Sarah's Story Chapter 026 - A Day for Scolding

“There you are, Sarah!” Tiffany called from the receptionist desk as Sarah finally stepped into the Guildhall. “You’re late!” she said cheerfully.

Sarah explained about the incident with the Thief and the city guard and Tiffany’s eyes sparkled as she listened to the story, excited that for once she had the gossip to spread first. “Ooh, that’s so scary! I’m so glad you’re alright,” Tiffany said once Sarah finished.

Sarah headed off to class and Tiffany promptly spread the story that Sarah had been assaulted by a Thief and nearly arrested by the city guard. By the time Sarah was done learning about the twenty most common Classes for Adventurers and the ten most common combat classes for city-folk and the best party compositions for different types of Dungeons and typical Adventurer jobs, all the Guild staff and even a few Adventurers had heard about it.

Clerk Class Skill [Gossip] has reached level 7.

Beth was not amused when she learned what Tiffany was doing, and after a very stern lecture, Tiffany was forced to apologize to Sarah while Sarah ate lunch.

Then, just before Sarah started her shift guarding the bar, two members of the city guard arrived. First they went to the receptionist desk, where Tiffany immediately tried to avoid handling it by calling for Beth, but Beth wasn’t around, so she forced it on Mr. Tenns who happened to be passing by and hid in the back office.

Notably, the door was cracked open and she was obviously listening in.

Sarah rolled her eyes and smiled. Tiffany was funny. She was happy that Beth would get mad on her behalf, but she didn’t mind Tiffany talking about what had happened. Nobody got hurt—other than the Thief—and she hadn’t done anything wrong. The guard had even said she was free to go.

Nothing to worry about.

The guards finished up their business and left Mr. Tenns with a sheet of paper and a few silver coins. He looked it over, then walked straight over to Sarah. Tiffany peeked her head entirely out of the doorway with eyes wide.

Uh, nothing to worry about, right?

Sarah hurriedly stood up straight, not leaning on the wall, and placed her hands in front of her like Beth did and smiled up at Mr. Tenns, who looked her up and down with a stern expression.

“H-how can I help you, Mr. Tenns?” Sarah stuttered nervously.

“Here.” He thrust out the piece of paper, and then three silver coins.

“What’s this,” Sarah asked, puzzled, eyes drawn to the silver rather than the paper.

“It’s the bounty for the Pickpocket Knife Wielder that’s been running around the city since his Choosing Day a few months ago.”

“Huh?” Sarah grunted. Her eyes turned to the paper, and she saw that it was a report from the city guard she had spoken to this morning, along with a disturbingly long list of pickpocketing incidents. At the bottom was a statement that the criminal was in custody awaiting sentencing and the case was closed and bounty paid, along with three signatures, one of which was Samuel Tenns.

Mr. Tenns waited patiently for her to finish reading, and when she looked up at him again, he nodded. “You need to be more careful, Sarah. The city streets can be dangerous. The guards told me the Pickpocket actually managed to draw a knife before you pinned him down.”

Sarah hung her head. Today was one of those days where she was going to get scolded a lot, it seemed. “Yes, Mr. Tenns.”

“Aw, don’t be like that, Sarah.” Mr. Tenns put a hand on the back of his head and smiled awkwardly. “I know you can handle yourself, just, keep your eyes open, you know? You didn’t get hurt at all, did you?”

Sarah shook her head. “No, I’m totally fine. I just wound up a little late for class.”

“Good, good,” Mr. Tenns smiled. “Anyway, keep up the good work.”

He walked through the door leading upstairs and Sarah let out a sigh of relief. Immediately Tiffany scurried over. “Oooh, you got a bounty payment! Tell me, tell me, what all was the Thief doing before you caught him?”

Sarah put a finger to her chin and thought about it for a minute. “Hmm, nah, not going to tell you. Didn’t Beth already scold you enough for one day?” She smirked.

“Aww come on, don’t be like that, Sarah! Hey, listen, my [Gossip] skill managed to level up this morning, and if I had the scoop on this too…”

And so the two girls chatted until it was time for Sarah to start working and Tiffany to go home for the day.

