The plains gradually began to change as Artorius followed the direction indicated by the compass.
The tall grass slowly gave way to a dirt road that stretched across the landscape. The road was clearly well-traveled, with wagon tracks carved deep into the earth.
After another fifteen minutes of walking, something finally appeared on the horizon.
A town wall.
The stone walls were sturdy but not overly large, perhaps around two stories tall. Wooden watchtowers stood at intervals along the wall, and guards could be seen patrolling above.
"This must be Roste Town," Artorius murmured.
The town reminded him of something straight out of the medieval era back in his own world. The architecture, the defensive walls, even the guards wearing leather and chainmail armor—it all felt like stepping into a fantasy story.
As he approached the gate, he noticed a short line of travelers waiting to enter.
Merchants with wagons.
A pair of adventurers carrying large backpacks.
Even a farmer guiding a cart filled with vegetables.
"Looks like they're checking identification," Artorius said quietly.
Then he remembered something important.
"Travy, what should I do about identification?"
Travy's calm voice echoed in his mind.
"If you do not possess official identification in this world, you may purchase a temporary entry permit."
"How much does it cost?"
"Fifty bronze coins."
"That's not too bad."
"Additionally," Travy continued, "an Adventurer License can also function as official identification."
Artorius nodded.
"So getting that license will solve the problem."
Soon it was his turn at the gate.
A middle-aged guard stood there, wearing sturdy armor and carrying a spear. His beard was slightly graying, and his sharp eyes carefully examined each traveler.
When Artorius stepped forward, the guard raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Identification, young man."
Artorius offered a polite smile.
"Sorry, sir. I actually just left my village recently, so I don't have any official identification yet."
The guard studied him for a moment.
Perhaps Artorius's calm demeanor helped, because the guard didn't seem suspicious.
"Very well," the guard said.
He pointed toward a small booth near the gate.
"You'll need to register for a temporary entry pass first."
"Understood. Thank you."
Artorius headed toward the booth.
Inside sat a bored-looking clerk who pushed a small sheet of paper toward him.
"Fill this out."
The process was simple.
Name.
Age.
Purpose of visit.
Artorius wrote calmly.
Name: Artorius Everglow
Age: 16
Purpose: Adventurer Registration
After paying the 50 bronze coin fee, the clerk handed him a small wooden token stamped with a seal.
"Temporary pass," the clerk muttered. "Valid for three days."
"Thank you."
With that done, Artorius finally stepped through the gate.
And entered Roste Town.
The inside of the town was lively.
Stone-paved streets stretched between rows of wooden buildings with tiled roofs. Small shops lined the roads, displaying goods such as fruits, weapons, herbs, and clothing.
The smell of freshly baked bread drifted through the air.
Merchants called out to passing customers.
Adventurers chatted loudly outside a nearby tavern.
Artorius looked around with quiet fascination.
"So this is what a real fantasy town looks like…"
The atmosphere felt both unfamiliar and strangely exciting.
Despite the differences in culture and architecture, people still lived normal lives—buying food, chatting with friends, working hard to earn money.
It reminded him that even in another world, daily life continued just the same.
The compass arrow in his vision shifted slightly.
"Right," Artorius said.
"The Adventurer's Guild."
He followed the compass through several streets before stopping in front of a large building.
A wooden sign hung above the entrance.
Carved into it were the words:
Adventurer's Guild – Roste Branch
The building itself was quite large—larger than most other structures in town.
"Guess this place is pretty important."
He pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The interior was bustling with activity.
Several adventurers sat around wooden tables, drinking and chatting loudly. Others stood near a large request board covered in papers.
The smell of food and ale mixed with the sound of conversations.
Artorius walked toward the front desk.
Behind it stood a young woman who appeared to be organizing a stack of documents.
She had long chestnut-colored hair that flowed neatly down her back, tied lightly with a ribbon. Her warm brown eyes sparkled with friendliness, and her posture was neat and professional.
She looked slightly older than Artorius—perhaps seventeen or eighteen.
When she noticed him approaching, she smiled warmly.
"Hello there!"
Her voice was bright and welcoming.
"I don't believe I've seen you here before. Are you perhaps looking to register as an adventurer?"
Artorius nodded.
"Yes, that's correct."
"Great!"
She slid a small form across the desk.
"Please fill out this registration form. You only need to write your name and age."
Artorius picked up the pen.
"And the registration fee?"
