Eight days felt all too brief for Party Noiver and the residents of Telo Village. The time, originally intended only for a short rest, had transformed into a deep emotional bond. The old, once-dusty terrace had now become a silent witness to the birth of new seeds of adventurers in the Kingdom of Fellims.
However, every meeting must have a farewell. That morning, the sky over Telo Village looked bright, contrasting sharply with the gloomy faces of the village children gathered in Keyzier's yard.
As Keyzier, Donovan, and Novalia stepped out to leave Telo Village, their first students hung their heads. They were not ready to let go of the teachers who had changed their outlook on life in just a week.
Keyzier crouched down in front of them, looking at each innocent face one by one. "Don't be sad." he said gently but firmly.."The three of us have taught you the basics of our skills. It is not merely a trick for showing off, but true strength. Use that strength to help and protect the residents of this village! Do you promise?"
The children nodded in unison while sobbing. "Yes, Big Brother, we promise!"
Novalia smiled, wiping the tears from the cheek of the little girl she had taught support magic. "In that case, wipe your tears. Let us see your best smiles before we go! Great fighters can't be crybabies, right?"
Hearing her words, the children tried hard to swallow their sadness. They wiped their tears with the backs of their dirty hands and attempted to force a smile, even though their lips were still trembling.
Before they truly left, Donovan called out to Mike, the chubby boy he had trained. Donovan pulled a greatsword from his magic bag, a spare sword he had always maintained well.
"Take this sword, Champ!" Donovan said as he handed it over.
Mike accepted it clumsily, but his eyes shone bright.
"That isn't a toy sword. It's real metal. Use it to protect your friends, not to oppress the weak. Understood?"
Mike nodded in understanding, his eyes continuing to shed tears as he hugged the greatsword tightly.
On the other side, Novalia handed a thick, leather-bound notebook to her female student. "This contains the basics of support magic theory and medicinal plants. Study it slowly, okay?"
Keyzier did the same. He gave several basic books on mana and magic theory to Elisa and her friends. "You have talent. Don't let that talent wither. These books will guide you when I am not here."
After all the messages were delivered, they said their goodbyes to the Village Chief and the other residents who had accompanied them to the village gate. Waves of hands accompanied Party Noiver's footsteps as they moved away from the peaceful village.
Suddenly, Elisa shouted loudly from the distance, her voice breaking the morning silence. "Big Brother Key! In the future, we will be like you! We will learn and keep learning according to our talents until we become strong!"
Keyzier stopped for a moment, a nostalgic smile carved onto his face. Hahaha! You remind me of when I was her age. That spirit... is exactly the same.
Then he turned around and waved his hand high to Elisa and the others. "Okay, I'll be waiting for it! Take care of yourselves, everyone!"
Party Noiver left Telo Village and headed for their next destination: Pixa City. However, at the village gate, the children still stood frozen, continuing to stare at the backs of their teachers as they slowly disappeared, swallowed by the distance.
Mike gripped the handle of the sword Donovan gave him tightly. He turned to Elisa. "Elisa, will you really become like them too?"
Elisa wiped the remaining tears with her sleeve, her eyes now radiating a burning determination. "Of course, Mike! I will become a great mage like Big Brother Keyzier. What about you guys?"
The four other friends and mike nodded firmly. The presence of those three strangers had ignited a fire of dreams in their hearts that would not be easily extinguished. They desperately wanted to become figures who were strong, free, and kind-hearted like Keyzier and his two companions.
"Then it's decided." Mike said with an air of maturity. "Now, we have to practice hard. We can't be lazy so we won't embarrass the brothers and sister who changed our lives when we meet them again later!"
"Yeah!" they answered in unison with full spirit, their voices echoing across the wheat fields, bearing witness to the promise of the future great adventurers.
The journey to Pixa City took three days on foot. The terrain in the Kingdom of Fellims tended to be flatter and greener compared to the mountainous region around Antrows, making their journey feel lighter. There were no significant monster disturbances, as if nature itself was giving them a moment to breathe.
At noon on the third day, sturdy gray stone walls began to appear on the horizon. Pixa City, one of the trade cities in the northern region of the Kingdom of Fellims, stood grandly before them. A queue of merchants and travelers could be seen snaking in front of the inspection gate.
When their turn arrived, Keyzier, Donovan, and Novalia stepped forward to face the gatekeeper soldier wearing the distinctive blue uniform of the Fellims military. The soldier looked them up and down, assessing their appearance, which was quite striking yet lacked any kingdom insignia.
