Adventurer of Many Professions

As dusk settled over the quiet street outside, a warm golden glow filled the small townhouse. Inside the kitchen, the sound of a knife rhythmically chopping against a cutting board echoed softly.

Arya stood by the counter, slicing beef with practiced precision. The savory aroma of spices already danced through the air.

"You know," she said with a playful sigh, "ever since I awakened as an Archer, cutting things has gotten so much easier."

Raymond, seated comfortably at the guest table, leaned back and smiled. "Makes sense. With the class awakening, your arm strength definitely improved. It's no wonder slicing meat feels like a breeze now."

He remembered the old days, how she used to struggle when cutting tougher cuts or splitting bones. Back then, he'd always step in to help. But things were different now. She was growing stronger, and it showed in more ways than one.

"But don't forget, these knives are part of the reason too!" Arya grinned, holding the kitchen knife up with pride and giving it a theatrical twirl through the air.

Raymond chuckled. "True enough."

A while back, he'd taken the old kitchen knives to Pierre's Blacksmith Shop. But instead of just getting them sharpened, he rebuilt them from scratch, improving their quality using his own Forging skill. The blades were now sharper, more balanced and technically, they were better than the starter weapons sold to new adventurers.

If someone knew how to fight, they could probably slay low-level monsters with one of these "kitchen" knives.

"If they're working well, then I guess it was worth the effort," Raymond said, a trace of pride in his voice.

To a craftsman, there was no better reward than hearing someone praise their creation, especially if that person was using it daily. And though Raymond was much more than a craftsman now, that satisfaction never faded.

Half an hour later, dinner was ready.

The table was soon filled with plates of steaming beef stew, sautéed root vegetables, and fresh bread. Arya and Raymond sat down across from each other, the candlelight softening the world around them.

As they began eating, Raymond glanced up. "So… how did it feel? Your first commission with us?"

Arya paused mid-bite, then tapped her chin thoughtfully with her spoon. "Hmm… Let me think…"

She looked up at the ceiling as if searching for the right words. The way she furrowed her brow and pouted slightly was unexpectedly cute, and Raymond didn't interrupt, just watched her with a small smile.

"Well," Arya began slowly, "I was super nervous at first. I mean, when I first showed up with you guys and saw all those people whispering and watching... I was freaking out inside."

She gave a sheepish laugh. "I knew of your team, of course, just bits and pieces I'd overheard on the road or at the temple. I didn't realize how well-known you were until I saw it for myself."

Raymond raised a brow slightly. "So you were happy to join because we're... famous?"

Arya shook her head quickly. "No! I mean, okay, maybe that was a tiny part of it, but really, it's because you are in the team."

Raymond blinked. "Me?"

Arya blushed, her words coming out faster. "Yeah, I mean… even if your team wasn't famous, I'd still be thrilled to join just because I get to be with you. That's what really makes me happy."

For a moment, Raymond was speechless. Arya's honesty caught him off guard, it was rare for her to be so direct. He looked at her, unsure whether to smile or say something, but she quickly moved on, flustered.

"Anyway! About the mission…"

She cleared her throat. "I was nervous again when we saw that flock of Red-Eyed Crows. I had no idea what to expect. And when you said you were going to sneak into the building alone, I was terrified. You left me, Sylph, and Lorene to deal with the whole swarm outside! I didn't even know how strong Sylph and Lorene were. You never told me!"

Raymond winced slightly, but Arya didn't sound angry, just earnest.

"I was scared for you... and scared for us," she continued. "But then, Sylph and Lorene acted so calm, like they had everything under control. And you, your plan was detailed, thought-out. Slowly, my nerves started to fade."

She smiled at the memory.

"When Lorene used her Blessing of Courage, something really changed. I felt braver… clearer. Like the fear just melted off me. Then Sylph unleashed her Explosion Magic and—bam! wiped out half the courtyard. I've heard about Explosion Magic before, but seeing it in action? It was insane!"

Raymond nodded, pleased. "Yeah, Sylph's not to be underestimated."

"But then," Arya went on, her voice dropping slightly, "when one of the Red-Eyed Crows dove at us… I fired, but it dodged. I panicked. Sylph had just used her spell and was drained, and Lorene was still helping her recover with a potion. I was the only one standing. If that crow had reached them..."

She trailed off, but the tension in her words lingered.

"Then you did something that changed everything," she said quietly. "You didn't kill the leader right away. You forced it to scream. The chaos that caused made the others falter, and that one crow, it lost balance just for a second."

She grinned brightly. "I took the shot and hit it. Nailed it. That feeling; Raymond, it was amazing."

Raymond's smile deepened as he listened. This was what it meant to grow. Arya had faced fear and doubt head-on and come out stronger.

