Chapter 12: First time in Adventurer guild

Moments passed.

Lylia slouched in her chair, staring at the plate in front of her with a face full of betrayal.

The chunk of bread on it was still almost whole, perfectly intact. That is, aside from the tiny corner piece she’d cut and eaten earlier. That was all she’d managed.

"…Seriously?" she muttered, poking it with her knife as if it were personally mocking her.

Her stomach felt… full. Completely, surprisingly full. Which was absurd, because she hadn’t eaten that much. Just a single piece of bread! Not even whole! Back when she was a guy, this would’ve been the appetizer before the actual meal.

It didn’t take long for the grim truth to dawn on her.

'Well, it's obviously because I'm a girl now...' she whispered, horrified.

Her capacity for food had been nerfed.

She slumped back in her seat, groaning dramatically.

"Is this a blessing or a curse? Less food means less spending… but also… no more food binges…" She placed the back of her hand against her forehead like a tragic heroine.

After a long moment of fake mourning, her mood shifted. "…Actually, since I’m broke, this is… kinda great" she admitted, eyes sparkling with sudden optimism. "One meal, and I’m set for the whole day! Free savings!"

Then, the stairs creaked.

There were footsteps.

When she looked up, she spotted Slade descending, looking exactly the same as yesterday, and probably already done judging her existence.

"Heeey, Slade!" she called out cheerfully, waving.

He gave her a single glance… then promptly sat at a table far away from hers.

Lylia’s jaw dropped. "…"

For a moment, she sat frozen in shock. Then her lips curled into a mischievous smirk.

"Oh, you think you can escape me?"

She tucked her book into her pocket, tucked her staff under her arm, and boldly carried her plate and coffee over to his table.

"Good morning, Mr. Slade," she greeted, setting her things down and sitting across from him like she owned the place.

Slade gave her a single, curt nod. "…Morning."

Her smile didn’t falter. "How was your sleep?"

"Normal."

"That’s great!" she said brightly. "Normal means no nightmares, no disturbances, no creepy ghost haunting you in your sleep. Which means… normal actually equals a great sleep, don’t you agree?"

"…I guess so."

Lylia grinned at his bluntness, giggling softly to herself.

Slade gave her a look, eyebrows slightly furrowed. "…What’s so funny?"

"Oh, nothing." She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "I just think it’s cute that you don’t know what’s coming."

Slade blinked slowly, suspicious. "…What’s coming?"

"Me, disturbing your peace." She grinned wickedly. "Speaking of which, aren’t you supposed to be giving me a tour? You promised to take me to the Adventurers Guild."

Slade stared at her silently for a moment… then let out a resigned sigh. "I was headed there anyway."

"Hehe~" Lylia’s grin widened, victory secured.

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By the time Slade finished eating, Lylia had her leftover bread neatly wrapped thanks to the kind receptionist. Not only that, after turning on her cutest expression and pleading voice, she managed to score extra bread tucked inside a paper bag.

So now, both her hands were completely full as she walked beside Slade on the streets.

"Hehehe…" She giggled under her breath, pleased with her latest success. "Cuteness truly is power."

But soon, the weight of her loot caught up with her. She glanced at Slade’s empty hands and sighed dramatically.

"You know, Slade," she said, trying to sound pitiful, "there’s this poor young girl struggling to carry things in both hands…

"I only have one," he replied flatly without looking at her.

"…Yes, but that one hand is currently doing nothing," she countered with a sharp grin.

Slade didn’t even bother replying. Instead, he stopped and nodded ahead. "We’re here."

"Oh? Really?" Lylia craned her neck to look.

Before them stood a sturdy two-story stone-and-wood building. The sign above the entrance was weathered, etched with a crossed sword and staff. Lanterns glowed faintly on either side of the doorway, and the faint hum of voices leaked through the cracks.

"Ooooh," she breathed, impressed. "Yup, it definitely gives off that adventurers guild vibe."

