People suddenly started paying attention to Khunak.
“??”
Doah instinctively took a step back as the crowd surged towards them.
“Who’s the girl next to him?”
“An S-class adventurer? You mean the Black Dragon, Khunak?”
“Yeah, they say he just returned.”
Wow. Wow.
It was like the scene when a celebrity shows up.
Some people watched from a distance or ignored him as they passed by, but many others approached to talk to him.
Khunak tugged on Doah’s arm and whispered to her.
“Let’s meet at the Silver Horseshoe Inn.”
Then, he pushed Doah out of the crowd with a gentle shove.
Before he was completely surrounded, Doah quickly led Sea King out of there.
“Unbelievable.”
She was bewildered but also relieved at the same time.
‘At least not everyone is avoiding him.’
There was a subtle boundary; people didn’t come too close but maintained a certain distance.
‘But he looks kind of tired…’
Even though he was smiling gently as always, he somehow looked exhausted.
His attire alone showed that he was being extremely cautious due to the influence he had on others.
The only exposed skin was above his neck.
It seemed he was worried about even his gloves coming off, as they were long and buckled tightly around his arms like arm guards.
His clothing was almost ascetic, borderline obsessive.
His outfit always included a hood, and Khunak often used it to cover his hair.
Doah observed both Khunak and the people around them.
The atmosphere wasn’t as fearful of Khunak as it had been in the towns they had passed through before.
Perhaps because this was a city of adventurers, they seemed more tolerant of S-class adventurers.
‘That’s a relief.’
As Doah thought this, smiling contentedly, she heard a voice nearby, as if someone wanted her to hear.
“Hmph, what’s so great about being S-class?”
“If it weren’t for that cursed sword, he’d be crawling on the ground.”
“He walks around shamelessly with that kind of power.”
“Spit, how can someone like that be S-class? The adventurers’ guild has gone downhill.”
“Shouldn’t we do things like we did in the old days? Burn him at the stake, confiscate the sword, and keep it somewhere safe. How can a cursed sword wielder just stroll into the middle of the city?”
“What is the Purification Squad even doing? What if the city gets contaminated?”
Doah frowned and turned her head. A group of men in adventurers’ gear was openly badmouthing Khunak.
Looking around with a broader perspective, the scene was different.
No one reacted to the loud insults.
Some people avoided Khunak, while others opened their windows, but some closed them.
‘I understand, but…’
Isn’t it too much to say in front of him that he should be burned at the stake?
Doah suppressed the rising anger and pulled Sea King closer.
She knew that arguing back in anger wouldn’t do any good.
As she moved away from the crowd, Doah looked around.
She tried to forcibly change her mood.
“Where is the Silver Horseshoe Inn?”
She deliberately spoke out loud as she walked along the road.
At that moment, a young boy approached and offered,
“Shall I guide you there?”
When Doah turned to look at him, Berry popped out of his bamboo container and shouted,
“Miss Doa, be careful! (He might be a pickpocket!)”
Hearing that, the boy widened his eyes in indignation and pointed to the badge on his collar to prove his innocence.
“I’m certified by the City Council’s Guide Association! Aren’t you the ones who might have stolen something? Especially since you’re a cat-person, that wouldn’t be surprising.”
“What did you say?”
Berry hissed, his fur bristling.
“It’s fine,” Doah said, then asked the boy, “How much?”
“One coin,”
The boy answered confidently.
One coin was roughly equivalent to about a thousand won, which could be around ten thousand won considering inflation. It could be seen as expensive or reasonable depending on the perspective.
“Alright. Do you know where the Silver Horseshoe Inn is?”
The boy grinned.
“Of course. Follow me.”
The boy took off his hat, nodded respectfully, and started walking ahead.
Doah looked at Berry, who squinted his eyes and whispered,
“I’ll keep an eye on him. Don’t worry. If he’s a thief, I’ll… No, I’ll just keep an eye on him.”
“Okay.”
Doah smiled and began to walk.
As she observed her surroundings, the unpleasant feelings from earlier washed away.
Gran was more fantastical and wealthier than any town she had ever seen.
