Chapter 45 – Adventurer’s Guild
Chapter 45
Adventurer’s Guild
Date: Day 29 of Harvestmoon. 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
Hyoren and Elise walked through the bustling street of the Adventurer's District.
With their new looks and clothes, they were transformed. The wild survivors were gone. In their place stood two people who looked like they belonged in the city. Classy travelers. Professional adventurers.
The street was busy. Shops lined both sides. Selling adventurer's wares and necessities. Restaurants interspersed with the shops. Inns stood at regular intervals.
Street vendors were scattered around too. And one stall caught Hyoren's attention.
A skewer stall. The vendor stood behind a grill. Meat sizzled over open flames. The smell was rich and savory. The aroma coming from the stall truly made his appetite rise.
For the last four meals, Hyoren had only eaten rations. They were not as bad as he had expected. Quite tasty, actually. But they were still preserved food.
"Elise… What is that stall?"
His eyes were fixed on the stall. His mouth was watering. His stomach was grumbling.
Elise chuckled.
"Fufu. You hungry, Hyoren?"
She teased. But her nose also twitched. The smell reached her too. The aroma was impossible to ignore.
"But well. The smell is indeed delicious."
She conceded.
"We need to go to the guild. And dinner is still later. Let's get some snack to fill our belly."
She made the decision.
Hyoren's eyes lit up. The suggestion was exactly what he wanted. He nodded. Multiple times. Like a child given new toys.
The vendor noticed their approach. He was grilling skewers. Turning them. Basting them.
"Hey, you two beautiful and handsome couple!"
He greeted them. His voice was loud. Boisterous. Friendly. A salesman's voice.
"Want to buy Squirrel Skewer?"
Elise just resigned and sighed. First and second time, she had been embarrassed. Third time, angry. Now—she just accepted it.
But her pointed ears still turned a shade of pink. And the corner of her mouth was slightly raised. A small smile. Almost hidden. But present. It seemed she was happy. Despite the assumption. Or perhaps—because of it.
Hyoren saw that. The pink ears. The slight smile. The resignation that was not entirely negative. He decided to just keep his mouth shut.
Elise then ordered.
"Mister. Two skewers for us please."
The owner smiled widely.
"Spicy? Or not?"
He asked. The option was offered.
Elise turned to Hyoren. Asking him.
"Spicy, please..." his voice carrying the request. The desire. The craving for something with flavor.
Elise then turned to the owner.
"Two spicy skewers, please. How much?"
The owner nodded. He took two skewers from the grill. The meat was browned. He added additional spice. Then he handed the skewers to Elise.
"100 Kres for two."
Elise took the skewers. Then handed him one copper coin.
"Thank you for the purchase."
The owner said. His smile was genuine. His voice was warm.
"May your date went well!"
Elise ignored the comment. She just turned around and started walking. Her pink pointed ears twitching.
Hyoren nodded and smiled at the stall owner. Then he walked to catch up with Elise.
Catching up with Elise, he walked side by side with her. Elise then handed him a skewer. The meat was hot. The smell was rich. The spices were visible on the surface.
He took it. The stick was warm in his hand. He bit into it.
The explosion of taste was immediate. The spice hit his tongue. The squirrel meat—similar to chicken—was tender. Juicy. Cooked perfectly. The spices penetrated every bite.
"Wow… This is good."
He chewed. Swallowed. The pleasure was real.
"I wasn't expecting anything from a street vendor. But maybe thanks to 50 days of only eating simple food—any decent food tastes like a delicacy."
He analyzed. Trying to understand his own reaction.
Elise smiled beside him. Biting on her skewer too. Enjoying the same flavors.
"No, Hyoren. This is quite tasty."
She disagreed. Gently. Politely.
"Well—maybe you are right. The feeling of first properly spiced meat might enhance the flavor."
She conceded partially. Acknowledging his point. But maintaining her position.
"But to be honest, I love Akela's food. Most of it is tasty. As they often utilize squirrel meat. Which I love."
She admitted.
Hyoren chuckled. A bias from her favorite food. But he agreed. The skewer was delicious. The meat was tender. The spices were perfect.
He bit another piece. Savoring it. Letting the flavors linger on his tongue. The last few weeks had been survival. This—this was living. This was pleasure. This was civilization.
"I'm glad though."
He spoke between bites.
"I can grit my teeth eating bland food. But I would really appreciate good food."
They continued walking. Eating. Moving through the bustling street. The skewers diminished with each bite.
Hyoren ate the last bite of his meat. He looked at the empty skewer. The stick that remained. The waste that needed to be discarded.
