“Who’s responsible for this commotion!”
A commanding voice booms halfway down the stairs from the second floor.
An important-looking man stands there, scowling.
This is bad.
I try to slink away quietly…
But all the adventurers in the guild turn to me.
“Is it that kid?”
No, no, no! I shake my head.
“She was fighting with Baz!”
“That’s right!”
Traitors! What kind of men are these? Tattling like schoolchildren.
Have some spine!
“Baz! Where’s Baz?”
The blustery man keeps shouting, but Baz is still sprawled on the floor like a sack of grain.
“He’s lying right here!” reports a large adventurer, totally innocent-looking, like he’s got nothing to do with any of it—even though he’s probably the one who knocked him out.
“You hit a guild employee!”
The man’s voice crashes down like thunder.
Technically, it’s true... but honestly, the idiot brought that on himself.
It’s not like normal folks just go around punching guild staff who are doing their jobs—unless they deserve it.
Anyway, I didn’t punch anyone. I’m not the one in trouble.
Still, this is feeling more and more like the wrong place to be.
Maybe I should register somewhere else.
I’ve been wondering whether to sign up with the Carlton branch or the Adventurers’ Guild in Raymond City.
My plan was to start out in a smaller town, earn some coin, and transfer to Raymond later.
So really, I have no business here anymore.
I’ll just sneak past this important-looking man stomping toward Baz and slip out before he notices me.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
Ehh… Sharper than he looks. He spotted me.
“Um, it doesn’t seem like today’s a good day for adventurer registration, so I’ll just come back later!”
I try a polite bow and make a break for it.
But the exit’s blocked.
Not with magic or chains or anything—but there’s a big, beefy adventurer standing by the door now, arms folded.
Looks like I’m not getting out without permission.
I could teleport... but that feels like it would only make things worse.
“I’m Churchill, guild master of Carlton’s Adventurers’ Guild. If you want to become an adventurer, you should register.”
Hmm. I’m not entirely sure how important a guild master is, but if he’s offering, maybe I should take it.
Still, there’s something I gotta clarify first.
“I’ll register if I don’t have to pay the fee upfront. That receptionist demanded the fee before even giving me the form, and when I said that was strange, he tried to hit me.
I switched lines, but he chased me down and shouted that he wouldn’t let me register. Does he actually have that kind of authority? If he does, I don’t want to be part of this guild.”
Grind, grind, grind—I can hear the sound of teeth gnashing. That can’t be healthy!
The guild master turns, kicks that idiot Baz in the side, and wham—Baz bounces off the wall and flops to the ground like a stunned fish.
Ooh.
“You imbecile! You’re fired!”
Knew it. No authority at all.
“You—what’s your name?”
Do I have to answer?
Seems like it. All the adventurers are staring like they’re expecting me to explode or something.
Is corporal punishment actually allowed here?
“Zoe,” I say shortly. The less he knows, the better.
“Are you a witch?”
Well, I’m wearing a black robe. What else would he think?
Thanks a lot, Selina!
“Yes,” I admit.
And just like that, I get dragged upstairs to the guild master’s office like a lamb to the butcher.
But surprisingly, a kind receptionist lady brings me tea and helps me register right there in the office. Not bad.
The guild’s lie detector turns out to be just a crystal ball you hold your hand over.
That’s it?
I wonder how Matthew passed this. He wasn’t actually ten at New Year’s, was he?
Maybe as long as you believe you’re ten, it counts? What a sieve of a system.
Anyway, I hand over ten pennies and receive my official Adventurers’ Guild card.
There’s even a little hole to thread a cord through and wear it around your neck.
I’m grinning at my new card when the guild master speaks again from behind his massive desk.
“Spellcasters are rare in these parts. Did you come from the royal capital?”
Ah, interrogation time. Now that registration’s done.
“Who knows! Adventurers can register wherever they like, can’t they?”
I’m not about to tell him I grew up deep in the Great Forest. That’s not exactly normal.
Lang Village folks know, but that’s different.
I’ve got my card now, so I head for the door.
I think I hear a “Wait a minute!” behind me, but I pretend not to.
I wanna look at the request board and earn some money!
Selina still won’t take me to the royal capital, but maybe if I earn enough, I can go on my own.
In the capital, I want sheet music. And better instruments.
They’re probably expensive... so I’d better get to workin’!