Chương 19: The voyager life begins

The streets bustled with people from every corner of the kingdom. Armored warriors. Mages. Archers. Entire guilds walked past one another, some laughing, others dragging monsters they'd just hunted. At the front of the group, Thomas continued walking without saying a word. Mochi looked around in confusion.

"Hey Gramps.. what is this place, it doens't look like the guild home to me?" Thomas folded his arms"That's becuase it isn't, this is the Main guild hall" After several more minutes, Thomas finally stopped. Everyone slowly looked up. Standing before them was a colossal stone building that towered over the surrounding streets. Dozens of banners hung from its walls, each bearing the crest of a different guild.

Voyagers poured in through the massive entrance while others walked out carrying sacks of coins, monster parts, and rolled-up quest papers. Thomas folded his arms.

"This..."

"... is where real voyagers make a living by going on quests." Tony's ears perked up.

"Yep, Ace and I actually did a few quests ourselfs before you two joined." Ace scoffed"You mean I did the quest, all you did was hide behind a tree like a coward" Tont scratched the back of his head chuckling nervously Amelia smiled softly. Thomas turned back toward the building.

"Every registered guild uses this place."

"Inside you'll find quest boards filled with requests from civilians, merchants, nobles, and even the kingdom itself."

"The harder the quest..."

"... the greater the reward." Ace quietly observed the endless stream of voyagers entering and leaving. Thomas continued"Whether they're beginners..."

"... or among the strongest in the world." Mochi's eyes sparkled.

"So we can just walk in and pick any quest?" Thomas nodded"Yes you can." His excitement lasted all of three seconds.

"... Assuming you're strong enough to survive it."

"... Right." Thomas glanced at each of them.

"I've brought you here because this is where you'll begin earning your own money." Tony tilted his head.

"... You mean allowance?" Thomas looked at him.

"... What ever you young ones want to call it." Thomas pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I am your Guild Master."

"Not your father." Thomas continued.

"The guild isn't going to hand you spending money every time you want food, equipment, or new clothes."

"If you want something..."

"... you'll have to earn it." Mochi scratched the back of his head.

"So... if I spend all my money on snacks..."

"... and can't afford dinner..." Thomas didn't hesitate.

"Then I guess you'll be go hungry then."

"... That's kinda harsh." Mochi pouted"That's reality, in life you'll have to fend for yourself." Ace gave a small nod.

"Exactly, you should know this Mochi." Thomas walked toward the entrance. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

"A voyager who can't manage their own finances won't last long in this world." He looked back over his shoulder.

"Choose your quests wisely."

"Know your limits."

"And don't assume every request is as simple as it sounds." Amelia smiled.

"So today we're officially becoming working voyagers." Mochi grinned from ear to ear.

"Then let's grab the biggest quest they've got!" Thomas immediately replied,"DID YOU NOT LISTEN TO ANYTHING I JUST SAID!!." Mochi covered his ears...

"... The second biggest?.."

"No!." Tony wagged his tail.

"I vote we start with finding someone's missing chicken."

"It seems simple enough" Even Thomas let out the faintest sigh that almost sounded like amusement.

"Come on then we need to get Mochi and Amelia signed up first." He pushed open the enormous doors.

"Welcome..."

"... to the Voyager Hall." The noise hit them instantly. Hundreds of voices echoed throughout the enormous chamber. Quest boards stretched across the walls. Reception desks were packed with adventurers. Guilds gathered around tables discussing strategies. Weapons clinked. Coins changed hands. Deals were made. Dreams were born. For the first time... Mochi truly felt like he had stepped into the world of professional voyagers. Thomas led the group through the packed Voyager Hall.

Everywhere Mochi looked, voyagers crowded around enormous quest boards, argued over rewards, or celebrated successful hunts.

"This place is huge..." Mochi muttered. Thomas stopped in front of a long reception counter. Behind it sat a young woman wearing the Hall's uniform. She looked up with a welcoming smile.

"Good afternoon. How can I help you?"

"I'm here to register two new voyagers." Thomas gestured toward Mochi and Amelia. The receptionist nodded.

"Names?"

"Mochi."

"Amelia." She scribbled a few notes before opening a drawer.

"Since you're first-time registrants, I'll quickly explain how our ranking system works." She placed a small chart on the counter.

"Every voyager is assigned a class based on their experience, achievements, and ability." Her finger moved down the list.

"F Class."

"E Class."

"D Class."

"C Class."

"B Class."

"A Class."

"S Class."

"SS Class""And finally..."

"... Legendary Class." Mochi whistled.

"So F is the weakest?"

"Correct."

"As you complete quests and prove yourselves, you'll eventually be eligible for promotion." Amelia leaned forward.

"So everyone starts at F?"

"Yeah, they do." The receptionist smiled.

"Unless they're transferring from another region or have already earned recognition elsewhere." She looked toward Ace and Tony.

"I'll just verify your ranks while I'm here." Ace silently slid his voyager card across the counter. Tony proudly dropped his own beside it. The receptionist glanced at both.

"Ace... D Class."

