After discussing more details about Roran's sister, they finished their meal and went to find Erin.
"Bosslady, thanks for the food! It was really good," Ephraim grinned, gently pushing a coin toward Erin. "Here's a little something to show my appreciation."
Erin's eyes lit up at the sight of the gold coin, and her tone changed as she smiled. "Need anything else, good sir?"
Ephraim, used to Erin's usual bluntness, was slightly taken aback by her sudden shift. 'Is she actually this motivated by money? If I hand her more gold coins, would she treat me like the best-looking guy in town?' he thought while hiding his thoughts with an amused smile.
Shaking his head to clear the distracting thoughts, he asked, "About that person you mentioned to guide me to the guild… could we go now? It's not far, right?"
Erin shook her head. "Unfortunately, they're not ready just yet. If you're in a rush, I can point you in the direction, but you'd be finding it on your own."
Overhearing the exchange, Roran spoke up. "Uh… I—I know the way. I can take you there." He looked at Ephraim. Helping Ephraim would mean they'd be one step closer to finding his sister.
"Sure," Ephraim replied without hesitation, accepting Roran's offer to guide him to the guild.
After bidding Erin farewell, they stepped out of the inn. Ephraim followed Roran's lead, though his thoughts were elsewhere, pondering his Empathy skill.
"Why did it activate with Roran but not when I spoke with the guards or even Erin?" he mused silently.
Reflecting on it, he reasoned, "Maybe it triggered because Roran's emotions were so strong, especially with his worry about his sister." He frowned thoughtfully. "But to actually hear his thoughts in my head? I didn't expect Empathy would go that far. Maybe… maybe Roran was just a special case."
Should I try to use it actively, to see how it really works? The idea struck him, and he decided to test it immediately.
He glanced downward, repeating in his mind, What are the people around me feeling right now?
As he focused, he felt a faint connection form, with himself as the center. The sensation was subtle but unmistakable—he could now perceive a hazy sense of the emotions from those closest to him. It wasn't clear enough to pick up distinct thoughts, but he felt brief pulses of mood, a spectrum of impressions.
The impressions grew a bit sharper. From Roran, the closest person to him, Ephraim sensed a mix of anxiety and hope—understandable, given his concern for his missing sister. As he extended his focus, other emotions from nearby people filtered in.
A woman sweeping the front of her yard was radiating irritation, her brows furrowed as she swatted at dust. Nearby, an older man was watching her with a gaze that, unfortunately, carried an unmistakable tinge of lust.
It was both fascinating and unsettling.
"I guess some things don't change, even in a different world," Ephraim muttered, shaking his head. He turned his thoughts back to his Empathy skill.
"Does it switch off by default when I'm not focusing on it?" he wondered aloud. "I'd better test if it can stay on all day. Could be useful for spotting anyone nearby with… less-than-friendly intentions."
The idea of keeping a mental radar for danger was tempting, though he also considered the drain it might have on him if left active indefinitely.
It was nearing evening, and Ephraim wasn't in any rush to deactivate his ability. Since Empathy was a passive skill, he assumed the mental strain would be minimal—if it drained him at all. And even if it did wear on him, he figured a little rest could easily restore his energy.
Testing it out for an extended period seemed worth the risk. If he could get a better handle on sensing others' emotions without actively focusing, it might become a valuable asset.
After a short walk, they finally reached the guild. Being located near the center of town made it accessible, and as expected, plenty of people were passing by on their way to various destinations. It wasn't a far journey from the inn, which made sense given the guild's central role in town life.
"We're here," Roran announced.
"Yeah, I can tell," Ephraim replied, nodding as he took in the sight of the guild's bustling entrance. "I'll head in to ask a few questions. You can wait for me back at the inn, if you want. Are you staying there too?"
Roran shook his head. "No, I have a place in town. I just went to the inn to see if any of the patrons might mention my sister or share something useful."
Ephraim gave a small nod of understanding. "Good thinking. Keep an ear out in case you catch anything new. I'll try to get some leads in here, then I'll find you."
After Roran left, Ephraim stepped into the guild hall. It looked just as he'd imagined—lively and chaotic, filled with a mix of tough-looking adventurers and civilians. Adventurers stood in clusters, sharing stories or inspecting equipment, while townsfolk queued at a nearby counter, likely placing requests or seeking help.
Scanning the room, Ephraim noted that the bulletin board was covered in various notices. He figured this was where job requests would be posted. He took a steadying breath, feeling a hint of excitement. 'Looks like I'm finally getting a taste of what this world's guild life is like.'
Ephraim approached the reception counter, mentally rehearsing what he should say. The receptionist, a woman with warm brown hair and eyes, had a slightly mature look that conveyed both professionalism and approachability. She smiled as he neared, her expression practiced yet sincere.
"Hello, sir. I'm the guild receptionist, Marie," she introduced herself smoothly. "How may I help you?"
Ephraim couldn't help but return her smile, though a hint of nostalgia crossed his face. Her introduction reminded him of his days in customer service, where every greeting had to be just as welcoming.
"Hello, Marie," he replied, clearing his thoughts. "I'm here to ask about how I can register with the guild to take on jobs. Could you guide me through the process?"
As she heard this she saw the sword hanging on his waist and a hint of understanding flashed on her eyes only for a brief moment. "There are two kinds of job that you can be registered here..."
After a brief pause, Marie continued, "There are two main ways to join the guild. The first is as a contractual mercenary. In this role, we assign jobs to you directly, and you'll receive proper compensation for completing them. However, if you fail, there will be consequences, since these requests are officially backed by the guild. On the plus side, you get priority access to available jobs and preferred rates when buying or selling items useful to the guild."
She shifted slightly, moving on to the second option. "The other option is as an adventurer. There's no binding contract; you can freely take on requests that match your rank. Keep in mind that at the start, requests might be limited since you don't have any reputation built up yet. But we do offer beginner quests to help you establish yourself safely. If you happen to fail a quest, the only penalty would be a potential rank demotion, and clients may trust you less over time."
She looked at him thoughtfully. "For your own safety, I'd recommend starting with the simple quests until you're more familiar with the guild's work," she said, her expression serious. "Because if you fail with more dangerous tasks, like slaying monsters, you might lose more than just your ranking—your life could be at risk."
Ephraim nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. He had no experience with real combat and needed to be cautious. He could also sense from his skill that she was being genuinely concerned for his safety. Grateful for the advice, even if it meant starting slow, he made up his mind to take her recommendation seriously.
Although Ephraim had already made up his mind about what he wanted to do, he still paused for a moment, considering his decision one last time.
"I want to be an adventurer," he said finally.
Marie wasn't surprised. Many people made the same choice, and it was a common occurrence for her. She didn't try to convince him otherwise, understanding that it was a personal decision.
She nodded and handed him a paper to fill out with the necessary details. After Ephraim completed it, she gave him an iron guild medallion.
"You can use this guild medallion as identification when taking on missions or submitting reports," she explained. "It will also be used to track your progress and raise your account rank as you complete tasks."
Ephraim studied the medallion in his hands. It was round, smooth to the touch, and black in color. He couldn't help but wonder if the ranks followed the typical pattern he was familiar with from games—perhaps bronze for the next rank, then silver, and eventually gold as he advanced.
He slipped the medallion into his pocket and nodded to Marie. "Thanks," he said before turning toward the guild's notice boards to search for an easy quest.
The boards were filled with papers pinned in uneven rows, each detailing a different job—some with bold, urgent lettering warning of danger, while others offered simple tasks like gathering herbs or delivering messages.