The streets of Wittes were bustling with activity, but for once, Raymond and his team walked unnoticed.
It seed that the adventurers who had once eyed them with curiosity had moved on. Either their interest in Raymond's party had faded over ti, or more likely, they were too preoccupied with the recent destruction of the 'Black Wind Group'. With the town's underworld thrown into disarray, commissions had surged, keeping adventurers busy taking on missions and hunting down remnants of the gang.
For Raymond, this was the best possible outco.
He had been mildly concerned that Arya, still new to the adventuring world, might struggle under the weight of stares and whispers. But now, with no one paying them any mind, that worry evaporated.
If things stayed this way, perhaps he wouldn't need to expose Arya's magic affinity after all.
At first, he had considered revealing it. He knew that among adventurers, hiding sothing like magical talent could invite speculation, mockery, or outright dismissal. If people had already been talking about her, it might have been better to give them a reason to shut up.
But now? If no one cared, there was no reason to stir up unnecessary attention.
Even so, while they were no longer a hot topic, the 'Black Wind Group' and the gold-ranked 'Swift Wind Adventure Team' still dominated conversations in the guild and on the streets.
And judging by how Arya and Sylph were excitedly chatting about it, it was clear that the news had captured their interest.
"Did you hear?" Arya's voice was animated as they walked. "The 'Black Wind Group' managed to evade the Knights for so long because they had a beast trainer who controlled a Wind Eagle!"
Sylph nodded eagerly. "Yeah, and I heard the 'Swift Wind Adventure Team' took it down. It was their elven archer who shot it down, which finally led to the gang's defeat!"
She practically bounced with excitent, her eyes sparkling. "A female elf archer! I've never seen an elf before! Aren't they supposed to be ridiculously beautiful? I wonder if it's true!"
At this, Arya shot a glance at Raymond, who; without missing a beat, pretended to be completely oblivious.
He, of course, knew far more than he was letting on. Not only had he secretly cleared out mutant rats in the sewer without telling Sylph, but he had also encountered the 'Gold Adventure Team' firsthand.
There were so things best left unsaid.
anwhile, Lorene's expression darkened slightly, her brow furrowed in thought. "I heard that so mbers of the 'Black Wind Group' managed to escape… and their 'Beast Tar' wasn't captured."
A brief silence followed.
Sylph's enthusiasm dimd slightly. "Yeah, that's true…" she admitted. "But their leader, 'Black Wind,' is dead. The ones who got away probably won't dare stay in Wittes. Their power ca from their numbers, now that they're scattered, they're no longer a real threat."
She glanced around as if expecting to see remnants of the gang lurking in the shadows. "Even the stronger bronze-ranked adventurers in the guild can probably take them down now."
She wasn't wrong.
The Black Wind Group had been powerful not just because their leader was a gold-ranked warrior, but because they outnumbered their enemies. Even the elite 'Swift Wind Adventure Team' wouldn't have dared face them if they still had twenty-plus mbers.
But now?
With only a handful of fugitives left, they were little more than stragglers.
If a well-organized Black Iron-ranked team, one with the right professional balance, ran into them, they stood a chance of winning. Even if they couldn't defeat them outright, they could at least hold them off long enough for reinforcents to arrive.
But one na stood out in Raymond's mind.
The 'Beast Tar'.
If that man was still alive, he was still a threat.
Raymond's fingers subtly tensed. A tar with the ability to control beasts could turn the tide of battle single-handedly. Even now, the thought of what kind of creatures he might be hiding sent a slight shiver down his spine.
For a brief mont, a reckless idea flickered in his mind, one that whispered of opportunity.
What if he could find the 'Beast Tar'?
The Beast Tar class was an extrely rare profession, one that Raymond himself had considered obtaining. If he could sohow acquire that power for himself…
But he quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought. Too risky.
Right now, he knew nothing about the Beast Tar's exact abilities or combat strength. And it wasn't just him, more than one of the Black Wind fugitives had escaped. If his team ran into them by accident, it could an serious trouble.
Their current strength was nowhere near enough to take on multiple Bronze-ranked enemies at once.
No.
For now, it was better to avoid them altogether.
He exhaled, pushing the thought aside. There were more imdiate matters to focus on.
Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire
Like the commission waiting for them at the Adventurer's Guild.
Without another word, he quickened his pace.
The Adventurer's Guild was far busier than usual. The main hall was buzzing with energy, adventurers moving about in a flurry of activity.
