In Hinsmark

The town was now within sight, Ryu was feeling refreshed because his turn to take rest just ended.

"It will just take 30 minutes to reach the gate," the driver said.

'Night was calmer than expected' Ryu thought as they didn't come across another monster all the way to town, leaving a small rebound snake,

"Jue, did you sleep well?" Ryu asked, and Jue nodded because he woke up before Ryu took his nap and Jue spoke.

"Faltar uncle told me a lot about the dungeon at Hinsmark," his eyes were shining and Faltar replied with an awkward expression,

"That's why I already told you I am not an uncle; I am just 20!!"

Ryu yawn a bit and answered,

"That is good Jue. Faltar There seemed to be a considerably big line in front of the gate…." As he moved his head out of the window to look around,

"Do not worry Ryu, you guys are with me and I'll take you inside along with me. No need to line up,"

'That sure is convenient,' Ryu thought as moved his hand in order to wake Aiena, who was sleeping with her head on his lap,

"Wake up Aiena!! We reached the town,"

"Hehe… papa pat me" Aiena spoke in sleep, and Ryu's eyebrows furrowed as he thought,

'Ahh, this again!! I am too small to be the father of someone older than me. [Cold hand]!!' he activated the skill to make his finger as cold as an ice block and put the finger on Aiena's forehead,

"Ahh cold!!" she woke up surprised,

"Ryu, you always do this!!" she complained and Ryu just whistled, looking sideways, and soon they were near the gate,

Near the gates, Guard noticed the noble's carriage and made the way for it,

As the carriage move forward, he peeked in and spoke.

"Lord, the escorts can't enter with you"

"They are the savior of my life. I cannot let them wait and leave ahead, can I now?" Faltar said, but the guard insisted,

"Lord, but the rules say so"

'Already talk like a big noble and tell him you don't care' Ryu thought and snickered, and Aiena thought,

'We should wait in line… Mr. Faltar helped us already last night with carriage' but different from what both of them thought, Faltar said with a thoughtful expression,

"Guard, should I also leave the carriage and line up at the end of the line? Although I am fine doing that as due to my principal, I cannot leave my savior behind but…" the guard knight gulped,

"But?"

"Father wouldn't like that" Faltar replied, and the guard stepped behind quietly and shouted to the other guard in front of the gate,

"Let them through!!" finally the gate opened, and they entered Hinsmark. Ryu was looking at Faltar and thought,

'He isn't as gullible as he looks' and nodded when Jue and Aiena thanked him.

"Thanks, Faltar uncle!!" Jue said and Aiena bowed a bit, but Faltar replied,

"It is only natural, here Ryu" he passed the reward money to Ryu as it wasn't an adventurer's guild mediated quest. The reward can be transferred straight without any issues,

"Thanks, Faltar, it was a pleasure competing with you!!" and Faltar gave a thumbs-up as the carriage finally stopped near an adventurer's guild driver did that so it will be convenient for Ryu,

"it's fine to work on your speed!!... also if you have any issues while in town, don't hesitate to visit me at the mansion. although my father is a bit strict, he cares about me and the town a lot and would receive my saviors gladly," Ryu nodded,

Ryu, Jue, and Aiena stepped out of the carriage and waved at the driver as he started driving after giving a bow to the Fusion souls.

As they looked around, they felt a slight difference from the town of Zerah as the buildings looked closer to each other than that in Zerah, and most had walls designed with the pattern on the lower side of the buildings. Jue asked,

"Big sister? Why does every building have those lines!?" he was curious as leaving the Zerah and Pleura he had never been to any other place, and Aiena answered,

"I had heard from Priestess; they are to keep evil spirits out, she told me. Few towns, follow making them as tradition,"

"They look cool!!" Jue said and Ryu thought,

'I thought they were just because they looked cool' and flicked the back of Jue's head as he said,

"Hurry up or I will go inside the Guild alone!!" and turned towards the guild entrance, and Jue rushed behind saying,

"Wait for me, big brother!!"

*

Inside the adventurer's guild

'Is it a supermarket sale!!?' Ryu thought as he looked around the guild it was filled up to brim with adventurers there was only barely enough space to move to the reception and there were at least 100 adventurers on the small floor,

"Big brother, are we going to go inside?" Jue questioned, as he wasn't used to these filled-up spaces.

"We need to take the quest," Ryu said with a troubled look, and Aiena spoke.

"The dungeon here seems popular…. There are more than 100 people". She was calmer than both as even as a healer she had gone to Zerah forest with parties and a group of people more than 20,

"Hey are you going to keep blocking entrance!!" a lady adventurer who was trying to get in complained and Fusion Souls finally moved.

"Man there isn't even an Aircon here!!" Ryu instinctively complained, and Aiena confused, asked,

"Ryu, what is Aircon?" Ryu just answered, not able to come up with an excuse,

"Aircon is that which it is but not them,"

"Ehh?" Aiena tilted her head in confusion but did not ask further.

As they finally reached the reception, the guild shape was quite simpler compared with one back at Zerah.

"Are you here for the dungeon quest?" the receptionist asked exasperated, her face was emitting her exhaustion, and it was justified as since the dungeon emerged a year before there had been endless work for her breaks were nonexistent and the guild was always noisy,

"Yes, we wanted to register for it but it didn't seem to be on the board," Ryu said in all honesty. This was just something he heard while moving forward,

"We cannot keep posting them again and again for them to get teared!!" the receptionist's voice was almost enraged and realizing she apologized and Ryu didn't bother much with it as he could understand her situation,

"Just tell me your party name and show me your cards I will register," the receptionist said and Fusion souls presented their cards, Receptionist began to record their information in the register when she realized something out of line and stared at their faces for a while when Ryu finally asked,

"What happened, miss?"

"A….a rank-B healer!?" her voice was shocked and as if it reached everywhere, the Guild fell in silence and everyone's attention fell on the Fusion Souls who felt awkward,

"Why would a rank-B healer be in a rank-C party!? And you two are just Rank-D… it is a big waste!!" the Receptionist added, the voice of adventurers murmuring began to rise in the guild and the Receptionist turned to Aiena as she spoke with a longing expression,

"Priestess, are you sure you want to go with this party!? if it was a B-rank party you might really end up conquering the emerged dungeon!!"

Aiena looked quite troubled by the sudden question but replied with slight displeasure in her voice,

"I am not a priestess… I am a cleric and also this is the only party I will be in." the receptionist fell silent as she wanted to convince her to go with a higher ranking and that was when Jue pulled Ryu's sleeve,

"Big brother other adventurers are staring at big sister and some are coming too," Ryu sighed as he thought,

'This was the event I really wanted to avoid from anime….' And as if his wish was heard by the heavens, suddenly everyone stopped murmuring or moving in the guild.

Ryu knew someone had entered the guild as he could feel immense pressure that was not directed at him from behind and as the person reached near him, a voice entered his ears,

"I see… do not shout adventurer's details out loud!!" he scolded the receptionist and Ryu finally turned back,

"Thanks for the help there," Ryu said as he came face to face with the man who he only reached to the chest in height, the man looked a bit menacing with a scar on his neck and the man moved his gaze aside from Ryu and stared at Jue and Aiena for a whole minute before he finally spoke,

"Do not bother these three with solicitations… it would be futile!!" he announced and then looked right at the receptionist

-To be continued