The Adventurer's Guild building was in the middle of Thornwick and looked like a proud monument to organized chaos. It was a three-story building made of strong oak and stone, with a sign above the door showing a sword and staff crossed.
Rick could hear a lot of voices, laughter, and what sounded like someone arguing about payment rates even from outside, where the wooden doors were wide open. "So this is it, huh... my life in this new world is about to start!"
As they got closer, Carmilla said, "Welcome to the heart of Thornwick's economy."
"Just so you know, it gets loud in there. People who go on adventures don't usually have quiet voices."
Rick nodded, trying to get ready for whatever was waiting for him inside. His new Basic Combat Awareness skill was already giving him small bits of information, like how many people were probably inside based on the noise levels and the fact that a few armed people were hanging around the entrance.
It wasn't much, but it was more than he had before. As soon as they walked through the doors, Rick could feel the mood.
The guild hall was huge, with thick wooden beams holding up the high ceilings. Most of the space was taken up by tables and chairs, which were full of adventurers of all races and sizes.
People, elves, dwarves, and even some beast-folk sat together, ate, drank, and talked about quests. One wall had a big notice board on it that was full of papers that Rick thought were quest postings.
The reception desk was at the end of the hall and was raised a little so that the staff could see the whole room. A line of adventurers was waiting behind it, and several people in neat uniforms were processing paperwork and answering their questions.
"Stay close," Carmilla said as she led Rick through the crowd.
A few adventurers recognized her and said hello. She nodded and waved back.
Rick saw how people's faces changed when they saw her, going from friendly to respectful. People really did know her here.
Rick could still hear Sebastian's voice as they got closer to the reception desk. "Get ready. During registration, guild staff will be able to see your status window. And I just want to say that this will be funny as fuck!"
"Wait, what do you mean by visible?" Rick thought back in a hurry. "Can't I just hide it or something?"
"Nope. That's not how it works, you fool."
"To register for a guild, you need to use a magical crystal to check your status. It will show your name, level, and profession."
"You have to do it if you want to stay unlicensed, which would make taking quests illegal. So, have fun with the show."
Rick felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. His profession was listed as what, exactly? He hadn't even checked his full status window since leveling up.
Before he could ask Sebastian for clarification, Carmilla had already reached the front of the line. A young woman behind the counter looked up from her paperwork and smiled brightly when she saw Carmilla.
"Captain Carmilla! What brings you here today? Don't tell me you're taking on another solo extermination quest already. You just got back from patrol."
The receptionist was stunning in a girl-next-door kind of way. She had shoulder-length brown hair tied back with a ribbon, warm hazel eyes, and a friendly smile that made her seem approachable. She wore the guild's standard uniform, a crisp white blouse with the guild emblem embroidered on the chest, and looked to be in her mid to late twenties.
"Not today, Miraya," Carmilla replied. "I'm here to help a new recruit get registered."
"This is Rick Rolland. Found him nearly getting eaten by goblins in the Forgotten Sanctum."
Miraya's eyes shifted to Rick, and her professional smile brightened. "Oh, a new adventurer! We always enjoy meeting new people."
"Rick, welcome to the Thornwick Adventurer's Guild. My name is Miraya, and I'm one of the senior receptionists here. I'll be processing your registration today."
Rick said, "Hi," trying not to stare too much because of her beauty. Miraya's happy energy was disarming in some way. "Thanks for, um, having me?"
Miraya laughed at how awkward he was. "Hehehe, seems like you're going to have a kind adventure with that introduction. That's nice and unique."
"Most new people try to act tough, but they end up looking foolish. Okay, let's sign you up. It's simple to do. Put your hand on this crystal," she said.
She pulled out a clear crystal sphere that was about the size of a baseball and put it on a small pedestal. The crystal started to glow with a soft blue light right away.
Miraya said, "This is a Status Crystal."
"It will read your basic information and send it to your guild card. The crystal will collect information starting with your name, age, level, and profession. Put your hand on top and send a little bit of your energy into it."
"And don't worry, it won't hurt."
Rick looked at Carmilla, who nodded at him to show her support. He took a deep breath and put his hand on the crystal.
As soon as his skin touched the crystal, it lit up with a bright golden light. Words started to show up in the air above it, like a hologram that everyone nearby could see.
[NAME: RICK ROLLAND]
[AGE: 24]
[LEVEL: 2]
[PROFESSION: MATURE AFFINITY USER]
Time seemed to stop for Rick. With wide eyes, Miraya stared at the text that was floating.
Carmilla's eyebrows shot up so high that they almost disappeared into her hairline. A few bored adventurers who had been watching the registration process suddenly became genuinely interested.
"Mature... Affinity... User?" Miraya read slowly, as if she wanted to make sure she had read it right. "I've never heard of that profession before... Is it a new type of magic?"
Rick wanted to die. Again. He preferred to die right now due to the embarrassment he felt in this situation, where some people must have thought he was trash or worse.
Sebastian appeared next to the projection, leaning back in the air with his arms crossed. "Oh, this is even better than I thought it would be." Take a look at their faces. It was absolutely priceless."
"What the fuck is that a profession title?! I can't even hide my own cheat!!!" Rick screamed inside.
"An accurate one," Sebastian said with a smug smile. "Your main power source tells the system what your profession is."
"You are making connections with older women. This type of user is referred to as a Mature Affinity User. Would you like something more clear? If you want, I can change it to Milf Cultivator."
"FUCK NO! Don't you FUCKING dare do that kind of shit!"
A rough voice broke through the confused whispers. "Mature Affinity? Is that a kind of magic that makes charms?"
Rick turned around and saw a big dwarf adventurer stroking his beard in thought. "I've heard of elemental affinities and beast affinities, but never a mature affinity. It must be rare."
"Or it could be very specific," said a female elf sitting nearby, who appeared interested. "Affinity magic usually means that you get power from a certain place or that your powers are stronger when you think about a certain idea. If it's a mature affinity..."
She realized what was happening, and her eyes got bigger. "Oh... Oh my..."
The whispers spread through the guild hall like a fire. "Does he get power from older women?"
"Is that even possible?"
"Wait, doesn't that mean he gets stronger when he's with older women?"
"That's intelligent. Most powerful adventurers are veterans who have been around for a while."
"Yeah, but how does he get power from them?"
"Think of something."
"Oh gods, he's like a farmer! But he uses his power to seduce mothers and widows!"