I wasn't interested in talking to the explorer camping this place again. Before she could come out of the tent I stashed both the golem and the halberd and teleported us back to the guild.
"Isetta, add a note to the translation of the monolith. The classification of mage, high mage, and archmage isn't an accurate representation of the danger. The text shouldn't be taken at face value but seen as a trap to lure weaker people inside."
"Were the makers of this ruin really that cruel?"
"No, they were merely perfectionists so a normal mage can't keep up with their expectations. Now let's go hand in that map you drew."
We left the traveling silver coin and made our way to the adventurers' guild. Technically this was meant to be done at the explorers' guild but my quest had been issued by the adventurers' guild.
Entering the guild, I directly headed for the first floor and beckoned for Isetta to follow me. Isetta following me to the first floor earned me some questioning stares but I ignored them.
Reaching the first floor, I approached one of the guild's receptionist ladies and told her I wanted to hand in a quest. The lady was about to answer when Julia walked over and interrupted her.
"I'll take care of this. You can finish early."
Seeing Julia, the receptionist lady simply nodded and said her thanks before leaving. Julia then took her place behind the counter and gave me a judgemental look.
"Next time please ask for me directly. I'm not sure if the poor girl's heart could take what you're about to say."
"What do you mean? I just wanted to report the partial completion of the quest I accepted."
"Indeed, a quest that has been upgraded to rank A difficulty because we lost contact with another whole team of B-rank adventurers. Also, who is she?"
"This is Isetta. She's my cartographer and a G-rank explorer. She drew the map I'm about to hand in."
"You even drew a map? I thought you'd just cleared one of the passages."
"Well, isn't it normal to draw a map?"
"You think it's normal to take a G-rank explorer into an A-rank ruin? Unless she's another freak like you and Aurelia, her chances of survival are nonexistent!"
"Oh, you've met Aurelia?"
"Of course you'd know each other! Because of you two, I'm left running up and down the stairs to make sure you don't break another one of our receptionists. Anyway, please just follow me to the guild master's office."
Julia led us up another floor and we took a seat on one of the couches. Isetta then neatly placed all the maps and notes she made on the table.
"Why is there writing? Didn't you only draw maps?"
"It's the translation of the monolith's text and the numbers corresponding to the passages."
"Why am I even surprised! Next thing I know you are going to tell me you cleared the most dangerous passage."
"Nah, I just cleared the second easiest. Trying the most dangerous one from the get-go would be irresponsible considering that Isetta was with me."
"So you at least have a smidgen of common sense. Still, I'll need to contact the explorers' guild to figure out what your reward should be. Do you mind waiting?"
At the mention of waiting, Isetta became fidgety. She probably wanted nothing more than to go home for the day.
"I'll wait but Isetta should go home."
Isetta flashed me a grateful look and left together with Julia. About fifteen minutes passed before an old man abruptly came bursting through the door. His eyes were a little crazed and he could barely catch his breath. He must have run here.
"Where is it?!!"
"Where is what?"
"The map! Give it to me this instant!"
Yay, a maniac and surely the person the explorers' guild had sent over. Before he could see the map lying on the table I quickly collected it into a separate storage space.
"I've yet to receive payment so I can't give you the map."
The man looked at me with incredulous eyes. At that moment the door was blown open again and Julia came charging in.
"Don't give him the map!"
She didn't have to tell me. I knew what kind of person this man was just based on his expression. Yellow carried the same look on her face when she discovered something interesting. If they received what they wanted they would immediately plunge into their own world and communication would be impossible.
"Why can't I have the map? You called me here for that, didn't you?"
"No, guild master, we called you here to discuss the adventurer's reward for both exploring and mapping one of the passages."
"Can't you do that by yourself? I'm just here for the map!"
"I'm afraid that the adventurer will only hand over the map after payment. As it is our policy here at the adventurers' guild."
"Fine, let's discuss this."
After plenty of discussion between those two, they settled on paying me 100 gold coins for the map, 50 gold coins for the successful exploration, and another 50 gold coins for the translation of the monolith along with the passage numbers. Furthermore, the guild would buy everything I found at a good price.
For obvious reasons I declined their offer to buy the items I had found. The weapons could be used in the next auction and the golem was for Yellow to peruse.
With that done, I completed the exchange, received the money, and returned. Just in time for a meeting, Aurelia had called regarding the traveling silver coins future.
The only participants were Arahnia, Aurelia, and me. The meeting was held in Aurelia's office and she had prepared a wide variety of backing goods that were mostly used to help Arahnia calm her nerves. I myself never had much of a sweet tooth except for honey and maybe some chocolate to lighten up my mood.