There it is, the Adventurers’ Guild. A modest building. Almost too modest, a quintessential part of the city. It practically blends into its surroundings, like it couldn’t not exist. For what is contained within, is one of the forces standing before damnation... That guide might have gotten to me.


    Overexaggerated descriptions aside, that is generally correct. While the Adventurers’ Guild is somewhat autonomous, it is still tightly intertwined with the ‘human’ country. The Guild is a large and professional organization, that not only trains and evaluates new adventurers for managing dungeons, but practically supplies almost half of the raw materials and roughly thirty percent of the food utilized nationwide. It is the largest single part of the economy.


    The traffic in and out of the building is not an indicator of any of that. Hardly anyone enters or leaves the halls, but that is to be expected. Most adventurers are either on a delve, resting, or training. One does not need to spend a lot of time to pick up their next mission.


    I enter the building and find myself in a cozy wooden interior. Warm colors and welcoming decorations are everywhere. The lobby contains everything that is open to the public and to most members. On one side is the counter, lined with the helpful attendants—another fantasy classic—on the other are chairs, tables, sofas. A place for people to wait, relax, socialize. It feels inviting, comforting, the kind of place where you would find people who risk their lives for others every day.


    Tucked away in a corner, but not hidden, I spot something that I knew would be here. Remembrance. For those that have fallen. I know almost all of them already. I know their loved ones, their friends, their pain. As I memorize the others, I almost clench my fists.


    These loss of control moments have become more frequent. Has my emotional state deteriorated, or has it finally started to actually develop. Ever since I came to this world, I feel different. I... feel.


    Focus, time to act my part. I am excited but also extremely nervous. Fidget a little bit while looking around. Perfect. Contemplate about leaving. Check. Gather up courage and stomp to the counter with obviously faked moxie. Initiate.


    I follow my amazing plan and wind up in front of a free attendant. It appears time has come for one of my hardest decisions. The woman in front of me appears to be in her early twenties. Her name is Ania. Auburn hair in an intricate braid. Dark brown, almost black eyes, deep and inquisitive. Her smile is radiant and welcoming. If she is faking her customer service persona, she is a much better actor than I. That would be terrifying. The big question, do I address her as {Best approximation: ‘ma’am’} or {Best approximation: ‘miss’}. My character would most definitely use ‘ma’am’ as she is a presumed authority figure in a large organization. But she is only a few years older than who I am presenting myself as, that would be really rude. I take two more nanoseconds to study her. Okay, this is how I will play it.


    “He-Hello, miss. I would like to register,” I say in a tiny voice, blush a little bit, and start nervously looking around the room like there might be hidden treasure somewhere. Masterfully executed.


    “Welcome to the Adventurers’ Guild. I can certainly help you with that. Could I see your identification card, please,” she says her greeting and makes a subtle move behind the counter, where I could not be able to see if I were a human.


    I try to look embarrassed for not having my ID ready. This situation is certainly a rare one. Normally, people joining the guild would first start off as trainees, where they would be educated in all manner of combat, magical techniques, and survival knowledge. Unaffiliated persons are, of course, allowed to join, but there are stricter requirements. And of those that do join this way, a very small part are this young. Delving is dangerous after all, there are numerous protections in place.


    I present her the card and make a brave face. While I still need to play the part, I’d rather not fail to join. It would simplify my experiments and access to dungeons significantly if I have the Guild’s resources at my disposal. Plus, entry into dungeons is quite the process if you are not an active adventurer.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Attendant Ania studies my card while writing something down—her shopping list for after work. She is going to make something equivalent to a curry from Earth. Looks to be delicious. She is obviously buying time for whomever she signaled to appear. If I were to guess, a senior member of the Guild. Ah, he is on his way.


