Once again, in a fancy inn.
Viktor Malvado gathered his forces, a solid group of Knights that are loyal to him and his cause.
It was time for them to make a move, now that they have a clue of a possible monster hiding among the village.
"By the grace of the Gods and the King's Sword, we are tasked with the righteous goal to slay any monsters that may infiltrate this village. Anihan and it's people rely on our protection to keep them safe, and we shall do so with blood on our blades." Viktor says to his Knights, facing him diligently.
"In our village is a strange monster, disguise as a human but their fake form will not cloud our judgment. We already know what they are and their filthy stained magic will not plague this village."
"In a few days, we'll make our preparations to track it down. I've gathered all of you here to call upon a crusade."
"At once! Gather Intel and prepare our trap! I'll see you in 3 days time." Viktor commanded and his Knights spread out.
Viktor smirks to himself before turning to a tree, he touches the tip of his rapier before aligning it at the tree.
"Exhilarating, to hunt a new monster is a new experience. I can't wait to meet you..." Viktor say before lunging forward with great speed, like a blink of light.
He appears on the other side of the tree before sheathing his blade.
"I truly cannot wait..." Viktor smirked as he walked away, and the half of the tree slowly slides down before crashing.
And so the countdown starts for their plans, but for Pan and the others, they're unaware of the true dangers ahead.
For now, their first plan was granting Pan protection from the Anihan government by applying as an adventurer.
But it was difficult with the Guild Master looked this terrifying to Pan and Clara.
Pan felt very small, even though she was capable of beating Basilio. But he was only a D-Rank Adventurer, and she almost lost to him.
"U-Uh hey, sir Nactam..." Pan says nervously.
"Curious, you look and feel like a monster." Cali says before standing up and walking around the table.
His eyes glowed for a moment, standing over Pan who was far shorter than he is.
"Now, answer me. Why would I take you in?" Cali says menacingly.
Clara was on the verge of fainting and Pan was shivering to the point that she turned back into her flour form.
"Hold it, Cali!" Crispina went in front of Pan, blocking Cali's view.
"I told you that she's our boss! And she's the maker of those delicious pandesals! There's a reason why we keep working at Maria's Bakery!" Basilio went in front of them as well.
"Oh?" Cali calmed down, he cleared his throat before chuckling.
"Sorry, I assumed a little too much. I thought you were mind controlling my friends here." Cali turned into his usual self, and his intimidating presence was gone.
Clara immediately dropped on her knees, sighing in relief. Pan turned back to her human flour form and sighed as well.
"Hey! I may look like a monster but I was once human!" Pan says before marching forward to Cali.
"H-Hey, Miss Pan, we haven't told him that yet-" Basilio tried to stop her but his hand just went through her flour arm.
"Pan- We were keeping that as a secret so he doesn't-" Crispina was trying to stop her, but ultimately, Pan declared...
"I'm the Champion of the Goddess of Creation, Liwanag! So treat me some sort of respect!" Pan says as she points at herself.
Everyone went dead silent, with Basilio and Crispina shocked that she'd just declared that outright.
Cali had a smile on his face, but he's silent as well.
"Well, I didn't want to say that since I hate that stupid goddess, Liwanag." Pan thought.
"Oh, I see." Cali said.
"YOU'RE WHAT!?" Cali shouted with great volume that the room shook.
Everyone covered their ears but Pan vibrated from his voice and exploded back into her floursack form.
A few minutes later, they formally gathered at the table to discuss about their situation.
"I see, those bastards got their eyes on you, Miss Pan. And knowing about the Adventurer's Guild being unaffiliated with the Crown, ofcourse you'll agree to joining us, lobbied by the Inas." Cali said.
"Very well, I'm not opposed to that idea and I understand why you needed to meet me privately. But I'll have to tell you something." Cali looks to Pan, he's serious but not as intimidating earlier.
"It's true that joining the Guild will grant you protection. As Guild Masters will not take any offense to our adventurers without reason. If we ever hear that an adventurer was killed by someone of the Crown, then we'll be using our resources to demand reparations."
"But that's it, we won't grant actual protection in the event of you or other adventurers getting attacked. We trust the strength and skills of our adventurers, we hunt monsters after all but there's not much we can do if monsters are under the crown." Cali explained.
"But is it enough to keep Clara and her bakery safe?" Pan asked.
"Ah... Ofcourse, with you and the Ina Siblings being adventurers and stationing at the bakery, then it's very well protected from the Anihan government." Cali answered.
