My platinum bullets are standard .50 Action Express, roughly equivalent to the weight of a coin. At the black market, I swiftly exchange ten of them for nine hundred gold coins. One gold coin equals a thousand crowns. We now possess nine hundred thousand crowns in buying power.
With that, we proceed to a high-end tailor shop to purchase some clothes. Entering the Adventurer's Guild dressed in nothing but tattered rags while spending hundreds of gold coins to buy ranks would undoubtedly raise suspicions.
"Uh... are you sure your Euphonic Aura isn't active? Why are we attracting all these stares?" I whisper to Sophia as we make our way through the main hall of the Adventurer's Guild.
The Guild is an expansive two-story building, boasting high ceilings and walls adorned with various maps and notice boards filled with quests and bounties. Long wooden tables and benches are scattered throughout the main hall, with hundreds of adventurers gathered together.
Yet, I can't help but notice the numerous pairs of eyes fixed on us. Everyone, from the adventurers and patrons to the guild's staff, seems to be whispering and glancing in our direction.
"Actually," Sophia says, a playful gleam in her eyes. "I think they're looking at you, darling."
I blink in surprise. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
"Oh my, because you look so fine right now!" Sophia says playfully. Then, she discreetly points at the reception desk. "Just look at the staff members over there; they're swooning!"
I follow her gaze and notice a few of the receptionists stealing glances in my direction, their cheeks flushed.
"What? Really?"
"Yeahhh..."
At the moment, I'm copying Sophia and giving myself a new pair of fox ears and a tail using the power of Chameleon Earrings. Yumi has also become a little fox girl. And with our new clothes, we're disguising ourselves as a wealthy fox-kin family, coming to Vera to do some trades. As long as our true identities stay concealed, I don't mind the extra attention.
We then proceed to the counter, where we are greeted by Elara, a receptionist whose emerald eyes and black braids contrast beautifully with her brown skin.
"Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild. How may I be of service?" she inquires with a professional smile.
"Jack, leave this to me," Sophia whispers, then proceeds to talk to the girl. "Hi, we're here to obtain our Identification Cards."
Elara nods, producing forms and a quill. "Of course, may I have your names?"
"Yes. My name is Lisa Crowhart. This is my husband, Edward Crowhart, and my daughter, Helena. I would also like to purchase the highest rank for my husband."
As Sophia speaks, she subtly slides a sizable pouch of gold coins across the counter. Elara glances inside, her eyes flickering with surprise. She proceeds to count the gold, and after a moment, she looks up.
"Yes, five hundred gold coins is sufficient for the Crimson Rank. Would you like to proceed?" she asks.
Sophia nods. "Yes, please."
Elara fills out our forms and then hands each of us a small, enchanted crystal. "Please place your hand on the crystal. It will record your magical signature for identification purposes."
"Erm, about that," Sophia interjects. "Is it absolutely necessary? We trust the Adventurer's Guild, but we prefer to protect our identities if possible. We are here for just a couple of days to trade with the royal families, dealing in rare monster parts like dragon scales, cyclops' eyes, and… basilisk's fangs."
"Oh, I see," Elara pauses, her expression changing immediately. It is now somewhat more serious. Then, she blinks, and suddenly, her eyes transform, taking on the deep purple hue of amethyst.
Elara's gaze shifts towards me, and a chill runs down my spine. Her demeanor has transformed completely; her eyes sharpen like blades, her aura crushingly intense. It is as if she has changed into a completely different person! That alone is somehow enough to send my brain into alarm mode, ready for combat at any given moment.
But then, things quiet down.
"To expedite our registration, we are willing to contribute an additional two hundred gold coins," Sophia offers, maintaining her composure.
"Oh, certainly," Elara responds, her lips curving into a subtle smile. She winks at me without Sophia noticing, giving me another wave of chills.
Honestly, what's with this dangerous woman? I wonder.
Nonetheless, we proceed to place our hands on the crystal. It doesn't truly record our magical signatures, though, just a fake action to fool everyone else around. With that, the registration process is swiftly completed.
Elara then presents us with our new identification badges. They are sleek, card-like objects displaying our names, ranks, and small portraits that had magically materialized during the registration. My badge is Crimson Rank, while Sophia and Yumi's are Green Rank. They all have corresponding colors.
"Thank you for completing your registration," Elara says, "and I wish you success in your endeavors."
"Yes, thank you very much," Sophia responds graciously.
And with that, everything is settled. We bid farewell to Elara and exit the guild.
However, as I watch Elara's expression one last time, I find her lips curved into a mischievous smile.
—-------------------------
Moments later, we find ourselves in a quaint tea house, settling down for a discreet conversation. Upon ordering our drinks, I subtly take out my identity card and show it to Sophia.
There is something that has been bothering me, but I don't want to ask at the Guild.
"Sophia, do you recognize this?" I ask.
Beneath the identity card, another, more inconspicuous one is subtly placed. It is transparent, almost invisible when stacked with the identity card. It is so perfectly placed that I wouldn't have noticed it if it wasn't for the unusual thickness of the card Elara gave me.
"Oh gosh!" Sophia gasps, her face draining of color as she glimpses the hidden card. "Put it away! And I'll explain later!" she urges in a hushed tone.
"I see." I promptly stash the cards back into my pocket.
It seems like I almost made a mistake. I was too curious. But based on her reaction, I already have a vague idea of what she is hiding.