District Seven, Northwest Main Street.
Tucked into a corner of the boulevard stood a commanding white building, imposing in both scale and presence.
The Adventurer Headquarters.
Clean-cut stone blocks formed its walls, adorned with carved reliefs and statuary. Rows of classical columns held aloft a triangular pediment with the quiet confidence of something that had stood there for centuries and intended to stand for centuries more.
The craftsmanship caught Leon's eye. Half an architect himself, he couldn't help but admire it.
"Never really stopped to look before, always rushing in and out. But the Guild's building might be the finest piece of architecture in the mortal world. Wonder who designed it?"
He said it casually, though he already had a pretty good answer.
During his studies on the world's geography and notable figures, he'd come across it in a volume of A Brief History of Orario at the Great Library of Noum. Long ago, Ouranos had a follower named Daedalus, a legendary master builder. His most famous work was Orario's landmark, Babel, the great white tower. Beyond that, the man had designed the labyrinthine Daedalus Street in District Four, the Colosseum, and a string of other monuments.
The Headquarters shared Babel's architectural DNA. Unless someone else had perfectly mimicked the style, it was almost certainly his work too.
Leon lingered a moment longer, studying the reliefs on the walls, the stories and figures carved into stone, before Jeanne tugged at his sleeve.
"Come on, we're not here to sightsee."
They stepped inside.
"It's so loud," Jeanne blurted, flinching at the wall of noise that hit them. "There are this many people?"
Standing just past the entrance, the hall sprawled before them, packed to the walls with adventurers. Some queued at the service counters. Others clustered in groups, swapping tall tales and talking trash. The roar of conversation rolled over them in waves, thick with the smell of too many bodies in one space. At least the ventilation was doing its job. No sour reek of sweat, just the general funk of a room that held more people than it probably should.
Leon had seen it all before. For Jeanne, though, everything was new.
"Good thing I had the foresight," he said, voice low, "to make you wear that cloak. With your face? We'd have a problem before we reached the counter."
"Even if you say that, I..."
The tips of her ears went pink.
Watching the blush creep up, Leon raised an eyebrow with a look of smug satisfaction. Almost turned into a steam engine again.
He glanced at the line snaking away from the Exchange window and leaned toward Jeanne. "Too crowded. Let's wait it out." Then he shouldered his way through the knot of people in front of the quest board and started scanning the postings.
Adventure Quest: InvestigationObjective: Travel to the adventurer town of Rivira on Dungeon Floor 18. Investigate suspected non-adventurer individuals of unknown affiliation. Confirm identities and intentions, then report findings to the Guild or the military police. Requirements: Party of four, Level 2 or above, or a solo adventurer Level 3 or above. Reward: 500,000 valis Client: Ganesha Familia
Leon rubbed his chin.
Evilus, huh. Those lunatics showing up in Rivira isn't exactly a shock. The place is practically the black market's living room.
Adventure Quest: ProcurementObjective: Descend to Dungeon Floor 25, the Water City, and collect Steel Crab Shells. Requirements: Party of four, Level 3 or above, or a solo adventurer Level 4 or above. Reward: To be discussed Client: Hephaestus Familia
...
Adventure Quest: InvestigationObjective: Dungeon Floors 11 through 12. Multiple adventurer parties have vanished without a trace. Locate clues and determine the cause. Requirements: Party of four, experienced Level 1 adventurers, or a solo adventurer Level 2 or above. Veterans preferred. Reward: 300,000 valis Client: The Guild
...
The board was wallpapered with postings, every inch covered.
Mixed in among the quests were official notices from the Guild itself.
For example...
The level-up announcement for Ais Wallenstein, the Sword Princess, reaching Level 2. It had been up for ages now and still occupied prime real estate at the center of the board.
Not surprising. That kind of prestige was a trophy. Neither the Guild nor Loki Familia would pass up the chance to burnish their reputation.
Jeanne noticed it too. She studied the portrait, voice dropping to a murmur.
"She's the one who holds the record for fastest level-up in the city?"
Leon nodded. "Yeah. Loki Familia's princess."
Jeanne's gaze lingered on the portrait, something thoughtful stirring behind her eyes. Her mind drifted to her own skills, then to Leon's mysterious abilities. She looked at him, long and searching.
He gave no sign of noticing. Expression unchanged, he turned away.
"Let's go. Finish up and head home. We'll eat out tonight."
...
Clatter.
A tray loaded with Orario gold coins slid through the Exchange window.
"Your Magic Stones have been exchanged for a total of 71,455 valis. Please confirm."
Leon had expected a decent haul. The number still put a grin on his face.
Thank the Monster Party for that. Without it, I'd have been grateful for 35,000.
Beneath the cover of his cloak, he tucked the coin purse against his body in one smooth motion.
Then he and Jeanne strolled out of the Guild building with all the nonchalance of people carrying nothing worth stealing. Nobody gave them a second look.