"But you're being hunted by the Monster Hunting Knights, they're a wildcard and they don't care if they might get in trouble with the crowd or the Guild. So practice caution, Miss Pan."
"Ofcourse, thank you, Sir Nactam." Pan nodded.
"If there's no other quarrels, I have a few conditions for you to join the Guild." Cali takes out a card, it was empty unlike Basilio's card.
"First of all, I won't ask you for a fee. Take it as a thank you for being Crispina's new girl, she's lucky to have you." Cali chuckled.
"H-Hey! We're on business, don't make me blush!" Crispina says with a blush.
"Then I'll be needed a magical imprint of your face here. It needs your magic it won't take it all, if you know your own face then it should imprint on this glass." Cali points at the glass on the card, he slides it to Pan.
"Ah, okay, here goes." Pan then places her finger on the card.
Immediately, the card resonated with her finger and took a bit of her mana. But strangely, the card started turning the same colour as Flour.
"Whoa, this is a new colour." Crispina says.
"I've seen black or red, but this colour..." Basilio was at awe.
Pan's card was now complete, with her own profile as her human form's face. Cali takes it and inspects it thoroughly.
"What a curious color, this is a brand new type of coloured adventurer card." Cali says.
"Is it supposed to be like that?" Pan asked.
"It's rare but sometimes, Adventurer's with great magical potential change the colour of the cards. My card is black as well, and a friend of mine had red." Cali explained.
"But one that looks like flour is new, and oddly fitting."
"Well, here's your adventurer's card but I won't be giving it to you just yet." Cali says before taking out a contract.
"First, you need to do a quest. All new adventurers have to take one, it's like an entrance exam for big magic schools." Cali then shows it to Pan.
"Herb gathering?" Pan takes it, reading it thoroughly.
"That's easy, I can do this." Pan smiles before looking at the others.
"I thought so. You may start now or tomorrow, just give it to Basilio here and he'll take it to me." Cali nods to Basilio and he nodded back with a smile.
"But Crispina, just to be safe, I'm going to ask you to join her in this quest as her bodyguard. If any of those Monster Hunting Knights appear, then you'll be a barrier. They won't just attack you, you're an adventurer." Cali explained.
"I'd be honoured. Me and Pan are gonna have a little date~!" Crispina hugs Pan lovingly.
Suddenly, Clara lightly smacks the table. She looked happy but she's actually kind of pissed off.
"Get me an adventurer card as well..." Clara says angrily calm.
"Uh, well..." Cali was even scared.
"Clara, I need you safe. You need to stay here and take care of the bakery, and your father." Pan says.
"But Pan, you'll be in danger out there." Clara says.
"Don't worry, I trust that Crispina will protect me. Once I get home, maybe we'll have a little date again." Pan smiled as she looks at the two.
Clara was a little reluctant to ask but she kneels beside Pan and looks up at her.
"That's a promise, alright? Come back home safe." Clara says with a worried look on her face.
Pan just pats her head before nodding.
"Rest easy, Clara. As future wives of Pan, I'll make sure she won't die!" Crispina nodded before she walks away to talk with her brother.
Clara smiled before standing up.
"I guess we'll be waiting by the door. If you have any more business with the Guild master then do so." Clara nodded before walking to the others, they discussed about the bakery.
But for Pan, she was curious about the siblings and their connection to Cali.
"Hey, Cali. What's Basilio and Crispina to you?" Pan looks at him, talking quietly as to not pull attention from the three.
"Hm, that's a bit too personal to say... I'll just say that they're like my own kids." Cali smiles before looking at them.
"Your own kids? They don't have parents?" Pan turns to Cali.
Cali looked down, his eyes darkening at the question.
"Too personal, huh?" Pan says a bit nervously.
"Yes... Its better if Basilio or Crispina tell you about it. They the only ones who can." Cali nodded.
"Well... I'll see you tomorrow then." Pan says before standing up, about to leave.
"Oh, and one more thing, Miss Pan." Cali called out and Pan turned, eyes a bit surprised.
"Viktor Malvado, If you see him, don't ever fight him." Cali warned.
"If you're saying that, then, he's that dangerous..." Pan says.
"He has the power to see your attacks, so just run away with Crispina if he ever appears. Be safe." Cali nodded at Pan.
"Right..." Pan looked away, feeling a bit nervous.
