The guild hall bustled with its usual commotion—voices overlapping, chairs scraping across the wooden floors, and the ever-familiar clink of armour and coin.
Yet amidst the chaos, one table was unusually quiet.
"What should we do now…?"
Rhea bit her lip, the question echoing louder in her mind than it had aloud.
A proud C-rank adventurer, she had weathered many quests with grit and resolve.
Like many in her profession, adventuring wasn't merely a job—it was a lifeline.
The coin earned paid for food, shelter, repairs, and the occasional night of revelry.
But more than anything, it was far better pay than most jobs offered.
She had no desire to work for some aristocrats. Just by deciding they did not like her, they could alter the price they paid. She was not cut out for such an unstable job.
And yet, it now stood threatened.
The guild's announcement that morning had hit like a falling hammer.
A new, comprehensive, and absolute rule would prohibit any party from accepting quests unless they adhered to a "balanced configuration".
That meant each team required specific roles—Tank, Healer, Frontline DPS, and a Mage-Class. No exceptions.
No substitutions. Effective immediately.
They claimed that it was a reaction to an alarming number of unsuccessful expeditions, unpredictable group makeups, and rising death tolls.
In order to ensure everyone's "safety", the guilds had decided to establish structure after much discussion.
Rhea's knuckles tightened against the table's edge.
Her team—consisting of herself as an aura user, Kael as their tank, and Mira as their healer—was now incomplete by the new standards.
No mage. No authorisation.
The truth was straightforward: they would have to dissolve if they did not fill the slot, but her pride would not consider the possibility.
She groaned softly.
"Where in the world am I supposed to find a C-rank mage now…?"
Mages with higher rankings were either already contracted with elite teams or were prohibitively expensive.
Those with lower ranks did not fit the guild's requirements for eligibility.
And those few C-rank mages that were available? Already snatched up the moment the new rule passed.
As she wallowed in her frustration, Mira and Kael exchanged weary glances. The tension thickened.
Rhea then noticed someone at the reception desk, as if a sudden breeze were blowing through the fog.
He stood apart from the others—a tall man in a crisp white shirt, his snow-white hair tied loosely behind his shoulders.
Twin silver piercings adorned his right ear, and thin-rimmed glasses rested on his ears, catching the light with a faint glint.
His presence was strangely composed, as if untouched by the ambient noise.
But it wasn't his appearance alone that seized her attention—it was the unmistakable guild tag clipped to his coat:
C-Rank. Mage-Class. Unaffiliated.
She blinked twice to be sure.
"Wait…!"
Rhea sprang from her chair, almost toppling it, and walked across the guild hall.
Getting to the counter, her breath a little hurried, but her voice calm and respectful, she navigated through bodies and the clatter of boots.
"Excuse me," she began with a polite bow.
"I couldn't help but notice your rank badge.
"I'm Rhea, leader of a C-rank adventuring party. Might I ask… are you currently looking for a team?"
The man turned to face her fully. Up close, his expression was serene, analytical.
He regarded her with quiet curiosity, as if studying something beyond her words.
"I am", he said simply, his voice smooth and unhurried.
Rhea's heart lifted. Before she could press further, the man added,
"My name is Vancroft. I've only recently registered here, and it seems your timing is rather fortunate."
He adjusted his glasses, eyes narrowing slightly in thought. Then, with a single nod, he spoke again.
"I accept."
Rhea blinked. "Just like that?"
Vancroft smiled faintly.
"You need a mage. I need a party. There's no reason to hesitate."
And with those words, the course of her party's future subtly shifted.
She did not know the full identity of this man or the significance of his calm exterior, but at that precise moment.
Hope returned to Rhea's heart.
Her team could stand again. They could fight again.
And in time, she would learn that she hadn't simply recruited a mage.
She had welcomed something far more mysterious than she thought.
Rhea returned to her table with a bounce in her step.
Mira and Kael looked up, curiosity flickering in their eyes as she gestured for them to lean in.
