As we approached the village gate, the sturdy wooden walls stood tall, surrounded by the village gaurdsmen.

The laughter of the children trailed behind me, their curious eyes wide as they took in my gaudy mage outfit.

Those group of kids, a mix of boys and girls among them are the one's I recognize, Ralf and his childhood friend Beatrice hung back, whispering and giggling about my strange appearance. I could see them nudging each other, clearly excited by their new visitor.

As we entered the wooden gate. Just then, among the many gaurds who are on stand by at the wall, there a man in light armor stepped forward, a crossbow slung across his back. He had a rugged look, with a friendly grin that hinted at mischief. Two other burly guys flanked him, all of them radiating that tough, experienced vibe.

"Daren? You were screaming about a suspicious monster earlier, and now I see you’re hanging out with him?" the armored man joked, eyeing me with amusement.

"W-wha? Monster?" I blurted out, feeling a bit taken aback.

"Ahehe, you must be mistaken!" Daren quickly replied, laughter in his voice, though he looked a little flustered.

"No, I heard you right," chimed in the stocky guy with a thick beard. He crossed his arms, grinning. "You said he looks like some noble playboy who’d devour women whole!"

"Ohh?" I said, raising an eyebrow, enjoying the playful banter.

"Ahahaha, don’t mind it, Mercury-dono! They’re just messing around!" Daren laughed, turning a shade redder as he glanced away.

"Hmm, I see," I said, giving him a teasing look. The men chuckled, and the atmosphere lightened as Daren fidgeted awkwardly.

The kids, still hovering nearby, couldn’t contain their giggles, clearly loving the drama of the moment.

"Hehe, so, mind if we let Mercury through to the village?" Daren asked, gesturing with a friendly nod.

"Haha, sure!" The armored guy replied, feeling the tension drop as they stepped aside letting us through.

With Daren and his men guiding me forward and the kids trailing behind, their amused expressions made it all the more entertaining. As we walked, I exchanged nods with the men, their easygoing nature reassuring me, while the village buzzed with life just beyond the gate.

As we entered, I was then greeted by it's lively atmosphere. The beautiful scenic view of a medieval village came to view though it is not completed yet since there are buildings that needed repairs and reconstruction while some just decided to renovate the rest

As I expected, the village was happy but there were some people who felt otherwise but chose to bear with it. It was as if to overwrite the events back then like it never happened. Still there is still a genuine sense of camaradrie among them ever since that night during their celebration

No wonder they're so carefree, the townsfolk here are so welcoming, though not everyone..

As I was then greeted by the residence. As the children and teenagers approach me out of curiosity

While the others looked at me as if a royalty has graced them with their presence

I thought that they would just ignore me like I'm another villager since there are a lot of new faces when adventurers and bandits decided to settle so it would be hard to tell who's new

But considering my looks and my clothing?

Haah~ I should've taken that into account now I'm attracting unnecessary attention

"Uhh Mercury-dono are you alright? Ya Nervous?" He said noticing my troubled expression

"Well, kind of.. but it's not something that I can't handle!" I replied confidedently.

After all, this is not the first time I've experienced this

"Hehe! Don't worry, they're just aren't used to distinguished looking fellows visiting this humble village. Not even nobles set foot in this place, how's about we'll get ya some lodging after your meeting with the chief?"

"Yeah I think It'll be a good idea" I replied with aniticipation to see the kind of lodging in this era

"Alright, everyone make way! Kids you go play around some more, since we'll be headed somewhere important"

"Okay!"

As the kids then dispersed and procedeed to run around the village giggling, as I was then left to walk with the remaining adults

I turned to look at the kids, to see Ralf and Beatrice waved goodbye as they run off unto the streets.

I waved back with a warm gentle smile.

As we continued ahead on our walk, I looked around some more whilst talking to Daren and his friends

It took a while before we reached the village chief's residence with the villagers keep popping up one after another

Many came asking if I were a high rank mage, some came because of my looks and others mistake me for a noble or royalty

Of course this sparked envy among the minority which consist of mostly young men but burried the thought since they don't know if they'd be up against a great mage or a royalty so instead most them kept it within themselves while some of their remaining envy replaced and were even more overwhelmed by curiosity

Soon, as I arrived there stood a building that stood out from the rest, since it is bigger, more defined and detailed than the others.

As Daren noticed me admiring it, he spoke up, gesturing toward the sturdy wooden structure, it really isn't entirely wooden since most of it are built on cobblestone. “As you can see, this is the newly built Adventurer’s Guild.”

“Oh? Is your village chief an adventurer?” I asked, intrigued by the building in front of us implying their chief is in there among the adventurers.

“Heh! Not just any adventurer—he’s the guildmaster now!” Daren replied, pride evident in his voice. "Shall we enter? Then after you" as he playfully gestures for me to go in first

As we entered, we saw different groups of people, you can tell they are adventurers with the equipments and weapons they possess

There are also a board at the side where papers of what seemed to be quests

And in the middle there receptionists doing service to the adventurers.

And beside it caught my attention

“Hooh, so his office is upstairs?” I inquired, glancing at the ornate wooden staircase spiraling upward.

