“T-thanks.”

  I was taken aback, if only for a moment. Perhaps I wasn’t used to people randomly complimenting other people’s watches.

  ‘Is this what girls feel when they hear a random pickup line?’

  Starting to harbor dark suspicions, I turned towards the man at the table to my left.

  He was a tall middle-aged man with a slightly thinner frame, but not to the extent of being called ‘frail’ or ‘slender’. The white suit he wore, trimmed with carmine velvet strings, outlined his figure to a high degree. The sharp features of his face served to highlight his eyes, a deeper shade of red than even his suit’s trimmings, and long, silky white hair descended slightly past his shoulders.

  Despite their menacing color, the look in his eyes was impartial, with mild curiosity shining through.

  ‘Is this a different race? Or is he just an albino?’

  Thankfully, I managed to control my facial expressions pretty well by now, and the man didn’t seem to notice the curiosity beneath my gaze.

  “Is that Silverlight Steel?”

  I wordlessly nodded.

  “Hmm.. indeed, quite interesting. This timepiece would look unremarkable to the untrained eye- no, perhaps even rudimentary, given its lack of decoration. But to be able to shape such temperamental alloy into such intricate shapes, required to house the complex mechanisms… My, this is no small feat.”

  The curiosity in the man’s eye intensified.

  “Given the effort involved, it must have been designed to be resistant to impact, was it not?”

  I couldn’t help but raise my eyebrow before nodding once again. This man certainly knew his stuff when it came to watches.

  “Would you, by any chance, be willing to part with it?”

  As he asked the sudden question, I could see a strange emotion flickering underneath his soft gaze.

  “I’m sorry.”

  All I could do was lightly bow my head, hiding the sense of worry rising from deep within my heart. For a few seconds, the man remained silent, however, when I glanced at him again, his gaze regained the same aloof impression as before.

  “That’s understandable. Still, I wonder, did any of the watchmakers in this city create such a unique design?”

  “It was made by Horton Webmire of the Steel Cog.”

  As I mentioned the gnome’s name, blatantly remembering my promise, the man raised his snow-white eyebrow.

  “Webmire? He makes watches now?”

  “He said he does it as a pastime- wait, you know him? Is he famous or something?”

  Seeing my confused look, the man chuckled, taking another sip of blood-red wine.

  “You could say that he was. These days, the only ones who know him, besides a few other shop and factory owners, and maybe a few city engineers, are those who used to be adventurers a decade ago or so.”

  The right corner of the man’s lips curved upwards, a glimmer of reminiscence flashing through his red eyes.

  “Adventurers?..”

  “Indeed. He used to make the most reliable, complex contraptions one could get in this city. In a way, he still does, only now they serve a different purpose. Back in the day, the stock he possessed would put to shame some town watches.”

  The man let out a soft chuckle, as I couldn’t help but become curious.

  “Why did he suddenly change his mind?”

  “Perhaps his current business is more lucrative… although, it was likely a matter of ability rather than choice.”

  “He lost his ability?..”

  I was a bit confused once again, and the man smiled in mild amusement.

  “In a way, he did. At least, he lost his partner, who was responsible for much of his success.”

  “His partner?”

  “Their shop used to be called the Crimson Cog, and he had an unusually tall dwarf with him. I can’t recall his name, as he was always in the back, hammering steel and smelting alloys.”

  “Oh.”

  I had a guess as to who it was.

  “One day, the shop simply closed down. A few people said his partner was killed, a few others said he simply took his share and left the city. Whatever the truth was, his old shop closed, and the Steel Cog was opened a few months later, shifting to his current line of business.”

  “I see. Never imagined that shop had such a story behind it.”

  “Ineed. Often, even the mundane may have a rich story hidden underneath – let alone a successful workshop in the city.”

  The man’s crimson eyes locked onto mine.

  “I wonder, what is your story?”

  For a moment, I felt an inexplicable feeling of fear washing over me, like a gust of frosty winter wind… and then, it disappeared just as quickly.

  “I.. don’t really have that interesting of a story. I was an adventurer for one month in a nearby town, then came to this city.”

