Becoming an Adventurer/Meeting with the receptionist

Chris stepped out of the library, the sun now fully risen, casting a warm glow over the bustling town. He took a deep breath, stretching his shoulders. His mind was filled with everything he had learned—about the world, the currency, the power structure, and most importantly, the reality of human weakness.

But all of that could wait.

There was somewhere he wanted to go.

The Adventurers' Guild.

More specifically, he wanted to see her again.

The receptionist. A goddess-like beauty with silver hair and deep blue eyes. Their last meeting had been brief—he had to leave after making the excuse that he forgot his money. But now, things were different. He wasn't just some broke fool wandering into the guild with nothing to offer. He had wealth, magic, and the ability to ensure that no one could look at him the same way again.

Adjusting his luxurious noble attire, Chris walked through the streets with purpose. His presence now carried an air of refinement—clean, well-rested, and exuding confidence.

Would she recognize him immediately? Probably not.

But she would soon enough.

As he entered the guild, the usual scene played out before him. Adventurers chatted, checked the quest board, and made deals over drinks. The hall was filled with all sorts—grizzled veterans, eager newcomers, and merchants looking to hire escorts. But Chris ignored all of them.

His eyes were only on her.

The silver-haired receptionist stood at her desk, speaking to an adventurer with a polite, professional smile. Her delicate features and graceful posture made her stand out even more in the rough atmosphere of the guild.

Chris watched for a moment, not just admiring her beauty but observing her mannerisms—the way she tilted her head slightly when listening, the way her eyes flickered with amusement when an adventurer made a joke, the way she neatly stacked paperwork without missing a beat.

Soon, it was his turn.

She looked up at him with the same practiced smile.

"Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild. How can I help—"

She stopped.

Her eyes lingered on his face, scanning him as if trying to place where she had seen him before. There was a flicker of confusion, then realization.

"You…" she murmured, narrowing her eyes slightly. "You were here yesterday."

Chris smirked. "I'm surprised you remember. We didn't talk much."

She blinked, then quickly straightened up. "Of course, I remember. You came to register, but you left because you—" She suddenly stopped, her expression shifting slightly.

Chris raised an eyebrow, amused. "Because I forgot my wallet?"

Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something but decided against it. Instead, she glanced him over again—this time, more slowly.

"You… look different," she finally said.

Chris leaned slightly on the counter, tilting his head. "Is that a good different or a bad different?"

She hesitated. For just a moment, she seemed flustered, as if caught off guard by her own thoughts.

"Just… different," she muttered, quickly looking down to hide whatever expression was forming on her face.

Chris suppressed a smirk. His spells were working. Favorability Shift, Attraction manipulation—they didn't force love or obsession, but they subtly made people view him in a better light and he is continuously using attraction manipulation on her.

She didn't know why, but she was already paying more attention to him than she should.

She cleared her throat and regained her professional tone. "So, are you here to register as an adventurer this time?"

Chris nodded. "That's right. I figured I should make it official."

She reached under the counter, pulling out a form. "You'll need to fill this out. Name, age, any combat experience…"

Chris took the quill from her, but as he did, he noticed her eyes lingering on him again—just for a second—before she quickly looked away.

She wasn't aware of it yet. But she was already drawn to him.

As Chris filled out the form, a thought crossed his mind. He had been referring to her as the receptionist in his head all this time. If he was going to make her his, he should at least know her name.

He glanced up at her, meeting her gaze. "By the way, I don't think I caught your name yesterday."

She blinked, slightly surprised by the question. "Oh, right. I suppose I didn't introduce myself properly." She tucked a loose strand of silver hair behind her ear before offering a polite smile. "It's Emilia."

Chris repeated it in his head, letting the name settle. "Emilia, huh?" It suited her—elegant, refined, and easy on the ears.

"That's a beautiful name" he said smoothly.

Emilia's fingers twitched slightly against the counter before she quickly busied herself with the documents. "T-Thank you" she said, maintaining her professional tone, though a faint pink dusted her cheeks.

Chris smirked. 'She's already reacting.'

Satisfied, he turned his attention back to the form. He wasn't in a rush. Now that he knew her name, he planned to make sure she never forgot his.

