『On the year of the Summer Solstice, Leticia Eleanor Annesley, the beloved daughter of the House of Annesley
...died.』
Well, that's what the great empire of Linarest thought anyway.
"Poor child died too early." An elderly woman selling fresh produce remarked in sympathy upon noticing a cloaked man near her stand reading the monthly newspaper.
It has been four years since the tragedy happened yet the whole continent of Arizalde still buzzes with the lady of Annesley's mysterious passing.
The cloaked figure remained silent which prompted the vendor to continue her spiel. "I can't understand the emperor of Linarest. A noble lady already died because of their backward tradition yet they still haven't got rid of it."
She shook her head. Really, that's how most of the commoners of the neighboring kingdom, Ruvia, thought to the royal family of Linarest. Although their own royal family has been tight-lipped of this issue.
The vendor carefully observed the mannerism of the man, seeing there was no violent reaction, continued. "That imperial rite of passage is too terrifying, no wealth and honor is enough to risk your own life just to enter that powerful family."
The imperial rite of passage is conducted to any woman who wishes to marry a member of the imperial family of Linarest in order to gain the approval of the nobility.
For centuries, no death has been recorded since the establishment of the great empire. Every noble woman chosen as a fiancée was trained since young to prepare herself in the trial.
And Leticia Annesley was no exception. She was talented in the art of sword and was a perfect match for the Archduke of Linarest, the most powerful swordmaster in Arizalde.
This was the first time somebody died.
"Thank you." The man whispered, handing a heavy pouch to the vendor before leaving swiftly.
"Oho!" The vendor exclaimed smugly, peering inside the pouch heavy of gold coins. She was right to assume the man wanted information about the controversial rite of passage.
This large market not only sells goods but also confidential information and network for selective people, if you search enough.
Meanwhile, at another part of the market.
"So this is the town of Randell." An androgynous figure in nondescript adventurer clothes, hummed while casually exploring the foreign stalls. She wasn't in a hurry since her destination is somewhere at the center of this place's square.
[My liege, this humble servant would like to inquire your arrival to this place.]
A throaty yet firm voice asked somewhere on her head.
'I want to resurrect some Nymphis druids.' she spoke through telepathy, stealthy avoiding throngs of people and reaching a produce stall with an elderly woman clutching a pouch of chinking coins.
'Perfect. An information broker.'
"I heard there's a B-class gate that appeared here with Nymphis druid monsters." She spoke casually, placing three gold coins at the counter.
The vendor squinted her aged eyes carefully at the newcomer. Because of her profession, she could nearly gouge a customer's identity at first glance. This person doesn't seem to be outstanding or strong. The arms looks too puny and feminine for what he was planning to do.
'That's a waste of good looks.'
The vendor was in a good mood right now so she turned her nose away at the money, warning the boy for his sake. "You better ran back to where you came from, boy, this gate isn't like any other gate. The guild has been restless since nobody had been able to clear off the dungeon since it appeared. If you want to become a well-known adventurer, you'll do better in easier gates first."
Letti sighed softly. She already expected the same two preconceptions to get brought up that she was indifferent to it now.
It can't be helped...
"I'm sorry, but you are mistaken. I'm just a porter. My teacher asked me for information about Nymphis. We heard Nymphis scales are selling well in magic shops." She let out a tiny chuckle, seemingly embarrassed.
"Oh, is that so? My bad, kid. There's been a lot of reckless youngsters who raids high-level gates illegally just to rise up their ranking fast that guilds are ordering brokers to be cautious of giving dungeon information. Those ambitious youngbloods are bound to get killed one of these days." The vendor grumbled more about them ruining the info broker industry.
"Ah...so about the Nymphis?" She cut her off awkwardly, moving the coins closer to the vendor.
The vendor's eyes glinted at the sign of profit, clearing her throat while taking the coins smoothly. "So your teacher wants to know about the Nymphis ey? They're incredibly difficult to kill because of their large numbers. Nobody had yet to arrive at the boss level so they guess the boss is the one creating that endless army."
It took a bit of effort to fight off the grin that was about to break out of Letti's face. Her blood began to rush in anticipation, hearing of an interesting opponent. "Can outsiders enter the gate?"
