The Obs Aether Mobile rumbled as it escorted Celeste and her party members to the Adventurers' Guild. The air outside the vehicle was cool, the smell of city life seeping in as they neared their destination. The vehicle came to a slow stop, and knights helped transfer her comrades to the infirmary. They were exhausted, bruised, but alive. Celeste, spared from any major injuries, only had a few scratches here and there. She stood at the doorway of the infirmary, watching the others as they were tended to, her heart heavy with concern for her friends.
Her gaze lingered on Bryan's pale face his breath still steady but shallow and she couldn't shake the guilt that clung to her chest. This was supposed to be a simple herb-gathering mission, she thought. Yet here they were, barely standing after facing a horde of imps. She clenched her fists but quickly relaxed them, feeling the rawness of her palms. Her responsibility wasn't over yet.
With a deep breath, she stepped away from the infirmary and made her way to the guild master's office. Sgt. Major Raynor had asked her to meet there. What could they want from me now? she wondered, her mind buzzing with unease.
As Celeste approached the large oak door of the guild master's office, her heart pounded in her chest. She hesitated for a moment, a thousand thoughts racing through her mind. Were we going to be reprimanded for taking on the imps? Or maybe… something worse? She swallowed hard and gently knocked.
"HEY, LITTLE MISSY! COME IN, QUICK!" Vincent's voice boomed through the door, slightly irritated, as if he'd been waiting far too long.
Celeste winced at the sound. Why is he shouting? She took a deep breath and entered, her eyes immediately landing on Raynor, who sat calmly on a chair. Vincent, however, seemed to be the one on edge. He must be mad at Raynor, she thought.
"Celeste, sit down," Vincent barked, pointing to the chair opposite him. His hand trembled slightly as he held a piece of paper, his gaze still fixed on it.
Feeling the tension in the air, Celeste quietly sat down, her posture stiff. Vincent glanced at Raynor with thinly veiled irritation before turning his gaze to her. His eyes were sharp, scrutinizing, but there was something else there too curiosity.
"Listen, missy," Vincent started, his voice gruff but more measured now. "I just want to confirm something. Raynor here already gave me his version, but I want the whole story your perspective. Is it true that you and your party handled hordes of imps?"
Celeste blinked, a slight blush creeping up her neck. She felt the weight of their eyes on her, and the pressure to tell the story made her feel small, even though the event itself had been anything but small.
Vincent dropped the paper onto the desk and leaned forward. "I read the report, and it's hard to believe. A Rank F party taking on a horde of imps? What were you thinking?"
Her heart skipped a beat as Vincent's words settled. She fidgeted in her seat but composed herself quickly. She had to stay calm. "We were gathering herbs in the mountains. That was our original quest," Celeste began, her voice steady but soft. "We decided to take the long route… and that's when we were attacked by the first imp. We thought it was over after that, but soon enough, we heard the horde. They came charging at us."
Celeste paused, her throat tightening. She chose her words carefully, intentionally leaving out certain details like the fact that she had seen the horde coming through her Sanctum Sight. No need to attract more attention than I already have, she thought. She described how her team had fought bravely, giving special attention to what her comrades had done. She minimized her own contributions, stating only that she'd cut down a few imps while the others executed their techniques.
As she finished recounting the battle, Vincent slammed his fists onto the desk, making the entire room tremble. Celeste jumped in her seat, her heart pounding.
"THAT'S WHY I'M SO DAMN PISSED!" Vincent roared, his eyes blazing with fury as he turned to Raynor. "HEY, RAYNOR! WHY THE HELL DID YOU LET A RANK F PARTY HANDLE THAT KIND OF SITUATION?"
Raynor, still seated, appeared utterly unbothered by the outburst. With his eyes closed, he took a slow sip from his cup, the picture of calm amidst the storm.
Raynor finally placed his tea down and opened his eyes, meeting Vincent's glare with an indifferent expression. "My apologies, former Major Vincent," he said coolly. "I was chasing the horde. They were fleeing from me. By the time I arrived, they were already fighting. They were handling it well, so I decided to watch."
Celeste's mind flashed to the moment they had seen Raynor perched in the tree, watching as they fought for their lives. You 'enjoyed' it? Her thoughts swirled with a mixture of disbelief and frustration, but she kept her face neutral. Of course, someone like Raynor would think of it as entertainment.
"If things had gotten out of hand, I would've stepped in," Raynor added, his gaze briefly flicking to Celeste. "But they didn't need me."
