The next morning, Veil got up without much motivation. The small room was dimly lit, the thick clouds outside casting a dull shadow over the city. Although it wasn’t raining, the lingering scent of dampness hung in the air, heavy with humidity.

  He got dressed while trying to steel himself for the day ahead. Only two days remained before Alynia’s return. Heading downstairs, he sat at a table and glanced around, searching out of habit. But he had to accept it—Kaela was gone.

  It’s crazy how quiet everything feels without her. I just hope everything goes well. I really need to stop getting attached like this… it’s depressing when people leave, Veil thought, unsettled.

  He finished his meal quickly and stepped out of the inn. The streets were mostly empty, the sky threatening rain at any moment. Only a handful of children were still playing outside, some parents chasing after them, urging them back indoors.

  Veil picked up his pace, hoping to reach the guild before it became too crowded.

  “If I hurry, maybe I can take on two quests… and rank up tomorrow,” he murmured, eyes fixed on the ground.

  He arrived at the guild and pushed open the doors, his expression flattening at the sight of how many people were already inside. Still, the atmosphere felt more relaxed than usual; conversations filled the hall, but there was no tension.

  Veil headed toward the counter where his usual receptionist worked, but Torven suddenly called out to him, approaching in a hurry.

  “Hey. Do you know where Kaela is? I wanted to apologize for the other day, but I haven’t seen her since. Yesterday was my day off, but I was told she stopped by,” he said, clearly nervous.

  “Kaela… she left this morning. She got a letter from her family asking her to come back, or at least that’s what I understood,” Veil explained.

  Torven’s face fell as soon as he heard that. Without another word, he turned on his heel and went back to his counter, brooding, completely forgetting about Veil. Veil resumed his path, still walking briskly, relieved to see that no one was waiting at his usual spot.

  “Hello, I’d like to take a quest, please,” he said, doing his best to sound normal.

  “Oh, good morning, Veil. Perfect timing, actually—I wanted to see you today,” she replied, lifting her head.

  “You remember everyone’s names? I haven’t been here in four days, and you still remember mine,” he said, surprised.

  The young woman let out a small laugh, then stood up and leaned closer to him.

  “I’m not about to forget you when I’m the one who gave you that name. Even if, in hindsight, it might not have been my best choice,” she whispered so only Veil could hear.

  “It suits me just fine, don’t worry,” Veil replied quietly. “Actually, I never asked your name. Kaela knew Torven’s, after all.”

  “Lyssia. My name is Lyssia. It’s nice of you to ask, but you really don’t need to trouble yourself over that. Almost no one ever does. To most people, we’re just quest and reward dispensers,” she explained with a smile.

  She stepped back, then bent down to rummage under her desk. When she straightened up, she was holding a sheet of paper. She unfolded it and handed it to Veil.

  “Congratulations! Thanks to your mission in Valdorne, you’ve been recommended for a rank promotion. This slip allows you to present yourself at the training arena whenever you’re ready. That’s where the trials take place,” she continued, pride evident in her voice.

  Veil stared at the paper in his hands, caught between relief and anxiety. He had finally been given the opportunity he’d been waiting for—but now that it was right there in front of him, doubt quietly began to take root.

  “And… and if I fail, what happens then? And… what kind of trial do we actually have to take?” he stammered, hesitating.

  “What kind of trial? Hmmm… that’s something I can’t tell you. It all depends on the instructor who receives you,” she said thoughtfully.

  She tapped her fingers lightly against the desk, resting her head on her other arm.

  “However, if you fail, you’ll have to wait a full month before you can apply again. Once you have your slip, you can retake the exam with it. We enforce that delay so you have time to understand what you’re still lacking,” Lyssia explained.

  Veil slipped the paper into his satchel and let out a long sigh, his gaze drifting as his thoughts pulled him in different directions.

  Am I really ready? If she told me to reach E-rank before her return, then it can’t be that difficult… he thought.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Alright. Then I’ll go this afternoon. There’s no point hesitating for days—at least I’ll know what’s waiting for me,” he finally said. “Have a good day, Lyssia. I’ll come back after the exam.”

  “Then I’ll be eagerly waiting for your return. I’m sure you’ll succeed. And if not, I’ll treat you to a nice glass of milk to cheer you up,” she replied with a small laugh.

  Veil left the guild just as timid rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds, casting a strange glow over the city. People were slowly beginning to come back out into the streets, though it was still quieter than usual.

  He headed back toward the inn, reached it quickly, and went inside before settling at a table. He ordered a fruit juice and waited in silence, the inn nearly empty.

  I’ll go this afternoon. That’ll be better, I think. If I go too early, I won’t be awake enough, he thought, taking a sip.

  “So, slacking off instead of working, huh? Adventurers really have it easy,” a voice said, pulling Veil out of his thoughts.

  He turned as a hand came to rest on his shoulder. Luciela was standing there, wearing a broad smile. She sat down across from him, ordered an apple beer, then focused her attention back on Veil.

