As Travis stood in the bustling guild line, he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his thoughts circling back to his current predicament. The weight of his empty coin pouch pressed heavily against his mind. He had no money for an inn, no immediate plan beyond this moment. A pang of regret surfaced as he thought about leaving all that gold to Evan.
His gaze dropped to the ground, and he let out a weary sigh. "I’m way too kind for my own good," he mused, dragging his feet as the line inched forward.
The guild was a hive of activity, its large hall buzzing with energy. Each of the six counters was manned by a clerk, all fully occupied. Adventurers of various ranks and appearances crowded the space—some were loudly reporting completed quests, others flipping through job postings, while a few stood proudly as they leveled up their ranks. The air was thick with excitement, frustration, and the faint scent of sweat and leather.
Finally, Travis reached the front of the line. The clerk, a woman with chestnut hair pinned neatly back, greeted him with a warm, professional smile. Her eyes sparkled with practiced kindness as she said, “Hello, sir. How may I help you today?”
Travis returned the smile, though his was faint and tired. “Yes, I’d like to transfer to this guild if possible. I just arrived here from Valorim, and I need to update my registration. Is that something I can do?”
“Why, of course,” she replied, her tone unwaveringly welcoming. “I’ll just need your Adventurer card and for you to sign a few documents, all right?”
He nodded, slipping his hand into his pouch to retrieve his card. As he handed it to her, he caught the briefest flicker of a reaction in her expression when she noticed his rank—something faint but telling. A slight tightening of her lips, the tiniest arch of an eyebrow. It was enough for Travis to pick up on.
“They judge you by rank here, huh? Well, whatever. It doesn’t matter,” he thought with a resigned shrug to himself.
The woman quickly regained her composure and turned to grab a set of forms from behind the counter. She placed them in front of Travis, explaining the details as he skimmed through them. He signed each one with steady hands, noting how perfunctory the process felt.
When it was all done, she slid a new card across the counter toward him. It gleamed faintly under the guild’s lantern light, its design noticeably more ornate than his previous one. The etched patterns on the edges and the subtle weight of the card gave it a sense of importance.
“Here you go,” she said, her tone returning to its polite neutrality.
Travis held the card between his fingers, studying it for a moment before tucking it into his pouch. “Thank you,”
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She then leaned forward, her tone shifting to one of neutral professionalism. “Let me explain a few things about your card and the opportunities available to you here,” she began.
“First, jobs in the guild are ranked in the same way adventurers are, from D to S. D is the lowest rank, which is self-explanatory, while S is reserved for the most elite. As a rule, you’ll need to complete at least three jobs within your current rank before you become eligible to apply for a promotion to a higher rank. It ensures adventurers gain enough experience and credibility before advancing.”
She held up his new card briefly for emphasis. “Your adventurer card acts similarly to a passport. Depending on your rank, it grants you access to different regions of the world without much hassle. Higher ranks, of course, open more doors and come with privileges that lower ranks may not have. It’s both your identification and proof of your standing as an adventurer.”
She placed the card back down on the counter, her gaze steady as she continued, “Understanding this system will make navigating the guild and the world much easier for you. Do you have any questions about this?”
"Nope, I do not. Thank you for explaining," Travis said with a polite smile.
The woman nodded curtly, her lips curling into the kind of forced smile that spoke of long hours and thin patience. "Okay, have a nice day then, sir."
Travis nodded again and stepped away from the counter, his eyes already scanning the guild hall. He made his way to the job board, a massive wooden structure nearly overflowing with parchment. Each piece was stamped and pinned haphazardly, some overlapping others, creating a chaotic collage of quests and requests.
The sheer variety of jobs was overwhelming at first glance, ranging from simple deliveries to dangerous monster hunts. Travis leaned closer, brushing aside a few higher-ranked notices to reveal the smaller, often-overlooked D-ranked quests buried beneath. After a few minutes of sorting through the clutter, he finally unearthed three options.
He frowned slightly at the crumpled and faded state of the papers.
"Guess D-rank jobs don’t get much love," he muttered under his breath. Still, he wasn’t one to be picky.
' Alright, ' he thought, scanning the descriptions, ' I need something with a decent payout. Let’s go for the hardest one with the best reward. '
One job caught his attention almost immediately. It offered the highest pay of the three—a flower-gathering quest.
' Cliché much?' he thought, a wry smirk tugging at his lips as he read the details.
---
D-RANKED QUEST: FLOWER GATHERING
Location: Misty Glade Forest
Objective: Collect 10 Moonlight Petals
Reward: 10 Silver Coins
Details:
The Misty Glade Forest is home to the rare and beautiful Moonlight Petals. These flowers bloom under the moonlight and emit a soft glow. Your task is to gather 10 intact petals and bring them back to the Guild Hall.
Warning:
The forest is known to have roaming beasts. Proceed with caution and ensure you are adequately prepared for combat if necessary.
Completion:
Report to the Guild Hall with the petals to claim your reward.
— Posted by the Adventurer's Guild —
---
Travis rubbed the back of his neck, his smirk fading slightly. "Ten silver coins for picking flowers. Not bad for a D-rank quest," he murmured.
The warning about roaming beasts gave him pause, but only for a moment. He folded the paper neatly and tucked it into his pouch.
' Might as well get started. It’s not like I have much of a choice, ' Travis thought, steeling himself as he headed back to the counter.
The clerk barely looked up as he approached, her focus seemingly elsewhere.
“I’d like to take this job,” he said, sliding the slightly wrinkled quest paper across the counter.
She glanced at it briefly before reaching for her stamp. “All right,” she replied in a monotone voice, the warmth from their earlier exchange now completely absent. With a quick motion, she stamped the paper, marking it as claimed.
Handing it back to him, she added without much enthusiasm, “Good luck.”
“Thanks,” he replied, his tone dry as he folded the paper and slipped it back into his pouch.
Without another word, Travis turned and strode toward the exit, his boots echoing softly against the guild’s stone floor. The buzz of activity around him faded into the background as his mind shifted to the task ahead.
The afternoon sun greeted him as he stepped outside, the warmth contrasting against the cool, crisp air.
' Time to be an Adventurer '
TO BE CONTINUED