Registration

Glenn arrived at the counter, his gaze fixed on the woman behind it. She wore a pristine white dress adorned with a red cross, the emblem of the Cleaner's Workshop proudly displayed on her right shoulder. The red flame against a black background caught the sunlight, making the outline shine with a silver hue.

"Is the silver her rank in the Workshop?" Glenn wondered silently.

A name tag reading "Allisson" rested near her breast. Glenn recalled that, besides Howard Jefferson from a noble family, he hadn't encountered surnames in this medieval world.

"So having a name means you're a noble? I suppose it makes some kind of sense in this era," Glenn mused.

The pretty attendant swung her long blond hair back, beaming with a sweet smile.

The pretty attendant tossed her long blond hair back, offering a sweet smile. "Welcome to the Cleaner's Workshop! Information, Cleaning contracts, and the finest mercenary services in the entire Fringe! How can I assist you?"

Glenn returned the smile, appreciating her politeness. He leaned on the counter, gesturing toward Sahro behind him with his right hand.

"My friend and I are newcomers to King's Rise, and we're in search of work."

Allison, the attendant, maintained her smile as she asked them to wait. She then crouched down, searching for something under the counter. Glenn discreetly shifted his attention, observing the other attendants, all equally attractive and dressed in the same fashion as Allisson, complete with the silver border outlining their shoulder emblems. There were three in total, and they were all attending to their clients with pure, wide smiles.

Looking around, he saw more people dressed in the same style of clothes, pure white with a red cross pattern.

As Glenn surveyed the room, he noticed more people in similar white attire with the red cross pattern. It seemed to be the Workshop's uniform, while the others dressed disparately were likely outsiders like Sahro and him, taking on contracts.

Earlier, when Glenn had seen the contract board, he had a feeling that finding work wouldn't be an issue for them.

Sahro tapped lightly on Glenn's shoulder, nodding toward the other waitresses further down the counter. As Glenn watched the two attractive attendants, he noticed they mimicked Allisson's hair toss in a synchronized, almost mechanical manner.

Glenn shivered and exchanged a concerned glance with Sahro. Sahro muttered discreetly, "It didn't happen only once. They seem... connected."

Shivering, Glenn turned to his inner advisor, Diamanes, for guidance, knowing that he often had insights into these types of strange occurrences.

'Hmm, I...I honestly don't really know,' Diamanes explained, equally puzzled. 'They seem to be neither alive nor dead. I can't discern exactly what it is.'

Glenn exhaled heavily, realizing that the "Cleaner's Workshop" wasn't merely a mercenary guild. Finally, Allison found what she was searching for, a stack of documents with the Workshop's logo on each page. She extended the papers toward Glenn, her previously agreeable smile appearing almost unsettling in his eyes.

"Here are the regulations for becoming a Cleaner, as well as a Fixer. Feel free to read them and make your decision. Once you're done, complete the questionnaire on the last page and bring it to the Testing Hall."

She pointed toward a hallway leading to the mentioned hall. Then, slapping her forehead in a somewhat endearing manner, she said, "I nearly forgot your companion. I hope you'll become my colleague in the future!"

Glenn would have certainly found the manner cute, if he didn't see the two other attendants do the exact same movement in the corner of his eyes.

With a shiver running down his spine, Glenn took Sahro's copy from Allisson's hands and left the counter, exiting the building and sitting outside. Sahro followed without a word, keeping a wary eye on everyone they passed.

Sitting on a nearby bench, Glenn sighed deeply as he perused the documents, explaining the key points to Sahro.

"There are two contracts available with the Workshop. The first one makes you a main member, with a weekly salary of three silver, accommodations, and equipment provided. Funds are guaranteed, and you earn the title 'Junior Cleaner.'

You'll receive training according to your rank, and support will be provided for your advancement. After six months, the pay increases to five silver, along with the title 'Cleaner.' However, as an integral Workshop member, you can't leave its Circle, which means no return to the Sewers or advancement to the Third Circle.

You're also bound by an oath of secrecy. There are opportunities for advancement once you've proven your loyalty, but it means giving up our freedom, which I personally don't intend to do."

Glenn looked up, seeing that Sahro agreed with that last thought.

"I'm not about to let any human be my superior. Only Giselle can give me orders!" Sahro spat, clearly irked by the idea. After a moment's thought, he added, "And you, but only in human settlements."

Glenn raised an eyebrow, pretending to be touched by Sahro's declaration. "Your trust will be repaid, my good sir. This humble and terrible human will surely live up to your expectations," he retorted sarcastically, teasing Sahro.

He then went back to reading the contracts, while the Black Heir's face became redder than a tomato. Ignoring the young man, he continued to read the documents aloud.

