11 Chapter 8: Eria's city, Adventurer Guild
Days melted into one another, and soon Alex found himself on the road to Eria Town, drawn by the promise of the Adventurer's Guild. Priscilla's farewell gift, a pouch of gold heavy in his pocket (a hundred gold, the equivalent of a white gold coin, a small fortune in any world), fueled his journey. Five uneventful hours on the carriage later, Eria City rose before him, a medieval marvel of stone and sturdy walls, a fortress against the unknown.
Passing the checkpoint, the carriage rumbled through the city gates, depositing Alex into a vibrant tapestry of life. Cobbled streets teemed with carriages laden with cargo, blacksmiths hammered iron with rhythmic fury, and shopkeepers hawked their wares to the bustling crowd. Adventurers, easily identified by their worn gear and the glint of weapons, stopped to admire the dazzling displays. His gaze snagged on an ethereal figure – an Elf, her porcelain skin and golden hair a stark contrast to the human throng. This was a different world indeed.
Shaking off his momentary awe, Alex set his sights on the Adventurer's Guild. A three-story behemoth emblazoned with the guild's symbol loomed ahead. Pushing open the heavy oak doors, he was met with a cacophony of voices. Laughter, arguments, and the clinking of mugs filled the air, painting a scene more boisterous than the tavern brawls he'd read about. Food and drink flowed freely, though patrons were sparse, a few grizzled veterans nursing ales and a handful of others scattered throughout the vast hall.
A booming voice shattered Alex's initial curiosity.
"Welcome! What brings you to the Guild today?"
He turned to find a row of receptionists, one with piercing emerald eyes and flowing golden hair beckoning him. Others – beastfolk with pointed ears and a graceful Elf – watched patiently. As befitted the Guild's face, all radiated beauty and confidence.
He approached the Elf, drawn by her welcoming smile.
"Hello," Alex began, "I'm here to register as an adventurer."
"A fresh face!" boomed a gruff voice from the bar.
"Hope you last longer than most, lad. Cheers to the newcomer!" A chorus of mugs clinked as adventurers echoed the sentiment. Alex, surprised by the unexpected welcome, dipped his head in acknowledgment before returning his gaze to the receptionist.
"Welcome," She said, her smile professional yet warm.
"-Please fill out this form with your name, age, and status. Confidentiality is assured. Need any assistance?"
"No, thank you," Alex replied, grateful for his language comprehension skill. Not only could he understand most tongues spoken here, but also effortlessly write them. Though the Demonic language remained a mystery, both in comprehension and inscription.
Alex handed back the completed form. The Elf's eyebrows shot up as her gaze landed on his last name. In Mystia, only nobles or individuals of exceptional merit bore such a distinction. She assumed he hailed from an esteemed family, unaware of the truth tucked away in his heart. "Otherworlder," he mused, a secret smile playing on his lips.
"The registration fee is two silver coins," she informed him, accepting his gold coin and returning the hefty change. "Your Guild Card will take some time, so allow me to explain how things work around here."
With a graceful bow, she launched into the Guild's system. Adventurers were ranked F to S, with whispers of tentative ranks beyond – SS and SSS, reserved for legends etched in Mystia's history. Reaching S was already a formidable feat, with only a handful attaining it. As for SSS, that remained an empty pedestal for over a century.
Starting at the bottom, F-rankers tackled basic tasks like herb gathering or menial jobs. Requests were posted on the board, accepted from receptionists, and upon completion, offered the full promised reward (already accounting for taxes and housing). However, failing to complete a request within the deadline incurred a penalty – 30% of the reward going to the Guild.
Adventurers could accept requests one rank above their own, offering an opportunity to climb the ladder. Completing enough quests at a specific rank triggered promotions, except for transitions between E and D, as well as C and B. These required Guild exams, marking progression into higher tiers.
"Think of it this way," the Elf explained, gesturing to a pamphlet, "F to E are Novices, D to C Experienced, B to S Masters. Beyond that, we have Grandmasters (SS) and the fabled Saints (SSS)."
Parties averaged their members' ranks, reflected on their Guild Cards. This allowed them to tackle requests two ranks higher – a strategic advantage for well-coordinated teams.
"Remember," she concluded, "registration is two silver, and replacing a lost Guild Card costs five gold."
She added.
''An adventurer may sell materials from monsters to customers out of his judgment; in that case, if there is trouble, it does not concern the Adventurers Guild.
In addition, the Adventurer guild will purchase materials and weapons, and because the Adventurer Guild partnered with most of the shops in the City, there some advantages, meaning the armor shops and magic item shops in the city will sell things 1-2% cheaper.
There are other advantages, the purchase assessment is quick, and even if there is a large amount of the same material in the market, the payment will still be the same. Since the Adventurers Guild can contact other countries quickly with magic items, you can still rank up your guild card at a different Adventurers Guild branch.
If adventurers have trouble with a request or other adventurers, the Adventurers Guild is not concerned, so it won't intervene.
There are many dungeons: Lowest Dungeons Level with few floors (5-15) and Middle-Level Dungeons (15-50). To explore the Lowest Dungeons, you need to be at least F rank. For middle-level Dungeons, it's D rank minimum. For the high-level Dungeons, you need to be at least B rank. You'll need the permission of the empire the dungeon is located in before exploring, or if you graduate from the magical academy, you'll get your permit to explore the lowest floor of the High-Level Dungeon even with a low rank (minimum D).
That's all.'' the Elf receptionist said.
Alex nodded his head; her last explanation was no different from what Maria had said. Alex looked at the Elf receptionist and asked.
''I understand; I don't have any other questions in particular. How long before the guild card is ready?''
''Um...Yes, it's ready. Here's the card. Please give me your thumb; I need your blood to bind this card to you.'' She asked.
She pricked Alex's thumb, and his blood dropped on the card.
Per the receptionist's words, Alex verified his guild card.
[Guild registration location: Eria branch, Name: Alexander Touch
Rank: F, Age: 17. Gender: Male
Rank 1, Level 1...]
Finally, Alex's level and skills were registered on the card, but only he can read it. If he doesn't give his authorization, nobody can see it. The card is bound to him, and others can't steal it.
Alex's guild card was light gray. His registration is complete, and this guild card can also act as identification paper anywhere he would go.
Alex absorbed the information, his mind whirring with possibilities. This Guild system provided structure, challenges, and a path to forge his own legend in this new world. The journey had just begun.