"I heard the guild asked the guild in Linarest for good mages. They probably sent a powerful mage to join the subjugation party today so I think the guild is welcoming outsiders to clear off the dungeon as soon as possible." The vendor gestured her to come closer to which she did, "you better tell your teacher to let you stay out, kid or tell your teacher to stay out of it together. You won't be lucky enough to stay alive in that dungeon."
Letti nodded slowly in understanding. The vendor looks like it didn't mean it as an insult but in concern. "It's okay. My teacher is really strong." She stated confidently but was internally cringing. This imaginary 'teacher' shtick is becoming an inside joke, she can tell by how the shadows quiver for a second.
It looks like her gang of undead acquired a bit of humor.
The vendor didn't look convinced but relented. "Well, that's all I know about the gate. If you want to know more about joining the party, you should go to the guild yourself."
"I see, then thank you for your time." She bid her farewell, pulling her hood up her head before disappearing in the crowd.
The vendor sighed, shaking her head at the gutsy teen. Well, whatever, at least she gains a lot of money today for selling information.
Inside the tall building of Randell's guild, the cloaked man landed silently behind an older man in a distinctive dark blue mage clothing, flipping his hood down to reveal a young man with white hair.
"Did you run above the roof again, Luca? How many times do I have to tell you to just turn yourself invisible?" The older mage sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose exasperated. What's the use of the rigorous training and techniques passed on to every man of the Archduke's army if this guy won't use it? Every knight is vying his position!
"People scare me." He replies.
"You are the right-hand soldier of His Eminence Archduke Soleil! Please act to your respectable position."
The man named Luca, sighed a little at this overbearing adult. Well, he was truly grateful for the Archduke for taking him out of working as a criminal assassin, but putting him in this coveted position is too much.
He's background as an infamous assassin in the black market with hundred previous convictions is a known secret in the Archduke's palace. Due to a chance encounter, the Archduke pardoned him in exchange for offering his skills for the empire. Still, his wariness to people didn't subside no matter how he much tries to get used to this new job.
'You do it then.' Luca could only thought broodingly.
"No wonder the Archduke made you tagged along with me." The older mage grumbled in a grievance. Just let him stay with you, you nasty Archduke!
"So what's the progress of your mission?"
"People still throwing shit at the empire." He stated bluntly.
If you consider asking one person as public opinion, then it's true. Nobody will doubt he took the high road anyway. That Archduke isn't omniscient...probably.
"You uncouth buffoon! you can't talk like that to the empire you serve! Even the Archduke can't save you if somebody heard you!" The older mage hissed, hitting him at the back of the head repeatedly. He felt like he lost ten years of his life being with this person, "you better not write it like that on your report, understand?"
Luca rubbed his head in pain, nodding dutifully.
A knock on the door interrupts their conversation.
"Come in."
The door opened revealing a young warrior in silver armor and green cape with Randell guild's insignia. "Elder Mage, the preparation is nearly complete. Would you like to meet your companions in the party?"
"Ah is that so? Then, let's meet these people." He laughed joyfully before noticing the warrior's anxious gaze.
He forgot this unconcerned tool just entered through the window while they were on the 6th floor. "Don't worry about him. He's the other person I told you before. He's a soldier under the flagship of the Archduke so you can rest assure he won't be a bother. His skills are valued greatly in the empire."
The warrior's eyes suddenly glimmered in awe. It was obvious this guy looked up to those people otherwise called the Shield of the Great Empire Linarest.
The older mage nodded to himself, satisfied. "Why don't you lead us there, youngster?"
The warrior nodded eagerly. "Absolutely." They followed him out of the room with Luca feeling very pricked by the smothering glances of adoration by the innocent warrior.
Along the way, the warrior strayed closer to Luca with a deep blush that looks so unflattering with his huge built. "Are you hiring for tank warriors? I'm really good at ganking! What position are you in the army?"
"Center rear." He answered shortly, trying to put some distance between without trying to be rude.
"That's directly at the Archduke's squad! Please let me shake your hand, senior!" The warrior pleaded while suddenly bowing deeply, shoving his hand to Luca.
