I walked toward the area reserved for clients. No one else was there at the moment. I wonder is it just the time I came or something is going on. A gorgeous lady stood at the counter — already married, I think. Not that it mattered; I wasn't trying to hit on her anyway.
I stopped in front of her and asked,
"Can I give a mission here?"
She nodded and replied,
"But before that, we need to check if you are blacklisted. Please understand, it's a procedure that cannot be avoided."
I nodded. Just like in the Economic Guild, she handed me a slip. Already familiar with the process, I quickly proceeded. After a few seconds of waiting, she nodded, then smiled and said,
"Thank you for your patience and understanding, sir."
However, I was confused. To clear my doubts, I asked,
"I don't think this procedure was required before."
I remember in novel a side character was shown handling mission,there was no such thing then. Though it was in future.
She nodded and explained,
"Due to many recent demon attacks, adventurers have been gathering in safer places like here. Some clients took advantage of this, offering less payment. That alone isn't our concern. But some even forced adventurers to take missions directly, without going through the guild."
I nodded in understanding.
If clients don't come through the guild, they can offer even less money — or refuse to pay altogether later. And if problems arise, the guild cannot intervene. That would cause chaos. On top of that, the guild also loses its commission. So whenever they catch someone doing this, they immediately blacklist them.
As I was thinking this through, she said,
"Please give us the mission details so we can proceed."
I responded,
"I will be visiting many places and need a well-balanced A-Rank party. At least four members would be ideal."
She replied,
"Okay, wait a minute."
I needed that many because, even if multiple assassins attacked me, at least someone should be there to guard me.
After filling out some forms, she asked,
"Are you expecting assassination attempts?"
I was a little apprehensive about this question but for now believing in the guild I nodded.
She filled in more details, then asked again,
"How long will the mission last?"
I thought for a moment, then replied,
"As it involves traveling, it's difficult to say, but not more than five months. I might also assign them to protect someone, but nothing beyond their capabilities."
Hearing my reply, she looked at me for a while, sighed, and said,
"Sir, A-Rank adventurers are expensive. For such a long duration, I'm afraid…"
I interrupted,
"I have the money. I'll pay in full, in advance."
Now she seemed to hesitate, then said,
"Alright, sir. Fill out this form and submit it with the payment. The total amount is difficult to calculate since we give A-Rank adventurers flexibility. So, take the form with you."
I wasn't going to spend a single moment unprotected. I am not an idiot. Duke's assassins might already be outside guild waiting with creepy smiles on face. Just thinking gives me chills.
After thinking a little, I asked,
"I want to start the mission immediately. Is a party available?"
She pondered for a moment, then left. I waited. Soon, she returned with a group of people. The composition was three men and two women, all appearing to be in their thirties. They looked at me with curious eyes.
She introduced me to them,
"This is the client."
Then she turned to me and said,
"This is the best A-Rank party available and matches your criteria. You can talk with them in the private meeting room."
I nodded and followed the group.
When we were alone in the private room, I introduced myself.
"I am Adrian Lewin, head of the Lewin merchant family. I seek your protection while traveling through various cities, forests, and other places. The mission will last for five months, and there will be multiple assassination attempts."
One man, older and seemingly the leader, replied,
"I am Raven, leader of this five-member party, Claw."
Raven had black hair and black eyes, with a scar on the palm of his left hand.
Another man introduced himself,
"I am Lucas."
He had blonde hair and blue eyes.
The third man said,
"I am Brock."
Brock had scarlet hair, blue eyes, and a horizontal scar across his forehead.
The fourth member, a woman, introduced herself,
"I am Emma."
She had brown hair and brown eyes.
The last member spoke,
"I am Emilia."
She had black hair and blue eyes.
After introductions, Raven continued,
"All members are A-Rank. I am almost at S-Rank — just waiting for the opportunity to be promoted officially. The others are also very experienced. We've completed many missions like the one you require. You may make an offer for our fee, and we'll see if it's acceptable."