"I found someone," she whispered, grinning.
"A mage. C-rank. Solo. He agreed to join."
Kael raised a brow, sceptical.
"That fast? Who is he?"
"He said his name's Vancroft," Rhea replied.
"He's over at the counter now, finishing up some paperwork."
Mira frowned slightly, her tone cautious.
"I heard of him, but not much. Isn't he a noble? What is he doing here?"
"Yeah. Just registered recently."
Kael folded his arms.
"We're putting a lot of trust in a complete stranger who also is a noble."
Rhea sat back, shrugging.
"We don't have a choice. The longer we sit around, the more quests get snatched up. Besides, I saw his badge myself. He's officially C-rank, same as us."
Mira rested her chin on her palm, watching Vancroft from afar.
"He looks… calm."
"Too calm", Kael muttered. "That guy has the aura of someone who doesn't panic even when the dungeon starts collapsing."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Rhea grinned.
"We've been needing someone who can keep cool under pressure."
Kael leaned forward, his voice lower now.
"Just keep your eyes open. Mages like him don't usually appear out of nowhere."
"I'll take mysterious and powerful over nothing at all," Rhea replied dryly.
Mira chuckled.
"Well, I hope he doesn't snore when we camp."
Kael snorted.
"If he can burn down monsters before they reach us, he can snore all he wants."
The three shared a brief laugh—nervous, but genuine.
For the first time since the new regulation dropped, there was a sliver of hope again.
Rhea looked toward the counter, where Vancroft adjusted his glasses, then glanced back in their direction.
Their eyes met for a fleeting second.
Her smile faded just a little.
Something about that gaze—quiet, thoughtful, and oddly distant—made her wonder if Kael might be right.
"Still", she murmured under her breath.
"What kind of mage registers alone the day the guild changes everything?"
***
I ultimately made the decision to leave the oppressive cage that I had previously called home.
I tightened the grip on the handle of my suitcase—the enchanted leather container that held the heart of my research, my life's work.
Fortunately, I was able to get one just in time.
I suppose going there was the right choice.
It was odd to bid farewell to the walls and shadows that had once silently witnessed my obsessions, rather than to actual people.
Only a short note, "Gone to an adventure", was pinned to the door as a farewell; there was no elaborate ceremony.
"Don't wait."
Twelve hours later, I arrived at the famed City of Beginnings.
It was massive, sprawling far wider than the Lovecraft estate city.
Towers of all shapes and materials were strewn about, flags with the sigils of innumerable guilds fluttered on every corner, and voices—so many voices—crushed together in an unrelenting tide.
A living monument to ambition, if the Imperial Capital was a monument to power.
The moment I set foot in the local guild branch to register, my plan met its first obstacle.
A new law. Naturally. Because fate loved inconveniencing me.
All adventuring parties now required a specific lineup of roles to take on quests—no exceptions.
Solo wandering? Not anymore. A so-called "safety regulation", they claimed, though to me it made more sense; my position, however, would also be more threatened by it.
Rune users are not exactly a favourite among many people.
I was still gritting my teeth when Damian's voice echoed lazily in my mind.
[ Why not just join a party? Test your theories while you're at it. Seems efficient.]
I hated that he was right.
Let's hope it's not hard to find one or take more than necessary time.
I was halfway through registration when someone barrelled into my vision—an adventurer in a rather flashy get-up.
One arm guard, two swords strapped on her back, and a confident gait that suggested she'd sprinted from the battlefield straight into the guild hall.
Her red hair was short, spiked slightly to the side, and her tone as direct as her presence.
She introduced herself as Rhea; apparently, she was also looking for a C-rank mage for her party completion.
I blinked. That was fast. Suspiciously fast.
But then again—why would I refuse? This was exactly the kind of opportunity I needed.
A stable group, immediate access to quests, and most importantly… a live testing ground for my new mixed function theory.
With a polite smile, I gave her a nod. "Very well. I accept.