There were no fights that night either, and in the morning Helen and Sarah ate breakfast again.

Sarah was nervous, but Helen wasn’t upset. On the contrary, she praised Sarah.

“That was a tough situation, and you did the right thing. Good job, Sarah.” Helen smiled over a plate of eggs, sausage, and toast. “Knocking the Pickpocket out was exactly right. The most dangerous thing would have been to do what that idiot guard said and let yourself get stabbed. Always trust your instincts in situations like that.”

Sarah finished chewing and swallowed her mouthful of toast before replying. “Shouldn’t I have done what the guard said, though? I heard they were upset I knocked the boy out first.”

Helen rolled her eyes. “Authorities talk a big game, but do you think they would have taken responsibility if you had done what he said and wound up hurt? Not a chance. Trust your instincts. Them getting mad is just them trying to save face that a freshly classed country girl caught the Pickpocket they’ve been trying, and failing, to catch for months.”

Helen was in a good mood this morning, having taken the opportunity to vent to Nadine the previous night, who had filled her in on all the details about what had happened to Sarah. Nadine, of course, had to spend several hours listening to her sister whine and then gloat and brag about her daughter…

“Well, anyway, they gave me three silver for the bounty, do you—” Helen raised a hand, cutting Sarah off.

“Nope, put it towards your training or shopping around town. I’m your mother, I can at least handle our room and board.”

“But—”

“On top of that,” Helen interrupted, “I told you about my Homemaker class, yes? I’m not really acting like a Homemaker if my daughter is helping with the household finances. So don’t worry about it, we’re fine. I’m fine. You just focus on yourself.”

Helen’s smile was perfectly poised.

Sarah frowned for a moment, then smiled back. “Okay, then. I’m going to put it towards the training tab.”

Today was Friday, the last day of the basic education course. There was a review of everything they had covered so far, and a tour of the Guildhall’s reference room, full of books and manuscripts with useful adventuring knowledge. It was open to members during working hours, but taking books out or bringing food in was forbidden.

After that, Sarah counted up the coins in her little coin purse. Five silver pieces, and thirty-six copper pieces. From the course, she knew that ten of the copper pieces could be traded for a silver piece, and vice versa. So she caught Tiffany before she finished up for the day and paid down three silver towards her training tab.

Tiffany wrote her up a quick receipt that listed the remaining seventeen silver on her tab, and also a note that there was still an additional ten silver due when Bounty Hunter training was available.

Tiffany sighed. “Man, it makes me jealous seeing how much C rank adventurers get paid…”

Sarah tilted her head. “But I’m F rank.”

“Uh huh.” Tiffany rolled her eyes. “Sure. You just only do C rank jobs, that’s all.”

Sarah pursed her lips, unsure what to say, but Tiffany waved her hand. “I mean, it’s great! I’m happy for you! Honestly, I was a bit worried you’d be able to pay off the tab doing F rank jobs around town. I’m just…” She gestured towards her skirt.

Sarah looked down, but it was just the same skirt she’d been wearing every day since Sarah joined the Guild.

“What’s wrong with your skirt?” Sarah asked.

Tiffany twirled her finger and her [Private Conversation] skill settled upon them.

Clerk Class Skill [Private Conversation] has reached level 3.

“Ooh, my skill improved!” Tiffany smiled gleefully. “Ahem, anyway, I only have the one long skirt, and I’ve been saving up for a new one, but the prices just keep going up day by day. I’m just falling farther and farther behind.” She frowned sadly.

“Hmmm…” Sarah wasn’t sure what to say. “Well, if I hear of any good deals, I’ll let you know…?”

“Would you?!” Tiffany gushed, “Aww, you’re so sweet, Sarah! Thank you!”

“Y-yeah, no problem.” Sarah smiled awkwardly.

Tiffany didn’t seem to notice, and waved cheerfully as she headed home, leaving Sarah to her work. Sarah leaned against her usual spot on the wall, the afternoon receptionists manned their desks, and adventurers arrived to turn in their job completion receipts, get paid, and then head to the bar to relax and unwind.

Around sundown, a tension started forming in the atmosphere.

Brawler Class Skill [Danger Sense] has reached level 7.