After returning to the castle, I sneak out then immediately head for the dungeon.
Costing us several days in a carriage, what extravagance...
I just easily cut off the range by doing an energetic leap.
I arrived at the adventurers' city in just a few seconds. Although that move was a bit risky considering the chances I'll get found out... Well, I just didn't concern myself about it that much. In case you're wondering why...
Under the vast cool starry sky, a rustling sound could be heard as a black adorned with gold cloak fluttered along the smooth flow of wind of the night. With a hood perfectly concealing his visage, a dark figure visible with glints of gold was standing on a roof. Raising his hand towards his face with confidence, a glint of light flashed as a silver steel half-mask appeared, twitching as the person was adjusting it to his convenience.
"Yes... "
With a majestic and mighty appearance, the vibes of being a king no longer needed to be discarded.
With my rather simple but somewhat exquisite cloak, I can now finally feel the might I have been holding off for so long.
Just a short period of time and I can finally let go of this intense surging of aura. Inside the dungeon, I can finally freely use my power all I want!
Almost burst into laughter, I immediately held my mouth.
"Oops... Calm down, me... "
Like a newly uncaged ferocious beast, you can literally see the bloodlust on my face. I mean, what can I do? Holding off a power in fear of being found out? That was horror!
I was trembling in frustration!
Anyway. I am now totally concealed in an ominous yet affluent attire. With my aura emanating like a breath from the underworld itself, I am definitely certain that no one will attempt to ask me about my whatever-they-want-to-know.
A cloak in sleek black adorned with majestic gold designs, a pure black light mana armor just in case, gloves, boots, and more notably, a silver steel mask.
Yes. With all these countermeasures, I can proudly state that I am completely safe!
Crossing my arms, I nodded in satisfaction.
"Hmm, hmm, I like how this turns out."
I then descended to the ground by simply stepping off the roof.
I walked towards a building gleaming in warm cosy light.
By a ring of the door I opened, everyone's attention turned to me. Various adventurers in different classes of gear were seeable in a fairly large adventurers' guild. Some were chatting at the table, some were planning, and some were asking receptionists for guidance or available quests.
'For now, I have to get myself registered.'
I looked around and saw a free attendant. I then go to her.
"Hello, Mr. Adventurer. What can I help you with?"
The welcoming receptionist immediately presents herself to my aide.
"I am here for registration."
"Hmm?"
Veering her eyes around me, she seemed to notice I wasn't a beginner.
"You have a request for your preferred rank?"
"Preferred rank, huh...?"
If I can choose my rank at will, then why not directly head for S rank?
But S rank was only for general tier individuals. There was no way a person like that would get on that level without being noticed.
That being my concern, I just humbly request a B rank.
"B rank."
"B rank, right? Okay, just wait a moment, we'll be arranging it for you."
Afterwards, I've dealt with thorough interviews and confirmation of whether I really align with the rank I requested.
For all that generosity suggesting a rank request... You will just follow it up with a barrage of questions after all. Sigh.
A lot of different types of monsters were being shown to me. Asking what, how, and whatever facts that were crucial about them, this interview could just give me a headache.
To be blunt...
I don't even know their names or danger rate.
What can I do? I've never been in the dungeon in my past life! Just at that time when I was in hiding. But how would I know any of them? From my perspective, they are all just monsters!
Seeing me twitching my brows in hardship, the receptionist could just chuckle in surprise.
"U-Uhm... Actually, we have a faster process for this. We can just use it for now... Ahaha... "
"Y-yes... Please do. Sigh... "
The receptionist raised both her hands, laid one on the other, then pointed them at me.
"Soul analyser!"
Uttering the phrase for the system, a clear green magic circle appeared.
"Please stand in front of the circle."
I then stand in front of it.
A sudden cold but somewhat warm sensation has seemed to traverse through my whole body.
"Wha... "
It was news to me. That strange feeling was hastily circulating around my body. I tried to intercept the flow so that I could feel and thus further understand how the process works, when...