He threw the skewer into a box of trash. Sitting at the edge of the street.
"This city even has a place to throw trash..."
He observed. The realization was small.
Elise also threw her skewer into the trash.
"That's normal, Hyoren."
She responded. Her voice carrying a hint of teasing and amusement at his observation.
"Who wants to live in a town where trash is everywhere?"
The question was rhetorical. The answer was obvious. Hyoren chuckled.
"So how does the city handle the waste, Elise?"
He asked. Curious. On Earth, waste management was still a problem for many places. Even advanced societies struggled with trash. With environmental impact. How did this world handle it?
He thought about waste management on Earth. The landfills. The incinerators. The recycling programs.
Elise put her hand on her chin. Thinking.
"I'm not exactly sure how."
Her knowledge was not complete. Not detailed. But she knew the basics.
"But there is a water waste treatment plant in the administrative district on the south."
She gestured vaguely to the south.
"And if I recall correctly, they use slimes to process organic trash too."
The answer was surprising. Slimes which inhabit everywhere—from forest, to grassland, and even around road.
Hyoren was awed.
"I see. No wonder the city is clean. But using slimes to process trash..."
He mused.
"Neat. I saw them eat my leftovers in the forest."
He recalled. The creatures he had observed. The way they dissolve anything he left. From carcass of rabbit to leftover fruit he ate.
But thinking further—a concern arose.
"But won't the slimes proliferate too fast if they're kept fed with a lot of trash from the city, Elise?"
He asked. If fed constantly—wouldn't they multiply uncontrollably? Wouldn't they become a threat rather than a solution?
Elise stopped walking a bit.
"That's not a problem, Hyoren. As the slimes are regularly taken care of when they become too big."
She explained.
"It's a similar concept to the Mossback Squirrel Farm. Take the bigger ones. And leave the rest to proliferate and process the trash."
Elise started walking again. Hyoren followed her. The conversation continued as they moved through the street.
"Slimes have magic stones to be harvested. And their gel-like body is useful too."
Hyoren turned his head to Elise. The implications were significant.
"Woah. So slimes are useful?"
He asked. The question was almost rhetorical. But the realization was profound.
"I tried to kill one before without result. Physical attacks don't seem to work on them. And I couldn't hit the core as it moved so fast in the body."
Elise smiled. The expression was knowing. Understanding.
"Yeah they are hard to deal with without proper procedure. But.. The gel of slimes is used a lot in magic tools creation. They conduct Aethell well."
Hyoren was amazed. Thinking about implications.
"Self-sustaining waste management which can give back to civilization via the slime produce."
He summarized. The concept was brilliant.
"Fascinating."
He looked up. At the sky. At the buildings. At the city around him. The infrastructure of this world. The civilization that had developed. The solutions that had been created.
"Truly fascinating."
As Hyoren marveled at this world's magical civilization, they continued walking through the bustling street. The conversation faded.
***
Finally, they arrived at the front of the Guild.
The building rose before them. A two-story structure made of Ironwood and stone. The same dark wood that had formed the city gates.
It looked simple. But majestic. Like a fortress of professionalism. Not trying to impress with flourishes and frippery. But impressive nonetheless. The kind of building that commanded respect through its presence.
The sign above the door depicted two swords crossing with a shield behind them. The symbol of the Adventurer's Guild. The mark of the profession.
Hyoren stood before it. The moment felt significant. He was about to enter. About to register. About to become official. About to receive his Guild Card.
"Let's go, Hyoren."
Elise spoke. Her voice was calm. She had been here before. This was routine for her. But she understood the significance for him.
Hyoren nodded. Excited. The anticipation built in his chest.
They entered.
The noise from the street immediately faded. Replaced by a quiet atmosphere. The door was not just a physical barrier—it was a boundary.
The main hall was large and spacious. High beamed ceiling stretched above them. Wooden beams crossed the space. The ceiling was high enough to accommodate tall visitors. To create a sense of openness.
A polished wooden counter dominated one side of the room. Behind it—a few clerks were diligently working. The business of the guild. The administration of adventure. The paperwork that kept the system running.
The walls were lined with massive corkboards. Covered in neatly organized papers. Quest papers. Bounties. Announcements. Requests for help. Offers of reward. The lifeblood of the adventuring profession.
It was surprisingly serene.
Hyoren had expected something different. Something louder. Rowdier. More chaotic. The fantasy stories he had read always depicted guild halls as boisterous places. Drunk adventurers bragging about their exploits. Fights breaking out.
