The guards wasted no time escorting Leonar to a specific tent where several officers and a fiery-red-haired sorceress were waiting for him.
The woman, tall and commanding, maintained a professional air as she perused a tome that glowed softly under the light of a portable lantern in the corner.
Upon entering, Leonar noticed at least five armed guards staying alert to his every move. One of them had his hand dangerously close to the trigger, while another seemed to be whispering into an intercom.
"Sit down," commanded an older man with a scarred face, stationed behind an improvised desk, notepad in hand and an impatient look on his face.
Leonar complied, keeping his face neutral though he was anything but comfortable inside.
'Great... looks like being a hunter is going to be complicated,' Leonar thought irritably.
A guard handed him a glass of water, the gesture feeling more like a formality than true hospitality.
"Name?" the man asked dryly.
"Leonar," he replied without hesitation.
The interrogator nodded and started writing in the notepad.
"Leonar, were you the one who killed the dungeon boss?"
"What? No, of course not," he quickly responded, raising both hands in denial. "My priority was saving the teammates I could."
The man observed him for a moment, sizing him up uncomfortably.
"Does that mean you didn't fight any monsters?"
Leonar hesitated for a second, thinking about how to phrase his answer without raising suspicions.
Finally, he opted for a partial truth.
"No, I just focused on escaping. I don't have the skills needed to confront something like that."
The interrogator raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.
"So, what's your power?"
This time, Leonar took a bit longer before answering.
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He couldn't reveal the truth about Eleonora, so he improvised.
"Water manipulation," said Leonar, trying to sound convincing.
The sorceress looked up from her tome and stared him directly in the eyes. Something intimidating in her reddish pupils seemed to pierce through him. With a slight gesture of her hand, the tome shone, and a luminous mark briefly appeared on Leonar's body.
"He's awakened, that's for sure," she confirmed with a soft but firm voice.
The interrogator nodded, apparently satisfied.
"Good. Follow the sorceress. She'll process you as a hunter."
Before he could respond, another guard approached and handed him a small paper with printed letters.
"This is your registration. Congratulations. Don't forget to report this to your guild."
Leonar took the paper, feeling the symbolic weight it represented.
"Thanks, I guess," Leonar murmured as he stood up.
The sorceress led him out of the tent, her movements graceful and eye-catching, Leonar couldn't help but notice how the reddish glow of her hair reflected the light from the portable lamps.
"Name?" she asked as they walked towards the portal.
"I just gave it a moment ago, but alright, I'm Leonar," he replied with a slight smile.
"Selena," she replied without turning to look at him, though her tone wasn't hostile.
Leonar noted that her demeanor was serious, yet not cold. There was a professionalism in her way of speaking that made him feel that, at least with her, he wasn't in immediate danger.
"And what guild do you belong to, Leonar?"
The question caught him by surprise.
"Apparently, the Red Hand."
Selena frowned slightly and repeated the name softly.
"Red Hand... I'm not very familiar with it, but if they got access here, they must have a good record."
Leonar chuckled lightly.
"I don't know them well either."
Selena stopped for a moment and looked at him incredulously.
"What? Don't tell me you signed their contract without even reviewing it?"
Before he could answer, they both crossed the portal.
Leonar immediately felt dizzy as he transitioned from the oppressive atmosphere of the dungeon to the fresh, relaxing air of the outside world.
The night sky was a relief to his tired eyes, and for a moment, he stayed silent, simply enjoying the view.
Selena, on the other hand, seemed unaffected by the change in environment.
"Well, did you?" she insisted, resuming their conversation.
Leonar sighed and nodded.
"A friend got me in. I trust him, but I guess I really screwed up, huh?"
Selena tilted her head, evaluating him for a moment before responding.
"On a scale of one to ten... it's a 45."
Leonar swallowed hard.
"How bad is that exactly?"
"Well," she began, crossing her arms as they walked towards a group of agents waiting for them. "For collectors who awaken as hunters, guilds tend to have clauses in their contracts that... let's just say, aren't exactly in your favor."
"What do you mean?"
"Let's say they might try to take a good chunk of the earnings you generate as a hunter. It's like insurance for them, but a nightmare for you."
Leonar clenched his fists upon hearing that.
The initial attitude of the guild abandoning them in the dungeon had already upset him, but this revelation only made things worse.
"Fantastic," he muttered sarcastically.
When they reached the group of agents, a woman quickly approached, notebook in hand and an inquisitive look.
"Is this the human who just awakened?"
"Yes," Selena responded professionally.
Leonar mentally crossed his fingers, hoping the supposed contract Barret had negotiated for him wasn't a complete disaster.