A warm, comfortable atmosphere settled over the room as Fredd, Rian, and Catty shared a relaxed conversation over sweet tea and pastries that afternoon.
After their discussion about the Guild, tiers, and the rules of the world, a brief, thoughtful silence fell. Rian broke it with a question that had been weighing on his mind ever since they had left Cikubangsari village.
"Oh, by the way, Fredd," Rian began, his voice gentle, hoping not to pry too deeply. "If you don't mind me asking, what was the reason you became a bandit boss? And how is it that you can still walk freely into the city as if nothing ever happened?"
Fredd hesitated, a shadow passing over his features. "This isn't something I'm proud to talk about," he answered, his gaze dropping to his teacup. "But if you insist, I will tell you."
"Yes, please," Rian urged softly.
"Alright," Fredd sighed, taking a fortifying sip of tea. "It all started after I won the tier promotion tournament. The tournament is held by the kingdom to select adventurers worthy of advancing." He paused, then continued, "The rules of the tournament require you to use your unique skill to win the fights. You're forbidden from using advanced magic or high-level close-combat skills."
"How could you win a tournament without using advanced skills?" Rian asked, a new worry creeping into his voice. His own unique skill was completely unsuited for combat.
"My unique skill is 'Wrath'," Fredd explained, taking a bite of a pastry. "It dramatically increases my combat speed. With just my basic skills amplified by that, I was able to fight my way to victory."
"Does that rule apply to all tiers?" Rian pressed, his anxiety growing. "Will I be unable to get a tier if I can't use my skill to attack?" He saw his dream of becoming a hero beginning to slip away.
"No," Fredd clarified, shaking his head. "The Warrior to Master tiers are usually granted after completing specific missions. The level requirement is still the main condition, of course. The tournament is for the higher tiers."
"Oh, I see. I understand," Rian said, a wave of relief washing over him.
"Getting back to your question," Fredd said, his tone turning grim again. "The reason I became a bandit is because of my unique skill. The more I used it, the more my soul and my sense of humanity began to erode. Not completely, but enough." He finished the last of his pastry, chewing slowly before continuing.
"Winning that tournament made me arrogant. It gave me a massive ego," he said, clenching his fist and resting his cheek on it, his elbow propped on the arm of the chair.
"And then?" Rian asked, crossing his legs, completely engrossed in the story.
Catty, meanwhile, was happily munching on her own pastry, listening intently to their conversation.
"One day, after I had won the tournament and been promoted to the Epic tier, I was incredibly proud. I showed off that necklace to everyone, right up until the day I met you, Rian. I was traveling to the kingdom of Esbekday when I was attacked by bandits. I defeated them easily." Fredd picked up his cup and drained the last of his tea.
"Hmm, so what does that have to do with you becoming a bandit?" Rian asked, still not seeing the connection.
"From that point on, the remaining bandits pledged their loyalty to me. Daniel wasn't part of the group back then. They praised my abilities, which fed my pride, and then they asked me to become their leader," Fredd explained.
"Why would you agree to lead them?" Rian asked, baffled.
"At first, I refused. But they tempted me with promises of great profit, and they admired me so much. By that time, I had used my 'Wrath' skill too often. My humanity was diminished, and that, combined with the pride I had in my own strength, led me astray."
"So you became a bandit boss just like that?" Rian asked, still feeling like a piece of the puzzle was missing.
"Yes. But I gave them one condition," Fredd said, his voice firm. "I would lead them, but we were never to touch the Kingdom of Fulakmi. Our operations had to be focused on areas far from this kingdom. That is why my name remains clean here."
Rian nodded, finally understanding the full story. After they had finished the snacks Fredd had provided, they all went to rest. The next day, Fredd left to handle a Guild mission, while Rian and Catty, following his directions, made their way to the city's Adventurer's Guild to register as members and receive their official Tiers.
When Rian and Catty arrived in front of the Guild building, Rian felt a jolt of nostalgic excitement. The structure looked as if it had been pulled directly from the pages of the fantasy comics he used to read. It had the same iconic logo he had seen a hundred times, though the colors and specific design were different.
He pushed open the heavy wooden doors and stepped inside. The interior was exactly as he had imagined: it looked like a classic, bustling tavern. Round wooden tables and chairs were scattered across the main hall, the air filled with the low hum of conversation and the clinking of mugs. It felt so familiar, so right.
At the far end of the hall was a long reception desk for member registration. The moment they entered, the chatter died down. All eyes turned toward them, a pair of unfamiliar faces in their familiar haunt. The men in the Guild, however, focused their collective gaze on one person in particular: Catty, captivated by her stunning, otherworldly beauty.