Chapter 46 – Ice that Binds, Everything Ignites
Chapter 46
Ice that Binds, Everything Ignites
Date: Day 29 of Harvestmoon. 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
Ina led Elise and Hyoren into a room nearby. The registration room.
The hallway was short. A few steps from the main hall. A side passage that led to the administrative areas. The rooms where business was conducted.
Elise walked beside Hyoren. Close. Her shoulder near his. Her presence protective. The interaction with Ina had stirred something in her. She would not let her guard down. Not with the cat beastkin nearby.
She leaned toward Hyoren's ear. Whispering. Her voice low. Meant only for him.
"Don't let her bubbly and innocent looks deceive you."
The advice was serious.
"Ina might not really be interested in you. She just loves toying and eating men."
The words were blunt.
"I know her for three years already. And I can't count anymore how many men fell victim to her honeytrap."
Elise then sighed. The sound was exasperated.
"It's already an open secret. But why are there still a lot of men who fall for it?"
The question was rhetorical. But still—the pattern continued.
Hyoren smiled. The reaction was understanding. Not amusement at the victims. But recognition of the truth. The nature of young men. The power of temptation. The weakness of desire.
Not on Earth. Not here. It couldn't be helped. Young guys' libidos sometimes were hard to control. The drive was universal. Across worlds. Across cultures. Across species. Men were susceptible to certain things. A pretty face. A seductive manner. The promise of intimacy. The beastkin girl was attractive. Playful. Flirtatious.
Elise then hissed.
"Don't you dare fall for her too, okay?"
Hyoren nodded. He whispered back. Keeping his voice low.
"Don't worry, Elise. I understand."
The words were simple. But the meaning was clear.
Elise looked up. Her expression softened slightly. The tension eased. She accepted his word. But still—the wariness remained.
"She is actually a good girl."
She admitted.
"Earnest. Fun to talk to."
The positive qualities were listed. The good side was recognized. Ina was not a villain. Not a monster. Just... dangerous in a specific way.
"But her man-eating tendency..."
She trailed off. The sentence did not need completion.
"...sigh..."
The acceptance of a flaw in an otherwise good person.
Finally, they arrived in front of the Registration Room. The door was before them. A plaque on the front indicated its purpose.
Ina's ears perked. The cat ears twitched.
She turned around. Smiling.
"I heard all that, Elise."
The revelation was direct.
"And thanks for the compliment!"
The addition was teasing. The positive words had been heard too. The acknowledgment of good qualities. Ina took it as praise. And enjoyed the contradiction.
Elise was exasperated. Her face showed the frustration.
Ina continued. Her voice was playful. The teasing continued.
"To clarify. I love men."
The statement was direct. Unashamed.
"The ones who get easily tempted. Or flustered ones. Or experienced ones."
The categories were listed. The types she enjoyed. The prey she hunted.
She grinned. The expression was predatory. She licked her lips.
"But my favorite is the one who plays hard. And has a possessive girl shielding him."
The revelation was pointed. The specific prey. The particular challenge. The combination of resistance and protection. The difficulty made it more appealing. The obstacle made it more desirable. The possessive girl made the man more attractive.
Elise's pointed ears twitched again. The reaction was immediate. The provocation landed. The threat was real.
And she growled. The sound was low. The possessiveness intensified.
"Ina..."
The name was a warning.
Ina was not scared this time. The playful banter returned. She knew Elise. Knew her limits. Knew where the line was. And danced near it. But not over it.
"I love how possessive you are, Elise."
The observation was teasing.
"If you were not my close friend, I would truly be going to plan how to eat him."
The admission was honest. The temptation was real. The predator wanted the prey. But the friendship was a barrier. A boundary that would not be crossed.
"Fufufu."
The laugh was light. Mischievous.
"But I will concede. I won't try to steal him. But if he is the one who comes to me, don't blame me, okay?"
The caveat was added. If the prey came willingly—if Hyoren pursued her—then the game was on. She would not initiate. But she would not refuse.
"Fufufu."
Elise was fuming. The anger was visible. Her face was flushed. Her ears were twitching. Her whole body radiated frustration.
She grabbed Hyoren's arm. Her grip was tight. She pulled him closer. Trying to shield him from Ina's influence.
"Hyoren. Don't you dare, okay?"
