The sun was setting in the western sky, casting a golden hue over the warm city of Saint Haven. The streets were bathed in soft twilight as adventurers from various classes and guilds began gathering near the city gates. Whispers had spread fast—rumors of two fighters from an ordinary guild who had defeated the Three Hell Lizards… alone.
From afar, Roine and Hara appeared, approaching the city border from the direction of the forest. Both looked utterly exhausted. They were taken aback by the unusual crowd waiting near the gates. As they arrived, a loud cheer erupted from the crowd, making Roine and Hara glance around in confusion. They walked slowly, surrounded by the overwhelming noise of people hailing them as if they were war heroes.
Suddenly, someone ran up from behind and threw their arms around Hara.
"Wow! So these are the two legends who beat the lizards all on their own!" The energetic voice belonged to Starsha, who had just returned from a mission with Eve.
"Please let go. You're heavy," Hara replied coldly, irritation clear on his face.
"Excuse me?! You wear full armor and carry a massive shield, and you're calling me—soft and light as a feather—heavy?!" Starsha snapped, utterly offended.
"This welcome seems a bit… much. We only finished a lizard fight," Roine muttered shyly, confused by the attention.
"You just made history," Eve said flatly with her cute, unreadable expression, adjusting her hat and round glasses. "Everyone from different guilds is curious. We wanted to catch up, but got assigned a mission."
"And those people—are all from my guild!" came a loud laugh from up front. It was Exsodia.
"Embrace the fame, Hara! Look at all the girls lining up just to see the coolest cleric alive," Exsodia teased, throwing an arm over Hara's shoulder.
Hara winced from the pressure.
"Master Exsodia! Hara got injured back at the nest. My Chakra Heal only closed the wound temporarily," Roine explained quickly.
"Ohoho, wounds like that are nothing for our top guardian!" Exsodia grinned, tightening his arm around Hara again—earning him a clenched fist. Hara's punch was blocked easily, only fueling his frustration.
"I should've taken your offer. I'd be just as popular as you two now," Exsodia joked, pointing at the group of blushing girls.
"Don't be ridiculous. You're the one who said you hate troublesome things. You said your patience is as thin as paper," Hara snapped, shrugging him off.
"I need to rest. Next mission's the Rock Golem. I'll need a eight-person team," Hara said curtly.
"Don't rush. No other guild has cleared that yet. Even Irregular's main team failed to defeat that golem," Exsodia warned.
Hara paused, then replied, "I will defeat it," and walked off ahead.
"He's probably just exhausted. Alright, let's celebrate this historic win by my guildmates with a party at the Holy Guild Hall!" Exsodia announced, met with cheers from the crowd.
Roine, however, just wanted to collapse. But before he could sneak off, Exsodia slung an arm around him.
"Let's celebrate together, rookie!" And just like that, Roine was dragged into a party he didn't want.
Eve sighed and shook her head at her guildmaster's antics.
At the Guild Hall, music blared brightly. Laughter echoed, mugs of beer clinked, and voices overlapped with singing, dancing, and storytelling. It was a spontaneous party fueled by Exsodia's charisma.
Roine sat quietly at a table, half-asleep. Exsodia led a conversation with a large group of people, while Starsha sat beside Roine, unusually quiet, watching him.
Roine frowned with his eyes closed, desperately wishing for rest.
"So… what was it like? Fighting those lizards, just the two of you?" Starsha asked, curious.
"It was… hard," Roine admitted with hesitation. "I still have a lot to learn."
"Train with me, rookie!" Exsodia chimed in cheerfully.
Starsha gave him a sharp glare. "Rather than with a lazy warrior like you, he'd be better off training with me. I'm curious about his range." Roine smiled weakly, wishing the party would end.
Meanwhile, in the alchemy room, Hara was being treated by a male Academy-class alchemist—Eve's twin brother, Evan.
"Your wound was severe, but you handled it well early on," Evan said while mixing potions.
Hara remained silent, staring at the ceiling.
Eve entered and sat at the edge of the bed.
"Why didn't you take me with you this time?" she asked.
"You said you were busy building a new weapon," Hara answered flatly.
"It was for us to use in the next fight! I made flying explosive ducks! You're always so impatient," Eve pouted.
"I couldn't wait any longer," Hara said sternly, then drank the potion Evan gave him. Without another word, he grabbed his gear and walked out.
"How long is he going to chase that person?" Eve muttered to herself.
The party eventually died down. Some lay passed out across the Guild Hall after too much beer. Even Exsodia needed Starsha's help to walk back to his room.
Finally free, Roine sighed in relief and walked toward his own quarters.
In the dorm hallway, he crossed paths with Hara, who had just returned from the alchemy room.
"Is your wound alright?" Roine asked.
"Yeah, it's been treated," Hara replied. Then he reached into his pocket and handed Roine something. "Take this."
Roine blinked. "What is it?"
"Found it in the treasure chest. It's a necklace—adds agility and boosts your magic stats," Hara explained.
"Wow, thank you! I really appreciate it," Roine said with a smile.
"Get some rest." Hara replied shortly, then turned to head toward his room.
The two walked off in silence, each to their own quarters—ready to rest after a long and grueling day.