Chapter 19 - What’s Next?

As Griff walked down the stairs leading to the Guildmaster's room, the receptionist Lilia walked up to him with a warm smile on her face.

"Hey Griff! I'm almost finished with your paperwork which will put your recommendation letter in to effect. Just need you to confirm your previously s answers before I give your guild card. Mind following me?"

Griff's eyes lit up as he heard he would be starting off from a better rank and nodded several times like a kid that was about to receive a new toy.

Lilia giggled seeing Griff's antics. He was really an odd one. Someone had to teach him what common sense was as well as how someone his age should act, and she sure as hell wasn't going to let James do it.

She looked towards James who was talking with a couple friends while trying to balance a jug of beer on his head.

She sighed. 'Guys will be guys I guess...'

As Lilia zoned out, Griff was still waiting in front of her jumping up and down slowly.

Lilia snapped out of it as she remembered Griff was waiting.

"Ah, sorry zoned out for a moment."

"It's okay. Really!"

Griff said energetically as his excitement seeped through his movements.

Lilia slowly led Griff towards her desk where she took her notebook and put on her glasses.

"Alright Griff, when were you born?"

"Dunno. Next question."

"How old are you?"

"Dunno again."

"Uhm... what's your surname?"

"A what now?"

"Surname... your last name."

"Where do I get that? Does the guild give me one?"

Lilia face palmed so hard that some of the drinking adventurers stopped chattering to look at her. She had a red hand mark on her face now... Definitely an awkward situation. She sighed

"Well... that escalated quickly."

"What did?"

"Nevermind... So how much do you actually know about yourself."

"My name's Griff?"

"Yeah... we got a lot to work with."

She slowly leaned towards Griff and whispered in his ear with a slightly distressed tone.

"We can't write that in your past you were one of the fighting slaves of the nobles. That would attract unwanted attention and trouble for now. I'll put you down as James's lost brother alright? That would give you some type of background, and explain James's recent absence."

Griff nodded at that as he found the idea quite appealing. James did, after all, look after him quite a bit in these last few weeks, and was like a brother to him.

"Alright your starting rank is F- because of your previous experiences in fighting. Here's your card. Don't drop it because we have a fine of 5 silvers for lost cards. You know how money works right?"

Griff just stood there blinking in confusion like a distressed animal.

"Sigh... 100 bronze coins make up one silver. 10 silver make one mythril. 10 mythril makes one gold, and 10 gold makes one platinum coin. I have never seen a platinum coin before in my life. That's how much money that is. Anyway, you better talk with James before buying anything because with your damn mindset you'd be played so good by merchants."

"Hehehehe."

Griff awkwardly giggled while scratching the back of his hair.

"Alright. Your done for the day Griff. Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild. Here's your card."

Lilia grinned as she handed Griff his card. His rank, family members, magical affinity (which was classified as WIP), and his skillset. It also had a portrait style picture of himself that fluctuated slightly, a photo constructed by the user's mana signature.

"Ohooo! Cool!"

"Come on Griff, you'll admire your card later. I got more clients waiting you know."

"Ah yes! Alright I'll just talk with James on what to do next."

Griff quickly skipped away from the receptionist counter towards James who was pretty much having fun.

"Hey old fart! Check this out!"

Griff flashed his guild card with a shit eating grin towards James.

"Oi oi brat how many times am I gonna tell you I ain't old yet! Oh! You got your guild card. Well congrats you little twerp your finally an adventurer!"

James started ruffling his hair happily. The guild here at Alfrum would protect Griff for sure.

"We got to go get you some equipment now. You probably weren't told what your magical affinity was, but let's leave it like that. You don't need a high magical affinity to be an adventurer so we'll start you off on the basics of adventuring and quests."

As they talked they walked out of the guild towards the market of Alfrum.

"Alright, I think you aren't suited for heavy body armor just yet. Leather or chainmail would definitely suit you. As for a weapon, you can pick anything. I mean after the shit we went through we both learned how to use several weapons."

"Yup. I still don't know what to go with though."

"Eh. We'll figure it out when we're there. I'm too lazy to think."

James remarked as he cleaned his ear with his pinky while ignoring the weird gazes he was receiving.

'So shameless!' Thought Griff.

"Hey look 'ere! My old shop's still intact."

James pointed to a slightly run down blacksmith shop.

"I used to buy all my equipment from there, but I heard they'd went broke. Turns out the old shit's still in the business. Come on, the old man may be a pain in the ass, but he has high quality stuff."

"Sweet! This means we won't be played right?"

"How do you know that word? That's too advanced for your brain. Oh wait, Lilia... anyway. Come on."

James kicked the door of the rundown blacksmithery, which earned half of Alfrum turning to look at him like he was mad. He shrugged.

"Old fart I'm back!"

The blacksmithery was a mess with scrap metal and rust all around. Several blue prints were scattered, and the room they were in smelled like expired milk.

"Old fart! When are you gonna clean this place!"

There was still silence in the shop... but suddenly a small old dwarf jumped behind James, and without Griff being able to warn him, smacked him in the head with a hammer!

"It's you again you fucking brat!"