Hyoren, who could feel the dangerous atmosphere radiating from Elise, nodded frantically. The message was received.
Ina chuckled. The sound was satisfied. The teasing had achieved its purpose. The reaction had been entertaining.
She turned to the registration room door. Her expression shifted. Playful became professional. Teasing became business.
"Okay. Time to handle your registration. Please enter."
She opened the door. The room beyond was revealed. The registration room. The three then entered the room.
***
The room was simple.
A desk sat in the center. Papers and writing utensils were arranged neatly on its surface. On the wall, shelves contained documents. Many documents.
Ina moved around the desk. Her small frame settled into the chair behind it. Her cat ears twitched. Her tail swished behind her.
"Please sit, you two."
She gestured to the chairs in front of the desk. Two seats. The arrangement was standard. Hyoren and Elise then sat in front of the desk.
Ina produced a paper from a drawer. Then pushed it toward Hyoren. The paper slid across the desk. Landing in front of him.
"Now. You can read and write, right?"
She spoke. Her voice was professional. But a hint of playfulness remained. The cat beastkin could not entirely suppress her nature.
"If you can't, Elise there can help you."
She then winked.
"Or you prefer me who's going to help you?"
The suggestion was laden with implication. The cat beastkin was still flirting.
Elise snatched the paper and put it in front of Hyoren. The motion was swift.
"He can write and read. No thanks."
Hyoren smiled wryly. The dynamic between the two women was entertaining. The rivalry. He was caught in the middle.
He looked at the registration form. The paper was before him. Waiting. He examined it closely. The quality was notable.
The paper was not as good as modern Earth paper. The texture was slightly rougher. The color was not pure white.
The form also seemed printed. The structure. Consistent. Not hand-drawn. This hinted that at least a modern printing press existed. Or something equivalent. Magic, perhaps.
He picked up a fountain pen from the table. The instrument was familiar. He then started writing.
The knowledge of Kresneger Common Tongue was already in his mind. A gift from Aethell during his summoning process. The pen moved across the paper. His hand was steady. He filled in each field.
He put the pen down. And looking at the finished form:
Full Name : Hyoren Enjo (氷連 炎上)
Nickname : Hyoren
Race : Human
Age : 22
Date of Birth : 13th Crownfire
Origin : Shimoda Village, Akela Territory, Kingdom of Altaria
Role : Warrior
Class : Spearman
He was satisfied. A few points had required him to think a lot. But he came prepared.
He had decided the date of birth in this world would be the date when he was first summoned. The beginning of Hyoren Enjo in this reality.
The origin was using the backstory he and Elise had prepared. Shimoda Village. A remote settlement.
And his name.
He had decided to write it in two languages. In Japanese—the characters that represented his true origin. And in Kresneger Common Tongue—the transliteration that would be his official designation in this world.
He had already moved on. He knew he could not go back. He had already died on Earth. There was no return. He also did not have regrets left. The life he had left behind was finished.
But he still wanted a mark. An anchor. Something that told his real origin. A reminder of where he had come from. The Japanese characters on the form were that mark.
Elise looked at his form. Her eyes scanned the document. First, she raised her eyebrow a bit. Confusion crossed her face. Maybe the unknown symbols puzzled her. The Japanese characters were unfamiliar.
Then her gaze locked into his date of birth, and smiled. The confusion faded. Replaced by something else. Warmth.
Ina took the form. Her hands lifted the paper. Her eyes moved across the fields. Checking.
"Good. Nothing unusual..."
She trailed off. Her eyes stopped on the Japanese characters.
"...other than... what is this symbol beside your name, Hyoren?"
The question was curious. Not suspicious.
Ina and Elise had the same question. They looked at him. The symbols needed context.
Hyoren smiled.
"It's an ancient language of my ancestors."
He began. The lie was smooth. Plausible.
"It's not used anymore. But my parents told me about it. And gave me the meaning."
The explanation established the context. He continued.
"The first two symbols are Hyoren."
He pointed to the characters. 冰連. The Japanese kanji that represented his given name.
"It means 'Ice that Binds.'"
The translation was provided.
"My dad named me after he almost died in the cold when he explored the ice-covered lands."
Hyoren looked up. The memory rose in his mind. His father's gruff voice could be heard.
