By the time Sage and his companions returned to Adventurer Guild Headquarters, midnight had already passed.
Despite the late hour, the enormous establishment remained lively, with Adventurers returning from missions, merchants conducting business, and employees attending to the needs of guests who had arrived throughout the evening.
Sage found the familiar atmosphere strangely comforting after spending so many hours surrounded by royalty and aristocrats.
Here, nobody cared about the proper manner of greeting a duke or the political implications of accepting a prince's invitation.
Most people were simply concerned with completing their missions, earning money, and enjoying the facilities the Guild provided.
"Finally, we're home!" Gregor exclaimed as they entered the main reception hall. "I swear, I've never spent so much time standing around pretending to understand conversations about politics and regional administration."
