Cana left with her barrel of booze, deciding that drinking with her usual gang sounded a lot more fun than hanging around with a certain scheming couple. She also took the job request Rhodes handed her, she'd relax today and take it up tomorrow.
At the counter, Wendy quietly watched Cana's back as she left. That slightly odd, boisterous older sister gave off a carefree vibe, but Wendy could tell she had a good relationship with Rhodes. She sipped her juice silently, legs swinging gently off the high stool, observing the guild in motion.
People came and went, some accepting new jobs, others returning to report in. Every person had a story to share, some bursting into laughter recounting wild mishaps, others grumbling about a failed mission, and a few even sighing as they scanned the board for their next shot at success.
She watched how they casually chatted with Mira and Rhodes, handing in reports or rewards. Some went off to celebrate at the bar, while others just slumped into a chair with an exhausted groan.
The whole process fascinated
After a long moment of quiet thought, she finally spoke up. "Sister Mira, Brother Rhodes... I want to try going out on a job."
"Oh?" Mira tilted her head with a gentle smile. "Didn't we just give you a share of the reward money the other day? You're not short on cash, are you?"
It was true, they had divided the coalition's reward evenly. Just two days ago, Wendy and Carla received a solid 1.2 million J.
"Money's not the reason," Wendy said, her voice soft but earnest. She clasped her little fists in front of her chest and looked at them seriously. "I just… I've been in the guild for a few days now. I want to contribute. Even if it's something simple, I want to try."
Mira's smile grew warmer. "Well, it's about time to get familiar with the work process anyway. And you're certainly more motivated than some people I know."
She shot a teasing glance at Rhodes.
If Master Makarov hadn't pushed him, Rhodes sometimes wondered if he would've ever gotten around to accepting his first mission.
But in hindsight, he didn't regret dragging his feet. After all, if he hadn't stalled for so long, he might've missed the chance to team up with Mira.
"Alright, let's start with the basics," Rhodes said, stepping out from behind the counter. "Pick a request from the board first. I'll guide you through the whole process until you're completely used to how the guild works."
"Okay!" Wendy replied with a bright smile, hopping down from the stool. Her legs had been dangling the whole time she sat, and she nearly bounced on landing.
She hurried toward the request board, eyes sparkling with curiosity. But as soon as she got there, a new problem popped up.
The board was big...too big. Standing close, she could only see the lower few rows. Trying to read anything higher up felt like an elementary schooler craning to read the top of a blackboard. She stood on her tiptoes, stretching her neck, but it wasn't much help.
Wendy had good eyesight, though. So she took a few steps back to get a better view, only to find something else in her way.
Or rather, someone.
Nab was standing right in front of the board, arms crossed, staring at the requests with his usual, motionless intensity.
Wendy blinked.
Rhodes casually walked up behind him and patted him on the shoulder. "You've been standing here for ages. Why not take a break? Go arm wrestle with Cana. She just got back."
"Oh? Cana's back?" Nab turned and left excitedly. "I have to win back my wine money this time!"
"I'm sorry…" Wendy muttered, feeling a bit down. She hadn't expected to run into this kind of obstacle just trying to accept her first task.
Was this going to be a regular thing? Would she have to ask Carla to fly her up just to read missions from now on?
Rhodes gave a light chuckle. "Well, Nab's actually not a bad guy. You could just ask him to read the task out loud next time."
It was either Wendy would have to grow taller or the task board needed to shrink, which wouldn't go over well with most of the guild. Or maybe… someone would eventually invent a magical floating task board. But that was a bit ambitious for now.
"That one!" Wendy pointed to a commission form pinned low enough to see clearly. "Carla, can you get it?"
Carla fluttered up, plucked the request from the board, and handed it to Wendy. "This one?"
"Yeah! What do you think, Brother Rhodes?" Wendy passed the form to him with both hands, eyes shining with anticipation.
