At the break of dawn, a gentle breeze danced across the stone rooftops of the villagers' houses in the dim light of day, marking the beginning of a new day.
The night had passed, and all kinds of terrifying monsters that were hiding in the shadows had disappeared, leaving only human monsters.
Kanami was on the rooftops because he had nowhere to sleep permanently. He was penniless and knew nothing about life here. In the morning, he shivered from the cold after Friday night. "I wish you would act like an individual and not leave me here to face everything alone," he said, then jumped from the top of the guild building.
in front of the wide gate of the guild, Kanami was the first one in line waiting for the entrance exam. While waiting, he was remembering yesterday when he first came here.
After getting lost in a vast village, he finally gave up and entered a shop to ask for directions. The doorbell rang, and a new visitor appeared: a short boy in strange clothes. At first glance, he looked like just a homeless child asking for money. The shopkeeper was a young man with a long beard named Simon, an ordinary man who owned a shop specializing in herbs.
With joy, Simon said, "Welcome, sir. How can I help you?" The poor-looking boy said, "Hello, I'm here to ask you about the guild — where I could find it." Simon asked, "For any reason?" Kanami replied, "For joining it, of course." Simon replied, "I can show you the way, but are you sure about doing this and risking your life? I mean, there are many other ways you could have a normal life, better than this. And young sir, are you sure you're able to pass the exam?"
Kanami started thinking: maybe this guy is right. Maybe I can just work a regular life and have a good life without dying. Why do I even need to do this? Then Kanami said, "Thank you for your worry, sir, but I already decided this a long time ago." Simon said, "For sure, I will show you the way." Then Simon offered his hand for a handshake. "My name is Simon. Nice to meet you." Kanami accepted it and shook Simon's hand. "My name is Kanami. Nice to meet you, Sir Simon."
After that, Simon directed Kanami to the guild, telling him that if he wanted an adventure, he should visit his shop again for anything. Kanami started walking towards the guild, looking down at the old streets. This part of the village was lively because of its proximity to the guild, and also because the shop itself was close to the large square.
From afar, he saw the large square in the center of the village, in the middle of which was a large, long stone tablet inscribed with a story in a strange language. Kanami ignored it and walked through the people to find himself in the place Simon had told him about.
A massive royal building, distinguished by a stone statue, unlike any of the surrounding structures; it was quite unique, with pale white walls and a large metal gate. It was decorated in an unusual way, like a palace from a fairy tale. A large courtyard lay at its center, and behind the ornate gate was a grand reception hall furnished with tables and chairs.
The complex consisted of three sections: the main reception building, a training arena, and a hotel.
In the main hall, Kanami stood in awe, seeing something so magnificent, a building of such beauty, for the first time in his life. He walked across the hall to the reception office.
Kanami, with his poor look, stood in front of the office. The worker said, "Welcome to the guild. How can we help you? Are you here looking for a job? We can provide the best job only for you."
Kanami stared at the worker. He dressed very well — even in his world, he had never seen someone dressed this well. Kanami said, "Well, no. I want to talk with another worker."
After a while, a new worker came and said, "Welcome. Is there any problem?" Kanami said, "Not really. The last guy felt so weird to talk to." The other worker heard that and felt disappointment.
"I'm here to take the exam," Kanami said proudly. "Tell me everything you know." The worker replied, "Well, first of all, the entrance exam is a physical fitness test. It will determine whether you're ready to step outside the walls or not. The exam is held once a week, and we have several professional candidates supervising it."
Kanami looked at him with curious eyes. "Is that everything? Just a talent exam? I thought it would be more complicated, like finding something to prove you're worthy." The worker said, "Words always look easy. Many people didn't pass this exam, which is why we do it once a week. Life outside the walls isn't easy. It may look like every teenager's dream — facing creatures, monsters, and wild things — but you only live once."
"Let me write your name here, sir. It's important that I put you on the list. Your chance is to visit us tomorrow at nine in the morning. If you're late, you'll have to wait until next week. And if you'd like to take your time to think better about your future, our guild members are always here. It may sound like I hate adventures, but I'm truly grateful to them and the efforts they make to keep us safe. But to be safe at the expense of other people's lives and the lives of my friends is something I never wished for, and that's why I'm here to help. My name is Voster."
After Kanami set up all the papers, he left to look around the village since he had nothing else to do.