"Shit, if he can see my attacks then..." Pan thought before shaking her head.
"Nevermind that, I should get home and prepare."
So Pan and the others went back to the bakery and did their duties.
As they went back to their homes, Pan stares restlessly at the ceiling in her sack form.
"Man, I just wanted to bake and everything, now I have to contend with this world's shitty governance too..." Pan thought.
"I guess this is part of the job as being a champion, but I wonder if the other champions are experiencing the same problem..."
Pan turns over, putting a blanket over her body as she wonders some more.
"No, some of those champions are probably a part of the corruption. Then they're gonna be in my way too..." Pan thought before closing her eyes.
"But for now, I'll be dealing with my current problems first." Pan says before snoozing, dreaming of her bakery once more.
The next day, Pan woke up early once more to do work. This time, she's going to make another type of bread that's for long sandwiches.
The Hoagie Rolls! Or the bread you use to make subway sandwiches.
With her baking skills and Clara's experience in everyday cooking. They combined and made a delicious sandwich that's filled with vegetables and meat.
This would then be a total hit for anyone wanting a quick bite or lunch that don't like sugary sweets. Just a perfect meal for the day.
After that, Pan went with Crispina to gather herbs in the nearby woods. They bid farewell to the Marias and Basilio before walking off.
Crispina lead the way, Pan trained in these woods to perfect her human form, but she didn't dive that deep yet.
As they travelled, they ran across a few monsters like Goblins and the occasional slimes that may harm them.
Both made short work of them, as their skills in fighting are unparalleled compared to these low level enemies.
They finally reached the herbs that they're looking for. Pan and Crispina settled before Pan started to gather the needed herbs.
"This is such an easy quest for a Rank F adventurer." Pan says.
"Did you start herb gathering when you started out, Crispy?"
"Nope, I actually slayed my first goblin with Basilio." Crispina says as she crouches to Pan's side, looking cheerful as always.
"I-I see, that sounds a bit more fun." Pan chuckled.
"Though I prefer not getting any monster blood on me." Pan thought.
As the two made conversation, there was moving in the woods. This immediately altered both Pan and Crispina.
"Who's there?" Crispina went on her guard as she took out her blade.
"Show yourselves!" Pan says before manipulating her flour.
And then suddenly, arrows flied towards Pan. But alas, Crispina parries them and snaps them in two.
With their plans finished, the assailant left from their cover. It was the Monster Hunting Knights.
"Tch, so they already found us." Crispina says before getting on her guard.
Pan stays behind Crispina, even though she knows she's stronger than her. They had to rely on Crispina's status as an adventurer.
"Get out of the way, adventurer. You're disrupting government business." One of them said.
"Well, you're disrupting adventurer business! I am in a quest with this individual and any harm to her will be put on trial." Crispina exclaimed.
"Way to go, Crispy." Pan muttered and Crispina blushes while looking serious.
"D-Damn it, what should we do?" A knight asked.
"Doesn't matter, she's hoarding a monster so let's just kill both of them!" Another Knight said before charging forward.
"Stay back, Pan!" Crispina says as she jumps forward, assuming a defensive position.
"I'll back you up." Pan says before spitting her flour towards the Knights, knocking them back so Crispina can defend herself.
As the Knights attack, Crispina had no choice but to act on self defense. She had to fight without dealing great harm to them and had to use her blade non-lethally.
Still, Pan and Crispina made quick work of these young hoodlums. They are immediately keeling on the ground.
"Phew... That was easy. Glad you're here to protect me, Crispina." Pan smiled.
Crispina smiled before bouncing to her side and hugging her.
"But ofcourse! No harm shall come to my beloved~"
But suddenly, they felt a cold gaze. They go back to their combat stance and waited.
In the woods, they saw a glimmer of a blade, a very thin blade. They didn't know who they were but they felt dread.
Crispina went on her guard, her blade up. Pan as well, preparing her attacks.
"Who's there!? If you're brave enough to challenge us, then step for-" Crispina stopped as suddenly, a man appeared before her.
But not just that, Pan looked down to see a rapier pierced through her chest. Blood dripping from both ends.
Pan's eyes widened, voice trembling as she looks in horror of what has been done to Crispina.
"CRISPINA!" Pan shouted.
And the man smiled with great joy before looking over Crispina's shoulder, staring at Pan with evil.
"Hello there, monster..." The Man said before licking his lips.
"I am Viktor Malvado... Nice to meet you~"