But this—this was calm. Professional and organized.
It was the afternoon. Most adventurers hadn't yet returned from their quests. They were still out. The morning crowd had come and gone. The evening crowd had not yet arrived.
There were no loud, boisterous crowds. No drunken brawls. No unruly adventurers boasting of their exploits. Just the soft sounds of pens on paper.
Hyoren leaned in and whispered to Elise. His voice low. Not wanting to disturb the atmosphere.
"As you said, Elise... There are no unruly adventurers."
Elise smiled. The expression was knowing.
"Yes. The Guild is very strict."
She spoke quietly.
"And most adventurers have enough sense not to make a ruckus in the one place that gives them a roof over their head."
She explained. The logic was clear. The Guild was essential. It provided the quests. The legitimacy.
"The Guild has a way of... permanently handling troublemakers."
Her voice carried a hint of warning. The consequence was real.
"They will be stripped of their rank and can't work anymore. This is a place of business, Hyoren. Not a tavern."
Hyoren chuckled. The realization settled in. Another fantasy trope dispelled. Another expectation corrected.
"I understand," he said. A wry smile on his face.
"So the cliché of the newbie adventurer getting ganged up on by unruly veterans in the Guild hall won't happen here."
He mused. The scene was familiar from countless stories. The young protagonist. The fresh adventurer. The hostile veterans. The confrontation. But here—in this reality—it would not happen.
Elise just gave him a resigning look.
"Of course not. Don't be absurd."
Her voice was flat. The very idea was ridiculous. This was a professional institution. Not a gathering of thugs.
She then dragged him towards one of the counters. Her hand on his arm. Moving him toward the destination.
The counter was managed by a Beastkin girl. She looked to be around 20 years old. Small and slender. With a head of fluffy brown hair. A pair of expressive cat ears that twitched with every sound. And a long tail that moved—mirroring her mood. She was meticulously organizing a stack of papers.
"Hey, Ina... I’m back."
Elise's voice was friendly. The tone was familiar. Acquaintance. She knew this person. Had worked with her before.
The Beastkin girl—Ina—looked up. Her large amber eyes widening slightly as she took in Hyoren's neat appearance.
A smile spread across her face. The expression was bright. Interested.
"Elise! It's good to see you back."
Her voice was warm. Welcoming. But with a hint of teasing.
"Guildmaster almost wanted to post a rescue mission as you were so late to come back."
The information was delivered with a playful tone. The concern had been real. But the delivery was light. The relationship between the two was clearly friendly.
She then turned her full attention to Hyoren. Her cat ears perking up with curiosity. Her eyes scanning him from head to toe.
She licked her lips. A small gesture. Unconscious. Or perhaps—deliberate. Then she grinned. The expression was predatory.
"And who's this?"
She asked. Her voice carrying delight. Desire.
"A new friend? He's... so handsome. Definitely my type."
Her tail gave a little flick of approval. Interest. Attraction.
Her eyes narrowed. Like a predator finding prey. The look was direct.
Elise's ears, which had been perked in a friendly manner, suddenly twitched. The change was immediate. The friendliness vanished. Replaced by something else.
"Ina... Don't you dare touch him!"
She growled. The sound was low. Her emerald eyes flashed with a warning that was anything but playful. The possessiveness was evident.
Ina, far from being intimidated, just laughed. A tinkling sound that made her cat ears wiggle. The reaction was amusement. Delight. She had struck a nerve. She had found something interesting.
"Hoo, the recluse Elise finally found a lover?"
She teased. Her amber eyes dancing with mischief. The revelation was too good. Too entertaining.
"A lot of men in this city are going to have heartbreak when they hear the Lone Ranger is off the market!"
The teasing continued. The implications were clear. The Lone Ranger. The elf who worked alone. The one who never partnered. Never dated. Never showed interest. And now—she appeared with a handsome man.
Elise looked up and rolled her eyes. The gesture was tired. She had been through this before. At the bathhouse. At the clothing store. And now—here. Everyone assumed the same thing. Everyone drew the same conclusion.
"Ina!"
Her voice was frustrated. But also tired. The constant assumptions were wearing.
"He is my party member. Partner. No more. No less."
She clarified. The same words she had used before. The same explanation. The same denial.
"Why does everyone keep assuming differently?"
She sighed. The sound was heavy. Exasperated. Her shoulders dropped. The exhaustion of being misunderstood.
But her eyes narrowed again. The frustration shifted. Became something sharper.
"But that doesn't mean you can touch him! I warn you, Ina."
