Chapter 18: Everyone’s an Adult

Under suspicious stares, Meng Linna returned to the Adventurer’s Guild clutching a brick.

Thinking back on her experience, even she couldn’t believe it.

Five gold coins for a potion recipe as potent as holy water?

Most people would think they’d been scammed.

And it was written on a brick…

Recalling Miao Miao Niya’s look when she walked in, Meng Linna wanted to smack the brick against her forehead.

Who carries a brick like it’s treasure?

Her first task back at the dorm was copying the recipe onto paper.

Not long after, a knock knock knock came at the door.

“It’s me.”

Hearing Peggy’s voice, Meng Linna opened the door without hesitation.

“Little Meng, I heard you came back with a brick?”

Peggy closed the door behind her, looking concerned.

Meng Linna’s face showed resignation.

“Yeah, so what?”

She knew her actions were odd.

But she didn’t expect someone to confront her directly.

Especially her good teammate Peggy.

“We’re all adults. Having quirks is fine. I know a girl who collects rocks off the ground…”

Peggy’s words clashed with her disappointed gaze.

“I’m not here to judge. Just don’t do anything illegal.”

“Alright, alright.”

Meng Linna sighed.

“Stop it.”

“I just grabbed the brick to prop up my table. No weird quirks.”

She wasn’t about to tell Peggy about the recipe.

It’d be hard to believe.

And how could she explain a broke D-rank cleric suddenly having five gold coins?

“Really?”

“Totally!”

Meng Linna even wobbled her table for effect.

Seeing the shaky table, Peggy chose to believe her.

“Okay, there’s another thing.”

Peggy’s eyes darted.

“I might not be able to keep adventuring.”

“What?”

If Peggy quit, what would Meng Linna, the support, do?

“I’m really sorry.”

Peggy bowed repeatedly.

“My family’s got some issues.”

“Fine…”

Seeing Peggy’s reluctant expression, Meng Linna knew she had no choice.

They chatted a bit more.

Peggy didn’t say it outright.

But Meng Linna pieced it together.

Her family thought being a struggling adventurer was shameful.

It embarrassed their clan.

Peggy had to stop adventuring, go home, apologize, and train for family business.

Like “forced to inherit millions”…

Before envy and jealousy overwhelmed her, Peggy left.

“I hate rich people!”

Meng Linna flopped onto her bed after closing the door.

“But then again, my dad was rich too…”

No point dwelling on the past.

After lying there a bit, she perked up.

“Let’s plan what to do.”

She pulled out a sheet of paper and listed tasks.

“The main goal is stopping my vampirism. So, make money and find a cure.”

Money was the foundation.

With it, curing herself wouldn’t be an issue.

She wrote “Make Money” in big letters at the center.

“At least a hundred gold coins.”

She nibbled her pen, setting her goal.

“For money, start with adventuring and the potion.”

Sadly, her adventuring career hit a snag.

Her teammate just retired.

As a support, she could go solo or find new teammates.

Soloing was obviously harder.

“Tomorrow, post a teammate recruitment at the guild. And look for solo-friendly jobs.”

She neatly wrote her adventuring tasks.

“Then the healing potion…”

She recalled the dragon girl calling it a Marigold Potion.

She had the recipe.

But was it legit?

Could she make it?

Was there a market?

All unconfirmed.

“If it doesn’t work, I’m finding that blue dragon for a refund.”

Thinking this, she wrote Qi Li’s name and “Stray Dog Hotel” on the paper.

“That’s it for today.”

She carefully copied the recipe again.

Then she tucked the brick under her table’s leg.

Well, her table was wobbly.

***

The next morning, Meng Linna rose early.

As a newly solo faith warrior, she needed to hunt for jobs.

No luck.

There were D-rank jobs.

But for a surface-level faith warrior (actually a cleric) with weak combat skills, they were too challenging.

No choice but to find teammates first.

“Yawn—”

Miao Miao Niya stretched.

Before Meng Linna could speak, the catgirl pulled out a form.

“I know, you’re here for new teammates, right? Fill this out. I’ll post it.”

That saved her some explaining.

Meng Linna smiled awkwardly.

“You’re well-informed!”

As she took the pen and paper, Miao Miao Niya yawned again.

“Peggy told me yesterday. There you go.”

Having recruited teammates with Peggy before, Meng Linna filled the form quickly.

“As an adventurer, your handwriting’s pretty neat.”

Miao Miao Niya glanced at it and stuck it on the bulletin board.

“I was a nun. I’ve got some education.”

She’d been a regional bishop.

She could recite three or four scriptures.

But what use was that?

For adventurers, culture was a bonus, not a necessity.

“Good luck.”

Miao Miao Niya looked sleepy as ever.

“Though I doubt you’ll find teammates.”