Early the next morning, Lena left the villa early and headed to the Adventurers’ Guild.
No, it should be Dorothy now.
She dispelled her magical disguise, transforming into the appearance of the Silverbloom Sword Princess. Donning a black robe, she feared passersby might recognize her.
However, her worries were clearly unfounded. Amidst the surge of countless new adventurers, the Silverbloom Sword Princess had long been relegated to oblivion.
After walking a few streets, she arrived before the Adventurers’ Guild.
The building stood in the heart of Vidona, sunlight striking its glass windows and reflecting a dazzling glare.
“The Adventurers’ Guild…”
Gazing at the structure, Dorothy murmured, never having imagined she would step foot here again.
After starting her new life, she had thought her days as an adventurer were over. Yet, fate, it seemed, had other plans.
After a brief moment of reflection, she stepped inside the guild.
A cacophony of chatter immediately filled her ears. Numerous people stood in the hall, their attire, to varying degrees, peculiar. Various weapons adorned their bodies, and some blades even bore traces of blood.
Most of them were adventurers, some having just returned from hunting magical beasts.
Surrounding Vidona was an Eerie Forest, home to numerous magical beasts that frequently threatened the safety of those venturing outside the city. Thus, adventurers often ventured out to hunt these creatures, returning their corpses for corresponding gold coins.
“Hello, how may I help you?”
Approaching the front desk, Dorothy was met by Liss, the receptionist, who offered a professional smile.
Dorothy pulled down her black hood further and replied softly, “I wish to apply as an instructor for Celia’s squad.”
“Celia?” Liss seemed not to have heard clearly, repeating the name loudly, which drew the gazes of nearby adventurers.
Celia was quite the celebrity within Vidona’s Adventurers’ Guild. Many who had previously sought to become her instructor immediately distanced themselves upon learning her family was the Fiona.
Others who had attempted to leverage Celia to curry favor with the Fiona family had also secretly learned their lesson, becoming remarkably well-behaved and avoiding Celia at all costs.
This person still wanted to be Celia’s squad instructor?
Many adventurers’ gazes turned amused.
“Are you sure you mean Celia’s squad?”
“I am.”
“Ahem, haven’t you heard about her family background? That’s the Fiona family, and they don’t want anyone to become her instructor.”
Liss whispered a reminder, giving Dorothy a knowing look, as if urging her to face reality.
But Dorothy merely pretended not to notice, nodding as she said, “I know.”
“Even so, you still wish to become their squad’s instructor?”
“Yes.”
At this moment, an older adventurer nearby couldn’t stand by any longer. Leaning his forearm on the counter, he angled his body and advised:
“Miss, I take it you’re an outsider adventurer? Becoming that squad’s instructor will offend the Fiona family. Those people will secretly make trouble for you.”
“If anything happens, don’t say we didn’t warn you.”
Dorothy hadn’t anticipated the Fiona family would instill such fear in adventurers. She involuntarily tightened her grip on her black robe, her resolve to become Celia’s squad instructor only strengthening.
Thanking the kindly advising man, she turned her gaze back to Liss, her intent quite clear.
Seeing her persuasion was fruitless, Liss could only sigh, holding out her palm. “Then please present your adventurer’s badge. I’ll register it.”
Ignoring the sympathetic glances from other adventurers, Dorothy retrieved a silver-white badge from a pocket in her dress and handed it to Liss.
“Will this suffice?”
“This is…”
Taking the badge, Liss realized it was entirely different from the ones she usually saw.
Typical adventurer badges were bronze-yellow, bearing only fixed patterns and numbers indicating an adventurer’s identity and strength. This one, however, was not only silver-white but also exquisitely engraved with a blooming flower.
The flower had eight petals, exceptionally beautiful. Beyond that, the badge bore no inscribed number.
By all appearances, it didn’t resemble an adventurer’s badge at all.
“I haven’t updated my badge in a long time. Is it still valid?”
“I apologize.”
Facing the black-robed girl’s inquiry, Liss placed the badge on the counter and pushed it back to her.
She had never heard of the Adventurers’ Guild issuing such a badge.
“Could you perhaps let Guild Master Sharlene take a look? She might recognize this badge.” Dorothy didn’t take back the badge, replying with a hint of request.
Liss initially intended to refuse, but when she met the girl’s hopeful gaze, the words of refusal caught in her throat.
Fingering the cool badge, she hesitated for a moment before letting out a sigh.
“Alright.”
Though she felt the black-robed girl didn’t look like an adventurer at all, Liss picked up the badge, asked a colleague to mind the front desk, and headed alone to the Guild Master’s office.
*Knock, knock, knock—*
Ascending to the second floor, she knocked on the office door.
“Come in.”
Upon receiving permission, Liss pushed the door open and entered.
Seated behind her desk, Sharlene set down the documents in her hand and looked up at Liss. The golden chain on her spectacles swayed slightly with her movement.
“Oh? Liss, is there something you need?”
“Guild Master, someone wishes to become an instructor for Celia’s squad. This is supposedly their adventurer’s badge.”
Liss wasted no time, directly handing the badge in her hand to Sharlene.
Upon hearing the first half of Liss’s sentence, Sharlene’s heart skipped a beat. After taking the adventurer’s badge, she fell silent.
A silver-white flower, eight petals…
The appearance of the badge struck her as somewhat familiar, as if she had seen it before.
Frowning in deep recollection, she gradually remembered.
This was… the Silverbloom Sword Princess’s badge?!
She was still alive?!
*Bang—!*
Sharlene shot to her feet, slamming her hands onto the table with a loud bang. The excitement on her face was utterly impossible to conceal.
“Where is she?!”
Never having seen the Guild Master so agitated, Liss recoiled several steps in fright, her breathing quickening from the shock.
Realizing her lapse in composure, Sharlene placed a fisted hand before her lips, feigning a cough. Then, suppressing her emotions, she asked again, her voice trembling, “Where is she?”
“Sh-she should be waiting in the hall…”
Before Liss could finish speaking, Sharlene had already left her seat, striding out of the office with hurried steps. Witnessing this, Liss’s confusion deepened even further.
It was the first time she had ever seen the Guild Master so flustered. Could that black-robed girl truly be such a powerful adventurer?
If so, to withstand the pressure of the Fiona family and become Celia’s instructor…
Wouldn’t she at least be an adventurer with her own title?
A Sixth-Tier?!
Her delicate body trembled, and Liss quickly followed Guild Master Sharlene.
Adventurers with titles rarely visited Vidona, and she certainly didn’t want to miss the chance to get acquainted with the black-robed girl!