Adventuring comes with rewards and lies

Bright sunlight creeped through the curtails of my room into my eyes.

Waking up, I found out it was already past noon. I quickly freshed myself up and went to have my breakfast... or lunch.

"Lamb curry with rice please. "

I was really hungry as I didn't even have my dinner yesterday. I was so tired when I returned that I immediately fell asleep.

After satiating my hunger, I left for the Adventurer Guild without wasting any time.

Walking on these streets again, I realised this town was much livelier than Pearlton. Different people were wearing different outfits as per their jobs. Shops selling weapons, clothes and even cotton candies.

I also heard that the cotton candies of Springbell were famous all over the Kingdom.

I soon reached the Guild and went to the receptionist. She was wearing the same suit, or should I say uniform as yesterday.

I thought of asking if they got my letter, but before I could speak she bowed her head and apologized.

"We are really sorry, sir. We didn't realise that the mission was so dangerous".

"It's okay. Just call me Marcel. You got the letter, right?" I didn't want to make it seem like a big deal from my side. It was better to not get involved in all these Guild matters.

"Yes. And you can also call me Bella. Just Bella. Actually the Guild Master had already realized the situation last night. And that is the reason why we arrived here earlier than usual. Someone also found your letter in the morning and thanks to it we were able to occupy that base quite easily."

'The guild master realised it last night? How? Did the Civil Servant guy inform them? I don't think so...'

I really had no idea how she found out about the base without going inside the sewer.

"The Guild Master?"

"Yes! She is a 'monster tamer'. I heard her pet bird 'Mitty' was the one who found the base. Mitty was investigating the area the whole night."

'A pet bird? I didn't even sense anything. Does she somehow know that I killed those humans there?'

As if possessed by something, Bella kept on blabbering about the Guild Master like a total fangirl.

"I heard she tamed 'Mitty' when she was just nine years old. Yeah, I know she's so talented. But sadly, she rarely visits this Hall. Maybe you can meet her one day if you are lucky."

'Well then, I am glad to be unlucky.'

Realising something important, Bella stopped her preaching and turned to me suddenly.

"Ah! I almost forgot to tell you. We decided to give you ten gold coins as an apology and another seven gold coins for informing about the sewers in your letter. It really saved us a lot of trouble"

'Se-seventeen gold coins? And I thought I was rich after receiving an extra gold coin yesterday. Just how rich are these guys?'

My eyes lit up hearing those words come out from her mouth. Well, I hoped it wasn't really showing on my face.

"Please give me your Adventurer Card."

I gave her my card and she returned it a couple of minutes later along with seventeen gold coins.

'My money!!! Huh?'

I was so lost in those glittery coins that I didn't even notice my Adventurer Card.

Name: Marcel Mistmer

Race: Human

D Rank Adventurer

"D rank? Isn't that like a big upgrade? "

"Yes, it doesn't happen naturally. But we think you are strong enough to deserve this. Yesterday's quest should be at least D rank and you cleared it better than one can imagine."

'I see... I guess it counts as contribution.'

Seeing Bella didn't ask me any questions about the dead humans, I decided to bring the topic myself.

"Bella, do you know who killed all those people?"

"Yes. Luckily Mitty was present near that area that time. It was..."

My heart started beating like crazy and I looked around to secure my escape route. But the words that came out of her mouth surprised me even more.

".. the courtier of Great King Johnathan de Graham Serendipity III".

"Pardon?"

"Yes. But it's no big problem. The ones he killed were all criminals. It's not even a secret anymore. Most of the people here already realised that the courtier of the King did them a huge favor."

"Ah? Yes, yes... " I replied with an awkward smile.

'That was unexpected. Somehow the great King is becoming a big name.'

There was still some time left for the competition to start, maybe around four months. And I arrived early just in case some problem arises and I have to walk to Lumina town.

Now that I can travel through the portals freely, I didn't have any plans of walking for a month.

'Instead, it would be better to settle here for a bit. But I have to be careful so that I don't run into the Guild Master. I don't know how much she knows about me.'

Putting all the stuff inside the ring, I went back to the quest board. I decided to gain some experience before the competition.

|C Rank Quest|

Clear a Gnoll horde

Reward 4 golds

A horde of Gnolls are creating trouble to the east of Oriel River near Tissel Town. The portal charge would be provided by us.

'Higher rank quests got great rewards to be honest.'

Tissel Town. It's the nearest town to Springbell if we travel east. It was posted by a Merchant Company. Well, maybe that's the reason for their high rewards.

I gripped the hilt of my sword, snatched the quest page from the board and turned around with a grin on my face.

''Time to make some money''.

****

My time as an adventurer passed in the brink of an eye. I would be lying if I said I didn't start enjoying this life too. I could see now why the life of an adventurer is so desired.

[You have killed a 'Minotaur' Lvl. 23]

[You have killed a 'Minotaur' Lvl. 22]

'Hahh... These Minotaurs were really persistent.'

I put my spear back to the ring and saw my employer running towards me from a distance. "Y-you did it. As expected of the 'Grey Mist'."

"It was just a job. Please sign here."

"Yes! Yes!"