There was a moment of tense silence before Raynor stood and stretched. "In any case, I'm here to recruit the boys from Celeste's party. They have potential, and I'll be taking them into my crew. The girl here, however—" Raynor glanced at her with a smile that didn't reach his eyes— "she declined my offer. But as a reward, I requested that Guild Master Vincent promote her. After all, I saw her in action. She's far beyond Rank F."
Vincent let out an exasperated sigh, rubbing his temple as if trying to stave off a headache. "YEAH, I WAS GONNA PROMOTE THEM ANYWAY! BUT YOU COULD'VE GIVEN ME A COUPLE MORE YEARS BEFORE YOU TOOK THEM AWAY FROM ME!"
Raynor didn't even flinch at Vincent's outrage. Instead, he headed for the door, his presence so commanding it made the room feel smaller. "The girl will join the Order one day, Vincent," he said as he reached for the door. "It may not be today, but soon enough, the emperor will hear of her. When that time comes, I'll make sure she's brought into the fold." He glanced over his shoulder at Celeste, his smile almost predatory. "See you around, little missy."
As the door closed behind him, Vincent let out a loud groan, throwing his hands up in frustration. "GOD, I HATE THAT GUY!" He rubbed his temples again before turning to Celeste, his voice softer now. "Well, with him out of the way, let's get down to business. You're getting promoted to D rank."
Celeste's heart skipped a beat. D rank? She had expected maybe E rank, but skipping straight to D? It was more than she had hoped for. Her mind raced with possibilities, dungeon dives, higher-paying quests, Her excitement was tempered with nervousness.
"I know what you're thinking," Vincent said, a smirk playing on his lips as he studied her reaction. "Yes, you can go to a dungeon now. But before that, make sure you're prepared. You'll need better equipment." He slid a heavy bag across the table toward her.
Celeste reached for it, and as she opened the bag, her breath caught in her throat. Gold. A lot of it.
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked up at Vincent. "That's your cut," he said, leaning back in his chair. "From the mana stones, the imp corpses, and even the herbs you gathered. Ten gold coins it's quite the payout for a newbie, huh?"
Her hands trembled as she carefully closed the bag, her mind still reeling. Ten gold coins… this could get me all the equipment I need and more. She quickly stood and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Guild Master Vincent!"
"Don't forget to update your guild card on the way out!" he called after her as she hurried to the door, her heart soaring.
Downstairs, the receptionist updated her guild card, and Celeste couldn't help but smile as she read the newly engraved words:
Name: Celeste
Rank: D
Age: 14
Swordswoman
Elementless
Hometown: Willowshade
As she walked out of the guild, the sun had already set, casting a warm glow over the town. The streets were busy with people and open shops, but Celeste had only one thing on her mind: rest. Today had been intense, but the rewards had been worth every drop of sweat, every moment of fear.
After a quick meal at her inn, she retreated to her room, the weight of the day finally catching up to her. The warm bath soothed her aching muscles, washing away the grime and tension of battle. As she sat in the water, her thoughts drifted. Mom… I'm a D rank now. I wonder what you'd say if you were here. A soft smile played on her lips. I bet you'd be proud.
Later, with her hair still damp, Celeste cleaned her sword, carefully wiping away the dried blood. The rhythmic motion of polishing the blade helped clear her mind. By the time she lay down on her bed, exhaustion pulled her into a deep sleep almost instantly.
The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft, golden light across the room. I woke up feeling refreshed but took my time getting out of bed. Today was going to be a leisurely day. No rush, no high-stakes quests just a day for gathering information and maybe browsing for new equipment. After a quick shower, I headed downstairs to the inn's cafeteria, the scent of freshly baked bread and sizzling eggs greeting me warmly. Breakfast was simple but hearty a good way to start the day.
As I ate, my mind wandered to my plan for the day. Celeste was headed to the library. There were still too many gaps in her knowledge about Eripia, the mysterious Obsidian Oath, and especially the Emperor. She had heard countless rumors about him, but who was he really? The man who ruled with such power and influence had always remained an enigma. Today, it was time to find some answers.
Finishing my meal, I quickly left the inn and made my way to the Adventurers' Guild. The library there was my next destination—a treasure trove of knowledge waiting to be explored.
Though I had woken up a bit later than usual, it didn't matter much. Today was meant to be relaxing, a day for research and, maybe if time allowed, I'd browse for new equipment. No pressure, no need to rush. Just a peaceful, productive day ahead.
