Yawn...
My consciousness drifted back like a lazy river, limbs heavy and mind fogged. I blinked crust from my eyes, spat out a strand of silver hair stuck to my tongue, and wiped drool off my chin. Morning light filtered through dusty curtains, illuminating Fleda, Alruna, and Manfred still snoring on either side of me. Right—Claudia's mansion. Post-duel coma.
Every muscle screamed as I shuffled downstairs, answering nature's call before raiding the kitchen. A platter of honey-glazed rolls sat under a cloche, likely meant for some stuffy noble breakfast. I didn't care. I snatched two, devouring one whole as I trudged back up.
Reflecting on recent events, there's no way I slept for just one night. Maybe two or three days? Ah, never mind, that's not important. The main thing is that now I'm an adventurer, a Tertius rank at that. Normally, it takes about a year or two for an adventurer to rise from Quartus to Tertius.
"Oh. You're alive."
Claudia leaned against the stairwell, arms crossed, dressed in a crisp white shirt and crimson trousers that made her look like a disgruntled aristocrat. Bread crumbs tumbled from my lips as I froze mid-chew.
Ugh, terrible timing. I wanted to continue my golden hour on the bed.
"Just in time. I wanted to have a word with you. Come with me," she ordered, striding to the garden without waiting.
"Y-yes..."
I followed, gnawing my roll defiantly. Let her judge. Days unconscious earned me carb rights.
"So, how are you feeling?" she asked, settling onto a marble bench.
"Just as usual." I mumbled through a mouthful. "My body isn't that weak."
"Good. Congratulations, by the way. You've made Guild history."
"By nearly dying?"
"By skipping ranks." She smirked. "First applicant to jump straight to Tertius. Though that's partly my doing. So, be grateful."
I'm not sure I can be grateful to someone who almost killed me. But, that aside...
"...Your doing?"
"I called in a favor. From an... associate."
"Let me guess—some Guild bigwig? If he's the Grandmaster of the Guild, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that."
"Oh, he's a dragon."
"A dragon, huh... it must be ha—"
What?
"Pfffft!!! Cough cough!"
Bread lodged in my windpipe. Claudia thumped my back as I wheezed.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Of course not! Your associate is a what!?"
"Paratus. Celestial dragon. One of the twelve Guild highest authority." She said it like discussing the weather. "He owes me for resolving a... dispute in the past."
My mind reeled. Celestial dragons were a being close to a myth—titans who'd forged the Old Concordat. "You're friends with a celestial dragon?! The same being as the Dragon Lord Illustris!?"
"...Acquaintances is more like it." Her blue eyes glared the sky. "Although I've never met Illustris personally, I can imagine her appearance through Paratus."
My geek heart raced. Ever since I saw Illustris during the journey to Tiel, I've been in awe of their grandeur. Initially, I just thought of them as a being close to a myth—especially the Four Dragon Lords. But as I read books and heard various legends about dragons, my fascination deepened to the entire dragon race.
"Can you tell me more about the dragons?" I opened my eyes as wide as they could be. "To be honest, I've been quite intrigued by them—the way they interact with other races, their culture, their habits, and so on."
"Haha! That's the spirit, girl! A true warrior is always curious about someone or something stronger than themselves!"
Thwack!
"Ouch!"
Suddenly, Claudia gave me a hearty slap on the back. She leaned back and began her stories.
"Alright. Firstly, they live the longest compared to all other races in Zea. Some can even live up to a thousand years. For example, Formidabilis, one of the four Dragon Lords, has lived more than 1,100 years."
She continued, "Secondly, dragons live on the Isle of Devils, far east of the coast of Ingvaeon. It's a sacred place, not everyone can step their foot there. Legend has it that the entire island is surrounded by an invisible barrier created by the Dragon Lords. And they come in different ranks—Lesser Dragons, Drakes, High Dragons, and Dragon Lords. The higher the rank, the more powerful they are. And get this, High and Lord-ranked dragons can even transform into humans."
As our conversation continued, Claudia became increasingly enthusiastic. It seemed she genuinely enjoyed the topic. Without realizing it, we both keep chatting, losing track of time.
***
"And then, and then?"
"There you are!"
Our conversation halted as Fleda skidded into the garden, hair wild and cheeks flushed.
"F-Fleda!?"
"Haa... Haa..." She panted heavily while grabbing my shoulder. "Sis!!!"
"At your service, General Fleda! What's the matter that you are shouting so loudly?"
To calm her down, I decided to play along and responded in a playful manner.
