Black Sword and Fragments [Vol. 1: Unforeseen Conspiracy]

Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Full-time Adventurer!

Ever since Allastor entered the Adventurer's guild is that he couldn't measure how excited he was. nonetheless, as the huge man's word immediately rang through his ears, he became nervous.

“I worked here for the past few years and did not see you here before.” deep and earnestly said the huge man, “are you sure that you were not lost, kid?”

Allastor, feeling startled, paused for a moment. He looked at the huge man and noticed that on the left side of his suit was a patch of a burning sword symbol, also known as the symbol of the Adventurer's guild. At this point is that he now has an idea of why he was blocked by the huge man.

“Do you know that you can not enter this building unless you are part of the Adventurer's guild's government?”

“An officer of Adventurer's guild!” In Allastor's mind. “If I will be looking funny and ridiculous, I will be forced to be kicked out. I need to state my goal here!”

Allastor coughed a bit and he puffed out his chest as he stands firmly—hoping that this will cover his nervousness. He shook his head slightly in his response to the officer. 

“No. I'm here to register as a newbie Adventurer...” Even though he said those words in a slightly deep manner, however, his voice is getting weaker and weaker. Allastor stops himself from breathing to maintain himself from standing firmly, but his pale face doesn't follow what Allastor was trying to convey. A bit of sweat dripped down to his forehead.

As the silence remains between the two, Allastor's anxiousness and uneasiness continue. He is expecting now that he will be kicked out by the huge officer due to three reasons. First, is that his magicules were still too weak since it was only three days ago since he was awakened. The second is that he wasn't sure if their government accepts a boy who was only eleven years old. And most of all, the third, Allastor can feel that the huge man might already have seen through his trick of acting being tough.

A few moments have passed, but there's still no response from the officer. At this point, Allastor stopped himself from pretending. He released his breath and accepted that he wasn't qualified to become an Adventurer right now. He was about to take his step to go out, yet... 

“Ah. I see... I understand.”

The voice of the huge officer was like a rattling coin in his ears. He again looked up to the huge man just to meet his serious and observing eyes.

“Don't be so nervous. I won't cast you out without hearing you first, kid.” response again by the man like he knows what Allastor was thinking right now. “There are also a rather huge number of Adventurers that join our government when they are about your age. And some of them were strong now. anyhow, ever since our King raised the salary for the Royal Soldiers, a young man like you coming here to be an aspiring adventurer was so rare now. To not get blinded by soldier's new money bag, that's hella lot of courage you got there, kid.”

Allastor just nodded at what the man had said. He was aware of the raised salary for the Royal Soldiers, in spite of that, his dream is to become an Adventurer that can roam all over the world, not be the one guarding the kingdom. On the other hand, even though the huge man suggested that Allastor should not be nervous around him is that he couldn't do it. It isn't only that the man is looking scary huge, he was also afraid that he could not even feel the presence of this man when he was blocked by him earlier.

Even though Allastor's knowledge in this world isn't vast enough, the knowledge about the rankers who can hide their presence was so popular not only to Allastor but to the whole Kreo kingdom. It was said that once a ranker finally reached the “Gold rank”, they gain the ability to hide their presence and magicule energies to the weaker rank rankers. That is why Allastor had realized that the huge officer is an actual Gold rank ranker.

“Hey, the name is Roderick Flameberg, I'm one of the Look-out Officers here in this Adventurer's guild.” He pointed toward the people on his back. A smirk formed on his lips. “Heh. I'm currently watching our folks here. If one or some of them harassed you inside, tell us immediately.”

“A...I'll sure to tell you if that happens, sir Roderick! M-my name is Allastor Frauzz!” responded Allastor, bowing his head.

Roderick smirked more when he heard the stuttering voice of the boy. “Heh, Allastor is a kinda good name, but you are still a booger nervous, kid. Don't you worry, you will eventually get used to it. We, humans, are used to adapting to every change after all.” He lifted his hand, and using his thumb, pointed at the stairs from the left side. “Just go down there, that's the floor for the aspiring Adventurers. You will meet officer joy there. She can assist you at registration.”

“Thank you very much, sir.” response again by Allastor.

Allastor was just going to take a step again, however, he has come to stop when he feels a weight from one of his shoulders. He sighed when he realized that the wide palm of Roderick Flameberg was resting on his shoulder.

A trace of hesitation and nervousness was formed on his face. A bit of sweat also dripped down from his forehead. He looked from side to side and when he realized that he didn't saw what he was searching for, he sighed. His expression become earnestly calm when he spoke.

“I forgot to tell you, be careful with this adventurer Ballion Ibzaar. He loves to trip and bully someone weaker than him. And he only does it for his noxious interest.”

----

In the Irongrass town, from one of the orphanage's rooms, a lady can be seen sitting on the bed wearing a black uniform with a white apron. Her silky black hair is rather long which compliments her pinkish white skin. Her eyes are also blue as the ocean. And if before, her blue eyes were so bright and cheerful, the color of them now was cloudy pale due to the forming tears around her eyes. She was just sitting while reading a letter.

“That boy... I hope he waited for me to come home. That way, I won't miss the chance to see the smiling version of Allastor that's always frowning before.”

