They reached the Septon kingdom and took Alfred straight to the hospital. Jocelyn stayed by his side; the rest of the team rode off to handle Belami's body and report his death to the guild.
"You'll be fine now. Nothing serious left," Doctor Calema said, checking the last of his bandages. "Get some rest and don't push yourself."
"Thank you, Doctor." Alfred pushed himself up, testing his hands, then stepped outside. Jocelyn was waiting on the steps, arms folded, watching him with that same blunt concern.
"You alright?" she asked.
"Yeah. I feel… better," he lied, then let the admission hang, better enough to stand.
"We should meet the others outside the guild," she said, already moving. "We have to collect the reward. We did kill the wolf, after all."
Alfred followed her down the street. He watched the ruined badge in his pack and the dried blood on his sleeves.
'Technically I killed the wolf,' he thought. 'They'd be dead if I hadn't been there.'
He didn't say it aloud. Jocelyn chattered about the guild's rules and the payment split; Alfred listened, shoulders heavy, and kept his mouth shut.
They made their way into the guild together, pushing through the heavy doors.
"You look good," one of the girls said when Alfred stepped in.
"Yeah, I'm better now," Alfred replied with a faint smile.
"Then let's not waste any time," Krestar added, his tone brisk. "Let's go and grab our prize."
The hall inside was buzzing. Dozens of adventurers filled the space, men and women with scarred armor, worn weapons, and eyes that spoke of countless battles. Compared to them, Jocelyn's group looked younger, less weathered.
Alfred scanned the room.
'So, the adventurers are no joke. Some of these people… they feel stronger than knights.'
At the counter, Krestar spoke with the guild's attendant. She blinked at the news, then quickly stepped out with him to confirm details about the wolf.
Left behind, Alfred glanced at Jocelyn and the two other girls. "About your friend," he said quietly, "I'm sorry."
The girl standing beside Jocelyn shook her head. "Don't be. An adventurer's life is unpredictable. Anything can happen, any time. We live knowing that. So it's on us, not on you. Don't carry it."
Alfred nodded, but the weight in his chest didn't lessen. He cleared his throat. "If it's alright… could you both tell me your names? I know Jocelyn, but not yours."
The two exchanged an awkward glance, then spoke almost together.
"Well… I'm Viela."
"And I'm Corea," the other said, offering a small, hesitant smile.
Before Alfred could even answer Viela and Corea, the heavy footsteps of Krestar returned. He came back inside with the attendant, who quickly slipped away into the vault.
At the same moment, another guild worker approached the quest board in the center of the hall. Without a word, she reached up and tore down one of the parchment sheets, the wolf hunt. The loud rip silenced the guild.
Murmurs spread instantly.
"Wait, that mission was cleared?"
"Who completed it?"
The attendant held the parchment high. "This was completed by Krestar and his group."
The hall erupted.
"What?!"
"That's impossible. A mere C-rank like him couldn't possibly take down a B-rank monster!"
Before the noise could grow louder, Krestar returned, this time holding the reward pouch in his hand. Adventurers swarmed him immediately.
"Did you really kill the beast?"
"How in the world did you do it?"
Alfred crossed his arms, expecting Krestar to boast.
'He'll probably say something like, i killed it with everything I had.'
But instead, Krestar pointed straight at Alfred. "It wasn't me. He did it. Alone."
The entire guild froze. Dozens of eyes turned toward Alfred. Then, like a wave breaking, they rushed at him.
"Is that true?"
"What kind of magic did you use?"
"Are you already ranked higher than C?!"
The crowd closed in tight, voices overlapping, hands reaching to grab his shoulders, his arms, as if touching him would confirm the claim.
'I was wrong… looks like this Krestar guy was honest after all.'
They all pressed in closer, eyes fixed on Alfred. In the guild, it was tradition for an adventurer to share how they defeated an impossible foe, and the crowd wouldn't let him off without an answer.
"Are you a newbie?" someone asked, squinting at his unfamiliar face.
"Well, I am new to this kingdom," Alfred said evenly. "It's my first time here."
Another voice cut in, sharper. "How strong are you?"
"You're not even an adventurer, are you?"
"No," Alfred admitted without hesitation. "I stumbled upon them on the road. They gave me a lift, so in return… I killed the monster."
That stunned silence didn't last long. Excited whispers rippled through the room.
"Wait—you killed it?"
"Alone?"
"How?"
Alfred lifted his chin slightly. "With magic."
"What kind of magic power?"
He hesitated. 'The Artwine Kingdom already knows about my powers. If I say it here, the rumors will spread fast. I can't risk that.'
His expression stayed calm as he spoke.
"…It's metal control."
The words dropped like a stone in water.
The guild went silent for a beat, Alfred's words hanging in the air.