The streets were entirely paved with stones.
She was amazed that there was no dirt road.
There was even a separate road for carriages and drivers.
People who didn’t walk on that road had to dismount and lead their horses on foot.
Sea King seemed fascinated, looking around curiously in all directions.
There were many strange-looking drivers as well.
Doah was impressed by the Great Horned Deer, one of the potential drivers.
There were also many Thule people walking around.
Not only cat people but also tall wolf-people and deer-people caught her eye.
She also noticed a shop selling talismans called ‘Azure Nazac.’
“You see that Azure Nazac shop over there? That area is full of shops catering to adventurers. You might want to check them out later.”
“Wouldn’t it be too hectic to do that now?”
“It’s best to first leave your driver and luggage at the inn. If you give them the inn’s address, they’ll even deliver your purchases there.”
“Oh, that’s great.”
Doah nodded in agreement.
Following the boy’s lead, they turned through several alleys until they arrived at a street lined with inns, bustling with people trying to attract customers.
“This is the newly opened inn, Blue Petals! We’ve got a large stable for your drivers!”
“This is the Thousand-Year Inn, Red Brick, which started along with Gran! Stay for two nights or more, and enjoy a complimentary breakfast! Experience Gran’s history!”
“Our inn offers a package that includes renting a driver! Come in for a consultation!”
The boy confidently pushed through the crowd of people trying to lure them in and finally arrived at the Silver Horseshoe Inn.
“This is the Silver Horseshoe Inn.”
Doah smiled and handed the boy a coin.
“Thank you. Could you wait for me? I’d like you to guide me to the adventurers’ guild next.”
“Of course.”
The boy lightly tapped his chest in assurance.
Doah entered the inn.
It was undoubtedly the best inn she had ever visited.
The walls were cleanly plastered, and the wooden floors shone without a speck of dirt.
It had been a while since she’d seen such large glass windows.
Thanks to the windows, the interior was bright even without lamps.
The first floor was a dining area, and the second and third floors were for rooms.
There were even different room grades.
Shared rooms and private rooms.
Even though there were only two levels, it was still a significant improvement, so Doah was impressed and booked a private room.
After paying a deposit and receiving her key, she went upstairs to the second floor, her heart racing.
‘It really feels like something out of a fantasy.’
Doah put down her luggage and entrusted Sea King to the inn.
Although Berry wanted to come along, she left him in the room to explain to Khunak why she had stepped out if he arrived.
Feeling lighter, Doah stepped outside and spoke to the boy.
“Could you take me to the adventurers’ guild?”
“Are you going there to register?”
“Yes.”
The boy nodded at Doah’s answer and said,
“I hope you make it to A-rank adventurer.”
“Oh, about those ranks… Are they determined by exams?”
“Ah, no. For A-rank, the guild master decides based on how many quests the adventurer has completed and their reputation. B-rank is determined by an exam held once every three years. For C-rank and D-rank, you have to work your way up step by step. Below that, your skills are assessed when you register as an adventurer.”
“Really? So there’s no way to start directly as a B or A-rank?”
“No.”
Doah was taken aback by the boy’s response.
‘This can’t be happening.’
It meant she would inevitably have to start as an F-rank adventurer.
‘This can’t be happening.’
Doah was momentarily stunned but quickly shook it off.
Meanwhile, the boy continued explaining the adventurer ranks to her.
To put it simply, adventurer ranks were similar to school grades.
If compared to the math section, for example:
A-rank would be like the top 1% in math.
They made up about 2-3% of all adventurers.
B-rank would be the next level, representing the top 8-9%.
C-rank covered a broader range, from the 3rd to the 5th level.
And below that, the ranks continued in order.
So what about S-rank?
They were like the prodigies who graduated high school early and were invited to prestigious overseas universities.
‘It seems I shouldn’t underestimate C-rank.’
According to the boy, there were so many adventurers that C-rank was divided into regular C-rank and special C-rank.
‘Well, C-rank does cover a wide range.’
Doah nodded as she organized this information in her mind.
The fact that reputation also mattered for achieving B-rank made sense now.