“Yep! Follow me!” Daren said, leading the way.

“Uh, boss, can we go now?” one of his men piped up, shifting his weight impatiently.

“Yep! Your job here is done; you can head out now,” Daren replied without missing a beat.

“Thank you!” they chorused, eager to escape to their own tasks.

As Daren and I continued through the guild, the air buzzed with energy. Adventurers exchanged stories, their laughter ringing out amidst the clatter of armor and weapons. A few glanced our way with curiosity, but they respected our space. Except for one.

“Heyoo!”

“Oi! What’s up, Minah?” Daren greeted, his expression brightening.

There a young girl who approached us was tanned, with a contagious smile and an energetic bounce in her step. She was lightly armored, a sword slung at her hip, ready for action.

“So, what do we have here? Such a looker!” Minah said, eyes sparkling as she examined me.

“This is Mercury,” Daren introduced, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Ooh, what a cool name! Sounds like someone from that of a foreign country, by the way where are you from, Mercury?” Minah leaned closer, her curiosity palpable.

“Well... somewhere far away,” I replied, trying to maintain an air of mystery.

“Hmmm? Hiding something, are we? Could it be… royalty on a secret mission? Don’t worry, I won’t tell a soul… your highness,” she teased, her playful grin widening.

“No, I’m definitely not royalty. Sorry to disappoint,” I said, suppressing a laugh.

“Oh, but even the way you speak and your voice sounds so princely!” Minah insisted, a mischievous glint in her eye.

“I told you, I’m not—”

“Don’t worry! I’ll be at your service. By day, a knight, and by night, a sa—”

Daren suddenly pinched her ear, cutting her off mid-sentence. “I apologize, Mercury-dono. Can you head up ahead? I’ll catch up,” he said, his tone firm yet lighthearted.

“Oh, uh, okay then,” I replied, slightly bewildered.

“Ow, ow, ow! Daren~ that hurts!” Minah protested, her playful demeanor momentarily replaced by mock indignation.

“That’s your fault for scaring away the guest! Tsk, kids these days have no sense of decency!” Daren shot back, shaking his head with a grin.

As I walked toward the staircase, I couldn’t help but chuckle at their banter. This village, with its lively guild and quirky inhabitants..

As the wooden stair creaks as I climbed the narrow staircase, the scent of musty parchment and old wood enveloping me. Upon reaching the top, I pushed open the door to the guild master’s office.

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Inside, a man lounged in a worn leather chair, his carefree demeanor radiating warmth. His disheveled hair framed a broad smile, making him look more like a jolly tavern keeper than a guild master.

"Yo! An adventurer? Let me guess—you're a mage!" he exclaimed, his voice booming with enthusiasm.

"Hehe, yeah. Is it really that obvious?"

"Hahaha! Yeah, your gaudy bright robe is what gives it away!"

"I apologize."

"Don't be! It looks nice, actually. You give off an air of authority," he said, eyeing my robe with a playful grin.

"T-thanks..."

"Don't be nervous! So, what brings you here? Here to register? You can go to the receptionist—"

"No, actually, Daren sent me here."

"Ohh? He did?" His brow furrowed with curiosity.

"Yeah."

"So, what brings you to my humble village, your highness?"

"No, no, I'm not a prince!" Frustration bubbled within me. Why did everyone keep saying that?

"Actually, I’m not from this continent. I’m unfamiliar with the land. This is the first place I saw upon arriving, and I wanted to learn more. I’m just a scholarly mage, hoping to find rare items to craft potions or magic trinkets! The thrill of venturing into the unknown drives me! But I can’t proceed without guidance," I rambled, suddenly self-conscious. "Sorry for, uh, talking too much..."

"Nono! I’m even more at ease now knowing your intentions. You’ve come to the right place! First things first, you’ll need a map. I can’t have my guest wandering off and getting ambushed by bandits or predators, can I?"

"That would be incredibly helpful, thank you!"

"Here!"

Baldwin stood up, his chair scraping against the floor as he ambled over to a large, battered chest in the corner of the room. As he rummaged through it, I took in the chaos around me—papers scattered like autumn leaves across a cluttered desk, and shelves sparsely filled with dusty tomes. It made sense; as a newly appointed chief and guild master, he likely had much to sort through.

"Here!" he declared, pulling out a scroll and laying it down with a flourish. "Here’s the layout of everything! I used to be an adventurer, so of course I know every detail."

He pointed to the map, which unfurled across the table. "We’re here in the plains, in the southeastern part of the continent. There’s not much around except for a few villages. You probably came from the east; the south isn’t really safe for travel—well, not that it matters now."

"You mean the forests?" I asked, recalling the dense thickets I had passed.

"Wait, you didn’t actually journey all the way from there, did you?"

"Huh? What’s wrong? Is there something dangerous there?"

"So you don’t know? Probably from the east then. You see this dense forest here?" He tapped a shadowy area on the map.

"Yeah?"

"It’s crawling with monsters."

"Then why are there buildings nearby?"

"Well, for merchants, business booms! Monster parts and rare treasures can be acquired from there, since adventurers sell their spoils to them."