"I was so panicked when you suddenly disappeared at the crack of dawn! And now, here you are having fun with Claudia!? Return all my worries, Sis!! In the first place, you should—"
When angered, her cheeks puff out, giving her a hamster-like appearance. At the same time, her face flushes crimson. As she scolds me, her elongated ears quiver subtly. How adorable my little sister is—I thought—ignoring her nagging.
"—Got it, sis!?"
"Yes, General! I'll remember that well!"
"Hmph! You're always like this! Always teasing me when I'm mad!"
"Hahaha. I'm just glad to have such a caring sister." I patted Fleda's head gently. It felt soft and smelled nice. It was like stroking a precious silk cloth. "And look at you, still all messy. You must have just woken up and rushed for me, right? Let me take care of you this time."
"Eeek!? W-what are you doing, Sis!?"
I felt sorry for Fleda. So I decided to carry her in my arms, like a prince carrying his princess. Although the main reason I did this was because I enjoyed teasing her.
"I'm off, Claudia! Let's continue our chat sometime!"
"Of course!"
With that, we parted ways. I carried Fleda back to her room while Claudia went somewhere outside.
The sun had been up for a while. I was so engrossed in my conversation with Claudia that I lost track of time and was surprised to see the sun shining brightly.
"Fleda, it seems you've gained some weight, huh?"
"Aaaah!!!"
Slap!
Right after I said that, Fleda screamed and slapped me hard. But it's okay! This sister is quite resilient!
"Lots of energy to spare, huh, sweetie?"
"@*#%S!!"
"Hey! Stop struggling, Fleda! We're on the stairs!"
***
"We're here..."
"Hmph!"
My face hurt. I panted heavily, gasping for every air I can breathe. All because Fleda kept struggling the whole way to the room. I gently placed her on the bed. It seemed she was really mad after I joked about her weight.
"Who's gained weight, huh!?"
"Oh dear, I didn't expect my sister could read minds!"
"Mmhmm... Who's making noise so early..."
Thanks to Fleda's scream, Alruna and Manfred woke up.
"Go wash your faces, you two! Especially you, Manfred, your hair looks like a sheep's wool!"
"Mhm... Okay, Sis..."
"Fleda, can I apologize now?"
"No!"
"A full bowl of corn milk soup."
"Deal!"
As she brightened, I hid a smile. Same old Fleda—fury extinguished by corn milk soup. The problem is, it's quite pricey. Oh well.
"You're insufferable," she muttered.
"But you adore me."
"Arguably."
"By the way, how long was I asleep?"
"Hmm... About two days, I think."
"Two days? So, you guys have finished the Nito test?"
"Yup. And be proud! Alruna and I passed with flying colors!"
"Wow! That's great!"
I clapped my hands as Fleda puffed out her chest proudly.
***
On this slightly overcast morning, Fleda, Alruna, and I returned to the Guild. After completing our trials, we needed to collect our Indicium—official Guild membership cards. Though we'd only been in Aureo for two weeks, the city's labyrinthine streets now felt familiar. Each district's unique architecture acted as landmarks, guiding us effortlessly to the Guild's towering marble structure at the city's heart.
The building stood in stark contrast to Aureo's wooden and limestone constructions. Its grand entrance bore intricate carvings depicting the Eight-Year War, a brutal conflict from 270 years ago. It looked less like an administrative hub and more like a temple to forgotten heroes.
Inside, the Guild buzzed with activity—a stark change from previous days. Merchants, adventurers, and clerks jostled through the halls. We approached the reception desk, where a massive Guild banner—the Iron Cross—loomed behind the attendant.
"Good morning. How may I assist you?"
"We're here to collect our Indicium," I said.
"Names?"
"Adele Ercangaud, Ermenfleda Ercangaud, and... Alruna Gaede."
The clerk vanished into a back room, returning with three palm-sized cards. They shimmered faintly, reflecting a bit of sunlight into my eyes.
"Your Indicium," she said. "These contain your basic profile, Guild rank, and combat style. Guard them carefully—they grant access to Guild benefits: visa-free travel, partnered-store discounts, and private lodgings. Lose one, and replacement costs 200 Gulden. The materials are quite pricey, after all."
I choked. "200 Gulden?! That's extortion!"
The clerk smiled thinly. "Security isn't cheap. The cards self-update with rank changes and are readable only by their owners. To others, they're just... scribbles."
I studied mine. The words shifted, displaying:
ADELE ERCANGAUD
RANK: TERTIUS
COMBAT STYLE: HYBRID (SWORD/SCRIPT)
Alruna frowned at hers. "Mine says 'polearm specialist.' Shouldn't it specify glaive?"
"Generalization saves time," the clerk said. "Any other questions?"
I raised my hand. "How exactly adventurers work within the Guild?"
