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"Posting a request is 15 copper, plus the reward," the woman droned, her voice flat and devoid of any enthusiasm. "And if you have a complaint, come back first thing in the morning. We only handle those then." Robert chuckled, finding the woman''s monotone rather amusing. "Actually," he said, "I''m not here to post a request or lodge a complaint. Though I doubt anyone here has given me cause for the latter." He leaned in slightly, his curiosity piqued. "I''m simply looking for some information." The woman''s expression grew even more listless, if that were possible. "Questions will cost you, too," she mumbled, her gaze drifting towards some unseen point in the distance. Robert''s amusement grew. "Is everyone in this town determined to charge me for mere conversation?" he wondered aloud. Shaking his head, he continued, "Never mind. I only have a couple of simple questions. Firstly, what''s the process for joining the guild, both for myself and my apprentice? And secondly, do you have any information on suitable low-level dungeons in the area? I''m looking for ideal training grounds for my student."
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Robert''s question seemed to inject a spark of life into the woman. "Well, that''s different," she said, straightening slightly. "Though you might not be eligible to join. We have high standards here." Her words were punctuated by a snort of laughter from one of the adventurers lounging in the hall. "Standards?" he scoffed. "Elsie, you know as well as I do that this guild is so desperate we''d take a milkmaid if she could swing a sword." Elsie shot the adventurer a withering glare. "That''s quite enough from you," she snapped. "Do I need to fetch the Guild Master, and have you personally explain your disparaging remarks to her?"
"Oh, relax, Elsie," the adventurer drawled, dismissing her with a lazy wave of his hand. "Just a bit of harmless fun. No need to get your feathers ruffled." Elsie, however, remained unimpressed. She fixed the adventurer with a final glare before turning back to Robert, her professional composure fully restored. "To join the guild," she stated, "you must be at least level 20. Unless, of course, you have a full member sponsoring you." She paused, adding with a touch of official formality, "As for information on suitable dungeons, that is restricted to guild members only."
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"Level 20 won''t be a problem," Robert assured her, a confident smile playing on his lips. "My apprentice, however, is only level 15. I''m confident I can help her reach the requirement, though." He leaned forward, curiosity sparkling in his eyes. "So, what''s the process for joining?" Elsie pulled out a form and slid it across the worn counter. "Fill this out," she instructed, "and then we''ll need to verify your level." She hesitated, a slight frown creasing her brow. "If you don''t mind my asking, what level are you currently at? My Identify skill seems to be... malfunctioning." Robert hesitated, a flicker of unease crossing his face. "Is that strictly necessary?" he inquired, his voice smooth but cautious. "I can assure you I''m well above level 20. Above 30, even. But I''m not entirely comfortable disclosing such personal information."
"I think we can skip that part," a melodic voice interjected from behind them. Turning, Robert found himself facing a woman who seemed to glide down the stairs at the back of the room. He was struck not only by her undeniable beauty but also by the captivating sight of her hair – a cascade of auburn braids shot through with streaks of silver, interwoven with feathers that hinted at a life spent in the wilds. "Guildmaster," Elsie exclaimed, her voice laced with a newfound respect. The woman''s moss-green eyes settled on Robert, a hint of amusement dancing in their depths. "Well now," she drawled, her voice rich and warm, "it''s not often we get someone of your power here in Oakhaven. What brings you to our humble guild?"
"And what makes you think I''m powerful, Miss?" Robert asked, a hint of challenge in his tone, though he couldn''t help but admire the woman''s self-assured presence. "Lysandra Swiftbow," she replied, her voice smooth as polished amber. "I''m the guild master here, and the reason is simple." A knowing smile curved her lips. "I have a high-level Tier 4 Identify skill, and I get nothing back from you. Not even your name." Her eyes glinted with amusement. "Which means you are at least three tiers higher than me in your protection skill. So, Tier 7." Lysandra paused, letting the weight of her words sink in. Then, her voice dropped to a near whisper, sending a shiver down Robert''s spine. "And the fact that my danger sense skill is screaming at me to run for my life... pretty much seals the deal." A hush fell over the guild hall. Every eye turned towards Robert, their expressions a mixture of awe and apprehension. The air crackled with tension, the silence broken only by the soft rustle of feathers in Lysandra''s hair. He could feel their gazes, heavy with a newfound respect, tinged with a healthy dose of fear.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Robert''s smile held a trace of melancholy. "Don''t worry," he said, his voice gentle. "I''m here because... well, the System, fate, whatever you want to call it, brought me here. I''m still trying to figure out exactly where ''here'' is, and I need a safe haven to help my student begin her training." He paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "I came to the guild hoping it might be able to assist me with both. If not, that''s alright, I''ll find another way." Lysandra spoke, her tone softening. "No, no, the guild is here to help everyone. If we can assist you and your student, it would be our honor. But you must understand, my first duty is to the guild, and then to the city. I need to ensure their safety. If you mean no harm, then I''ll be the first to welcome you with open arms. The gods know this town could use another powerful presence." Robert''s smile widened, a hint of mischief glinting in his eyes. "Still unsure about the ''resident'' part," he admitted. "Though I''ve been told the town would be quite pleased to have a high-tier enchanter living and working here, plying their trade."
Elsie''s eyes widened, and she leaned forward eagerly. "Did you say enchanter? The guild would be thrilled to have one on hand! Please forgive me if I overstepped." Robert chuckled, a warm, rumbling sound. "No harm done. My skin''s a lot thicker than that." Elsie tilted her head, a puzzled frown creasing her brow. "I don''t understand. What does your skin have to do with anything?" Robert shook his head, a smile playing on his lips. "Sorry, it''s an old expression from where I''m from. It just means I don''t offend easily. Now, about joining... what''s required, and what''s the damage to my coin purse?"
Lysandra stepped in smoothly. "Normally, it''s a silver piece to join, but I think we can waive that as an apology. While you aren''t required to provide full details on your levels and skills, we do need a general idea to assign appropriate missions." Robert nodded. "Understandable. And I insist on paying the silver. As I said, no offense taken. I won''t give exact numbers, but let''s say I''m comfortably above level 40. As for skills, I have a few different schools of magic at my disposal, and I''m rather proficient with my sword." As if to demonstrate, Robert drew The Silent Judgment from its sheath. The blade seemed to drink the light, and a collective gasp rippled through the room.
"Is that... is that mithril?" one of the adventurers stammered. "Did you make that yourself? If that''s the kind of work you can do, this town is way too small for you, and we certainly can''t afford your services!" Robert realized his misstep instantly. "No, no," he said quickly, "it''s a dungeon reward." He winced inwardly, knowing that had only made things worse. Elsie''s eyes were like saucers. "If that dropped in a dungeon, then you''re far beyond level 40! That had to be from a level 80 or 90 dungeon! Are you here to take over the guild?" Robert sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Sorry, but that sounds like far too much paperwork. No, I''m just here to get a feel for the area, train my apprentice, and hopefully find a nice, quiet place to settle down for the next few centuries." Lysandra, who had been listening intently, raised an eyebrow. "Few centuries, huh? Okay, so closer to level 60 then. Tell you what," she said, her voice turning businesslike, "why don''t you come up to my office, and we''ll discuss this further?" She gestured towards the stairs, leading Robert away from the now-buzzing crowd.