I kept moving toward the capital.
Before I got there, a traveler in a plain cart pulled up and watched me for a moment. I couldn't tell what he was looking at, but his eyes held nothing more than quiet pity.
"Kid, what are you doing out here on your own?"
"Sometimes that's all you've got left," I said.
"I hear you. Say no more. Is this your first time in Millishion?"
"Yeah. I've come a long way looking for something. Why do you ask?"
The man climbed down and leaned against the side of his cart.
"Head south, lad. A boy traveling alone with black hair and clothes like that—you're better off heading through the adventurer district. They won't even bat an eye."
"All right. Thanks."
"Don't mention it, kid. Move along, and don't go asking too many questions."
The man climbed back on and drove off.
With the way I looked right now, I could slip by without drawing unwanted attention. I was young, but not so small that I seemed helpless. My hair was unusual, sure, but not enough to look like a threat.
It all worked in my favor. Between the worn-out boots and the muddy cloak, I looked every bit the solo adventurer who had spent years wandering the world.
I have to admit, it was a relief. All the worries weighing on my mind had vanished after a single conversation.
---
I made it to the gates of the adventurer district, and aside from a few routine questions, the guards waved me through without any hassle.
Walking in was sheer sensory overload. After months in the Great Forest, the sheer density of the crowds, the stench of stables, and the run-down inns crammed between roadside food stalls hit me like a wall. I had braced myself for it, but experiencing it firsthand was entirely different.
"Hey, kid," a passing woman called out.
"Yeah? What is it?"
"You aren't from around here, are you? Do you have a mother?"
"No, I'm not from here. And yes, I have a mother. Why?"
"Oh, no reason. Just figured you were an orphan... Well, your hair caught my eye, and I've got a daughter who—"
"Sorry, not interested in that kind of thing."
"Ah, well... Sorry to bother you, then."
She scurried off, slipping into a nearby alley.
[From what I can tell, the woman took a liking to your hair and wanted to get those genes into her bloodline. Isn't that wild? The exact same thing happened at Eris Boreas Greyrat's birthday party.]
Yeah, something like that. I don't care.
[You'd better keep your guard up, though. We haven't run into kidnappers yet, but don't get careless. Understood?]
Yeah, Ayam. Everything's fine.
Bit by bit, the voice in my head had started chiming in more often, picking apart reality from another angle.
Putting that aside, I pressed on.
---
The main strip was packed with weapon shops, merchant stalls, and more people than I had ever seen in my life. The street widened as the steady ring of blacksmith hammers filled the air, but I couldn't take my eyes off the massive silver structure looming larger ahead with every step.
Adventurers were constantly filtering in and out—some clad in full battle gear, others hauling supply sacks, and novices who barely had decent equipment to their names. The place was bustling, which meant there was no shortage of work.
I reached the guild entrance and paused to take it all in. The doors were towering. The hall was easily vast enough to serve as the headquarters for an organization of this scale.
Hopefully, this is all straightforward.
My first official job in another world. Setting aside the advice I'd given Eris or the lessons with Ghislaine, this would be my first real attempt at earning a living. At the Boreas estate I was paid a silver coin, but that was strictly for basic expenses.
I stepped inside cautiously and walked up to the front counter. The receptionist offered a polite smile, eyeing me with mild curiosity.
"Sorry for coming in looking like this," I said. "I've been on the road for a while and haven't had a chance to get proper clothes."
The woman blinked, caught off guard.
"Um... Ah, yes, of course." She hesitated for a second. "You're quite young, aren't you?"
"I am. Is my age an issue if I want to register?"
"Of course not! Your manners just took me by surprise, that's all."
She settled into her chair and cleared her throat.
"I take it you're here to register as an adventurer?"
"Yes, that's the plan. Is the process complicated?"
"Not at all. To start, could you fill this out?"
She reached beneath the counter and slid a sheet of parchment and a pen over to me. There were blanks for my name and profession, followed by an official overview of guild policy.
"Please read through the rules carefully before completing the form. If you change your mind at any point, just let me know."
"Will do."
I skimmed through the regulations.
Don't break local laws; don't interfere with other adventurers; don't scalp quests. If you abandon your post or lose your guild card, you revert to F-Rank. If you fail an accepted quest, you must pay a fine equal to one-fifth of the bounty. In emergencies, guild directives take absolute priority.
The only clause I truly cared about was the rank restriction: you could only accept quests within your rank or one tier higher.
Satisfied, I filled in the blanks and handed the parchment back.
"Perfect. Now, please place your hand on this."
She set a flat metallic plate on the counter. I laid my hand flat against it and waited.
The metal card gave off a faint glow, etching the details I had just submitted into its surface.
NAME: Daiki
SEX: Male
RACE: Human
AGE: 10
PROFESSION: Swordsman
RANK: F
[Oh, that's a clever application of mana.]
"All done. Everything processed cleanly," she said. "The card will retain your profile permanently. If the enchantment ever runs low, you can bring it back here for a recharge. Completing quests also tops it off automatically, so you rarely need to worry about it."
"Thank you. I appreciate the help."
"You're very welcome, Dai...ki. It was a pleasure."
At least the registration was painless.
As an F-Rank, I was restricted to F-Rank and E-Rank commissions—my current grade and the one immediately above it. There was no skipping ahead.
The hierarchy was standard: F, E, D, C, B, A, and S.
To reach E-Rank and unlock D-Rank assignments, I needed either ten completed F-Rank commissions or five E-Rank commissions. Advancing from E to D required twenty-five E-Rank jobs or ten D-Rank jobs, continuing on up the ladder until at least A-Rank.
Reaching A-Rank was the ideal target, since it gave full access to B, A, and S-Rank requests, opening up the widest variety of work. True S-Rank quests were too scarce to rely on anyway.
[With your capabilities, you'll clear D-Rank in no time, assuming you stay motivated and find enough open postings. Given that this is guild headquarters, supply won't be an issue.]
Exactly my thoughts, Ayam.
"You aren't planning to register a party, are you?" the receptionist asked.
"No, not for now."
"Understood. In that case, you're all set. Welcome!"
"Thanks. And thank you for taking the time to explain everything."
She smiled, resting her chin on her hand.
"It's rare for kids to ask so many practical questions. Most rookies skip the details on rank progression entirely, so it was actually fun to walk someone through it." She straightened her collar. "Whenever you're ready, just tear a posting off the quest board and bring it back up here."
I gave a nod and turned toward the board.
The notice board was plastered with dozens of slips. As an unproven rookie, though, my options were narrowed down to F and E. Most were routine errands scattered around the capital—none of them sounded remotely dangerous, and the compensation was meager.
Still, one posting caught my eye.
It was simple foraging: collect Blue Moon Herb and Lilies. The payout was one silver coin per full crate, with no combat experience required. That said, the fine print carried a clear warning regarding the surrounding woods that foragers were urged not to ignore.
This is a good excuse to get out and clear my head.
Just as I reached out to tear the slip down, another hand went for it at the exact same moment.
The boy had dark brown hair and a calm, unbothered expression—far from bewildered. He was dressed in a long, spotless white robe that fell down to his ankles, and in his grip was a staff that looked remarkably well-crafted.
"How convenient," he said smoothly. "A rookie who takes one look at my presence and freezes in awe. Don't take it personally—it's not that I actually want such a mundane quest, but guild regulations leave me no choice."
And just like that, my first day at the Adventurer's Guild began.