Chapter 6: Seris: The Bronze Awakening

The moment I stepped into the swordsmen’s guild with confidence, I couldn’t help but freeze in place.

The overwhelming stench of oil and metal was one thing, but the sheer size of the people walking around was something else.

Seeing those massive figures moving back and forth instinctively made me shrink. To make things worse, everyone had stopped what they were doing and was staring at me.

Who could move comfortably under such pressure and tension?

Taking a deep breath, I cautiously made my way to what looked like the reception desk.

The receptionist seemed to have the kindest expression among those here—a woman with long hair tied back and glasses perched on her nose.

However, a long scar was etched across her face.

‘Do all swordsmen in this world have to get a scar on their face?’ I wondered.

I found myself staring at her face for quite some time, lost in thought.

Tilting her head, the woman finally spoke.

“What brings you here?”

“I… I want to become a swordsman.”

“Hmm?”

She looked me over from head to toe.

I swallowed nervously, waiting for her next words.

Without saying much, she placed a blank sheet of paper on the table and picked up a pen, ready to write.

Then the questions began to fly.

“Have you trained in swordsmanship before?”

“Yes.”

“Which school of swordsmanship?”

“S-School?”

“Do you know the name of the style or the teacher who taught you?”

I swallowed dryly and nodded hesitantly.

The gatekeeper who had taught me never gave his swordsmanship a name.

Naturally, I didn’t know his name either.

If I had known this would be important, I would’ve at least asked him.

“I see. How long did you train?”

“Uh… about five months, I think?”

“Your name?”

I hesitated. I couldn’t use my real name, Emily.

If I wanted to avoid being tracked by my family, I had to use a completely different one.

“C-Cerys.”

“Cerys… and your family name?”

“I don’t have one.”

The woman nodded at my response and continued writing things down, proceeding with more questions.

“Have you ever hunted a monster before?”

“A wolf… just one?”

“Oh…”

The woman responded with a curious hum, her gaze shifting toward the wolf-fur hood I was wearing.

She stared at the wolf’s head, which was still intact, and I gave it a small shake to confirm her suspicions.

“So, you caught it on your way here?”

“How did you know?”

“The fur isn’t broken in yet.”

Wow, she can tell even that?

I hugged the wolf’s head closer and nodded.

“Five months of training… You’re young and small, so that’s a deduction. But monster hunting experience is a bonus.”

She seemed to be grading me based on some internal scoring system unique to the guild.

Her pen moved swiftly across the paper. I tried peeking over the counter to see what she was marking, but even standing on my toes, I couldn’t get a good view.

“Oh, I forgot to ask—do you have the registration fee?”

“How much is it?”

“Five silver coins.”

Thanks to Mary, I already knew the cost, so it didn’t catch me off guard.

I pulled out five silver coins from my leather pouch and placed them on the counter.

Considering that a night at the inn, with meals included, only cost two silver, the registration fee seemed quite steep.

Then again, I remembered I had spent one silver on hair dye. Maybe prices were just high in the capital.

“Here.”

The woman handed me a piece of paper, torn neatly in half. Written on it was my assigned rank:

[Iron]

I wasn’t sure how many ranks the guild had, but this one seemed like the lowest.

Oh well, it didn’t really matter. The woman gestured for me to head upstairs.

“Go up to the second floor and find the examiner. He’s a bald man with a scary face, so you won’t miss him.”

“Will they give me my rank badge there?”

“After you show off your sword skills a bit.”

Her voice was kind, probably due to my cheerful appearance.

Other receptionists were being curt with their clients, judging by the sharp tones I overheard.

Following her directions, I made my way to the second floor, where I quickly found the man she mentioned.

With his shiny bald head, sitting comfortably on a soft sofa, he was impossible to miss.

I walked up to him.

“Huh?”

The man looked at me with a puzzled expression.

Noticing the steel sword on my back and the paper in my hand, he stood up but still looked unsure as he studied me.

“You here for a rank evaluation?” he asked, seeking confirmation.

I nodded and handed him the paper.

The man’s eyebrows twitched as he read it, then he gave a small nod and gestured for me to follow him.

I quickly trailed behind.

The structure of the second floor was intriguing. It was an open space designed to allow everything to be viewed at a glance.

At the center was a spacious sparring ring made of solid marble.

“Step up,” the man said, gesturing toward the ring.

As I observed the polished marble floor, the bald man’s voice broke through my thoughts.

I quickly nodded and stepped onto the sparring ring.

“Your designated rank is Iron. If you think this assessment is unfair, speak up now.”

“What happens if I do?”

“You’ll be tested for a higher rank.”

“Oh… I see.”

“So, what’s your decision?”

