Leon hurried toward home, his footsteps quick and light as if driven by a sense of urgency.
As Leon rushed through the front door, he turned the corner too fast and collided shoulder-first with Layla in the hallway.
Leon stumbled back a step, rubbing his shoulder where he'd bumped into her.
"Sorry, sorry," he said quickly, trying to steady himself. "Didn't see you there."
Layla crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Aah, what are you doing? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Leon took a breath, eyes gleaming. "I might've found a way to make money—something different. But I need to study a bit first."
Layla narrowed her eyes, rubbing her shoulder. "You've already graduated from school, and the university entrance is still a month and some days away. What are you so busy studying now?"
She tilted her head and added, "By the way, where did you go so early in the morning? I was looking all over for you."
Leon scratched the back of his head and replied casually, "Oh, I just went to the Beastmaster Association to look for some suitable tasks. Gotta earn some money somehow."
Layla frowned, puffing her cheeks in annoyance. "Why didn't you call me, huh? I'm part of the team too!"
Leon scratched the back of his head, a bit ashamed. "Oh… I just wanted to take a quick look. Honestly, there's nothing suitable for us. Most of the tasks are either too difficult or the reward isn't worth the effort."
Layla frowned, her voice tinged with frustration as she asked, "So… what do we do now?"
Leon gave a small, confident smile. "Don't worry, we'll figure something out. There has to be a way."
As they were deep in conversation, their mom's cheerful voice echoed from the kitchen, breaking the moment. "Leon, are you home? Come wash your hands—lunch is ready, and it's just about time to eat!"
And Layla, you too.
The three of them gathered around the dining table, the bright noon sunlight streaming through the windows as they settled in for their meal.
Leon looked up and said, "Hey Mom, where's Dad been lately? I haven't seen him around these past few days."
Mom smiled tiredly and said, "Oh, he's been busy with work lately. He's coming home late at night and leaving early in the morning."
Layla cut in, clearly annoyed, "Busy with what, though?"
Mom replied, "As you know, he never talks about his work when he's at home."
Mom added, "Enough about us—tell me, what's been going on with you two lately?"
Layla said with a frustrated sigh, "We don't have enough money to enter the secret realm."
Mom sighed with a hint of sadness, "Ah, money... I have some saved up. You can take it—just don't compromise your future."
Leon quickly cut in, "No need, Mom. We'll figure something out. Please, keep the money for yourself."
Then Layla's eyes lit up as she remembered something. "By the way, what was that thing you were talking about—studying something?"
Leon scratched his head and replied, "Oh, that—yeah, I went to sign up for the Beast Doctor exam. They gave me some books to study. That's what I was talking about."
Layla raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Beast Doctor? Since when do you have any interest in becoming a doctor? I've never heard you mention it before."
Leon shrugged with a sheepish smile. "It's just a sudden interest. I noticed beast doctors seem to earn money pretty easily, so I thought—why not give it a try?"
"Well then," Layla said with a sigh, "but what about Jacob and me? We can't just sit around waiting for money to fall into our laps, right?"
Leon nodded and said, "You both can check out the task board too. If you find something suitable, you can take it on—but make sure to be careful. Don't take any risks just for a few coins."
"Okay then," Layla nodded. "I'll head to the association with Jacob later and see if there's anything worthwhile we can take on."
After a few minutes, Leon wiped his hands and stood up. "Alright, I'm done. Mom, I'm going to my room to study now."
Mom replied gently, "Just don't push yourself too hard, alright? Take breaks when you need to."
Leon smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll be fine," before heading off to his room.
Layla quickly finished her meal and said to her mom, "Mom, I'm done too. I'll be going to Jacob's place now, and we'll head to the Association together later."
"Okay, be safe," their mom replied with a warm but concerned smile.
After Layla left, their mom smiled softly and said, "The kids are growing more mature."
Afternoon,
Layla knocked loudly on Jacob's front door and called out, "Hey, open up!"
