Planning with his husband, Acshellis agreed to meet them next to the Bounty Board after changing his appearance and hiding his items. He’d pretend to be an NPC begging for work, even taking free work. Warning his husband not to kill the 5 little idiots just yet, and only to call him Idletrash, Jin kissed him goodbye and then was teleported down to the bottom floor of the Mage’s Tower.

Walking outside the tower, the 5 little idiots had grown bored and were playing around with Rei’s bow. Yuto noticing him first, dropping the bow and being scolded by Rei

“Hey, don’t break it! If I have to repair it then you’re going to pay for it”

Yuto raised his hand to point at Jin

“But… but… Jin is finally back”

With him back, the 5 little idiots got to their feet. Jin deciding to answer before they could ask

“They do sell the potions we need. The race change wasn’t in stock, but it’s 40,000 for a gender change potion. That’s with an agreed upon discount. I talked to them about options, and they said to start with the Bounty Board. We can get low level quests from there and we all get the same loot money at the end of them. 40,000 is still a lot of money, and it will still take some time, but we can practice our skills until we can use them, then we can make money even faster. This is just what I gathered from the mages and from playing. Shin, do you think we should try the Bounty Board and try our weapons out? You are our leader, after all”

No, he wasn’t sucking up for fooling around with his husband. Jin was merely sprinkling a little emotional manipulation into things by making Shin sound as if he thought he was the leader and better than Seiichiro. When they did finally enter a dungeon, he already knew he’d be left out, but the bickering may cause a death and then he’d see what happened after.

Shin nodded

“If that’s what they said. Rei said he’d do all the cooking for the guild, while you were gone. Can we get things to eat from the Bounty Board?”

General no. Sometimes during events there were and rare recipes that could be obtained. Jin smiled as he nodded. The 5 little idiots had no idea what he’d done, and his heart was still racing from it all. He could feel how red his cheeks were, the blush not wanting to leave yet he’d blame that on the hot sun 

“Sometimes. It depends on the quests on the board. But we will get money. With money we can upgrade the guild space and then Rei can practice cooking. The quests reset daily at 6 am. Being low level it’ll most likely be going and killing low level mobs. Cows, pigs, wolves, those sorts of things. You can loot meat and fur, that can be sold too, or the meat can be cooked. Or it might be running chores. They’re more tedious”

Shin turned his nose up

“We’re not doing that. I want to use my axe”

Right. Even though Shin was the shortest, he was still a tank class and able to use heavy weapons. Jin felt he would have loved to have see them all struggle with their weapons before they’d turned into their characters. Since getting his bow, Rei hadn’t put it down. Whether he could actually use his characters skills were a whole other matter 

“Let’s go, the Bounty Board is near the Guild entrance”

Leading the 5 little idiots to the Bounty Board, Acshellis was already waiting. Jin’s heart leaping. He may have sort of lost himself a little too physically… but this was his afterlife to enjoy and he did have a smoking hot fire mage for a husband. He’d told Acshellis to dress down, as lowly as he possibly could, yet his husband was still wearing rather fancy robes… and had made an effort by colouring his brown.

Seeing him standing there, Haruto asked

“What’s with that guy? Does he have something to do with the Bounty Board?”

Jin lied on the spot, unable to quite look at his hot husband. He wanted to sneak off with him and continue where they’d left off, instead of babysitting. Still, Acshellis knew his plan and fully supported him with his tests plans

“It was a patch add-on. You can hire a free NPC. They charge nothing and take no loot. All you have to say is I invite you to my party of 10 and he’ll hang around until you dismiss him”

Haruto

“Holy shit, dude! For real?!”

“Yeah. To encourage new players and all that. Let’s pick a quest then hire him. We still need to figure out how our weapons work”

Shin snorted

“We can make him do the hard work. How do we choose a quest?”

Had this dude never quested before?! Jin held back questioning to explain

“By looking at what’s on the board. We’ll follow your lead”

Walking over to the board, Jin pretended to greet his husband for the first time. Acshellis lighting up at the sight of him and forgetting their plan. He was like an overgrown puppy who’s master had come home after months away

“L-L…?”

Glaring at his husband, Acshellis tried to use his puppy dog eyes on him as his words died on the first letter. Jin wanted to smack him. He’d told him not to call him Lovely Baby! 

“Sir, we’re humble questers. I was explaining to my fellow travellers that you are the free NPC that will help us during our bounty questing. Our party leader is Godwishes”

Acshellis winked at him, then straightened up

“Indeed I am. If your leader asks, I will join your party! I am versed in the way of magical arts. Once highborn, now I must lower myself to the likes of the lowly”

Jin wanted to facepalm. His husband was even putting on a posh accent. He’d told him simple. Simple. Not a fallen mage dressed in fine robes.

Seiichiro started laughing

“Get a load of this NPC. His accent’s so funny. Hey, NPC, if you’re so rich why are you hanging out and selling yourself for free?”

Acshellis’s expression turned murderous, then he seemed to remember his part

“It’s a long, long story. My name was taken, muddied, my family…”

Seiichiro cut him off

“Forget it. He talks to much”

With his plan already in jeopardy, Jin interjected

“It’s his introduction speech. We’ve heard it once and he won’t repeat it unless we ask for it again”

Shin shrugged, looking to the Bounty Board

“I don’t care as long as he can kill things. He can join our party, I invite you and all that. What do you think we should take? I want to try my axe. Let’s kill something”

The Bounty Board was arranged in tiers with the top quests for the highest players. Jin didn’t care much about the quests, he had a new problem as Yuto took him by the arm

“Are you sure we can trust this NPC? He seems to be staring at you”

“NPC’s won’t hurt us unless we engage them. He’s joined our party now. You should check the quests out”

Hearing the exchange, Acshellis stepped forward

“I am indeed most interested in you traveller, Idletrash. He seems most soft and sweet”

It’d probably be bad to murder Acshellis… if he could have. He didn’t know how many health points his husband had, but he guessed he’d die from one shot if his husband took a swing at him.

Shin wrinkled his nose in disgust

“Hey, we’re not like that. We’re not those people. You’re not one of those, are you?”

Acshellis frowned

“One of what?”

Shin seemed to think everyone knew what he was saying, not elaborating 

“Those kind who are after us for you know… that stuff. Rei isn’t a girl, you know. That’s a man”

Thank hell he’d warned his husband. Acshellis shaking his head and pretending to pine, complete with fluttering eyelashes and clasped hands

“My heart belongs but to one. They are the one I shall love and treasure forever. When their heart beat my soul flies. I have no interest in halflings, elves, or beastly men” 

Seeing his arse was safe, Shin nodded as if the last bit hadn’t been said in such a disgusted tone 

“Good. Keep it that way or we’ll finish you off. How do you guys feel about hunting kobolds? It says to kill 20 and bring their hearts back”

Kobolds on the low levels were only about level ten. They should be fine, especially with his dumb strong husband. He had told him that he needed to hide his strength 

“Let’s do that. Say that we’re all in your party of 10, then read it out. It should come up for everyone that way. Does it say where the quest starts?”

“Alfara farms?”

Jin nodded, it wouldn’t be much of a walk to get there

“I know here that is. Let’s head out”