"Tony... D Class." Tony puffed out his chest proudly.

"Heh! D Class, baby!" Mochi blinked.

"... Seriously?" Tony tilted his head.

"What?"

"I thought you'd be, like..."

"... way higher." Ace didn't react. Tony looked personally offended.

"Excuse me?!" Mochi folded his arms dramatically.

"I mean... all the way down at D?"

"I thought you guys were monsters or something" Tony pointed at him.

"Listen here, rookie!"

"YOU'RE EVEN LOWER!!"

"So I don't know why you're even talking!"

"Meanwhile..." The receptionist slid two small metal cards across the counter.

"Here you are." Each card had the Voyager Hall's emblem engraved on the front. Below it were simple details. Name: Mochi Guild: Voyagers Guild Rank: F Class The second read: Name: Amelia Guild: Voyagers Guild Rank: F Class The receptionist smiled.

"These are your voyager cards."

"Carry them with you whenever you accept quests."

"They'll be used to identify you incase you accept quests in other regions, record your completed requests, and determine when you're eligible for promotion." She gestured toward the towering quest boards.

"I also recommend only accepting quests that match or are relative to your current rank."

"F-Class quests are designed for beginners."

"Attempting quests far above your level can be extremely dangerous." Mochi nodded.

"Alright, got it."

"We'll work our way up and soon we'll be the best!." Amelia smiled warmly.

"Thank you for explaining everything." The receptionist returned the smile.

"You're very welcome." Mochi picked up his new card, turning it over in his hand with a grin.

"... Guess every voyager starts somewhere."

"Im so excited" Amelia held hers up beside his.

"And we'll climb the ranks together."

"Thanks again!" The receptionist gave a small wave as the two stepped away from the counter, their first official voyager cards in hand. Mochi and Amelia then wandered over to one of the towering quest boards. Hundreds of requests were pinned across it. Collect 10 Iron Mushrooms - Reward: 25 silver Gilm Escort Merchant Caravan - Reward: 50 Silver Gilm Drive Wild Boars From Farmland - 10 silver Gilm Find Missing Cat - Reward: 90 copper Gilm Mochi scratched his head.

"... There's so many too chose from..."

"But these quests are giving us pennies this is not enough to satisfy my hunger.." Amelia scanned the board.

"Well, I think we should start with something simple." Tony pointed with a paw.

"Ooh! Missing cat." Mochi immediately shook his head.

"No way."

"I wanna fight monsters." Ace folded his arms.

"You are an F-Class." Mochi's brows furrowed"... Don't remind me of that.." As the group continued reading through the board... A voice called out from behind them.

"So..."

"... you guys are from the Voyagers Guild, right?" Mochi turned around.

"I've heard quite a bit from you." Standing a few meters away was a teenage boy, no older than fifteen. A wide straw hat rested atop his head, casting a shadow over confident eyes. Behind him stood six guild members, each carrying farming tools modified into weapons, pitchforks, scythes, wooden staffs, and heavy hoes. Mochi blinked.

"... Uh..."

"Who are you?" The boy smiled.

"My name is Roofus Cranberry." He placed a hand against his chest.

"The leader of the Farm Crop Guild." He looked between Thomas and the rest of the guild.

"And..."

"... I'd like to challenge your guild to a Guild Battle." Mochi tilted his head.

"A... Guild Battle?"

"What's that?" Thomas answered before anyone else could.

"A guild battle is a formal competition between two guilds."

"The guilds send out one member at a time."

"The winners remain in the arena while the losing side sends in their next fighter."

"The battles continue consecutively..."

"... until one guild has no members left standing." Mochi's eyes lit up.

"So it's basically a team battle..."

"... except everyone fights one after another?" Thomas nodded"Correct." Thomas stepped forward. He looked at the young guild leader.

"Please remind me of your name again young man...?" The boy straightened his posture.

"Roofus."

"Roofus Cranberry." Thomas quietly studied him. Farm Crop aye?... An E-Class guild. Not particularly dangerous... But experienced enough. He glanced at Mochi, Amelia, Ace, and Tony. This could be a good opportunity. Their first real taste of competition against another guild. A chance to understand teamwork... pressure... and how guild life truly works. A faint smile appeared on his face. He extended his hand.

"I'm Thomas Dreyfus."

"Guild Master of the Voyagers."

"We'll gladly accept your challenge." Roofus smiled and firmly shook his hand.

"Excellent." He released the handshake and turned toward the hall's exit.

"Let's find a suitable location, shall we?" Thomas nodded.

"Very well."

"We'll let you choose the battlefield." Roofus tipped his straw hat.

"Follow me, I know a perfect spot." Without another word, the Farm Crop Guild began making their way out of the Voyager Hall. Mochi grinned, excitement already building.

"... Our first guild battle." Amelia smiled nervously.

"I wasn't expecting our first day to be this eventful." Tony wagged his tail.

"Heh... this should be fun." Ace simply adjusted the strap on his swords.

"... Let's go." Together, the Voyagers followed Roofus outside, heading toward the site of their very first Guild Battle.