When the person stepped into the hall and the light was no longer blinding, Jiwa felt a flicker of surprise deep in her eyes as she saw the newcomer.
A young man—very young—and... exceptionally handsome, which was not a common sight in a guild filled with rugged adventurers.
He had a unique aura, lacking the toughness of a warrior and the aloofness or arrogance common among mages. He seemed somewhat out of place in this environment thick with the smell of sweat and dust.
He held a staff in his hand made of ordinary material and crude craftsmanship, inferior even to the practice staves used by some apprentice mages.
His brow seemed subconsciously furrowed, carrying a trace of lingering solemnity.
“Is he looking for someone, posting a request for special materials, or representing a small group?” Jiwa quickly listed several common possibilities in her mind.
Or perhaps a Healer coming directly to register as an adventurer? In the years she had been stationed at the Blackcreek Town branch, it wasn't that it never happened, but it was certainly rare.
Regardless, her professional training ensured that by the time he approached the counter, she had already put on her most appropriate smile.
She greeted him in a clear, pleasant voice: “Hello, the Blackcreek Town branch of the Adventurer’s Guild is at your service. Are you looking for someone, posting a request, or do you need to inquire about other information?”
“Hello, I would like to register as an adventurer.”
Bai Xuan spoke the words calmly.
He had slept very late last night. After lying in bed, the scene of the slave trade he had witnessed kept playing in his mind.
In the short day he had spent in Blackcreek Town, he had already seen various forms of cruelty in this different world.
When he left the White Lion Inn early this morning, Aunt Martha’s reminder of “So early? Be careful on the road” had brought a flicker of warmth to his heart.
He stepped through the morning mist that had not yet fully dissipated, walking along the gradually awakening streets.
Shops on both sides were opening one after another, and vendors were beginning to set up their stalls.
However, the bustling daily life, separated by only a few blocks from the dark alley he had seen last night, gave him a sense of illusory unreality at this moment.
When he pushed open the guild doors and felt the completely different atmosphere inside, he forced himself to suppress all his chaotic thoughts.
He observed his surroundings—the spacious hall, the massive bulletin board, the diverse range of adventurers...
And the red-haired receptionist behind the counter who looked professional but could not hide her fatigue.
Jiwa maintained her perfect smile, but a flash of surprise crossed her eyes for an instant.
She immediately entered her work routine as if that surprise had never existed: “Certainly. Registering as an adventurer requires a fee of 10 silver coins for file registration and badge production.”
“Afterward, please fill out the basic information registration form. If you have a Class, you will need a professional ability verification. Once the verification is passed, you will receive a guild-certified adventurer badge.”
Hearing about the professional ability verification, Bai Xuan could not help but feel nervous, but he did not let it show on his face.
“Verification... what exactly does that entail? I am not very familiar with the guild processes of your country; I come from a very distant place.”
Jiwa maintained her professional patience and explained, “Since our branch is limited in size, we are not equipped with high-level magical devices that can directly detect a Class.”
“Therefore, you need to go to the testing field in the backyard and demonstrate the typical abilities of your declared Class to the guild’s tester for recording and filing.”
“These records will be consulted and verified when you take on specific requests, join a team, or participate in large-scale joint operations in the future.”
She paused and added, “This is to protect the basic rights of the clients and other team members. Please understand.”
I see. Small places have their own advantages.
Bai Xuan breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.
If there really were a detection device that could directly display a Class, his “None” status would probably have nowhere to hide.
“I understand.”
He nodded and then asked, “In addition, could you introduce the guild’s adventurer system to me?”
“Of course.”
Jiwa was already well-versed in this. “Adventurer ranks basically correspond to the difficulty levels of requests.”
“Most adventurers here are Paper Rank or Bronze Rank. Once they reach Iron Rank, they are usually team captains. The Silver Rank above that is basically reserved for the leaders of several large groups.”
“Every time you complete a request, in addition to the reward paid by the client, the guild will grant corresponding guild points based on the difficulty and completion of the task.”
“Points are the primary basis for increasing an adventurer’s rank. You will be at the Paper Rank after registering. To be promoted to Bronze Rank, you need to accumulate 30 guild points.”
“As your rank increases, the points and conditions required for promotion will become stricter.”
“Specific details regarding points and rank privileges can be found in the manual after you register.”
Jiwa’s explanation was clear and concise.
Bai Xuan quickly understood this relatively simple and direct set of rules.
Accept tasks -> earn money and points -> level up -> accept higher-level tasks.
This fit his imagination of an organization like an Adventurer’s Guild perfectly.
“I have a general understanding now.” Bai Xuan counted out 10 silver coins from his coin purse and placed them on the counter.
Jiwa collected the coins and handed over a form and a quill pen.
The form required his name, approximate age, commonly used weapons or ability direction, and most importantly—his Class.
Bai Xuan hesitated for a moment before writing down 【Healer】 in the Class column.
The sensation of the pen tip gliding across the paper felt like adding a footnote to a role he was about to play for a long time.
Jiwa took the completed form. When she saw 【Healer】, her eyes flickered slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.
She took out a circular badge made of material that felt like coarse paper and placed it with the form. Then, she picked up a small bell and rang it gently.
Soon, a young man wearing guild-standard leather armor and looking somewhat sleepy walked out from the back.
“Morning, Sister Jiwa... got a newcomer?”
“Morning, Anderson. This is Mr. Bai Xuan, applying for registration. His Class is Healer, and he needs you to perform the ability verification.” Jiwa handed the form over.
The tester named Anderson rubbed his eyes and took a look at the form.
Then he looked Bai Xuan up and down and muttered, “A Healer... alright, follow me.”
He beckoned to Bai Xuan and led him toward a small door behind the counter.
Jiwa continued processing the work at hand.
After only a short while, just as she was settling a task reward for an adventurer, the door to the testing field opened.
Anderson was the first to come out.
Jiwa habitually looked up, prepared to receive the verification results, but she couldn't help but freeze.
She saw that Anderson’s expression was somewhat strange. His eyes were wandering, his lips were slightly pursed, and even his walking posture seemed a bit stiff.
He was clutching that registration form tightly in his hand.
This appearance was not at all like the usual Anderson, who, although fond of slacking off, always loved to laugh and chat while giving a few comments after testing someone.
Immediately following him, Bai Xuan walked out from behind Anderson.
He looked calm and even took the opportunity to straighten his white robes, looking like a completely different picture compared to Anderson’s strange state.
Quite a few adventurers had gathered in the hall by now, and some knew Anderson.
Seeing his distracted appearance, one joked, “Hey, Anderson, did you see a ghost this morning? Why do you look so terrible?”
Rate on N.U.
