The road to the city wasn't that long, but the scenery changed fast — from quiet farmlands to crowded streets echoing with noise and life.
Velria. That's what Julius said this place was called — one of the trading cities under the kingdom of Azarin.
"Man… this place is huge," Hyun Woo muttered, looking around. Stalls lined both sides of the road, selling everything from weapons and potions to strange glowing stones. A couple of armored men passed by us, the emblem on their chest shaped like a golden lion.
"Guards?" I whispered.
"Probably," Hyun Woo replied. "They look well-trained."
We walked deeper into the marketplace, watching a group of kids chase each other between stalls, their laughter echoing through the air. For a world filled with monsters and mana… it still felt alive. Peaceful, even.
I stopped in front of a blacksmith's stall. A long, curved sword caught my eye — its edge faintly glowing blue.
"Interested in that?" the blacksmith asked, his voice rough and deep.
"Yeah… just looking," I said, pretending not to be impressed.
Hyun Woo laughed quietly. "Don't even think about buying it, Haru. You probably don't have any gold."
"Shut up," I said, rolling my eyes.
As we walked past, a group of adventurers caught our attention — a woman in light armor, a robed man, and two archers. They were gathered around a board filled with papers.
"Quests," Hyun Woo said. "Looks like a request board."
We approached quietly. The woman turned her head slightly, her eyes sharp as she looked at us. "You two don't look familiar," she said.
"Uh… we're new," Hyun Woo replied quickly. "Just came from a small village."
The woman looked at us up and down, her eyes narrowing for a moment — then she smirked. "Then you should register first. Can't take any quest without a guild mark."
"Guild… mark?" I asked.
> The robed man beside her laughed. "What? You don't even know that? Hah, you must be from the countryside. Though… you two don't really look the part—you look more like nobles. Go to the big hall near the fountain — the Adventurer's Guild. You'll find it there."
"Thanks," Hyun Woo said with a slight bow, dragging me along.
We followed the main road until we reached the heart of Velria — and there it was.
A huge building made of white stone and dark wood, a massive emblem of crossed swords hanging above the gate. People came and went — adventurers, mercenaries, and mages all gathered under one roof.
"This must be it," I said.
"Yeah," Hyun Woo grinned. "Let's see what kind of world we just stepped into."
When we finally found the guild, we stopped in front of the massive stone building. The sound of chatter, clanging armor, and footsteps echoed from inside. The emblem of two crossed blades gleamed above the entrance — the Adventurer's Guild.
Hyun Woo exhaled. "We finally found it…"
I nodded, looking up at the structure. "Yeah. Let's head inside and register."
But before I could take a step, Hyun Woo suddenly grabbed my shoulder.
"Ah—wait," he said, scratching his head with an awkward smile.
"What now?" I asked.
"Hehe, I almost forgot. We have something to do with Marco and Minji. Mrs. Clara's going to help us practice how to control mana today."
I frowned slightly. "Wait, so you're heading back already?"
"Yeah. It seems like she'll only teach us once in a while, so I can't miss it," he said, turning halfway toward the road. "Besides, registration might take a while. You know how these things go."
I sighed. "You're really leaving me here, huh?"
Hyun Woo laughed. "Come on, you're good at this kind of stuff. Just register first — we'll catch up later."
I waved lazily. "Fine, fine. It's still early anyway. I'll register and head back after."
"Alright then, good luck!" Hyun Woo called, jogging off toward the path leading back home.
I turned back toward the guild doors, the warm morning light reflecting off the metal sign.
"Well," I muttered, stepping forward, "guess it's time to see what kind of people I'll be dealing with here."
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