2

– Lumine –

A few months after that goddess attacked her and her brother, Lumine would say that she'd been settled in Teyvat quite smoothly. Sure, she would've liked it if Aether had been here with her, and she was worried about her twin, but she knew he could handle himself.

But even still, she needed to find him soon. The Knights of Favonius were kind enough to cover most of Mondstadt in their search for her brother after she helped them with the dragon problem but unfortunately turned up with nothing, so her next stop would be Liyue.

…After she gets enough money for the journey. Jean did offer her a hefty purse that would've lasted her a long while, but Lumine thought that they did enough to help as it was, and declined the kind offer. Thankfully, adventurer work pays quite a bit, and dealing with a Hilichurl camp or Treasure Hoarders here and there kept her sharp. Plus the treasure chests usually have a lot of materials or gems that she can sell.

Besides, she had the spirit of an adventurer. She loved exploring this world, meeting all kinds of people, or learning the history of Teyvat. She had already made many friends during her short stay here.

Lumine had to admit, though. She never thought she'd meet someone like her so soon. Another 'traveler', so to speak, one that had this aura of pure might around him. When she first saw him, she was frozen in shock, because aside from his powerful presence, he was incredibly handsome.

Crimson was much taller than her, as she barely reached his chest, with a lean build and obvious muscles, slightly messy black hair that reached his neck, black earring on his left ear, and eyes that matched his namesake. He wore a simple black dress shirt, white pants stained red with Hilichurl blood, and white shoes. She'd call his wear formal if he wore a suit jacket and buttoned his shirt properly, but he didn't look like he cared about his appearance all that much.

In all honesty, Lumine had felt a little queasy by his brutality when she witnessed his fight with the Hilichurls back there. He did not wield any weapons, nor did he use any kind of magic. He just dispatched them all with his bare hands and a casual smirk on his face. No clean or mercy kills, just pure senseless slaughter. If anything, he looked as if he was used to it.

Paimon, unsurprisingly enough, didn't notice his unsettling demeanor, nor how normal the violence looked to him, but Lumine wouldn't hold it against her. From the perspective of her floating companion who is lacking in wit, Crimson must have seemed a very normal person, if a little overconfident. He was nice when he spoke, almost entirely casual with her and Paimon, and Lumine felt strangely charmed by how utterly relaxed he was.

Of course, she had to be on guard, as that image of his bloodthirsty smirk was burned into her mind, but assuming things about other people wasn't particularly nice, so she'd withhold her judgment for now.

"Hmm, you know, we're a lot more similar than I first thought," He said as they walked towards the main city.

"How so?" Paimon tilted her head as she floated next to him.

"Both of us are from different universes, have a twin, true powers are locked away–" He counted with his free hand. "And sent here by a goddess."

Lumine whipped her head at him, and was about to ask what he meant by that, but was cut off as he quickly elaborated.

"It's someone else, and she looks nothing like what you described," He said with a shrug. "Like I said, I'm here on vacation, so I don't really care if I'm far away from home right now, since that's the point."

"Ah…" She frowned a little as her hopes were dashed away.

"Oh, don't give me that sad look," He casually patted her head, which admittedly had an effect as her cheeks flared a little. "If it means anything, I'm sure he's fine, assuming even half the things you said about him were true."

She did not know how he could make her feel better with just a few words, but Lumine didn't want to continue going down that route, especially not with Paimon looking at her weirdly, so she tried to change the subject.

"So you have a twin sister?" She asked. "What's she like?"

"Hmm, well, the first word that comes to mind when describing Carmine is 'Nice'. She's too kind for her own good sometimes." He answered, shaking his head in exasperation. "She'd juggle around thirty projects while keeping an eye out for our younger siblings in case they get in trouble, all with a smile on her face."

"Wow." Lumine blinked in surprise.

"Yup, she's something else." He said. "Though, for all that softness in her heart, she is also very ruthless. So much so that it even scares me sometimes."

"What do you mean?" Paimon questioned.

