Adventurer's Guild

The next day, mum and I again went around the noble district but there wasn't anything that particularly stood out. I did tune my new watch properly using the sun today, so now it's pretty accurate which is a lot better from the clocks we had in the house. It wasn't until the day after that we went into the commoner's district to explore.

Waking up the day we were to go to the commoner's district which is basically everything outside of the wall, I got dressed in my usual clothes of plain shirt, pants and boots along with a large hat to be a little incognito. I got some derisive looks from the noble's that had seen me before, I can't say it was a nice experience but it's not as if I cared in the first place anyway.

Captain: Oh it's Lady Marlington and the little miss, what brings you here?

Mum: Well Asia here wanted to explore the city, so I thought i'd take her around to have some fun.

The captain looked at me and chuckled: It's good that you want to explore, just be careful okay? Stay away from the western area, that's where the slums are and also the place where crime is most prevalent. Other than that go and have fun.

The captain was a jolly man that didn't care too much for formality, barring when it's necessary, which was great as it didn't make me feel out of place. He didn't even bat an eye at my choice of clothing unlike the other nobles we passed on the way here. Mum was dressed in a simple dress that lacked colour or anything fancy that would make us stand out in the commoner's area. He let us pass and we were out into the heart of the capital, the commoner's district!

Me: So where should we go first? You know the capital better than me after all.

Mum: Hmm, how about we visit the adventurer''s guild? It's not far from here and I have some old aquaintences there.

Me: Awesome! Hey did you know that the adventurers guild is a very popular theme in fiction back in my old world?

Mum: Really?

Me: Yeah! Any fantasy story would have one as it served for a great plot device. What's it like in this world?

Mum: Well the adventurers guild is run in all countries including the demon country and it accepts all races, although it's a popular mystery of how they managed to do that in the first place. People can post jobs there which anyone can take and it also serves as employment for anyone that needs work. It handles any job you can imagine and is arguably more powerful than any country.

Me: Okay. So pretty much what I expected then. Anything else I should know?

Mum: Hmm... well the adventurers guild is responsible for all orphans across the world too. It provides homes and training for homeless children in exchange for a contract of employment lasting 15 years. It also provides identification for people whithout any as well. Here's something interesting. The guild is so old that no one actually knows who started it, having existed since before written history, or at least the written history of humans. I bet the elves or angels know at least something.

Me: Awesome! Hey how are adventurers ranked?

Mum: Isn't that a bit of a silly question? Level one to nine for either warriors and mages.

Me: Huh.

Honestly I felt a little stupid for asking that question in the first place.

Mum: Here we are.

I got lost in thought so I hadn't noticed that we'd arrived. It really was only a few blocks away from the gate we left from. The adventurer's guild was pretty cliche really. Two swords crossing a shield for the emblem, a large building the size of the noble's mansions and rambunctious sounds coming from within. The moment we entered the guild through the large double doors the whole guild froze, eyes honing in on us. It made me feel out of place until...

???: SILVIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*CRASH*. Huh? What happened? Mum's lying on the floor with... something on top of her. Wait... what?!

???: Silvia! I missed you! You haven't come to visit me in years!

Silvia: Ellie, I can't...

???: Oh! Sorry!

The thing clinging to mum finally got off, allowing her to get up off the floor. I could finally get a look at who or what just attacked my mum. An elf? No, a half elf. Are those... yep. I know this situation now... the scariest situation possible! A rampant big breasts no brain woman! Blonde hair, green eyes, the biggest breasts I've ever seen... what happened to the physics of this world, how do those things even exist?!

???: Guild master. This is inappropriate.

Woah! That startled me. Appearing out of nowhere like that. This place is just like what I imagined it to be. Rough looking men, a stereotyped half elf and a stoic and bespectacled handsome man that acts as an assistant for the half elf which I just found out is the guild master. Yep, this place is exactly what I imagined it to be.

After catching her breath and getting up off the floor mum broke into a wide grin: Hey Ellie, it's been a long time... guild master now huh? That's something.

The half-elf guild master with what I can only describe as lethal weapons attached to her chest was really excited: I knew you were here as soon as you walked in! How come you never came to visit me?! Hmph! You'd know that I'm the new guild master if you ever bothered to visit! Is Al taking up that much of your time?

She winked at mum, clearly insinuating something inappropriate

Mum: Sigh... no, Alfred and I... anyway. I have my reasons. I came today to show my daughter around the capital and thought I'd drop by.

Ellie froze having heard the word daughter and finally noticed me standing next to mum: Daughter?

I lifted my hat slightly and greeted her awkwardly: Yo.....

Ellie: KYAAAAA!!! SO CUUUUUUTE!!!

DANGER. ESCAPE. That was my first instinct. But before I could react and before Ellie the half elf could even move to suffocate me to death, mum whipped me up into a tight embrace before anything could happen.

Mum: No! I will not let her be traumatized by your... THOSE!

Wow! Way to go mum! This is the first time I've ever seen her so fierce before! Ellie on the other hand looked like she was about to cry; her eyes watering and her lip quivering, but mum was having none of that!

Mum: Don't give me that look. I still remember when you knocked me out for half an hour in that cave full of giant spiders! Alfred had to hold them off until I woke up to use fire magic!

Damn! That's a scary story. It was at this point when the bespectacled assisstant interjected into the conversation: Sorry for interrupting, but I don't think this is the place for a reunion.

