NOVPUBThe next morning.
Sitting near the window in the classroom, Luka leaned back in his seat, one leg lazily draped over the other as he stared at the door with a look of growing irritation. 𝑛𝘰𝑣𝘱𝑢𝑏.𝘤𝑜𝘮
'She's late…'
He glanced at the old clock.
Ten minutes had passed since class was supposed to begin, and the teacher was nowhere in sight.
Luka hated wasting time.
'She wouldn't skip class without a reason. Not unless something happened…'
He furrowed his brow.
'Is this because of what happened yesterday?'
Beside Luka—
Serene stood dutifully, arms folded behind her back. Her posture was rigid, her expression stern.
"Young Master," she finally said, "would you like me to go search for her? This is unprofessional behavior. Teachers are paid to teach—being late is inexcusable."
Luka gave her a side glance, then waved a hand in the air, brushing off her offer.
"No need. It's probably a personal matter. Let her deal with it."
He stood up from his seat, stretching his arms with a quiet sigh.
"There's no point in sitting around all day if she's not going to show."
"But, Young Master—" Serene stepped forward, concern lacing her tone.
"Skipping lessons without confirmation feels… reckless. What if she's simply running late? Or what if this is a test?"
Luka let out a quiet yawn, rubbing the back of his neck.
"If it's a test, it's a boring one. I'm not here to play guessing games."
He turned toward the door and began walking.
"I'll use the time to visit the Adventurers' Guild. I haven't registered yet, and it'll be better than sitting here wasting the morning."
"…" Serene hesitated, clearly conflicted, but she knew when her Young Master had made up his mind.
She bowed slightly. "Understood. I'll accompany you, then." She followed.
"You always do." Luka gave a faint smirk.
▬▬ι═══════ﺤ
Adventurer's Guild.
The carriage came to a gentle stop in front of the Adventurer's Guild—
A towering stone building that pulsed with life.
Its wide arched doorway was never still, as a steady stream of people flowed in and out.
Fighters in battered armor, robed mages with glowing staffs, and even cloaked Rangers moved about.
The hum of conversation, the clatter of boots, the snort of beasts tied to nearby posts — all combined into a wall of chaotic sound.
Luka stepped down first. He turned and extended a hand. "Come," he said, his voice just loud enough to be heard over the noise.
"Yes…" Serene placed her hand in his.
With a light step, she descended from the carriage, her maid dress fluttering as she landed gracefully beside him.
She offered a polite nod, then made her way to the coachman and handed over a single bronze coin.
The old man tipped his hat with a grunt of thanks before flicking the reins and guiding the carriage away into the busy street.
"You done paying?" Luka called out.
He had other tasks to tend to that afternoon, and wasting time wasn't something he wanted.
"Yes, Young Master," Serene replied, slipping the coin pouch back into the hidden folds of her uniform. "It's all paid for."
"Good. Let's head in, then," he said, already moving forward.
Navigating the crowd, Luka stepped around a group of adventurers.
Serene followed closely, whispering soft apologies as they weaved through the bodies.
Eventually, they reached the heavy wooden double doors of the Guild.
Luka pushed them open—
The interior was even livelier than the outside.
The wide hall was built with high ceilings and wooden beams.
Several round tables stood scattered across the main floor, where adventurers drank, laughed, and bickered over completed jobs.
Lanterns hung from chains overhead, casting a warm golden glow over the entire room.
At the far end was a long, polished counter with multiple receptionists, each engaged in conversation with a different adventurer.
Behind them were shelves of organized scrolls, ledgers, and stacks of guild documents.
On the left-hand wall, a massive board was pinned with job listings of all kinds — parchment slips stamped with red wax, strings of text listing rewards and risks.
(Dungeon Clearings)
(Monster Hunts)
(Bodyguard Requests)
(Treasure Recovery)
Everything one could imagine — and some things they wouldn't — was written on that wall.
Luka took it all in with a single glance before turning his attention toward the end of the line.
"Well," he muttered, exhaling faintly, "let's get moving."
He stepped into the queue, folding his arms behind his back as he waited.
Serene took her place behind him.
For a brief moment, Luka found himself thinking: 'This place is... louder than I expected.'
'Then again, what else would a place full of murderers-for-hire, washed-up warriors, and glory-seeking hotheads be like?'
Still, he wanted to register and climb the ranks.
More opportunities would naturally follow.
Plus, in the game's 4th Act, the main character joins the Adventurer's Guild and starts taking on jobs that open countless doors for him.
Luka planned to steal all that for himself.
'All opportunities belong to me!'
As the line thinned, inch by inch…
Just a few more steps, and finally—
"Next!"
Luka stepped forward, offering the receptionist a smile. "Hello. I'm here to register."
The young woman behind the counter returned the smile, her orange hair tied in a loose bun and her uniform crisp.
"Of course, sir. Just a moment."
She bent down behind the counter, rummaging briefly before rising with a small, pitch-white orb cradled in both hands.
"If you would," the receptionist said, placing the orb gently on the counter in front of him.
"Please place your hand on this. It will pull your basic information from the system."
Luka nodded. "Sure thing."
He extended his hand and laid it across the surface of the orb.
The moment his skin made contact, the orb reacted—glowing faintly, a soft pulse of light rippling beneath his palm.
A subtle warmth passed into his hand.
The receptionist watched intently.
After a few seconds, she nodded. "Alright, you can let go now."
Luka lifted his hand, and as he did, the orb emitted a soft chime.
Then, a thin shimmer of light projected upward, forming a small holographic screen in the air above it.
———————
[User: Luka Rein Junker]
Race: Human
Class: Ranger
Level: 3 (XP: 250 / 300)
Hit Points: 16 / 16
———————
"Everything seems in order," the receptionist said with a nod.
Her fingers already gliding across the tablet below the counter, syncing the information.
"You're already registered in the system, so we just need to issue you your guild ID."
"That sounds perfect," Luka replied.
The receptionist glanced up. "You know… You're a bit early. Most don't register until Level 5 or higher."
Luka gave a short shrug. "Better to start sooner than later."
"Ambitious. I like that." She then put away the orb.
"Give me a moment to officially process everything."