"Let me explain. Basically, adventurers in the Guild handle—"
"Hey, Alicia! Come here for a moment!"
Suddenly, another clerk called her mid explanation.
"Huh? What is it?" They exchanged whispers. Then her expression changed to one of confusion.
"Uh... It seems Claudia is calling the three of you to her office."
Claudia? At a time like this, what could she possibly need?
"If I may ask, why?"
"Unfortunately, I don't know either. For more details, please ask her directly. I'll escort you to her office."
"Oh, okay."
We just followed the clerk upstairs with a puzzled look on our faces. Not long after, we came upon a large wooden door with a plaque etched with Claudia's name.
"We have arrived. With that, I'll excuse myself."
Then she walked away, leaving us with only one way to go.
Creak...
"Sit there."
"Y-yes..."
We sat down on the sofa with a little hesitation. Cookies and other sweets were served on the table in front of us. Claudia's office was very well kept and clean. All the furniture was neatly arranged and not overly extravagant.
Her desk, especially, was positioned with her back to the sunlight streaming in from the window behind, reminding me of scenes from adventure novels I'd read. You know, the ones where the villain sits and talks with their back to the sun.
"Sorry for the abrupt summons," she began, gesturing to a tray of lemon cakes. "Help yourselves. We've urgent matters to discuss."
Alruna eyed the pastries like they might explode. Fleda, ever pragmatic, took three.
"I'll get straight to the point." She handed out a paper listing this week's monster extermination request. "Winter's endless grip strains Ingvaeon. Hunger drives monsters bolder. And this, has disrupted all of the ecosystem. Just look at how many extermination requests there are."
She continued, "People are taking on new requests all over. To combat the overflow, all adventurers must take at least one monster extermination request per week. Even we are overwhelmed by the number of monsters attacking settlements."
"So... we have to follow that rule as well?"
"Exactly. That's why I called the three of you here. The Guild is severely understaffed right now. We need all the hands we can get."
After explaining, Claudia placed another worn piece of paper on the table. It looked like one of the request papers usually posted on the first-floor board.
"Your first assignment: investigate Nothhelm Village. A blight's devoured its forests. Every scout sent has vanished."
"Vanished?" Fleda paused mid-bite. "Define 'vanished.'"
"Poof. Gone. No bodies, no traces." Claudia's smile didn't reach her eyes. "We suspect a High Demon—Stella VII threat, but intel's too scant for proper classification. Hence, Non-Stellatum status."
Stella VII? That's quite high. As I recall, every external request to the Guild is ranked by difficulty, from Stella I, the lowest, to Stella VIII, the highest. It sounds very dangerous.
"This task seems very risky. Is there any guarantee that the three of us will return safely?"
"Unfortunately, no. But don't worry. You won't be going there alone. Some of my acquaintances will also be part of this mission. They're quite reliable. Also, the reward for this job is 500 Gulden each—"
"Sold!" I slammed my palm on the desk, rattling the teacups.
Claudia flinched for a moment. "You startled me!"
This offer was too enticing to pass up. When would we get another chance like this? 500 Gulden per person? Count us in!
"Seriously?" Fleda furrowed her brows. "I thought you were serious about our safety! But when money is involved, you jump at it!"
"Come on, Fleda, with our current abilities, we'll be fine. Besides, we're only investigating, not exterminating. And it's 500 Gulden per person! Imagine how many honey cakes you can buy!"
Fleda let out a long breath. "...When you're like this, it's hard to stop you. Whatever, I'll go along with your decision."
"If you two are coming, so am I," said Alruna, with a smile gracing her lips.
"Then it's decided!"
Claudia chuckled. "I'll take that as acceptance. Mission launches tomorrow at eight. We meet at Guild hall, first floor."
As we accepted the request, Fleda cornered Claudia. "Why us? Really?"
"As I said earlier, we're severely understaffed. And don't worry. The three of you are just as capable as my other acquaintances. I can guarantee that."
"And why is the reward for this job so high? If it's just for investigation, shouldn't the reward cap at around 100 Gulden?"
"That's because this job is a direct order from the Guild. Moreover, the previous investigators who disappeared without a trace were all Secundus-ranked adventurers or higher. The higher-ups have been anxious for the past month."
Claudia let out a deep sigh. "At first, I wanted to join this mission as well. But lately, my paperwork has been piling up instead of decreasing." She hinted to the mountain of documents on her desk. "That's all the information I have. Any more questions?"
"No, I guess not." Fleda finally backed down.
"Alright then. Thanks for accepting this request. Take the paper with you as well."
"You're welcome."
As we stood to leave, I smirked. My gaze met with Claudia before the wooden door to her office closed. She seemed satisfied after talking to us.
***