Ch 2: The task

"Welcome, customer", Miu, the weapons dealer shop attendant said as she saw the door to the shop opening.

"Oh it's you Surk! It has been a while. Here for the usual?", she asked Surk.

"Yeah...", Surk said as he placed a bundle of the weapons his master forged recently on the counter.

"Hmm... The quality is as great as ever!", Miu said as she inspected the weapons. She took the weapons and started placing them on the shelves.

After awhile, she came back to the counter and gave Surk a small bag of coins.

"Here you go, it's the profit of the weapons that you brought last month. The amount is more than the usual because weapons, armors, and even shields have been selling a lot more lately.", Miu said as she looked at Surk.

"Thanks Miu", Surk said as he stared at the bag of coins on his hand.

"Surk, you seem a bit down.", Surk heard her say this. As he looked up and was about to say that it was nothing, he was shocked to see Miu's face so close to his.

Since the first time he visited the shop, he thought that the dealer would be an old man or woman. He was surprised to find out that the dealer was actually a young beautiful woman just a bit older than he was. At least, that was what he thought since she never told him how old she was.

"D-Don't do that", Surk blushed and turned his head as he realized that he was turning red.

'Hehe, it's so fun teasing him. So cute~', Miu thought as she looked at Surk.

"By the way, are you going to enter the competition that will be held near the castle this Saturday", Miu asked.

"There's a competition?", Surk who had been continuously training on his swordsmanship, was interested on the sudden news.

"Oh I guess you haven't heard since it's just been recently announced. It's a competition being held for all people throughout the kingdom . The winner is given a thousand gold in prize plus the top title of his profession. There is no danger since killing is prohibited. Why don't you try joining?", Miu asked.

"Yes, I'll definitely join. Oh but... Master may think that it is still too early for me.", Surk was getting anxious.

"it's alright. I'm sure Master Caim will let you join if you ask him", Miu said while giving Surk a smile.

"Yeah, I'll do my best and ask master. Thanks again Miu.", Surk said. After waving goodbye, he went outside the shop to buy the supplies he was ordered to find, and look for his master after that.

In the middle of the city where merchants could be seen selling various items, people from different places and of various professions crowded the area. Among them, a person with long hair, a feminine face, a slim body and a sword on their waist was haggling with one of the merchants.

'Finally I have bought all the items that we need for only 12 gold. Miu gave me 31 gold so there's still a lot left. I better find master soon and give it to him.', Surk thought while walking toward the south gate of the city where he was supposed to wait.

While passing through one of the less crowded streets of the city, he saw a woman being dragged by three burly men into one of the dark alleys heading west. A young woman with short hair and a tall man beside her followed them.

Sensing something is wrong, Surk tried to look for help but found that there was only an old woman and two children on the street. Seeing that the woman was being dragged deep further, Surk had no choice but to follow them alone.

In the dark alley, a young woman was vigorously struggling against her captors.

"Let me go. What do you want?", the young woman said to the short red haired woman in front of her.

"Well why don't you start by handing us all of your money and jewelry. Unless if you want something bad to happen to you~", said the red haired woman while grinning.

"Y-You tricked me. You s-said that", the young woman stammers in fear.

"Well it's your fault for getting tricked. So what's it gonna be?", the red haired woman said.

'Good, I caught up with them', Surk thought as he saw them in the alley. He hid himself in a corner and observed the situation.

"I don't have any money with me so let me go!", the young woman screamed.

"Well, that's unfortunate. I guess we'll have to check whether you are telling the truth or not by searching you~", the red haired woman said as she mischievously smiled.

'Tch, I guess I'll have to do it.' Surk thought as he left the items on the corner, drew his sword, and rushed at the back of the red haired woman.

Note: Next chapter will be posted next week. For those who have taken the time to read this, thank you for reading it. I've been busy reading "12 kingdoms" so it may be delayed.