The guild hall thrummed with its usual chaos as I approached the reception desk, the clamor of adventurers and the clink of tankards a familiar hum in my ears. Jessie stood behind the counter, her raven hair gleaming under the chandelier's glow, those emerald eyes flicking up to meet mine with a spark of recognition. She was a fixture here—beautiful, sharp, and unfazed by the rowdiest of us.
"Hi Jessie," I began, resting a hand on the worn oak counter, its surface scarred from years of quest reports and spilled ale.
"Well, if it isn't the Midnight Vanguard," she replied, her voice a sweet melody tinged with a faint edge of concern. "You lot were gone longer than usual—how'd it go?"
"It went splendidly—" I started, a grin tugging at my lips, but Lance, ever the impatient showman, cut in with a flourish.
"We slayed the beast!" he crowed, his green eyes glinting as he leaned forward. "One massive lizard, courtesy of your favorite A-rank crew."
I shot him a sidelong glance, half-amused, half-exasperated, and reached into my pocket. "Here's its crown," I said, placing the jagged, scale-crusted trophy on the desk with a dull thud. "The body's already with the guild butcher—Gild hauled it in like a pack mule."
Jessie's gaze darted to the crown, her delicate fingers hovering over it as she assessed its authenticity. "Hold on a moment, sir," she said, her tone shifting to brisk efficiency. "I'll need to verify this."
Lance shifted beside me, restless as ever. "Wait—can I head out now? We've checked in, and I'm still breathing, aren't I?"
Jessie arched a brow, her lips twitching with faint amusement. "Standing here alive is proof enough, I suppose. Go on." With that, she swept the crown into her arms and vanished into the passage behind the desk, her footsteps fading into the guild's shadowed depths. Lance turned to me, his grin widening. "I'll go fetch Kozuki. That alright?"
"Fine by me," I replied, waving him off with a casual flick of my hand. "When you find him, give him the grand tour—poor kid's greener than a forest sprite."
"Will do, Leader!" Lance saluted mockingly and strode off toward the statue, his red-and-gold armor clanking with each step. I watched him go, then turned back to the desk, settling in to wait with Gild and Suzuki at my side—Gild a silent monolith, Suzuki a serene presence clutching her staff.
A few minutes ticked by, the hall's din washing over us, before Jessie reemerged, a small leather sack dangling from her hand. "The lizard's demise is confirmed," she announced, setting the sack down with a soft clink. "Congratulations. Your reward—fifty gold coins."
"Fifty gold?" I blurted, my voice spiking with disbelief. I glanced at my companions, catching the same wide-eyed shock mirrored on their faces. Suzuki's jaw slackened, her light blue eyes glinting with awe, while Gild—stoic Gild—let out a rare, rapid huff of breath, his version of a victory cheer."That's correct," Jessie confirmed, her tone steady, though a faint smile played at her lips as she watched our reaction."Unbelievable," Suzuki murmured, her slender fingers brushing the sack as if it might vanish. She hefted it gently, the coins shifting with a satisfying jingle.
"Alright," I said, clapping my hands to snap us out of our stupor. "Let's track down Lance and share the good news."
"Should we wait by the king's statue?" Suzuki suggested, tilting her head toward the towering marble figure dominating the hall.
"Sure, why not?" I agreed, leading the way. Gild trailed behind, his boots thudding like a war drum, while Suzuki's staff tapped lightly against the stone floor. We settled by the statue's base, its sword casting a long shadow over us, and after a brief wait, Lance swaggered back into view, Kozuki in tow. The kid looked a bit dazed, his sword dangling awkwardly at his hip, but there was a spark in his eyes I hadn't noticed before.
We exchanged a quick round of chatter before Lance piped up, "Hey, everyone, I'm taking him to register as an adventurer. You lot head to the cart and wait."
"Fair enough," I said, nodding briskly. With that, we parted ways—Lance steering Kozuki back toward the reception desk, while Suzuki, Gild, and I filed out of the guild. The grand staircase loomed ahead, its marble steps baking under the Solva sun, and we descended in companionable silence, the city's vibrant pulse swelling around us.
Halfway down, Suzuki's voice broke the quiet. "So, where should we go?"
I shrugged, my mind still buzzing with the weight of fifty gold. "No clue. Let's hash it out when Lance and Kozuki catch up."
"By the way," she said, her tone shifting to something softer, more curious, "what's the plan with him?"
"Who?" I asked, though I knew exactly who she meant.
"Kozuki," she clarified, her gaze flicking toward the guild's distant doors.
I rubbed my chin, mulling it over. "Well, we've got fifty gold and four of us—five, counting him. I'm thinking we carve out ten coins as his share. Give him a leg up in this world. Kid's starting from nothing."
Suzuki nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Fair."
"And," I added, warming to the idea, "I'll show him around Solva. Get him familiar with the lay of the land—streets, guilds, the works."
"Smart move," she said, her approval quiet but clear. Our boots hit the final step, the cobblestones sprawling before us, and I paused, glancing back at the guild's towering façade. "Let's wait here for them," I said, settling against the cart's weathered side. Suzuki leaned her staff nearby, and Gild loomed silently beside us, his shadow stretching long across the street. The city buzzed on, oblivious to the weight of gold in our pockets—or the strange new soul we'd dragged into our orbit