Elric woke up at 7 a.m. again, which bugged him. He'd hoped to get up at 6, just to squeeze in a little more time for himself. Maybe it was just being tired, or maybe the unfamiliar room threw him off, but either way, he was stuck with another late start.
He ate a quick breakfast and left his room, relieved not to see his neighbor, Sila. He didn't feel like making small talk. Anyway, today was about something different—checking out the guilds or organizations. He didn't know if they'd accept someone like him, no powers or anything special, but there was no point in sitting around wondering.
He walked through the city, thinking about where to start. The Infiltrator Guild? Not a chance—joining a group that sneaks into demon territory sounded like a good way to die.
Then there was The Support Guild a.k.a. C2C—they wanted people with medical skills, which he definitely didn't have.
The History Guild, though, actually sounded interesting. Maybe he could pick up some clues about how to escape this place. There were other options, such as the Explorers Guild, which sent people on dangerous trips through deserts and who knew what else, or The Guardian Guild, but neither felt right for him. Then there was The Survivor Guild. He kept circling back to that one, just because it was connected to narrative and the thing called lexecon, which seemed important, even if he only half-understood it. The book described lexecon as an abstract of virtue. If demons really did represent negative force like demon name Death then lexecon might be the key to getting out of the demon realm. It was worth a shot.
He finally decided, he'd check out The Survivor Guild first.
The building was solid, built from sandstone and reinforced metal, with a big sign out front. People bustled in and out, such adventurers, couriers, and busy types who all looked like they had somewhere important to be. It was loud, full of energy, but everyone seemed tense. No one was here for fun.
Inside, the place looked even more intense. Long tables jammed with people going over maps, shuffling through papers, plotting their next move. A thick sense of competition lingered in the air—everyone sizing each other up, almost like a battleground. Elric headed to the counter when he saw there wasn't much of a line.
The staff greeted him with a practiced smile. "To join, you need to pay 10 Drops, be eighteen or older, and you have to be a Lexmancer. Any level is fine."
Elric stopped in his tracks. Lexmancer? He didn't even know what that meant, but he guessed it had something to do with lexecon. And since he couldn't use the Tree of Life, he probably didn't qualify.
He just asked outright, "I can't use the Tree of Life. That means I can't join, right?"
"You can," the staff replied, "but you won't be able to hunt demons outside of narrative or go after the crystal beasts. The only thing you can do is join narrative, and you don't even need to register for that. Anyone can join narrative."
So, basically, he was allowed in, but with no real benefits. It would make more sense to become a Lexmancer first.
"If I try the other guilds first, can I still come back to this guild later?"
"Yeah. As long as you join The History Guild, C2C, or Infiltrator Guild, you'll be fine."
He nodded, thanked the staff, and left. Sila was right—the stronger you were, the more doors opened. But for now, the Survivor Guild wasn't an option.
Next, he headed for The History Guild.
This building was quieter, calm. It felt stable, even from the outside. The sign was understated, but dignified. The path leading in was lined with neat pots and tidy walkways. Everything felt precise. Inside, it was part library, part workspace. Shelves stacked with books, desks everywhere, tools for copying documents, and maps pinned to the walls. No loud talking—just the soft scratch of pens and murmured conversations as people focused on their work. He liked it immediately.
Elric walked right up to the counter. The man behind it flashed a polished smile. "The only requirement is curiosity," he said. "If you want to learn, you're welcome here."
Elric had to smile too, this was perfect for him. He loved learning about the past. Maybe, just maybe, it could be the way out of the demon realm.
"I'll join" he said.
The man handed him a contract on thick paper, stamped with a seal across the top—'Authorization Required'.
"What is this?" Elric asked, turning it in his hands.
"It's a talisman, think of it as a magical object, shaped by an abstract until it becomes something new. Even at the lowest rank, it's still dangerous if you misuse it. That's why it's tightly controlled. Imagine prescription medicine—dangerous if not handled correctly."
Elric nodded, impressed. The word abstract rattled inside his head, but he shoved it aside and read through the contract. It looked fine: basically, study the history of the demon realm, and dig up something no one else had found before. Perks included limited medical care, funding, and equipment. The ultimate goal was simple....
leave the demon realm.
It fit him perfectly.
He signed, paid the 1 Sel fee—it stung a little, but it was manageable thanks to the cerulean stone he'd found recently and traded down for smaller currency. Otherwise, he'd be broke.
The paper glowed red for a moment. A number appeared—4761.
"Is that the member count?" he asked.
The staff looked at him with surprise. "Yeah. Sends data to the main office. Honestly, I don't care about those details. Just know it's powerful—you can't trade it. The guild owns it, not you. Once you sign, that's it."
Elric understood and tucked the contract away. Two big conditions, first study history, second discover something new. Simple.
After registering, they gave him a tough cerulean stone card, it has his name, country, picture, and guild. It was more of an ID, probably not needed most days, but just in case.
It was nearly noon now, so he stopped for lunch, then set out to check the rest of the guilds.
The C2C Guild was a lot like the History Guild—quiet, full of researchers—but bigger and more crowded. Most people worked alone in labs. Elric couldn't join; he needed an exam score of at least 750 and the annual test was over.
The Explorer Guild was decked out in a desert explorer theme—crowded, but not too rowdy. Entry required proof that you'd visited three cities, hundreds of kilometers apart. Not happening.
The Support Guild looked almost like a clinic, with tight security. They wanted specialized skills, and Elric thought his math background might help, he learned from his father, a math teacher. but since he'd already joined The History Guild, he'd have to earn big achievements there first before joining another.
The Guardian and Infiltrator Guilds both gave off serious, heavy vibes—people talking in hushed, strategic tones. Elric hung around for a few minutes, but it was clear he wouldn't learn much by loitering. He slipped back out.
After everything, he walked to a nearby park just to clear his head. Families strolled by, laughing, calling out to their kids. It tugged at something in him—a reminder of the world he used to know.
He sat there for a long time, lost in memories. Eventually, most people left and the park quieted down. Just as he moved to leave, he spotted something odd on his right hand—a strange, cold mark, dark and unnatural. It wasn't a tattoo, and the more he stared, the less it looked like it belonged.
Does this mean I can use the Tree of Life? he wondered, but shook his head. Everyone else had marks on their left hand—not the right. Whatever this was, it didn't feel good.
As he stood, someone called out,
"excuse me, but you seem confused about that mark on your right hand."
An older man approached, probably in his late forties, tall and lean but solid, gray at the temples, steady eyes that gave nothing away.
Elric glanced at his hand and nodded. "Yeah. No idea what it is."
The man's expression grew serious.
"Rule 7. If a mark shows up, you have less than a month before you're sent back into a narrative."
Elric felt cold wave through him. He'd barely had time to catch his breath, and now, that nightmare was coming back.
"I have to enter a narrative again?"