Ishara sighed. She knows how much Allastor dreamed of becoming an Adventurer since he was a little kid, that is why she was so happy as well that Allastor was now starting his dream journey to work as an Adventurer. And she was much more happy, knowing that Allastor is also happy right now.

She glimpsed again the letter from her hand and read the last line of Allastor. “I will be a strong Adventurer and I will travel the whole Illunor's continents!”

It was a long cold hard winter since she heard this line from Allastor. Ever since he came to the orphanage, he often told Ishara about those lines. still, after knowing that his grandpa Allan died, it wasn't just that familiar line has disappeared from Allastor, the smile on his lips also drifted away. 

Ishara smiled again and whispered proudly, “I believe that you will become a strong Adventurer, Allastor.”

------

Inside the Adventurer's Guild, to the lowest floor where the registration of the aspiring Adventurer happens, Allastor was just earnestly gazing at his feet. He was thinking about the changes in Roderick Flameberg's expression when he told him about Balliom Ibzaar. He was so sure that Roderick Flameberg is a strong Gold ranker, although, to feel fear, might be, Ballion is much stronger. And Allastor doesn't like the idea of him bullying weaker Adventurers.

“Ballion Ibzaar... How can he freely do those harsh things if the whole forces of Adventurer's guild are enough to stop a strong Gold ranker? And besides, roaming Royal Soldiers were distributed properly in every area of the Kingdom. He could never act tough with them even if he was so strong, or else, he will be jailed.” Anxiously told by Allastor to himself. “No matter what is the true reason behind his strange acts, only one I can be sure of.” He sighed. “My journey as an Adventurer will never be easy.”

While anxiousness can be traced to the earnest expression of the young man, one shout was enough to wake his drifting consciousness.

“Sir Allastor Frauzz, you are next to register!”

A shout from a maiden rang in the surroundings. Allastor stood up and come near the maiden. Compared to the other adventurers from the upper floor, he feels that the magicules from the maiden were almost the same as him. He wasn't shaken by what he discovered. He knows that not all the officers from the Adventurer's Guild are experts when it comes to combat. Besides, not all the people from the Kreo Kingdom seek strength just like the regular Adventurer and Royal Soldiers.

“Good morning, Sir Allastor Frauzz, I'm officer Joy Silverheart, the assigned officer to the registration floor today. Oh, wait—”

Even though there has no trace of shock in Allastor's expression, withal, the maiden has. 

The maiden paused for a few seconds gazing at Allastor Frauzz. She asked confused. “In the past three years of my work here, you are the third one to the youngest registrar of the Adventurer's guild. I'm just confused. You know, our majesty raised the salary for the Royal Soldiers 5 years ago, that is why it is confusing that you still consider choosing to become an Adventurer. I know that our Adventurer's guild's government isn't that strict when it comes to their Adventurers, but if it is I...” She paused for a moment and sighed. “If ever I dare to face those notorious and scary magicule beast and criminals, I'll choose to become a Royal Soldier of the palace. Are you sure that you want to become an Adventurer?”

Allastor just nodded, “I already made up my decision. I'm sure that I want to become an Adventurer.”

He had already heard to his Aunt Ishara and Isabel about this raised salary stuff about the royal soldiers, and Lookout Officer Roderick just recall it for him earlier, and now, he has heard it again from the maiden this time. In his mind, such synchronicity couldn't stop him from reaching his goal.

When she saw the sincerity in the young man's eyes, Officer joy just nodded and didn't even lift a finger to try and continue to persuade the young man. She smiled and said

“You are lucky today because our Adventurer's guild has revised the ranking system of the Adventurers.” She earnestly said. Her long hair is brown and her porcelain skin is soothing for the eyes. Even though she wasn't the epitome of gorgeousness, she can still be considered as beautiful. “Our Adventurers will be ranked just like how the rankers' rankings and levels work.”

The maiden brought her face close to Allastor's, “I'm still a bronze rank ranker, and there is no way I can tell which level are you now just by reading your magicules. Can I see your Magicule-mark?”

Allastor's face becomes pink to what the maiden did. even so, he still nods as a response. He turn around slightly to show the left side of his nape where the number “zero and one” was drawn.

A human will have a magicule mark when they unlock their ability to feel the magicules, or simply by becoming a ranker. He can still recall the night when he felt a burning sensation from the left side of his nape, and in that, a magicule mark appeared.

“Hmm... Level one only? I thought you were already on the level two or Level three—Bronze rank.” Said the maiden, wondering. She wasn't that much disappointed, because she was also not hoping much for the young man's level. Allastor was still too young after all. She bent down while searching for a paper under the tall table, and when she finally found it, she asked Allastor about his biography and wrote it on the paper.

After filling out the required data, the maiden hand over the paper to Allastor Frauzz. 

“This certificate proves that you are part of our Adventurer's guild's government and is also our official adventurer. Don't lose it, or else, you will lose your rights as an Adventurer. In addition, if you request a second certificate, it will cost you money.” Warned by the maiden, smiling.

As a response, Allastor nodded and receives the certificate. A moment later, after checking his written information, he stored the paper inside his Space bag.

“Thank you so much, Officer Joy!”

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