In the southeastern part of the Islaria continent was a large country.
The Great Sin City-State of Greed, home to one of the world’s seven largest labyrinths, the Great Sin Labyrinth of Greed, was bustling with adventurers today.
The territory of Greed was a holy land for adventurers.
With a high occurrence of labyrinths and a significant demand for adventurers, the rewards from the guild were substantial, attracting many adventurers seeking their livelihoods. Merchants and blacksmiths came to trade with these adventurers, and in turn, even more adventurers gathered. It was truly a nation of adventurers.
In one part of this country, at the Adventurers’ Guild, a support and management organization for adventurers:
“Ah, it’s peaceful. Life is good.”
Glenn, an instructor belonging to the Adventurers’ Guild, sprawled over his desk in the instructor’s office, indulging in laziness. It was midday, with the sun high in the sky, when adventurers who had set out at dawn were just about to return, making it the busiest time. But he was completely slacking off.
Needless to say, napping was not his job. In other words, he was slacking off.
“Well, well, wasting your life away, aren’t you, Glenn?”
A woman wearing the guild staff uniform entered the room, her words slightly pointed, interrupting the serene moment. Glenn groaned irritably without turning to look at her.
“…Rodz. Just so you know, I’m not slacking off. There’s no work to do.”
“I recall you sent a dozen trainees the other day?”
“They all quit. So my slacking is justified.”
“I’m not sure why you’re proud of that.”
I’m really worried you’ll get fired, she sighed. But Glenn remained cautious. Though she seemed concerned, she was actually quite scary. Probably dealing with adventurers at the reception had hardened her heart.
And, as if taking it out on him, she would throw a mountain of work at him.
“I’m telling you, I really have no work now. If you want, bring me some new adventurers.”
“For someone like you, I have a present of fresh, promising youngsters.”
“Screw you, go to hell.”
“I have work too, you know.”
Rodz shrugged off Glenn’s childish complaints calmly. It was their usual banter.
“There’s just too many of them. Why do they need so much protection? Leave the reckless idiots alone.”
“Even if they’re nameless, it would be a problem if too many die and magic stone collection stalls. That’s the policy of this country. We’re just following orders.”
“Bureaucracy. Take pride in your work, dammit.”
“I take more pride in my work than someone napping on the job.”
She laughed and, before leaving, reminded him, “They’ll come around noon, so be ready.” Glenn let out a deeply annoyed sigh as she left.
///
The crimson dragon, symbolized by the sword that slays it.
The Adventurers’ Guild, recognized by the Great Alliance, proudly displayed this emblem, representing those who slay the fearsome dragons threatening the world.
“No matter how many times I see it, it’s huge…”
“Yes, it is.”
Ur and Shizuku stood before the Greed branch’s entrance.
With the threat of labyrinths and monsters, humanity’s safe zones had shrunk, resulting in taller buildings to make the most of limited land. The adventurers’ guild was no exception. It was tall and wide. The fact that it could use such extensive land was a sign of prosperity.
They were about to enter and become adventurers, but first, Ur needed to confirm something.
“I shouldn’t be the one to ask, but are you sure you want to become an adventurer?”
Ur glanced again at the silver-haired girl standing beside him. Shizuku, who had barely upgraded from her tattered rags to a cheap and awkward outfit, was still undeniably beautiful. He couldn’t help but think she didn’t need to be an adventurer; she could easily find other work.
“I need to get stronger,”
she said firmly, nodding. Despite her delicate appearance, she was incredibly determined.
“Well, your magic did dissipate,”
“It did,”
Shizuku replied, looking a bit downcast before quickly recovering. She looked at Ur and smiled brightly.
“I was worried about how far I could go alone. I’m really happy to have you with me, Ur!”
“Yeah, let’s do our best,”
he said, sensing there was more to her story but deciding not to press further. Having a mage in their party from the start, even if she was inexperienced, wasn’t a bad thing.
Switching his focus, Ur pushed open the door in front of them. The door creaked loudly as it welcomed them inside.
“Oh, it’s pretty clean,”
“There are a lot of people here,”
Contrary to Ur’s expectations of a rowdy adventurer guild, the interior was clean. There were no drunk adventurers passed out on the floor, no broken glass, and no vomit scattered around.