  “Is that so… To be able to dine in a place like this without batting an eye, owning an expensive watch, or even such a high quality chainmail – all in one month. Truly, adventuring has become quite profitable these days.”

  The man’s tone barely changed, but I could see he wasn’t buying the story. However, all I could do was shrug.

  “There’s really nothing to it. I simply took on lots of wild plant harvesting missions, and had a few dangerous encounters that I survived – this chainmail, as an example, came from one such encounter.”

  “Then I suppose there were some interesting stories in there after all.”

  The man’s amused chuckle now felt more akin to mockery.

  “I never said there weren’t stories. It’s just that if I had to describe them, I wouldn’t use the word ‘interesting’ so casually.”

  My green eyes interlocked with the red man’s gaze, returning a cold gaze of my own.

  “Those who died in these stories do not deserve those stories described as such.”

  For a few seconds, we stared at each other – before, unexpectedly, the man’s subtle smile twitched higher for a fraction of a moment, before his expression shifted to that of seemingly genuine compassion.

  “My condolences. I’m sorry for overstepping my bounds.”

  “...that’s alright. Think nothing of it.”

  At that moment, I heard the kitchen door opening, and the host walking in with a metal tray, carrying a bowl of steamy noodle soup.

  “It seems your meal is ready. And my wine is all but exhausted.”

  With a large sip, the man emptied the remaining drink.

  “Regardless, it was an interesting encounter. What’s your name?”

  I wasn’t sure I wanted to give him my name, but besides the exchange at the end, he was always polite, and the story he told me was informative, if nothing else, so I decided to show courtesy.

  “Sebastian.”

  The man stood up, leaving five golden coins on the table.

  “My name is Oscar Vermilion. Until we meet again, Sebastian.”

  “Farewell, Oscar.”

  With those parting words, the man departed, leaving me to enjoy my meal.

  ***

  The soup was great – the broth was seasoned just right, offering a slightly spicy aftertaste after each spoonful, and the noodles (or ‘spaghetti’, or whatever those things were called here) were quite thick, moderately elastic but not undercooked.

  The meat, which came soon after, was nothing short of amazing – the texture was soft but not soggy, retaining some of its original elasticity while still melting in my mouth within a few chews.

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  The sour-sweet sauce reminded me of the (imitation) Chinese food I've had on Earth from time to time, only that the organic nature of the ingredients was apparent, without any added acidity or other chemical aftertaste.

  The cashews blended perfectly with everything else.

  There were also a few roasted green vegetables stems on the plate, which I didn't recognize, but which went quite well with the rest of the dish.

  The dry red wine could improve the meal with its enticing aroma alone. At first, I tried to take a sip right after eating some meat, but I quickly noticed the rich flavor getting overwhelmed by the meat's sauce, and so I decided to leave the glass for last, enjoying its unique aftertaste after finishing the main course.

  All in all, the whole ordeal took over half an hour. During that time, one couple, wearing high end clothes and expensive jewelry, entered the restaurant and was seated nearby, but neither of us was interested in starting a conversation.

  As I was about to finish my wine, the host suggested a dessert menu, but I politely declined, parting with my gold coins and standing up to leave.

  Walking towards the metal locker, I couldn't help but feel nervous – and, as the host unlocked it… everything seemed to be in place.

  Inwardly sighing with relief, I dressed up once again, thanking the host and leaving this delicious, but prohibitively expensive place for good.

  The journey to the adventurer's guild was uneventful – this district was the safest one after Central, after all.

  The clean, vibrant streets, filled with the laughter and shouts of playing children, the chatter of their mothers and nannies, and the warmness of a peaceful weekend, stood in stark contrast to the oppressive, gloomy streets of the Southern Industrial Zone. And of course, I haven’t even visited the slums, which I could only imagine based on Pinpin's warnings yesterday.

  ‘Well, it is what it is, I guess.’

  It’s not like our world didn’t have this type of economic divide – maybe not as glaring as here, at least not around where I grew up, but it definitely existed in most of the world.

