14 Next mission

Having completed the mission, Allen started roaming around, this time truly admiring his surroundings. He confronted some more Ice Boars, but he ignored them, not killing more than the 20.

Once he knew about their habits, it was easy to deal with them, a little show of cryo elemental energy activated their survival instinct, causing them to flee away.

Finally, he contacted Lev who took the boars' bodies to the village, finishing the mission completely. Both, Lev and the chief, made a pissed face seeing that Allen didn't hunt more but they didn't dare to complain, deciding to stay quiet.

Being already time to leave, Allen jumped into the carriage, returning to the capital. His first travel having been finished.

...

Reaching his home, Allen finally took out his suit. The Cicin Mage uniform was incredibly comfortable and regulated his temperature, but somehow, he felt that he loses some part of himself wearing it, preferring not to use it.

"So, how did it go your first mission?" Just as Allen left his room, Alina was waiting for him sitting on the sofa.

"Did you really need an explanation?" Allen said lifting and eyebrow "The most probable is that my movements were followed and you are already aware of them."

"True" Alina said with a slight smile "But listening from the one concerned might gain new approaches and information. I'm also interested in how you felt."

"Fine" Allen sighed "It was a good change of scenery and I learned some important things."

"Upset? By your tone, it seems that it really didn't go that well" Alina inquired. "It's about that first fail when facing the boars?"

"So, you rally knew. My moves were really being controlled" Allen shook his head

"Can I know the reason why didn't you use your cryo vision when facing the boars for the first time?" Alina asked seriously.

"I thought that it was useless" Allen answered truthfully "As the boars had an ice armor, I supposed that they will have resistant against cryo."

"Did you think that we will send you to an impossible mission?"

"I thought that it would be some kind of test, to show humility or to directly shame myself. I kind of punishment, showing the reality" Allen explained.

"I can tall for the others, but lord Pantalone is an excellent merchant" Allen made a strange face like telling what has to do with it "He wouldn't waste his resources like this."

"So, are you saying that I don't need to think and follow his order blindly?" Allen asked.

"I'm telling that you are far below to his planning, you trying to fight against him being a futile resistance" Allen squinted his eyes

"Don't take it wrongly. You need to think about your actions and you will improve in the future. The thing is that you shouldn't focus too much on it or you will become paranoid. Take an step each time, and go with the flow while you are not strong enough."

"Okay" Allen nodded in understanding "So... Did I pass the test?"

Alina shook her head "As you think this quest was a test, the mission this time not really being of very important if you were to fail it, your actions being the one important." Alina explained "However, this wasn't a test to pass or not pass. It was a test to learn more about you, not truly being an incorrect action."

"Some wrong answer might be" Allen said "Like failing the quest."

"You completed the quest, showing a little of competence, but failing will show us in what you need to improve and in what your future mission should be about. Giving more boars to the chief would show that you are greedy, accepting the child's offer would also show greediness or kindness, a childish thought, thinking that they were possible to do the work, etc."

"I had taught you during these months, so I have some insights of you" Alina analyzed "I suppose that your way to only complete the quest and to not give the boar fee for the transport, it was a way to show loyalty to us, only completing what you were asked. Plus, some hate for those greedy men, not wanting them to gain more than you. Am I right?"

Allen nodded annoyed. He didn't like being read like this.

"Of course, that way you didn't show loyalty, but shrewdness, even if a little childish, trying to hide it for us" Alina giggled a little "Showing us that we need to observe you more attentively."

'Fuck. In the end, it was kind of useless' Allen thought.

"Don't be too upset, you are directly under a Harbinger under the Tsaritsa orders. You would be tightly controlled anyway" Alina smirked "Until your profile is mostly created, all the missions would be more test for your talent and conduct that anything. Ignore them, focus on them, become paranoid... You can do whatever you want. All your answers would be analyzed anyway."

"I'm really being controlled" Allen sighed "I fear for my future"

"Don't worry too much" Alina smiled "As I said before, Pantalone is an excellent merchant. He would make the most use of your abilities and character."

Allen sighed one last time before sitting over an armchair, relaxing his body "Anyway, did you only come to hash things over?"

"You're too harsh on me" She feigned pain over her heart "I was worried about how my little pupil was doing it" She smirked "Without forgetting to test him, of course!"

Allen rolled his eyes at her antics.

"But..." Alina turned serious "I have your next mission. This is an incredibly important mission that would have a big impact over Snezhnaya's economy, affecting the overall actions for the next year."

Allen gulped. Alina's tone and pressure were incredibly serious, not leaving any space to doubt. Would he be assigned such important mission?

"But, of course, you won't have any important role in it" Alina cut the heavy atmosphere with a smile.

Allen face palmed "Please, stop doing this."

"Sorry, sorry" Alina apologized completely without feeling it "It's funny to tease you. Now seriously" She calmed down, turning to a more neutral face "The mission is important but you will be a simple guard in it. And as you are the weakest, nothing will be expected from you, so you will only need to observe and learn from it."

"It's great to have so much hope over me" Allen said sarcastically "So, what's the mission?"

"Have you heard about the Rite of Descension?" Alina asked.

Allen eyes went wide. He had heard of it, of course. But it wasn't in this life, instead, it was in his pass one, over playing Genshin Impact.

"You will go to Liyue and participate in it."