The ones whooping and hollering at the Exchange window? Didn't need to think twice. Either fresh rookies or complete idiots.
Keep your money out of sight. That was Adventuring 101.
...
...
"We're home."
Old habits, new world. Leon fished out his key, unlocked the courtyard gate, and they filed through.
He dumped his pack on the ground, collapsed onto the stone bench, grabbed the water jug and drained it in long, greedy gulps.
"Ahh! That hits different. I'm alive again!"
Jeanne shook her head. "I'm going to take a shower. I feel disgusting."
"Go ahead, go ahead. I'll tally up the haul." He waved her off.
In quick, practiced motions he stripped off his armor, cloak, and face guard, settling cross-legged in just his combat underlayer. He upended his pack, dumping everything onto the ground.
"Blue Papilio Wing, one. Needle Rabbit Pelt, one. Killer Ant Shells, nine... tch."
"Goblin Fangs, three. Imp Claw, one..."
"200,000 plus 50,000 plus 270,000 plus 15,000 plus 5,000. Total: 540,000 valis."
"Add in the 71,455 from the Magic Stone baseline, and that's... 611,455 valis."
The windfall had him beaming, but the smile froze halfway.
"Luck is just... absurd. Today's haul was all thanks to Her Holiness the Saint!"
He muttered under his breath, "That girl's got natural good luck on top of the beginner's bonus multiplier."
"But..."
"Big income, big expenses."
He shook his head and started tallying costs.
"Consumables used: four Potions, one Antidote, one Magic Potion."
"Potions at 1,000 valis each. Antidote, 20,000. Magic Potion, 10,000."
"Total expenditure: 34,000 valis."
"611,455 minus 34,000... 577,455."
The final number settled his nerves.
That was today's take. Market prices fluctuated, so the actual figure might shift a little. But by any measure, it was a hell of a haul.
Accounting done, Leon cracked open his supply kit and checked the remaining stock.
Seeing the High Potion, all 50,000 valis of it, still safely inside, a wave of relief washed through him.
"Good thing I ran fast on Floor 10. Otherwise that High Potion would've been toast, and on top of that, the kind of brutal fighting we saw down there? The wear on weapons and armor alone would've been astronomical."
Just thinking about the Orcs' raw power made his skin prickle.
And when he factored in the maintenance, repairs, and restocking he'd need after combat like that, the expenses made him wince.
"These crafting familias really know how to bleed you dry. When I've got the strength and the familia's on solid footing, I need to find some revenue streams of my own."
With the spoils sorted and stored, Leon carefully retrieved his personal prize.
A gift from the Dungeon itself: one gleaming golden treasure chest.
He placed his hand on the lid, ready to open it, when his fingers froze. Something flashed through his mind. He shot to his feet and sprinted for the bathroom.
BANG!
The door flew open.
Steam billowed. Jeanne whipped around, eyes wide, brain short-circuiting at the sudden intrusion.
Leon didn't care. He closed the distance in a single stride and seized both her hands, rubbing them furiously between his own.
"I'm absorbing the luck!"
Not satisfied, he pressed in further, brushing against her like a cat desperate for warmth, and then, lips pursed, planted a loud, deliberate mwah on the saint's cheek.
"Bless me, Saint!"
With that battle cry, he bolted back to the courtyard, mission accomplished.
"..."
Dead silence in the bathroom.
Jeanne stood frozen, a perfect statue. Hot water still streamed over her, wet hair plastered to her cheeks, hiding most of her face behind a curtain of shadow.
Time stopped.
A few seconds crawled by.
She didn't speak. Just stood there under the rain of hot water, shoulders trembling, fists clenched so tight her knuckles ached. Behind those violet eyes, a bonfire of humiliation and fury roared to life.
Shame and rage erupted from some place deep inside, a white-hot spike straight to the crown of her skull.
Her mind went blank. She needed an outlet. Now.
And then...
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
A scream fit to shatter glass ripped through the courtyard's peace.
"LEON! YOU ABSOLUTE SCUM! YOU PERVERT! DIE! JUST DIE!"
The beautiful saint had finally erupted, a volcano held back too long, blowing its top with spectacular, earth-shaking fury.
...
...
"Holy shit!"
Out in the courtyard, Leon nearly launched off the ground, jolted by the scream.
Once his heart stopped hammering, the full weight of what he'd just done caught up to him. The hand resting on the treasure chest started to shake.
"This was all worth it. Everything I did... it was all for the familia!"
He sucked in a deep breath, as if pulling every last scrap of good fortune into his lungs.
"Saint's blessing, don't fail me now! Chest... OPEN!"
Click.
The lock popped.
A blinding light erupted from inside, spilling across the courtyard. Leon squinted on instinct, heart slamming against his ribs, eyes locked on the shapes slowly materializing within the glow...
"What... is that?!"