From close, she looked prettier than as from a distance. She possessed a soft, delicate feature which contains both elements youth also mature beauty. Her light blue hair was shining like a clear blue lake. I even felt a little bit inferior to her. 

 

"H-Hello," I said with a nervous voice. 

 

She looked at me and asked me with a smile. "Hello, what can I do for you?"

 

I felt like the time had stopped, my face reflected in her beautiful blue sapphire eyes which also fits her hair colour. She had a soft and gentle aura also her uniform fit to her body perfect, not revealing or hiding too much. 

 

What did I want to do?

 

"I…I want to join the guild, become an adventurer," I said in an embarrassing voice. Honestly, I already forgot what I wanted to say. 

 

She looked at me with doubtful expression and asked me "OK, but you know what an adventurer do, right?"

"Well, I think clearing up the dungeon and kill monsters?" I responded to her question. 

 

I screwed up, Dammit I am too nervous. 

 

She looked at me with a warm smile and nodded "Indeed but they also escorting people or collecting herbs in a dangerous area."

 

"First you have to pay for the registration, then I need several information about you" while she was speaking she pulled some paper from her desk and put on the counter. 

 

After I paid the registration fee, she started to inquire me about my background information and about my distinct physical features. 

"My Name is Vin, 25 years old, black hair…" 

She wrote everything with a quill down. I decided to give her the same background information as to the merchant. As I mentioned about the imaginative "Mother country", she shortly glanced at me, but she continued without any interruption. 

 

She handed over the written paper. Her handwriting was beautiful. Also, the paper didn't felt different than the regular paper I got used on the earth. "If you sign up the paper, the contract will be sealed. "said she showing the area where I should sign. 

I glanced and signed at the bottom, and then the words flashed shortly. "Don't worry. The flash means the contract is successfully sealed", and she took the paper away. 

 

After that, she put a bunch of papers on the counter. "On this paper, the laws and rules of Magnone City are written. I highly suggest you read the paper. It's important" said she with a serious face.

 

I took several papers and skimmed over. It didn't only look like Facebook terms and condition, also felt like it, with strange vocabulary - dry and dull.

 

"OK," I said with a fake smile. 

 

I had never read whether Facebook or Google stuff and I am not going to read this. 

 

After that, she took a rusted plate which had the size of a credit card. There was also a needle attached on the plate. 

 

"This is an adventurer plate. It also used as an identification card. This plate will show your current level and list all your acquired skills. Depends on your level you get benefits for buying of gear and other adventurer's stuff."

 

"OK" I respond to her with a confident smile. As the merchant said, strength seemed to get more appreciated in this world. I was sure that my current level at least two or even three.

 

She pointed with her slender beautiful index finger on a small square on the plate and announced. "In this area, here, you must let the blood drip. Please take the attached needle and prick your finger. The plate will connect to your soul if you level up the plate will also change according to it."

 

She started to explain to me about the ranking system. The plate would reflect the stats of the holder. 

 

The plate would turn into bronze (level 1-5, called as low-rank adventurers), silver (level 6-10, middle-rank adventurer) or gold (level 11-15, upper-rank adventurer). 

 

Beside the plate colour also star would appear. Each plate colour had a maximum of five stars. A bronze plate with one star was equal to level one. A silver plate with two stars was equal level seven. And gold plate with five stars represented level fifteen, the maximal level which a mortal could achieve in this world. 

 

Besides the level the plate would also contain all acquired skills. It was necessary to show if an adventurer fulfilled the requirement of a quest. 

 

She talked a lot, but that was the important stuff she explained to me. 

 

After that, I did what she had instructed me early. The whole thing felt like voodoo magic. As my blood drip touched the plate, it gleamed for two seconds. I was excited, but it turned completely white. Paperwhite. I was dumbstruck.

 

What does that mean? Wait, does it to do with the hero stuff? I already forgot...

 

Before I could take the plate, she snagged it away. 

 

"I know it…." She muttered while she was examining the plate. 

 

What does she know it? That I am hero..? I already forgot that I was summoned here. I don't know what kind of punishment I will get. Also, I don't want to ruin the new relationship with her…

 

But she gave me an answer which I hadn't expected. "Sorry but it seems you are a zero adventurer."

 

"Huh, what?" I asked with a surprise, and I didn't expect that.

 

"You can't become an adventurer, because you are at level zero. The colour white represents level zero, well known as zero adventurers. To fulfil a quest, you must be at least level one.. Every soul monster here has a level one. If you fight them, you will lose your life." she explained it to me.

