Level Up! Ultimate NPC-san! 7 Theo's Mop Of Ultimate Doom!

"And don't come back 'til you learn some manners, you drunk!"

"I'm never coming back here, again! HMPH!"

Another day, another drunk being tossed out of the inn. I'm already used to seeing this, but I can understand that, for someone from Earth, you'd find it a little unnerving. It's not exactly the best example of great customer service.

It can't be helped, though. Some people just can't handle their alcohol. You should learn from this man's mistakes, kids: don't drink so much that you'll let your brain convince you that it's a good idea to hit on the inn keeper's smoking hot daughter.

That's a life lesson.

Also, who the h.e.l.l would want that demon lady? Who knows what kind of sinister things she's done? Just the fact that she can't smile normally gives it away that she's not morally sound!

"Why do I get the feeling you're thinking bad things about me?" a charmingly innocent voice said, from behind me. "It couldn't be that our little Theo also needs to be thrown out, right?~"

Lady, could you please stop creeping up on me and reading my mind? My heart isn't as strong as normal people, what with my lack of exercise over the last 20 or so years, and I'll soon suffer from a scare-induced heart attack!

"Boss Lady," I slowly turn to face the devil herself. "How could this lowly servant do such a thing? I am but a humble man, working my days away for my benevolent boss. I am grateful with every fiber in my body."

"That's what I thought," she harrumphed, crossing her arms in front of her. "Now, get back to work. There are tables to clean, and the crates in the storeroom need tidying up."

"Yes, sir!"

A whole week has already pa.s.sed, like this. I can't say that I've become used to this sort of life, but I can't deny that I've easily adapted to the new lifestyle.

If someone were to ask me, back in high school: "What do you see yourself doing in the next few years?" I would never have thought that I'd be in another world wiping down tables and sweeping floors with some kind of magic [Skill].

⌈ SKILL

Cleaning LVL3

DESCRIPTION: Infuse the world's mana into cleaning items, bringing them to life, and the items will perform basic tasks set by the user. ⏌

Currently, I've managed to steadily increase my [Skill] levels for both Cleaning and Item Box. Item Box is still at LVL2, but I can sort of feel that it'll soon hit LVL3, and it'll likely expand in size again!

I'm really starting to get a good feel of how to make use of my skill-set, though. It's never easy to start a game, with a new character, especially when your new character has such trash [Skills] such as mine... but I'm trying to look at it like I'm only playing through the tutorial stage. If not, then why is it that I haven't been able to go out into the open world to explore to my heart's content?

I mean, if I really think about it, I've only just been taught how to move my character around the place. Thanks to the giant innkeeper, Keith, I've been taught to navigate around the inn by myself. It's just like the start of every game, where it tells you how to use the directional b.u.t.tons!

I've also learned how to use a few basic [Skills], such as wiping tables, fluffing pillows, and washing quilts and cloths. If this can't be compared to learning how to use the X and O b.u.t.tons on your controller, then I don't know what you can compare it to!

If I keep thinking of it like this, there's nothing in this world that I can't do!

"Get the heck outta my way, boy!"

Oof!

I stumble into the edge of a table. A small group of men, wearing on their baggy pants and shoes, are standing behind me. A few of them laughed heartily, as the one in the lead pats his hands on his pants, as if touching me made his hands dirty.

"Who the h.e.l.l just pushed me?!" I turn to shout at the men.

"Haaah?" one of them, from the back, steps out and slurs. "Is this peasant boy trying to act tough?"

"I think he is, boss," another man says, from the side, staring at me. "You should teach him a lesson."

"You want trouble, boy?" the leader of the group stands over me. "Don't you know who we are?"

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaah?" I mocked, leaning sideways at the group like some two-bit street thug. "What if I don't? You guys don't look like much."

"What did you say?!" one of the lackeys from the back rushes forward to shout at me. "You're courting death!"

"'Courting death'?" I sneered. "What are you, some kind of martial cultivator? You're in the wrong novel, buddy."

"What?"

"Look!" I puff my chest out to say. "You men better not make any trouble, or I'll tell the innkeeper to throw you guys out!"

"What innkeeper?" the leader of the group pulls his men back, and steps up to me. "What throwing us out? I'd like to see him try!"

"Yeah!" the rest of his men chime in.

"You think I won't call him over?"

"Do it, boy!"

"Yeah! Do it!"

"Alright," I nod my head, as if to say 'you asked for this'. "BOSS! We got ourselves some troublemakers! Come take care of them!"

The group of men start getting nervous, dipping down into a fighting pose. Their leader stands with his arms crossed over his chest, as if I can't see the bead of sweat slowly making its way down the side of his face.

...

"Theo!" a sweet and innocent female voice rang out, from within the kitchen. "Daddy's gone out on an errand. He won't be back until later tonight! You'll have to deal with them yourself!"

...

Wut? What do you mean he's gone out on an errand? He never leaves the inn! For the past week that I've been here, he's never left the inn ONCE! Why is it, when I finally encounter a band of tough-looking customers, that he suddenly needs to go out?!

"Dear customers," my body caves, and I end up half-bowing to the group of men who are now getting even more arrogant. "I've done you all a disservice, and have offended you all. I hope that you'll find it in your hearts to forgive this lowly peasant."

"Trash this place."

"RAAAAAHH!"

The men start flipping tables, and throwing chairs against the wall, creating a huge racket in the inn. The few regular customers, that have been watching me and the small group of men the entire time, climb over the upturned tables and run outside. Good idea. I think I'll follow you guys!

"Where do you think you're going?" the leader asks me, his arms still crossed in front of him.

"Oh," I exclaim, trying to get past the burly man. "I was just going outside to get some air. I'll come back when you and your men have finished here."

"You're not going anywhere, boy," he said, reaching for my neck. "You have a lot to pay for."

"Theo!" a less sweet and innocent female voice rang out, this time. "You better sort these guys out, or your a.s.s will be thrown out with them, when daddy comes back!"

DING!

⌈ QUEST

Taking Out the Trash

RANK: E

TIME LIMIT: Until Innkeeper Keith returns from his errands

DESCRIPTION: Villager Theodore Young has encountered his first group of enemies. This rowdy group of delinquents will destroy the inn if you don't do anything. You must defeat all enemies before [TIME LIMIT] expires. As long as you make them [SLEEP], it will be considered as their defeat.

REWARD: New [SKILL] a.n.a.lyse

FAIL PENALTY: [AFFINITY] with Heather and Keith reset to 0 ⏌

'New [Skill]', huh? Now you're acting more like a proper system! Now I have a real motivation to do something in this real-life Veronicle.

"Yeah, boy," the leader of the delinquent men sneered at me. "You better sort us out."

"Heh," I tilt my head down and snicker. "I was going to let you and your men go, but now I'm going to take you all out. MOP!"

I shout for my weapon, as I shoot my hand out to the side. This guy doesn't even know the trouble he's landed himself in.

"What was that?!" the man shouts at me, seeming to think that I had just cast a spell of some sort. "Did you just cast magic?"

"Is this guy a magician, boss?!" one of the closer lackeys poked his head into the scene.

"I don't know!" the 'fearless' leader cries, patting himself all over to check for any ailments. "I don't feel any different."

"Maybe he was bluffin'!"

"He must've been. There's nothing, as I thou--"

FWAAP!

The mop, that I had called over from the storeroom, slaps the man across the face, making him spin on the spot.

"What the heck was that?!" the leader exclaimed, his face now dripping wet.

"Behold!" my voice booms. "I, Theo, will show you no mercy. In my hand, I wield the most terrifying weapon of mankind: The Mop of Ultimate Doom!"