The warning was clear. The threat was real. Elise was protective. She would not allow Ina to make a move.
"Fine, fine. No need to get violent."
Ina's playful demeanor immediately vanished. Replaced by a professional, if slightly pouty, expression. The fun was over. The warning was received. Elise was serious. Ina recognized the boundary. She would not cross it.
She conceded. Her voice carried a hint of disappointment. But also acceptance. She knew Elise. The elf was stubborn.
***
Ina's tone shifted. The playfulness receded. The professional emerged.
"So. What's your business today, Elise?"
Elise finally calmed down. Her shoulders relaxed a bit. The protective anger faded. Replaced by focus.
But her pointed ears still had a shade of pink. The flush had not entirely receded. The embarrassment lingered. The reaction to Ina's provocations remained visible in the subtle coloring of her skin.
"Two things. First thing first. My quest... handle it first."
The priority was clear. The quest report came before anything else. Before registration.
Hyoren watched Elise give her guild card. Ina processed it quickly. Her hands moved with efficiency. The card was scanned.
"Okay. Your quest was scouting the Forest of No Return, right?"
She confirmed.
"So what's the report?"
Elise's face turned grim. The news was bad.
"Urgent. This report needs to go to the Guild Master and Baron Akela soon."
She specified the recipients.
"The rumors are real. Shadowden Collective's Warlock, the Goblin King, is making a move."
Ina's playfulness was gone. The transformation was instant. The teasing clerk vanished. The serious Guild employee emerged.
"Are you sure, Elise? Baron seems to take the rumors seriously and he seems to prepare for war."
She shared. The information was relevant.
"But... what did you see in the forest?"
Elise took a deep breath.
"The activity of goblins has skyrocketed, Ina. Goblin warbands led by Warriors have started to appear on the forest edge. It's unprecedented…"
Elise then spoke about their experience in the Forest of No Return. She described the heightened activity of goblins. The increased patrols. The expanded territory. The growing presence throughout the forest. About more and more patrols appearing on the forest edge.
About the number of goblins which were sprawling in the forest. The population had exploded. The density had increased. Everywhere they went—goblins. Groups. Squads. Patrols. The forest was crawling with them.
Elise then added more details. The personal experience.
"I even got captured by a goblin warband."
She admitted. The confession was difficult. The failure was embarrassing. The elf was a veteran. A skilled ranger. And she had been captured. By goblins.
"I was... careless, yes, and went too deep into their territory. But still, the amount of goblins I fought was too much. I got attacked and lost consciousness."
She continued. The memory was vivid.
"If not because of Hyoren here… I don't know what would have happened to me."
She spoke about fighting multiple warbands at the same time. Surrounded. Then one of the goblins managed to smack her head with a club. Incapacitating her.
Ina's eyes widened. The reaction was immediate. Her gaze wandered to Elise. Then to Hyoren. Then back to Elise again.
"Elise… You're joking, right?"
Hyoren, on Elise's side, gave his experience. He stepped forward. Added his testimony. To increase the credibility of her report.
"Your name was Ina, right? That's true, Ina."
He confirmed.
"The goblins' numbers are like... endless."
He described. The impression was overwhelming. The quantity was staggering. Everywhere he looked—goblins. Every direction—enemies. The forest was infested.
"They were swarming the forest. I did save Elise when she was captured."
Hyoren then spoke briefly about his encounter with the goblin warbands. Fighting 15 goblins led by a Goblin Warrior. The battle had been intense.
And about freeing Elise from the burlap sack they carried. She had been trapped. Bound. Carried away like cargo. Like property. Like spoils of war. He had cut her free.
Elise also gave some details here and there. Adding to the account. Filling in gaps. Providing context. The combined testimony was comprehensive.
Ina's expression was grim. Her ears flattened a bit. The appendages dropped. Her tail stopped swishing.
She wrote with practiced movements. Creating a report for the Guild Master. The pen moved across the paper. The words were recorded. The information was documented. The urgency was noted.
"This is urgent indeed. If the goblin warbands truly reach the forest edge… it won't be long before they actually attack."
She spoke as she wrote.
"We need to increase patrols and scouts to the Forest of No Return."
Ina then scanned the counter. Looking for someone available. Then her eyes landed on one of the clerks. She called her.
"Sherly, come here."
The one who was called approached. A young girl. Definitely still a newbie. Her movements were uncertain. Fidgeting. The call from a senior clerk was intimidating.
But her looks were prim. Proper. Professional despite her inexperience. Short blonde hair trimmed in a bob style. Glasses perched on her nose. Giving her an appearance of competence.
