First Commission
“This way, please.”
The interior of the guild building was a place ordinary people rarely got to see. A small staircase led down to the basement.
Hwian walked steadily, his gaze lingering with interest on the flickering lanterns.
He glanced back at Serena, who was following behind him, then looked ahead at the receptionist leading the way and spoke up.
“It’s quite deep. Clean, too, and the walls look sturdy. What’s down here?”
“We have a vault for storing valuables, an archive, a reception room for distinguished guests, and a shelter to protect citizens in emergencies such as monster outbreaks. That said, it doesn’t see much use on a regular basis.”
In short, it was a place for storing anything important. Other city guilds might have separate vaults, but he didn’t recall seeing anything this elaborate. The royal capital’s guild really was on another level.
They continued down the stairs until they reached a door.
With a creak, the receptionist opened it, revealing a surprisingly spacious area.
“This way, Your Highness.”
“Ah, yes.”
Following the receptionist’s gentle guidance, Serena stepped forward.
The place they arrived at was in front of a large crystal orb.
Before Hwian could even ask what they were supposed to do now, Serena removed the earring from her left ear and held it close to the orb.
“…Oh?”
The moment the earring drew near, the crystal orb hummed and emitted a bright glow. As Serena put the earring back on, the receptionist smiled brightly and spoke.
“Yes, confirmed. Thank you for gracing us with your noble presence, Your Highness.”
“Oh no! Not at all. There’s nothing noble about…”
Hwian watched from the corner of his eye as Serena waved her hands in flustered denial and tilted his head in confusion.
It seemed that earring served as some kind of royal identification token.
He had found it strange even back at the palace since he had never seen her wear that accessory before. To be precise, it hadn’t been there when she barged into the audience chamber during the trial… Had she picked it up right before leaving the palace?
It was fascinating in more ways than one.
“Then, as you requested, we will slightly adjust the registration rank. Your name was…?”
“Hwian.”
“Sir Hwian. May I ask about your abilities? It would help even more if you could provide a point of comparison.”
An objective assessment of his skill. At the receptionist’s rather polite question, Hwian stroked his chin as if pondering for a moment.
In his heart, he wanted to demand A-rank or even S-rank right away.
Given how the guild worked—higher ranks meant access to a wider range of quests and more benefits—there was no downside to securing a high rank from the start.
But they won’t just hand out the highest rank if I ask for it out of nowhere.
High-rank quests paid well, but they were equally dangerous. To avoid recklessly letting adventurers die, the guild managed ranks with strict standards.
After a brief pause, Hwian lowered his hand and spoke.
“Roughly on par with Serion, the captain of the Royal Knight Order.”
“…!”
The receptionist’s body stiffened slightly at his calm tone.
That was only natural. He had been asked for a comparison, and the name of a knight representing the royal family had come flying out. Who wouldn’t be startled?
The flustered receptionist glanced briefly toward Serena as if seeking help. When she gave a faint smile and a nod, the receptionist fell silent for a moment before speaking again.
“How would C-rank… sound to you?”
C-rank. The rank given to veteran adventurers with plenty of experience.
He had heard that Serion had been a B-rank adventurer during his training days as a youth, so this was probably taking that into account. It wasn’t entirely satisfying, but for now, it was just right.
When Hwian nodded, the receptionist let out a relieved breath.
“I’ll prepare your registration card shortly. Please wait upstairs for a moment.”
“Alright.”
“Thank you for your kind assistance.”
Hwian replied somewhat curtly. Serena bowed her head with perfect sincerity.
With their business here finished, Hwian led Serena back up the stairs.
The registration was more or less done… Now it was time to choose a quest.
“…Hero. May I ask you just one thing?”
“What is it?”
Back on the guild’s first floor. In front of the bulletin board plastered with all kinds of quest notices.
As Hwian carefully examined each thin sheet of paper, Serena suddenly asked.
“Are you really on the same level as my brother…?”
At the question, he made a dumbfounded face.
Had this girl really nodded along in the basement without knowing whether he was actually strong or not? Or had she simply decided it was better to agree regardless of the truth because he claimed he was strong?
Honestly… what am I supposed to say to that.
He couldn’t tell if she was naive or if her trust in him was simply that strong.
To Serena, who was staring up at him with wide eyes, Hwian shrugged and answered.
