"Here we are! Come on you two, take a deep breath and try to smell the scent of the guild's hall in the morning!" Salas grinned and spread her arms wide, eager to play guide for her new juniors.
Jake and Nila looked across the hall and took in the whole structure, along with the busy and noisy crowd within. There were so many hunters already, even though it was still so early. Most of them were crowding one section of the hall, seemingly fighting over something.
"You see that bunch over there?" Salas pointed at the crowd that the two were looking. "Do you know why they are bunching and elbowing each other? That's the most important section in the entire guild's hall, The Holy Wall, that's where all quests are posted."
"... and?" Jake asked after a short pause, waiting Salas to continue her explanation. As if we will understand after being told just that much.
"What do you mean '... and?' ?! This is the most important part of being a hunter! Getting ourself the easiest and safest quest! Even a silver tag like myself will still fight for herbs-gathering quest! Do you know why?" She leaned over to them, her quite-tall figure made such thing possible.
"Emm... Because you are lazy?" Jake guessed, and at that very moment, the entire guild went silent... only to be exploded with laughters a second later.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
"Salas? Lazy? Oh sweet summer child, you know nothing." Someone said among the crowd which immediately resuming their bunching and elbowing ritual in the morning.
"The correct answer is because no one wants to die, Jake." Salas said, grabbing Jake's and Nila's attention back to her.
She put her hand on the two's shoulder, "Most of the people here are a simple person, we work to feed ourself. But our work require us to go into the forest, and while I know Ben have been brought you two to the forest for the last past year, I'll have you know that is just the outer part."
She knelt down and got closer to them to ensure the two could listen what she was about to say next, "The deeper part of the forest where the most monsters are, which automatically make it the workplace for most monster-hunting quest, is a much more dangerous place. We work so we can live, not to die. So remember: Grab the most safest and easiest quest you can get, no matter how high your rank is, no matter how expensive the tag the guild give you."
"The second lesson from the Sagacious Salas." Nila nodded sagely, and Salas laughed at that.
"Alright then. Let's get this over with." Jake started to walk to the guild staff counter, but was stopped by Salas.
"Where the hell are you going?" She asked him, still grabbing his hand to stop him.
"The counter, duh. Get our quest that you have-- Mmfff%#@&??!!!!" His word was cut as Salas covered his mouth.
"Do you want to get me killed??!!" Salas whispered in a high pitch and she glared a dagger at him. She released her hands from his mouth when he shook his head.
She stood up and folded her arms, "Now go to the holy wall, see for yourself what kind of quest you could get while fighting the crowd."
Jake and Nila looked at each other, "Do we have to?" They said in unison. "Aren't we supposed to register ourself first as new member of the guild?" Nila added.
"Yes, you have to, we will..." She looked around warily, "... switch it later on the counter. And No, getting yourself a quest is a top priority, whatever paperwork and administration you plan to do in the guild is secondary, unless you want to get a leftover quest like slaying a dragon or something."
Jake and Nila looked at each other again. Then they reluctantly joining the crowd and fighting their way to the holy wall.