The Guild Registration

Zaper pushed open the heavy wooden doors of the Adventurer Guild in Rumi City. The room was big, with stone walls covered in maps and notices pinned with rusty nails. Long tables stretched across the floor, packed with adventurers, some laughing, some arguing, some sharpening swords. A few heads turned to look at Zaper and the figure in the long coat beside him, but most didn't care. At the back was a wide counter, where a line of people waited to talk to the clerks.

"Wow, this place is loud!" Ayaka said, her voice muffled under the hood of her coat. She peeked out, her green eyes wide. "Are all these people adventurers?"

"Yeah," Zaper said, keeping his voice low. "Keep your hood up and stay close. Don't talk too much yet."

"Why not?" Ayaka asked, tilting her head.

"Just trust me, okay? Let's get to the counter."

They shuffled through the crowd, dodging a big man with a scarred face and a woman juggling knives. Ayaka giggled. "That lady's good with those pointy things! Can I try that?"

"No," Zaper said firmly. "Focus. We're here to sign you up."

"Fine, fine," Ayaka muttered, pulling the coat tighter. "This thing's itchy, though."

"Deal with it," Zaper said. "We're almost there."

They reached the counter, where a few clerks sat behind stacks of papers. Zaper scanned them and grinned.

There she was, the lady he'd been hoping to see. She was beautiful, one of the prettiest women he'd ever met. Her hair was long and golden, falling in soft waves over her shoulders. Her skin was smooth and pale, like milk, and her eyes were a sharp blue, sparkling like the sea.

She wore a tight green dress that hugged her curvy figure, showing off her full breasts and slim waist. A silver necklace gleamed at her throat, catching the light. When she looked up and saw Zaper, her eyes lit up, and a sly smile spread across her red lips.

"Zaper!" she said, her voice warm and smooth. "You're back! Did you finish that quest I gave you?"

"Hey, Lirien," Zaper said, leaning on the counter with a smirk. "Yeah, I got it done. Took me a while, but I'm good, right?"

"You better have," Lirien teased, crossing her arms. "Let's see it, then. Where's the proof?"

Zaper reached into his bag and pulled out a chunk of red iron, rough and heavy. It glinted faintly in the dim light. "Here you go," he said, sliding it across the counter. "One red iron, straight from the caves. Goblins tried to eat me, but I made it."

Lirien picked it up, turning it in her hands. "Nice work," she said, nodding. "Looks real. You're lucky those goblins didn't chew you up first."

"They tried," Zaper said, shrugging. "I'm tougher than I look."

"I know," Lirien said, her smile growing. She opened a drawer, pulled out a small pouch of coins, and tossed it to him. "Here's your pay, twenty silver. Don't spend it all on beer and woman this time."

"No promises," Zaper said, catching the pouch with a grin. He tucked it into his belt, then straightened up. "Hey, I've got something else for you. I need to register someone."

Lirien raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Who's this, then?"

Zaper grabbed the figure in the coat and pulled them forward. "This is Ayus," he said, keeping his voice firm. "He's a boy. Wants to be an adventurer. Sign him up."

Ayaka—or "Ayus"—stumbled a little as Zaper yanked her. She kept the hood low, hiding her face. Lirien leaned forward, squinting at the cloaked figure. "A boy, huh?" she said. "Kinda scrawny. You sure he's ready for this?"

"He's tougher than he looks," Zaper said quickly. "Trust me, he'll do fine."

"Alright, if you say so," Lirien said, shrugging. She pulled out a fresh sheet of paper and a quill. "Name's Ayus, right? Any family name?"

"Nope, just Ayus," Zaper cut in before Ayaka could speak. "He's new around here."

"Fair enough," Lirien said, scribbling it down. "Every newbie gets a starter quest to prove they're serious. Let's see…" She rummaged through a stack of papers and pulled one out. "Here we go. Collect five wolf pelts from the forest outside the city. Bring 'em back, and Ayus is officially E Rank. Sound good?"

"Yeah, perfect," Zaper said, taking the paper. "We'll handle it."

Ayaka peeked out from under the hood. "Wolf pelts?" she whispered to Zaper. "What's that?"

"Shh," Zaper hissed. "I'll explain later."

Lirien watched them, her blue eyes sharp. As Zaper turned to leave, she called out, "Hey, Zaper!"

He stopped and looked back. "Yeah?"

"Come see me later," she said, "You know, the usual place. We've got stuff to talk about."

Zaper's grin returned. "Sure thing, Lirien," he said, nodding. "I'll be there."

With that, he grabbed Ayaka's arm and pulled her toward the door. "Come on, Ayus," he said. "Let's get moving."

They stepped outside into the busy street. The sun was high now, and the air buzzed with noise, vendors shouting, carts rattling. Ayaka yanked her arm free and turned to Zaper, shoving the hood back just enough so he could see her frown. "Zaper, why'd you lie?" she asked, her voice loud and annoyed. "You told her I'm a boy! I'm not Ayus, I'm Ayaka! What's that about?"

Zaper sighed and pulled her to the side, away from the crowd. "Keep it down," he said, glancing around. "Listen, I had to say that. Female adventurers? They're rare. And when guys see a girl signing up, especially one as beautiful as you, they don't care if you're strong or weak. They'll swarm you, try to get you on their team, maybe worse. Trust me, I've seen it. Calling you a boy keeps you safe."

Ayaka crossed her arms, the coat flapping a little. "Safe? But I'm strong! I smashed that goblin's head, remember? I can handle them!"

"I know you can," Zaper said, rubbing his neck. "But it's not just about fighting. It's about trouble. Men get stupid around pretty girls. If they think you're a boy named Ayus, they'll leave you alone. The Guild doesn't check your real identity unless you hit B Rank, so we're fine for now."

Ayaka stared at him, thinking. "Hmm… okay," she said slowly. "But what about later? When I'm a big adventurer? Like SSS Rank or Goddess? They'll figure it out then, right?"

Zaper shrugged. "We'll deal with that when it happens. Could be years from now. For now, let's focus on this quest. Get those wolf pelts, and you're an adventurer. Deal?"

Ayaka grinned, her annoyance fading. "Deal! Wolves sound fun. Do they taste good?"

Zaper groaned. "Let's not eat them, okay? We just need the fur."

"But what if they're yummy?" Ayaka asked, skipping ahead.

"No eating!" Zaper called, chasing after her. "Ayus, wait up!"

She laughed, her voice echoing down the street as they headed toward the forest.