"You're early?"
The sun is still blazing in hot and still at its peek! So I'm not surprised that Kami-sama questioned me after my arrival as she welcomed me from the inside of our fence.
"W-well, we finished the carpentry the other day. The stall I'm using as a mascot changed their location near the Colosseum without my notice. Then the potato I'm selling, Jagamaruku-kun was its name, I guess? is already bought bundles by the small Ais of the Loki Familia, so yeah, I finished early, sorry my goddess. I will find new work! I'll promise!" After all, I don't want to be a burden!
I said that without stopping and lower my head repeatedly! Ahh, I'm almost a NEET now. I guess I should try selling myself then. How about in a brothel? No no no. Kami-sama will sue me for sure! Not only her but also Alise-san, Kaguya-san and that quiet Ryu-san! Ahh, scary! There's also that tanned girl, the Amazoness! And don't forget that Sly pallum! damn!
Just imagining that made me shiver. I saw my future whose gut was pulled out and leave rotten to an unknown alley! Ahh, what am I thinking!? That's gross!
With that, I helped Kami-sama for a few cleanings inside our [Stardust Garden] and started to wander off again.
This time, I will find another job! I want a long-term job at least!
While letting my feet move on its own, I arrived at the center of this City. I always see this scene and who knows how many times I arrived in this place, but. I can't help and still overwhelmed.
The Tower of Babel is protruded and directly pointed above the clear blue sky, piercing the heaven. I also spotted the dungeon entrance from its root where adventurers gathers by group or twos, entering and exiting.
"Hmmm, what job would be the cost-effective? hmm?" I think deep and surprisingly, a lady with crimson colored hair and has an eye-patched entered my field of vision. Our eyes met as she smiled back.
Is she? That Godsmith? Wow! what was it again? Hepelepsi? Hepatitus? Heptaseas? What's her name again? Ah I forgot! Ow right, there's that!
I closed my eyes in brief and a colored crimson and emerald become my eyelid. Albeit momentarily.
"Ah, Hephaestus-sama!" Yes! I sure now, that was her name!
Although she is one of the Godsmith, she's not that popular if you aligned her to many popular, such as finest and mighty Zeus and Hera familia in this world.
Still, she is a popular one in the Orario for one certain reason.
"Hmm? you're from, Astraea? If I'm not mistaken" She looked at me and asks. I nodded as an answer, of course that's the case.
Am I that popular? Yes I am awfully aware. But my popularity is only through pure envy and jealousy, especially to every men who will surely exchange their soul just to switch place with me.
Well, I won't blame them. Especially when you know what you've been jealous of is kind of a pervert, haha. Now, I envied myself quite a bit.
Anyway, "What do you want? child of Astraea?" Hephaestus-sama questioned.
"I am in need of work. . .may I ask if you are hiring?"
"Hahahaha hiring what? so bold of you O' child of Astraea. Alright, if you insists I'll give you one, but do not expect a high reward okay?"
"It's alright, a few penny is still a penny"
"You mean valis"
"Yeah? its the same to me"
"Nevermind, alright then, its an errand, can you do it?"
"I will do it!"
"Hmm, youthful I see. . .then, it is the mineral that will arrive here in a few minutes by now. That is the last one remained as others are already transported. How's that?" While talking, she reached out a parchment with her signature below and the Hephaestus familia's crest engraved at the center of it, beautifully transparent. Enough to read what's in the parchment.
A proof that I've given permission to accept this said goods. An Authorization Letter I see.
"The cart is quite heavy but goodluck! I'll wait for it from above!" she then pointed atop of the Babel. Noticing the ascending elevator, to which I nodded.
"Goodboy, you'll pay double the price of those mineral if you fail this task!" after then, her heel moved away from my location.
"Fail? Why? When I'm only delivering?" Erasing that thought, I scratched the back of my head and waited for the said cart's arrival.
Sure thing, not even 5 minutes had passed, the cart finally arrived and inside is a bag with at least hundreds if kilos each. Wait what!? It was in a bag and not inside the cart!?
Sure thing, after receiving, few adventurer accompanied by the delivery-man, lifted each bag and dropped them carefully to the ground. One, two---five of them!? What the fuck!? Do I look like a pushover now!?
●○●○●○
"Here huff huff, your--huff five bags of mineral! huff huff"
Arriving at her office. The Hephaestus familia blacksmith looked at me after entering, surprised as the Godsmith-sama let me in inside her office even with full of sweat and was huffing violently.
"Good job for completing the task, I reckon you didn't transport them one by one? I'm surprised they didn't snatch away?" She asks while sitting comfortably.
"I have my reliable acquaintance! She helped me to keep an eye on the remaining bag as I transporting the others!" I can't help but raise my voice out, after all, I'm still in heavily breathing. Just saying one word almost made the air I currently gathered become empty.
I pressed my stomach to breath heavily. Ahh! damn! she tricked me! I'm exhausted to the core!
Each bag contains hundreds of kilos for fuck sake! Good thing today is sunday and it happens to be the day off of Eina-san as she walked passed at the same time. She accepted my offer for keeping an eye on the remaining bag while I was transporting each bag one by one towards the Hephaestus familia warehouse located at the top of the tower of babel.
I feel ashamed though. One bag take me 10 to 15 minutes and that five bag in total costs me more than an hour to finish. I'm sure Eina-san is angry right now!
"Hmm, I see, a reliable acquaintance, huh. Goodjob! Here's your reward then" With the pouch engraved with her familia, I pulled it near mine and took a peek. Not bad, heheh. This enough is almost the same as working in three days from different stall and shop I am working with!
"To think, you can lift that, you know what? You're commendable. For a falna-less boy like you, isn't that surprising? Forget one, you even brought all of them"
Answering her, I only raised my biceps whose not that big but full of muscles.
"Heh, hardwork eh? Okay, I'll let it slide this time. Even though each bag needs at least two level 1's veteran adventurer to lift"
She only murmur in her last sentence so I didn't hear most of it. Is she doubting my raw strength?
After then, as if decided, she raised her palm: "I'll give you 'one time first time discount' for completing this task, how was it?"
She is looking at the pouch in my grasps so I pulled it and put them inside my pocket. And to double check, I ask: "Sure?" uhm! She only nodded as an answer.
"Seventy percent then! Who would have thought that's too heavy! You think I'm a pushover!?" I tried to bargain as I'm pretty sure she only meant is fifty just looking at her hand gesture
"Fifty, last deal"
"Sixty five!"
". . ."
"Sixty Three!"
". . ."
"Sixty Two!"
". . ."
"Sixty! make it sixty! last call!"
We start the staring contests after, but I didn't falter one bit. And before her reply, she frowned.
"Unruly brat! tsk, alright then! sixty percent, last call!"
"Hehe, thank you Godsmith-sama~" With long and sweet word, I smiled. Everyone know the value of a weapon created by a godsmith herself! So, there's no way I can't let the discount like this to passed by!
After then, I happily hummed and exit the tower. Forgeting that a certain half-elf is waiting!
And also, I'm not aware and forgot one thing about that discount.