As I approached the guild, I noticed a commotion in the practice yard out back. Curious, I drifted toward the crowd, hearing the excited chatter and laughter of adventurers. What's going on? I thought, pushing through the growing throng of people.
When I finally made my way through the group, I saw what had drawn the crowd Vincent, the guild's infamous "monster." Looks like he's planning to break in some new recruits today. I grinned, knowing that this was bound to be entertaining. Maybe I could watch for a bit before heading to the library.
The yard was packed with adventurers, some eagerly watching, others whispering among themselves. It seemed like this was a bit of a tradition here at the guild—watching Vincent test the new blood before they ventured out on their own quests. Kind of a weird custom, but hey, I'm not complaining. I found a good spot near the back, where I could still see the action clearly.
There he was Vincent, standing in the middle of the yard like a titan. His massive sword, Bone Crusher, rested on the ground, his hands gripping the hilt, and his eyes gleaming with the thrill of what was to come. The crowd was buzzing with anticipation. Today's fresh meat,eight newbies, all young men, all elemental swordsmen.
"I wonder why I never see any swordswomen in these groups?" I mused to myself. It was a fleeting thought, but it stuck with me. Was it rare for women to train in elemental swordsmanship? Before I could dwell on it, Vincent's booming voice yanked me back to the present.
He cleared his throat loudly, grinning like a madman. "CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS ANY LONGER! LET'S JUST SKIP THE FORMALITIES AND GET STARTED!" He laughed, the sound deep and menacing. His grin widened, and in one swift motion, he leaped into the air, launching himself straight at the group of newbies below.
BOOM! The ground shook as Vincent landed with a violent crash, right in the center of the recruits. The force of his landing sent four of them stumbling back, barely keeping their footing. The dust kicked up from the impact swirled in the air as the crowd roared with excitement.
"LET'S GOOOOO!!" came the chorus from the onlookers, their cheers echoing around the yard.
Vincent swung Bone Crusher, its enormous blade crashing into the ground with such force that the impact sent a shockwave rippling outward. The four closest recruits were thrown back like rag dolls, their bodies hitting the ground hard.
The crowd's laughter and cheering intensified. "Whahahahahaha!!!" They were eating it up.
But the remaining four weren't giving up so easily. They regrouped quickly, forming a line behind Vincent. With swift, synchronized movements, they began chanting spells, their elemental magic swirling together wind, fire, and earth combining into a powerful assault aimed straight at Vincent's back.
BOOM! An explosion rocked the yard, and for a moment, the entire arena was engulfed in dust and smoke. I squinted, trying to make out the figures through the thick cloud. The crowd had fallen silent, waiting to see the outcome.
Through the haze, Vincent's silhouette emerged, standing tall and unmoved. His maniacal laughter cut through the quiet like a knife.
"BWAHAHAHA!! NICE TRY!" His voice boomed, still menacing, still terrifying. "NOW IT'S MY TURN!!"
Before the smoke had fully cleared, Vincent charged at the remaining four, a blur of unstoppable force. I sighed softly. I know exactly how this ends. Deciding I'd seen enough, I turned and made my way back into the guild, the screams of the unfortunate recruits and the wild cheering of the crowd fading behind me.
Time to head to the library.
The guild's library was as large and impressive as I remembered. Rows and rows of neatly organized bookshelves stretched out before me, each one filled with volumes of knowledge spells, histories, maps, and ancient records. The scent of old parchment and ink lingered in the air, a comforting reminder of the wisdom these walls held.
I approached the front desk where the librarian, an elderly man with a kind smile, was seated. "Excuse me," I said politely. "I'm looking for books with information about the surrounding area of Willowshade, dungeons, historical writings, and also, if possible, any information you have on the Emperor."
The librarian's eyes twinkled with interest as he nodded enthusiastically. "Ah, you're in luck! We have a great collection on all of those subjects. Let me show you where to find them." He motioned for me to follow him down one of the library's many aisles.
As we walked, the librarian pointed out the different sections: regional maps and histories here, dungeon lore there, and finally, a shelf dedicated to writings about the Emperor. "This should have everything you need," he said with a smile. "If you need any further help, feel free to ask."
I thanked him and started browsing through the shelves. The sheer amount of knowledge in this room was overwhelming, but it filled me with a sense of excitement. Today would be a day of discovery.