Chp30 : The City Market

The guards asked to see Sage and Andrew's identification cards because everyone must have them if they wanted to enter a city or anywhere else on the continent.

Andrew brought out his guild card to show the guards, they confirmed his identity, and he was clear. Then it was time for Sage to identify himself which, he could not do. Since he couldn't show an ID, the Guards swiftly became suspicious.

"You have no identification? I'll have to ask you to come with me." Sage was about to be taken to the interrogation room when Andrew claimed that Sage was his younger brother and that it was his first time coming down from the mountains.

"Oh, okay, so it's your brother?, Just be sure to make him a guild card too, once you get to the guild." The soldier advised Andrew.

"Thank you, sir, we will."

And so they were allowed into the city, as the gates opened wide, Sage gazed in amazement. The area was surrounded, by different races, both buying and selling products. Children ran around like a festive event occurring, and everyone was lively. Sage loved the energy.

This was what life was like in the capital city, in the kingdom of Alenia. However, in every lively city, there is always darkness lurking. There are people in the less fortunate areas of the city, the people of the slums. Sage could identify who lived a good life and those who struggled to survive. It was as clear as day to him. However, he could do nothing to change it. He needed more information to uncover the truth regarding the city.

They wondered about the marketplace as they arrived at their destination. Sage glanced at the building in front of him. It was a big complex where crowds of people entered and exited. The Guild, the biggest mercenary group in the kingdom, is famous for its excellent hunting squads, its largest information service, and the retired S-class hunter in the kingdom as its guild master, lance the dragon slayer. Anyone and everyone who is a hunter knows about him and his courageous achievements. He Slew a dragon, Saving the kingdom from extinction and battled against monster stampedes. His name is Lance Murk.

"Come on Sage let's head inside."

Andrew and Sage entered the building. The inside was much larger than the outside. It was within a magical space, powered by crystals. The surrounding area was full of hunter applicants who wanted to join the Guild, a billboard filled with quests waiting to be handpicked by hunters, the atmosphere was lively, and everyone had a fire blazing in their eyes.

Andrew walked to the reception desk, where they serve the hunters. The assistant at the counter greeted him.

"Hello, how may I help you?"

Andrew pulled out all the prey he had hunted and herbs he picked throughout their journey from his inventory, and lastly, he pulled out the Leaden wolf and the Balusky Rhino horn.

"I'd like to appraise and sell these goods to the Guild."

The recipient apprised the items and was very surprised to see that the horn was from a female Balusky Rhino, which was very rare.

"Oh my, may I ask where you got this horn from?"

Sage was about to deliver the information.

"We_" "We found it on the road."

However, he was interrupted by Andrew, who was trying to protect the Balusky Rhinos from being discovered. Because if their hiding place gets found, they will become extinct. This is due to their very rare horns, used to make a rare medicinal tonic. The price for the horn is just as high as the tonic. This is why hunters all over the kingdom are searching for them. To conclude, they are an endangered species of monsters.

The assistant smiled that buried the suspicious expression on her face. She then continued to appraise the rest of the goods acquired by Andrew. After her appraisal and calculations, she gave the right amount of reward.

"Here you go, 600 silver for the herbs, 700 silver for the leaden wolf. If you could please follow me to the Guild master's office, you will receive the rest of your reward." The assistant insisted with a smile. Sage and Andrew followed the lady through a door behind the counter. On their way, they saw rows of doors that weren't open. They began to suspect something was wrong. However, they followed her to see the result.

As the went through the dimly lit passageway, they approached a door bigger than the other doors. This was the guild master's office. Behind the assistant, Sage and Andrew looked at each other and nodded as if they could understand what each other was thinking.

The assistant opened the door and welcomed them into the guild master's office.

"Welcome to the office."

As they entered the office, they could immediately sense what was wrong. They look at the desk with the chair back facing them. And when it turned, the person sitting on that chair did not look like a guild master, he was young, someone in their mid 20's, but his clothes were a mess, like a drunkard they picked off the street. His impression was not that of a guild master.

The assistant went up to the 'guild master' and whispered all that occurred into his ear. Then, he began to converse.

"Welcome boys! I heard you made a rear find. Oh, how silly of me, let me introduce myself. I am Jason Murk, son of Lance Murk. I am the new guild master. Nice to make your acquaintance." Jason introduced himself warmly and joyfully.

"So are you going to tell us where you acquired this horn? You see, we've been looking for the Balusky rhino herds for quite some time now and there are nowhere around the area, and you say you picked this up on your way to the city!!?" Jason became filled with rage. His eyes and tone were engulfed with flames of fury.

<End of Chapter>