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The Big Oof! Volume 2 Chapter 58: Another Job
🕑 Added 2023-08-29 07:19:17 +0000 UTC“YANA!” Bennett bellowed, violently pushing the tavern’s door open. “YANA! TEACH ME MAGIC!”
The tavern, which had been filled with the raucous cheers and laughter of patrons, suddenly fell silent as they all turned towards the doorway. Every single eye glared at Bennett with silent hostility before it was broken by a loud thud as one of the patrons, who had been engaged in a drinking contest, slumped over onto the table, unconscious. The crowd then snapped their neck back towards the competition and erupted back into cheers and laughter, quickly forgetting that the interruption ever occurred.
“GAH!!” A familiar feminine gasp echoed out as the thud of a mug slamming against the table resounded throughout the dining hall. The crowd erupted into another round of cheers as Yana revealed herself by floating up and pointing her tiny finger at everyone present. “SAY IT! I WON SO SAY IT!!!!” She demanded, her voice booming through the room.
The crowd, still in high spirits, roared in agreement, clanking their mugs together. "PRAISE BE OUR GODDESS, THE GREAT YANAIYÁNIOA!!" they all yelled in unison.
Jammed right next to Bennett also starring in utter confusion and disbelief was Elijah. “What… the fuck…?” He murmured as Auri peered around his back to see what was happening.
Shaking off his stupor, Bennett put his hands around his mouth and bellowed once more “YANA!” He roared, causing the fairy, who was in the middle of downing another mug of ale, to turn towards him with a growl. “YANA! I NEED YOU TO TEACH ME– ARGH!!”
THUNK
The poor engineer was interrupted by said wooden mug connecting to his head by a skillful throw. “FUCK YOU, IDIOT!” Yana roared back, eliciting another round of cheers.
Elijah brought his hand to the bridge of his nose and pinched it to suppress the growing headache. “God damnit… just… why?” He sighed quietly to himself as Yana floated proudly with her hands on her hips.
The crowd was still cheering with their mugs raised high in the air, as Yana basked in her victory. The little menace then let out a rapturous laughter that echoed off the walls as she slowly spun around to her new subjects. “Yes! YES! Praise me!”
With a resigned shake of their heads, Auri and Elijah navigated their way through the boisterous crowd, leaving behind the spectacle of Yana and her newfound congregation. As they squeezed further into the tavern, they managed to spot Azeline and Ulina tucked away in a quiet corner, engrossed in a deep conversation. The two women barely paid attention to their surroundings other than the occasional glance and snicker before returning their own business.
“Yo.” Elijah said, dropping the take-out skewers wrapped in hide onto the table in front of the two women. “Got you two somethin’ while we were out.”
Both Azeline and Ulina paused their conversation as Elijah placed the bundles on their table. They exchanged a glance before their attention was drawn to the mysterious packages. "What's this?" Azeline asked, her curiosity piqued. She reached forward, her fingers deftly unwrapping one of the bundles.
As the leather was peeled back, a wave of mouthwatering aromas wafted up from the package, filling the immediate vicinity with the scent of grilled meat and spices. The tantalizing smell was so potent it seemed to physically hit Azeline, causing her to blink in surprise.
"By the heavens…" she murmured, narrowing her eyes as she took in the sight of the skewered meat, glistening with sauce and charred to perfection. "This… this smells incredible."
Ulina, who had been watching with growing interest, leaned forward to get a better look. "Where did you get these?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "They smell absolutely divine."
Her hand hovered over the second bundle, her gaze shifting between Elijah and Auri with a skeptical expression. “This… This is for me? Are you sure?” She asked, her voice filled with disbelief. The only gifts she was used to receiving were the unappreciated kind in the form of someone groping or propositioning her. Not ones that smelled so tantalizingly delicious.
Elijah raised an eyebrow with a somewhat teasing look on his face. "What, you don’t want it?” He asked as his hand inched towards the still wrapped skewers. “I mean, you don’t have to take it, I can always give it to someone else.” His eyes flicked to Azeline, who’s eyes were rolled upwards with an orgasmic look on her face after taking the first bite.
After seeing Azeline’s reaction to the food, Ulina narrowed her eyes at Elijah's as her hand quickly snatched the bundle from the table. "No, it's mine!" she said with a hint of defiance in her voice. She then proceeded to unwrap the bundle and gasped as her eyes widened from the delicious aroma that hit her senses. "Thank you," she added, her voice softer this time, as she took a tentative bite of the skewer.
