Guild Master

A few moments after Tina, the clerk at the Adventurers Guild, ran off with Morgana's card, she returned with a middle-aged man who had a stern expression on his face.

"Good day, I'm the guild master, Roland," he said while raising Morgana's red card and staring at her for a few seconds. "Please, come with me to my office…" he continued as he gave Morgana her card back and turned around.

Tina led the party upstairs to the guild master's office, which was spacious and neatly organized, adorned with various maps, trophies, and a set of couches where the group was prompted to sit. However, before Morgana got on the sofa, both Tina and Roland kneeled on the ground towards her with their right arms on their chests.

"Lady Morgana… I'm glad you are back," said Roland, leaving the group of teenagers in complete shock.

The guild masters of the Adventurers Guild held significant authority and were considered the heads of their respective branches.

The Adventurers Guild itself was a universal organization dedicated to promoting peace and providing assistance worldwide. As a result, guild masters enjoyed a position of power that exempted them from kneeling or submitting to demands from rulers.

These laws were established to preserve the integrity of the Adventurers Guild. Since every country relied on adventurers to maintain peace, kings and rulers had no choice but to permit the guild's autonomous operations.

Morgana giggled as she signaled both Tina and Roland to stand up. "I knew it. As soon as I heard her name, I thought something sounded familiar," she said before giggling again.

"Umm, what is happening?" asked Angie, more confused than ever.

Tina stepped in to answer the teenagers' questions.

In the Adventurers Guild, it was common for positions to be passed down through generations within families. It turned out that Morgana had been good friends with the ancestors of Tina and Roland, which explained their familiarity with her.

"I remember your grandpa Roland, or is it great grandpa? Oh, whatever, you know what I mean!" exclaimed Morgana as she happily laughed. "You know, I met him when I wasn't even a trickster… Feels like such a long time ago…"

"Before you were a trickster?" asked Conrad with his eyebrow raised.

'Although, I suppose every player had to meet them at some point…' thought Morgana, not even hearing Conrad's concerns.

Roland explained that ever since Morgana disappeared, their families kept re-telling her stories, hoping she would return one day. However, that didn't explain why both of them kneeled before her.

Tina continued to share more details with the teenagers about their relationship with Morgana. It was during the "Chaos War" that the people of the Adventurers Guild in Scar Town decided to ally themselves with her.

They recognized her as a powerful, influential figure and fought alongside her and the other tricksters in the final battle against the forces of Ravaxis, the God of Chaos.

Their loyalty extended to Morgana and all the other tricksters and their clans, united against a common enemy. However, there was one exception, which Tina hesitated momentarily and decided not to mention.

Their introductions were finished, and while the teenagers still had dozens of questions plaguing their minds, Morgana wanted to get straight to business and asked Roland to register her in the Freebid party.

"I'm not one to question your actions, but may I ask why you are joining these youngins'?" asked Roland as he prepared the necessary paperwork.

"Well, it seems like I don't have all my levels. I was thinking I could boost them a little while I trained myself…" said Morgana, her tone determined.

Roland used the Appraisal skill to confirm Morgana's level. "I see, level 100..."

Morgana nodded. "That's right. I'm missing 50 levels. I'm pretty sure Zaudan has them with him, but I can't just go back and get them that easily."

Roland stayed calm as he continued preparing the paperwork, his focus on Morgana's words. "You should know... The max level cap was raised about 20 years ago," he said, his tone serious.

"Huh?"

Roland nodded, handing Morgana a paper that emitted a faint glow for her to sign.

He explained that twenty years ago, a new set of dungeons appeared in the Dark Lands. After those dungeons showed up, the people who were level 150 realized that they were gaining experience again, and it was confirmed a few years later that the new max level was, in fact, 200.

Morgana seemed genuinely shocked for once. "I'm guessing the others cleared them already…" she said, referring to the other tricksters.

But Roland shook his head in denial. The other tricksters had apparently scouted the new dungeons and urged everyone to stay as far from them as possible. They were saying that the monsters spawning inside were the most dangerous in the Dark Lands, which was already the most dangerous area in the world.

"Hmmm, a new dungeon appearing out of nowhere… That shouldn't be possible, considering Ravaxis is dead…" pondered Morgana out loud while she signed the shiny paper that made her an official member of the Freebird party.

"And that's not all…" continued Roland. "After the dungeon appeared, a sect of people got together and called themselves the new 'Ravaxis Church.' All they do is preach that the god of chaos is back and that we should become followers to not get destroyed under his command…."

"I see… And what about 'Orion's Theocracy'?" asked Morgana, the atmosphere suddenly turning more severe and intense.

"Yeah, I was certain you would ask about them…" Roland said.

He explained that Orion's Theocracy was a byproduct of the Tricksters' War. However, they weren't the only threat that emerged from that conflict, as there was another organization called "The Cursed Cult."

The cult's objective was to bring back to life their so-called "Demon Lord" and bring destruction to the Holy Land once again.

"I see, so it was them…" said Morgana, as she had just found out the identity of the robed people that summoned her while completing the signing of the document.

Morgana rose from her chair, stretching her arms and yawning. "I need some time to think. I'll get our rooms at the inn. Meanwhile, you can explain everything that happened to them," she instructed, glancing at her party members, who nodded before she left the office. "Talk to you tomorrow, Roland."

As Morgana closed the door behind her, Tina turned to the teenagers who sat in place with mortified expressions, knowing full well that Tina would chew them up and give them an earful after telling her they had actually been brutally killed the previous night.