"Metal… control?" one adventurer muttered, tilting his head.
Another scoffed. "Never heard of that attribute before. Is it even real magic?"
"It's rare," Alfred replied calmly, keeping his tone flat, as if daring them to question further. "I can shape and move metal as I will. That wolf's body was as tough as iron, so I turned its strength against it."
A few of the onlookers exchanged glances. Some looked skeptical, others intrigued.
"Metal control, huh…" a burly adventurer rubbed his chin. "If that's true, it explains why the beast went down in a single strike."
"But he doesn't even have a badge," another pointed out. "Not even F-rank. How can some nobody just wander in and slay a B-rank monster?"
Krestar stepped forward, his voice steady. "I saw it with my own eyes. If it weren't for him, we'd all be corpses right now. Believe what you want, but I'll stake my name on it."
That silenced most of the whispers. Adventurers respected one thing above all, proof from the battlefield.
The guild master's voice suddenly boomed from the second floor balcony, deep and commanding:
"Then if it's true, this 'newcomer' deserves recognition. Boy, what's your name?"
Alfred looked up, his golden eyes glinting faintly in the torchlight.
"…Alfred."
The room stirred again. "Alfred, the metal mage…"
The guild master nodded slowly, his gaze unreadable. "We'll see if your claim holds. But know this, if you can slay a B-rank beast as a wanderer, the guild won't let a talent like you go unnoticed."
Alfred smirked faintly. 'Good. Keep thinking that. The less you know about me, the safer it is, for me.'
Krestar clasped Alfred's hand firmly. "That's enough for today. We can share the rest of the story another time. For now, we've got things to take care of, please excuse us."
The two of them slipped out of the guild, leaving behind the noisy hum of adventurers still whispering about the fight.
"It sure was scary, facing all of them like that," Alfred muttered once they were outside, rolling his shoulders as if to shake off the stares.
"Where are the others?" he asked, glancing around.
"They slipped away the moment the guild swarmed you," Krestar replied.
"I'm sorry," Alfred said, his voice quieter.
"Don't be. It's rare to see something like that, it'll be talked about for days." Krestar gave a half-smile.
"Thank you… for playing along with me back there," Alfred said.
"Of course," Krestar answered, then added, "So, what's your plan? Are you leaving, or staying here for a while?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe I'll rent a room for the night."
"Do you want help finding one?"
Alfred shook his head. "No, I can manage on my own. The problem is… I don't have any money."
"Don't worry about that." Krestar reached into his pouch and pressed several gold and silver coins into Alfred's hand. "This is your share for the wolf. Take it, it's yours."
Alfred looked at the coins, then gave a small nod. "Thanks."
With that, he turned and walked off into the busy streets, looking for a place to rest.
There he saw a decent-looking place.
"Hello there, I'd like to take a room here. How much is it for one night?" Alfred asked.
"Well, if you are looking for a single bed with one bathroom, it will cost you one silver coin per day," the innkeeper replied.
"I'll take it," Alfred said without hesitation. He didn't even bother asking about the larger rooms; he already knew they would be more expensive.
The innkeeper handed him a key, and Alfred carried himself upstairs. The room wasn't very big, but it was enough for a single person. Simple, cheap, and quiet, just what he needed.
Sitting down on the bed, Alfred exhaled. Then he whispered:
"Open status."
A glowing blue screen flickered before him.
[New Achievement: Demon Wolf Slayer]
You can now use the agility of a wolf.
'So, the system gives me achievements too… If I kill something stronger, maybe I'll get even more powerful rewards. But what if I kill an Apostle? The one that appeared in the Artwine Kingdom… would I level up instantly?'
[Answer]
Killing an Apostle is impossible for you at this status level. However, if you do succeed, you will gain special abilities.
Alfred's eyes widened slightly. 'So, it can actually respond to my thoughts.'
"Then tell me—who is the observer?" he asked aloud.
[Data Unknown]
"…Figures." He clicked his tongue.
But then a sharp chime rang in his ears.
[Notice]
[Evolved Eyes of the Golden Monarch]
Your Eyes of the Golden Monarch have evolved. They can now be used to suppress anyone with overwhelming pressure.
A smile crept on Alfred's face. 'Nice. Let's try that out.'
He took a breath. "Activate Eyes of the Golden Monarch."
At once, his pupils gleamed like molten gold. A faint glow radiated from his body, filling the room with a suffocating pressure.
From outside, sudden screams erupted.
Alfred's eyes widened, and he quickly deactivated the power. The glow vanished. Heart pounding, he rushed to the window, then ran downstairs and outside.
The streets were in panic, people clutched their chests, some kneeling, others staggering backward as if an invisible weight had just been lifted.
'Oh crap… it was me.'