“Mmmmmmmph….” Ulina moaned as she slowly chewed on her skewer. Her eyes fluttered closed as she savored the taste, a blissful smile spreading across her face. "This... this is literally better than a night with a Kabathian manwhore..." She declared, her voice filled with genuine delight.
Several eyebrows shot up at Ulina’s words and each one of them were different reasons. Everyone except Ulina looked at each other before looking back at the Tavern mistress with a questioning look.
“You’ve been to Kabath?” Auri was the first to open her mouth.
“You’ve slept with a Kabathian manwhore?” Azeline spoke next with a hint of interest.
“You’ve paid for a manwhore?” Elijah then asked, before blinking in confusion and turning his head to Azeline and Auri. He silently mouthed the word ‘what’ before shaking his head and deciding that maybe it was just better for him to let sleeping dogs lie.
Ulina, on the other hand, just fanned her face as she took another bite. “Mmmm… Mmmm… Ya, you guys need to go there and try it.” She said, her eyes half-closed in bliss. "Quite pricey, but they’ll fuck your brains out. The food’s good too." She added quickly, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I ordered two of their escorts to feed me and service me right after. It was the most decadent thing I've ever experienced." She sighed dreamily, her eyes glazing over as she lost herself in the memory. "You should definitely try it sometime."
Elijah brow furrowed as his gaze shifted between all of them. “Wait, why would you… You know what? Nevermind.” He said, scratching his head. The man couldn’t really understand why these women would need to pay for that kind of entertainment when they weren’t unattractive, but he decided it was better not to question it.
Azeline took another bite of her skewer before she slowly turned her head to Elijah, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Oh, my dear Eli-jah," she said, her voice filled with mirth. "It's not about needing to pay for it. It's about paying for a guaranteed good experience with no expectations, no obligations, and no problems afterwards."
Taken aback by Azeline’s explanation, Elijah blinked, his lips curling into a thoughtful frown. After a moment, he nodded, a newfound understanding dawning on him. “Okay, yeah. Fair enough,” he conceded, his tone reflecting his acceptance of her point. It was something he hadn't considered before, but it made sense and he couldn’t disagree.
With the conversation taking a turn he hadn't expected, Elijah decided to steer it back to safer waters. "Well, that's an enlightening perspective," he said, his tone light. "But Auri and I have some news on our missing cart situation. However, I’ll let you two girls finish enjoying yourselves before I get into that."
Still chewing on her food, Azeline took the time to swallow and enjoy her food before turning her attention back to Elijah. "Oh?" She responded with a piqued interest. "We’ve actually been discussing our next job."
“He– Mmmm…– He was quite impressed with your performance with the missing Serf issue, and he’s got quite a substantial bonus for you.” Ulina interjected, half covering her mouth with her hand. “You’ve exceeded everyone’s expectations so much that your names are starting to circulate among other Taskers. They're all quite eager to work with you."
Ulina dabbed her mouth with a piece of linen before continuing, her gaze steady on Elijah. "Speaking of tasks, remember the healer job I mentioned?" She picked up another skewer from the bundle, her eyes glinting with anticipation. "It's ready for you."
She took a moment to savor her food before elaborating. "We’ve got a bit of a situation with a couple of our more reputable and high-level freelancers. Their group took a job that led them into a particularly nasty cave, and two of them have fallen seriously ill. They've sought help from local healers who've tried everything from bloodletting to humor balancing, but it was to no avail. We’ve seen this happen plenty of times before and we’re worried it’ll lead to their inevitable death."
Pausing for a moment, Ulina locked eyes with Elijah and pointed the skewer at him. "Azeline has been singing your praises as a healer all day, and if you can live up to her claims… then we’d pay you handsomely and along with a lot more jobs!” She said, taking a bite out of her next skewer and humming in joy.
Azeline chimed in, her tone teasing yet pointed. "It would also be quite beneficial for you and Murrat to have such a skilled healer on retainer, wouldn't it?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Having someone of his caliber associated with the tavern would significantly enhance its reputation. It would underscore the tavern's role as a mediator and hub for those seeking specialized skills and services."
