"Oh I guess that would be a good place to start. The basics of my job are to assist you. I'll help find quests that match your skill set and expertise, do research on those quests, handle verification of their completion, and since you're a freelancer, I'll be on the lookout for any groups that could use your help on their own quests." Raginhard said.
"Sounds good. What about lodging? I heard the Union has rooms for cheap." I said.
"They do. I can help get you into a room tonight if that's what you're looking for." He said.
"I'd like that."
"I will warn you. The cheap rooms that most new D rank adventurers can afford are not that great. D rank quests don't offer much in terms of rewards and solo D rank quests are few and far between. Most D ranked freelancers have to take day jobs around the city from time to time to make ends meet. I can help you with that as well." He said.
"I hope it doesn't come to that." I said.
"I'll do my best to help you avoid that, but that might mean that you have to take some less desirable quests and join up with others whenever the opportunity arises. The most common quest that you'd qualify for is sewer patrols. Monstrous rats and other vermin often get in and breed. Most of the time the quest falls to the Union to handle, with parties of E ranked adventurers pulled from the guilds." He said.
"I'm not afraid of getting dirty now and then." I said.
"Good, I'll secure the quest for you when we're done here. As a D ranked adventurer you can go by yourself though I'd recommend taking some else with you. I'd at least recommend you take a general antidote and a healing potion." He said.
"Thank you." I said.
"Do you have your Union token already?" He asked.
"Right here." I pulled it out and handed it to him.
"To attune it, I'll just need a drop of your blood." He said. I pulled out a dagger and pricked my finger. After a drop of blood landed on the token, Raginhard cast a binding spell. "This will allow you to get discounts at Union affiliated shops. It will also allow me or other Union representatives to let you know that we'd like to talk to you in the Union Hall."
"So, you're a mage." I said.
"All junior representatives are required to have a bronze mana core at a minimum." He paused. "I actually have a gold core and am classified as an Adept, almost a Sorcerer." He said.
"That's good to know." I had a feeling there was more to come from this and he didn't try to hide it.
"Since you will no doubt hear about it sooner or later, I started as a C ranked adventurer two years ago. I only went on a few quests." He paused again. "There was an incident on a quest with seven adventurers and I was one of two that made it back. While the Union determined that no one was at fault, a number of people blame me for the deaths of my fellow adventurers. I found it easier to earn a living and advance my arcane studies in my current position."
I thought the person at the counter reacted the way they did just because I was asking to delay registering as a freelancer to get a specific representative. But it was actually the representative that I asked for that caused the reaction.
"I can answer any questions about the incident and go into greater detail if you desire." He said.
"That won't be necessary. I judge people by their own actions and not what others think of them." I said.
Having had my own experiences with being falsely accused I could sympathize. There was also the spiritual mark that appeared on my forehead. While I couldn't be sure that this mark was positive, I had no evidence that it was negative. I was pretty sure it was from the blessing the beautiful woman gave me in between my lives. The fact that Floriana's reading of me mirrored those blessings also pointed me towards them being positive.
"If there's nothing else I can start on getting your lodging and acquire some quests for you." He said.
"That would be wonderful." I said.
After I finished my meal I wandered around the Union. Off the main hall were the Quest Hall, and Hall of Glory. The Quest Hall contained numerous boards with quest descriptions on them grouped by difficulty. There was also a key that told you how many and what ranks were needed for different ranked quests. It got a little confusing but I was really only concerned with what required a single D ranked adventurer.
They included looking for lost items, gathering basic herbs, and even delivery quests. There were ongoing monster bounties for each rank also. The D ranked ones would be easy to collect but didn't pay much. The C ranked bounties were decent and the monsters were within my skill set. The problem was that I wouldn't be allowed to collect any bounties unless I had an adventurer of that rank with me. I assumed it was to keep low ranked adventures from going after monsters above their skill.
The Hall of Glory contained a number of trophies, statues, and taparies dedicated to the heroics of adventures from this Union. There was also a plaque that contained the names of every S ranked adventurer in the history of the Northern Union. If I was going to be a hero of this world, my name would no doubt end up on that plaque.
"Don't tell me we have another clueless nobody dreaming of glory?" A voice behind me said. I vaguely recognized him from the other day when Kloan was insulting Adventures. He was the one with the double headed axe. There was another man and a woman with him.
"I'm just getting familiar with my surroundings." I said.
"Every year at this time the Union gets flooded with nobodies that either end up dead or run home crying for their mothers. Which do you think he'll be?" He said.
"I'll take 3 silver that he winds up dead." The other man said.
"Naw, I say he gives up within a month." The woman said.
Wasn't this nice. I had met many people like this among my father's people. They felt the need to establish their dominance over those that they saw as weaker. As the son of a Duke I didn't have to experience this type of bullying in this life but I experienced it a few times back on Earth.
Before things could escalate I heard Sunngif calling to them as she entered the Hall of Glory.
"Hey Gunnar I finally got that information about the Eastern Marshes that you were asking for. If I didn't have to babysit for most of the day I would've had it sooner." She said. "Oh Wilmaer. I don't suppose you're still looking for a guild?"
"Like we'd even want a nobody like him." Gunnar said.
"He's actually an expert harvester." Sunngif said in a quieter voice. Most people wouldn't have been able to make out what she said, but with my stages of aura, my natural senses were slightly heightened. Three different auras made them higher than those with just intermediate in one.
He looked me over before saying. "I guess we could take you."
"I'm not interested in joining a guild." I said.
"Wait don't tell me you're the guy that requested Raginhard?" Sunngif said.
"I had a good feeling about him." I said with a shrug.
"Damn, can I take back my bet? There's no way he'll live past a month." The woman said. The other man just laughed at her.
"You have a death wish then. He's been nothing but bad luck for the Union." Sunngif said.
"I'll make my own luck then." I said.
"Don't bother Sunngif. We don't need a dead man in our guild." Gunnar said before he turned and walked out of the hall. She just shook her head as she followed.
"Come on Hakon, it isn't a bet if the outcome is already known." The woman said.
"Haha, sorry Gyda. You might as well hand over the coins now." Hakon said as they left.
Shortly after I left the Hall of Glory I felt a sensation from my Union token. I headed towards the main counter where I found Raginhard waiting for me.
"I was able to get your lodging settled and acquired the clearing of the sewers quest." He said.
"Good. What can you tell me about the Burnished Axes, especially Gunnar and Sunngif?" I asked.
He sighed. "I suppose you're going to be their next target. Gunnar likes to run out newcomers. He'll mostly focus on freelancers but will also target those in weaker guilds. The Union Master has reprimanded him in the past but he never crosses too far over the line."
"As for Sunngif… Her sister was among those that died in the incident two years ago. She takes every opportunity to get me removed from my duties." He said.
"I'll try to avoid them in the future." I said.
"That would be advised." He said.
He took me to the apartment section of the Union and introduced me to the older senior representative that ran them, Madam Katla. She seemed very annoyed that she would be having another tenant. After seeing the state of my room, I wondered if its poor condition was her way of trying to have as few tenants as possible.