Single Spell Sorcerer
Chapter 104: Invitation

Chapter 104: Invitation

Jax tried to remember where that piece of knowledge had come from, but as far as he could tell, it was nowhere. He had just assumed such a thing, just because he had learned that there were 3 bosses in the forest.

"Wait, I thought that because the forest is so massive, it spawned all 3 bosses at once."

"It doesn’t, despite how large the forest is," Mel said. "That’s why I said your issue is just as bad as mine."

Jax couldn’t help but worry now. "But I..."

He couldn’t even defeat it right now. He was too weak at 4-Star stage to defeat such a boss. He would need some help.

"Could you defeat the boss?" Jax asked. "You’re 1-Star Emerald too, aren’t you?"

"I’m not a monster who can fight a boss one-on-one," Mel said. "I will die."

"I’ll help. I’ll support you. You just need to deal the damage," Jax said.

"Even if I could do that, why should I?" Mel asked. "I have my own issues, remember? I need to complete this bloody quest of mine."

Jax worried. He needed her help.

"Let me help you with that if I can," Jax said. "I’ll help you, and you help me."

Mel sank into a thought. Could they help each other in this matter? She certainly didn’t think so, but if she could...

"I need to earn 2500 Opal stones and give it to the Iron Hermit in order to complete my quest. Could you help me do that?" she asked.

"2500?" Jax asked, flabbergasted. That was so much money. "I only have about 200 on me right now. Even less now that I have to pay you."

"Well, that’s the issue sadly," she said. "I need 2500 Opal stones."

"But why?" Jax asked. "What are you getting in return for it?"

"A rather amazing Spell from what he’s promised me," Mel said. "I would rather not say right now."

Jax frowned for a bit. With how much he was earning, gathering 2500 in about 2 months would be no issue at all. But, did he really want to earn all of that, just to give it to her?

Did he really want her to join his party that much?

I do, Jax thought. Having someone that can look after our weapons and armors, and even upgrade them as required would be a huge boon. Not to mention, she can make Spell Slots. Those are supposed to be very difficult. I want her.

"If I give you the 2500 stones, will you join my party?" he asked.

Mel stared at him. "Do you want me in your party that much?" she asked.

"Yes," Jax said with a resolute look on his face. It was as if he had never wanted anything as much, ever.

Mel looked at his expression and sombered herself. "I’m flattered, but I cannot just take your stones," she said. "The hermit requires that I earn each one of the stones I pay him. And I must earn them only by making equipment for other people."

"All 2500 must come from equipment?" Jax asked, surprised.

"Yes, that’s why it’s so difficult," she said. "It will take me so much longer."

Jax frowned. "How much have you gathered?" he asked.

Mel chuckled. "Believe it or not, but you’re only my third customer. And since I had to spend the stones I had for my food and stay, I will only have collected about 40 by the end of it."

Jax’s eyes widened. "Only... only 40?" he asked.

She nodded.

"What about the rest of your earnings?" he asked. "You should have hunted a few monsters here and there, right?"

"I did," she said. "But I had to spend it all when I came to learn how to make weapons and armors here. You won’t believe the amount of equipment I have in my Inventory right now. It’s teeming with all the weapons I’ve made throughout my training here."

"I see. And do you not intend to go hunt once in a while?" he asked. "That would be good, wouldn’t it?"

"Maybe, but I’m earning as much as I would from my hunt anyway, so there’s no point."

"Huh? You’re making other equipment too? I thought you were only working on my armor."

"I am. That’s what I meant."

"But you can earn a lot in the forest, you know. I’ve been earning 40 on average for the past 2 days. You are stronger, so you should be able to earn even more than that."

"40?" Mel’s eyes widened. "Aren’t you working with a party?"

"I am," Jax said.

"And they’re splitting equally?"

"Yes. The leader gets a bit extra sometimes, but otherwise equally."

"And you’re still earning 40 on average?"

"Ah! Sorry, I should’ve clarified. I butcher the beasts and bring back items to sell to the Wine Hermit. That’s how I’ve been averaging 40. Otherwise, a regular day would be 25."

"25? That’s still a lot," Mel said. "You must be fighting, what, 30 monsters a day to get that? If each monster takes around 10 minutes to find and kill, that’s still 5 hours of non-stop battle. And I was being way too generous with my assessment too. How are you managing to kill so many consistently?"

Jax thought for a moment. He tried to think how long it took them on average to defeat every monster.

On average, the beasts that they killed faster were the ones that couldn’t move, which was usually because of his spell. Monsters such as the Cinder Ants and the Seven-Crowned Treant took longer to kill since he couldn’t bind them with his spell.

"I suppose it’s because of me," he said in the end, realizing. "I’m partly the reason we’re doing it all so quickly."

"You?" Mel asked, a somewhat skeptical look on her face. But when she thought about how he had gotten a 3-Star ticket all by himself, she felt herself being persuaded by the argument.

"Alright then, if by the time I am done with my quest, you’re still willing to take me as a member in your party, I will do it."