Inside, the air smelled faintly of smoke and alcohol, this early morning. The main hall had wooden floors scuffed from countless boots, a quest board on one wall pinned with papers, and several tables scattered about. There weren’t many people this early, but the few who were there… were terrifying.

Muscle-bound men with enormous swords, scarred faces, and rough voices. A couple of shady-looking types hunched in a corner whispering like plotting criminals.

Even the slightly more decent ones looked like they could break her in half with a single flick.

Lylia swallowed nervously. 'Yup. Adventurers Guild. Definitely.'

She subtly shifted behind Slade, using him as a human shield as she tiptoed along. 'Good thing I came with him… I’m way too cute and vulnerable for this kind of environment. Hehe.'

They approached the counter, where a receptionist in a tidy green uniform greeted them warmly. "Welcome, Mr. Slade. How may I help you today?"

Slade gestured over his shoulder. "The girl behind me wants to apply."

The receptionist leaned to the side, finally spotting Lylia peeking out from behind him. "Oh! I see." She smiled kindly. "Would you like me to explain how the Adventurers Guild operates?"

Before Lylia could reply, Slade’s voice came in dry and sarcastic. "Yes, please explain everything. She’s been living in the mountains, training under waterfalls like some monk every single day to become a mage."

Lylia’s mouth fell open. "Hey! What’s wrong with my backstory?!"

The receptionist giggled. Lylia crossed her arms and huffed, then said, "Yes, please. An explanation would be great."

Even though she had an idea how adventurer guilds worked, it was safer not to assume anything in this new world.

As the receptionist explained, it turned out to be exactly like the fantasy clichés she’d expected. The ranks from F to S, quests ranging from simple errands to monster hunts, and rewards based on difficulty.

Lylia nodded along, muttering, "Yup. Classic."

"Now then," the receptionist continued, pulling out a form. "May I have your name?"

"Lylia."

"Your age?"

"Seventeen," she answered firmly. It was decided now. There is no going back to being sixteen.

"And your occupation?"

"…You mean like, ‘mage,’ right?"

"Understood." The receptionist smiled. "Please follow me."

Lylia blinked. "Where?"

"This way." She gestured to a pair of doors beside the counter and led the way.

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Inside was a small office. Simple desk, a couple of chairs… and most importantly, a strange glass orb sitting in the center of the desk. It swirled faintly with white fog, like a tiny trapped storm.

"Ooooh." Lylia’s attention locked onto it immediately. "Shiny."

She turned to see Slade standing outside the doorway. "You’re not coming in?"

"You don’t need me there," he said flatly.

"Boo, fine." She pouted as the door closed behind her.

The receptionist smiled reassuringly. "This will only take a short moment."

"…Short moment for what exactly?" Lylia asked warily.

"Do you see the orb on the desk? That’s an aptitude detector."

"Aptitude… like, whether I can only use fire magic, water magic, wind magic, and so on, right?"

"Exactly," the receptionist confirmed. "Please place your hands on it and pour a bit of mana inside."

"Got it. Can I set my stuff here first?" Lylia asked, holding up her bread and staff.

"Of course."

Once her hands were free, she stepped up to the orb, closed her eyes, and pressed her palms gently against its cool surface. She took a deep breath.

'Okay. Just… pour mana, right? Simple.'

Then her face stiffened. 'Wait. How do I pour mana?'

Her thoughts spiraled into silent panic. Seconds ticked by as she stood there, sweating internally.

Finally, in desperation, she just… exhaled.

To her surprise, something inside her chest stirred. Then, the next moment, a warm current flowed from her body straight into the orb. The fog within began to swirl wildly.

Lylia’s eyes snapped open. "Whoa! Did I… do it right?"

"Yes," the receptionist said with a pleased smile. "Now wait a few seconds. The orb will change color depending on your aptitude."

Relieved, Lylia leaned closer, anticipation bubbling inside her chest.

Then, the fog shifted. Colors began to bloom.

Not just one color. But many.

Red. Blue. Green. Brown. Violet. Sky blue. White. Black. The entire orb shimmered like a swirling rainbow storm, impossibly vibrant and alive.