Episode 134
Justice, Hanna, and the three other recruits made their way to the Adventurer’s Guild’s Imperial branch. Despite the time constraints, they chose to walk instead of taking a carriage. Arriving in a fancy carriage for adventurer registration would seem suspicious.
“Is it… wise to register as a party from the start?”
Hanna, harboring a crush on the Tower Master and a deep admiration for Yuri, was eager to prove herself. This was her first mission outside the tower, and she couldn’t shake her nerves.
“It’ll be fine. It’s not common, but it’s not unheard of. It might even help us stand out. And…”
“And?”
“There’s a… different procedure for party registrations. You’ll see.”
Their mission was to infiltrate the guild leadership, not to become ordinary adventurers. They avoided carriages to avoid being identified as nobles, but this “different procedure” intrigued Justice. He saw an opportunity.
“Do you have… experience with infiltration, Justice-nim?”
Hanna asked, noticing his calmness.
“I’ve handled… various missions.”
The Imperial Knights. Their official duty was to protect the Imperial family, but they also handled covert operations, risking their lives for the Emperor and the Empire.
“I’ve become… desensitized to… many things.”
“Ah… I see…”
Hanna, a rookie, couldn’t relate.
“How long have you been with the Knights?”
“Three years.”
To be considered for a captaincy after only three years… he was clearly skilled, though not on the same level as Dustin, who started as a captain.
“Why did you volunteer for this mission?”
“I… wanted to meet… people I admire.”
A flicker of emotion crossed Justice’s usually impassive face.
“Dustin-nim, you mean?”
He would know about Dustin’s heroic reputation. Even Hanna, who worked at the Magic Tower, knew about him.
“He’s… an obvious choice… and… this might sound strange, but… it’s a kind of… reverence… for the strong…”
“You mean Yuri-nim?”
Hanna, noticing his hesitant, self-deprecating tone, spoke up.
“Y-Yes… I wasn’t sure I would be able to meet her, but… there were rumors that Dustin-nim went to see the Great Sage after leaving the palace, so…”
“You volunteered hoping to meet her?”
“Yes…”
He blushed, his rapid speech slowing down.
“…I apologize for my… outburst.”
“It’s alright. It was… rather endearing. So, you… like Yuri-nim?”
“Not romantically. She’s… like… an unreachable celestial being.”
Hanna realized Justice held Yuri in similar regard to those in the Magic Tower.
“In our tower, Yuri-nim is practically a goddess.”
“Yes, I agree. Only a god could rival her.”
They shared the same sentiment. It wasn’t just them. All of Yuri’s disciples felt the same way, even Lia, the Saintess.
“We’re here. Be careful what you say.”
Justice’s face became impassive again, and they nodded.
“We’d like to register as adventurers.”
“As a party? Fill this out.”
The clerk’s dismissive tone was… familiar. The form was different from the individual registration form. It required information about party composition, leadership, and individual skills.
“When can we take the test?”
Hanna, who had been told there was no test, looked at Justice with a puzzled expression, but the clerk simply replied,
“Anytime.”
“As soon as possible, then.”
Justice filled out the form and handed it back. The clerk checked it and gave them a slip of paper with a time and location.
“Let’s go.”
Room 32. In ten minutes.
Hanna nudged Justice as they walked.
“What was that about?”
He shrugged.
“I told you there was a different procedure for parties. This is it. A test.”
“Why only for parties?”
“That’s what we’re here to find out.”
He put a finger to his lips, silencing her. Hanna understood, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was… off. Why a test? Especially when they weren’t actually assessing their skills. Perhaps it was a way to gauge their strength and make it easier for the leadership to approach them.
“Welcome. You’re Justice-nim, the leader?”
“Yes.”
They entered Room 32, and a small, unassuming man greeted them with a friendly smile.
“How will the test be conducted?”
“You mentioned the test first, so I assumed you were familiar with the procedure. It seems you’re not.”
“I just heard rumors. I have some… adventurer acquaintances who registered as a party.”
“I see.”
Justice wasn’t sure what to expect. A combat test? A mission? The room had a strange, ominous aura, despite being brightly lit. The dark corridors and the room itself… it was unsettling.
“The test is simple. Choose a difficulty level. From easiest to hardest. Choose wisely, based on your party’s strength.”
“What rank do adventurers who choose the hardest difficulty usually receive?”
“S-rank, guaranteed. If they clear it, of course.”
So, a high reward, but a high risk.
“What happens if we fail?”
“You can apply for a retest.”
Which meant no S-rank. A clear warning not to overestimate their abilities. Justice smiled faintly.
“We’ll take the hardest difficulty.”
“Confident, are we? I’ll explain the test then.”
Justice noticed the glint in the man’s eyes.
‘The right choice, it seems.’
He felt like he was one step closer to the leadership.
“We have a dedicated testing area. You’ll encounter monsters that resemble… demons.”
“Demons?”
He had never heard of such monsters, not even during his time in the Imperial Knights.
“We developed them for the test. Please keep this confidential.”
Demon-like monsters developed for the test? Something felt wrong. The Adventurer’s Guild was a private organization. Powerful, but not on the level of a nation. And yet, they had a military-grade testing facility? It didn’t make sense.
“If you can’t continue, request a halt. Our guards will rescue you. Don’t be reckless. It could be fatal.”
The man handed Justice a document.
“A confidentiality agreement. Sign this before proceeding.”
The paper emanated an ominous aura.
“…Alright.”
After everyone signed, the man led them towards the basement.
‘…This place is unsettling. The atmosphere, this man… everything feels wrong.’
He didn’t know what the Adventurer’s Guild was planning, but it was clearly something sinister.