In the lively halls of Brunhild's Adventurer Guild, Raizo approached the front desk, a hardened piece of blackened metal in hand. The crimson-red gem embedded in it shimmered faintly under the lantern light—one of the final remnants of the Black Knight's shattered armor. The receptionist, wide-eyed, took the artifact with reverence.
"You brought back a piece of the Dark Knight's armor…" the receptionist muttered, then looked up with awe. "That means the mission is… complete."
A tense silence fell in the guild for just a breath.
Then—
"WOOOH!"
A wave of cheers erupted from the other adventurers gathered around.
"Unbelievable!" someone yelled from a nearby table. "Everyone said that Dark Knight was unbeatable!"
"And Kash's gang?" another added. "They've caused nothing but trouble for months. Thank the gods you two handled them!"
"Seriously, that guy was a creep. Bout time someone put him in his place!"
Cheers, claps, and tankards raised in the air—it felt like a festival.
Meanwhile, deep within the city's guard barracks, inside a dark cell, Kash and his gang sat shackled. A guard passed by, slamming his baton on the bars.
"I hope you're prepared," the guard sneered. "With the bounty on your heads and what you did? I'd say death penalty is generous."
"Tch." Kash turned his head, teeth gritting. "This isn't over…"
Back at the Guild, the receptionist looked at both Raizo and Fenra with a proud smile.
"Raizo, Fenra—please hand me your Guild cards."
They both did.
"I've spoken with the Guild Master," she continued. "He personally approved it—your rank is now officially raised to C-rank!"
Raizo and Fenra turned to each other and high-fived with beaming grins. The surrounding adventurers clapped once again. Even some older parties glanced over with respect.
Later that evening, they pushed open the door of Brunch Inn. A familiar scent of roasted herbs and stew welcomed them.
"CONGRATS, YOU TWO!" Lia, the innkeeper with fluffy cat ears, shouted from behind the counter. "That was fast! If you keep this up, you'll hit A-rank in no time!"
Raizo smiled, scratching his head shyly.
Fenra turned her head away, blushing furiously.
From the corner of the inn, an adventurer whispered loud enough for the others to hear, "Ooh~ Someone's in love!"
"Shh!" Lia scolded with a giggle, but it only made everyone laugh harder.
Raizo blinked. "Huh? What's everyone laughing about?"
The room burst into more laughter.
"Nothing at all!" they all said in unison, badly hiding their smirks.
Lia leaned in toward the table and whispered to the rowdy group, her tone dangerously sweet. "Don't you dare tell Raizo that Fenra's in love with him. Or else… no dinner, no drinks, and you'll never set foot in Brunch Inn again. Got it?"
All of them nodded immediately. "Got it, ma'am…"
Lia smiled brightly. "Great! Now then, time to eat!"
Raizo, still clueless, blinked again. "What were you all whispering about just now?"
Everyone: "Nothing at all~"
From the shadows of the room:
"Raizo's so dense…"
"Yeah, how can someone be that clueless?"
Raizo sighed as Fenra sat quietly, her cheeks still glowing pink.
---
The Next Morning
Sunlight filtered through the wooden windows of Brunch Inn. After stretching and getting dressed, Raizo and Fenra returned to the Guild. The building was buzzing with adventurers, conversations, and clinking weapons.
The receptionist smiled as she saw them enter.
"Here you go, both of you," she said, handing over their updated C-rank adventure cards. "Congrats again."
"Thanks," Raizo nodded.
"Oh, and one more thing…" she added, holding out a parchment. "You two officially cleared a C-rank team quest. That means you're now eligible to register an official party. Do you have a name in mind?"
Fenra tilted her head toward Raizo. "So, what's our party name going to be?"
Raizo tapped his chin, eyes drifting slightly to the ceiling. A party name, huh…
Then—
A memory from his past life as a gamer on Earth surfaced.
Dilhaze.
A guild name he once created in a fantasy MMORPG—his proudest creation, forged through late-night raids, comradery, and digital victories. It felt right.
He took the paper and scribbled carefully.
Dilhaze
"Here," Raizo handed it back.
The receptionist smiled. "All right, it's official. From now on, you're registered as the party 'Dilhaze'. Your team name will appear in our leaderboards and quest logs."
Raizo and Fenra nodded in unison.
The receptionist winked, "Now it's time to earn points. Climb that leaderboard!"
Fenra grinned at Raizo. "Let's do our best, leader."
Raizo chuckled. "Yeah. Let's make Dilhaze known throughout the continent."