My Protect skill can take my life but it can also help me flirt and make love with cold beauties!
Chapter 30: Royal Mage Akam

"Is there a better-paying job than what I have now?"

I bowed my head to Seira-san. After finishing the usual job of carrying goods, I decided to visit the armor shop and the skill shop.

The armor shop was the cheapest in town, offering a wide selection of used items. I was looking for a cheap-looking armor. Since I had Super Regeneration, I didn't prioritize defense power that much.

As long as it could prevent my clothes from tearing or getting soaked in blood, it would do. If I could find a tattered used piece, I could manage with it for a while and live within my means.

However, my body shape became a hindrance. There were only a few armors that fit my chubby body. Because of that, even the used ones were not priced very low.

There was also the option of having a tattered armor altered to fit my size, but that wasn't free either. In the end, realizing that I couldn't afford anything immediately, I left the armor shop.

While the armor shop had already reminded me of the harsh reality, the problem worsened when I visited the skill shop. The skill shops were divided into various branches based on skill types—warrior, magic user, healer, explorer, and so on.

I first visited the skill shop that seemed suitable for a warrior like me. As soon as I entered the shop, there were showcases displaying various blue stones of different sizes.

The back of the shop served as a training hall, while the courtyard was used as a practice area. It seemed that this place was meant to be used for testing the skills that had been taught.

When I asked the shopkeeper for an explanation of skill acquisition, they told me that these blue stones were used to mediate magical power and transmit the skills.

The amount of magical power required for acquisition varied depending on the skill, so stones of corresponding sizes were needed. However, the most important factor was the cost of skill acquisition.

Even the cheapest ones started from one gold coin, which was far beyond what I could afford right now. It seemed that there were slightly cheaper options for skills in other branches, but I was told that I would need at least five silver coins.

Currently, I only have one silver coin. With a daily profit of about one to three copper coins, at the current pace, it will take me around two months to gather enough funds for both armor and skills.

That's why I found myself back at the guild, bowing my head to Seira-san, explaining the situation.

"Well, let me see... Kazuya-san, you've become capable of defeating Lizard Cook, haven't you?" Seira-san flipped through a stack of papers she retrieved from under the counter.

Apart from the flag duo, Seira-san and the other cargo workers were happy that I had managed to defeat Lizard Cook. They never expected the once weak me to eventually defeat it.

"If your investigation in Est Forest is done, you can go for exploration…"

When it came to exploration spots for fledgling adventurers in this area, it seemed that Est Forest was the place to go.

When will this restriction be lifted, I wonder.

"In that case, would you be willing to take on a job from me?" A voice called out from the entrance of the guild. Standing there was a familiar face—the handsome blond guy I bumped into yesterday.

"You... and in that attire…"

Seira-san stared intently at the handsome guy. It didn't seem like she was simply captivated by his beauty.

"As you can see, I am a mage attached to the royal palace. My name is Akam," the handsome guy introduced himself, casually revealing a wooden tag from the sleeve of his loose-fitting clothes.

It is probably some form of identification, although it looks slightly different from an adventurer's identification. Seira-san seemed to understand just by looking at it.

Being attached to the royal palace must mean he is like a government official serving the country. Based on Seira-san's words, it seemed like quite a prestigious position.

"As I mentioned earlier, I would like to request your assistance with a job," he said.

"But as a mage attached to the royal palace, what kind of request would you have for him? Kazuya-san is still…"

Seira-san tried to avoid being direct, but she was probably implying that someone of his high status will have a request that I, at my level, can’t handle. It will be more appreciated if she clearly declined on my behalf.

"Oh no, I don't intend to burden you with such a difficult task," he replied.

"May I first ask about the details of the request?"

Akam-san smiled gently. "It's related to what you were discussing earlier,"

"By that, do you mean... the investigation of Est Forest?"

"Yes, exactly."

"Is Akam-sama in charge of the investigation?"

"I am officially appointed as the head of the investigation," replied Akam-san, gracefully bowing with his elegant gestures.

Being entrusted with the position of head of the investigation indicated that he was indeed a person of high status. So, I had collided with someone like that. I'm glad he turned out to be such a kind person.

"Based on the investigation conducted by the team, we haven't confirmed the presence of any other ogres so far. It is highly likely that strays have migrated from elsewhere.

"Therefore, I have been assigned to conduct the final confirmation," he explained. "And I want Kazuya-san to accompany me.

"When we investigated, it seems Kazuya-san was present at the scene of the ogre appearance. I thought it would be great if he could provide firsthand information during the investigation.

"Besides, I have some knowledge of magic, so I can protect Kazuya-san if needed," Akam-san elaborated.

"It will be safe with a mage attached to the royal palace... What do you think, Kazuya-san?"

Seira-san shifted her gaze from Akam-san and looked at me. It's a bit strange to have the safety of the accompanying adventurer being a concern, but still.

"Even though I was present at the scene, I don't really understand what happened myself... But if there's a way I can be useful, I would gladly accept the offer," I replied.

I would be grateful to have a job. I couldn't think of a reason to decline.

"I see. Then let's proceed with the request procedures right away," said Akam-san, as he spoke with Seira-san and completed the necessary formalities.

Seira-san infused the acceptance of the request into my wooden tag. The request was to assist with the Est Forest investigation. And the reward was... five silver coins!!

I was surprised by the amount, wondering if it was okay to receive this much, but Akam-san smiled and said, "The expenses are covered by the kingdom."