” From ——, the middle layer —-“
” Know — Gem –“
” –is that so………—-Well, up to the top — “
Shizuku was right; the place was bustling with people. Were they all adventurers? Men and women of all ages, equipped with various weapons, armor, and magical tools, moved about busily.
Some glared at the job board, others engaged in heated discussions at tables, and a few glanced at Ur and Shizuku before losing interest. However, Shizuku’s striking beauty did catch some eyes.
Without hesitation, Ur walked straight to the reception desk. A woman in a bright red uniform, who looked both pretty and smart, was sitting there, already watching them since they had entered. When they reached her, she smiled warmly.
“Hello! Are you here to join the Adventurer’s Guild?”
“Yes, we are,”
Ur responded, adjusting his tone to sound more mature. He knew it was dangerous to be underestimated without any support.
“Please read through these documents. We’ll conduct an interview and give you an explanation afterward.”
“That was quick,”
Ur said, slightly taken aback by how smoothly things were progressing.
“Many people want to become adventurers, especially those without a background,”
“We haven’t introduced ourselves yet,”
“Your appearance gives it away,”
she said, gesturing at their worn-out clothes. Indeed, no city dweller would be dressed so poorly.
“Is the lady with you your sister?”
“What?”
“Me? “
both Ur and Shizuku responded, confused. Shizuku tilted her head, puzzled. She was a bit taller than Ur, but to mistake them for siblings?
“Do we look like siblings?” Ur asked.
“Not at all,”
the receptionist replied bluntly,
which Ur found honest but rude. He couldn’t imagine Shizuku, with her silver hair and striking looks, coming from the same background as him with his messy gray hair and rough demeanor.
“She’s also here to become an adventurer,” U
“Really?”
The receptionist seemed doubtful but then shrugged.
“Alright, here are the documents. Please read them while you wait.”
Ur wondered if it was all right, but considering that the adventurer applicants have not stopped coming as she said earlier, it might be endless to keep worrying about it. With that, Ur convinced himself and looked through the documents that were handed to him.
The documents had many illustrations. They were likely for those who couldn’t read. Ur could read, as he had been taught writing and arithmetic by a curious priest when he stayed in a certain city, mixing with the townspeople.
“Hmm?”
Glancing at Shizuku next to him, he noticed she had a slightly troubled expression, tilting her head. Following her gaze, he saw she was struggling to make sense of the illustrations, rather than the text.
“Can’t read?”
“I can’t,”
“Let’s read together, then,”
Ur offered, and Shizuku smiled brightly at him.
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“Here you go! These are your adventurer rings, the ‘White Rings,'”
“They’re pretty,”
“Yes, I’ve seen these before. My father had one,”
It’s an adventurer’s ring that all adventurers must wear to prove they are adventurers. In the labyrinth mine where Ur was until the other day, there were many people wearing the same ring. Looking at the ring that was handed to him so easily, Ur tilted his head.
“Is it okay to give these to us so quickly, without knowing much about us?”
“It’s fine. These rings are magical items, but the only magic in them is to guide you out of the labyrinth. They’re proof that you’re adventurers, but they’re not proof of guild membership,”
“Hmm?” Ur tilted his head, puzzled. It was a strange way of putting things. Shizuku seemed just as confused, tilting her head as well.
“So, it proves we’re adventurers?”
“Yep, that’s right!”
“But it’s not proof of guild membership?”
“Yep, that’s right!”
Ur and Shizuku exchanged bewildered looks, and the receptionist laughed, clearly enjoying their confusion.
“Let me explain the secret of these rings to you, young adventurers.”
“Feels like a charade is starting,”
The receptionist waved a hand dismissively.
“It’s not that complicated. We want to encourage people to explore the labyrinths, but we don’t want thugs in the guild.”
She explained that the magic stones obtained by hunting monsters in the labyrinths were a valuable energy resource, crucial for maintaining human society. Adventurers were needed to collect these stones.
However, accepting every would-be adventurer, including criminals or near-criminals, would cause problems. That’s why they created the “White Rings.”
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