Ascension from Dual Professions

Chapter 214: Chapter 209: Teasing, Recruitment Competition

Jon pushed through the crowd of onlookers surrounding Dolores and those trying to hit on her, walking straight to the bar. He rapped his knuckles twice on the oak countertop, producing a dull THUD THUD.

"This one’s on me."

This successfully caught the attention of the girl, who was cradling a mug of ale and sipping it delicately.

Dolores’s amber eyes widened slightly. She first glanced at the Silver Coin Jon pushed toward the server, only then turning her full attention to him.

She took another sip from the heavy wooden mug, leaving a fine "mustache" of golden foam on her upper lip.

Unconcerned, the girl stuck out the pink tip of her tongue and deftly licked the foam clean. Then, blinking her bright eyes—the color of fine amber—she let a playful smirk grace her lips and deliberately drew out her words.

"Oh? Buying a girl a drink the second you walk up... Are you trying to pick me up, mister~?"

"Sorry, but I’m not looking for a partner right now!"

The moment she finished speaking, several nearby patrons who had been eavesdropping for a bit of entertainment burst into knowing laughter.

A flicker of helplessness crossed Jon’s ice-blue eyes, but his expression remained composed.

He completely ignored the laughter and the gawking, calmly meeting Dolores’s scrutinizing, playful gaze.

"First of all, I’m not that old."

"Second, I bought you a drink because I want to hire you to explore some ruins with me."

His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a certain weight and power that quieted some of the surrounding laughter.

However, before Dolores could reply, a burly Adventurer who had also tried to approach her—only to be shoved aside by Jon—seemed to find the perfect opening. He sneered and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Ha! Don’t let him fool you, girl! This big lug is definitely up to no good!"

"Hiring you to explore some ruins? I’ve seen that excuse a million times! Who knows what godforsaken wilderness he’s trying to lure you to!"

He was clearly trying to paint Jon as someone with ulterior motives.

But Jon paid him no mind, as if the grating voice were nothing more than a buzzing fly.

His gaze remained calmly locked on Dolores. He had no intention of explaining himself or refuting the accusation, simply waiting quietly for her response.

Dolores likewise ignored the man’s provocation.

She continued to sip her ale, all while openly sizing Jon up from head to toe with a gaze that was as sharp and curious as a Hunter’s.

Her gaze swept over Jon’s sharp jawline before moving up to meet his ice-blue eyes.

They were calm and steady, with no trace of frivolity or evasion—only the earnest expectation of an answer.

This made her raise a curious eyebrow.

Her eyes then slid down from Jon’s broad shoulders to the arm resting on the edge of the bar.

Even at rest, the outline of his muscles was clearly visible beneath his thick cuffs.

Finally, her gaze fell upon the plain, unadorned Longsword at his waist, which bore faint signs of use.

These little clues seemed to confirm something for Dolores, and her amber eyes lit up as if she’d just discovered a fascinating new toy.

"All right~ Mr. Serious-Potential-Employer, it’s not impossible to hire me—"

She leaned forward slightly, a grin on her face.

"However, if you want me to come with you, it’ll take more than just buying me a drink to show you’re serious."

She paused deliberately, watching Jon’s reaction.

Jon just watched her silently, his expression unchanging, as if he had already anticipated a catch.

His placid reaction only made Dolores more excited.

"Let’s do this—"

She snapped her fingers, drawing even more curious stares.

"Let’s play a little game! If you win, I’ll go with you. If you lose, we go our separate ways. How about it?"

The eavesdropping patrons immediately perked up, and the hubbub rose once more. They were clearly delighted to see a drama where a contest would decide the outcome.

"Fine. What’s the contest?"

Jon’s voice was still steady, showing no surprise.

This kind of "test of strength" was all too common in Adventurer recruitment. He’d been through it countless times in the game.

Seeing Jon agree, Dolores’s smile grew even brighter, tinged with the sly cunning of a successful prankster.

"It’s simple!"

She pulled a handful of shimmering Copper Coins—twenty or so—from a pouch at her waist and spread them on the bar with a CLATTER.

"We each grab a handful of coins."

"Then, on my signal, we both toss them high into the air—"

She picked up a Copper Coin, holding it between her thumb and forefinger. She flashed it in the tavern light and mimed an upward toss.

"And then, before they hit the ground, we catch them! Whoever catches the most, wins!"

"As for any that hit the floor..."

The girl glanced around at the eager onlookers and raised her voice.

"We’ll just consider those a treat to buy drinks for everyone here! How’s that? Fair and fun, right?"

"Yeah! This sounds fun!"

"Miss Dolores is so generous!"

"Get started! Get started!"

The onlookers erupted in a storm of cheers and whistles, the atmosphere instantly electric.

The contest was a test of agility, had the thrill of a gamble, and promised free drinks—it was right up their alley.

An imperceptible smile touched Jon’s ice-blue eyes as well.

’This game is certainly novel,’ he thought. ’And...’

He glanced at Dolores’s slender, nimble fingers and agile posture and understood at once. ’She’s clearly absolutely confident in her reaction speed and agility. This is her specialty.’

’And my agility, my biggest weakness right now, is definitely no match for hers.’

Still, he nodded and accepted the challenge.

"A fair contest. Let’s do it."

As he spoke, he pulled a similar number of Silver Coins from his own pocket and placed them on the bar.

His decisiveness made Dolores’s eyes flash even brighter, and she chuckled.

"Looks like we have a wealthy employer! Should I maybe go a little easy on you, so everyone gets a nicer treat?"

"No need. Let’s just play. I put them out, so I’m prepared to pay."

As soon as he said this, the crowd, who loved nothing more than a good spectacle, erupted in cheers of "What a generous boss!" and the like. The lively atmosphere rose to an even greater height.

Twenty-odd Silver Coins was no small sum!

"Alright! I like your style!"

The girl praised him, then gathered her Copper Coins in her hands and shook them, producing a crisp clinking sound.

"Ready, Mr. Employer?"

Jon cradled his own Silver Coins in his palm and gave a slight nod.

"Ready when you are."

The entire area around the bar fell silent as all eyes focused on the two of them.

A high-stakes contest like this wasn’t a common sight. How much free booze they’d get to drink tonight all depended on the outcome!