Right after leaving the village, Tris once again returned to Dorn.
Here, he prepared the "means" for his long journey to Lume.
After finishing, Tris decided to head to the adventurers' guild to register as he had planned.
Becoming an adventurer brought quite a few benefits and conveniences regarding lodging, travel, and even trading goods.
At the same time, it was also a way to gather more knowledge and information through the adventurers' network.
Moreover, Tris thought that trying out this job would surely be a valuable and interesting experience.
At the guild's bulletin board, he saw many different quests posted. From hunting Magical Beasts or collecting specific materials, to tracking, escorting, teaching, or even seasonal labor… The variety was truly wide.
However, each quest usually came with certain conditions, often tied to the adventurer's current rank.
The number of quests available to rank F was indeed very few. Ignoring the manual labor ones, Tris focused on filtering out quests that required combat.
'Oh, hunting quests only encourage a one-rank difference?' Tris suddenly noticed a special note on the board.
For example, if you were rank C, you could only receive full rewards for hunting Magical Beasts of ranks D, C, and B.
Even if you hunted rank E or A beasts, the rewards would be negligible.
Thus, at his current rank, F, hunting Magical Beasts was only recommended at ranks F and E.
Of course, even if Tris hunted higher-ranked beasts for materials, it wouldn't be a problem. It was just that he would hardly gain any reward from the quest itself.
'Well then, I'll just take this rank E one.' For his wealth, the monetary reward of a rank E quest was negligible; the main value was the contribution points needed for promotion.
For someone at rank F, completing five rank E quests was enough to level up.
Back at the reception desk, Tris requested:
"Please register me for the rank E quest to hunt five Goblins, and the rank E quest to hunt three Green Bees."
"Are you sure? Each quest has a time limit. If you register but fail to complete it in time, you'll be penalized."
"I'm sure. Ah, does the guild sell books that record information about Magical Beasts and plants?"
"This is the latest compilation, only two silver coins."
"I'll take one." – Tris quickly paid for it. Information was always a sharp weapon, no matter where you were. Two silver coins were indeed cheap.
"By the way, will you start the quest right now?" – the receptionist asked.
"Yes." – Tris wondered why she asked that.
"Wait a moment," she said, then quickly left.
"??"
A few minutes later, she returned with another woman. The newcomer looked to be in her mid-twenties, with long brown hair and a bright, lively face. She wore light leather armor, carried a backpack common among adventurers, and had a sword at her waist.
"This is Coris. For this quest, she will accompany you," the receptionist explained. Coris smiled cheerfully and waved.
"(⊙_⊙)??"
* * * * * * * * * *
Tris: "A support program for newcomers?"
Coris: "Yes, it's a guild policy where veterans accompany recruits. Of course, they don't do the quest for you, supervise, and give advice. They say since this policy was introduced, the number of rookie deaths has dropped significantly."
Tris: "I see. But doesn't this kind of quest bother you?"
What he didn't say aloud was:
'It bothers me a lot… (* ￣︿￣)'
Having someone else tag along meant many of his tricks couldn't be used. Drawing too much attention was something he never wanted, especially after what had happened before.
Coris: "Oh, many people wish for these assignments but don't get them. The pay is decent, and it's mostly easy work. Hehe." She smiled, then proudly added:
"Only guild members trusted for their ability are given this kind of task."
Unfortunately, her chest was too flat for the proud gesture to make much difference.
Tris glanced at her, resigned. He realized he couldn't persuade her to leave.
Tris: "Then I'll be in your care today."
Coris: "Leave it to me. Just focus on your mission. If any sudden danger comes up, I'll cover you. (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧"
Tris: (￣,￣)
...
Walking for a while, they quickly reached the forest.
Here, Tris took out a small shield and a wooden staff. Though simple in appearance, they were items Zyron had kept, and their quality was very high.
The shield could expand its protection around the user, forming a magic barrier depending on the spiritual energy used.
Meanwhile, the staff greatly enhanced Wood and Earth magic. It could even serve as a sturdy club in close combat.
Coris: "You seem well-prepared. Have you fought Magical Beasts before?"
Tris: "Just a little."
'Compared to fighting humans,' he thought.
Coris: "Which Magical Beasts have you fought?"
This was a tough question. Around his village, most beasts were rank D and C. The few rank E ones weren't part of his hunts.
Tris: "Goblin and One-Horn Rabbit."
He had hunted Goblins in his dreams and seen others hunt One-Horn Rabbits, so he counted them.
Coris: "Oh, so young yet already hunting rank E beasts. Well, if you can use magic, it's not too hard to defeat them carefully.
Mages in the guild often level up faster than regular adventurers because they can easily defeat Magical Beasts with magic rather than swords. I bet you'll reach rank E, or even D, very quickly."
Tris: "What rank are you?"
Coris: "Rank C." – she answered proudly.
Tris nodded with admiration.
No wonder she was confident about protecting newcomers. After all, rank C was already among the top tier of each guild.
In a small guild, perhaps only one or two reached rank B, usually the guild master.
Rank A was on another level entirely – perhaps only a handful existed in the whole nation.
Tris: "How many rank B adventurers are in Dorn's guild?"
Coris: "I know of three – the guild master, the vice master, and one more."
Tris: "Three rank Bs here? That makes Dorn's guild quite strong."
Coris: "Exactly. For a guild in a town rather than a big city, that's a lot.
It's probably because Dorn is large and a key hub for trade. In a few years, this place might even become a city."
Tris agreed with her reasoning.
Suddenly, Coris signaled him to stop.
'Could there be an enemy I didn't notice?' – Tris grew alert.
Coris: "Look here. This mushroom looks ugly but isn't poisonous. It's delicious."
Tris: "…"
After a moment of silence, Tris gave her a thumbs-up.
Already, he had learned another important piece of knowledge useful for traveling.
This guardian was indeed valuable.