"Hyoren, during my deployment near the Arctic, I almost died because of an ice avalanche. That's when your mother was pregnant with you. So I decided to name you Hyoren. Hahaha."
The voice was clear. The memory was vivid. His father's face appeared. The laugh at the end. The casual way he spoke of near-death.
Hyoren smiled. The memory faded. His father's image slowly disappeared.
"Then the last two symbols is Enjo."
He continued. The explanation moved to his family name. The characters 炎上.
"It's my family name. The meaning is 'Everything Ignites.'"
Ina nodded. The explanation was accepted. The ancient language of his ancestors. Just a tradition.
Elise mumbled. Her voice was soft.
"Ice that Binds and Igniting Everything."
She spoke the meaning.
She then looked at him. Her emerald eyes found his.
"I don't know how such paradoxical things actually fit you so much, Hyoren."
She smiled. The expression was warm.
"You seem cold and pragmatic from the outside."
The first impression. He was calculating. Practical. The ice that binds. The coldness that held things together. That kept emotions at bay. That approached problems with logic rather than feeling.
"But you actually bind... or connect... people..."
The interior. He was not just cold. He was not just pragmatic. He connected. He influenced. He drew people to him. Elise herself was evidence. She had opened up to him. She had trusted him. She had formed a party with him. The first person she had partnered with in years. He had bound her.
"And Everything Ignites."
The second part.
"Your fiery courage is infectious."
The flame that spread. The drive that motivated others. He had survived alone in the forest for fifty days. He had refused to give up. That courage—that fire—had touched Elise. Had sparked something in her.
The name fit. The paradox made sense. He was ice and fire. Cold and hot. Binding and burning. The contradiction was his essence.
The meaning of his name made Elise and Ina awed. The depth. The story behind the symbols. It was not just a name. It was a history. A heritage. A meaning that transcended simple identification.
***
Ina then took some kind of box from one of the shelves.
The device was distinctive. Almost similar to a scanner in his world. A flat glass panel in the center. Some kind of slot on the side. But the differences were obvious. The white tools were glowing slightly. And inside the glass—instead of machinery—there were glowing magic stones and runic arrays. Definitely magic tools.
The box was placed on the desk.
"Now."
Ina spoke. Her voice was professional again.
"Before we proceed to the registration, please provide the fee. 30,000 Kres."
Elise moved immediately. Her hand went to her coin pouch. She picked out three bronze coins.
She handed the coins to Ina.
Hyoren still felt bad. Elise kept paying for him. Everything had come from her pocket.
He forced down the feeling. The guilt. He would earn after this. He would make money. He would pay her back.
"Okay good."
Ina confirmed the payment.
"Now for the registration."
She reached for a blank metallic card— a guild card— similar to the one Elise had. She inserted it into the slot on the side of the box.
She also put the registration form on the box. The information he had provided.
Ina then turned to Hyoren.
"Now… Put one of your hands on the glass. Then pour your Aethell into this magic tool."
The instructions were simple.
"The process will take around 10 seconds. So be patient. No need to pour too much Aethell. Just small. But steady."
Hyoren did as Ina instructed.
He put his hand on the glass. The magic stones beneath glowed in response to his touch.
Then he poured his Aethell into it.
Slowly. Steadily. He released it into the device. A thin stream of power. Flowing from his palm.
After 10 seconds—the magic tool glowed brightly. Then— inert. The light faded. The glow dimmed. The process was complete.
Ina picked up the metallic card. She handed it to Hyoren.
Hyoren took it. The card was cool in his hand.
He poured Aethell into it. He knew what to do, he already saw Elise did it on her card. The power flowed from him into the card. And the information appeared.
All the info he wrote on the form appeared. His name. His nickname. His race. His age. His date of birth. His origin. His role. His class. All of it recorded.
And a few new lines appeared. Data assigned by the Guild:
Guild Rank : Wood
Guild Branch : Frontier City Akela
Party : None
Title : None
Elise and Hyoren smiled. The milestone was reached. The next chapter of his life had started. Now he was officially an Adventurer. The card was small. But it carried weight. It was identity.
Ina then spoke. Her voice breaking the moment.
"Hyoren. Should I give you information about the guild? Or has Elise there already taught you?"
The Guild had protocols. Information that should be shared with new members.