"Helping out in a persimmon orchard, huh?" Rhodes scanned the paper. "Close by, easy enough… not much pay though. Bit dull, might be tiring."
"I don't mind," Wendy said cheerfully. "I've never done something like this before, so I want to try."
Rhodes raised an eyebrow and looked to Carla. "What about you?"
"It's fine. Doesn't seem too hard." Carla answered, a bit reserved, but supportive as always.
"Alright then," Rhodes nodded. "Go hand the commission form to Mira for approval, then we'll get ready."
"Mmhmm!" Wendy chirped, spinning on her heel and starting to run—only to trip after two steps and land hard with a thud. "Oww…"
Rhodes winced. Wendy's ability to trip at the worst times was something he'd nearly forgotten. That sound of her fall was painful just to witness.
Still, she got up without complaint, dusted off her dress like nothing happened, and jogged the rest of the way to Mira.
"You okay?" Mira asked with concern, gently taking the form.
"I'm fine!" Wendy smiled and nodded.
Once everything was stamped and registered, Mira handed the sheet back to her. "Next, gather your team, check in with the client, and you're good to go."
Wendy turned back toward Rhodes and Carla. "Shall we head out?"
"Hold on," Rhodes said. "I checked into the orchard. It's pretty big. Just the three of us might take all day, or more. We'll need to bring spare clothes and basic supplies."
He rarely took these kinds of everyday tasks, but with Wendy and Carla, it actually sounded like a refreshing change of pace. Still, preparation was important.
"And while we're out," he added, "I'll grab a tomes."
Mira smiled softly from behind the counter. A year ago, he wouldn't have stopped at just two. Rhode really had changed.
He left her with a kiss on the cheek, earning a playful scolding look in return.
Wendy and Carla rented a small carriage, and soon they were waiting outside the guild, ready to begin their very first mission together.
Rhodes didn't mention using the crab ride this time, autumn had turned chilly, and getting soaked on a creature ride wasn't ideal.
"Is this really necessary?" Carla asked, holding up the large tome Rhodes had handed her. Sitting down, the book was nearly as tall as she was.
"It's always good to carry something for self-defense when heading out," Rhodes replied. "I'll get you a smaller one next time."
'If there even is a next time,' Carla thought silently.
Wendy opened her backpack with a smile. "Carla, you can put it in here for now."
To Wendy, it was like carrying around pepper spray, except the "spray" in this case might actually be lethal.
Their carriage took them eastward before turning south. Around forty minutes later, the three arrived and stepped out in front of the orchard.
But it didn't quite match their expectations. There were no vibrant trees glowing with little lantern-like fruits. Beyond the outer wall, they could only see bare branches and withered leaves. A few limbs stuck out through the cracks in the stone, heavy with yellowed and blackened foliage.
The front gate was open. A small shed, probably for messages or deliveries, sat near the entrance, but it was empty.
"I hear clipping sounds over there," Wendy pointed to the left, her ears picking up the faint snip of shears.
Following her lead, the group walked forward. Only a few persimmon trees still held fruit, scattered and sparse. Most were bare, and the ground was littered with dead leaves and branches. It clearly hadn't been tended in a while.
"If this keeps up, the trees might suffer from pests or rot next year," Rhodes murmured.
Soon, they spotted someone up in the trees. A man in work overalls and sleeve guards, with gloves and a pruning saw hanging at his side, was using shears to trim branches high above.
Beneath the tree, a stepladder leaned against the trunk, and cut branches of various sizes were strewn around it.
Wendy, encouraged by a nod from Rhodes, stepped forward and called out, "Excuse me! Are you Mr. Pushmon?"
The man paused, gripping a branch as he looked down. His eyes landed on a young man, a petite girl, and a white cat in a scarf and vest. They didn't exactly look like farmhands.
This group looks like they are going on a picnic.
"Sorry," the man said gruffly. "This is a private orchard. All the persimmons are already sold out."