“Before we rest, we need to check in with the Adventurer’s Guild.” He pointed at a stall set up at the edge of the rest area, past the crowd of adventurers. The stall had a single woman staffing it, standing out from the adventurer crowd due to her lack of equipment, with a sign above her head saying ‘Adventurer’s Guild’.

I wonder why we ha- “You’re probably wondering why we have to check-in, aren’t you?” Okay, he really is reading my mind. Haa… I should get used to this. “It’s in the Guild’s best interest to know who is alive and where they’re alive. Adventurers are required to go to the Guild Stall installed in each Dungeon Rest Area. We can also learn about what’s in the following floors, which will be useful. You two have probably stayed in the first floor your entire short life, and I have never been here.”

The old adventurer started walking through the crowd, so I started following him. Bee was on my head, but I could tell she was on guard. I couldn’t see her, but her constants warnings about adventurers through Hivemind were enough to tell me how she felt. She was most likely glaring at the adventurers, who in turn were staring at us. The glares on me were especially strong. Hopefully, the old man can answer why. “You’re a Rock Golem that isn’t attacking us. You see, monsters basically have four instincts. Eat, drink, mate, and attack. Rock Golems have no need for food, water, or sex, so they are only left with attack. Yet here you are, following a human and being rather peaceful. As far as we know, you’re the first of your kind.” Oh. That makes sense. How come monsters only have those four instincts? Is there really nothing else? Why exactly those? Questions, questions. Will there ever come a day I am not plagued by them?

My contemplation was interrupted by our arrival at the stall. “Hello there. Are you here to check in?” said the lady behind the stall. I noticed her ears were slightly longer than the adventurers I had seen before. An elf? Time to appraise. Appraisal!

It really is an elf. Surprisingly weak, but then again, she’s a receptionist. Her INT rivals the other adventurers who aren’t focused on magic, so maybe Elves are naturally attuned to magic. “Do you happen to have your Guild card?”

“Yeah.” The old man reached into his backpack, grabbed a card, then handed it in. Some nearby adventurers seemed to gasp upon seeing the card, which glowed a golden shine. The receptionist, on the other hand, kept her professional look on her face.

“Ivest Relius Selt, occupation is both Adventurer and Tax Collector, and rank is S. Is this information correct?”

“Correct.”

“Then you are checked in. Anything else?”

“Hmm… can you appraise these two?” He pointed towards Bee and me. The elven receptionist took a peek at us.

“A non-aggressive Rock Golem and a tiny Meditating Bee. Understood. Which would you like to be Appraised first?”

“The bee. I feel like the Golem will surprise everyone.”

“Understood.” The elf reached from under the table and grabbed out an orb. “Can you get the bee to touch this, please?”

“Go on, touch it bee.” 

“Buzz (No thanks).” It seems Bee isn’t going off my head.

“Hey Golem, can you get your friend to touch the orb, please?”

Hey Bee, touch the orb.

As you command, my Great One. Bee flew off my hand and landed down onto the orb.

A screen appeared above the orb, large enough for even the adventurers sitting down, relaxing behind us to see. I could hear murmurs behind me about Bee being a Mutant. What’s so special about Mutants? Is it because they’re rare?

“You’re probably wondering the fuss is all about, aren’t you, Golem?” I look at the old man, nodding my head to his question. I think I’m getting used to having my mind read. “Monsters have a hierarchy system determined by their evolutions. Let’s take the Meditating Bee line here. You’ve got the normal Bees, then the Workers, then the Knights, then the Queens, then finally the Empresses. There is one exception, however. Mutants. In the eyes of the System, mutants rank higher than everything else. They are incredibly powerful, and if it weren’t for the fact you’ve seemingly tamed it, the country would’ve mobilised its army to subjugate it.”

Huh. That explains why I was given Hive Queen. Also, Bee is a big deal? Damn. “Considering the bee’s size, I believe the Mutation to be Midget. You wouldn’t happen to know if the bee has a Hive, Mr Selt?”

“I haven’t seen one. I have only seen the bee stuck to this Golem’s head.”

“I see. I will have some adventurers investigate to see if it made any Hive. Now onto the Golem. The bee is a Mutant, so I don’t see how this Golem could be more surprising.”

“Oh, trust me. My instinct says it will.”

“Please touch the orb, golem.” I reached my hand over the stall’s counter, since I’m pretty short, and touched the orb.

From behind me, I could hear someone loudly spitting out their drink. Looking at the old man, I could see his face with an expression between a manic smile and extreme weary, and the elven receptionist had become so shocked she was frozen still. It seems I am a bit out of the norm, huh.

Jarkon

I was meant to release this yesterday, but I forgot to. That and I had no chapter yesterday. Whoopsie.