Thirty-three kilometers north of the winding forest, a town rests in a massive plain, grassland, well, calling it a town is an understatement, as it can be considered half a city.
Massive walls thirty meters tall and twenty meters thick surround, as patrols could be seen moving through them.
The three city gates were as packed as always, after all, as a major travel hub, merchants and adventurers will always flock here.
If not for the fact that the kingdom has made a deal with the Beast King of the Silver Peak mountain, the strongest adventurer party stationed here wouldn't have been just E rank.
Among those entering the town, a group of three blended into the line; there were the three adventurers who managed to escape from Nexus.
The two knights were still feeling sad for the death of the priest, as well as for the mage, as she had only joined the group recently, and she didn't have much attachment to it.
As for Ray, well, it's good that he died at the beast's hands; he would have been killed by his own party. After all, he led them deeper into the forest, although their greed was also a factor.
"You guys should rest. I will report the news to the guild."
She said coldly as she looked at her two companions.' After today's incident, she decided to go solo for now on.
"Understood."
The Female knight said she understood her thoughts and didn't try to stop her. After today's situation, their party's luck can be said to have fallen; it's best to disband the party.
The adventurer's fortune is as mysterious as the nation's fortune. As long as their adventurer's fortune remains steady, their survivability and chances of finding treasure increase.
But after facing a situation like theirs, where a few members of the party escape from certain death, it can be said that their adventurers' luck has collapsed.
If they continued to stay as a party, the chances of facing death in the next adventure are certain. Seeing this, she nodded her head as she entered the city.
She walked steadily as she made her way toward the guild building, and as she walked and looked at the lively town, she couldn't help but think back at the poison lizard she had encountered.
It's not that it was too strong or that its species was unique, but the fact that it was very intelligent. This was the type of intelligence she had only seen in a Beast Lord.
Plus, in its eyes, she seems to see a human-like quality, though it can be a wrong judgment.
"I want to make a contract with it."
She muttered to herself, after all, according to the information she was privy to, a beast with such intelligent will, at least become a Beast King, that's equal to a Six Ringed mage or a C rank threat.
Plus, its poison element is complemented by her Water element, and the fact that it's a lizard, it must possess a dragon bloodline.
With so many good qualities, if she leaks this information to the information guild, many beast tamers will already be swarming the forest.
Looking at the guild's building, she walked inside. The inside was as noisy as always. Rookies looking at the quest with starry eyes, veterans drinking on the side, boasting about things they may or may not have done.
"Have you heard some beasts in the forests nearby seem to have become more intelligent?"
"Yes, A party was just about to kill a beast, then you know what, it kneeled on the ground begging for mercy."
"Yes, the party already sold the beast for the price of a silver coin. I heard that it was bought by a mage tower nearby."
"A whole Silver!!!"
"Yes.."
"Then what are you waiting for? Let's go hunt them before others get them."
"Stop, idiot. Although they are pricy due to their intelligence, they have also become more dangerous. I heard that an F rank is about to start an expedition."
Hearing the gossip, she paused for a moment, her eyes raised a little as she walked deeper into the guild building. A receptionist was about to stop her, but she was stopped by an older colleague.
"If she isn't meant to be there, someone will stop her; if she is they we don't have to make a new enemy for no reason."
She whispered to the rookie, after all, having worked here for more than ten years, she knows some of the hidden rules.
Walking inside, she looked at the stairs leading to the second floor. A muscular man, radiating the strength of a True Knight (F), stood there as a guard.
"Do you have a reason to pass, or have you made an appointment?"
The guard asked in a flat tone, although the mage was only a One ringed mage (H), he didn't have the habit of making enemies for no reason.
Hearing this, she didn't say anything but pulled out an emblem made of gold, depicting a human swordsman slaying a giant dragon.
Seeing this emblem, a look of shock appeared on his face as he looked at the mage. Then, with a hint of respect, he made way for her.
Walking upstairs, she tapped on the branch guild masters. A moment of silence followed.
"Come in."
A voice sounded from inside as she opened the door, looking at the guild master, checking the files, she gave a bow.
After all, although he was in his late fifties, he was also the leader of the only E rank party in the town, a Great Knight of the initial Stage (E).
"You are?"
He asked as he looked at the young mage, since she had managed to come up here without an appointment; either she had some grave information or had some special identity.
"Marina Nuvola, a reserve member of the Hero Party."
She said as she showed the golden emblem. Hearing her words, the guild leader raised his eyes. After all, she said, a reserve member of the Hero's party and not a member of the Nuvola royal family.
Meaning, she would like to talk to him with the identity of a reserve hero party member and not a member of the royal family.
"Understood, thus respected reserve member, what may I help you with?"
He asked, his tone becoming more respectful. His tone carried the respect a member of the reserve of the Hero party deserves, and not the respect a member of the Royal family deserves.
As for what a Hero Party is, well, it's not the classic story of a hero being born to defeat a demon lord. Well, sometimes it is, but the current one isn't this type.
Generally, a hero party starts to form when someone is chosen by one of the Legendary weapons spread throughout the world.
After which, the chosen hero must reach the rank of a Great Knight before he can officially form a part. The hero can't be given any monetary help, but can be taught by various masters.
This stage is also when the reserve members are chosen; they must be a genius that appears once in a thousand to be even considered.
Then they will have to grow up to the level of a Peak True Knight or a Three Ringed mage with their own effort.
This is also the reason why a royal family member like Marina is only a one-ring mage, even with her talent. She rose to this level with her own hard work over the years.
As for why they have to grow with their own hard work, it's to maintain their Rising Hero Luck(A type of adventurer's luck).
Such reserves are chosen from throughout the world; thus, if truly counted, there are at least two to three million reserve members, and among them, only nine people will be chosen.
Since the Hero has already reached the True Knight rank, they only have a few more years of development.
This is also the reason why she was so tempted by that silver coin, as it would help her buy enough resources to reach the Two-Ringed mage rank quickly.