"Give her a job, and there's virtually nothing that can stop her from accomplishing it, even if it meant others suffer for it." He grinned. "Whereas I would probably ignore said mission or pretend I didn't hear anything so I can continue my nap."

"You're shameless." The 'fat fairy' said.

"I'm honest." He winked at the self-proclaimed best traveling companion. "The whole 'hard work' thing isn't really for me."

"Very shameless." Lumine deadpanned.

"Hey, don't hate." He playfully shoved her, making her giggle. "Or would you rather I lie instead?"

The rest of the walk was spent with them going back and forth, Paimon occasionally quipping or answering his questions until they finally reached the bridge leading up to the main city. She expected some reaction from Crimson, but he merely took one look at the city, blinked, then continued walking forward, as if he didn't see anything particularly interesting.

"What, you're not gonna say anything?" Paimon floated up in front of him, crossing her arms and giving him a flat look. "No 'wow' or 'ooh'?"

"A city can be the most beautiful place in the multiverse, but unfortunately I don't rate on appearances." He replied. "A society is as good as the booze it produces and the women it shelters. If neither is good, then what's really the point?"

Ah, he's that kind of person. Lumine thought with a blank look, internally surprised that she didn't view him any less for it. Well, honesty still goes a long way.

"Don't tell me we have another tone-deaf bard on our hands." Paimon groaned, looking at the blond traveler. "Lumine, whatever happens, they must never meet!"

"I'd usually be inclined to agree, but you're probably exaggerating." The blond traveler looked at her companion.

"I'm serious! If he's even half as bad as Venti, imagine what could go down." She said before groaning. "I can already feel the headache by just imagining it."

"You're definitely exaggerating," Lumine said in exasperation, then turned to Crimson. "Don't worry about her, she gets like this a lot–"

The two froze as they couldn't spot their new acquaintance anywhere near them, as if he vanished into thin air. Lumine blinked a few times, looking around the town plaza, but was unable to find him anywhere.

"What the–?!" Paimon floated upwards a little, trying to find him. "Where the heck did he go off to?! He was right here just a second ago!"

She wasn't sure, but what was more important was how he had suddenly disappeared so fast? She couldn't even notice him leave, and the guy is quite tall. Did he just walk off without them noticing? Just like that?

Either he's incredibly light-footed, or she wasn't paying enough attention to him.

"We- we should look for him." Her flying companion said with a worried frown. "I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about this."

Lumine nodded as the two went to look for him through the crowds. He probably didn't go too far, likely around the plaza or in a clothes shop. His outfit was stained with blood after all. Not exactly a good look anywhere. At best, he'd be mistaken for an adventurer who just got back from doing a commission.

At worst, well…

She'd rather find him before it gets to that point.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

– Crimson Amamiya –

If it weren't for my sense of smell, I would've probably gotten lost here. The city structure is pretty confusing, and I'm not really used to it.

I smelled some good food as soon as I entered the city and my body went on autopilot looking for it. I could've easily stopped myself, but I knew suddenly leaving the two girls will make them panic and look for me, and that sounded pretty funny in my opinion.

I chuckle quietly as I see the two look around for me from a distance. And I was right, it is funny.

Stealth has always been one of my and Carmine's strengths, so getting away without them noticing was child's play for me. I just needed a second to get away from them and blend in with the crowd, getting as far away as possible and losing them.

On another topic, an interesting thing that hadn't happened for a long ass time happened, and that's me getting hungry. So being here also binds me to mortal needs like drinking, eating, and sleeping? Or did my mother turn me back to a mortal? I've been a god for so long that I kinda forgot how a regular mortal operates.

I mean, I don't mind it really. I love doing all those things, so having a genuine reason to do them isn't a bad thing. Plus, I think it's refreshing, if that makes sense. Seriously, I don't know why, but not having the option to ignore all these supposedly troublesome elements of fending for myself feels… freeing. It's nice.

This feels like a real vacation. I oughta thank mom for that.

But now, food. I see what I think is a kebab stand over there. Real thankful for my sense of smell, at least that wasn't taken away, and neither was my training in using it. I can smell things from miles away, but since this is a city, there are a lot of scents getting mixed up. Fortunately, I can figure out which scent comes from what, even if there are thousands of different smells getting mixed together. Centuries of experience does that to you.

