Maud relented, quickly grabbing the paper from the counter and retreating back through the door.

Ravina turned to her chaperone. "Is there a problem?" she asked.

Aurelia shook her head. "Not really. Maud just has a… challenging personality."

"So my submission?"

"It will go through without any problems." Aurelia motioned for Ravina to follow as she led her to a small seating area beside the bounty board. Their they sat and waited, Ravina observing the few people entering and leaving the guild. Most carried bags as they entered, turning them in at either the returns or resolution counters. Afterward, some would head through the doors into the bar while others simple left.

Yet, there were also a few who came in to inspect the board. Most simply left, while a few grabbed a leaflet before approaching the counter.

"Aurelia," Ravina asked, holding onto her hands.

"Yes?" she responded, taking her eyes off the bounty board.

Nervously, Ravina inquired, "Am I... not suited to go out on an adventure?" After all, the form contained a wide variety of information, and she was only able to fill out a few fields. Even that was worth very little.

Aurelia didn't answer her right away, adding to the young girl’s anxiety. Instead, she looked over the forlorn girl. Her eyes, unseen by the child who kept her head down and looked at the grain of the wooden floor, studied the mood of the question asked.

"No one ever is," she finally answered. Sitting down beside her, she folded her legs and placed her hands in her lap. "Most people who join think it's all a game, a grand adventure, and easy money. However, they don't stop to think about why the pay is so good or how difficult it may become."

"I get that," Ravina complained. She had already prepared herself for a challenge; that's partially why she chose to bring Aurelia with her. After all, she could have snuck out of the library or even the manor for that matter. Aurelia was a safety net for her.

"Do you? That's what they all say. Tell me, little Ravin, what quest do you think you should take when you get started?" She motioned to the large board, covered in leaflets.

Getting up, Ravina examined the sheets. Each one had a similar overall format: a title at the top with a reference number written in small print below. Below the title was a large box filled with stars; most of them had one or two stars. Following that was a description of the request, with the price written in large letters at the bottom of the leaflet.

Judging by this board, it would seem that "reading is commonplace around here," Ravina mused as she examined the one-star requests.

"You think?" Aurelia asked.

"Well," Ravina jumped after realizing she had spoken aloud. "How else would people be able to take jobs if reading was an issue?"

Aurelia stood up and positioned herself next to Ravina. "Here," she said, pointing to the single star on a request, "is the difficulty rating. A single star means it's the easiest request. This one is harder," she continued, pointing in succession from a two-star request, to a three-star, and finally to one of the few four-star requests. "It goes all the way up to five stars, though those requests are basically impossible." Her finger returned to the first-star request she had pointed to earlier. "Then," she slid her finger down, "over here we have the payout." Her hand lingered over the large numbers. "Notice which two are bigger?"

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Ravina re-examined the board, noting that the title was written in large letters and the reference number was small. But it was the number of stars and the payout that dominated the form. "I see. So most people just look at the number of stars and the payout to gauge the difficulty and potential reward of the request."

"Right so far," Aurelia encouraged.

"Then..." Ravina continued, thoughtfully. Turning her head, she eyed the large counter. "A guild associate informs them of the details, and they can decide there whether to accept the request or not."

"Exactly right," Aurelia said, raising her eyebrows. "This process also allows the guild to vet the request based on the individual. For example, if you picked up a three-star request because it had the highest payout, your acceptance of that request could be denied."

"Right, because I just joined. So, I need to start with a few single-star requests to prove that I have the capability to handle higher-star challenges."

"Wrong," Aurelia shook her head. "If you only complete a bunch of harvesting quests and then try to take on a two-star hunting quest, you would be denied. Even if you have completed one-star hunting quests, but those were only for rabbits, they would never let you hunt a wolf."

"I see, so it's more dynamic than simply completing enough missions to progress to harder, but higher-paying missions."

"Exactly," Aurelia mused. She looked over the young girl with renewed eyes. "You're very perceptive."

Ravina's eyes lit up at the praise. "Hehe," she laughed, "I am, aren't I." She turned back to the board, Aurelia’s words now resonating in her mind. "I'll have to take this one then," she said, pointing to a request. It was a one-star request worth 38 copper, and it also offered a bonus. "Goblins," she read aloud. "It's a simple request asking us to clear out a small camp. We'll get credit for hunting monsters and a bonus for every goblin slain."

Smiling, Ravina turned to Aurelia, fully expecting to receive more praise. However,

"Goblins? Are you serious?" The woman's mouth fell open in shock.

"Y-yeah," Ravina stammered, stepping back. "They... should be fine for a first battle."

Aurelia raised a hand to her face. "That's not the point. You don't even know how to use a sword."

"Yeah... but it would be good practice, right?"

“A clever way to commit suicide, I must admit,” Aurelia said in exasperation. “Goblins are minor creatures, but they are intelligent. Not only that, but they are a combative species. They may not be skilled, but they are capable of using both weapons and tactics. And you want to take on a request that asks us to clear them out? There isn’t even an estimate of their numbers.”

“So it's a bad request?”

“Well, it's fine for seasoned adventurers. When well-prepared, the bonus makes it almost worthwhile, but it's more like charity work than anything else.” Shaking her head, she looked over the board before selecting a different request. “Something like this would be better for your first request,” she handed a leaflet to Ravina.

Ravina read the request. “Collection of… Pelwort? Five bundles for 25 copper…” The girl looked up at Aurelia, opening her mouth, but then closed it soon after.

“Not very adventurous, is it?” Aurelia confirmed. “Still, it provides you with two critical assets.” To emphasize her point, she raised two fingers, then lowered one as she continued, “One, it's a lazy quest with no danger and an easy payout. It only costs time and energy.” Then she raised the other finger, “Two, because you are new to this area, it will give you a purpose when you look around and get your bearings.”

Lowering her hand, she further explained, “You get to explore outside the city wall, taking in the surroundings. You are also not limited to worrying about anything other than the dangers associated with gathering, which are very few. If there are any dangers, you can run without worry.” She nodded as she finished. “It’s simple but allows you to get your bearings and get paid for it.”