As I entered the the office room labeled BA-1A, I was meet with two people who were working at separate desk. On one desk was a woman who had dark bags under her eyes wearing a plain gray colored office suit, she was the typical over-stressed office lady you would find in a novel towards the office romance genre. While on the other hand, a punctual looking man was working on his desk in front of a screen, and I saw him as the over-serious type of worker. Together they were working on their own desk, concentrated on their own work.
Aside from these two people the office they were working at was like any typical drab looking gray office you would find in a company. on the corner stood a Plain looking plant beside a water dispenser, with Filing cabinets seen at every side of the corner. This office was simply to simple to look at but I didn't have complaints about it because I always stood on the principle of simple is best.
As I stood between the two office workers, I waited until one of those people would call out to me, knowing that they announced my number I thought they would immediately attend to my registration, but all they did was continuing on working on their desk like no one's business. Since no other test taker was here except myself, I thought they would call out to me the second I entered the room but all I got in return was the feeling of disregard. I felt a bit taken aback by this that I approached the person who was the more sociable looking one here. The man who was punctual to look at, with his name tag written 'Rian' on his chest pocket.
I walked up to the guy and saw that he was constantly typing through whatever it was on his screen. Complete focus was the term.
"Um, I heard you called for 67?" I said as I called out to him.
"Hmm? Oh yeah…yeah…wait a second. I'll have to finish this paperwork first." he said while not even looking at my direction.
".…" So I waited.
After 5 minutes of working on his desk, he finally stopped typing and was now facing my direction. He looked at me with a gleaming smile and began the process of my recognition towards the exam.
"So…Hamil Crux, am I saying that right?" he asked trying to confirm if he said my name right.
"Uh, yes." I confirmed.
"Do you have any questions regarding the exam?"
"I do, I was wondering if I passed the exam or not?"
"Well, lets review your results." he said as he opens a file on his computer labeled by my name.
Looking back at my results towards the exams, I was confident that I would pass. With every score I got, I made sure that It was passable.
"hmm…" his eyes would dart from left to right as he read through my file. His eyes were focused like a professional, with no emotion of ever spelling. He wasn't mocking me nor was he amused, all he did was stare at the screen and made silent review.
"Okay…a complete one circle mana capacity, all your hits in the Dummy tank went over a hundred and your stamina was in good shape…Good."
"So I passed?"
"Not only do you pass but you are at the peak of breaking through the Rank F."
"Really!?"
"Yes. I'm amaze that for you to take on this test at such an age and with such results, You must be talented."
"haha." I laugh nervously, knowing how I tried not making any noticeable acts. If he goes on the fort of recruitment then this would take notice of many eyes. And I don't want that.
"Well, all I ever did was train, so its not really an issue of talent."I say, trying to humble myself.
"Hmm, I can see that." he said as he smiles at my humble response towards my present result.
"...So will I receive my Hunter's card, knowing that I passed?" I asked.
I wanted to speed up the process of getting my card, knowing that they might want to try to recruit me.
"You will we only need some last adjustments towards your registrations." He said as he brings out a pen and a tablet in front of me.
"Please sign here so we can fully register you now."
I receive both the pen and tablet and began signing through the papers with my signature.
As I wrote down my signature, the lady behind suddenly stood up from her desk and started getting out of her office space. She carried with her a paper bag for some reason and was slowly walking towards the water dispenser.
"...And here we go…done." I was finally over with the signature.
As soon as I finished signing, I passed it back to the man and he reached for the tablet.
At that moment, as the woman was walking pass by me from behind, I noticed a pair of glares at my back. It was subtle but noticeable to a point. She was looking pass me and straight into the person in front of me, at that time she gave a simple nod.
"...*Nod*…" As she made her cue, tragedy occurred and her center balance was gone. Her body, as if in slow motion was tilting towards the ground. With her chest falling first to the carpeted floor, the paper bag tearing itself from the impact and the sound of an 'OOF' being her reaction from the fall…the contents of the paper bag spilled out almost like an art show and aligned itself perfectly in front of me…
Money…Ence…the only form of medium used in the Kingdom of Kastelyst used as a commodity accepted by general consent as a medium of economic exchange. It is the medium in which prices and values are expressed. It circulates from person to person and country to country, facilitating trade, and it is the principal measure of wealth.
At the end of this aligned cash bundle was a piece of paper with a note that says..
[All of this can be yours. Be a part of the association, Hunter-kun] with a thumbs up at the end of it.
".…"
".…"
".…"
I turned back to look back and see the lady winking her eye at me, obviously showing me the benefits of what a association could give me.
".…"
".…"
She just stayed there…looking at me, suggestively showing off the profits…
"..Ehem…I guess that's enough baiting for one day, Sherlitt would you please get off the floor and clean off the bundles on the floor."
".…I guess were done with the transactions." said the woman while lying on the floor.
"Eh? Baiting?"
"Okay, Mr. Hamil would you please help me in getting up" said the woman who reached out her hand to me for help.
"uh, yeah sure." so I reached out my hand and assisted her in standing up. Still a bit confused from what just happened.
"Well, as you can see Mr. Hamil, it was a show of recruitment." said Rian.
"You're trying to recruit me?" I asked.
"Yes. As we've seen by your performance in the test, your clearly a talented young man. Above average to say the most. Will it only is natural since it shows in your profile that your going to attend the Royal Academy in a few weeks. And by seeing your talent here in the association, we would like to recruit you into the association."
"...I'm sorry but I won't." I made a straight reply to his offer, a rejection.
"...I see. Many talented people have also denied our invitation, most of the young people attend the royal academy, so they might be planning to attend that imperial guild by their graduation...Haaa." Rian sighed as he contemplates on my rejection and the effect it had on the association.