As I stop in front of the stand, I realize that it's not the ground-meat kebab I was expecting, but chunks of meat and vegetables on a skewer. Slightly disappointing, but food is food, and this looks like it's cooked well. The middle-aged lady behind the stand notices me and smiles, making me smile back.

"My, what a strapping young man you are~" She says. "If I was twenty years younger, I would've pounced the moment I laid my eyes on you."

"I wouldn't be against it if you do it right now," I reply kindly with a wink. "I like my wine aged a few decades after all."

"Oh, that is very flattering of you to say," She chuckles. "Is there anything specific you'd like?"

"Three of every kind, please," I say, surprising her and pulling a gem I got in that chest from my pocket. "Hopefully this suffices?"

"Ah, yes, of course. More than enough." She nods.

"Keep the change," I respond. "By the way, I have a few questions if you don't mind."

"Of course."

"Can you point me to the nearest clothing place around here?" I ask, pointing at my blood-stained pants. "As you can see, I got in a bit of an accident with those Hilichurls recently. And don't worry, the blood isn't mine."

"Ah, well, over there is a whole section of clothing stores, but most are fairly expensive." She points at the east side of the city. "If you're looking for cheaper places, the plaza has a few clothing stores as well."

"I see." I put a hand over my chin in thought.

I'm all for cheap and easy to put on, but I still value my fashion sense. Perhaps I was influenced by the rest of my family, but I'm not a fan of walking in rags no matter how comfy they are. I'd rather wear something that looks nice but isn't too formal. Formal things are for Carmine.

I keep telling her she looks nice in casual, especially with those cute little glasses she puts on, but nobody cares about what I have to say. It would've bothered me if I wasn't used to it. Plus, being annoyed takes precious energy I could be using on something else.

I should check out the higher-quality goods before making a decision. If I don't find anything that catches my eye, I'll just settle for comfort. Too bad I didn't enchant my clothes with self-repairing or self-cleaning enchantments. My magic made me a bit too complacent I suppose.

Curse you, laziness.

"Here you go." The old lady says, giving me nine skewers in total. "Be careful not to drop them."

"I would never." I flash her a smile. "Thanks, ma'am. Have a nice evening."

"You as well."

With a parting nod, I leave the stall and begin munching on them, heading towards the city's east side. You know, for someone who tasted the finest food the multiverse has to offer, these taste pretty nice. I'm no picky eater, but I know when something is much better than it should be.

Anyway, hoping the gems and crystals I got are enough for a new outfit. Clothes are always stupidly expensive no matter where you go. I can go sign for this adventurer guild later to get actual money, and not just some random, uncut gems from treasure chests in the middle of nowhere.

Ugh, work. That sounds boring. Traveling half of the kingdom just to beat up these dollar-store goblins sounds like a drag.

But it is what it is. No use complaining about it.

"You! Stop right there!" Someone calls out loudly, but I continue walking to my destination. "You- I know you can hear me!"

I pause and look at the source of the noise. A girl in red with long brown hair points at me from the rooftop of some building. Wait, are those bunny ears? There are bunny girls here? Oh, wait, no. That's just a headpiece.

Disappointing.

I point at myself with a raised brow. "You mean me?"

She nods. "Yes. Wait for a moment please."

She jumps off the roof and lands lightly on the ground in front of me. She looks me up and down with a slightly concerned frown before speaking up again. Damn, another cute girl so soon? Am I just lucky, or are there a lot of them here?

Though, what caught my interest was the strange little pendent strapped on her hip. That little thing over there has power, divine power, however faint it is. Interesting.

"You're…" Her eyes flicker at my pants before meeting my own. "...gonna have to come with me for some investigation, mister."

"On what authority?" I ask genuinely.

"Knights of Favonius." She answers. "I'm Outrider Amber if you're curious."

Ah, this city's police force.

"Well, sure. For the record, it's Hilichurl blood." I shrug. "I haven't hurt anybody."