  ‘Anyway, I don’t really care about the socioeconomics of this kingdom.’

  I had my own shit to deal with – and lately, the list had only been growing.

  With those thoughts in mind, I found myself standing before a large building.

  No, rather, it was a small walled campus, with one big four-story building, a few smaller buildings that looked like different stores or workshops - with at least one potion sign, one sword sign and one cog sign visible amongst them - and another large single-story building in the back which looked like a storage (or containment) facility, given its scarce barred windows and a big sliding metal door occupying a quarter of its west wall.

  Needless to say, there was an open training yard, or rather, multiple yards with different specializations, such as an archery range, as well as another large walled off section, with occasional metal-on-metal clashes and different explosions (occasionally accompanied by subtle tremors) audible from beyond those walls.

  ‘Now, this is a proper Adventurer's Guild.’

  After visiting Pine Peak, I could already tell that Pine Harbor's branch was pretty neglected, but the difference between the two town branches was nothing compared to their difference from the city one.

  I slowly walked through the entrance gate, adorned by two flags bearing the Guild’s crest.

  I walked towards the main building, which was just in front of the gate.

  Upon entering, I witnessed a sight both familiar and foreign at the same time.

  The thing this main hall had in common with its small town counterparts was the general type of services it provided.

  It, too, had a reception desk – eight of them, in fact, with half currently manned, and a small shared queue already stretching in front of them. Over a dozen tables filled the spacious hall’s right-hand side, where a couple adventurer parties were currently chatting.

  The other side had 7 bulletin boards. The first two were the largest ones, with the second of them being adorned by a large bronze-colored emblem. The next board, twice as small, had an iron emblem above it.

  The next four boards were Silver, Gold, Platinum and Mithril, the latter possessing a slightly shinier silver color with a blueish hue.

  The first two boards were filled with requests, and the Iron one had its hefty share of pinned papers as well.

  The Silver board was only half-full, although, given that it was four times as small as the Iron one, this number amounted to less than two dozen papers.

  As for the Gold and Platinum boards, which were twice as small as Silver, the first one had 6 requests, while the latter had 2, which looked quite old. The Mithril board was completely empty, and might have just been placed here as per protocol.

  —

  [Monster Hunt – Harpy Queen]

  Location: Iron Ridge, Hero's Peak mountain (exact nest location unknown).

  Objective: Harvesting (Harpy Queen Heart).

  Summary:

  The Bolton & Hughes Alchemy Workshop in Silverveil is looking for a Harpy Queen heart.

  Must be at most 1 month fresh, assuming optimal preservation.

  Only those with appropriate skills need apply to this request.

  For more details, please visit our workshop in the Eastern district.

  Reward: Up to 1,800 gold, depending on organ condition upon delivery.

  —

  Out of curiosity, I glanced at one of the Gold missions.

  I had no idea how difficult fighting a Harpy Queen was, exactly, but a gold request implied this mission required a party of 4 Path-bearers of levels 6-7, so it was probably a monster of similar CR – or perhaps slightly lower, given that a queen might have had a whole pack with it.

  ‘The registration date is nearly two months ago… It's probably still here due to the special requirements, specifically the relevant skills.’

  And of course, looking at something like this now was nothing more than a distraction. Forcing myself to look away from the boards, I walked towards the reception queue, taking my rightful place at the very end.

  It didn't take long for me to reach the front – 4 minutes and 29 seconds, to be specific. And no, I certainly wasn't just trying to squeeze the maximum value out of my 100 gold purchase. Keeping track of time is important!

  “Next, please.”

  Upon hearing the polite call, I couldn't help but faintly chuckle at how different this was from my early experience at Pine Harbor.

  ‘Well, Jane did get better, though..’

  “What can I do for you?”

  “Greetings. I've recently arrived in the city, and I've also just stepped on a Path. I'd like to ask a few questions regarding the guild here, as well as the advancement process.”

  “Of course, sir. First, if I may ask, were you already registered with the guild?’

  “I was, at the Pine Harbor branch. I left my certificate back at the inn, but I can bring it tomorrow.”

  “I assume you are Bronze, correct?”

