After going back from the castle, I began to ask around all of the shops to see if they are hiring. Luckily, when I went to the place I had dinner at the night before, they were hiring. I asked them for a job and they gave me one. When the place was busy, I was a server, when the place wasn't as busy, I would wash some dishes in the back. It wasn't an extravagant job, but it paid 3 copper an hour, and money is money. I worked 10 hours a day, and I spent the rest of my free time trying to learn how to harness my aura. After about a week of work I realized that I need to get some new clothes. I went into the city square and bought a clean tunic with some pants and a fresh pair of undergarments. One day after about 2 months had passed of working every day, I was serving a group of rowdy adventurers when one of them called out to me. "Hey, little man, have you ever thought about becoming a mercenary like us?" he said half-drunkenly. "Don't pick on the boy." another man at the table interjected. "It's a fine job though kid, even though it is very risky." The second man continued. "You can make far more than whatever being a server at this place makes ya."
The drunk man said. "I might do it eventually, but for now I am saving up money." I answered honestly. "Oh yeah? Well then, when you do join, meet us back here some time and we would be glad to take you under our wing, we needed a new guy anyways since our last guy... well lets just say he quit." The second guy said curiously then somewhat solemnly at the end. I was going to speak more when my boss spoke up. "Gideon, I don't pay you to talk to the customers!" He shouted loudly. "Sorry, I'll get back to work!" I replied unhappily while sounding compliant. "Well, my names Gideon, nice meeting you all." I said. "Nice meeting you too bud." The drunk man said. I went back to my hotel and counted up all that I had saved until now.
I started with 26 silver, made 30 copper a day everyday for 60 days, and my hotel costs 17 copper a night. The hotel cost went down because I switched locations to a smaller place. Overall, I made 18 silver from work, I spent 10 silver and 20 copper on my hotel, and I also spent 7 silver on food costs over the 2 months. I spent 2 silver the month prior to get new clothes as my old ones were basically rags and were dirty. So overall, I started with 26 silver, and I ended with 24 silver and 80 copper. I lost money. I was distraught. "How the hell am I losing money, I busted my ass for months to gain money!" I thought to myself with anger and frustration. I realized that maybe those men were right. I might need to become a mercenary after all. I still haven't learned how to use aura yet, but I'll need to learn soon before I end up losing all of my money. I pressed on for another few months, trying to grasp the concept of using aura. eventually, I got.....nowhere. I tried at my hotel many times for hours at a time, but I just can't seem to grasp how to apply the aura and use it like that bandit I met many months ago.
I built up my resolve, and I went back to restaurant one last time as a worker there. "Boss." I said. "What's up Gideon?" He replied questioningly. "I am quitting, today is my last day." I said sternly. "Why would you quit this job? Everybody here likes you, heck- half of the customers come in just to see you!" He asked in disbelief. "I am going to become a mercenary." I said with all of the confidence in the world. "Oh, a mercenary." He said with a flat expression. "Kid, being a mercenary is very dangerous, you know that right?" He asked. "Yes, I am aware." I replied. "Let me tell you a story before you go." He said with a slightly sad face. "Alright." I said, seeing no reason not to hear him out.
"Once, many years ago, I was a mercenary just like those men you talked to a few months ago. I had my very own team too. I was a swordsman, my wife was an archer, and my brother in law was a fine mage. One day while on a simple D-Rank quest to slay a few golems right by the beach, our team's luck took a turn for the worse. We got in formation like normal, and we started picking off the golems one by one. When we got to the last one however, the ground started rumbling. A massive horde of fanged boar came straight towards us from the beach shore. Just one or two, heck- even 10 wouldn't be a problem for our team, since those were only E-Rank monsters which weren't that difficult to defeat. I suggested that the team retreat because there was too many, but my wife and brother in law chose otherwise. We tried to fight and we were winning at first by having the mage make a stone pillar for us to attack from. I couldn't do much for obvious reasons. Suddenly, the boars began to ram into the pillar one by one, and it started to shake and it fell. I survived the fall and began to try and get to my wife, but it was too late. My wife and brother in law got swarmed by the boars, and without me to protect them from physical attacks, they died and got mauled to death. I wish I could say that I avenged them, but I didn't. I ran, and I ran far away to escape the hoard. Later on after the horde left I went to try and salvage the bodies for a proper burial, but there wasn't even bones left. I was in despair. The people I cared about most just died overnight. I was too scared and too relaxed so I listened to the, to stay and fight. Honestly I feel that their deaths were my fault because I knew that we should not have tried to fight off the massive hoard with just the three of us. I made this tavern and I named it after her. That's how the Rose Tavern got it's name. It's also why I don't serve any boar meat here." He said, telling of his sorrowful past.
"To this day, I still think about it, and every year when the anniversary of their deaths arrives, I take the day off to grieve." He continued. "I see." I said with empathy. "Kid, just be careful out there, okay?" He said with tears welled up in his eyes. "Of course, sir." I replied. "It was nice knowing you." I said, ready to leave. "Nice knowing you too kid." He said, accepting that I was leaving. I left the tavern and went over to the local mercenary guild.