"I hope you understand that I can't just take your statement and let you off." She says. "You're an unfamiliar face, I haven't seen you around at all."

"Sure, sure, I do understand. No worries." I say honestly. "You're just doing your job. I'm no murderer, so I have nothing to worry about."

"Thank you for understanding, mister." She relaxes a little. "Come with me please."

"Lead the way." I nod. "You don't mind if I eat on the way, right?"

"Of course not. Feel free."

Being needlessly aggressive to your local police force isn't a good idea, and personally I only just got here. I don't feel like fighting other people right now, and I definitely don't want the blood of a very cute girl on my hands. I'd rather get her in my bed to be honest.

Though, for being one of those knights, she sure seems a little too relaxed. If I was a competent murderer, which I can be, she'd be dead seven times over by now. But it's not fair to expect top-tier security in some backwater universe. I'm used to living in one of the safest places in the multiverse, so I should lower my standards when I'm not there anymore.

Just saying, though. Perhaps she's just inexperienced. She does seem young after all.

"So am I gonna be interrogated?" I ask.

She looks at me and answers carefully.

"I'm not gonna lie to you, probably yes."

"Damn." I mutter, not really bothered. "Think I can get new clothes, though? I was on my way to buy something clean."

"I-I'll see what I can do." She responds, looking a little confused at my utter lack of concern.

"Cool, thanks."

Hm, I don't think they're gonna give me free clothes.

Maybe I shouldn't have left Lumine's side.

I snort in amusement as I remember her panicked look.

Nah, it was too funny not to.

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– Kaeya –

"You know, it's rare finding people who don't make our jobs difficult, ironically enough." He said as he took a seat in front of the red-eyed man. "So thank you for that. I'm sure Amber appreciates your compliance."

The man scanned the small room for a few seconds, looking at Amber in the corner next to the door before meeting Kaeya's eyes and shrugging, a relaxed and easy smile on his face the whole time.

"Eh, sure. I wouldn't say no to a cute girl asking me to do something. I was raised to be a gentleman, after all." He said, and Kaeya almost chuckled as he saw Amber's face turn red when he turned to look at her. "Besides, I know I haven't done anything wrong. I'd be dumb to make a problem when there isn't a need to."

"I wish the same could be said for other people, but I digress." Kaeya cleared his throat. "Mind telling me your name? I'm Kaeya, Captain of the Cavalry and the Quartermaster. Nice to meet you."

"Crimson. A traveler with nothing to his name." He answered. "Likewise."

"Right, Crimson. How long have you been in Mondstadt?"

"Eh, maybe an hour now?" He tilted his head. "Not long. I just got here."

"And you say that's Hilichurl blood on you?"

"Yup. A couple of them attacked me on the way to the city." He answered with a nod. "I took care of them easily though."

Kaeya narrowed his eyes for a moment. This guy was way too damn calm for someone who's being interrogated, completely unintimidated. He expected some kind of nervousness behind that supposed bravado, but he seems to be genuinely relaxed.

That's unusual and a bit worrying. He's either completely innocent, or they're dealing with a psychopathic murderer who knows how to hide his emotions. If he was nervous, Kaeya could pressure him into telling the truth pretty quickly, but he wasn't.

And something about this guy just… screamed dangerous. He seemed nice enough, very compliant too. Didn't try to run or argue with Amber from what she said, but that didn't stop the hairs on his body from standing on edge as he met the man's blood-red eyes.

"The weapon we confiscated from you wasn't used recently." Kaeya remained neutral as he continued with the questioning. "What did you use to defend yourself?"

"Nothing." He answered simply, elaborating after a second. "I'm a martial artist."

"Not even gauntlets?" The Knight frowned, getting more suspicious.

"Training can go a long way." Crimson winked with a grin. "I would know."

Kaeya paused as he scanned the man's body. Lean build that seemed focused on agility more than raw power. He didn't know if Crimson is really strong enough to kill Hilichurls unarmed. Martial arts or not, even masters use gauntlets or even other weapons when hunting Hilichurls or Treasure Hoarders. Doing that without any weapons isn't just reckless, but outright stupid.