  “Yes.”

  “Very well. Without the token, we can't provide most services, but I can answer your questions.”

  “That’s alright.”

  ‘The open training areas didn't seem to require anything to access, and I can just visit the rest tomorrow.’

  “So, regarding the guild…”

  I let my words trail off, looking at the blond woman questioningly.

  “First, we provide the request boards. With most requests, taking one requires you possess the relevant rank. Some require a party of a specific size, some require additional qualifications, and a confirmation from the client. You most likely know the basics beyond that, such as open versus commissioned requests, shared quotas and the like?”

  I nodded. I knew most of the stuff from Pine Harbor, and if I saw anything unfamiliar, I could just ask.

  “Good. By the way, the table over there has a separate queue just for registering and taking on requests – feel free to use it whenever you wish.”

  I nodded again.

  “We also have plenty of facilities here. In fact, here is a short guide.”

  She slid me a two-page black-and-white flier, with the guild's emblem on the first page, and the short descriptions and titles of every notable guild facility.

  “As you probably saw, we have a number of shops exclusive to guild members. As a Path-bearer, you will have access to most of their stock and services, although some items might require a higher rank, or special permission.”

  She flashed me a professional smile, as if to sweeten the last words.

  “We also offer separate training and sparring grounds – once you complete your official advancement, you will have access to it as well. Beyond that, we also have dedicated trainers for multiple Paths, such as Blade Dancer, Slayer, and more. By the way, sparring or using area-of-effect spells or techniques in the open yard is strictly forbidden!”

  Seeing my enthusiastic nodding, her stern gaze relaxed once again, and she continued.

  “Tne big building in the back houses a vault which you may use for storage. Of course, the space isn't cheap, and when it comes to money, it's best to use the bank.”

  “Bank?”

  “On the second floor. We house a branch of the Bank of Valoria, exclusive to adventurers. We provide free deposit and withdrawal services, as well as the cheapest card conversation rates.”

  “...card conversion rates?”

  “You should consult one of the tellers on the second floor.”

  “Right, sorry.”

  “Oh, no need to apologize! It’s just that I'm not a banker, so it's best you ask a professional about the specifics.”

  “Alright. I heard you had a library?..”

  “Yes. On the second floor as well – the door across the bank. The monthly membership is 5 gold, the annual is 50. Our selection is quite wide, but of course, we don't freely rent any spellbooks or Manuals.”

  “Manuals for what?”

  “Technique Manuals.”

  “Ah.”

  “We do provide our own service that includes both Manuals and trainers. However, keep in mind it's far more expensive than the library.”

  I solemnly nodded. I already figured as much.

  “Still, as a Path-bearer, it won't take you more than a few months to save up enough gold for some of the basic techniques, if you try hard enough.”

  The woman gave me a reassuring smile, although hearing the words “a few months” didn’t really feel reassuring – not for someone in my position.

  “That’s all for our standard services. We also have a nation-wide auction system for enchanted, or otherwise valuable equipment. If you ever have anything to sell for over a 100 gold, even if it is of niche usage, chances are that such an item would be a good fit there.”

  I nodded once more.

  “As for your advancement… Do you have an identification token?”

  I shook my head.

  “I don't, but I'm actually getting one tomorrow.”

  The receptionist’s face, which began to fill with worry, relaxed once again.

  “That’s great! If you didn't, I'd advise you to get one. This will make the whole process much easier.”

  She quietly sighed in relief.

  “First, we'll need to conduct a few checks to confirm your Path. Do you happen to know what it is?”

  “Yes. I know what my Path is.”

  “Great! After we confirm it, you will get a promotion mission.”

  “I see. Is that everything?”

  “Yes. After you complete the promotion mission, you'll be officially recognized as an Iron adventurer.”

  “Alright. Thank you very much.”

  “You’re quite welcome. Don't forget to bring your credentials and token next time around.”

  “I won't. Thanks again.”

  With those words, I left the hall, making my way to the open training yard.

  I still had many hours left until dinner – if I finished my training quickly, I could stop at Bern's tavern on the way back.