Hyoren looked at Ina. Considering the question. Elise had taught him much. But not everything.
"Elise already taught me most of it. About rank and how the guild works."
He acknowledged.
"But I still have a few questions."
He admitted. The desire for more information. For deeper understanding.
Ina's ears perked. The cat ears twitched. The opportunity to engage.
"Ask away."
She spoke. Her voice inviting.
"Or you prefer a private lesson from me after this, Hyoren?"
The teasing returned. The suggestion was laden with implication. With her. The meaning was clear.
But Elise moved. Her hand reached across the desk. Her fingers extended. Trying to grab Ina. To seize the cat beastkin. To physically restrain her from further flirtation.
Ina winced. The reaction was immediate. She saw the threat. She recognized the danger. She retreated.
"Sorry... sorry. Just joking. Joking..."
The apology was quick. The retreat was complete. The teasing had gone too far. Elise's patience had reached its limit.
"Okay. Ask away, Hyoren. What's your question?"
The professional mask returned. The flirtation was suppressed.
Elise then sat again. Her movement was controlled. She settled back into her chair. But her eyes remained locked on Ina. Warning. Do not try anything.
Hyoren coughed. An attempt to move things forward. To advance the conversation. To redirect attention to the actual topic.
Ina focused back on him. Her expression shifted. A wry smile crossed her face.
"Okay. First question."
Hyoren began. His voice was steady. His inquiry was prepared.
"Elise already taught me Guild Rank from Wood to Platinum."
He referenced their earlier conversation.
"But I want to know the details about rank progression. How to advance rank?"
Ina straightened her posture. Trying to appear professional. The question was serious. The answer required focus.
But her ears and tail betrayed her. The cat ears twitched with interest. The tail swished with energy. The professional demeanor was not entirely convincing. The playful nature leaked through.
"Okay. There are basically three things."
Ina raised her hand. One finger extended.
"One... enough contribution points."
She explained. The currency of advancement. The metric of progress.
"You get points from finishing quests or selling magic stones to the guild."
The sources were listed. Complete tasks. Bring in resources. Harvest magic stones. All of these generated points. All of these contributed to advancement.
She then put up a second finger. The second requirement.
"Second... your actual level."
The measurement of individual power.
"The Guild has a strength requirement for each rank. And level is a good measure of that."
The system used level as a proxy for power. A quantifiable measure.
"The Guild might lessen the requirement if the person asking for rank up is trusted or there are special circumstances."
The caveat was added. Flexibility existed. Trust could substitute for raw power. Special circumstances could justify exceptions. The system was not entirely rigid.
She put up another finger. The third requirement.
"Lastly... Guild assessment. For Wood to Copper... this is not needed."
Hyoren nodded.
"But as you want to rank up to Bronze, Silver ,and Gold... you need stamp of approval from the guild"
Ina gestured, mimicking a stamp on a document.
“For Bronze, it’s still lax. As long as you never cause a ruckus or breaking rules. Then you are free to rank up. But if you did. Assessment from Guild Master might be needed.”
She raised another finger.
"Then for Silver, a single Guild Master is enough."
She raised two fingers this time.
"For Gold.. not only do you need three Guild Masters to vouch for you... you need to pass some tests at the central guild in the capital too."
Ina's tone dropped an octave. The seriousness of the topic required gravity. The importance of the information demanded weight.
"Bronze, Silver, and Gold Rank are the Guild's face."
She explained. The reasoning behind the requirements. The purpose of the scrutiny.
"We need to make sure their character is good. Trustable. Won't cause trouble."
Hyoren nodded. Understanding.
“I see. That made sense Ina. So for now. I only need to work hard raising my contribution points and my level. I will worry about guild master later.
Ina’s tail swirled.
“That’s right Hyoren. Work hard. And your rank will be raised.”
Hyoren looked at his side.
Elise was still silent. Her shoulders were tense. Her emerald eyes were still locked onto Ina. The intensity of her gaze was palpable.
Ina herself was trying to forget about her. The cat beastkin was focused on her work. But her eyes sometimes wandered to Elise. Involuntary glances. The elf's presence was impossible to ignore. So Ina tried to maintain her professional manner.
Hyoren then looked at his guild card. At his Wood Rank.
"So how much contribution and level are needed to raise my rank, Ina?"
