I Have a Task Log

「The morning of the third day.」

Colin woke up, and after washing up, he began to organize his equipment.

His Armor had been taken care of. After Langgrin’s work, the Arm Guards, Shoulder Guards, and Greaves were in near-perfect condition.

The forged and polished Armor Plates fit together seamlessly and didn’t hinder his movement in the slightest.

The biggest improvement of all, however, was the Helmet.

After all, a solid plate of iron was much better than the old Viking Helmet with its Chain Armor components. Moreover, the modified Dog-faced Helmet could even provide a degree of night vision.

Aside from the limited field of view with the Face Mask down, it was practically flawless.

Since his Plate Armor Chest Guard was still the same Muscle Armor, the entire set wasn’t excessively heavy. At the very least, Colin didn’t feel it interfered with his spellcasting.

With this full set of upgrades, his total Defense had reached seven points.

The Plated Chain Armor originally provided eight points of Defense, so this modification meant sacrificing some of its defensive properties in exchange for flexibility.

Brand-new Armor, Tier Three Magic, and the recently acquired Magic Equipment, [Burning Blood]—Colin had truly traded up his arsenal.

He had given the replaced components to Langgrin and his crew to cover the cost of two Crystals and the modification fees, which was more than a fair trade.

Once his equipment was in order, Colin slung his backpack on and headed downstairs.

Just as he got to the stairwell, Ale happened to be opening her door.

She was wearing a light green Magic Robe with a golden leaf pattern, along with loose white pants and a pair of sturdy Leather Boots.

The Heavy Crossbow and Crossbow Arrows she had bought a few days prior were hanging from the side of her backpack, positioned just within her reach.

Meanwhile, Ale was also holding a Magic Staff.

The Magic Staff was topped with a fist-sized Crystal Ball. Inside the sphere was a beating heart, and below it, the shaft was made of twisted oak that extended downward, looking as if it had grown that way naturally.

This was the piece of equipment the Dwarves had recently concocted; the heart of White Frost was embedded at the top of the Magic Staff.

Colin, for his part, was quite curious how they had managed to shrink such a large heart down to that size.

[Bear Heart Staff / Uncommon Magic Staff]

[Damage: 2.5-7.5]

[Frost Gaze: The wielder can use the Cantrip "Ray of Frost."]

[Heart of Frost: Increases cold Damage dealt by the wielder by 1-4 points.]

Only Ale in their party could deal cold Damage, and she was the only one suited to using this Magic Staff. After all, Colin couldn’t wield a sword and a staff at the same time, so the weapon was practically made for her.

So far, this was the only piece of equipment the Dwarves had managed to finish; the other items were still a work in progress.

Orelia emerged right behind her.

She was still wearing her Studded Leather Armor, with the Kite Shield on her back.

However, she had replaced her previous Nail Head Hammer with [Dawn Messenger], that ornate, flower-like Leaf Hammer.

This piece of Magic Equipment would further enhance her healing abilities. Combined with the Tier Two Divine Skill she had recently learned, she was sure to handle her role as the team’s support perfectly.

Additionally, both women had a sleeping bag, purchased in the last couple of days, strapped to their backpacks.

This put Colin’s mind at ease, at least a little.

’He hadn’t said anything, but back when they were out in the wilderness, he’d felt a bit self-conscious. The two girls could just wrap themselves in their Cloaks to sleep, while he still needed a sleeping bag.’

"Let’s go. First, we’ll meet up with Kase."

With that, Colin nodded to the two women and led them out of the apartment building.

On Bob’s recommendation, Kase had found a decent enough house in a corner of the Dock District. Its only downside was its remote location; it was a long walk to the main road, so it was unlikely the Half-Orc would be the first to arrive this time.

It would be a few more days before a house was ready for Orelia, so for now, she was staying with Ale.

When they reached the meeting spot, the towering figure was, as expected, nowhere in sight.

The group decided to each buy a wrap and stood by the roadside, enjoying the sea breeze while they waited for Kase.

Just as Colin was teasing a seagull with his wrap, the Half-Orc came swaggering around the street corner.

The guy was holding a piece of black bread stuffed with grilled fish in one hand and clutching a few meat skewers in the other, all while taking huge bites as he walked toward them.

Bits of food flew from his tusk-filled mouth as he chewed, causing nearby pedestrians to glance over frequently, curious about the Half-Orc’s boisterous eating habits.

Kase swallowed a huge mouthful and asked, "We leaving?"

"Dorn’s not here yet," Colin said.

The Half-Orc grunted a couple of times and went back to his meal. ’The guy doesn’t even spit out the bones when he eats grilled fish,’ Colin thought. ’I wonder what his gullet is even made of.’

After another little while, Dorn finally sauntered up with his pack, his arrival heralded by the tolling of a nearby bell.

Colin watched Dorn amble over.

The man wore a suit of Studded Leather Armor, with a Dagger and an assortment of bottles and jars hanging from his waist. The Medicated Bandage across his chest was stuffed with unknown Potions, and two black crowbars were strapped to his backpack.

He looked at the group and asked, "Didn’t you say nine o’clock this morning? Why are you all here early? In any case, I’m right on time."

"Force of habit," Colin said, finishing the last of his wrap and shooing away the unsuccessful seagull. "Let’s go. To the Gate of the Undercity."

The group shouldered their packs and headed toward the tavern.

After Ale and Orelia gave the seagull a few scraps of food, they hurried to catch up.

The group arrived at the rowdy Gate of the Undercity and, as was their custom, ordered a round of beers before finding a table on the second floor.

Dorn downed half his beer in one go, then slammed the mug on the table with a THUD. Foam clung to his snow-white beard, making it hard to tell where the whiskers ended and the suds began.

Feeling refreshed, Dorn bellowed, "Alright, you lummoxes, your vacation is over! Check your gear!"

The party immediately bent over their backpacks, checking their personal supplies like rations and bandages.

In addition to his Ordinary equipment, Colin had also bitten the bullet and spent fifty gold coins on a [Healing Potion]—a little life insurance for himself.

A moment later, the gear check was complete.

Just as Colin was about to lead his companions to the counter, an uninvited guest carrying a Lute on his back walked over and casually sat down at their table.

The Wandering Poet smiled and asked, "Ladies and gentlemen, I have a job for you. Are you interested?"

"I think you should start with an introduction," Colin said.

The Wandering Poet placed his right hand on the table. With a flick of his fingers, a small metal plate engraved with a five-stringed emblem flashed for an instant before vanishing.

"To be honest, I thought the fact that this tavern is crawling with agents from various organizations was an open secret. Most of the stereotypes prove true here."

"One can’t be too careful," Colin said. "What’s the job?"