After all, you wouldn’t want a B-rank adventurer who was a crazy murderer.
At the very least, you needed to ensure they worked for the people.
Reputation obviously didn’t mean infamy.
Only then could the adventurers’ guild vouch for their identity.
“Look over there, that’s the pride of our free city—the Dungeon Core.”
The boy pointed to the Dungeon Core floating atop an obelisk in the middle of the plaza.
“It’s huge!”
Doah was astonished.
The giant crystal, which would take both her arms to embrace, was shining brightly.
A Dungeon Core.
It refers to the core energy source that sustains a dungeon.
Removing that Dungeon Core would cause the dungeon to close.
The Dungeon Core, being a pure energy crystal, was used as a power source for many things.
Since there’s only one Core per dungeon, they are extremely valuable.
And that one was so large…
“It’s the first S-rank Dungeon Core that the first adventurer, Ha Jin, conquered when the free city of Gran was founded. Even after a thousand years, it’s still going strong. According to the mages, it will keep functioning for another thousand years.”
The boy’s voice was full of pride for his city.
Doah nodded.
‘Ha Jin, you’re amazing.’
Even though she had never met her, Ha Jin was clearly remarkable.
To create a city that endures for a thousand years.
As they approached the adventurers’ guild, Doah felt her excitement rising.
Ding ding
🍓🍓🍓
Subquest Activated!
Save the Adventurers’ Guild Master!
A dark cloud looms over the adventurers’ guild master. Follow him secretly and save his life!
Reward:
– 300 World Tree Points
🍓🍓🍓
Just as Doah was about to review the quest details, another notification sounded.
Ding ding
🍓🍓🍓
Main Quest
Chapter 1: The Beginning of the Journey
Ask the adventurers’ guild master about the ‘Shining Spring.’
Reward:
– Frozen Pouch
🍓🍓🍓
‘Frozen Pouch!’
Doah thought. It seemed like an item that would keep things frozen inside it.
‘Should I go register at the adventurers’ guild first? I’m almost there anyway.’
Ding ding
🌼🌼🌼
The guild master has departed!
🌼🌼🌼
What?
Doah quickly checked her quest log.
In any case, she had to meet the adventurers’ guild master.
‘If I don’t save the guild master and he dies, will the main quest be blocked? Or can I continue it through someone else?’
For a moment, Doah pondered the implications of open-world quests, but she quickly shook her head.
If this were a real game, the main quest might indeed get blocked, but this was reality.
There were probably other people who had the information she needed.
‘Even so, I should try to save him.’
After a brief hesitation, Doah snapped her fingers twice to close the quest window and looked around.
“I need to take care of something else now. Thanks for guiding me so far, and sorry.”
She tossed a coin to the startled boy and then began to walk quickly.
Since the main quest didn’t provide a guide, the shining golden light was definitely for the subquest.
In other words, it was meant to help her follow the guild master.
Doah hurriedly started walking toward the light.
Gran was an enormous city.
Doah was amazed at the sheer scale of it.
‘Well, it is about the size of a small country…’
How many districts had she passed through?
The salty scent of the sea and the wide-open view suddenly filled her senses.
“Wow!”
Doah exclaimed.
She could see large sailing ships floating on the sea.
The sight of ships lined up at the docks was enough to make anyone gasp in awe.
The salty breeze and the cries coming from all directions added to the atmosphere.
‘This is incredible. Wait, focus. I need to follow him.’
Doah hurriedly searched for the golden light again.
‘Ah, there it is.’
The light was connected to an ordinary-looking man.
‘If he just walks around like that, everyone will know he’s the guild master.’
Could he be using a transformation spell?
Should I confirm his real identity?
Doah reached into her pocket but then pulled her hand back.
She had learned a basic spell that could see through transformation magic.
‘But is it really necessary to go that far to confirm his true identity? What should I do?’
As she stared at him, the man seemed to feel her gaze and looked back.
“!”
Doah quickly pretended not to notice and started walking as if nothing happened.
She could still feel the man’s gaze on her.
‘Ah, I’m really bad at this,’
Doah thought to herself as she felt her limbs stiffening awkwardly.