Jacob had been resting after his meal when Layla's sudden shout startled him.
Jacob opened the door with a scowl, rubbing his eyes. "Why the shouting? You just disturbed my beauty nap."
Layla shot him a sharp look, clearly disgusted. "We're out here trying to figure out how to make money, and you're just sleeping?"
Jacob shot back with a smirk, "It's not sleeping, it's a beauty nap."
"Alright, alright! Get ready fast—we're going to the association to pick up some tasks," Layla said briskly.
After a short while, Jacob emerged fully dressed, adjusting his gear. Without wasting time, the two set off together, making their way toward the bustling city center.
"By the way, where's your brother?" Jacob asked as they walked. "Is he not coming with us today?"
Layla shook her head. "No, he's not coming. He already went to the association this morning and came back with a pile of books. Said he wants to become a beast doctor or something."
Jacob blinked in surprise. "A beast doctor? Since when did he start caring about medicine? I always thought he was more of the battle-crazy type." He scratched his head and added with a grin, "Well, if he can earn money patching up beasts while we're out fighting them, that doesn't sound too bad."
The city center buzzed with life as Layla and Jacob walked through the cobbled streets, weaving past merchants, carts, and wandering beasts. The Beastmaster Association loomed ahead—an elegant stone building with a massive crystal emblem of a roaring lion above its entrance, shimmering faintly with spiritual energy.
As they stepped through the wide double doors, cool air greeted them. The hall inside was brighter and busier than in the morning. Beastmasters of all ages gathered in clusters—some chatting, others examining task boards lined along the walls.
Layla gestured toward the Beginner Task Board. "Let's check over there," she said, leading the way.
The board was covered in neat rows of parchment slips—each describing simple assignments suited for newcomers. Tasks ranged from collecting herbs at the forest edge to delivering supplies to nearby villages, or helping at local beast clinics.
Jacob leaned in, reading a few. "Hmm… these aren't exactly thrilling, but at least they pay."
Layla nodded, eyes scanning for anything that stood out. "We're still at Bronze rank. We can't be picky. Let's find something with a decent reward and no ridiculous danger."
They began reviewing the tasks carefully, hoping to find the perfect one to earn some quick coin.
As Layla and Jacob browsed the Beginner Task Board, most of the tasks were routine—herb gathering, beast care, and minor deliveries.
But then Jacob's eyes caught a parchment marked with a faint bronze stamp.
"Hey, what about this one?" he said, pointing. "Subjugation task. Target: A pack of Flamehorn Rabbits causing trouble near the east orchard."
Layla leaned in, reading it aloud. "Bronze-level threat. Reward: 30 copper per rabbit horn collected. Limit: up to ten rabbits. Hmm… that's not bad."
Jacob grinned. "Sounds doable, right? They're small, we can handle them with Nyx and Cinder."
Layla nodded thoughtfully. "It's better than running around fetching herbs. Let's take it. But we'll stay alert—just in case a stronger beast shows up."
They pulled the task slip from the board and headed toward the front desk to register it, both feeling a flicker of excitement. Their first real hunt was about to begin.
After submitting the task form at the reception desk and receiving official approval, Layla and Jacob stepped out of the association building. The sky was already tinged with the deep hues of dusk, casting long shadows across the cobblestone streets.
Jacob glanced upward and clicked his tongue. "Tch. It's getting late. No way we'll be able to finish this before nightfall."
Layla nodded in agreement, tightening her grip on the task scroll. "Yeah… venturing into the wilderness at night isn't the smartest move. Even low-level beasts get bolder after dark."
"Then we head out first thing tomorrow morning," Jacob said, cracking his knuckles. "We'll clear the task with fresh energy and full daylight."
"Agreed," Layla replied. "Let's go home and rest. We'll need our strength."
With a plan in place and the thrill of their first mission lingering in their minds, the two turned toward their respective homes, the fading light brushing against their determined faces.
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