Unless he has a Vision, of course. That gives you a massive advantage even without a weapon.

"Do you possess a Vision?"

"Hm?" He blinked in confusion.

"A Vision." Kaeya repeated the question. "Do you have one?

"...I can't say I know what that is," Crimson answered, making him look at him weirdly. "Can you elaborate a bit more?"

Does he not know what a Vision is? That's weird. Maybe he's from a different region in which they call it something else, as unlikely as that is. But he's not getting to any conclusions just yet.

"These things," Kaeya said, taking out his Cryo Vision. "Powers bestowed to us by the gods. It gives you elemental powers. Do you have one? We checked what was on you and didn't find anything, that's true. But I'm asking to be sure."

"Ah…" His gaze lingered on the Vision, eyes flickering to Amber's, then back to his. "No. I don't have a Vision."

And from his neutral tone and calmness, he's likely telling the truth. So he's dealt with a group of Hilichurls without a weapon nor a Vision? Does he really expect them to believe that?

Then again, no sign of any wounds on him, so if his story was true, then he's some insanely strong martial artist, or he got lucky. Said story seems less likely the more Kaeya thought about it though, but he'd rather get more info before throwing him in a jail cell.

"Right…" Kaeya stared directly at his eyes. "Are you part of the Adventurer's Guild?"

"Nope," He shook his head. "But I do want to join it."

This is getting way too suspicious, but there isn't enough evidence. If he killed someone, they should've found the body by now. The blood on him didn't seem old, so he shouldn't have hidden the body so quickly and so efficiently.

His story just seemed incredibly unlikely, his lack of weapon and Vision goes against it. They're probably dealing with a murderer here, a dangerous one if his relaxed state was any indication. However, no evidence means they can't just put him in jail.

Kaeya spent a minute watching him in silence, and he stared back without showing any emotion besides utter calmness. That unmoving smile made him look like he knew every single thought that ran in Kaeya's head. It felt eerie.

"Well, Crimson, I think I've heard enough," Kaeya said, standing up.

"Am I free to go?" He asked.

"Unfortunately, no." The Knight of Favonius responded. "You'll be in custody until we can prove your story. I hope you can understand."

"Ah…" His smile twitched. "That sucks, but I suppose it makes sense."

Kaeya almost shivered at the abrupt drop in the room's temperature. Behind Crimson's smile was an obviously annoyed look, and had he not dealt with good actors before, he would not have noticed it. A glance at Amber told him that she didn't notice anything, not even the shift in the atmosphere.

It felt as if the animosity was directed towards him only. Kaeya felt cold sweat trail down his brow as he struggled to keep a poker face. One thought was all that remained in his head, and that was the realization that this person was not normal.

Someone suddenly knocked on the door, making all three pause. Amber, closest to the door, blinked and opened it, revealing the Honorary Knight alongside her floating companion. She looked out of breath, chest heaving as she bent her knees a little, panting in exhaustion.

Kaeya didn't expect her to be here, of course. But what surprised him more was how the ill feeling vanished as soon she entered the room.

"Lumine?" Amber uttered in confusion.

"Oh, that was quick," Crimson said with surprise. "Thought it'd take a few hours at least."

"You jerk!" Paimon floated towards him, a pout on her face. "We looked all around the city for you, and you go and get yourself arrested?!"

"You know him?" Kaeya frowned.

"He's with us," Lumine said, getting her breathing under control. "We found him near the Hilichurl camp we were supposed to wipe out."

Kaeya almost breathed a sigh of relief as he heard that. Right, him getting outside help from someone like the Honorary Knight makes his story a lot more believable. Of course he's unharmed if Lumine stepped in. He's very glad that they don't have a psycho on their hands.

Still, though. What the hell was that feeling just then?

Amber, on the other hand, did sigh in relief. She's still a rookie, so it's expected of her to not be as stoic as he is. She did well in bringing him in, though, even if he ultimately turned out to be innocent. It showed that she took her job very seriously, even on her break.