Ina's ears perked. The question was a reprieve. A chance to focus on something other than Elise's threatening gaze. She smiled. The professional mask returned. The orientation continued.
"Okay. Wood rank is basically just a training phase. It's easy to raise. You only need 10 contribution points. Level requirement is not needed."
She explained.
"Just do a few quests. And you will rank up."
She then raised her hand. The next tier required more detail.
"For Iron to Copper, it will be harder. 100 contribution points. And you need to be level 5."
Ina smiled. Professionally.
Hyoren nodded. Ina hadn't mentioned the higher rank requirements. But Hyoren understood, that was fine. It might take him some time anyway.
Hyoren then put his hand on Elise's shoulder.
"Elise… Till when are you going to be like this?"
He spoke. His voice was calm.
"Please wake up."
Elise suddenly woke from her stupor. She blinked. The trance ended.
Her anger slowly receded. The heat faded. The protectiveness diminished. Her burning emerald eyes, which had been locked on Ina, slowly dissipated.
"Oh."
She spoke. The realization came. The awareness returned.
"Sorry, Hyoren. My bad.”
Hyoren then made sure Elise was following, then gestured outside. Toward the quests and tasks and monsters that awaited.
"So. What if I want to sell material but I didn't accept any quest? Will I get contribution points?"
He had a lot of magic stones to sell. The evidence of his survival. And if those could be translated to points and funds—then that was great. That would give him a head start. A foundation. Resources to begin his adventuring career.
Ina nodded. The answer was affirmative.
"Yes. That's right."
She confirmed. The Guild recognized contributions beyond formal quests.
"Even without a quest, you can sell your magic stones to the Guild. But only magic stones. The Guild won't accept any other material unless it's part of a quest."
The limitation was clear.
"And it will also earn you contribution points."
She continued.
"It's not much. You can't realistically buy your way to earn contribution points."
She cautioned.
"But small additions will pile up."
Ina then held her hands up. A warning gesture. A caution.
"But the Guild only buys magic stones at a fixed price. You might get better value if you sell to shops that need them, like magic tool craftsmen or other shops."
Hyoren put his hand on his chin. Thinking. Processing. The information was valuable. The options were clear.
"So I can't buy my way through the rank. But if I manage to kill monsters outside quests, I can still turn it into contribution points… That's good…"
Ina smiled.
"That's right. You understand quickly, Hyoren."
She praised. The new adventurer was sharp.He grasped it quickly.
Elise then added. Her voice carried a darker tone.
"But well... there are cases like that."
She admitted. The acknowledgment was reluctant. The truth was unpleasant. But it was truth nonetheless.
"Some corrupt nobles try to buy their way through the ranks. Using money to buy magic stones, and selling them to the Adventurer's Guild to earn contribution points."
The method was described. The loophole was exploited.
"Then pay others to help them raise their level."
Elise scoffed. The sound was dismissive. Contemptuous. The practice disgusted her.
"Such cases exist, yes. But it was rare."
She added. The frequency was limited.
"And they won't advance to high rank. At most... bronze. As I said before... to advance to higher ranks, contribution points and level are not enough. Guild Master vouching is also needed."
Hyoren nodded in understanding. Then he turned to Ina again.
"What about the rates then, Ina?"
Ina focused on the question.
"Basically, every 10,000 Kres worth of magic stones you sell to us… you get 1 contribution point."
Hyoren nodded. The math was simple.
"I see… For raising Wood rank, it's still easy… as it only needs 100,000 Kres. But to raise rank after that, the cost is astronomical if we really want to buy our way through rank. And there's level requirement too. And endorsement too."
Ina's ears perked. She nodded. The understanding was correct. The analysis was accurate.
Hyoren then asked again.
"We have a few magic stones from monsters we defeated along the way. Can you process it?"
Hyoren then picked a pouch of magic stones from his belt. The small bag was heavy with contents. He placed it on the table. The pouch sat between them.
Elise also picked up a similar pouch.
"Here, Ina."
She said. Her voice was calm. The earlier tension had faded. The apology had been made. The return to normalcy had begun.
"Count mine too."
She placed her pouch beside Hyoren's.
Ina picked up the two pouches. Her hands weighed them. Assessed them.
Then she paused. A thought occurred.
"How about you two form a party first?"