"The second contract is a mercenary contract, making you a Fixer after certain ability tests. Fixers can accept one-time contracts, handling specific requests with prices determined by the requester. The Workshop acts as an intermediary, taking a ten percent fee.

Fixers are ranked from Copper to Diamond, with higher ranks receiving better treatment. Copper Fixers receive no support from the Workshop, except for general combat classes. They are responsible for their own equipment and lack Workshop facilities. Rank is determined by ability tests and contract efficiency, with opportunities for advancement based on performance."

Glenn let out a breath, looking at the papers and confirming that the second contract was better suited for them. As far as he could tell, there were no loopholes, not even a non-compete clause.

Sahro nodded,"I'd rather act this way, it's probably the best option for us to get money quickly."

Glenn declared with a grin, "Well, it's clear to me. We're going to become Fixers, and if what I saw on this contract board is right, we're going to earn a lot of money."

As they both made sure that they agreed with this plan, Glenn and Sahro read through the form that the attendant had asked them to fill. Thinking back to the strange girls, he asked his companion for his thoughts on the matter.

"Hmm. All I can say is that it was very natural. They weren't forced movements, but they moved like they were one and the same entity. It was profoundly..."

"...Disturbing?" Glenn finished Sahro's phrase for him, agreeing with the latter, "Let's stay careful of this 'Workshop,' alright?"

Sahro snickered, as if signaling that Glenn shouldn't even bother asking him for something so evident.

The form was quite simple, asking for basic information, like their names, ages, professions, and a place of residence.

Glenn was relieved to discover that Sahro knew how to read and write, and also learned that the main language in King's Rise, as well as the rest of the country, Mun Irp, was called the Common Tongue.

He almost let out a laugh upon learning how simple and non-characteristic the name was, but he refrained from doing so to avoid seeming peculiar.

Since they didn't have a home right now, they decided to simply write 'The Auberge' as their place of residence, since they'll probably live there for a while. In the section for professions, there were several options to choose from, with multiple answers allowed.

Glenn checked 'Mage' and hesitated to check 'Melee Fighter,' but he had to admit that he was not really proficient in melee combat, especially when he recalled how thoroughly Sahro had bested him.

He could guess what Sahro's choice would be, and after a few minutes, he completed the form. Sahro was also done, and they nodded to each other before heading back inside the Workshop.

With their documents in hand, they made their way to the Testing Hall, which attendant Allisson had indicated earlier. Walking through the corridor, they heard the sounds of weapons clashing and explosions resounding through the hallway, quickening their heartbeats with a mix of apprehension and excitement.

They arrived in an arena-like room with a high red and white glass ceiling and empty stands. Most of the space was occupied by a large sandy field, where mercenaries appeared to be facing off against Cleaners. The distinct white and red attire of the Cleaners shimmered in the sunlight as they engaged in combat, clearly dominating their opponents. After forcing their adversaries to admit defeat, the Cleaners handed them a piece of paper.

A Cleaner approached Glenn and Sahro, his face devoid of emotion. His bald head was striking, and there wasn't a single hair on his face, not even eyebrows or eyelashes, giving him an eerie appearance.

"Paper, please," he stated tersely, his words sounding as though they were spoken by a robot. A name tag inscribed with "Tak Delora" was pinned to his uniform in the same spot near his right pectoral. He extended a rigid hand toward them, waiting for their documents. Glenn and Sahro exchanged glances and handed their forms over simultaneously.

'Tak Delora? Is he a noble, then? Why does he look so unsettling, though?' wondered Glenn silently.

Tak Delora swiftly examined the documents and indicated separate areas of the sandy field to each of them. Sahro nodded at Glenn and proceeded to his designated spot. As Glenn moved toward his own testing area, he took a deep breath, uncertain of what to expect.

After waiting for a few minutes in the designated spot, Glenn noticed a slender figure approaching him. Wearing a simple knife at her belt, a woman stood in front of Glenn. Her round face exuded an air of gentleness, while her blue eyes seemed to scrutinize Glenn's posture for any weaknesses. A cascade of red hair flowed messily on either side of her face. She was dressed in the Cleaner's attire and appeared ready for action, playing with another sharp knife.

She then executed a swift and exaggerated bow, a grin spreading across her face.

"Nice to meet you, Glenn. I'm Mary, and I'll be overseeing this test. Since you're a Mage, your task is to attempt to hit me with one of your spells. Of course, try not to injure me, as this is merely an assessment of your casting speed and accuracy," she explained quickly. "And if you're a power-oriented Mage, don't worry; there's another test right after this one."

Glenn nodded, thinking on his feet. Since there was another test right after this one, he should try to go at it with restraint, in order to later demonstrate Implosion, as it's his most powerful spell which even Redan acknowledged.

Preparing Magic Bullet in his right hand, he readied himself to spar with Mary.