  “So, how are you doing? I’m surprised to see you here at this hour. The past few days, I didn’t run into you even once,” she continued. “And it’s not like I didn’t try.”

  “I’m doing fine, thank you. But… aren’t you supposed to be with the other guards?” Veil asked, puzzled.

  The server brought over the beer and set it on the table, but Luciela stopped him before he could leave, downed the mug in one go, and ordered another.

  “I’m on break, but I always stay in uniform… you’ve seen it yourself. The younger ones can’t tell the difference between an adventurer and the trash roaming the city. Just yesterday, I had to scold one of them because he wanted to throw a kid in a cell for stealing an apple. An apple! I swear, the things you hear,” she explained.

  The server brought back another mug and placed it on the table. Luciela did exactly the same.

  “Bring me five mugs. It’ll be simpler. Otherwise, you’ll be running back and forth all the time,” she said, setting the empty mug back onto the tray.

  She turned her gaze back to Veil, who was still stunned by how quickly she was drinking.

  “But let’s get back to you, sweetheart. You know, I’m still free, you know? I wouldn’t mind taking Alynia’s place. I could make you happy too,” Luciela whispered. “How about coming with me this afternoon? I need to go shopping—we could get to know each other a bit.”

  “I… I can’t this afternoon. I have my rank-up exam at the guild,” Veil replied. “But tomorrow, I don’t have anything planned, if you want.”

  “Argh, I’m working tomorrow—I won’t be free,” Luciela sighed, downing another mug. “It’s fine. We’ll find time to get to know each other.”

  Veil nodded as the conversation drifted to other topics, him recounting the various adventures he’d had since his arrival. Eventually, Luciela cut him off.

  “Wait—hold on… what? A shop with a man who owns a slave? Why didn’t you come alert the guards the moment you saw that?” she asked, clearly irritated.

  “Alert you… why? She wasn’t in great shape, sure, but it was just a shop,” Veil replied, not understanding her reaction.

  “Alynia didn’t tell you? Figures… tsk. In Aldelion, owning slaves is forbidden. Doesn’t matter if they were bought elsewhere—it’s strictly illegal here, punishable by death. When you see something like that, you come to a guard immediately. Got it?” she explained, standing up. “I need to go now, then. Don’t worry—if you didn’t know, there was nothing you could do.”

  She left in a hurry, not saying another word, her expression far more serious as she exited the inn. Veil stared at the door for long minutes, troubled by what she’d just told him. That man he’d seen mistreating the young girl wasn’t allowed to do that.

  He finished his drink and stayed there for a few more hours before finally deciding to head out himself. The sun had replaced the clouds, restoring color to the city, and the streets were lively again, just as usual.

  Veil made his way toward the training arena, curiosity pushing him to see what awaited him soon. He took streets he’d never walked before, eventually arriving in front of a massive wall, a wide opening yawning in its center.

  I should’ve explored more the other day. I didn’t even know this place existed… and yet it’s huge, he thought, awed.

  Before him rose tall walls of pale stone, crowned with sculptures depicting men and women locked in combat—like someone had tried to immortalize the greatest moments that had taken place here.

  He entered through the opening, passed along a long corridor, and emerged into a vast space. The walls formed a large oval around a dirt field divided into roughly ten zones. Each one held adventurers training—some striking practice dummies, others sparring with wooden swords.

  Veil followed the outer path, watching people shout as they threw their attacks, until he stopped in front of one arena where a massive adventurer stood. He was facing a much slighter opponent, wielding a sword that looked far too large for anyone to handle.

  “Seriously, I hope I don’t have to face that instructor. I’m sure he could split a mountain in half with his swings,” one of the adventurers near Veil said, watching the scene.

  “If you’re scared, why are you even an adventurer? You’re supposed to face whatever’s in front of you, no matter what,” another replied.

  A dull, heavy sound cut off all conversation—the echo of a violent impact ringing in their heads. A cloud of dust rose from where the two men had clashed, slowly settling. The slender young man was sitting on the ground, legs spread, while the other’s sword had cleaved into the earth.

  “This is the third time you’ve come to take the exam and you still haven’t learned a thing? If you come back before me like this again, I guarantee it’ll be your last. You think this is a game? We’ll see how lightly you take it with one leg less. Am I clear?” growled the examiner with the oversized sword.

  Veil let out a deep breath, hoping that man wouldn’t be his examiner. He wanted to rank up—but he wanted to improve naturally. The young man on the ground stood up, a damp mark visible on the dirt where he’d been sitting, which drew laughter from some of the onlookers. He left the arena and rushed outside, tears streaming down his face, humiliation weighing heavily on him.

  He was scared, and you’re laughing at him? Almost anyone would’ve reacted the same way if a blade had passed inches from killing them. Pathetic, Veil thought, irritated.

  The examiner then turned toward the crowd, which fell silent at once as he pointed his sword at them.

  “So? Who’s next? I’m warning you—if you’re here to waste my time, I won’t be merciful. I want adventurers here, not brats who think everything’s just a game!” he shouted in a firm voice.