The courtyard of the Adventurers' Guild was still buzzing with excitement regarding the extermination of the bandit crew.
The Guild Master, standing tall with an intimidating aura, stared sharply at the leader of TheSky party. The most crucial question was finally posed. A question that could determine the fate of a party's reputation.
"How did you defeat them?" the Guild Master asked in a probing tone. He was well aware of One-Eyed Adolf's reputation. Wiping out his entire crew was no easy feat for a B-Rank party like TheSky.
The leader of TheSky went silent for a moment. He glanced toward Keyzier, who was standing casually in the crowd, and swallowed hard. There was a great deal of hesitation in his eyes.
He feared that if he lied, the Guild Master would see right through him. However, after gathering his courage and recalling Keyzier's cold threat back in the cave, he finally answered.
"At that time... a wanderer helped us." he said, his voice trembling slightly. "After we defeated the entire bandit crew, he continued his journey very quickly. We didn't even have a chance to ask for that mysterious wanderer's name!"
This statement was immediately met with firm nods from the merchants and civilians who had been rescued. "That's right! That wanderer was incredibly strong!" one merchant shouted. Others joined in to testify as well. Their collective testimony solidified the narrative Keyzier had meticulously arranged.
Even Keyzier, Donovan, and Novalia joined in the testimony with innocent faces. In reality, unbeknownst to the Guild and the people of Antrows, one of the witnesses standing right there, the greyish-white-haired teenager with a calm expression, was the very person who had wiped out the entire bandit crew single-handedly.
Since everyone testified with a consistent story, the Guild finally believed the report they had received.
In his heart, Keyzier rejoiced. His strategy had been a total success. He had secured his identity and TheSky had received the glory they desired.
The atmosphere, which had begun to calm down, heated up again when the Guild Master asked Hana to call the soldiers to handle the bandits' corpses.
Ten minutes later, about twenty-two royal soldiers arrived in clanking steel armor. One of the soldiers immediately busied himself writing a report that would later be submitted to the regional ruler of Antrows.
"We will be taking all the bodies and the plundered goods of these bandits!" one soldier declared loudly, preparing to pull the wagons filled with loot.
However, this action triggered a fierce reaction. The civilians and merchants who were victims refused in unison. "No! We want the Guild to handle it!" they shouted.
A heated debate ensued between the soldiers, who felt they held legal authority, and the civilians, who were fed up with royal bureaucracy.
"How dare you speak that way about the ruler of this region!" the soldier barked.
One of the victims stepped forward bravely. "We don't really trust the nobles! We also don't know if all those goods will actually be returned to their owners or not if they enter the noble's warehouse! It's better if the Guild handles it; they are more transparent!"
The debate intensified until one victim yelled out, "When those bandits were still out there terrorizing the streets, did the nobles care about our safety? So, why didn't you take the initiative to exterminate them back then?"
The soldier was silenced. He could only open his mouth without being able to utter a word of defense. Fortunately, a wiser vice-captain arrived just in time to stop the commotion and handed over the logistics of the plundered goods to the Guild to quell the crowd's anger.
Eventually, the soldiers left, taking the bandits' bodies for burial, while the loot remained under the Guild's supervision.
After the crowd dispersed, Keyzier saw an opening to move. He approached the busy Guild Master and expressed his intention to register as an adventurer. The Guild Master looked at the three of them with a serious gaze.
"Weren't you three among the survivors earlier?" the guild master asked.
"Um... actually, we were on our way to Antrows to become adventurers." Keyzier lied smoothly. "But on the way, we were intercepted by bandits who tried to kidnap us. Luckily, TheSky party and that wanderer saved us."
Feeling exhausted and having much work awaiting him regarding this major case, the Guild Master did not press further. He immediately directed them to the reception desk. Accompanied by the members of TheSky, who felt indebted to them, the three teenagers registered themselves.
"Do the three of you want to form a party?" Hana asked while preparing the forms.
"Of course! Our party name is Noiver!" Keyzier answered firmly, taking the name of their home village as a reminder.
Soon after, three brand-new license cards were produced from a magical device. Keyzier gazed at it with sparkling eyes. It read:
Name: Keyzier Almon
Rank: G
Party: [G Rank] Noiver
Donovan and Novalia felt the same way. This was the first proof that they were no longer just fugitives or village youths, but official adventurers. However, their happiness was slightly dampened when Hana mentioned the administration fee.
"In that case, the registration fee for three people is 6 silver coins!"
The three of them suddenly went silent. They didn't have any small change, and they also didn't want Keyzier to pull out gold coins from the bandit's vault in public.
"We'll pay for their registration fee!" the leader of TheSky said promptly.
Keyzier and Donovan were very grateful. That small gesture meant a lot for their cover.
After the registration was finished, the Noiver party and TheSky party walked out of the Guild building. The sun had begun to set, leaving an orange hue in the city sky.
"Thank you for your help! Thanks to you, we're officially adventurers!" Donovan said sincerely.
"Don't mention it! We're the ones who should be thanking you." the leader of TheSky replied. "Thanks to this achievement, our party has risen to A-Rank, and we received 15 gold coins. We won't have to worry about money for the next five months!"
Keyzier, who had been silent, suddenly furrowed his brow. He looked confused by the statement. "By the way... just how much is 15 gold coins, exactly?"
"Like I said..." the leader of TheSky replied with a laugh. "15 gold coins can fund a very decent life for us for the next five months without working."
Keyzier went quiet. His expression slowly shifted from confusion to a slight paleness. He had only just realized how far off his understanding of currency value in the outside world was compared to his village.
Donovan, noticing Keyzier's unease, approached him after TheSky party had left.
"Why are you so anxious? Exactly how much did you take from that bandit vault?" Donovan asked suspiciously.
"I-I-I-I-I... t-t-t-t-took... th-th-this... m-much..." Keyzier stammered heavily.
Smack!
Donovan slapped Keyzier's back hard. "Why are you stuttering? Say it clearly!"
Keyzier took a deep breath, trying to steady his heart, and then whispered softly but clearly into the ears of his two companions. "I took 1,200 gold coins!"
Donovan and Novalia's jaws dropped instantly. Their eyes widened perfectly, and it felt as though their hearts stopped for a second. 1,200 gold coins. If only 15 gold coins could support a party for five months, then the amount Keyzier carried was enough to fund their lives for years in luxury.
The atmosphere around them fell into total silence. In the middle of the bustle of Antrows, the three of them stood frozen, realizing they had just become the "newly rich" overnight in the most unexpected way.