Mirabella entered the expansive, high-ceilinged hall of the Galaxy Association. The interior was far more luxurious than the crude outer defenses of the city suggested, built with polished dark wood and glowing Aether-Crystal lighting. She observed the citizens—some clearly players, others City citizens in fine robes—moving purposefully between the quest boards and information desks.
A huge, horseshoe-shaped reception desk dominated the center of the hall, staffed by impeccably dressed agents.
"Even in such a small village, the Galaxy Association building is still extravagant," she murmured to Cupcake, who was now quietly observing the bustling room.
"I can only imagine the capital cities. This life, I will pick the Dragon Empire rather than risk the Sword Empire again. No more bloody heroes."
She approached a young man at the counter.
"Good day, Miss. Before we proceed, we must scan your Galaxy Bracelet," the receptionist said, his manner polite but rigidly formal.
Mirabella nodded and placed her bracelet on the scanning device.
'I hope the master account security can hide my profile.' she thought, watching the screen intently.
"Okay, Mirabella Sunny," the man exclaimed, his eyes widening. "No game nickname, Level 10... Oh! It seems you are a Noble!" He looked up at her, surprise mixed with sudden, respectful awe. His gaze drifted to Cupcake, then back.
'Noble?! When the hell did I become a noble?!' Mirabella was momentarily thrown. She quickly recalled the vague system messages from her first login.
'Is this because I was the first player in Galaxy Fall to connect? Did the system assign me a noble title based on my unique identifier?'
A calculated smile touched her lips. 'Wow, with this title, my life just became infinitely easier. This is the definition of a head-start.'
"Wait..." The name struck her.
"What is my family name? Do I have properties?" She needed information fast, spinning a tale to justify her ignorance.
"I apologize, sir," she said, managing a look of wistful confusion. "I was kidnapped when I was very young and suffered severe memory loss. Can you tell me anything about my family?"
The man, now thoroughly charmed and intrigued, leaned forward conspiratorially. "Haha! The Sun family were legendary, Miss! The old Head of the family, Lord Sol, was a titan. He not only personally took down more than five hundred World Bosses in the Third World—but he even fought as a Marshal beside the Dragon King himself! He is a legend who will never die!"
He paused, his expression shifting to one of regret. "But... a decade ago, the entire Sun family suddenly vanished. The Dragon King, in his wisdom, took the vast Sun properties under his protection, stating he would pass them to the lost heir, which, clearly, is you."
'Five hundred World Bosses... The Third World is what we call the Third Server upgrade. This is unbelievable.' Mirabella thought, the sheer scale of the legacy making her head spin.
'Someone capable of killing that titan, Lord Sol, is frighteningly powerful. I know nothing of this 'Dragon King.' I must investigate this lineage carefully.'
She finally nodded, settling on her objective. "Thank you. That explains a great deal." She then produced a heavy, velvet pouch brimming with gold coins.
"Please," she said, sliding it across the counter. "This is 1,000 gold coins. Keep it. I only require one thing from you."
The man opened the pouch, his eyes gleaming at the wealth. "What is that, Miss?"
"Keep my newly revealed identity as a Sun family heir a secret for all Galaxy Associate data."
"Huh? Why the secrecy?"
"Something catastrophic happened to the Sun family," Mirabella explained, feigning fear. "It was likely someone powerful and evil. If everyone knows I'm alive and the heir to those assets, they might try to... finish the job. I need time to prepare."
"Ah! Say no more!" The man quickly stashed the pouch in his desk. "I understand completely. A matter of security! You don't have to worry about a thing, Miss Sunny. My mouth is sealed!"
"Good. Now, let's get back to business."
Mirabella glanced over her shoulder and saw Ethan, Miranda, Alice, and Angela striding into the hall. They stopped beside her at the counter, their eyes scanning the room with a mixture of suspicion and awe.
"Look who is here," Miranda muttered under her breath, a clear note of disdain aimed at Mirabella.
Mirabella rolled her eyes, ignoring them completely, and addressed the receptionist. "What is the most difficult mission currently available at this location?"
"One moment." The man quickly typed on his keyboard, his urgency heightened by the generous bribe. After a few seconds, he looked up at her, his voice lowered.
"There is only one A-rank mission currently active. It is designated for the Moonless Ruins. Your task is to kill ten Level 10 Skeletons and retrieve the Boss Skeleton Card."
He smiled. "You can keep the rest of the loot. The rewards for this mission are substantial: 5,000 gold coins and a Low-Class Skill Scroll."
"...?!!"
Mirabella's focus narrowed on the Skill Scroll. The four newcomers, however, were stunned by the mention of the gold coins.
"Thanks. I will take this mission," she confirmed.
"I am sorry, Miss," the man hesitated, glancing nervously at the mission screen.
"Technically, only an Awakened Player of Level 30 or higher can accept an A-rank mission. It's a safety regulation. And your profile only shows Level 10."
'This is the system safety net.' Mirabella realized. 'The difference between a normal Lv10 and an Awakened Lv30 is massive enough to warrant the restriction.'
She decided to play her trump card. With practiced ease, she discreetly angled her wrist, showing the receptionist the faint, shimmering tag on her bracelet: [Neutral Reputation].
The man immediately arranged his spectacles, scrutinizing the tag. He sucked in a sharp breath.
"This...!" He nodded sharply, the rules instantly bending before the supreme power of Reputation.
"It seems you are either exceptionally strong or have an incredibly powerful backer. Very well, Miss Sunny. You can accept the task. Once taken, no one else can accept it, and you have 24 hours to complete it. Failure to complete it removes the already taken sign."
"Thank you." Mirabella gave him a curt nod.
The man tapped his screen, and a confirmation message flashed on Mirabella's Galaxy Bracelet. Mission accepted. She turned and walked away, leaving the four newcomers standing dumbfounded at the counter.
'Shit! Neutral Reputation again!'
Ethan gritted his teeth, his jaw clenching with impotent rage. He was powerless to stop her on Galaxy Association grounds. He watched the woman who had just publicly humiliated him walk off with a reward that would set them up for weeks.