The return trip to Marinon was uneventful, other than Rao squeezing Riva for information about herself, nothing significant happened.
Riva decided to explain her lack of hunger with a mixture of half-truths. She told Rao that she came in close contact with a dungeon and since then developed a self-control skill that let her reign in her feelings.
It was true that she had to reactivate her 'Self Control' skill since she spent almost all her energy on the 'Identification' skill. She had begun to feel the hunger again, albeit on a much more manageable scale.
On arrival, the adventurer guild was pretty busy. The previously empty tables were now filled with a diverse crowd. The whole room was abuzz with their discussions and arguments.
Riva couldn't spot any of Rao's teammates. When she threw him a questioning glance he merely gestured for her to follow him to the front desk.
When it was their turn the receptionist, a different one from the morning, immediately greeted them "Mister, the branch head is already awaiting you in her office."
~
The branch head from this morning was indeed already waiting for them in her room. She had lost her proud demeanor and was fidgeting with her bracelet. She appeared to be anxious and nervous.
She had stood up in an attempt to greet her guests but Rao didn't wait for an invitation and simply sat down on the couch opposite her. Riva hesitated, then followed his example.
"We meet again, I take it you have received word from branch management" Rao opened the conversation.
"Greetings sir. And yes, I didn't know sir was an examiner." The branch head was overly polite. "If I had known.."
"You would have been more polite. Just the way you're treating me now that you know? Clear-cut preferential treatment!" Rao admonished her with disdain in his voice.
Branch management, examiner? I thought he hated the guild? An examiner is someone sent by the management to check and ensure the quality of a guild branch's work. They are usually dispatched when there have been repeated complaints. Riva analyzed what she had just heard.
She couldn't help be surprised when listening to Rao who continued playing the role of examiner perfectly. In the process, he not only berated the treatment of staff but also spoke about the criminal behavior of the adventurer parties while he complimented the guild for its quest completion rate.
"Speaking of criminal activities amongst adventurers, I trust you have readied a copy of the relevant registry?" Rao questioned the branch head.
"Of course, of course!" she pulled a bulging envelope from a drawer and pushed it across the table to Rao.
"Then you'll excuse us. I will submit my report to management, you will likely hear from them soon."
~
Rao handed Riva the envelope once they had left the building. "Here you go, told you it was easy!"
"You work as an examiner? I thought you disliked the guild." Riva asked with disbelief.
"Me? And examiner? As if!" Rao laughed at her question. "No, I left a mark on her when we met this morning. A little precaution, just in case."
"A mark? Like the magic hunters use for easy targeting?"
"Yup, but the one I use enables me to directly target the person I marked, even from far away. I used it in combination with a simple mind search and replaced myself with the memory of an examiner she remembered. For additional convenience I also implanted a fake memory, to make her prepare the files beforehand."Rao explained as though his feats were easy to accomplish.
"You did all that by closing your eyes for a moment?! Remote and everything?!" Riva was speechless.
"It does require one of my thralls to be within 200 meters. He acts as a relay point. And yes, it's not much effort once the conditions are met."
"Spells that target the mind are way too overpowered!" Riva glanced at Rao. "Or maybe it's just you that's overpowered!"
"Hahaha! As if you're one to judge. I think you're rather scary yourself! You couldn't be older than three years yet you've already reached the strength to deal with an entire group of intermediate-rank adventurers. And that is without considering your special properties…I'd give it a decade at most to surpass me!"
"What makes you say that?" Riva didn't expect his high evaluation.
"The way you fought those bats alone. Haha, you must have realized I was testing you with them?"
"It was rather obvious." Riva shot him an angry look.
"Anyway, I was prepared to step in when you couldn't handle it but you easily managed to defeat them all. And a single strike each! The most frightening was your learning speed. Crazy, really!"
"You're a manipulative bastard, you know that?!"
"Hahaha! Yes, There's little sense in denying the truth!"
"You better not try to mark me or attempt any more of your mind tricks!" Riva declared.
"Else?" He provokingly asked. "Wouldn't you notice anyways? If I'm right you should have been resistant to my spells all along."
"By the way, wouldn't you get in trouble if the branch head notices that the examiner she met and remembers isn't really working for the guild?"
"Nah, there won't be any problems. Memories are something vague. I made it so I am interchangeable with the real examiner. When she meets the real one she will think he was the one she saw today. Vice versa when she meets me, she will think I am the one she met in the past."
"The way you play with people is scary!" Riva commented.
Rao merely laughed in response.
"I've also got your identification ready." He signaled at his party member that had suddenly and conveniently appeared next to them and handed him an elegant envelope with an elaborate red seal.
"Congratulations for being adopted into the Faramus household, Riva Faramus!"
"You seriously adopted me?! I expected a lot. Especially considering your skills. Most certainly not this! What are you scheming now?"
"Nothing much." Under Riva's glare, he added "I thought this would help further our friendly relationship is all."
Riva opened the envelope she had been handed and checked the iron pin that she retrieved from it. It was crafted in the shape of a calamari which had 'Faramus' engraved in beautiful letters on a banner wrapping around its shape. Engraved on its back were tiny letters that read:
'This pin is equal to a free travel and sales permit within the human kingdoms.'
"How? Is there really a Faramus family?" Riva couldn't believe something so precious could be so casually procured in a matter of hours.
"Not in the traditional sense. You may think of it as a private guild. Basically, we're a collaboration of so-called monsters that have hidden in human society."
"And the humans don't suspect a thing?"
"Hehe, some may, but we're too powerful for them to risk targeting us especially since we don't cause intentional harm. Those that know tacitly agree to ignore us in exchange for us abiding by their laws." Rao explained.
"Is there anything I need to know regarding the whole thing, what if I encounter another member?"Riva asked.
"Nothing, really. Would you do anything special if you were an adventurer and met another?" He returned her question with another. "No, right? At most you wouldn't harm him intentionally without a solid reason. That's enough."