The next morning, Empoy awoke to the smell of burned toast. He had forgotten to clean his small mana-powered lantern last night, and apparently it had leaked just enough magic to start a tiny fire on the kitchen counter.
"Ah… first world problems," he muttered, extinguishing it with minimal fuss.
A Not-So-Important Mission
At the Bran Village Adventurer Guild, things were as chaotic as ever.
The receptionist, still looking permanently unimpressed, handed him a parchment. "Here. Contract. Not urgent. Probably fine for a 'lowest rank' adventurer."
Empoy read it.
Mission: Investigate the weird noises coming from the northern forest.Difficulty: Low.Reward: 5 silver coins.
Empoy blinked. Five silver coins. That would barely cover breakfast.
"Perfect," he said aloud. "Exactly my speed."
On the Road… Slowly
He walked through the village square, greeting a few locals:
A baker waving happily.
A child chasing a chicken.
The village blacksmith, asleep on the bench.
All quiet, all small. Perfect for someone who didn't want attention.
He reached the forest edge. The trees looked normal. Birds chirped. The "weird noises" had not yet revealed themselves.
"Hmm…" Empoy muttered, pulling out a small, handheld device he had cobbled together last night. It looked like a cross between a lantern and a fan. He pressed a button, and a faint hum filled the air. The leaves around him rustled slightly.
No one else would notice. Perfect.
The "Monster" Appears
Suddenly, a branch snapped.
Out of the bushes came… a small goblin. About half Empoy's height, looking angry and very loud.
"WHO DARES ENTER MY FOREST?!" it screamed.
Empoy froze. The goblin was not particularly threatening. Its sword was smaller than a loaf of bread.
He sighed. "Okay… five silver coins, don't mess this up."
The goblin charged. Empoy instinctively sidestepped. The goblin tripped over its own feet.
Empoy facepalmed. "Seriously?"
The goblin struggled to get up, its face red.
Empoy casually drew a short stick from his bag. He tapped it lightly on the ground. Electricity arced—barely noticeable—but enough to make the goblin squeal and collapse in confusion.
He sighed again. "There. Done. Mission complete."
Back at the Guild
He returned triumphantly. Well… as triumphantly as a man covered in mud, leaves, and faint scorch marks could.
The receptionist barely looked up. "Five silver coins. And don't mess up the next one, lowest rank."
Empoy held up the coins. "Thanks."
The villagers were impressed. They whispered about the "quiet adventurer who always succeeds."
Empoy muttered under his breath:
Quiet, yes. Successful, no. I barely touched him.
Secret Workshop Time
Back at his shack, Empoy spread out scraps of metal, wires, and leftover magical components.
"Maybe just… one improvement," he muttered. He combined the mana-thread from last night with a new circuit design, creating a small blade that could store electrical energy.
He tested it carefully. The small spark it gave off could have stunned a wolf—or a very small goblin—if he ever needed it.
"Not for public use," he reminded himself. "Officially, I'm still useless."
Divine Whisper… Again
As he cleaned up, a faint voice echoed in his mind:
"John Paul…""…Empoy…""We still need your help."
Empoy groaned. "Not tonight. Tomorrow, maybe. Or next week."
He stretched, looked at his humble shack, and muttered:
Quiet life. Just one step at a time. That's all I need.
Little did he know, the quiet life was already starting to unravel—one goblin, one minor contract, and one accidental invention at a time.