"I'm proud of you," he said, simply.

Arya looked at him, her expression softening. She didn't say anything this time. She just smiled, and for a while, they ate in peaceful silence, side by side, a little closer than before.

As the soft glow of candlelight flickered around the room, Arya leaned back in her chair, a satisfied smile on her lips after finishing her meal.

"You know," she said, tapping her chopsticks against her plate, "back then, I didn't realize you meant to distract the Red-Eyed Crow leader. We were all ready to rush in and help you… but by the time we got there, you'd already wrapped everything up."

She chuckled, the memory clearly fresh in her mind.

"Now that I think about it, you really had everything planned, Raymond. No wonder Sylph and Lorene looked so relaxed when we were figuring things out, they were just waiting for you to take charge, huh?"

Raymond smiled faintly, leaning his elbow on the table as he watched her speak. Her enthusiasm was infectious.

"In the end," Arya continued, "the mission was actually kind of… exciting! I mean, sure, it felt dangerous when that Red-Eyed Crow dodged my arrow, but thinking back, with Lorene's Blessing of Courage, even if one got close, we probably could've handled it."

She gave a sheepish laugh, scratching her cheek. "Hehe… I guess I was more nervous than I needed to be."

Raymond was a little surprised by how vividly Arya recalled every moment. But he was also impressed. She hadn't just remembered what happened, she'd felt every part of it.

"It sounds like your first mission wasn't so terrifying after all," he said with a grin.

Arya nodded. "Yeah! You and Sylph took care of most of the heavy lifting anyway. But I'll be honest, this mission really opened my eyes to just how powerful Explosion Magic is. I finally get why people rave about it!"

Her eyes sparkled as she spoke, and Raymond could tell she meant it. That one spell had left a lasting impression.

She wasn't alone.

Raymond remembered the stunned faces of the villagers in Budak Village, too. At the time of the explosion, they had felt only the shockwave and rumble. But when they reached the central square and saw the crater left behind, their jaws dropped.

He'd watched it happen, the shift in their eyes. Where once there had been curiosity and cautious respect for Sylph, now there was fear. Quiet, trembling fear.

No one dared mention the hole she'd blasted into their precious square. Not even the chief. All official discussion happened at arm's length, and everyone else kept their distance from her after that.

That wasn't just because Sylph was an awakened magic user. It was because she wielded something devastating, Explosion Magic. And everyone now knew what it could do.

"I still remember the first time I saw her use it," Raymond said, his voice lower. "It was on our first commission. I was cornered in a sewer, swarmed by mutant rats. If it weren't for that explosion, I'd be bones in the dark right now."

Arya's eyes widened.

"It's true," Raymond went on with a slight grimace. "I was way in over my head. Hundreds of them; small, fast, coordinated. The leader was massive. And I couldn't outrun them. I was seconds away from being devoured when Sylph dropped her spell."

He exhaled, recalling the way the blast had rattled the stone walls and filled the tunnels with heat and smoke.

"If she hadn't known Explosion Magic or if she hesitated, I wouldn't be here. That was the turning point for me."

Arya listened quietly, her fingers wrapped around her cup of tea.

"That's why that commission was ranked Bronze Level even though the monsters weren't strong," Raymond explained. "They were weak individually, but there were so many of them. Swarming enemies like that are exactly what Explosion Magic counters best."

She nodded slowly, taking it all in. "So… from Porcelain to Bronze, most monsters travel in packs?"

"Exactly," Raymond said. "Strength in numbers. That's why we don't see too many lone predators until we reach Silver-level commissions. They act alone or maybe in small groups."

He looked thoughtful for a moment before adding, "But that's still a long way off for us."

Arya smiled faintly. "Still… your first commission sounds terrifying. You and Sylph had no one to rely on but each other. Me? I had three experienced Black Iron teammates backing me up."

She shook her head and laughed lightly. "Honestly, compared to you two, I feel like I had it easy."

Raymond gave a wry smile. "Yeah, after that sewer mission, nothing else ever felt too dangerous. It taught me to be careful. To plan ahead for every commission like my life depended on it, because it did."

He looked up at the clock, then rose from his seat and began gathering the dishes. "Alright, I should head out. I need to meet the buyer and check how many materials he was able to collect. I'll need them to brew more mana recovery potions."

Arya quickly stood. "I've got the dishes! Go ahead, I'll clean up here."

Raymond gave her a thankful nod. "I won't be long."

As he stepped toward the door, Arya called out one last time, "Be careful out there!"

He looked back and gave a small smile. "Always."

Then the door shut behind him, leaving Arya alone in the cozy warmth of the home they now shared, thinking about how far they'd both come, and how far they still had to go.