"Well, if you're saying this, then I guess I have no choice but to let him go," Kaeya said, glancing at Crimson. "You got lucky this time, but try to be more careful next time, alright?"

"Sure."

"You can leave now." He continued. "Amber, can you get his stuff back please?"

Amber nodded and walked to the door, giving Crimson one last awkward look before doing so.

"Oh, by the way, you guys mind giving me some new clothes?" He asked as he stood up, prompting her to pause.

But before Amber could respond, Lumine interjected.

"I'll buy you something." She said, already exasperated. "Let's just leave already."

"Ayy thanks." He said, following her to the exit. "I'll pay you back later."

"Yeah, yeah." She sighed, turning to Amber. "We'll wait for you outside."

With that, the three left, leaving the door open behind them. As Amber was about to exit herself, Kaeya spoke.

"Amber." He started. "Keep an eye on him, alright?"

"Huh?" She blinked in confusion. "But I thought he was proven innocent?"

Kaeya paused with a frown, then gave his colleague a fake smile.

"Yeah, you're right." He said, changing his mind. "Sorry, I'm just being paranoid. Forget what I said."

She studied her superior's face for a moment before nodding.

"Well, if you say so."

The knowing look that made the hairs on his body stand on end must've meant something. Kaeya was never the paranoid sort, but that man was clearly Dangerous with a capital D. Even with how casual he was, how relaxed and how he carried himself, it still felt like he was dealing with someone terrifying.

That twinge of annoyance that passed his face when he was told he was being taken into custody was proof of that. A mere instant of Crimson's emotions changing from calm to annoyed was all it took to get Kaeya's muscles tensing as if he felt imminent danger before Crimson reverted back to calm in the next instant.

Possibly risking Amber's life by having her follow him around everywhere wasn't something he was willing to do. For how compliant, utterly relaxed, and dangerous he felt, he was clearly not an average person.

It wasn't his style to report something generally this insignificant, but Jean had to know about this.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

– Crimson Amamiya –

Hmm, maybe I was a bit too mean to the Kaeya guy, but the prospect of scaring him out of his wits was too funny to pass up. I almost laughed out loud and ruined it when I saw how scared he was.

At the same time, I wanted to see if I still had it. It's been too long since I actually intimidated somebody with my presence alone, and testing it out after having had my powers locked away was a bit important.

So I can manipulate my presence for intimidation, but I can't use my dragon wings to fly. Seems legit.

I wasn't really annoyed or mad, since I can probably easily escape prison if they throw me in a cell. A little disappointed that I wouldn't have gotten a taste of the drinks or women here, but oh well. There's always the next kingdom or empire.

So I only pretended to be mad, which is usually how you manipulate your presence anyway. It's all in your emotions, facial expressions, and aura. Being a dragon and living around my literal yakuza of a family most of my life definitely helped a lot in that regard.

Though I gotta say, he took it well. He wasn't calm by any means, I could almost smell the fear on him, but he didn't physically react. If I did the same on the girl behind him, she would've probably pulled her bow to shoot me out of instinct, but he didn't even flinch. That takes a lot of self-control.

Good on him.

But, he's probably gonna be on guard around me at all times, so that could suck depending on how I act in the future. Now I don't want any trouble, I'd rather get everyone to be friends so we can all drink together, so I'll try to hold back from fucking with him for a bit and find a different target.

That girl, Amber I think, seems like the perfect candidate.

"So where are we going now?" I ask as I follow Lumine and Paimon.

"Well, we got you your clothes." She responds, glancing at my leather jacket over a white t-shirt and jeans. "Which was very expensive by the way, so now we're signing you up for the Adventurer's Guild."

"Oh right, so I can pay you back. Thanks, by the way." I nod. "So what else can I do in the guild? Aside from hunting monsters or bandits."

"All kinds of things." Paimon quips. "It can be as simple as finding a lost cat, or a big expedition to explore some ruins. The tougher the commission, the bigger the reward."

"And how much does clearing a Hilichurl camp pay?" I ask. "I imagine a substantial amount."

