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Chapter 5
Silverstream was louder than Ren had imagined.
The moment they passed through the stone gates, sound swallowed him whole—shouting merchants, clattering wheels, distant hammering from blacksmith forges, and the constant murmur of hundreds of lives moving at once. The air smelled of iron, cooked meat, fresh bread, and river mist drifting up from the wide waterway that gave the town its name.
Ren sat straighter on the cart, eyes quietly glowing with curiosity.
This place had magic density.
Not overwhelming, but present—threads of mana woven into the stones, the streets, even the lantern flames. Compared to Oakhaven, Silverstream felt alive.
Kael guided the cart carefully through the main road, nodding politely to guards and townsfolk alike. He looked more at ease now, though the events of the road still lingered in his posture.
They didn't go far before Kael slowed the cart and pulled it to the side of the road.
"We stop here," he said.
Ren blinked. "Aren't we going to the market?"
"Soon," Kael replied. "But I won't take you through the deeper roads alone."
Ren understood immediately.
Bandits weren't the only danger.
Cities had their own predators.
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The Man with the Broken Stance
Kael's gaze landed on a man leaning against a stone post near a roadside tavern.
He was broad-shouldered, weathered, and unmistakably dangerous.
A sword hung at his side—not ornamental, but worn smooth at the grip. The man's clothes were plain, but his boots were high-quality, reinforced, the kind only someone used to travel would own.
Ren's Appraisal activated on instinct.
Human (Retired Adventurer)
Condition: Chronic Leg Injury
Combat Ability: Reduced
Adventurer Rank: Former Bronze–Silver Transition
Guild Card: Valid (Expiring Soon)
Interesting.
The man's weight favored one leg.
Kael approached him without hesitation.
"Still standing, Garron?"
The man snorted. "Barely. And you still hauling carts instead of riches?"
"Someone has to," Kael replied with a smile.
Garron's eyes shifted to Ren.
"…Didn't know you had a son."
Ren bowed slightly, polite and reserved.
Garron raised a brow. "Manners. Rare."
---
Hiring Protection
Kael gestured toward the cart. "We ran into goblins on the road."
That got Garron's full attention.
"Hobgoblin?" he asked.
Kael nodded once.
Garron exhaled sharply. "Road's getting worse."
Ren watched carefully.
This wasn't desperation.
This was calculation.
"I need a guard to the market district," Kael said. "Just there and back."
Garron tapped the pommel of his sword. "Coin?"
Kael hesitated.
Ren felt it.
The worry.
Before he could speak, Garron waved a hand.
"Relax. I'll take part in goods."
Ren's eyes flickered.
Goods… through the guild?
Kael frowned. "You still have your card?"
"For now," Garron replied. "Expires in two weeks. After that, I'm just another limping old man."
Ren stored that information carefully.
---
The Guild of Three Paths
They moved together through the city.
As they walked, Ren finally asked the question that had been burning in his mind.
"Father… what is the guild?"
Kael glanced at Garron, who chuckled.
"Let him learn," Garron said. "If he's walking this road, knowledge won't hurt him."
Kael nodded.
"The Adventurers' Guild of Silverstream," he began, "is divided into three paths."
Ren listened intently.
"The first is the Path of Learning," Kael said. "People call it the Scholarium. Children, mages, craftsmen—anyone learning magic or skills. They teach basics and certify talent."
Ren's interest spiked.
Schools meant books.
Books meant spells.
"The second," Garron continued, "is the Trade Hall. Shops, auctions, material exchanges. Outsiders can sell here—"
"But at a loss," Kael added.
"—twenty percent," Garron confirmed. "Guild members with cards get full value or better."
Ren nodded internally.
That explained everything.
"And the third?" Ren asked.
Garron's voice hardened slightly.
"The Iron Board. Adult work. Missions. Contracts. Monster hunts. Escorts. War."
Ren felt it.
This was where power gathered.
"And only cardholders enter freely," Garron added. "Cards expire. Rank matters. Reputation matters."
Ren understood now why his father worried.
Kael had no card.
---
The Value of a Card
They reached the Trade Hall.
The difference was immediate.
Mana-reinforced stone. Armed guards. Seals etched into the floor.
Garron stepped forward and flashed his guild card.
The guards stepped aside instantly.
Inside, the atmosphere changed.
Order.
Wealth.
Control.
Kael sold the dried herbs through Garron.
Ren watched the transaction carefully.
The numbers confirmed it.
Without Garron's card, Kael would have lost 20% of his earnings.
With it, the loss was avoided.
Ren glanced up at Garron.
"You were strong," Ren said quietly. "Why did you retire?"
Garron paused.
Then sighed.
"Monster tore my leg open," he said. "Healed wrong. Can't keep up anymore."
Ren's Appraisal confirmed it.
Permanent damage.
But not irreversible.
Not with time.
---
A Quiet Decision
As they exited the guild, Kael placed a hand on Ren's shoulder.
"You did well today," he said. "You stayed calm."
Ren smiled faintly.
Inside, his thoughts raced.
The guild wasn't just a place.
It was a system.
Ranks. Knowledge. Access.
And cards.
I need one, Ren thought.
But not yet.
First, I grow.
First, I prepare.
Silverstream wasn't the destination.
It was the first step onto the real stage.
And Ren had no intention of remaining an outsider for long.
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