Chapter 24: Going

The alarm sounded in Jerry’s ears as he tugged and pulled at his sheets. It was now 12 AM, the time he set the alarm for a few hours ago. Jerry picked up his phone before shutting the alarm off. He decided he could wait five more minutes before he did something productive. Then, five minutes became ten, and ten turned into a knock on his door.

“Jerry, breakfast has been prepared. Would you like to join?” Klein asked.

‘Fuck’

“Yea, I’ll be out in a minute” Jerry responded.

“We also have your old clothing. Would you like that as well?”

“Yes please”

“I will leave it on your desk”

Klein then entered the room and set down the clothing Jerry came into this world with on the desk before quickly leaving the room.

Jerry rubbed his eyes before sitting up on his bed, stretching his arms out.

He got on his two feet before taking his vest off by ripping the Velcro that was on the chest. He started by raising a layer that held the magazines before ripping the right strap off before taking it off by lifting it above his head and propping it against the wall. Jerry took the headset off and put it down on the table and then left the room.

He looked around before remembering a slight problem. He had no idea where the dining hall was. Jerry wandered the halls before stumbling upon Klein again.

“Hey, Klein. Can you lead me to the dining hall?” Jerry asked.

“Follow me” He said before walking down the hall with Jerry following.

“How do you remember this large place?”

“It’s quite simple. The second floor, the one we’re on has lodging for guests is a large square in the center while the other rooms such as the Throne Room, Kitchen, Dining Hall, and entrance have a hallway on each side. The ball room is on the third floor along with dressing rooms. The first floor has guards and an armory.

“Got it. Thanks”

They soon approached a turn down another hallway.

“Down this hall and you’ll find the Dining Hall. I have other matters I must attend to” Klein said.

“Thanks. See you soon” Jerry said as he walked down the hall, giving Klein a wave.

He soon arrived to a long wooden table with maids and butlers standing near the perimeter of the room while the King, Emile, Larmen, and all the others sat at the table. Everyone was having a nice conversation, laughing and joking with each other. However, Jerry didn’t feel like he fit in. It felt like they were part of Larmen’s party, not his. Jerry sat on the opposite end and beckoned a servant over.

“Is there anything you’d like, Hero Jerry?” The servant asked.

“Can I get a sandwich?”

“I’m sorry?”

‘Wait, this is a medieval fantasy. Do they even have sliced bread?’

“Do you have sliced bread?”

“We have sliced loafs of bread, if that is what you’re asking”

Jerry sighed before burying his face into his hands.

“Just take me to the kitchen” Jerry said, his voice muffled through his hands.

“I’m sure we can make it if you tell us what to do” The servant replied.

“It’s easier if I made it. Now, take me to the promised land”

“As you wish. Follow me”

Jerry sat up from his chair and followed the servant down the halls to to kitchen. The kitchen seemed to be fairly now that it was breakfast and there were guests. A round man then approached Jerry and took his hat off as he came closer.

“H-Hero Jerry! Why are you here?” The man asked.

“Who’re you?” Jerry replied.

“I’m Head Chef Poel. I run this kitchen”

“I see. Well, I’m making my own food”

“We can make it for you, I’m sure”

“It’s something you don’t know how to make. Besides, I’m not into this, fancy breakfast you guys will probably make”

“A-As you wish. Is there anything you would like to help you?”

“Yea. A loaf of bread, knife, egg, ham, butter a stove and cheese”

“I will prepare it immediately. You can take the stove right there” The chef then pointed to an unlit stove.

“Thank you”

Jerry then approached the stove and looked around for a pan. He found an assortment of pans of all shapes and sizes ranging from big and small lined on the wall. He found a spatula that he could use for the eggs. Chef Poel then came and gave Jerry the ingredients, laying them out on a table next to the stove.

“Poel, can you light the stove for me?”

“Of course!”

Poel then opened the stove and took out a flint and steel before striking it multiple times, sparking a flame under the stove.

“Thanks”

“No problem”

Jerry then took a small pan, the size of the bread and placed it on the stove. He took the butter and cut a piece off before putting it in the pan and waited for it to start sizzling. When it did, Jerry moved the pan around, causing the butter to coat the surface of the pan in a shiny, slippery layer of oil. When he had finished, the butter was no more and he cracked the egg and placed it in a bowl. He scrambled the raw egg, causing the egg’s yolk to be distributed. He then poured the bowl out onto the pan, causing the egg to start sizzling and cook.