“If it’s a clean fight, one-on-one with no other factors involved, I would lose. The title of knight captain isn’t just for show.”
“Ah, I see.”
“However…”
Tap. Hwian lightly tapped the scabbard at his waist and continued.
“…In a real battle, I would win. The dirtier, darker, and more chaotic the environment, the better.”
Behind his slightly lowered eyelids, faint images from the battlefield of his previous life flickered past.
Knights were strong. From the moment they came of age, they wielded swords, mastered various military tactics and swordsmanship, and followed an elite course. They were far superior to mediocre adventurers.
But real combat was a different story.
No matter how well-fed, well-equipped, and well-trained an elite might be, the moment they faced screams and bloodshed right before their eyes, they would hesitate.
What survived on the battlefield wasn’t the strong—it was the desperate. And Hwian had the experience of struggling more desperately than anyone else in the most horrific battlefield imaginable.
“Tsk…”
“…?”
Serena tilted her head in confusion. This time, Hwian turned the question back on her.
“Then let me ask you something too. What is that earring? I’ve never seen it before.”
“Ah, it’s a kind of magic stone that proves my identity. I heard it’s usually made by combining a mage stone with the blood of royalty or high-ranking nobles at birth.”
“…I’ve never seen the other royals with anything like it.”
“That’s because the forms are different. Brother Serion has one on his scabbard, Brother Elisie on a necklace… Mine is an earring.”
“Hmm.”
“Actually, it’s not usually worn. Father gave it to me right before I left, without saying a word.”
Jin Adonia himself?
At the somewhat surprising fact, Hwian’s eyes widened slightly. He couldn’t quite picture that cold, emotionless king personally handing something over to someone.
Looking closely, Serena seemed to share a similar opinion; she stroked the earring with a slightly puzzled expression.
Was it because the item was that important? After reaching a reasonably plausible conclusion, Hwian nodded and turned his gaze back to the bulletin board.
“Anyway, C-rank is more than enough for me to handle, so there’s no need to worry. The real question now is which quest to pick.”
“Is there something specific you’re looking for?”
“Something with decent pay. With the money I have now, I can barely afford a few days of food and lodging. Something that pays well even if it’s a bit rough, something that can be completed in a short time, or…”
—Something that might give me information about the Demon King.
Swallowing the last part, Hwian continued examining the quest notices one by one.
Fortunately, his dilemma didn’t last long. At the edge of the board, he narrowed his eyes at a rather tattered notice that many people seemed to have already accepted.
Perfect timing. Yeah, I remember something like this around this time.
🏛 Type: Monster Subjugation, Support, Investigation
⚔ Difficulty: High (Large-scale)
📍 Location: Kelib Silver Mine
💀 Objective: Extermination, Treatment, Repair, Cause Investigation
Monster subjugation, treatment of the injured, assistance for miners, repair of damaged facilities, and even identifying the cause of the sudden mass outbreak. It was a large-scale quest requiring manpower across multiple fields. A double-edged sword of a request—high risk, but equally high reward.
“Ah, the Kelib Silver Mine?”
“You know it?”
“Of course. It’s the largest silver mine in our kingdom. Both its reserves and quality are comparable to the best mines in other countries.”
At Serena’s slightly proud explanation, Hwian shrugged and tore the notice off the board. She followed behind him with small steps as he headed toward the reception desk.
The largest silver mine in the Adonia Kingdom…
Recalling what Serena had just told him, Hwian gave a faint, bitter smile in an angle where she couldn’t see.
If she knew that proud mine would collapse in a few days, she’d probably faint. This girl, and the other royals still in the palace too.
In Hwian’s memory, the Kelib Silver Mine had collapsed before he even left the palace. Not for any other reason, but because of a massive brawl between miners and adventurers who wanted to monopolize the mithril discovered in the deepest part.
I’ll complete the quest and, while I’m at it, mine some mithril before the others find it. Not a huge amount—just a small quantity for now.
Having organized his new goal in his mind, Hwian suddenly glanced back and furrowed his brow.
…Will she be okay?
Serena had yet to face any threats outside the royal capital. Could this fluffy little girl endure the dirty, dark, and chaotic environment of a mine?
“Hm? Is there something on my face?”
“…No.”
Well, if she couldn’t endure it, he would simply send her back to the palace as he had warned her earlier.
Swallowing that thought, Hwian thrust the quest notice toward the receptionist.