Ah. That's right, we're still in the entrance to the guild. Mum and Ellie both looked around and noticing the weird looks we were getting, became embarrassed. Especially Ellie. She was receiving looks akin to daggers from a lot of the female adventurers and even one or two boys that were cute. Ellie flushed with embarrassment before doing a complete 180, turning into a serious guild master.

Ellie: Okay, back to your business everyone.

She shot them dangerous looks, and the whole scene evaporated like it never happened in the first place. That's some serious personality change right there, kinda scary really.

We followed Ellie behind the counter and up the stairs into a rather nice office. Wooden desk, colourful paintings on the walls depicting fights between monsters and people, leather couch, armchair in the corner next to the window. A very tasteful room. The only thing that stood out was the paperwork on her desk... lots and lots of paperwork, almost like model buildings placed on the desk. What is this? Naruto?

The bespectacled man didn't follow us upstairs so it was just Ellie, Mum and I sitting around the table. It was here that I just zoned out as mum and Ellie were catching up and chatting about the past. Some of the things that I caught when listening in were quite funny actually, especially when Ellie spoke about how Alfred and Mum were like two children that were completely incapable of speaking to eachother from sheer nerves.

After a couple of hours, mum finally noticed that I was bored out of my mind. This one conversation reminded me yet again that I am incapable of listening to or even showing a remote interest in gossiping. Although in all fairness this wasn't gossip but a serious catch-up between close friends, but I couldn't participate as all they spoke about was the past and catching eachother up on the past decade of eachother's life. I don't have the heart to ruin the mood and I haven't seen this side of mum before, so I would like to bear it for her.

Mum: I think it's time to go, Asia is very bored.

Ellie: But you only just got here!

Only just got here?! We've been here for hours! Honestly, her time recognition.

Me: It's fine mum, how about I go play around with the adventurer's downstairs whilst you continue your conversation. I promise I won't leave the guild.

Mum eyed me for a moment before nodding: Okay. You've never broken a promise to me before so i'll trust you this time as well.

I nodded seriously to her. It's true, I have never broken a promise to her before. I consider my promises as my most precious possessions so I certainly won't break one. I left the room and headed downstairs into the cacophony of rough adventurers. There were people brawling in the corner with a betting table set up next to it, waitresses serving food in another corner to more rough looking people, a quest board filled with paper nailed to it detailing different quests and 2 reception counters. 1 for accepting quests and reporting complete ones, and another for material exchange.

All in all, it was exactly what I expected and I was loving the atmosphere in this place. So rowdy. I took a table in the corner and ordered an iced tea with lemon, something I learned is fairly common as the price of tea is very low. I didn't draw much attention mainly because i'm small so people don't really notice me, until my reverie was interrupted by someone.

???: Is this spot taken?

I looked up at the person who just greeted me and was mildly surprised. A handsome man around the mid 30's but with a dangerous air pervading around him, a sword strapped to his belt that was clearly superior to the weapons of the other adventurers and a large shield strapped to his back. Wild brown hair and piercing blue eyes with a large scar on his cheek and high quality black metal armour covering his body. Pretty much the textbook definition of adventurer and I could feel he was a 6th rank fighter from his mana, the feeling of abysmal control yet such purity and density. Almost as if all that mana has been stuffed into his body forcefully, which is pretty much what a warrior is; forcefully accumulating mana through harsh training both physically and mentally.

Me: Suit yourself.

I replied and went back to my drink, not paying more attention to him. I felt his curious eyes on me but I ignored it until after while later he spoke: Why the hat kid?

I didn't reply but simply took my hat off for a moment before putting it back on. I could tell he was slightly startled from my appearance and who wouldn't be? I mean, an adorable little girl sitting by herself in the corner of the rough adventurer guild. Not exactly normal. I decided to break the ice as I could tell he was curious about me and held no ill will towards me.

Me: Been out on a quest?

He looked at me a little surprised before replying: Aye, just got back from hunting some wild bear monsters in the northern mountain villiages.

I nodded but didn't say anything further, waiting for him to talk. And talk he did: So what brings a nice girl like you to a place like this?

Me: Just waiting for mum to finish catching up with the guild master.

Him: Ellie? That's some special treatment. Normally she doesn't take visitors unless it's important.

Me: You shoulv'e been here earlier; she was acting like a child, it was quite funny.

Him: Ellie acting like a child you say? I've heard stories from some of the retired adventurers about her in the past. She and your mum must be pretty close.

I nodded: From what I gathered, they used to be partied together.

This time he was really shocked, staying still for a whole minute before coming back to his senses: Your mum must be the famous Silvia then huh.

I looked at him in surprise: Yes, that's her. I knew she was well known but didn't think you'd know from just that.

Him: Ah you see, guild master's old party was only herself, one other girl and 2 guys so it's easy to guess. I heard one of the men was a duke's son that left for adventure before marrying one of his party members. I suppose that makes you a noble, and a high noble at that, forgive me if I was rude before.

He was quite serious, clearly thinking he had offended me in some way. I waved him off with a shrug: We're all just people in the end.

Him: Ain't that the truth. You sure you're the daughter of a duke? You dont act like one... or dress like one for that matter.

I didn't reply and only snorted in derision making him burst out in laughter, attracting the attention of some of the surrounding adventurers before they went back to their business.

Me: What's your name? I'm Asia by the way.

Him: Robert.

Me: Nice to meet you Robert.

I stuck my hand out for a handshake which he reciprocated gently, taking care to be gentle. And like that, I think I made my first friend in this world.