"It depends on the size of the camp usually." Lumine answers. "The one we cleared was considered small, so the pay isn't that much, but it usually beats the safer commissions done around the city."

"And don't think you can just start off with dangerous commissions," Paimon adds. "You can only take safe ones when you start out. You'll need to be higher ranked if you want to go hunting Hilichurls or Treasure Hoarders."

"There's a ranking system?" I raise a brow.

"Yup. There are sixty ranks in total." Lumine explains. "Every fifth rank, the Guild will give you a test to see if you can take harder commissions or not."

"And what rank are you at right now?"

"Forty-six," Paimon answers smugly for her as Lumine puffs her chest in pride. "She's the fastest growing adventurer in decades. Usually, someone would need years to get to where she is, and she only took a few months!"

"Hoh, that's impressive," I say, not really understanding how impressive that is.

The two continue explaining the basics of this adventuring thing, and how it's actually an international organization and not just a thing in Mondstadt. Liyue, the neighboring kingdom, also has a guild there as well, and the adventuring scene is just as big as it is here.

So it's less adventuring and more mercenary work, but without the unethical bits. No assassinations or whatnot, and while assassin work is more my forte, I can work with this. I expected only actual adventuring and more exploring parts of the world than something this broad.

That's cool I guess. Seems like something I can get used to at least. Knowing I can take a couple of commissions at once can save a lot of time.

We stop at a desk where a black-haired woman worked, who smiles as she spots us.

"Hey, Katheryne." Paimon waves. "We're done with today's commissions."

"Thank you for your work." She bows a little. "You two have been doing amazing around the kingdom. I'll get your reward shortly."

"Before that, think you can sign him up?" Lumine points at me. "He's new around here, but I can vouch for him. He actually took care of most of the Hilichurl camp before I got there."

"Oh?" The one named Katheryne raises a brow as she looks me up and down. "So you'd like to sign up for the guild?"

"That's why I'm here, yes."

"Of course." She nods, getting a pen and a handbook from under the desk. "A few questions if you don't mind. Full name?"

"Crimson Amamiya."

"Age?"

Older than this universe, but I can't exactly say that, as tempting as it is.

"Twenty-two."

"Do you have any experience in a similar type of work? If so, for how long?"

Well, I'm a killer and the Juggernaut of the Ama Clan, the most powerful and feared organization in the multiverse, but I don't think they know what that is. Plus, I don't think assassins are looked upon fondly anywhere, so I think I should keep that to myself for now.

"Yes, for thirteen years."

She pauses for a moment as she processes my words, her lips thinning a second later.

"Thirteen years?"

"I had a rough childhood." I clarify.

"I see…" A look of sympathy crosses her face, which I find amusing, then she resumes the questioning. "Do you possess a Vision?"

"No."

She nods and writes up everything, not asking me anything else.

"Thank you for answering, Mr. Amamiya." She smiles and bows, putting the handbook and pen back under the desk. "And welcome to the Adventurer's Guild."

"It's that simple?" I ask, honestly a little surprised. "I expected a long process if I'm being honest."

"You fit the criterion and the Traveler has vouched for you, so we will not turn you away or make this longer than necessary. I'll put your information in our files soon." She answers. "In the meantime, would you like some commissions to do? I have a few you can finish today if you're interested."

"I do need to pay her back for these clothes, so yes." I gesture at Lumine. "The more the better."

I don't like being indebted. If someone does something for me, no matter how insignificant it is, I'll pay them back. I'd feel pretty bad about it if I don't. Plus, mom would be disappointed, and you don't want to disappoint her.

Also, admittedly, a part of me wants to catch up and surpass Lumine's rank. It's probably my dragon pride flaring, welcoming the competition and challenge, but I'm all for listening to my instincts. I want to see the look on her face when I break her pride in two.

That sounds like a good goal for the time being. Become a well-known, higher-ranked adventurer than Lumine. Maybe I'm being petty, but it sounds funny, and that's the reason for doing most of what I usually do. Thinking long-term is lame.

I wonder how long it'll take until I get to that point.