"You... judging by your accent and style of dress, it seems you aren't from around here." the soldier said while holding his spear. "Are you from Altoria Kingdom?"
Keyzier answered calmly, "That's right, Sir! We are all from there!"
The soldier frowned, slightly suspicious. Relations between kingdoms were indeed peaceful, but vigilance was still necessary. "What is your purpose for coming to this kingdom? Trade? Or is there a diplomatic mission?"
Keyzier smiled broadly, putting on an innocent, carefree face. "To travel the world, of course, Sir! We want to visit places we've never seen before! We heard the Kingdom of Fellims has beautiful scenery."
Hearing such a spontaneous, naive answer filled with youthful spirit, the tension on the soldier's face melted instantly. He and his partner laughed out loud.
"Hahaha! Traveling the world, huh? Young Man, your spirit is something else. Alright, welcome to Pixa City. Don't cause any trouble, okay?"
"Yes, Sir! Thank you!"
They were allowed to stroll through the thick gates. Once inside, the hustle and bustle of the city immediately welcomed them. Buildings in Pixa were dominated by red brick and dark wood, different from the ivory-white architecture in Altoria. The aroma of spices and the sound of bargaining filled the air.
"Finally, we made it!" Donovan muttered in relief. "So, what's our plan now, Key?"
"The first thing we have to do is find the Adventurers' Guild." Keyzier answered while scanning the surroundings. "We need information about this city, a map of the region, and most importantly... currency. Our Altoria Kingdom coins definitely won't be accepted in all the shops here. We need to exchange them."
For an adventurer, the Guild was a second home as well as the most accurate information center. If one wanted to know the ins and outs of a city or kingdom, one asked the guild receptionist.
After asking a few residents, they finally found the Pixa Branch Adventurers' Guild building. The building was large, with the familiar winged sword and shield emblem displayed above the entrance.
Keyzier pushed open the double doors and stepped inside, followed by Donovan and Novalia. The atmosphere inside the guild was quite busy. Local adventurers were drinking, discussing things at the mission board, or just resting. However, when Party Noiver entered, silence spread slowly like a wave.
Their foreign faces, different clothes, and the aura they radiated made the three of them the center of attention. Whispers began to be heard, guessing the origins of these three strangers.
Ignoring the stares of the people, Keyzier walked straight toward the reception desk. There, a young woman with brown hair tied back neatly was organizing files.
"Good afternoon!" the woman greeted with a professional smile when she noticed their presence. "I am Sera, the receptionist for the Pixa Guild. Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Good afternoon, Miss Sera." Keyzier replied politely. "The three of us are from the Kingdom of Altoria and have just arrived in this city. We need information about this city, recommendations for safe lodging, and also information regarding currency exchange applicable in this kingdom."
Sera raised an eyebrow slightly, intrigued. Travelers crossing kingdoms were not an everyday occurrence. "Ah, travelers from the Kingdom of Altoria. Welcome. Of course, I can help explain all of that. But before that, according to procedure, are the three of you registered as official adventurers in the Kingdom of Altoria? We need to verify your status to grant access to guild facilities."
"Yes!" Keyzier answered firmly. "We are registered at the Antrows Branch. Actually, we have been registered as adventurers there for barely two months."
Donovan and Novalia took out their cards, as did Keyzier. "Here are our license cards."
Sera accepted the three cards politely. However, when her eyes saw the dark copper color and the writing engraved on them, her professional smile faded, replaced by an expression of genuine shock. Her eyes widened, looking at the cards and then looking at the young faces in front of her in turn.
"Rank... C?" Sera muttered in disbelief, her voice trembling slightly.
The silence around the reception desk grew thicker. She knew very well that it should be impossible to reach Rank C in less than two months. For an ordinary adventurer, reaching Rank C from beginner status took about one to two years of hard work. And that was only if they survived dangerous missions. The only exception was if the adventurer achieved a massive, extraordinary feat, such as defeating a calamitous monster or saving a city.
"Wait a moment..." Sera swallowed hard, staring at Keyzier intently. "You said you've been registered for less than two months? And you've already reached Rank C?"
"Correct!" Keyzier answered casually, as if it were a common thing. "Is there a problem with our cards, Miss Sera?"
Sera shook her head quickly, but her hands trembled slightly as she held Keyzier's license card.