make sure we have plenty of gold for food, gear, and a better place to live."
Martha blushed softly, returning the squeeze before letting go. "Just make sure you come back safely this evening."
"I will," Arthur promised.
With his iron blade secured at his waist and his mind focused on his next objective, Arthur turned and set off down the forest trail.
By mid-morning, Arthur pushed open the double doors of the Adventurers' Guild. The hall was humming with activity as usual, but as Arthur walked toward the counter, several heads turned. Whispers rippled among a few local party leaders who had heard about a new soloist clearing a razor-fang pack in a single afternoon.
Elena looked up from her desk, her light brown hair pinned back as she greeted him with a cheerful smile. "Welcome back, Arthur! Here to hand in another contract, or looking at the board?"
"I'm looking to clear the rest of my E-Rank requirements today," Arthur said, placing his guild plate on the counter. "I need three completed E-Rank contracts to qualify for E-Rank, correct?"
"That's standard procedure," Elena replied, checking his log. "You already have one confirmed solo completion from yesterday. Two more E-Rank hunts will make you eligible for the official E-Rank advancement trial."
Arthur turned toward the quest board, his eyes scanning the parchment notices on the E-Rank section. He bypassed the simple gathering and pest-control jobs, looking for high-threat targets that offered substantial gold and valuable monster materials.
His eyes landed on two notices side by side: This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
1. [E-Rank Contract: Iron-Claw Bear Extermination] — Target located in the eastern crags. Reward: 35 Silver Coins + Fur Harvest Rights.
2. [E-Rank Contract: Subterranean Crawler Nest Clearing] — Target located in the abandoned iron mine. Reward: 40 Silver Coins + Gem/Ore Harvest Rights.
"I'll take both of these," Arthur said, pulling the parchments down and placing them before Elena.
Elena blinked, looking between the two contracts and Arthur's calm expression. "Both? Simultaneously? The crawler nest alone usually requires a balanced party with a shield-bearer and a light magic caster to navigate the dark tunnels."
"I can manage," Arthur replied smoothly. "My magic is more than sufficient for tunnel fighting."
Elena paused, looking at his assessment record—Level 10, dual affinity in Fire and Physical Augmentation, and multiple active spells. She let out a small sigh, a mixture of light exasperation and genuine admiration showing on her face.
"Very well," she said, stamping both notices with red guild wax. "Be extremely careful in the mines, Arthur. The crawlers attack in dark swarms."
"Understood," Arthur said, sliding the stamped parchments into his vest.
As he turned and walked out into the bright morning sunlight, he felt his magic humming beneath his skin, ready to be unleashed.
Two contracts, seventy-five silver coins total, and a direct path to E-Rank, Arthur thought, his eyes fixed on the distant rocky crags. Let's get to work.