"It's one copper coin," she replied politely.
He filled out the form quickly and handed it back along with the coin.
The receptionist glanced over the paper and nodded.
"Everything looks good."
She then placed a small crystal sphere on the desk.
"For the final step, please place your hand on this."
Artorius did as instructed.
The moment his hand touched the sphere, it began glowing faintly.
A soft humming sound filled the air.
Then—
A small bronze card slid out from a slot beneath the desk.
The receptionist picked it up and handed it to him with a cheerful smile.
"Congratulations!"
"You are now officially an adventurer, Sir Artorius!"
Artorius examined the card.
His name was engraved neatly on the surface.
"Thank you."
She clasped her hands together happily.
"You'll be starting at G-rank, which is the beginner rank for all new adventurers."
Then she added with a friendly grin,
"Oh—and please feel free to call me Sistina."
Artorius smiled politely.
"It's nice to meet you, Miss Sistina."
She seemed pleased by his polite tone.
Then Artorius remembered something.
"Actually, I have something I'd like to sell."
"Oh?"
"Slime cores. I collected a few while traveling here."
"Of course! Please place them on the counter."
Artorius pretended to reach into his satchel while secretly retrieving the items from his Inventory.
One by one, he placed the slime cores on the desk.
Sistina counted them carefully.
"One… two… three…"
After finishing, she nodded.
"I count 15 slime cores."
She opened a small cash drawer.
"The current price is 20 bronze coins per core."
After a moment, she placed several coins onto the counter.
"That makes 3 copper coins total."
Artorius collected the payment.
"Thank you."
Sistina smiled again.
"Before you start accepting requests, would you like me to explain the Guild's policies?"
"Yes, please."
She nodded and began speaking in a professional tone.
"First, all adventurers must accept guild requests regularly."
She held up a finger.
"For G-rank adventurers, the time limit is two weeks."
"If you fail to complete at least one request within that time, your license may be revoked."
Artorius nodded.
"That's reasonable."
"Second," she continued, "your rank increases as you complete requests and gain experience."
"Higher ranks allow access to more difficult and better-paying jobs."
Artorius listened carefully.
"Third, there are limits to the difficulty of requests you can accept."
"For example, G-rank adventurers can only accept G-rank requests."
She then added,
"However, if you are part of a party with adventurers of the same rank, you may accept requests one rank higher."
"That encourages teamwork," Artorius said thoughtfully.
"Exactly."
Sistina smiled slightly.
"Finally, if an adventurer causes trouble—such as harming civilians or other adventurers—their license may be suspended or permanently revoked."
Her tone became slightly serious.
"The guild takes those rules very seriously."
Artorius nodded.
"I understand."
Then her bright smile returned.
"That's everything! If you'd like to take a job, please check the request board over there."
"Thank you."
Artorius turned toward the board.
But before he could take a step—
A notification appeared in front of him.
Mission Completed
First Steps to Become an Adventurer
Rewards Received:
Adventure Level Experience +50
Title Obtained:Newbie Adventurer
Artorius blinked.
"A title?"
He opened the new entry.
Title: Newbie Adventurer
Effect:
Increase Status Level Experience Gain by 5%
"Not bad."
Then Travy's voice spoke again.
"Titles represent important milestones in the user's life."
"They often grant passive bonuses that enhance growth."
"I see."
Artorius closed the window and finally reached the request board.
Several requests were posted there.
After scanning the options, he selected two simple ones.
Honeydew Gathering
Slime Core Collection
Both tasks were located in the plains outside the town—the same area he had explored earlier.
Artorius noticed something interesting.
"These are labeled Repeat Requests."
Curious, he decided to gather more information.
He returned to the front desk.
Sistina looked up and smiled when she saw him again.
"Welcome back, Sir Artorius! How may I help you?"
"I wanted to ask something."
"Of course."
"Is there any place where I can study local herbs and plants?"
Her eyes lit up slightly.
"Ah, you're interested in gathering requests."
"Yes."
"That's a good idea for beginners."
She pointed toward a hallway on the side of the guild hall.
"We have a small library dedicated to the local ecology—plants, monsters, and other useful information."
"That sounds exactly like what I need."
"It's right down that hall."
Artorius nodded gratefully.
"Thank you, Miss Sistina."
"You're welcome!"
With that, Artorius headed toward the guild's small library.
Because before taking on his first real jobs as an adventurer—
He intended to study the world he had just arrived in.