Theo quickly left the Mercenary Guild.

Standing outside he finally opened the bag he had received from the receptionist.

Inside was a dagger, some rye bread, two flasks filled with water and a low-quality health potion.

This was the most basic gear provided by the game if you sought it out. Of course, there were also some people, most of the time streamers, who did not go to the Mercenary Guild to receive this bonus, for the sake of making the beginning of the game a bit harder and more entertaining for their viewers.

But beyond that, there was not any real benefit from foregoing this bonus, since in the end, most people would join the Mercenary Guild anyway. That's what several guides on the internet assured Theo of when he was conducting some research in his free time.

So, Theo simply hung the simple dagger on his waist and put the remaining stuff into his inventory, separate this time, in that way, he wouldn't have to take out an entire bag just to get a piece of rye bread when his hunger meter got low.

Satisfied and feeling a little excited that the true adventure was about to start, Theo began walking down the street once more, and this time he did it slowly, actually looking around, to take in all the details of the town around him.

Who knows, maybe he would find something unusual and start a special quest?

Lining the streets stood wooden stalls with all kinds of different wares, most of them being adventuring equipment, while various plaques with symbols indicating smithies, inns, and restaurants hung on the walls, but towering over the countless different buildings was the pointy roof of a small church a bit further in the town. Theo even passed a well while strolling around a slightly more open area.

It was truly fascinating for a modern person like Theo.

It felt comforting, like the worlds of storybooks and fairy tales or if you wanted to go there, most fantasy isekais, nostalgically medieval without actually being medieval beyond the barest structure of monarchy, attire and architecture.

No doubt, if the world of 'Alreus' had been a realistic medieval fantasy and not just a fantasy game processed with the most realistic VR technology, it would have been much less successful.

Just thinking about how many of the players in 'Alreus' were entire families spending time and playing together, explained why the developers were so keen on keeping their world in order and family-friendly.

Theo thought to himself while leisurely opening the wooden door of the tailoring shop in front of him.

Ding!

A small bell rang following Theo entering, alerting the store owner to a customer's presence.

Theo could already hear the hurried and soft steps of the owner coming from the rooms in the back as he looked around, mesmerized by the sight of meticulously hand-sewn clothes all around him.

Especially the three elaborate and colorful dresses standing in the middle of the store caught his attention, which was, no doubt, deliberate.

He couldn't help himself from walking over to them, admiring the neat and even stitches that had been purposely covered by lace, ruffels and embroidery, appreciating the youthful but still elegant designs and awing at the beautiful choice of fabric.

They were truly works of art and these were just dresses found in a beginner town..., looking at them made him wonder, how much more beautiful would the gowns in Mirkwind's royal capital be?

Even just imagining it was enough to make Theo's heart hasten with excitement and his fingers itch with the urge to try his hand at sewing something like this himself.

Because this was the true reason Theo had joined 'Alreus'.

Not to have a brave adventure while fighting against frightening monsters or entering the nobles' chaotic world of intrigues and politics, he just wanted to sew clothes to his heart's content.

"What are you doing?"

Theo almost jumped at the sudden appearance of a harsh voice.

It was the store owner who had finally arrived.

He was a small man, almost an entire head shorter than Theo and Theo wasn't that tall to begin with, deep wrinkles ran through his face, revealing his advancing age along with his graying hair, his back also wasn't the straightest, bent by years of working while leaning over fabrics.

All in all, the man looked pretty old and fragile, but his bright brown eyes still shone with a kind of clarity and fierceness that even many younger people couldn't match and his outfit was neat to a fault, created to fit him perfectly.

And this elder man with an aura akin to a sharp pair of scissors, wasn't even trying to hide his displeasure as he looked at Theo.

Even before Theo could say anything, the shop owner continued ranting.

"If you won't buy anything leave!"

Once again, Theo felt the consequences of his lacking Reputation, but he still put on a friendly smile and greeted the shop owner.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Theodore, are you by chance the shop owner? Were you the one who sewed those beautiful dresses?"

Thinking that Theo was just wasting time, the shop owner stepped in front of the dresses while rolling his eyes and waving for Theo to go away.

"Yes, and you wouldn't be able to afford them anyway, so leave, I don't have time for this."

Theo instinctively took a step back when the owner moved between him and the gowns but he didn't let the other's hostile behavior discourage him.

"Oh, that's not it, I was just admiring your perfect handiwork and was wondering whether you would accept an apprentice?"

"Hah!", the owner laughed in response to Theo's words, his expression bemused as he opened his mouth," You know how to discern my skill? And you want to apply as an apprentice? Don't make me laugh, you probably don't know the first thing about tailoring!"

Now the owner grabbed Theo's shoulders, turning him around before he started pushing the latter out of the shop.

"I know your kind, you Travelers are just out to make a quick buck! And you want to start an apprenticeship that lasts several years? Hah!"

They finally reached the door and the owner abruptly let go of Theo's shoulders, making him stumble a bit while the owner pulled open the door, he then moved to kick out the unwanted guest but Theo hastily held onto the door frame.

"Please wait, I'm really serious about the apprenticeship, is there any way I can prove my sincerity to you?"

The owner halted his movements for a moment, staring at Theo in annoyance, but after finding not the hint of a lie on his face, he ultimately relented with a frustrated sigh.

"Fine, if you can raise your sewing, knitting and crocheting skills to Level 3 I will consider it, satisfied now?"

Theo wasn't even able to nod and thank the owner with a delighted expression before the other shut the door in his face.

The gust of wind generated by the door blew over Theo's face and through his hair, causing him to close his eyes in surprise.

And when he opened them again, a quest notice had appeared.

'Gustav, the owner of the Nortwind Tailor Shop in Nofferdorf, has agreed to make you his apprentice if you are able to raise your Sewing Skill, Knitting Skill and Crocheting Skill to Level 3.

This Quest does not have a time limit, but rewards will increase the sooner it is fulfilled.

Difficulty: *

Rewards: Apprenticeship at the Nortwind Tailor Shop, rise in Gustav's Favor'