"Can I help you, Ina?"
She asked. Her voice was eager. Ready to prove herself.
Ina then gave her Elise's report. The papers were transferred. The document was handed over.
"Copy this, and quickly send it to the Guild Master and Baron Akela."
She instructed. The task was clear.
"Stamp the letter with urgent matter for the Baron."
Sherly nodded. The instruction was received. Then she bolted to one of the rooms in the back. Her steps were quick.
Ina heaved a sigh. The breath was heavy. The tension was released.
"No wonder you came back so late, Elise."
She commented. The observation was understanding.
"Captured by goblins..."
Ina shuddered. The involuntary reaction was genuine. The thought of what could have happened. What goblins did to their prisoners.
She then looked at Hyoren. Her expression was earnest. No more playfulness. No more professionalism. This was personal. This was sincere.
"Thank you, Hyoren. For saving Elise. My friend."
She emphasized. The relationship was stated. She was a friend. Someone Ina cared about.
"Goblin prisoner fate is always..."
Her voice trailed off. The sentence was incomplete. But everyone knew what she was going to say.
Hyoren nodded. The acknowledgment was silent.
"No need to thank me. I just did what I needed to do. I couldn't sleep if I let another person die when I could save them."
He said. The words were humble. The motivation was simple.
"And I'm also thankful for Elise. She kept helping me."
He added. The gratitude was mutual. The relationship was reciprocal. Hyoren smiled. The expression was grateful.
Elise then grabbed Hyoren's hands. Her fingers wrapped around his. The contact was warm. The grip was firm.
"Yes!"
She exclaimed.
"That's why I'm traveling and partnering with him now!"
She declared. The explanation was public.
"Part of it was because I want to express my gratitude. But I also can't leave him alone. He was so clueless."
Elise then spoke about Hyoren's circumstances. The backstory they had prepared. The fiction they had constructed. She told of Shimoda Village. The remote settlement. The tragedy. The destruction. The sole survivor. She described his loss. His need for a new life.
Hyoren added more details. Filling in gaps. Elaborating on the story. Making it convincing. Making it real. The story was comprehensive. The narrative was consistent.
"That's why, Ina. I don't have anyone else. So I decided to look for a settlement. To live."
Ina nodded in understanding.
“I see. Shimoda Village huh. I never heard about that village. But indeed, rumors say some settlements exist on that mountain, past the Forest of No Return.”
She bowed her head a bit.
“My condolences to your family and the other villagers..”
The story was received. The circumstances were comprehended. The narrative was accepted. The tragedy was recognized. The need was understood.
“Thank you Ina.”
Hyoren thanked her. For believing his lies. He felt some pang of guilt. But it was necessary.
Ina nodded. Then Hyoren saw the shift on her. Her playfulness and teasing started to appear again. The gravity of the earlier report receded. The situation lightened. The work was done. The message was sent. Now the personal matters could resume.
"So, you need registration to the guild and an ID card, huh, Hyoren?"
She asked. The need was obvious. She grinned. The expression was familiar. The playfulness was returning. The flirtation was resuming.
"For someone who saved my friend… How about I give you special treatment?"
She offered. The suggestion was laden with implication. The meaning was clear. The intent was obvious.
"I will register you and teach you about a lot... a lot of things."
She continued. The suggestion was provocative. Special treatment. Teaching. A lot of things.
She licked her lips. The gesture was slow. Deliberate. Seductive.
Her eyes assessed Hyoren from head to toe. She was interested. Very interested.
Elise hissed again. The sound was sharp. The reaction was immediate. Quickly grabbing her arms. The motion was defensive. She positioned herself between Ina and Hyoren.
"Ina! By Sylvana's... stop… Don't touch him! Don't touch my life savior!"
The language was strong. My life savior. The phrase was emphatic.
Ina giggled. The sound was amused. The reaction was delighted. The provocation was successful. The response was exactly as intended.
"Life savior, huh. You bad liar, Elise."
She accused. The meaning was clear. It wasn't just gratitude. It wasn't just debt. It was something more. Something deeper. Something Elise might not even admit to herself.
"Fine... fine… Proper registration then."
She agreed. The professional mask returned.
She then looked at Hyoren. The predatory gleam was gone. Replaced by business. The cat beastkin was a professional.
"Come here. Follow me to the registration room."
She instructed. Ina then exited her counter. Her small frame moved around the wooden barrier. The counter that separated the clerks from the customers. Her tail swished behind her. Her ears perked forward. The cat ears stood alert.