Sitting in his room Salem relaxed for the first time in a while, since for the last few days he had been completely busy with his Rune Knight duties. As well as what ever house chores that Oda had gave him the last couple of days. But luckily for Salem, Oda was going to be gone on business for the rest of the week. This meaning that Salem was going to have the whole house to himself something that he was completely looking forward to. As now was time for Salem to enjoy himself, meaning that he was going to walk around even more freely then he already did. Since with Oda gone Salem was free to walk around the house in his boxers with no judgment. Then again it wasn’t like Salem seemed to walk around in much clothing for the most part.

Being dam near shirtless if one was really to think about it most of the time. As Salem very rarely found himself out of his normal everyday clothes which only covered his chest section. Walking down the stairs from his room to the lower part of the house, Salem would proceed to the kitchen. Since with Oda gone Salem would be inclined to make his own breakfast for a change. Reaching the kitchen Salem would first proceed to look in the cabinets to see what was available for him, though he wasn’t much of a cook. Due to always either being at his boarding school that provided all meals for the students, or having the luxury of having his adoptive father Oda be their to cook for him.

Once managing to find a few things that Salem was sure that even someone with his level of cooking abilities would be able to cook. Salem would proceed by preparing the food by washing it and cutting it up in small enough portion for himself not wanting to waist any by preparing any extra food he had no plans of eating since he would be eating alone this morning as Salem was still much of an outsider. Even though he wasn’t teased and shunned anymore like he was as a kid for his magical ways. He still couldn’t find it in himself to actually go out and strive to make friends. Plus he was usually busy with his Paige duties and really didn’t care much to go out and make friends. Though Salem did mange to meet a few of his fellow Paige’s in the Rune Knights but he still would not really consider them friends, but more of associates.

As not only where they all just the workers of the Magic Council, but they were all just striving to move up in the ranks so Salem was not sure that a friendship could really be created at this current moment with his fellow Paige’s, but he would sure like to give it a try in the near future. Salem would make sure to clean up the mess he made preparing his food, by making sure to return all things he used in his prep stage to their proper locations. As well as making sure that any dish he used in the process was cleaned and returned to its proper place as well. Finally taking his chance to sit down and eat his well created breakfast. Salem would be interrupted by a knock on the door.

Giving him the most worst of luck, as the young Paige really had no interest in taking himself all the way upstairs to his room just to put more clothes on that he was just going to instantly take off. So whoever was at the door was going to get the blessing of getting to view Salem in nothing more then just his boxers. Opening the door Salem would be nothing more then shocked to see who had the noise proceed from his door only moments ago. It being none other then the Apprentice slash adoptive daughter of the Lady Merlin. Who would proceed to barge into the house almost knocking Salem over as she brushed past him making her way to the table to take a seat.

Almost as soon as she took a seat, Luciel the adoptive daughter of Lady Merlin would proceed to speak to Salem informing him as to why she had just burst into the home of Salem and his adoptive father Oda. “As to make things simple and as fast as possible. I shall explain to that I come to you for business. As I need you to do something urgent for me, and I must inform you that it will be nothing like the last task I asked for you to complete. As this time I have got myself into somewhat of a bind you see. I accidentally spilled a strange potion on one of my test rats in my lab. And it has caused rather a Frankenstein like reaction. Creating a strange mutant rat, that is not of the master splitter type.

Though it did manage to escape my lab before I was able to contain it, and now I fear it is running lose somewhere in the city. And have no idea to what this rat is capable of at the current moment especially at its rather large size. So I need you to do the duty of proceeding to exterminate it for me, and the faster you could do it the better. Now I will be taking my leave to let you get back to whatever it is you had going on.” And just almost as fast as the apprentice of lady Merlin appeared at the house of Salem and Oda, she would disappear.

Left shocked by what had just happened, Salem could only proceed to take a seat at the table and eat his breakfast in silence. As he was not sure how he should feel about the Apprentice Luciel seeing him in his boxers. Especially since she made the situation even more acquired when as she exited the door she would stop to take a quick glance downward on Salem before completely exiting. Something that was probably best for Salem to not let his mind wonder off about. As it would not seem that his relaxation was to be cut short as he was to now go rat hunting. Salem would proceed to clean up the dishes and what not that he had proceeded to use while eating his breakfast before proceeding to make his way up stairs and prepare himself for the task that was yet to come.