Ulina, who had been quietly enjoying her skewer, paused and looked at Azeline. "You're not wrong," she admitted, her skewer bouncing between her fingers. "Having a healer of Elijah's caliber associated with us would indeed be a great boon. But it’s not like we’re the only ones who would benefit. He’d be handsomely compensated for his services and we’d ensure you all are treated favorably. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved." She defended, her gaze shifting back to Elijah.
Elijah hummed in interest as he thought about the proposition, his gaze drifting over to where Bennett was arguing with Yana. His engineer was unsuccessfully trying to swat at the tiny fairy, who was darting around him, laughing and mocking him. The sight brought a small smile to Elijah's face.
Turning back to Ulina, he nodded. "Sure, as long as you’re not trying to take advantage of me, then I don’t mind doing this job," he agreed and crossed his arms. "But I’m not using any of my specialized resources unless the incentive and pay are there.”
With furrowing brows, Ulina tilted her head in curiosity causing her long ears to slightly bounce. "Specialized resources?" she echoed, her tone thoughtful.
"Indeed, I have a kit that can cure almost any illness. It's a collection of specialized tools and medicines that I have access to, but the problem is, once I use them, I have no way of replacing them. They're not something you can just find or make," he explained, his gaze steady on Ulina.
Understanding dawned on Ulina's face and she nodded. "I see. That makes sense. We'll make sure to compensate you accordingly then." She replied, and opened her mouth to take another bite, but stopped. “Wait, you said ‘any’ illness?”
Elijah nodded, his expression serious. "I mean, 'any' might be a bit of an exaggeration, but I can treat a wide variety of illnesses. I have antibiotics that can fight off bacterial infections, antivirals for some viral diseases, and even some tools for limited surgeries. But again, these are limited resources."
Ulina's made a difficult face. "Antibiotics? Antivirals?" she echoed, unfamiliar with the terms. "I… I don’t understand what those words mean….”
“Don’t worry about it.” Elijah said, dismissively waving his hand. “In simpler terms, just remember that I have remedies that can treat illnesses that you might have thought incurable.” He replied.
A strained look formed on Ulina’s face as she glanced at Azeline. “That’s… certainly quite the claim.” Her tone was skeptical yet intrigued when she saw her friend give a nonchalant and casual shrug. “I suppose we’ll see if you live up that expectation later tonight.”
Ulina’s expression then turned serious. "Anyways, Azeline and I were just discussing how you already have another Tasker requesting a job from you.” She said, shifting to the next topic while chomping down on her skewer. “Mmmm… There has been quite a flurry about how a group of rookie Freelancers killed a nest of not only Kobolds, but Skalbolds and returned completely unharmed.”
Elijah raised an eyebrow at Ulina's words, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. "Another job, huh?" he mused, rubbing his beard. "I guess we made some waves."
Azeline chuckled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "More than just some waves," she said, brushing her hair out of her face. "That job had apparently been sitting for close to a year without anyone bothering to pick up, and here we come uncovering, not only a den of Kobolds, but the fact Kobolds are working with Skalbolds!"
“That’s… as shocking as it is terrifying.” Auri added before crossing her arms with an uneasy look. “Such alliances only occur when there’s a Skalbold Patriarch or Matriarch leading a full-on war band… The Lords are so concerned that they're pulling a detachment of knights from the frontline and sending them here to investigate and exterminate them."
A difficult expression spread across Elijah’s face as he continued to stroke his beard. “I don’t know what that means…” He admitted before looking at Azeline for answers. “What does that mean?”
A sigh left Azeline’s mouth as she leaned back and tapped her finger on the desk. "I’m not from this shithole, but even I know that a Lord wouldn't divert resources from the frontlines of a war unless they deemed it absolutely necessary, " she explained. " If it actually is a warband led by a Patriarch or Matriarch, then that means the farmland surrounding the city could be under threat."
Ulina nodded in agreement, her expression grave. "They're probably assuming it's an anomaly, hence they're just sending a detachment to eliminate them. But Skalbolds and Kobolds usually despise each other. Their alliance is unnatural and suggests a greater threat," she continued. "Azeline and I have fought them before when we were Shieldmaidens and if it’s a warband, then a simple detachment would be slaughtered.”
Frowning at the new information, Elijah kept rubbing his beard as he thought about the implications. “Okay… so what you’re telling me is this is more job opportunities.”