 

"So…what exactly mean that I can't make money?" I asked in confusion. The main reason I came here was to make a lot of money.

 

"But at least not now. You have to reach level one. I advise you that you join an adventurer party and work for them for free until you reach level one. After that, you have more possibility. Meanwhile, for your livelihood, you can take a part-time job. What do you think?"

 

"For free?" I asked her perplexed with a shocked face. 

 

"Yes. Zero adventurers normally don't earn money. They join an adventurer group and work for them until they reach level one. For subsistence, they take a part-time job in potion shop, workshop..." while she spoke, her eyes wandered through on her desk.

She took the quest away, which I had picked up from the bullet board and she replaced it with two other papers.

 

I was still shocked. I didn't expect this. I wouldn't work free or something. I would even yell, but her charming and peerless appearance calmed me. With a deep sigh, I decided to hear her out.

 

She continued with her calm and sweet voice. "I would recommend you to work in a potion shop. It is easy, and you can gain experience. If you have talent, you can maybe acquire skills there."

 

I grabbed both papers and glanced over them. 

 

The first job advertisement was about apprenticeship in a potion shop, a payment per day 80 lux. Working for four hours per day. The second job advertisement was about construction work, payment 120 lux per hour, overall five hours per day. 

 

Dammit, this is not different than my previous jobs. If I am already in a fantasy world, I should try to make a ton of money... 

 

I shook my head. I need to change her mind. 

 

"No...I am strong. I can clear up a dungeon. Wait. I killed a Bigfoot." I fished the crystal from the bag to demonstrate my strength.

 

She gave a short glance at and sighed. "Where did you buy it?" 

 

"I bought it..wait ..what?. No. I really killed it. It was at least two meters tall, it wasn't easy, but I managed to kill it. Believe me" I said with a serious look. 

 

"I can understand that you want to clear up a dungeon. But with impatient nothing comes good. Believe me, a lot of people tried but ended up dead. Beside the adventurer's card doesn't lie. You should be patient, I can really understand…." said she with compassion. It seemed she was holding me for imposer. 

 

"Wait. No really, I really killed it in the forest.." as I quickly recognize that she was looking at me with pity, I stopped. My face twitched. 

 

I honestly hate my face; it didn't look ugly but more childish, which always cause trouble for me. Especially when I had have to buy alcohol or other adult stuff. Even my ten years of fighting experience didn't help me either. 

 

I sighed again, and I decided not to push the topic further; otherwise, I would come as desperately guy. So I decided to change the strategy.

 

I took a deep breath and asked "Well if it so...Don't you have something else? Something which involves killing or fighting?" I asked her. I need to prove to her my strength so that she would understand. 

 

She hesitated for a moment before she gave me the third paper. "Ehmmm, this is a quest about killing rats in the sewer, but several newbies tried it and got injuries. I wouldn't recommend it to you, and it is a dangerous job." She said with a worried face. 

 

I took the paper and examined it.

 

It was a quest about killing rats in the sewer. There wasn't any requirement. Also, I had to bring the rat tail as evidence, and for each rat tail, I get a reward of 25 lux. 

This quest wasn't a money cow, but it maybe allowed to me show my real ability. 

 

"I take the rat quest", I said with a conclusion. 

 

"Hmmm. OK, if it is dangerous you can always change it. I also suggest you that you should kill one or two rats".

 

"OK…what if I bring hundred rat tails, would you acknowledge my strength?", I asked her in curious.

 

She quickly became angry and yelled at me "Hundred? Are you seeking death? You shouldn't be overambition!" I was surprised, and I didn't expect she would become mad. 

 

"OK, OK, then I going to kill one or two." I calmed her down. 

 

First I need to find out my current strength, after that, I can decide how to proceed…

 

"As earlier said if you can't handle this, you can exchange, you shouldn't be ashamed of it. And from today I am going to your advisor. If you have any question or problem, relate to adventurer job you can ask me. And you can call me Emilia" said she with a smile. 

 

"OK, I'm looking forward to working with you, "I said happily. 

 

Who knows maybe there will more, hehe

 

After that, she asked me "Do you have any accommodation?" She also explained to me that the guild normally provides for the adventurer with a minimum level one accommodation inside the guild. But as a zero adventurer, I didn't have the right to stay here, so she recommended me an Inn called "Oas Inn". Her words described the inn as "cheap and affordable". Also, it was several hundred meters away from the guild. 