Luca flinched. This kid's excessive adoration just shoot up a notch, it's uncomfortable. There's nothing amazing about him.
What if he tells him his past?
Nah ...The poor kid will probably run to his mother's skirt.
That's bullying.
"Don't do crime, kid." He just decided to advise him earnestly, patting the warrior's back quickly.
'Or a big bad Archduke will work your bones off and turn your phobia against you.'
The warrior nodded ecstatically. He didn't quite get that his idol was pretty serious.
They arrived at a large hall with a lot of kinds of adventurers transacting around.
The warrior bid them goodbye before going to his own party. They can clearly hear him telling his mates about his experience because of his loudness, earning noises of envy.
"I feel so energized. Is this what they call aura?"
"That's placebo," Luca muttered, disagreeing.
"Aren't you glad somebody likes you? Imagine somebody thinking of you as their role model." The older mage cracked up boisterously, slapping him on the back still quite unstable from keeping his laughter quiet. Truly, a man's misfortune is another person's happiness.
"Are you the mage sent by Linarest? Elder Mage Milagos?" An archer wearing a dark green eye patch with the guild's insignia greeted them, behind him follows a throng of people: mages, warriors, and adventurers alike.
Luca felt a new level of unease, sizing their huge number. Understandably, they probably bet everything to this raid knowing an Elder Mage is aiding today.
The gate had been uncleared for four days already and with a reputable guild like in Randell, it's a stain in their image of strong capable adventurers.
'Let's disappear,' he thought.
"I presume you're the guild master? Please just call me Mila. I trust you to guide us in the dungeon." Mila stated good-naturedly.
"Yes, I am Adolf. We've been entering the gate for four days now, but we were always overwhelmed by the number of Nymphis. My men had been compromised countless of times that we could only ask for our allied guild in Linarest for assistance."
Mila hummed, nodding his head thoughtfully. Well, he did already understood the gist of Randell's problem. He was, after all, asked by his colleague to fix the issue as a favor. "Indeed, it would become a national threat if there's a dungeon break. We only have three days at most before that happens."
Normally, when a gate appears in a specific region. The guild responsible in that region will be informed, then they will measure the mana leaking in a gate based on a systematic scale before being auctioned for an interested party to be cleared.
A dungeon break occurs when the gate keeping the monsters in the dungeon breaks after a week, spreading catastrophe to the nearest community. That's why guilds are an important stronghold in an area.
On the other side of the room, the androgynous person stood idly at a corner while lugging a huge backpack nonchalantly.
A porter's job. It was the only job that she could sign up since the direct attack positions were already full.
Seeing the lively chatter at the side, the famous hotshot that will join the party to assist the raid probably arrived.
'This is probably for the better,' she thought before nodding in satisfaction. Being in the forefront would be counterproductive for her now.
"Okay porters! Please gather around for a headcount!" A green-robed female healer in glasses carrying a clipboard hollered.
The androgynous person followed behind four other people carrying the same bag as her. On a normal raid, they only allowed one porter per party, but most of this guild's strongest adventurers were called on for this raid so the porters were increased by four.
"The estimated duration of the raid would be two days. You don't have to worry about your safety as you will be protected by the vanguards and mages. The contract already stated that the payment will be sent to you after the raid." The healer flipped on her clipboard before staring at the five blankly, "the usual routine for a porter will be expected in the raid so it won't be difficult. Did everyone understand?" She finished, earning a nod from everyone.
The healer then sighed tiredly, adjusting her glasses. "A friendly note if you want to survive AFTER the raid, you should avoid that girl beside the guild master. Don't bother trying to please the Elder Mage, she's dead set on being his disciple." The three nodded silently. They probably know the girl well.
The healer quickly ticked off their names before leaving them on their own device.
The other person turned to Letti curiously. "Wow, are you new? It's a good idea to start off as a porter to gain experience in a raid without facing monsters. I'm Malik, a D-class warrior. I signed up as a porter to hopefully join a party in Randell's guild." Malik should belong in a guild previously since he was given a ranking.
The androgynous person shook her head at his question. "My name is Letti. I'm an outsider."
Outsiders are generally adventurers who have no affiliated guild and so they have no ranking. A free-spirited, guild hopper — for a better understanding.