Silence fell upon the table as everyone except Elijah just looked at each other. “Well, that's one way to look at it," Ulina said with a voice full of mirth. "But yes, if you want to put it that way, it could indeed lead to more job opportunities."
“It wouldn’t be the first time a government would hire Freelancers to help deal with a crisis, hell it’s quite common actually." Azeline added, her tone equally amused. "Freelancers are often more flexible and adaptable than regular troops or Knights. Plus, we have the advantage of not being bound by the same rules and regulations, so we make excellent skirmishers."
Elijah smirked as he shook head, “Anyways, I’ve already sidetracked you twice, what is this job you two have been talking about?”
Throwing one leg over the other, Ulina leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand as she recalled the details. "Well, the Tasker is working on behalf of a rather small-time merchant group who've been having some trouble with moving their money and more sensitive goods," she began, her voice steady. "Thieves or perhaps even a gang who have been attacking their transports seemingly at random throughout the city."
"Yes, and the thieves seem to have an uncanny knack for knowing exactly when and where to strike," Azeline added, her tone laced with a hint of frustration. "It's as if they have insider information about the merchant group’s operations."
She paused for a moment, her gaze meeting Elijah's. "And given the recent buzz about a group of rookie Freelancers who managed to take down a pair of Skalbolds working with Kobolds without a single injury...," she continued, a wry smile playing on her lips. "Well it seems they see this as a golden opportunity to hire skilled protection for cheap."
Ulina nodded in agreement, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of amusement and understanding. "That’s how it goes when you’re just starting out," she added, watching a sour look spread across Azeline's face. “The more your reputation builds, the more you’ll be able to charge. But for now, you have to prove your competency and reliability in order to get more work. It’s all a part of the process."
Azeline groaned and rolled her eyes. “Ugh, I know, I know.” She waved her hand dismissively, huffing in agitation. “I just hate that I have to start from the beginning and do it all over again!" She complained and leaned so far back her head hung off the back of the chair as she let out another sigh.
“Sounds as if they have insider information about the merchant's operations.” Elijah commented, causing Azeline to shift her head over to look at him.
"That's a possibility," She admitted With a raised eyebrow. Pulling herself back up and crossing her arms as she continued "It would explain how they always know when and where to strike. But it could also be that they're just really good at tracking and predicting his movements."
It was Elijah’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “Unless these merchants religiously adhere to their transportation schedule after all these thefts, then I highly doubt that.”
After little more thought, Azeline shrugged and conceded the point. "Eh, Fair enough," she said with a light tone. "I guess we should just get more information from our Tasker or the Merchant himself then."
Ulina nodded in agreement. "That would probably be for the best," she said before taking another bite of her skewer. "Shall I set up a meet, then?."
“Ya, that’d be –.” Elijah's words were cut off by a loud thud, followed by a chorus of cheers and laughter. He turned to see what the commotion was about, only to find his engineer, Bennett, sprawled out on the table, with Yana standing triumphantly on his stomach as she laughed uproariously.
"–Great…" Elijah finished, looking as if he was just splashed with ice cold water. "Fucking… why?" he asked rhetorically while shaking his head in exasperation.
Azeline chuckled as her hand came up to cover her eyes. “Yana’s been like that all day," she admitted, her eyes twinkling with mirth. "Kinda my fault, I told her this is a good chance to go build a new fellowship so she’d leave Ulina and I alone."
Elijah’s eyes slowly made their way to Azeline where he gave her a judgemental look before his hand traveled to his eyes to suppress the oncoming headache. “Just…” He grumbled out before letting out a sigh. “Ulina, can you just take me to these idiots that need medical help…”
An awkward smile formed on Ulina’s face as she nodded, pushing herself up from her seat. "Of course," she said, her tone laced with a hint of amusement at his frustration. "They’re downstairs in the basement.”
“Oh! I shall join you!!” Auri exclaimed as her face seemed light up. Excited for the prospect of learning about Elijah’s medical techniques, her mood greatly improved as she quickly scurried after the two.
As soon as Ulina, Auri Elijah made their way past the insane scene in the dining hall, they found themselves having to dodge and weave through the hustle and bustle of the kitchen. All the cooks were shouting orders at each other, their voices rising above the clatter of pots and pans while Barmaids were in a similar state. The women darted back and forth, balancing trays laden with food and drink as their voices loudly called out orders and responses.