As he waited, Jerry took the loaf of bread and cut it on it’s side, splitting the bread a bit, giving Jerry two long, thin slices of bread instead of two short and thick ones.

Jerry thought about what he was gonna do with the ham since he didn’t think that it would pair well with the egg and cheese.

“Fuck it” Jerry muttered under his breath as he flipped the egg over, now cooking the other side and exposing a golden yellow now face up.

He took a plate and placed the bread on it before laying the ham down on the bread. He took some cheese and distributed along the center of the egg before wrapping the cheese with the egg that was above and below it, making a rectangle shaped egg. He took the spatula and placed it on the ham, making it a ham, egg, cheese hoagie or something.

He then took the plate and went to the Dining Hall, walking down the hallway with food in hand. As he arrived, he noticed that the rest of them had already finished their breakfast and were discussing things. He sat down where he originally say and ate silently throughout his meal. Each bite had the taste of ham, cheese, and egg that didn’t quite mix well as the flavors of ham and egg were too strong and the cheese leaving a horrible aftertaste. Jerry was only able to eat half of it before he couldn’t bear it any longer.

“Ah, Jerry. Your reward is waiting for you in your room” the King said across the room.

“Thank you. I take my leave now” Jerry said as he stood up.

“I will come with you as well” Kasune said as she also stood up.

“Then so will I!” A commander said.

Soon, all the commanders, Alice and Falk stood up.

Jerry looked at them, before sighing.

“You guys enjoy your time here. I’ll be fine”

Falk looked at Jerry, with a worried look on her face. Falk decided to speak up about it.

“Jerry, are you ok-”

“I’m fine, Falk. If you excuse me, I will take my leave”

Jerry promptly left the room, causing everyone that was standing up, to sit down.

He could hear Larmen’s party whispering as he left but ignored it as he went to his room. He entered his room, he found a stack of 6 bars of a green metal on his desk.

Jerry took a bar and approached the fabricator and decided to tinker around with it. He flipped through the menus to find things he could use, or find to hold the bars.

Storage

Fabricate

Test Materials

Jerry found this while tinkering around, finding a function tab.

He selected Test Materials and tossed the bar in.

Element Known.

Orichalcum

Weight Class: Light

Durability: 7/10

Characteristics:

-Easy to forge with

-Hard when cold

-Soft when heated

-Green tint

-Hard to dull if in a blade

-Resistant to kinetic energy

Jerry looked over the information before closing the fabricator and taking the Orichalcum out and placing it back on the stack. Jerry opened his backpack and looked for room so he could put the metal in but found little. He then remembered the storage function the Fabricator had and decided to use that. As he selected the option, he put the bars of metal into the Fabricator and found it worked nicely.

A knock on his door sounded and Jerry answered it.

“Please come with me. We will be announcing the death of the Demon Lord and having a ceremony” Klein said.

Jerry nodded and followed Klein down the halls, to the third floor. When Jerry arrived, he found everyone there, sitting in chairs while a stage in front of them. On the stage, there was the King sitting on a gold decorated chair with another empty one next to him.

“Have a seat please” Klein said.

Jerry took a seat near the front right side while everyone else sat to the left side, chatting to each other. Jerry closed his eyes for a moment to find the faces of the men he was entrusted with. He remembers the Demon Lord’s Throne Room littered with the corpses of his men and the undead’s. Jerry opened his eyes quickly, giving a thousand yard stare at the ground.

Soon, nobles filled the room, many trying to sit next to Larmen’s party but as the room filled, the seats got filled. The King then rose from his seat and faced the crowd.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to thank each and everyone of you all for attending an important mark on history. Recently, Larmen’s party had returned from their trip to the frontlines, in attempt to defeat the Demon Lord.” The King said.

‘I’m sorry?’

“With the help of everyone, we were able to slay the Demon Lord, brining peace and prosperity to our lands. Now, I would like to congratulate one man in particular for their valiant efforts to the cause.” The King continued.

‘Yes, Yes’

“That would be”

‘Yes! Yes! Yes!’

“Larmen”

‘Excuse me, what the fuck?’

Larmen then stood up and got on stage, taking a seat next to the King while the nobles clapped.

“Larmen, what do you have to say on your adventures to the frontline to defeat the Demon Lord?” The King asked.

“It was difficult. But, with Emile in my heart and the Empire by my side, I was able to slay the Demon Lord” Larmen said.

Jerry stood up and faced the crowd.

“I apologize, I must see myself out” Jerry said as he left.

