Looking back I would say that day was when everything began.
I'm Shizori, your run of the mill average girl!
A young girl, wearing a darker colored patched robe with a hood that covered her long white hair, slender physique and most of her face.
Clutching her wooden staff tightly, she weaved through the crowded bustling streets of Eldenbrook.
Currently I'm headed for the adventurers Guild.
Wooow.
So many people...
She kept dodging people left and right.
My first time in Eldenbrook, but it's the closest town with a guild.
From what I've heard, it's a perfect starter spot, many low to medium level monsters roaming the nearby forests.
THUD-CLATTER.
She bumped into a strong looking adventurer.
The impact threw her hood back, revealing her white hair.
The adventurer extended his hand to help her up.
"You need to watch where you are run..."
"I'm s... sorry..."
His face darkened with disgust as he noticed her hair color.
"A cursed one?! Stay away from me!"
He shouted, then spat near her, before continuing onward.
People around her stared at her, whispers spread.
She got up, pulling her hood back up.
So even here...
She continued down the road, everyone kept their distance.
Small brick houses with tiled roofs lined the way, slightly faded wooden signs creaked overhead.
That sign... a hammer with an anvil?
She looked down onto a small hand drawn map in her hand.
That should be the blacksmith, next should be... the weapon and armor shop.
She looked around.
It should have crossed swords on a shield, on the sign...
A few shops further she spotted the sign.
Ah.
There it is, after turning right behind it, it should be a straight road, and the guild should be across an inn.
She turned into that street, it's filled with many different kinds of stalls.
Sniff. Sniff.
That meat smells so amazing...
Gruuumble.
Her stomach growled, mouth drooled a little, as she took a closer look at the freshly herb roasted meat, the fat still sizzled coming off of the grill.
The vendor looked at her.
"Are you going to buy some or just keep staring?"
She shook her head.
Not now! First I need to earn some money...
"Then move along! You are scaring of my customers."
"The cheapest, best fruits, only at my stall! Freshly harvested, still glistening from today's morning dew!" Another vendor shouted.
Her eyes gleamed as she saw the fruits.
M... maybe I could at least buy an apple.
She walked to the stall, picking up an apple.
"How much is one?"
He slapped the apple out of her hand.
"Go away! We don't need cursed ones like you here!"
"B... but..."
"Scram! Before I make you."
Her face tightened, head drooped, and teeth clenched as she continued to the guild.
She walked by a stall selling potions.
"Last time you gave us a batch discount, why not this time?"
Adventurers haggled with the vendor.
I'm so jealous... if it weren't for... She gripped her staff tighter.
In the distance she faintly heard an auctioneer shouting, people bidding, from what it sounded like it's about rare valuable gems, that adventurers brought back from a dungeon.
I should be close.
She looked around.
There it is! Found it.
Shizori finally arrived in front of the Adventurers Guild.
Standing there eyes widened, she took in how massive the building is, and all those strong looking adventurers that entered and exited.
Slightly trembling, frozen in place, her nerves started to twist her stomach.
She clutched her wooden staff tighter.
You got this, Shizori! She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Eyes snapped open with renewed determination, she pushed the heavy, creaking door inward.
Stepping inside she started scanning the main hall, the door closed behind her.
To her left groups of adventurers, gathered around worn down wooden tables, one rowdy party raised their mugs high, faces flushed with victory.
"A Toast to our successful quest completion and save return!" A big and burly looking adventurer shouted.
What I'd give for a win like that. Shizori curiously glanced their way. Must be nice, celebrating like that.
She pinched her eyes shut, then delivered two quick, stinging slaps to her own cheeks.
Don't think like that Shizori, you'll have wins like that and a full pouch as well!
Her cheeks gleamed red.
Everyone's head snapped toward her in perfect unison.
Sweat drops practically materialized.
One guy at a table froze mid-chug, ale dribbled into his beard, at another table a veteran swords woman snorted into her ale.
She noticed everyone stared at her.
Her face flushed red, head tilted down.
"I... I'm Sorry." She muttered.
Then, as if on cue, everyone turned away, the hall collectively pretended that nothing unusual had happened.
At another table a small group had maps and quest papers spread out like battle plans, whispering strategies with serious nods.
Such diligent planning they must be about to head out on a quest, I should ask them if I can join.
She headed over to the table, head drooped, gripping her staff.
"C... Could I join your party?" She muttered.
The group looked at her.
"Ask someone else, our party is already full."
"Okay..."
I can't give up...
She walked over to another group.
"Could I possibly join your party?"
"Sorry, but we aren't looking for new members." He scoffed at her.
Another group just ignored her.
She noticed a female adventurer recruiting members and rushed over.
"Looking for a new party?" She asked Shizori.
"Yeah, I am, could I join yours?"
"Well first I have a few questions."
Shizori nodded.
"Let's start with, what's your rank, class, and main spells?"
"I'm a healer and I know light heal." She mumbled.
The adventurer sighed.
"Sorry, but I don't have time for jokes."
