The clear sunlight bathed the large stone-made city, Lionshold, illuminating the streets teeming with life.
A river of citizens—from all ranges of age, appearance, profession—flowed through the busy, stone-paved side roads.
Children darted around, laughing and chasing one another, weaving through the crowd with their boundless energy.
Merchants in the side stalls bellowed with gusto, offering their wares to the crowd. Be it spices, fresh goods, clothing, accessories, or magical items—their voices mingled into a symphony of commerce, blending with the lively chatter of the city.
People haggled fiercely over prices, while others lingered near food stalls, savoring the enticing aroma of grilled meat and freshly baked bread.
Adventurers—be they fighters, rogues, archers, clerics, mages—were engaged in lively conversation within their parties, either discussing upcoming quests or recounting the results of recent missions, eagerly anticipating the rewards for their hard-earned efforts.
A steady stream of horse-drawn carriages and carts passed through the broad central road of the city, carrying more people and wares, adding to the city's vibrant rhythm.
It seemed to be just another day...
But... the bustling harmony was abruptly shattered by the blaring of a horn.
*Horn's noise!*
"Clear the road!"
"Make way, citizens!"
At the same time as the horn blared, loud shouts rang out as flocks of city guards marched into view—their commanding presence drawing all eyes to them...!
The citizens turned their heads, startled. Rarely were they ordered to clear the crowded streets.
"What's going on?"
"What are they doing?"
"Is something coming?"
Common murmurs spread among the crowd as people exchanged uncertain glances. There had been no mention or announcement of any special events from the city's officials or even the city guards.
For a moment, hesitation lingered among the people, but... the city guard's captain appeared, with even more of his men behind him...!
"Move, people!!!"
He shouted; his voice carried further authority!
The citizens were even more bewildered! All hesitation vanished as they scrambled to obey the captain's command, clearing the main road without delay!
Even the horse-drawn carriages and carts were halted by the other guards, preventing them from accessing the wide road. This, of course, prompted a chorus of complaints and ire from their drivers, but the city guard paid no heed to them.
Now... the crowd gathered en masse along the sides, waiting with confusion... and bated breath.
"...! Look over there!"
Their eyes turned toward the horizon of the cleared road, where a shadowy figure emerged—an armored knight...!
A lone knight marched by himself. His figure was hidden by battle-hardened armor, with a grim visage beneath the knight helmet; his large greatsword strapped behind him as he advanced forward without fear or hesitation, under the shocked gazes upon him.
"Is that…?!"
"Wait... it's him!"
"S-Rank Adventurer—Alpha Knight Sebastian!!!"
Murmurs spread like wildfire as the citizens instantly recognized the stoic knight.
Alpha Knight Sebastian.
One of the few S-rank adventurers in the City of Lionshold. He was a knight of great valor and prowess, yet shrouded in mystery. He had come to this great city half a decade ago, without anyone knowing where he had hailed from...
Nobody had seen his true visage, hidden behind knight armor. He worked alone as a solo adventurer and had never truly bothered to connect with his fellow adventurers aside from simple pleasantries.
And yet he managed to prove his merit, clearing quest after quest, with each one more difficult than the previous one. Thus... he climbed to the highest S-rank adventurer in just a matter of a few years.
His presence alone was even more prominent, commanding both admiration and a sense of intimidation from those around him.
However, why would the city guards make way for just a single adventurer? Was this really necessary? Was he truly so formidable that they just HAD TO give him special treatment as if he were royalty?
These questions raced through the citizens' minds; their confusion was evident in their baffled expressions.
However, the true answer lay in what the Alpha Knight was holding onto.
In his right hand was a giant rope that he was pulling... and that rope was connected to a giant cart that he was also pulling behind him with relative ease.
A giant cart... that was carrying a dragon—a dead dragon...!
Gasps and shouts of shock erupted upon witnessing the grotesque sight.
Never had they thought they would witness an actual dragon in the flesh, even if it was already dead flesh. Its body was large enough to fill the wide cobblestone road—almost wide enough to nearly reach the gathered citizens on the sides.