    From one of the inner sections of the Guild, a giant of a man appears with a bang. The poor door takes the abuse of being slammed around with poise. He is a mass of muscle. Rough red hair and a relatively short, spiky beard adorn his head like a burning hood of flames. The moment his green eyes are locked on me, they sharpen. He tenses up and approaches me with clear intent—you are not welcome here. The whole show would have been a lot more convincing if I had not sensed him psyching himself up for the confrontation. It is time for the main act.


    “Attendant Ania, is there a problem?” His voice is a low growl but somehow still reverberates through the building, turning everyone’s heads, their faces filled with concern for me.


    Oh my, he is so precious. I suppress the urge to pet him. Wait, no. Petting people is condescending. Well, not always, but that’s for more intimate situations... Ahem, anyways. What I am currently witnessing is an intimidation tactic. Scare the stupid brat away before he hurts himself.


    “No problem, Ren. {Best approximation: ‘Mr.’} Doe would like to register.” The team is ready. “Mr. Doe, you are aware that the job of an adventurer is very dangerous, right?”


    “Yes, ma’am.” Another player enters the ring. Do not underestimate me. I fake an evil laugh internally.


    The attendant’s smile twitches a few degrees higher—she is on the ropes. “As you are not a trainee, you would need to pass additional tests. The first test will be administered by Hall Master Ren himself,” she tags her partner.


    “I’m ready!”


    The hall master rears up for an open palm strike to my shoulder blade. “You sure? You’re all skin and bones!” The strike connects, and I stagger a little. He laughs heartily and almost yells, “At least you won’t fall over if the wind picks up.” The attendant clears her throat. “Right, the test. The first step for non-trainees is a combat test to determine your capabilities.” I try to produce an audible gulp. The result is pretty convincing. “Now, now. Don’t be too scared, I am not going to make the test unfair. What we are concerned with is if you can cut it as an adventurer, not if you can get your ass beat!” He laughs at his own joke, the booming sound shaking dust off from the room’s ceiling.


    I try to match his volume and throw in a voice crack, “I-I can fight!”


    “That’s the spirit, kiddo!” Attendant Ania immediately pins him with a dangerous glare. It appears our venerable hall master has switched sides. Instincts honed over many years warn him of the encroaching danger, and he sheepishly corrects, “There is no shame if you are not ready. You can always join the trainee program.”


    “I will try my best, sir!” Ladies and gentlemen of the arena, we have our victor.


    “Thank you, Hall Master, I will handle it from here.” Not a single crack in her perfect customer friendly expression.


    The hall master nods her way and slinks away with an unexpected grace for such an imposing stature. A wise decision.


    “I will schedule the combat test, administered by Hall Master Ren, for tomorrow morning. Is that acceptable?” I nod.


    The Guild has some special guidelines about non-trainees. They are treated with a lot more scrutiny, and a hall master is responsible for each of their initial evaluations.


    She writes down the details into a form and returns my identification card, together with a slip of paper containing the test’s start time.


    “Please be at least fifteen minutes early.”


    “Yes, miss.” I am a gracious winner.


    She briefly glances at the sack slung on my back. “Do you have a place to stay in?” I shake my head. Curiously, the gesture carries the same meaning as on Earth. I wonder how that developed. I have a lot of sociology books to write, don’t I. Giddiness. “As you are in the process of joining the Guild, you are allowed to stay at the dormitories. Would you like to do that? They are very close by.”


    I fake apprehension. “I do not have a lot of money, miss. I just arrived from a long trip.” Maybe I shouldn’t appear that pitiful. This is borderline psychological manipulation. Attendant Ania almost appears to be distraught from my performance.


    “Do not worry. The prices are cheaper than anywhere you could find. The dormitories are subsidized by the Guild.”


    I perk up. “That’d be great then.”


    She gives me directions to a nearby complex and instructs me to present my little slip of paper as verification. I thank her and leave the hall. Another mission complete.


    With a private space in the city secured, I can go buy some basic essentials and proceed with a very vital experiment that will dictate how I will be proceeding from here on out.


    It is time to see how strong those potions truly are.