"Jokes?" Shizori's face went pale.
Tch.
She rolled her eyes, her face looked irked.
"Stop wasting my time."
Shizori walked away, shoulders slumped.
At least they are treating me like a human... I guess.
On the other side of the main hall stood a board, with dozens of papers pinned on it.
She took a closer look at the board.
Is that the quest board? So many quests.
Goblin subjugation... gathering medicinal herbs... an escort quest for a merchant?
She noticed a quest in the top corner.
That one has a red seal on it? I can't really see it.
She got on her tip toes, looking above the adventurers who stood in front of her.
What does it say? S... special req... request.
A special request?!
Her eyes widened.
It's about a bunch of kids who went missing near Willowbrook?
She shook her head.
Way too soon, there's no way I could take on such a quest!
Wait, how do I even accept quests, or do I need to register first?
Looking around, she found the reception counter in the back, staffed by a young woman with big brown eyes, neatly tied-up hair, and wearing a formal guild vest.
She handled an adventurer's payout.
Maybe I should ask her.
Her heart rate rose.
But what if she laughs at me for asking such a beginner question?
Swallowing her nerves, she edged toward the reception line, clutching her staff tightly.
I should ask about registering first, I really hope it's not complicated...
The female adventurer ahead of her finished talking to the receptionist, walking away.
Shizori stepped up to the counter, heart racing.
"Hello, how can I help you?" The receptionist asked with a warm smile.
"H... hello th... this is my firsd..."
Agh-!
She felt a stinging pain as she bit her tongue, quickly covering her face with her hands. Sooooo embarassing... Her cheeks flushed pink.
The receptionist chuckled lightly, leaning forward with a kind concerned smile.
"Are you okay? Lets get that treated first."
"N... no need, I'm okay." Shizori mumbled through her fingers.
Then closing her eyes she focused her mana into the palm of her hand.
"Light Heal." A soft white glow bloomed, the wound closed, healing instantly, and the pain faded.
"Oh you're a healer? Also... I'm just guessing, but is this your first time at our adventurers guild?"
Shizori nodded, with a light blush on her cheeks. "Y... yeah."
"Well then, let me welcome you properly. Welcome to the adventurers guild of Eldenbrook! I'm Hildegard, but please call me Hilde." She smiled warmly.
"You can always find me here if you have any questions or if you need help with anything."
"Nice to meet you Hilde, my name is Shizori." A small smile creeped onto her face.
I'mglad, she seemslike a nice person..
Hilde's warmth put Shizori at ease.
Before Hilde could continue, a tall guy with brown hair, blue eyes, and a fit build, walked up beside her with a confident stride.
"Haven't seen you around here, you new?" He said with a grin, leaning against the counter.
"Let me help you out."
Hilde's eyes widened. "Oh, Gai, already back from your quest?"
"Yeah, I got lucky and managed to wrap it up sooner." He responded with a proud expression, his grin widened.
"But what I'm more interested in right now is this newbie we got here." His eyes scanned Shizori head to toe.
"I'm Shizori, nice to meet you." She bowed towards Gai, her white hair peeked out.
She jolted backward, gripping her hood and pulled it further over her head.
"What's wrong, Shizori?" Hilde asked.
"N... nothing."
"Oh, Shizori look at me." Her smile widened.
Shizori hesitantly looked at her, teary eyed.
"Don't worry about your hair, I don't believe in those myths."
Her teary eyes widened, gleaming.
"You don't?"
Hilde chuckled.
"She's not the only one, quite a few adventurers don't." Gai said.
Shizori froze. Am I dreaming?
Ahem.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Shizori." Gai flashed his tag from underneath his armor. "Gai, D-Rank adventurer."
"D-RANK?!" Her eyes widened, face paled. He's stronger then he looks...
WHACK!
Hilde took a rolled up paper and hit Gai over the head. "Calm your horses! Are you trying to scare her off right away?!"
Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.
"She's not even registered yet."
Gai scratched the spot that she hit. "Oh I see, well then let's get her registered, and then I can get her started properly."
"I'll take a seat over there and wait till you are done." He pointed to an empty table nearby.
As he walked off, Hilde shook her head with her arms crossed.
"Don't worry, he's always like that, especially when it involves a cute girl like you."
"I'm not c... cute." Shizori's cheeks lit up bright red.
Gosh, that reaction makes her even cuter. Hilde thought, a wide smirk appeared on her face.
"Let's get back on track. First things first, fill out this registration form." Hilde placed an empty form, a quill, and inkwell in front of her.
"It's quite basic, nothing to worry about."
Adventurers Guild Registration Form - Eldenbrook Branch
Name: Shizori
Age: 19 Race/Species: Human
Primary Class/Role: Healer
Known Skills/Spells: Light Heal
Party Affiliation: None
"Race/Species?" She tilted her head.
"It's a really old form, apparently from a time where all races used to live in harmony." Hilde shrugged.
"Coexistence..." Sounds amazing.
"Just put down Human, unless you are secretly..." Hilde looked at her with a wide evil grin, eyes narrowed.