Raymond imdiately understood why, with the 'Black Wind Group' destroyed, commissions had surged, and everyone was eager to capitalize on the opportunity.
For most, this was pri hunting season, a chance to prove themselves, earn better pay, and rise through the ranks.
As soon as they stepped inside, Sylph grabbed Arya's arm. "Co on, Arya! Let's get you registered first." Without waiting for a reply, she dragged her toward the registration desk.
Raymond, Lorene, and the others followed at a more relaxed pace, until they felt the shift in the atmosphere.
People were staring.
At first, only a few glances were thrown in their direction. But soon, murmurs spread like wildfire, rippling across the hall as adventurers recognized them.
"Hey, isn't that the Explosion Mage, Sylph? And Raymond, the Dual-Occupationer?"
"Yeah, that's them… But wait, who's the archer with them?"
"No way; she doesn't even have an identity token. Look, Sylph's taking her to the registration desk… She must have just awakened!"
"That doesn't make sense. Raymond's team is too strong to recruit an unregistered rookie. With his Dual-Class status and Sylph's explosive magic, they could have any bronze-rank archer they wanted. Why would they settle for soone new?"
More and more adventurers turned to watch, but their expressions held doubt, not curiosity.
It was clear what they were thinking.
To them, it was absurd to believe that Raymond's team, already on the fast track to elite status, would willingly bring in a complete novice.
"They must have just t her on the way here," soone reasoned. "Maybe they're helping her register out of kindness."
"That's more likely," another agreed. "No way Raymond's team would handicap themselves by taking in an untested rookie."
Raymond caught bits and pieces of the conversation, his expression unreadable.
Arya, however, heard everything.
For the first ti, Arya truly understood how much Raymond's team was respected, not just by newcors, but even among seasoned adventurers.
She had overheard whispers before when she and Raymond visited the temple library, but now it was clearer than ever. Bronze-rank adventurers, people already established in their careers; wanted to join his team.
And yet…
Here she was, being treated like a weak link before she'd even begun.
The assumptions stung.
Even though her magic affinity was incredibly high, it wasn't sothing she could use yet; not in a way that mattered. To these adventurers, she was dead weight, a burden Raymond's team didn't need.
For a brief mont, doubt crept into her mind.
Just then, Sylph scoffed, her voice loud enough for Arya to hear but low enough to ignore the onlookers.
"Adventurers are always like this." She rolled her eyes. "When Raymond tead up with us, they acted the sa way, talking like they knew everything."
Her tone sharpened. "But they don't know a damn thing."
Arya blinked, surprised by the frustration in Sylph's voice.
"Look at you," Sylph continued, "you've already learned from Raymond's experience, but you're still letting their opinions get to you?" She sighed, then added with a smirk, "With your magic affinity, you could join any team you wanted. Stop worrying about what they think and let's just get you registered."
Arya hesitated for a mont.
Then, with a deep breath, she nodded.
The line moved quickly, and within minutes, Arya stepped up to the counter.
Raymond remained quiet, watching the murmurs continue around him. He had hoped to avoid attention, but it seed that was impossible.
And then—
"Wait a second… I rember now!"
One adventurer's voice cut through the low chatter, causing heads to turn.
Raymond imdiately tensed, his gaze shifting toward the speaker.
The man pointed at Arya. "I've seen her before! She was at the temple with Raymond!"
The energy in the room shifted.
"Wait, really?" Another adventurer turned to look at Arya again, eyes narrowing. "Is she his sister?"
"No, that's not it… That ans she really is joining their team?"
For the first ti, shock replaced skepticism.
"Well, of course." A voice scoffed. "Even if she isn't his sister, she's obviously close to him. There's no way he wouldn't bring her in."
A new thought dawned on the crowd.
"But if she's that close to him… what if she's not actually talented?"
The adventurers began to speculate with new intensity.
"Think about it. With Raymond's team's potential, they could reach gold rank one day. If she's not strong enough, she'll only drag them down."
"Exactly. If she's not talented, the whole team could suffer in the long run. There's no room for dead weight in a rising team like theirs."
The words hit Arya harder than she expected.
Even Sylph frowned at that. "Tch. These idiots don't even know who they're talking about."
Raymond exhaled quietly, shaking his head.
He had been prepared for this kind of reaction.
This was just the beginning.
With Arya officially registering today, the rumors and judgnt would only grow stronger.
He could only hope that she was ready for it.
Reviews
All reviews (0)