The Adventurer's Guild

Part 1

After eating my food, I decided to explore the town.

Maybe in Merton, I could find Lirien and the others and some answers about my memory gap.

After getting out of the tavern, I headed straight for the market in Merton.

I had already asked for directions from Lyra, and I did not face any difficulty in finding the market area.

After reaching the market area, I saw many people who were busy shopping for either food or other stuff.

Sounds filled the air—people yelling prices, chopping vegetables with a steady thump, and happy customers talking.

It felt alive, full of people doing business.

It was a big market.

At least for me, it was my first time in a town.

I had spent all my life in Stonecreek.

I was excited but also nervous.

But something wasn't right. The market was huge, bigger than anything I'd ever seen.

It could hold all of Stonecreek, easy! Yet, there weren't many people shopping around.

It should have been flooded with people.

But it was not.

This emptiness felt… scary.

The crisp scent of apples drew me to a stall overflowing with colorful fruits.

"How much for an apple?"

I asked the shopkeeper, a gruff man with a weathered face."

He eyed the apple I pointed to, then me.

"Two copper coins," he rumbled.

It seemed like a fair price, considering Lyra's explanation.

I fished out two coppers from the pouch; the weight of the remaining coins was a surprising comfort.

"Here you go," I said, handing them over.

The shopkeeper grunted, barely a nod of thanks. As I bit into the apple, its sweetness surprised me.

It was good for this price.

Part 2

I had spent too much time visiting the market.

So, it was time to move on.

I decided to visit the Adventurers Guild.

There were two reasons for this.

One, to register as an adventurer and gather more information about the town and its decresing population.

Two, maybe I could find Lirien and the others in the guild.

Even, if I could not find them in the guild. I can always get information about them as an adventurer.

Moreover, to survive in this harsh world, I also needed a source of income.

Being an adventurer would secure some coins.

After all, those coins they left me wouldn't last forever.

Sure, being an adventurer was a risky life, but what safe options did I really have?

It was a gamble, but one I was willing to take.

Off to the guild I went, a knot of nervous excitement twisting in my gut.

Part 3

The Adventurer's Guild.

A place where men of greath strength and valor gather.

Those with confidence in their strength, tose with confidence in their magic.

Those who boast they are stronger than others, and those who laugh in the face of death.

I pushed opened the large doors of the Adventurer's Guild, a wave of stale ale and leather hits me when I stepped inside.

The common room was dimly lit, the only light filtering through dusty high windows and flickering oil lamps hanging from the beamed ceiling.

Long wooden tables stretched across the worn flagstone floor, most empty save for a few scattered figures hunched over tankards or maps.

It wasn't what I expected.

Instead of a bustling room filled with bragging adventurers, the place felt dusty and quiet.

On the left, a giant notice board overflowed with papers.

On the right, four counters stood empty except for a few bored-looking staff members.

I walked up to a young woman with fiery red hair, leaning against the counter.

She looked up with a tired sigh.

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah,"

I said, trying to sound confident.

"I want to register as an adventurer."

The redhead sighed again,

"In that case, fill out this form."

I was handed a piece of paper and a piece of charcoal.

A section for writing your name and job, as well as things to be aware of and a code of conduct.

By summarizing it, you will get something like this:

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1. Use of the Adventurer's Guild.

If you register as an adventurer, you can get services available to adventurers.

2. Service Content.

If you become an adventurer, you can access all the services from anywhere in the world where the Adventurer's Guild is present.

3. Registration Information.

You will receive a card with your information under your control upon registering as an adventurer. It is possible to re-issue the card if you lose it, but your rank will be reset to F, and you will have to pay a fine.

4. Withdrawal from the Guild.

You can withdraw from the guild at any time.

Re-registeration is also possible, but rank will be reset to F.

5. Prohibited Coduct.

It was like,

You cannot go against the laws of the country where you are at the moment.

You cannot disgrace the guild's reputation.

You cannot interfere with other adventurer's jobs.

You cannot trade the jobs.

If it is discovered, that you are involved in any of this, you will have to pay a fine and your qualifications will be revoked.

6. Breach of Contract Compensation.

If you fail at a job, you will have to pay compensation that will be double the amount of the job that you have accepted. Repayment period is half a year. If you do not pay the compensation, your qualification will be revoked.

7. Rank System.

There are 8 ranks, starting from F to SS based on the adventurers proven skills.

You can take jobs within one above or below your rank. It is possible to raise your ranks by passing a regulated number of jobs. You can choose to stay at your current rank. If you fail at your jobs a couple of times, you will be demoted.

8. Obligation.

If the country is under attack from the monsters and a request is made from the guild, you cannot refuse it.

In emergency situations, you have to obey the staff members.

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I wrote my name and details on the form, pausing only at the "Job" section.

Briefly, the memory of the wyvern fight flickered in my mind – the raw power, the brush with death.

"Swordsman," I wrote, the word feeling somehow incomplete.

Magic, I realized with a jolt, had been my weakness.

I had the aptitude and mana, but I had no training.

It was time to change that.

Glancing up at the bored receptionist, I cleared my throat.

"Excuse me,"

I said hesitantly.

"Is there a way to learn magic here at the Guild?"

The redhead's tired expression flickered for a moment.

"Learn magic?" she scoffed.

"Not exactly. We offer basic combat training, some monster info, that sort of thing. But real magic training? That's a whole different game."

I filled the form and gave it to the receptionist.

"Place you hand here"

She took out a crystal and asked me to put my hands on the crystal.

I placed my hand on the crystal and it began to glow.

After some mements, confirming the details. Redhead receptionist gave me a card wich was made of iron. 

It's size was smaller than my hand.

On the card some details were written like name, gender, age, race, job, and rank.

As expected my rank was F.

"Are there any rules in joining a party?"

"Rules? In joining a party? Not exactly. It's more like finding shoes – gotta find the right fit, y'know? Some folks here put up notices on the board over there,"

She jerked a thumb towards the overflowing board on the left,

"saying they're looking for teammates with specific skills. Others just hang around hoping someone interesting walks in the door."

She tapped the completed form on the counter.

"We can post your info on the board if you want. But like I said, finding a party is all about luck and finding folks you can trust with your back in a fight."

"No, there is no need for that."

The receptionist's eyebrow shot up in surprise. "No need for the board, huh? You already got a team in mind?" She asked, a hint of curiosity replacing her boredom.Taking a deep breath, I decided to gamble. "Actually, I was wondering about Zane's party. Are they still in Merton?"The redhead leaned back in her chair, a thoughtful look crossing her face. "Zane's party, huh? They were here this morning, took a job and headed out. So they might still be around town, regrouping before their next move."

After signing up as an adventurer and getting the information that I needed. 

I walked out of the Guild.