Chris smoothly handed back the filled-out form, watching Emilia as she quickly glanced over it. Her fingers tapped lightly against the wooden counter as she read, a small, almost unconscious movement. She was focused, professional—yet Chris noticed the small moments where her eyes flicked back to him.

He was getting to her.

"Everything looks fine,here you go,C-Chris" she finally said, pulling out a guild card. "This will be your official Adventurer's ID. Your rank starts at Bronze, the lowest tier. You can take Bronze and Silver-ranked quests, and once you accumulate enough achievements, you can rise through the ranks. Higher-ranked adventurers get access to better quests and rewards, but also more dangerous missions."

She placed the card on the counter and slid it toward him. "This is proof of your registration. Losing it will cost a fee to replace, so be careful."

Chris picked it up, examining the simple metal plate engraved with his name and rank.

"Anything else I should know?" he asked.

She nodded. "As an adventurer, you can use the guild's facilities, including the training grounds and request board. You'll also get a small discount at certain inns and shops that have partnerships with the guild."

Chris nodded, slipping the card into his pocket. "Got it. Thanks."

"You're welcome," Emilia replied, her voice softer than before.

As Chris turned away, he could feel her gaze lingering on him. Even though she probably didn't understand why, she wanted to look at him more.

But now wasn't the time to focus on her.

There was someone else too he was looking for.

The moment he stepped away from the counter, several adventurers approached him.

"Hey, newbie! You look strong, interested in joining our party?"

"I could use a magic user like you, what do you say?"

"You should join us! We split rewards evenly, and we could use another member."

Chris turned to look at them. The adventurers varied in age and appearance—some were armored warriors, others wielded bows or staves. A few had decent-looking women, but none that caught his interest.

He wasn't here to join just any party.

His eyes scanned the guild, searching for a specific adventurer.

The beautiful girl from the dungeon.

The one he had tried to save.

The one he got one-shotted in front of.

And the one who was nowhere to be seen.

He had to find out what happened to her after he lost consciousness. How had he gone from fighting in the dungeon to waking up in a slave caravan?

He ignored the party invitations with polite but firm refusals, his mind focused.

She wasn't here.

Which meant he needed to ask someone who might know.

His eyes flickered back to Emilia.

Of course, she had all the records of the adventurers who took quests. If anyone had reported an incident in the dungeon, she would know about it.

Chris smirked slightly.

Looked like he had another excuse to talk to her.

Chris leaned against the counter, going through the details in his head. 'Long black hair, nice curves, red eyes… if I remember correctly. She was just as stunning as—'

Before he could finish the thought, he found himself already at Emilia's desk. Her warm brown eyes met his expectantly.

"Did you need help with something else?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

Chris nodded. "Yeah, I'm looking for someone."

Her expression remained professional, but she gave a polite nod. "Alright. Do you have a description?"

"Yeah… I'm trying to find a girl just as beautiful as you."

The words slipped out naturally, almost too naturally.

Emilia's eyes widened slightly as a rosy blush crept onto her cheeks. Her fingers, which had been resting lightly on the desk, curled slightly inward.

Chris immediately noticed her reaction. He hadn't meant to say it like that, but seeing her response, he wasn't about to let the opportunity slip.

He let a smirk tug at the corner of his lips and smoothly added, "But I doubt I'll ever find one."

Her blush deepened. She turned her gaze downward, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear as if trying to compose herself. "I-I see…"

Chris could practically feel the shift in the air.

'Yeah, that was the right move.'

The thought of asking about the other girl completely left his mind. For now, he'd enjoy the progress he'd just made.

As Chris watched Emilia struggle to keep her composure, he knew he had made a lasting impression. She cleared her throat, trying to regain her usual professionalism, but the soft pink dusting her cheeks betrayed her.

"W-Well," she said, her voice a bit softer than before, "if you ever do need help finding someone, I'll do my best to assist you."

Chris chuckled, leaning slightly closer. "I think I'll be coming to you for a lot of things from now on."

She swallowed, looking away for a brief moment before nodding. "I-I'll be here."

Satisfied with how the conversation had played out, Chris took a step back. His goal today had been to register as an adventurer and see her again but he had accomplished something far more important.

As he turned to leave, he could feel her eyes lingering on him just a second longer than necessary.

A smirk formed on his lips.

'That's right. Keep thinking about me.'

With his registration complete and a certain receptionist now unable to forget him, it was time to decide his next move.