"Ahh, I see."

"There are even rumors of elves dwelling in the depths of the forest. Though, no one has ever truly seen one..."

Hmm, so the elf I encountered earlier—did she come from the south?

"Oh, what’s here at the top?" I asked, pointing to a location at the eastern edge of the map, slightly central.

"That’s Vandark! This is the kingdom we belong to. Its capital lies just below it, but it’s embroiled in constant conflict with neighboring countries. We get caught up in their mess."

"You don’t think Vandark is also in conflict with the one at the center, do you?"

"Oh no! We certainly can’t win against the Pholean Empire. It’s probably thanks to that empire keeping these kingdoms in check that none of us have ended up in ruins."

"That’s incredible—they’ve likely been here longer than any of the kingdoms!"

"Certainly! They’ve been here for about five hundred years." He leaned in closer, his voice lowering conspiratorially. "And there are two other rivals to the north. It isn’t covered on this map; it’s too vast. I have a map of it somewhere, but let’s focus here for now."

"To the northwest lies the kingdom of Madahk-zarh, and Kyros. To the southwest is Xollen, and to the northeast is Grudah. That about sums it up."

"But of course, if it weren’t for the vast stretches of uncharted lands acting as a barrier—swamps, mountains, dense forests—it would be far too easy for them to start a conflict over lands."

"Agreed…" I murmured, processing the wealth of information. Baldwin let out a hearty laugh, startling me.

"Hahaha! I understand it’s a lot to take in, but isn’t it natural for someone of noble blood or a scholarly mage to take in information even far more than this?"

"Yeah… I’m just as amazed by all of this." As I murmured to myself while examining the contents

"You can take the map with you, if you’d like."

"Really? Can I?"

"Yeah! Just be sure to tell your folks how amazing this village is. Invite them to visit sometime!"

"Hmm, I will!"

"Now that you’ve got your information, mind staying in the village for a while? I’ll have someone find you a place to settle and give you a tour around—"

As the conversation between Mercury and Baldwin continued, just then the door creaked ominously. Suddenly, two figures burst into the room like a pair of mischievous wind gusts. It was Minah and Daren.

Minah’s eyes widened as she was caught, her cheeks flushing. “We didn’t peep!”

Daren, trying to look innocent, chimed in, “I was about to stop her, but—”

Minah cut him off, with a cheeky grin. “Hmm, ‘stop’? You were totally peeking right alongside me!”

Baldwin raised an eyebrow, a smirk creeping onto his face. “Alright, alright, you two. How about you show our guest around the village?”

“I alone am enough!” Minah declared, puffing out her chest like a proud rooster, though her flustered demeanor lingered.

Daren chuckled. “Haah, suit yourself, kid. Just don’t scare him off with your ‘enthusiasm.’”

Baldwin's arms crossed. “You’re not going to take him on a tour, Daren-san?”

“No, I have to head home to my family for lunch,” Daren replied, a hint of longing in his voice. "I apologize for not being able to keep my promise, Mercury-dono. I just can't seem to keep up with this kid's energy."

"Hey!" Minah pouted

"Fufu, it's fine Daren-san. You've been of great help to me, so don't worry and go spend time with your family."

"Thankyou for your understanding"

"Then Minah. I'll be in your care"

Minah bounced on her heels, shaking off her embarrassment. “Yay! Then off we go!” She grabbed Mercury by the shoulder and started to drag him out, her excitement infectious.

“W-wait!” Daren exclaimed, his eyes wide with worry. “What if she shows him the *wrong* parts of the village? You know how she gets!”

As they sprinted off, Daren looked like a parent who had just lost track of their child in a crowded market. Baldwin patted him on the back, chuckling. “It’s alright! She may be a bit excessive, but she means well!”

Daren sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I know, it’s just this girl… She’s like a firecracker on a windy day.”

Baldwin chuckled in response

“Haah~ Well, I’ll be heading home now. Ain’t you going to stop by someplace for lunch?” Daren asked, tilting his head.

“Nah, still got work to do. Maybe later,” Baldwin replied, eyeing the door as if it might provide an escape route.

“Just be sure not to overdo it, will ya?” Daren said, raising an eyebrow.

“Got it, boss! Be seeing you!” Baldwin waved, already contemplating his next project.

"Mmh." Daren grunted before walking out the door

Left alone, Baldwin furrowed his brow, deep in thought. “I feel like I forgot something… Right! The map! He probably got absorbed in our conversation that he forgot to take it. I'll just give it to him later.."

"Also.. I was hoping to pick Philien to tour Mercury around but I guess Minah has it under control now. I sure do hope she doesn't overdo it though. I guess I'll call him in If Minah doesn’t scare him off first.” He shook his head, a faint smile on his lips, as he imagined the chaos that awaited Mercury.

But as soon as he turned, he was left with a surprise. "Heh, that sly kid.."

The Map which was suppose to be at the table was no longer there

"Guess she liked him that much to go as far to do something unecessary"

He couldn't help but shook his head as he then smirked at the thought that suddenly crossed his mind, "That's good, now I have something to use against our little gremlin," as he then chuckled mischeviously.