"Mr. Hamil, judging by the statistics of reasoning, I can assume that our offer is not enough for you. Why? A person of your age would immediately accept our offer of 100,000 ence. It is enough for a person of your rank to actually accept this privilege, it even says in your interview that you are in need of money." said Sherlitt as she tried to find reason in me.
"...yes, I'm in a tight spot at the moment regarding my finance but I can make do with my effort through hunting in a gate."
"So you plan to make profit through hunting, just like everybody else, but you didn't say that you would join a guild." said Rian
"...your right. I'm not planning on joining a Guild."
"A solo hunter then…well I guess that's that." Rian just looked at me as he said those words, a blank impression was all I could see in those eyes of his.
He grabs a card from his desk and started printing out the information of the person in front of him. As it finishes, he slowly picks out the card from the machine and stares at me as he pressed it against my chest.
"Here, you're officially a hunter now and by law, a hunter is legally part of the Hunter's association the moment they receive their Card. But it doesn't mean that they joined the Hunter's association, It means you can rely on us if you are ever in trouble. So please, don't be scared to rely on us."
"...Thank you."I said while looking at my card, written here was only my name and my rank. It was simplistic design that indicated a hunter's worth.
I was rank F
"hmm, okay…I guess we'll just gloss on what happened to day and say that nothing happened, nothing happened at all but just a reminder…here's our card, call us if you need any more info." Rian said as he gave me their business card. Written on it was all the information needed to contact the association.
".…thank you but before I leave, How much does this whole examination cast?"
"....the payment for the exam will be 15,000 ence. You can pay it outside the counter." said the person who was managing right in front of me. His smile was nevertheless a commercial graded smile that was fit for a magazine.
"Okay."
"seeing as how you worry for your finance, you don't have to worry since we accept early loans fr beginner hunters. As you can see from our site, it will only be after 5 days until it would increase in interest."
"Thank you and last question, is it okay for me to go for a Gate?"
"Today?"
"Hmm…I guess its possible. But do you have your equipment ready? Your weapons? Potions? Armor?"
"I don't have those things except for a weapon. A spear I bought a few days ago." I lied, I was going to use Apolo, my black lightning spear.
"Its not enough, I get that you want to pay off the loan as fast as possible but listen to my advice first. A hunter like yourself has a great future ahead of themselves, but they'll only get to that point if they're prepared. If you go in recklessly, then I can't guarantee your safety, you might come back losing an arm or two…or maybe yet lose more than just an arm. A gate is no joke, everyone knows that." Said Rian with a serious looking expression.
"I know, but I'm prepared. Besides, I'm just going in to hunt a few weak monsters that's all." I said trying to ease the worrying look he was giving me.
"..."
"Sherlitt, bring me the Box."
"okay."
As she walks off to the side and into a closet, she came out with a box with cover that says 'lost and found'.
".…At least be prepared with this much." Said Rian.
He opens up the box and reveals a few things. 1 minor healing potion, a rusty shield and a basic chain mail armor .
"Please use this. It won't cost you anything since these have been abandoned here in the building."
"Why give this to me?"
"...Because your part of the Hunter's association. We've known a lot of Hunter's just like you, eager to win it all and become the strongest…but most of them never come back alive."
"I see, than I'll be careful then."
As I receive the items, I completely wore them on myself. I had a few complaints, the chain mail was being a bit loose, the shield's rust was sticking on my hand and the minor healing potion was clearly expired…I could see moss growing inside the bottle.
".…I…thank you." I didn't want to complain on what they gave me, so I humbly thank them instead.
"Good, then all you need to do now is go to the counter and tell lady on front for a loan."
"Okay." as I left the office behind, I immediately went straight to the reception desk where accountancy was handled. There I meet a blue haired young lady who greeted me with a simple expression. A smile.
"So you'll be taking in a loan?" said the lady
"Yes, enough to pay for the examination."
"Okay…please pass me your card, so we can record the transaction."
As I handed over my card to her, she look back at me and smiled as she did the loan transaction.
It took just a minute before everything was settled. After everything was finished, she gave me back my card.
"So what will you be doing after this?" ask the lady.
"A gate."
"Eh? You're going right away? But your equipment doesn't look like it'll hold any longer, so why not loan a bit more and buy proper equipment." suggested the lady.
"...No thanks, this enough for me."
"Okay…well good luck with the gate and please be careful."
"Thank you."
As I said my goodbye's with the lady, I made my way to the Gate that was befitting of my Rank.
A Rank F Gate.
I was greeted by a guard that was managing the gate. He simply looked at my attire from bottom to top and raised his hand to my direction, indicating that he was asking for my card.
"Your card, let me see it."
"Okay." So I handed him my card.
"Hmm, I guess this checks out. You can pass."
As I was granted access to the Gate, the Guard opened the door that lead to the Gate.
My time for a hunt was finally going to happen.
****RIAN'S POV:
"Are you sure about this?"
"What is?" asked Rian.
"We could have engaged more on recruiting him into the association. I mean I had other ways to bring him in, we could probably even increase our offer. I saw how he reacted to the bundle, he was one push away from actually joining us…it such a shame that we let that talent go." said Sherlitt.
"...No, you're right but he said it himself that he wouldn't join a guild. So that's good enough for me."
"...By the way, you acted more friendlier than usual. Usually you would push on the benefits of joining the association but you completely disregard the protocol and went with just simply talking to him. You even gave him the Lost and found items in the closet, you're not this nice to people. " Asked Sherlitt.
"...I don't know. The moment I met this boy, it felt as if by instinct that I had to be respectful…"
"Your a weird guy…so what are you gonna do now?'
"Will get back to our work. If he ever makes any calls or email, make sure to forward it to me. He'll be added to the list of potential rankers."
"yeah yeah, will do."