I replied,
"For five months, 100 gold coins. I'll also pay for accommodations, food, and travel. The 100 gold coins will be paid in advance."
Silence.
A hundred gold coins was no small amount. But considering their strength and the duration, it was generous. Perhaps too generous. And in this world, generosity was one of the most dangerous things.
The party members exchanged glances. After a moment, Raven said,
"Alright. When do we start?"
Smiling, I replied,
"Now."
That seemed to put them under pressure — they weren't even properly armed.
Raven said,
"We need some time to prepare. We just came here to check for available missions."
I nodded,
"Yes. Let's finalize the mission with the guild, then you can prepare. When you're ready, meet me back in this private room."
They all nodded.
We left to inform the receptionist,
As I was approaching, I saw someone leaving the desk. Maybe it was another client, but it was good that he left — I wouldn't have to wait.
Before I even reached the desk, the receptionist noticed me and smiled.
"Have you reached an agreement?" she asked.
I nodded.
She followed up, "Have you filled out the form?"
Oh, I had forgotten. Well, she didn't need to know that, so acting as if I had simply remembered, I said,
"No, they were leaving, so I'll fill it out now."
I first completed the sections that the adventurers themselves needed to see and stamp. Then I asked the receptionist about the payment method.
She informed me that I could pay directly, but since the amount was large, they could also request a transfer through the Economic Guild. However, that would take about half an hour, so I would have to wait there.
I wasn't in a hurry, so I agreed and completed the formalities ,finalized the documents, and then party left to prepare. I stayed behind, thinking about my next steps. Leaving the guild without protection was out of the question.
You might think why this guild exists? Why not join some army?
In many armies, high-ranking families are often preferred for higher positions. For example, a general appointed by the king might be the second or third son of a duke or count. Commoners, even with talent, face a threshold as the ranks increase. Of course, commoners can be appointed, but it is much rarer.
You might wonder what problems a low rank brings. Well, nobles are not allowed to maintain very large armies. The size permitted usually depends on their location and title. So, they can't keep everyone under their command, nor can they constantly deploy their forces to protect their subjects. Some commoners even outright hate nobles.
There are also jobs like mine — I can't exactly borrow an army from a noble, now can I? And there are many other issues besides.
The Adventurers' Guild solves these problems.
It is an organization that handles monsters and takes on various other tasks. Many people can earn a living through it quite easily. Generally, the guild does not interfere in political conflicts or wars unless absolutely necessary.
It started small, but now the Adventurers' Guild is considered the third-strongest power in the world, alongside nations. Its only weakness is that its forces are spread too thin, and the loyalty of many members remains questionable.
After half an hour, the team returned, now equipped with armor and their preferred weapons.
Raven had a katana at his side.
Lucas carried a staff.
Brock held a spear.
Emma appeared unarmed, but her demeanor suggested she was an assassin type — surely hiding blades all over her body.
Emilia carried a rapier.
I asked, somewhat worried,
"None of you use a bow? It might come in handy."
Raven laughed, then transformed his katana into a bow.
"This beauty was found during one of our adventures."
I asked,
"So which is your primary weapon?"
He replied,
"Actually, my growth was slow at first, so fearing I'd stay at a low rank, I mastered both. Unexpectedly, my strength increased rapidly later. So now, it's hard to choose one. I'll mostly use the bow, since I give orders and prefer to stand back. But if strong attackers threaten to break through our formation, I'll switch to the katana immediately."
He added,
"I'll usually stand near you, since I have the most flexibility."
Before I could respond, Emilia interrupted impatiently,
"We should move quickly, or the day will pass. Traveling at night isn't convenient."
I agreed. Raven nodded and asked,
"So where are we going..... sir? Is using Sir ok?"
I replied
" Call me by name… or by Master Lewin"
Damn, I cringed so hard. I hope they call me by name, but in this world it's normal, so at least they won't take it to heart. Still, it's embarrassing since they're twice my age.
Hiding my thoughts, I said,
" Sir is good too."
"We will now go to the Beast Master."