Hearing her son's call to de-escalate the tension, Elara immediately turned her back on the stout man without a single word. Catching the look on Calian's face, she realized he had no desire to draw any more unwanted attention or prolong a pointless street drama.
The three of them resumed their journey, their footsteps steadier this time. At Calian's side, Wolvin walked with his posture more upright. His sharp, beautiful golden eyes, stared straight ahead.
Though whispers of wonder and judgmental stares were still cast his way, the black-haired youth chose to turn a deaf ear to them. He was learning not to waver, using Calian's presence by his side as an impenetrable mental shield.
Finally, a massive building with sturdy architecture and an emblem of two crossed swords came into view. It was the Argam city branch of the Adventurers' Guild.
When the heavy double doors of oak were pushed open, the distinct scent of adventure immediately greeted their senses, a mixture of stale wheat beer, sweat, polished metal, and old parchment. The din of raucous laughter, the clinking of wooden mugs, and high-pitched chatter filled the spacious lobby.
However, like a silencing spell cast from the heavens, the noise gradually died down as Elara's small group stepped inside.
Once again, Wolvin's presence became the primary magnet for attention.
For the veteran adventurers sitting in the dimly lit corners of the room, the sight of a beastfolk was nothing strange. They merely cast a fleeting glance from behind their beer mugs to assess the threat level before returning indifferently to their own business.
However, the reaction from the rookies and the guild staff was starkly different. Several of them halted their activities, staring openly with expressions ranging from curiosity and bewilderment to shock and wariness.
A beastfolk walking with an aura of freedom, devoid of any marks of ownership, and accompanied by two humans radiating a thick noble air was certainly an unusual sight in their city.
Ignoring the sea of gazes, Elara led the way toward the long, curved reception desk at the end of the lobby.
A young female receptionist, looking a bit flustered, tried to maintain her professional smile as they approached. "G-Good morning and welcome to the Argam branch of the Guild." she greeted with a slightly trembling voice, her eyes involuntarily stealing a glance at Wolvin's golden eyes before returning to Elara. "How may I help you, My Lady?"
"The three of us wish to register as adventurers!" Elara replied directly, her voice crisp and commanding, true to her persona as Arale. "Please process our registration immediately."
The firmness in Elara's voice caused the receptionist to flinch slightly. "Y-Yes, right away!"
Without asking further questions, the woman skillfully pulled three registration forms from a drawer and placed three quills on the wooden table. Not wanting to waste any time, Elara, Calian, and Wolvin began filling in their personal data on the parchment.
It took only a few moments for the administrative process to be completed. The receptionist then took their forms to a small magical device behind the desk. A moment later, three light metal plates the size of a palm were placed before them.
These were their newly issued adventurer license cards, neatly engraved with their details:
•Name: Calian / Wolvin / Arale
•Race: Human / Beastfolk / Human
•Rank: F
Wolvin picked up the 'Rank F' license card with a slightly trembling hand. His eyes sparkled brightly, a sudden wave of happiness and pride flooded his chest. For the first time in his life, he held an official identity, not as a slave or property, but as a free adventurer.
In his overwhelming joy, an impulsive urge to affectionately hug his husband nearly broke through. Wolvin had already half-turned, a wide smile blooming toward Calian. However, his common sense hit him like a sledgehammer just before his hand could reach out.
Almost! Wolvin screamed inwardly in a panic.
His black tail, which had been on the verge of wagging with excitement, suddenly went stiff. He swallowed hard, quickly shifting his movement into a clumsy pat on his own arm. He remembered the Empire's rigid laws. Same-sex relationships were considered abnormal and would likely be forbidden if displayed openly in public.
If I were to show such enthusiasm by hugging him like a lover, there's no telling what kind of trouble would befall Calian and me in this human city. Wolvin thought, relieved that he had restrained himself just in time.
Calian, noticing his spouse's awkwardness, could only offer a soft look from the corner of his eye, a silent gesture that said, "I understand."
Before they could fully soak in the moment, Elara had already turned and walked toward one side of the lobby. Calian and Wolvin spontaneously followed in their mother's wake.
The place Elara headed for was a large wooden board covered in stacks of parchment: the mission information board.
There were dozens, perhaps hundreds, of papers pinned there, crowded from edge to edge. The missions were clearly categorized, ranging from simple Rank F requests to deadly Rank S monster hunts.
Elara's eyes scanned the board with incredible speed and precision, as if she were well-accustomed to sorting information in a place like this. Her hand swiftly pulled a piece of parchment from the bottom corner of the board.
"Let's take this one!" Elara said firmly, showing them the paper. "A mission to gather medicinal herbs. For us who have just attained the basic rank, this is the most sensible start and perfectly follows the rules."
Hearing this, Calian looked at his mother with a slightly furrowed brow. He had never expected the woman who had given birth to and raised him to understand the workflow and hierarchy of the adventurer world so well.
Is she truly my mother? Calian wondered, awe and suspicion mixing in his mind. The way she speaks, her decisiveness, even her instinct for picking missions... are all nobles required to know the intricacies of adventurer work? Or... was my mother actually a great adventurer in her youth?
"I agree!" Wolvin exclaimed cheerfully, instantly breaking Calian's long reverie. His pair of black wolf ears twitched with enthusiasm. "Gathering herbs in the forest sounds like it will be very fun. Hehehe."
Calian let out a long sigh. Having absolutely no experience or knowledge regarding the adventurer world, he had no choice but to nod in agreement with his mother's decision.
After they handed the parchment to the guild receptionist for official confirmation, the three of them stepped out of the guild building.
Outside the guild lobby, the sun began to climb higher as the small group walked away from the hustle and bustle of Argam, setting their sights on the dense forest area located to the east of the city to carry out their first mission.
However, far behind them, hidden within the shadows of a narrow alley near the city's eastern gate, eyes were watching and monitoring them from a distance.
The spies who had been tailing them since they left the inn exchanged meaningful glances before finally stepping out in silence, following the trail of Calian's group toward the lush forest east of Argam.