 

After that, she tried to sell me a full protection armour, which would make it look me like a knight, but after several arguments, I bought a cheap starter kit. Honestly, I wasn't a big fan of gear; it was heavy and inflexible for my fighting skill. But as she insisted she would take away the quest I bought a small gear which protects the vital point. 

 

After everything settled, she asked me if I have anything else. Suddenly something came into my mind—the whole reason why I came here. I was immersed by her beauty that I already had forgotten. 

 

"Oh yes, I have something to ask you about", I said with excitement and fished the two meters staff from the bag. I held it in front of her. She lifted her eyebrow. Before I could ask her where I can sell it, a shadow felt on my right side. As I turned towards, I saw a young elf.

 

She had shoulder lengths black hair, she wasn't that beauty like Emilia, but she could still consider in the same league. Her black eyes didn't aim at me. Instead, she was looking at the staff with a pedantic glance. It made me uncomfortable. Also, I more observed her more detail revealed, also she came somewhere familiar to me. 

 

It seemed she wasn't alone behind her were more three young elves. 

 

Even Emilia looked at the scene, curious. Suddenly a bad presentiment arose inside me.

 

"I..I..Isn't this my sister's staff?" the ef girl asked me with a mixed feeling.

 

After she spoke out, I quickly felt that a lot of eyes were fixed on me. It felt like the time had stopped and someone had put a large boulder on my shoulder. 

 

Before I came here, I had already checked if there was a mark or something. I also asked Brent, but he said it wasn't a problem to sell it.

 

I glanced to Emilia, on her face also mixed feeling, she didn't smile anymore. She looked at me with a strange glance. 

 

"Ehmmm…" I started carefully. 

 

I need to answer this question carefully. If I put wrong words, it can blow like a bomb or end in the worst possible way...

 

I took a deep breath to answer as suddenly I heard a female voice. 

 

"Meow, he killed her and stole the staff, look at him, he looks like a thief!" 

 

I froze right there. I didn't expect that coming. Panic arose inside my chest. I also felt how the atmosphere quickly changed; everyone looked at me with hostile. I could feel from the three elves behind black hair elf killer aura.  

 

"No, no, I didn't kill her or stole" I glanced to the source of the voice, it was a girl with black cat ears, which looked at me angrily. 

 

Suddenly I remembered the Brent letter. I quickly took the letter from Brent and handed it over to Emilia. She looked it with mixed feeling before she started to read. 

 

I cursed myself not to come up with the letter first. 

 

"What…what happened to my sister", the black hair elf asked me. 

 

"Well she ehmm was ehmm was killed by monsters," I said.

 

"She..she was killed?" said the elf before she collapsed in front of me.  

 

Oh crap, this doesn't look good, I need to hide the staff…

 

I tried to put the staff inside the bag as the cat yelled again. "Meow, look he tries to hide the staff, he is surely guilty".

 

This dammit cat, I need to slay her…

 

"Shut up, Lucy" yelled Emilia before she came forward to console the collapsed elf. 

 

Emilia looked at me and said with thanking "Thanks for bringing the letter and the Yinvyre staff". 

 

I blinked twice before I realized she had misunderstood my intention. 

 

Dammit, I brought to sell it, not to donate.

 

I bit on my lips before I answered "No problem. Her sister gave to me to give her to her younger sister" while I handed it over I cursed all of them. Also, my heart started to bleed

 

One million lux is gone now..

 

Emilia thanked again before she said goodbye. I also decided to leave this area as quickly as possible.

 

Before I left, I glanced towards the black cat girl who looked at me furiously. I wished I could turn her the neck. 

 

Dammit, I was completely panicked, one day the cat girl would regret. I swear…..

 

 

---

---

---

 

 

"Lucy how dare you saying something like this! You shouldn't suggest people by their appearance. If you do it again, I am going to report it" scolded Emilia Lucy after Vin had gone.

 

"Meow, sorry I won't do it again, please forgive me", said Lucy looking like a defeated cat. 

Emilia brought the collapse elf girl towards a bench. It wasn't the first time for advisor something like this happened. A life as adventurers is always dangerous and they could lose it every time....

 

Lucy looked at the entrance and muttered herself "Meow, he is dangerous…I can feel it, especially his weapon…something is off" while she narrowed her eyes and fixed on the entrance where Vin had left.