HaHaHa. Shizori covered her mouth with her hand.
"Unfortunately, I have to disappoint you, I'm entirely human."
She stared at the "Party Affiliation" line, quill hovering. "What if I join a party later on?"
"If you do, come to me, and we'll update that info."
She finished filling out the form and handed it to Hilde.
"Also, same goes for other changes, just tell us and we'll handle the rest." Hilde took the form and looked through it.
Huh...
Hilde's gaze lingered on the "Known Skills" line. "A healer, but you only know light heal so far?"
Shizori's face paled, heart dropped.
"Y... yeah... is that a problem?" She muttered.
"Well not necessarily, just a little unusual for someone wanting to become an adventurer." Hilde scratched her head.
"It'll make finding a party tougher, since you don't know any protective spells or defensive skills. But not impossible."
"I've tried learning other skills." Shizori admitted quietly "But... I keep failing."
Hilde smiled encouraging, raising her index finger. "Don't worry, we also get heal requests and other save quests."
Her eyes gleamed.
"All that's left is your mana print signature at the bottom, then I can finish your guild tag. You'll be starting at F-Rank, of course." Hilde placed the form in front of her, pointing to where she needed to sign.
Shizori placed her thumb on the marked spot and carefully channeled her mana into it. When she finished and lifted her thumb, a rainbow glowing print was visible for a short time before fading into black, signaling the successful signing.
Hilde inspected the signature. "Good... perfect. Now you're officially a registered F-Ranked adventurer with our Guild. Congratulations, Shizori."
She reached under the counter and handed her a copper tag, the letter 'F' engraved on it. "Make sure you don't loose it, okay?"
Hilde chuckled lightly. "Getting a replacement is expensive."
Shizori's eyes widened, her hands trembled lightly as she took the tag.
"I'll k... keep it sa... save." Her voice cracked.
I did it, my first real guild tag.
"Just wear it like a necklace, like you saw with Gai." Hilde leaned over the counter, with a wide smile.
"And remember, successfully finishing quests earns you merit points. Earn enough points, and you can rank up. The harder the quest, the more points you get."
Shizori nodded.
Hilde really is amazing... She didn't judge me and is taking her time to help me and explain everything to me.
She followed Hilde's advice and hid the guild tag underneath her robe.
"Also, don't worry too much. Slow and steady wins the race. Want to take a look at the quest board next?"
Hmm...
Shizori tapped her chin with her finger.
"How about I take over from here and help her get started?" Gai appeared beside the counter with a casual grin.
Hilde glared at him, eyes narrowed. Suspicious. "And exactly how, are you planning on 'helping' her get started?"
He raised his hand.
"Well firstly, I could help her with acquiring the essentials that she'll need on quests." He raised one finger.
"Secondly, I could form a party with her and take her out on a few quests." He raised a second finger.
Hilde turned to Shizori, her expression softened. "It's your call. Depending on the quest, it could be dangerous to go with your current stats."
She leaned in, whispering into Shizori's ear.
"But honestly... this might be an amazing opportunity to make a name for yourself."
"It would make finding a party later on easier, since most parties have pretty high requirements for new healers." She winked.
Shizori's mind raced.
Should I take him up on his offer?
He definitely knows more then me and he seems relatively strong...
He would teach me the ropes and I would make more money while going on quests with him...
And It'd help me join a party afterwards... Especially after my failed earlier attempts.
All those thoughts tumbled over each other so fast that smoke started to come out of her ears.
She looked right at him, their eyes locked.
"Okay, I'll accept your offer Gai. BUT only for a bit... until I've learned everything from you."
He chuckled.
"Perfect, let's meet up tomorrow, in front of the guild at noon, since it's already getting late today." He extended his hand.
Shizori looked at his hand, then back at his face.
"Agreed, tomorrow at noon." She reached out and shook his hand.
Gai gave a quick nod and headed out, leaving the hall.
Shizori turned back to Hilde and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Hilde, for all your help today."
Hehe.
"No need to thank me, it's my job after all." Hilde leaned over the counter, head propped up on her hand.
Shizori stopped while walking towards the door and turned around.
With a final small wave, She left the guild.
Making her way back through the evening streets to her inn, a tiny, run down place, tucked in the outer parts of Eldenbrook.
The room she rented was small, equipped with just a bed, a tiny closet, a single table with one chair, and a dim lamp, basically the cheapest room she could find.
"I'm so exhausted" She mumbled.
Fwump.
Falling onto the bed, she rolled over, staring at the ceiling.
"But! Today went way better then I thought."
"Despite how it started, I still met people who didn't care about my hair..."
"In fact, they helped me, and tomorrow Gai will help me even further."
She pulled out the copper guild tag from underneath her robe.
"I'll have to keep on working hard."
Her fingers traced along the engraved F.
"Rise the ranks... make money..."
She clutched it tight against her chest.
A single tear rolled down her cheek.
As she slowly started drifting into sleep, she whispered.
"I did it Akari... one step closer..."