Once dressed in his normal attire, Salem felt that it was now best for him to head towards the inner city of Crocus to see if maybe anyone had by any chance spotted the mutated rat. Reaching the inner section of Crocus Salem would proceed to check few of the alleyways wondering maybe if the rat went to a dumpster or something of that sort looking for food. This seeming to have no luck whatsoever as Salem would only proceed to find regular dumpster rats that just tended to be common in the capital. Thus leading Salem in one of his most dreaded task. The task of him actually having to go out and talk to strangers in the hopes that they could help him in his task. Strangers not being something that Salem went well with do to his horrible child hood of being teased and shunned.

First Salem would proceed to head towards a small little vendor cart that had about three of four people standing around it. The stand seem to be some hotdog stand of some sort, as Salem could see the people around it eating foods of some sort. Walking towards the stand Salem would come to see that it was three males and a female standing around. Two of which seemed to have on what Salem would take as the work uniform of whatever this stand was. Each of the individuals would proceed to turn to Salem and give him a shrug of acknowledgment with a big smile, as the girl would proceed to introduce herself to Salem. “Hi my name is Maya and you have come to the best hotdog stand in the capital. Would you like to try one of are Magic Dogs, its to die for and I am sure you would love it” The girl would then proceed to hold up a tray holding several samples. One of which would fall victim to the stomach of Salem.

After completing devouring the sample that he was just offered, Salem would take a deep breath and cringe to the knotted feeling that was building up in his stomach at the very moment. Though it had nothing to do with the sample that had just made its way to Salem’s stomach, but more due to the fact that the young Mage hated having to really speak to knew people and preferred to stay to himself for the better. And this made speaking to people especially for the first time very nerve racking to someone like Salem. “Well I am Paige Salem Pendragon of the Rune Knights and I have been tasked with the duty of finding a strange mutant rat that has accidentally gotten lose. And I was wondering if anyone you have by any chance seen or heard anything about a strange rat around here. Your help would really be appreciated. As I am trying to handle the matter as swiftly as possible“.

With that, one of the none employees of the stand would proceed to respond to Salem. Stating to him that he and his cousin had heard rumors of this mutant rat on the west side of the city. And so they had decided to go out and venture to see if it was really true or not. To which discovery they would come to find that the rumors where true as they were charged and attacked by the Rat. Though they would come to manage to escape from it without any real injuries of any sort, besides the fact that they had just completely been shaken up from the events. But the man would proceed to draught down a small map for Salem so that he could have a better chance of finding the rat he looked for.

Following the map Salem would come to a abandoned house on the west side of the capital. Once at the house he figured that it be best if not just run in in the house hoping to take the mutant rat, as he was still not completely sure as to what to expect from the experiment of Luciel. This being the man reason that before leaving the hotdog stand Salem would proceed to purchase a couple of the magic dogs. Since they were honestly one of the most delicious things that he had ever tasted. Plus the fact that he was sure he could use a few of them for bait to lure the rat. As the Magic dogs did have a nice smell to him something that he was sure would get the mutant rats mouth watering.

Salem would proceed to place the left over dogs on a plate a few meters from the door of the abandon house. This being do to Salem feeling that he would have a way better chance of capturing the mutant rat outside the house instead of inside of the house that could become more a hassle then help. Since It was not telling what else laid dormant inside of this abandoned house as well as what field advantage it could add to that of the mutant rats already increased terrain advantage. Which actually played into favor of Salem, with the wind being just right enough to blow the smell into the house of the mutant rat. Drawing it out perfectly enough for Salem to proceed to use one of his spells to restrain the movement of the mutant as he proceeded to take a knife he received from the guy at the hotdog stand and slit the throat of the mutant rat ending its life as he prepared to take it and bury it so that just incase it had an weird side effects from the strange potion it would not come of any harm to any others. Once completely buried to the point that Salem was sure none could get tainted from the rat Salem would proceed to return home and send the lady apprentice Luciel and note of his task completion.

[WC:2,099]