"That's a girlish name for a guy." He remarked before flinching, "I'm sorry. I've been told that I speak unmindfully sometimes."
She shrugged indifferently. "I've been told."
Then, Malik's face lit up in realization. "Hey, why don't you join the guild too? If you have experience then it's better to settle on a fixed position, right?"
"No thanks. I'm just here for the Nymphis." The monetary promise is not worth giving up her outsider life. Besides, her ranking would be so confusing since she herself isn't sure what to classify herself.
Malik was about to ask more when a new voice joined them. "So we have two newbies! Welcome to Randell's guild. Do you two have any experience as a porter?" The person who spoke was a huge guy with a bandage on his arm, behind him are the other two porters. He's obviously the lead porter in this raid.
"Are you both an outsider?" The other female porter inquired with a large smile. She gave off a warm feeling that Letti naturally relaxed to her presence.
"I'm an outsider. He was in a guild before." She pointed to herself, then to Malik. It was probably because of their nondescript clothing, by nondescript, meaning they weren't wearing any distinct color or insignia, a freelance adventurer if you will.
"That's a relief. By the way, the name is Kard, an A-class tank. This is Pamela and Chongky, the other porters, both B-class mages." The other guy called Chongky nodded his head slightly but didn't speak anymore, while Pamela looks like a very cheerful girl. As expected of a good guild even their porters are top class.
"Don't feel bad if you weren't able to join the actual raid party. At least you were chosen by the guild as porters because of your experience." Kard consoled them, assuming that they were upset at being stuck as a porter.
In actuallity, nobody else wanted to sign up as a porter except the two of them. A porter is referred to as a disposable position in a party. You aren't exactly part of the party if you are merely their porter since you can be replaced easily.
"It's okay. I'm just here for the experience." Letti replied casually.
"Me too!" Malik stuttered.
Kard and Pamela started grilling Malik with questions about his old guild which isn't Letti's interest. She looked over the packed crowd, noticing that all of the raid members were from Randell's guild. Well, that's obvious since they wouldn't want to share the mana crystals they will take today to other guilds. She quickly noticed the hotshot because of his dark blue mage robe in the sea of green.
'So he's a mage from Linarest.'
He didn't look that old from her previous assumption of most Linarest mages. She heard most of the powerful mages in Linarest are white-bearded old fogeys because their mana sustains their life force. Probably four to five years older than her? To receive much recognition at that age is a feat.
His defining feature is his icy blue hair and gray eyes which has the same color as the magic staff he carries lightly while conversing with the guild master.
'He's staff has a lot of mana. It's scary,' she observed. Ever since she met Ragnarok three years ago, she had been sensitive to any object's mana capacity. To need a vessel means that you have a lot of innate mana. A vessel + innate mana = effect magic amplifying. And he's still an Elder Mage, a 7th circle mage! Linarest has scary mages.
'That dude's amazing.'
[My liege, that mage looks dangerous. Ragnarok is getting anxious.]
Palleus, the only creature in her undead gang that is powerful enough to talk to her and her first-ever ally stated exasperatedly. He could also be called the unofficial babysitter of the entire gang as sensible as an ancient ravaging knight that lead the demon king's army before would seem.
[Tell him to quiet down or I'll put him on time out.]
[...]
[He's now sulking, My liege.]
Letti exhaled tiredly, cutting the link between her and Palleus. Nobody could empathize with her struggle running a daycare 24/7. That once terrifying ant hybrid she fought with had become an annoying clingy insect as days goes by. If not for his role in leading the other ant hybrids, she already sent him to the void.
"Okay, everyone! We will proceed to the gate right away." The guild master shouted, causing everyone inside the building to cheer excitedly. Even the other adventurers not included in the raid were excited. It was unlike the usual solemn and tense raid parties. They're really expecting the poor Linarest mage to do all the work.
"Let's go, everyone," Kard called us over.
'Is this okay?' she thought warily.
She suddenly felt a strange foreboding, causing her eyes to sharpen vigilantly. She had been able to survive for four years because of her strong intuition, and it never failed her.
Taking this raid lightly will be the death of them.