The Adventurers' Guild was louder than Jake imagined it would be. The sound of clashing armor echoed through the wide hall, mixed with shouting voices and the scratch of quills against parchment. The air smelled faintly of sweat, metal, and old wood, making it clear this was a place where danger and ambition gathered.
Kale walked beside him calmly, showing no reaction to the noise or the curious glances sent her way. Jake, on the other hand, felt stiff under the attention. Too many people were looking at them, especially at her.
"So this is where we register as a party?" Jake asked quietly, leaning closer to her as they approached the counter.
"Yes," Kale replied. "It is more efficient that way. Parties receive better quests and higher rewards."
The receptionist looked bored until her eyes landed on Kale. Her posture straightened immediately, and her expression shifted into something between confusion and awe. She cleared her throat before speaking.
"P-party registration?" she asked.
Jake nodded. "Yes, please."
The crystal on the counter glowed briefly, then dimmed.
Party Registered.
Jake let out a small breath of relief. "That was easier than I expected."
Kale didn't respond. She had already turned and was walking toward the quest board.
Jake followed, scanning the lower half of the board as he walked. Stone quests, Diamond quests, Crystal quests—those sounded manageable. They were exactly what he expected for a first job in a new world.
Then Kale stopped.
Her hand reached far higher than Jake was comfortable with, past the quests most adventurers gathered around. She pulled a single notice free, its surface marked in deep black.
The noise in the guild faded unnaturally fast.
Jake felt a knot form in his stomach as he noticed the sudden stares, the stiff postures, the murmurs spreading through the hall. "Why is everyone looking at us like that?" he asked.
"That is a Black Diamond quest," Kale said calmly.
Jake frowned. "And that's bad… how bad, exactly?"
A nearby adventurer let out a shaky laugh. "That's not a beginner quest. That's a death sentence."
Another shook his head slowly. "Even Masters avoid those. Anyone who takes one is either insane or suicidal."
Jake slowly turned to Kale, lowering his voice. "Please tell me you grabbed that by mistake."
"I did not."
Before he could respond, the receptionist rushed over, her face pale. "Y-You can't take that quest! It's far beyond your qualifications!"
Kale met her gaze without emotion. "Guild law states that no one may prevent a registered party from accepting a quest."
The receptionist froze, then reluctantly nodded. "…That is correct."
Jake swallowed. "What… what's the quest?"
The receptionist hesitated, then spoke softly. "Subjugation request. Target: fifty mature dragons."
Jake felt his legs weaken. "F-fifty?" he repeated, barely hearing his own voice.
He looked at Kale. "That's not a typo, right?"
"No."
Jake dragged a hand down his face. "We're going to die."
Kale calmly folded the quest notice and tucked it away. "Unlikely."
As they left the guild, whispers followed them like shadows. Some were mocking, others fearful, but none were hopeful. Jake glanced back once before letting out a long sigh.
"I wanted an easy start," he muttered.
Kale glanced at him. "Easy is inefficient."
Jake had a strong feeling that his new life had just taken a very dangerous turn.
Thanks for reading!
Would you accept a Black Diamond quest if the rules said no one could stop you?