While the reward didn't include any silver, the experience was what really caught my attention. I wanted to see what would happen if I leveled up.
Dragging the chair near the window, I sat down and peered outside. The sky was still tinged with deep blues and purples, dawn creeping in slowly. I should've gone back to sleep—but who was I kidding? Insomnia had other plans.
"Hmm…"
I decided to check my status screen once more. As if responding to my thoughts, another glowing box appeared.
╔════════════════════╗
- Level 1: Axel Millo
===================
- HP: [██████████░] 95/100
- MP: [▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒] -1/0
- STA: [██████▒▒▒▒▒] 50/100
- Options: [Inv | Skills | Quests]
╚════════════════════╝
My stamina and health had improved slightly, which was good. But the MP… still negative.
That didn't make any sense. If people in this world were naturally born with mana, then I, as an outsider, should have none—zero. Not negative. Unless something else was at play…
I shook the thought away for now.
Outside, the city was slowly coming to life. The guards that had patrolled through the night were finishing their rounds, their postures a little less stiff. A few market stalls were beginning to stir—merchants setting up their goods, preparing for another day. In a nearby alley, a handful of homeless men huddled together, a few stray dogs curled up beside them for warmth.
Guess some problems existed no matter the world. What was next? Crushing taxes? Racism?
"Man…" I yawned, stretching as I stood. "I can't sleep. Might as well go out and see what this Guild is."
I unlocked the door and cracked it open just enough to peek outside. My gaze swept the corridor, searching for any sign of the horned man. But he was gone—either he had left the tavern or returned to his room. Exhaling softly, I slipped into the hallway and pocketed the key.
Passing the old man at the counter, I gave him a small nod. He barely acknowledged me, too busy wiping a spill off the wooden surface. Without another word, I stepped outside.
Cool morning air hit my face, crisp and refreshing after the slightly stuffy tavern. The sky had fully shaken off the night, and soft golden light cast long shadows over the quiet street.
To my left, the Guild stood a short walk away. A one-story building, about the size of TDO's first floor. It blended in with the rest of the structures—plain, unassuming. If I hadn't known what it was, I might've overlooked it entirely.
I took a deep breath.
"Okay, Ax," I muttered to myself. "You can do this."
Squaring my shoulders, I pushed open the heavy double doors.
Inside, the Guild was alive with movement and chatter. Adventurers of all shapes and sizes filled the space—some hunched over mugs of ale, laughing raucously, while others quietly sharpened their weapons. The scent of sweat, metal, and stale alcohol lingered in the air.
One wall was dominated by a massive board, completely covered with papers. Some were pinned haphazardly over others, as if people had fought to post them first.
I shut the door behind me, taking a steadying breath before making my way to the counter.
Behind it stood a burly man with thick arms crossed over his chest. His expression was unreadable, though his sharp eyes flicked up as I approached.
"Hey," I said, offering a faint nod. "I'm… here to pick up some quests."
The man barely reacted. He jerked his chin toward the board.
"It's there." His voice was deep, no-nonsense. "Pick any paper and bring it to me."
"Right," I said quickly. "Thanks."
His only response was a short grunt.
I turned toward the board, pressing a finger to my chin as I examined the quests. My eyes skimmed over the papers, and my stomach twisted slightly.
Explore ancient ruins, hunt down a notorious bandit leader, retrieve a lost artifact from the ocean—beware of sharks.
What the hell? These weren't quests; they were death sentences. There was no way I'd survive any of these, let alone complete them. I needed something simpler, something that wouldn't end with me skewered, drowned, or worse.
I kept searching, but the longer I looked, the more my desperation grew. Nothing seemed doable. Was there really no quest for a beginner like me?
Then, the man behind the counter cleared his throat, loud enough to snap me out of my thoughts.
"Kid," he said. "How old are you?"
I blinked. "Sixteen, sir."
The man snorted, shaking his head. "Figures. You're looking at the wrong board."
He gestured toward a smaller board near the entrance—one I'd completely overlooked.
"Anyhow, that one's for adults," he explained. "You'll be picking from over there."
I followed his gaze, and sure enough, there was another board. Much smaller, maybe about ten meters high and wide. Unlike the chaotic mess of the larger one, this board had neatly arranged papers with far less intimidating titles.
Relief flooded through me.
"Thanks," I said with a quick nod before making my way over.
This was more my style. The quests here were simpler—picking herbs, helping merchants, retrieving lost items.
I scanned through them carefully, my eyes landing on two that seemed easy enough.
The first quest required me to collect something called Mentema Flowers, with a reward of 15 silver upon completion. The second quest tasked me with finding a lost ring that belonged to someone named Aenn, who was said to be in a district called Juz'n, living in a house with a dark blue-tiled roof. The reward for this was 10 silver. Both seemed manageable. No monsters, no high-risk situations—just simple, straightforward tasks.
"Right," I muttered, pulling the papers from the board. "These'll do."
With the quests in hand, I walked back to the counter and placed them in front of the man. He gave me a once-over before taking the papers, his fingers drumming lightly against the wood as he read through them.
A moment later, he gave a nod of approval.
Crouching slightly, he reached under the counter and pulled out a metal seal. pressing it against both papers.
A faint imprint appeared—two crossed swords forming an X, with the word Kinowa stamped above them in bold, capital letters. Below the emblem, a smaller inscription read The Guild, though it was barely legible.
The man set the sealed papers aside and pulled out a thick ledger from under the counter. The book's cover was worn, the edges frayed from years of use. He flipped through the pages until he reached the most recent entry, then grabbed a pen from his pocket.
"What's your name?" he asked, his voice gruff but not unkind.
"Axel Millo."
He nodded and began writing. "Axel Mila? Spell it."
"M-I-L-L-O," I clarified. "Millo."
The pen scratched against the paper as he jotted it down. Then, tapping the end of the pen against the ledger, he glanced up.
"The first quest has a deadline. You have to complete it today, or we'll put the request back up."
I nodded. "Got it."
"The second one doesn't," he continued. "You've got a week for that one."
"I plan to finish them both today."
He raised a brow. "Ambitious."
"Just efficient."
A low chuckle rumbled from his chest. "If you say so."
"Where should I start looking? For that flower, I mean."
"They only bloom at night," he explained. "So you'll either have to wait until sundown or find some in a cave."
I frowned. "What do they look like?"
His brow furrowed slightly, as if the question genuinely surprised him.
"Everyone knows what Mentema looks like," he said. "Are you new here or something?"
"Kind of."
He let out a small sigh before explaining. "They look like regular flowers, but at night, they glow faintly and hum."
I blinked. "They… hum?"
"Yeah," he said, smirking slightly. "It's weird, but you'll hear it if you're close enough. They grow near bodies of water and inside caves."
I nodded, committing that to memory. "Alright. Thanks for the info."
"Don't die," he said simply, setting the book aside.
"I'll do my best," I replied dryly.