Jerry quickly moved out of the room, with silent footsteps as the ceremony continued.

Jerry soon arrived to his room, finding things scattered about the room. He packed up his things and put his equipment back on. He slipped into his vest and put the strap back on under the flap that held the magazines and then put his headset on. He picked up his helmet and put it on, before sliding the visor down into a locked position.

He was gonna leave the Royal Palace today and set out into an adventure that he could call his own, leaving everyone behind. Really, he was gonna get a job or something that involved things that were dangerous.

“Where’re you going?” A voice asked.

Jerry turned behind him to find Klein standing at the door.

“Away. From here” Jerry said as he put his backpack on.

“Anywhere specific?” Klein asked.

“Nope. Just, somewhere. Out there”

“Are you angry about something?”

“No, I’m not angry Klein? What makes you say that? It’s not like thousands of soldiers died because of the Demon Lord in a battle he didn’t join, that I did all the work for. What makes you think I’m angry?” Jerry said sarcastically.

“Look, the King said can’t have you as the Hero. No one in the Empire likes you.”

“That’s why I’m leaving. So they don’t have to like me”

Klein looked at Jerry. Jerry stared back, through the visor and into Klein.

“Look, is there som-” Klein was cut off.

“There’s nothing you need to do. I’m off now. Goodbye, Klein”

“Goodbye, Jerry”

Jerry then went to the window and blinked himself into the Royal Gardens, then the Royal Palace’s wall, and then into the streets of the Empire. He listened closely to what he was hearing.

“Travel to the Imperial Kingdom!”

“Adventurer’s Guild now taking recruits!”

“You hear about news about the Demon Lord being slayed?”

“Anyone wanna do some dirty work?”

Jerry walked down the streets, towards the Adventurer’s Guild.

‘ This is a good way to start something, right?’

The Adventurer’s Guild had a picture of two swords crossing each other in front of a shield outside. Jerry entered the door and as he entered the Adventurer’s Guild, he found that it was full of people. Some were looking at job boards, at the reception offices turning in quests or taking quests.

Jerry went towards a open reception office to ask questions about how the Adventurer’s Guild worked. As he got to the reception, he was greeted with a cheery voice.

“Welcome to the Adventurer’s Guild! How can I help?” She asked.

“Can you tell me how the Guild works?”

“Of course! We work everywhere. Empire, Imperial, Elf, Dark Elf, and more! We operate independently from the governments and we have out own rules but once you apply, you can work with the rest of the Guilds from all over. You can do jobs and complete them for rewards but harder ones require a minimum rank”

‘Just like I expected’

“Great, I’d like to apply”

The receptionist then took a piece of paper from under the desk and placed it on her desk.

“Name?” She asked.

Jerry thought of a name but nothing came to mind.

“Can it be a nickname?”

“Later. Right now, I need your first name”

“Uhh, Larry”

“Okay, Larry. Your nickname?”

“Foxtrot”

“Weird. But okay”

The receptionist then wrote the information on the paper she brought out before putting casting it away to the side.

“I also need to see your face” She said.

“No thanks” Jerry responded.

“What?”

“What’s there to what?”

“I need to see your face”

“Why?”

“Identification purposes”

“I’m fine”

“How will we identify you?”

“My helmet works”

The receptionist looked at Jerry’s helmet before nodding.

“Fair enough”

She then took out a paper document that resembled a passport. It was somewhat thick, maybe an inch thick but had somewhat thick paper.

“Here is your identification paper. The Guild imbued it with magic so it is bound to you” She said

“So, you didn’t need to see my face?”

“No, I was just curious”

Jerry sighed before taking the paper document.

“Anything else?” Jerry asked.

“If you want to take a job, take the paper off the board and bring it to the receptionist. If it has a red star, that means you just ask the receptionist about it instead of taking it since they’re open quests” She said.

Jerry then walked towards the Job Board and looked for something interesting.

-Slay 20 Goblins

-Bring Alkin Herbs

-Help Clean-up efforts

-Help the Dark Elves rebuild (Ride provided to the Dark Elf Forest)

-Help the Elves rebuild(Ride provided to the Elven Nation)

-Help the Imperial Kingdom rebuild (Ride provided to the Imperial Kingdom)

-Help the Empire rebuild

-Slay demon remnants

There was nothing that Jerry wanted to do so he went outside to look for the person that was selling rides to the Imperial Kingdom.

Jerry quickly found him and payed the two silver toll and off they went, to the Imperial Nation.