Kruushk... Klushk... Crack!
"Uh!" - I was surprised.
The magic circle cracked!
Krushk... Plushk...
Not long after, it broke into thin particles like shattered glass!
...Brittles!
My eyes could just open widely in surprise. With the receptionist showing no different expression of course!
["Eh!!!?"]
Both of us could just exclaim in wonder.
In this part though, it would be on the receptionist who would have it more perplexing.
"Eh... Eh? Eh...!?"
It was what she could only utter the whole moment.
'What idiocy... '
Without doubt, I know it was a magic overload.
The magic she cast was meant for analysing my mana power. Its magic circulated all over my body doing its job collecting every bit of collectable data, but... I intercepted it. Colliding with my own magic, which was my will to understand the analysis process, the magic circle didn't hold out. It burst and collapsed!
Well, I don't think the magic circle would even make it even if I didn't intercept the analysis.
The receptionist was being frantic, looking at the dispersed magic circle from side to side stuttering as she couldn't think of what to do.
"Uh... Uhm... This... "
"Incomplete."
"Yes?"
Understanding this can also become my problem, I just decided to help her out clean the mess. After all...
I turned my eyes from side to side.
...almost everyone was looking at us now. No. Everyone was looking!
As if enthralled by that majestic utterance, the frantic receptionist began to regain composure as she awaited further explanation.
"The casting of the magic circle... was incomplete."
I have no other escape. I was freely letting out my mana at the moment so it would certainly demolish their magic circle. She didn't tell me I was going to be appraised. It got me by surprise.
"Cast the magic again."
The receptionist was baffled. Well, it must be expected. With all of her experience here as an appraiser, considering she was a receptionist, this kind of mess was probably the first. No. Considering all of her experience, this mistake should not have even happened. So why?
Without ending up with an answer herself, she just followed what she was advised to. This person could also be a general. Or so of what she has probably thought.
"U-Uhm... Soul analyser!"
The magic circle appeared just perfectly fine.
See? There was no problem with her casting.
Ms. Receptionist made an attentive and serious gaze. She was probably doing her best or trying to find out what was the real cause of that malfunction.
"Sigh... "
I could just let out a breath.
I was slowly enveloped with warm clear green light. It was circulating spirally around me. Flow of points of lights were also glinting at the scene.
Ms. Receptionist could just gape in surprise.
No malfunction at all!
"Impressive skill. Youngster."
To further sway her wavering of thought, I gave her praise to divert her thinking from wondering into self-confidence. Instead of wondering how she messed up, I tend to make her realise that she never messed up. Just a little mistake from the faults of the passing time. Which is, in this case, should be normal.
Anyway! To make the analysis process work, I once again restrained myself. Managing your mana so that only a small amount came out, it was not an easy feat. But I can at least do that. So no worries.
Little by little, my adventuring experience finally hit B!
"...!"
Surprised or just happy that I finally got appraised, Ms. Receptionist smiled rather proudly.
"Congratulations Mr. Adventurer! You successfully reached your preferred rank! You are now registered as an adventurer assigned to a high danger rate area. B class!"
Sigh... I wonder if I should cheer up? Seriously this registration should not have taken this long.
Drooping in weariness, I shifted my sight to the table as a paper was slid on it.
"Of what name would you like to register yourself, sir?"
Beaming cheerfully, Ms. Receptionist offered a paper where I could give myself a new name. It wasn't necessarily new but with this opportunity... I mean... Name? I can register my name at will? Uhm...
...
I could just look at the paper with blank thought.
...
'Paper? Name?'
...
I could just breathe deeply.
"Whooo... "
Picking up the pen rather impatiently, I could just exclaim in my mind.
"This is it!!!"
I then wrote the name on the registration form exhilarated by the fact that I could finally reveal it in this totally unexpected moment.
And so, the name reads...
INTANGIBLE RULER!