Even though the thick smell of roasting meat, fresh bread, and the tang of various spices, the scene was still complete mayhem. However, it seemed that the entire staff took it all in stride. Their movements were swift, efficient and experienced as they moved through the almost suffocating heat from the ovens.
“Controlled chaos, eh…?” Elijah murmured as he followed Ulina through the kitchen, doing his best to stay out of the way. But they soon found the noise gradually faded as they descended deeper into the bowels of the tavern and down a staircase.
Upon descending into the basement, Elijah was immediately struck by the stark contrast to the bustling kitchen above. The basement was quiet, save for the occasional groan or the sound of a wet cough echoing off the stone walls. The air felt noticeably cooler on his skin and carried the soothing smell of scented candles in stark contrast to the rich, food-laden air of the kitchen.
The basement, despite its initial appearance, had a surprisingly homely feel to it. Several rooms had been dug out and furnished with makeshift beds, complete with privacy screens. It was evident that this space served as more than just a storage area; it was a living space for some of the staff.
However, the tranquility of the space was disrupted by a group of armed and armored individuals huddled in the center of the room with faces etched with worry. They were clustered around two of their comrades who were laid out on a pile of pillows and mats as they continued coughing with pained and labored breaths.
As Ulina and Elijah approached, the group finally noticed them. Their conversation died down and they turned to face the newcomers. One of them, a burly man with a scar running down his face, stepped forward. His eyes were hard, but there was a hint of desperation in his voice as he asked, “This the healer…?”
Ulina nodded, her expression calm and composed. "That's correct," she confirmed, gesturing towards Elijah. "This is Eli-jah, the healer you requested. He boasts of foreign teaching that may be able to help your comrades." She reassured them, her tone steady and confident.
"Elijah, I’d like you to meet your clients," Ulina began, gesturing towards an Elven-like man with short dirty blonde hair, but his ears were much longer than the typical Aethari. He was clad in full armor and gave Elijha a rather formal bow. "This is Yomick."
She then pointed towards a woman who exuded an air of danger. Her brown hair was pulled back, revealing sharp, yet standard Aethari features. She wore a light leather jerkin, and a longsword hung at her hip and regarded Elijah with a more judgemental and pointed glare. "That's Talisa."
Lastly, Ulina introduced a rather muscular figure that was body covered in thick fur with unmistakably the Dog-like features. The man had a longbow slung over his shoulder and nodded amicably. "And this is Daumo."
Once introductions were over, Talisa crossed her arms and grumbled, "We've already wasted a good amount of coin on several other healers, and each of them told us our friends are as good as dead." His tone was bitter, and his gaze hardened as he looked at Elijah. "And you are chagrin’ us A LOT more just to get this guy’s attention." She challenged, her eyes scrutinizing Elijah. “How do I know you’re not just trying to gouge us just to tell us the same?”
Elijah met the woman's gaze, his expression seemingly uncaring. "I don't make promises I can't keep, and I don't take on cases I can't handle." he stated simply, his tone steady. "Let me see your guys and see if I can fix ‘em. I’ll even give you free consultation as a bonus for first time service." He finished, his gaze steady and unyielding.
The Aethari woman, taken aback by Elijah's offer, widened her eyes before narrowing them in offense. "Free consultation?" she echoed, her tone turning angry. "Are you fucking serious?"
“Take it or fuck off.” Elijah simply shrugged, causing Auri and Ulina to shift nervously. “My time and especially my skills don’t come cheap. So, I think a free consultation is a pretty good deal.”
The room fell silent as snarl played at the Aethari woman’s lips while she glared at Elijah. In her eyes, this large primates' expression was unreadable and she couldn’t quite understand what game was being played, but whatever it was, it infuriated her. After a moment, she let out a gruff, frustrated groan and stepped aside, gesturing towards her sickly comrades. "Alright, healer," she said in a begrudgingly and disrespectful tone. "Show us what you can do."
Ignoring the pointed remark, Elijah simply shrugged, unzipped his individual first aid kit at the back of his belt and pulled out a pair of medical gloves. The medic then walked to the wheezing man and woman lying on the makeshift cots and proceeded to perform his check up.
“Well, let’s see if I have to put you in the ground or not.” Elijah said in a light hearted voice as he knelt down.