He was a fat and short man, owning a small company dealing with monster goods. One of his branch near the border had some troubles regarding Minotaur so he hired me through the Guild.

Well, not many people can kill a Minotaur, even in the Guild.

After completing my task, I returned to Springbell through the portal. Today was my last day in Springbell. I have collected quite a bit of experience and money these past four months.

I was also on the verge of leveling up. And my spearmanship, archery and mana manipulation were almost 100%.

'Let's check my status once.'

Name: Owen Grey

Species: Demi-God

Rank: Warrior

Age: 16

Level: 23

Strength : 116

Defense : 105

Agility: 125

Intelligence : 130

Mana: 115

Luck: 22

[Stigmata of Void (Active)]

Stigmata of Void: ★★

Passive : Intermediate Swordsmanship (3.77%), Beginner's Spearmanship (99.57%), Beginner's Elven Mana Manipulation(98.82%), 1st Path to Memories of Silence Archery(96.12%)

Skills: Fireball(1-star), Mana Borrow(3-star)

'I wanted to reach intermediate in all my passives before the competition. Well, I guess that's not possible anymore.'

That said, I also wanted to eat a lamb-curry dish before moving out so I went to a fine restaurant that I occasionally visit here.

"Hey! Isn't that the Grey Mist?"

Someone in the same restaurant as me whispered softly.

"The Grey Mist? Hey, no way."

"Look! Grey hair and golden eyes. Who else has this rare combination !?"

"Umm...Y-yeah... Maybe? "

I couldn't help but prick up my ears to all those gossips around me.

Recently, I found out that the adventurers started to call me as 'The Grey Mist'. Visibly, they mixed my last name 'Mistmer' with my grey hair to come up with something creative.

"But did you hear? I heard that The Grey Mist saves a lady from the dungeon, uses her for his personal pleasure and then puts her back into the dungeon!!! "

"What? Come on, that's certainly not true".

"But look at his face!! Doesn't it look like he would do something like this? He may be handsome but I can't help but shiver when I see those scary golden eyes.''

"Uhh... T-that's true"

'What the hell!?? I have never saved any lady. And no, I myself haven't entered a dungeon in my whole life. And who the hell will put someone back into the dungeon, these bastards. Hah....Let's just eat and leave.'

After filling myself, I went to the Adventurer Guild to collect my payment.

If the payment exceeds five golds, one need to collect the money from the Guild, not the employer and they also add some taxes to it.

'Damn that Guild.'

"Oh! Look who's here!! Isn't it the great Grey Mist?" The beautiful receptionist from the Guild commented.

"Please don't call me that, Bella."

She laughed out loud and took my Adventurer Card. Soon, she asked me with a serious expression.

"Are you leaving today, Marcel?"

"Yeah.. I'm leaving now. I have some things to prepare before the competition."

"Ah...too bad. I will really miss you. And if you have stayed till tomorrow, you might have met the Guild Master. "

'Yeah? That's the only reason that forced me leave this afternoon.'

There are still eight days left for the competition to start and one can register till the day before the start of the competition.

My original plan was to leave the day after tomorrow but the sudden news of the Guild Master's arrival forced me to leave today.

"I am really sorry. I don't have much of a choice here."

I didn't really tell Bella the real reason. I just told her it had something to do with a friend I'm meeting.

"Yes, yes. I understand. But don't forget to give a visit sometimes."

"Yes, I will. Take care, Bella"

'I don't think I will. But lying has become like breathing to me now. Well, it's not that really want to lie to her. '

"Yes, You too. Good luck for the competition. "

Bella was really good to me during my stay here. We even had lunch together a few times.

I didn't want to always lie to someone who was like a good friend to me, but based on the amount of secrets I'm hiding, I'll be only forced to make more decisions like this.

I reached near the portal and found the guards that are responsible for operating it.

"Identification?" A bulky guard gave me a quick glance and said with a heavy voice.

"Here" I handed him both my Identification card as well as my Adventurer card.

Quickly scanning through my cards, he asked again.

"Where to?"

"To Lumina Town"

"1 gold coin. Wait in line for two minutes near the portal, then pass through."

Maybe it was because my adventurer card as well as my high rank in it, he didn't really question me much.

As I was about to leave towards the portal, three people who just arrived from the portal caught my eye.

They were wearing an outfit that I've never seen before. It looked like some kind of special guard's outfit, something like a combination of the ones I saw in Elysium and here.

The girl in the middle saw me too and walked to me with a smile. She was really tall and well built with huge muscles.... and also a huge chest.

'Gulp! S-she's really huge in many ways!!'

"Heya~ aren't you a cute one?"

One of the guys besides her also scanned me and commented.

"Grey hair? That's rare."

"May I help you, Maam?" I asked with caution. Getting involved with the Knights is the last thing I'd want before my competition.

"Just call me Diana. Are you from here?"

"Well, you can say I know this place well."

She looked slightly amused by my smart answer. And she also understood the fact that I wasn't really fond of getting familiar with them as I pretty much avoided their question.

"Then do you know where the Adventurer Guild is?"

"Yes. Do you have a map? "

I pointed out the location of the Guild and was about to leave when she finally called me again.

"Thanks kid. Can I have your name? "

"I'm Marcel. Marcel Mistmer."