The corpse of the red dragon's scales was riddled with deep, jagged wounds, and its massive webbed wings were tattered beyond recognition.
If that was not enough proof that it was already dead... the once-mighty, fire-breathing creature had the unfortunate fate of having its head severed from its neck...!
The Alpha Knight Sebastian kept pulling the cart with the dragon corpse, paying no heed to the clamors erupting from the crowd in awe of his great feat. His eyes, hidden behind his helmet, remained fixed forward...
Toward the grand, imposing structure of the Adventurer's Guild.
< | X | >
"Guild Master! I've brought Sir Sebastian, ma'am!"
"Bring him in."
The door to the Guild Master's office creaked open, pushed by a member of the guild staff. The staff member turned to the towering, armored knight, bowing her head in deference before stepping aside to let him pass.
Alpha Knight Sebastian did not utter a word in response to the kind gesture, but... he did give a slight nod of acknowledgment before striding into the office.
He stopped just in front of the large wooden desk... where sat a beautiful, bespectacled brunette woman—the esteemed Guild Master of the Adventurer's Guild branch of Lionshold.
"Sebas~," she greeted, a warm smile etched on her lovely visage. "Good to see you~."
'Sebas' remained silent at first, his imposing figure standing as still as a statue. But then...
He reached up, taking hold of his knight's helmet, pausing briefly... before pulling it off to reveal his face.
The young man beneath the armor had wild, unkempt black hair that bristled slightly, giving him a rugged yet oddly charming look. He let out a sigh of relief, savoring the fresh air as it brushed against his face.
"Good to see you too, Guild Master," he finally replied, offering her a faint yet genuine smile.
Without wasting any time, he rummaged through the pouch strapped to his side, producing a neatly folded piece of parchment and promptly handed it over to her.
"I've finished the quest for the Red Dragon's subjugation, ma'am."
"You don't have to be so formal with me~."
The guild master took the paper with ease, her movements light as she retrieved a stamp from one of her desk drawers. The parchment, bearing the bold title 'S-Rank: Red Dragon's Subjugation,' was promptly stamped with the word 'SUCCESS.'
"And good work as always, Sebas."
"Sigh, it was one hell of a lizard," Sebas muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, feeling the soreness finally kicking in.
"Hehe~, isn't that why we have you~?"
"Tch. Don't 'hehe~' me," he shot back. "That thing nearly roasted me alive! And you suddenly dropped this quest on me out of nowhere, too! Next time, at least give me a heads-up before you throw an S-Rank dragon at me."
"Oh? The mighty Alpha Knight complaining?" she teased, leaning forward with an amused grin.
"Damn right, I'm complaining. I barely made it back in one piece, you know?"
"Of course, Sebas. I know that it was a difficult quest, as with many others, but it was urgent for that 'lizard' to be subjugated. It had already burned down a few villages... and tasted the flesh of humans."
"..."
Sebas couldn't shoot back a retort after being reminded of the gravity of the quest.
"Of course..." she continued, her tone softening, "I was, and always would be, fully confident in your ability to complete these difficult quests, Sebas."
"Guild Master..."
He couldn't exactly be mad at her when she had this unwavering trust in him.
In the end, he just let out another long sigh. "Alright... I get it. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to find a bed and—"
"Wait."
Sebas paused mid-turn, his shoulders stiffening.
"... What now?" he asked, his tone dripping with weariness.
"I have another quest for you," she said, her smile fading into something more... serious.
His head turned slightly, his brow twitching beneath his unkempt hair.
"... You're joking."
"I'm not."
"Guild Master, I just got back."
"I know."
"And this is my reward? Another quest?"
"This one's urgent."
"Another urgent one?! I just got back from one, you know. Is it really that urgent...?"
"Yes."
"..."
Sebas let out a long, drawn-out groan, dragging a hand down his face.
"Fine... what is it?"
The guild master didn't respond right away. Instead, she opened another drawer, pulling out a new parchment. She held it up in the air, a smile etched on her face as she presented it to the weary Sebas...!
"S-Rank Quest... Becoming a Head Butler!"