“I think Iron is appropriate for me.”

“Wise choice.”

The man nodded, seemingly satisfied with my answer.

He ran his hand over his shiny bald head, then pulled a steel sword from the wall-mounted rack near the sparring ring.

Shrring—

The blade slid out with a chilling sound, revealing its sharp, gleaming edge.

I felt an icy aura flow from it, accompanied by a faint blue glimmer.

The man, who moments ago had seemed like an ordinary neighborhood uncle, now carried a completely different aura—commanding and intimidating.

How could someone change so drastically just by drawing a sword? Would I become like that too if I continued to train?

As I stared in amazement, the man spoke.

“Draw your sword.”

“Ah, yes.”

I followed his instruction, unsheathing my weapon.

Schwing—

Despite its worn appearance, the heavy steel blade was well-sharpened, exuding faint traces of oil and wolf’s blood.

I thought I had cleaned it thoroughly, but the smell still lingered.

“Good sword.”

The examiner gave a slight smile as he inspected my weapon.

I nodded and assumed a ready stance.

“I won’t attack. Come at me however you like.”

It was the same thing Philip used to say.

I wondered, When will I ever be able to stand on equal ground with someone like him?

Taking a deep breath, I moved forward.

Thus began my first strike.

Imagining pale moonlight descending from the sky, I brought my sword down in a cutting arc.

Whoosh! Clang!

The gleaming moonlight scattered instantly as my attack was effortlessly blocked.

But I wasn’t discouraged—I had expected this outcome.

Without hesitation, I continued with my next strike.

I poured everything I had learned over the past five months into each movement.

As time passed, my breath grew heavier, and the sword in my hand felt increasingly burdensome.

Then, in the midst of my relentless flurry, I sensed something shift.

A strange aura surged from the examiner, sharp and cutting—like a blade scraping against my skin.

Every hair on my body stood on end as my vision narrowed.

In that moment, a single thought surfaced in my mind: Death.

My body reacted instinctively, as if possessed.

The techniques I had been practicing collapsed into a single blurry stance—disjointed, yet somehow familiar.

It was the same move the old gatekeeper had demonstrated one winter evening, drunk and sloppy with his sword.

At the time, I hadn’t even fully grasped what he was showing me. But for some reason, it surfaced now.

Swish—

The sword in my hand pulled back.

Then, the pale moonlight began to reveal itself, faint but unmistakable.

The moment I instinctively realized that the preparation was complete, a small surge of energy erupted inside me.

However, it was feeble, barely a flicker, and the power that had begun extending to my arms and legs dissipated almost instantly.

But right now, even that was enough.

Thud!

I pressed down hard on my leg, causing it to slip slightly on the marble floor.

Then, with a flash, the sword that had been drawn back shot forward like a beam of light.

Shwook—!

As I followed the gleaming moonlight, I suddenly understood: This sword technique had to flow like water—fluid, without interruption.

The gatekeeper hadn’t taught me everything.

And enlightenment often comes unannounced.

This was that moment—a sudden epiphany.

Clang!

The moonlight strike shattered against the examiner’s sword.

I had learned more than ten different forms, but now, under the moon’s glow, only two distinct forms remained crystal clear in my mind.

The radiant moonlight etched itself deep into my memory.

“Pass!”

The examiner announced my success, signaling the end of the trial.

As I waited for my rank badge, I looked down at my tingling hands.

The vivid sensation of the moonlight still lingered on my fingertips, making my heart race with excitement.

“Here.”

The examiner approached, handing me a bronze badge.

It was not the iron badge I had expected.

“Wait… This is Bronze?”

“Yes. And it’s yours.”

“…Is Bronze higher than Iron?”

He gave a firm nod, as if the answer should have been obvious.

Placing the bronze badge in my hand, he explained:

“Your form was polished. No bad habits, and you even demonstrated a hidden trump card to save your life. With more experience, you’ll reach Silver rank in no time.”

“But… I only took the Iron rank test.”

“So, you don’t want it?”

“N-No, that’s not it!”

I shook my head quickly at his question.

A higher rank would mean more privileges—why reject a good thing?

I tied the badge to my belt. It was light and didn’t seem like it would get in the way.

The examiner also handed me a small booklet detailing the benefits of each rank and the commission fees deducted from missions.

It seemed that the guild operated by taking a portion of adventurers’ earnings from completed missions.

With the booklet in hand, I returned to the inn.

As soon as I arrived, a small figure dashed toward me—it was Mary, the innkeeper’s daughter.

She waved excitedly but stopped short, her mouth snapping shut.

It was then I remembered: I hadn’t told her my name.

“Seris.”

Starting today, my new name was Seris.