Chapter 19: The First Quest
The sun was already starting its descent when Inigo returned to the Adventurer's Guild, his new leather identification badge swinging gently against his chest. The crowd had thinned a little, but the hall was still alive with the usual din—laughing adventurers, clattering mugs, and the low thrum of chatter that never truly faded.
He made his way straight to the front desk, where the same receptionist from earlier sat poised with her feather quill, scribbling onto a parchment with practiced precision. Her blonde hair was neatly tied back as always, not a strand out of place beneath the dim golden light of the wall sconces. She wore that same professional half-smile, and when she looked up to see him, the warmth in her expression deepened.
"Back again, Mr. Inigo?" she asked, setting her quill aside.
Inigo gave a small nod, holding up his ID. "I've got it now."
She accepted it gracefully, examined the details, then handed it back with a nod of approval. "Everything checks out. Welcome to official status."
"Thanks," he said, then leaned slightly closer to the counter, lowering his voice. "I'd like to take on a quest."
"Of course," she replied, already reaching for a registry logbook. "Do you have one in mind?"
"I saw one earlier," Inigo said. "Goblin extermination. C-rank. Cave subjugation."
That made her pause.
She flipped through the log until she found the listing, eyes narrowing slightly as she reviewed the quest description. "Yes, it's still active. South of the city, about half a day's ride into the foothills. Estimated goblin numbers—fifteen to twenty. Possibly a chieftain. Cave structure. Ambush risk—high."
She looked back at him, more serious now. "I should inform you that this is a C-rank subjugation quest. Most adventurers don't attempt it alone."