Chương 83: 73. Negotiations

6. The Guild Was a Terrible Idea Adolin stared out the carriage window, his expression sour. Why did I get the memories of a country bumpkin? Ugh. His memories made him feel like he had robbed Eduard. So why did it feel like he was the one who got robbed? Dareth's memories were unreliable at best. Relying on the judgment of a coinless kid had been a mistake from the start. He needed better information about this world. A library would be a good start. Lira, and her mother too.

He didn't like the judgment creeping into his thoughts, he didn't know her circumstances. And she was still a kid. A good one, at that. Talking to her hadn't felt like a chore. On the bright side, he wasn't homeless anymore. Not for the next two weeks, at least. The trip back to the city was far quicker. The carriage followed the main road this time, instead of winding through tunnels. Adolin spent the entire ride staring out the window. It was peaceful.

Just the quiet of the forest, the steady thud of hooves, and the creak of the carriage. Best of all, no one tried to talk to him. He loved it. Soon, they arrived at the city gate. For the first time, Adolin noticed just how tall the walls were. In his estimation, they rose more than fifteen meters of solid stone. There were three lines as far as he could tell. Two for carriages, and one for those on foot. The finer carriages passed through the left lane without delay.

The other was packed with merchant wagons, piled high with goods. The carriage he was in veered toward the left. He really hoped he wouldn't have to talk to the guards. Soon, the carriage came to a stop. The small window at the front slid open.

"Sir, we've reached the gate," the driver said.

"I'll need your identification card." Adolin froze. The unreliable memories failed him again. He had no idea he needed an identification card, let alone how to get one. Dareth had been brought into the city by a merchant. The guards hadn't even looked at him. They had only checked the merchant's papers. Adolin clicked his tongue.

"I don't have one," he said. The driver was silent for a moment.

"No problem, sir." The carriage started moving again, soon coming to a stop at the gate. He focused, listening to what was happening outside.

"Identification," a guard said. Adolin glanced out the window and saw the driver hand over his papers. He hoped it would be enough; he really needed to sleep.

"And the guest?" the guard asked.

"An important guest of House Velmuth," the driver replied.

"I'll still need to see identification." The driver slipped a small pouch into the guard's hand. The guard looked over the papers again.

"Clear. Move along," the guard said, motioning for the driver to proceed. What a reliable guy. He considered tipping the driver, but he didn't have the coin for it. Next time he returned to the estate, he would. After some time, the carriage came to a stop.

"We've arrived, sir." He stepped out and looked around. It was the same place he'd been kidnapped from.

"How important is identification?" Adolin asked. The driver tilted his head.

"You won't get far without it, sir."

"What about an inn?" The driver thought for a moment.

"The better ones require it for a room." He clicked his tongue and nodded.

"Where can I get one?" he asked, scratching the back of his neck.

"There are a few ways, sir. The Adventurers' Guild issues cards that serve as legal identification. The church can provide one as well. And then there's a local ID, usually given in your city of birth." From the three options, only one worked for Adolin. The Adventurers' Guild. There had been one in his old world. If it worked the same way here, getting a card shouldn't be a problem.

"Where can I find the guild?"

"South of the Academy, a few streets before the market," the driver said.

"I can take you there, sir." Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

"Perfect." Adolin stepped back into the carriage. The driver really was reliable. He'd have to increase that tip. A few minutes later, Adolin stood before the Adventurers' Guild. The building was massive, its quality rivaling the temple by the harbor. But unlike the temple, it carried a rougher, more practical feel. The courtyard was filled with adventurers. Leather armor, weapons, and the occasional set of steel. The more successful ones, Adolin guessed. He said his goodbyes to the driver and stepped inside.

The moment he stepped inside, Adolin felt like he didn't need an identification card after all. The hall was loud. Voices overlapped, chairs scraped across the floor, adventurers shouted over one another. It was a nightmare. He swallowed and forced himself forward. He needed the card. He needed a room in the inn. The reception desk was twenty meters in front of him. That was his target. On his fourth step, someone stepped into his path, so he slowed.

Then another adventurer crossed in front of him, carrying three mugs of beer. Adolin stopped to avoid colliding with him. A shout erupted somewhere to his left. Laughter followed, louder than before. He could still leave. He should leave. No. He cut the thought short. The card was important. When he finally managed to squeeze through the crowd and get close to the reception desk, he stopped. His eyes widened. More than a dozen people were waiting in line. Adolin stepped into the line and hoped for the best.

He advanced by one spot before someone stepped in behind him. He didn't turn. Didn't acknowledge it. Hoping it would stay that way.

"Hey," a voice came from behind him. Adolin froze. No one was talking to him. He repeated it to himself.

"Excuse me." He didn't want to be rude, so he took a slow breath and turned. A woman stood behind him. Slightly shorter, dressed in a mage's robe. Her golden-brown hair was tied back, her amethyst eyes fixed on him.

"First time at the guild?"

"Yes," Adolin said. The woman chuckled lightly.

"You looked nervous." Adolin nodded.

"Elira," she added.

"Dareth," Adolin said.

"Nice to meet you. Don't worry about the receptionist. She looks scary, but she's actually pretty nice," Elira said. Adolin nodded again. Did she still not get it?

"Her name's Hilda. Just throw in a few flowery words and she'll sort you out."

"Thanks for the advice," Adolin said.

"Line's slow today, huh?" Elira said, tapping her foot against the floor.

"I guess," Adolin said. This was what he feared most. Small talk. With people who couldn't take a hint. He could feel his energy draining with every word Elira spoke. She went on about her latest quest. A goblin tribe, recently cleared out. She was here to turn it in and collect the reward. At one point, she even showed him a bag of goblin ears. He didn't react. She kept talking anyway. She didn't stop until Adolin was next in line.

"Your turn. Don't keep Hilda waiting, or she'll make it harder for you," Elira said. Adolin turned immediately. He was at the front of the line. Behind the desk stood Hilda. A dwarf. Adolin stilled. He had to make this quick. Elira's advice echoed in his mind. Flowery words. Right. He had no idea what to say.

"Identification card," Adolin said.

"…Please." His stomach churned. That was bad. Really bad. He found it difficult to meet Hilda's gaze. A soft laugh came from behind him. Hilda stared at him, her lips pressed into a thin line. Adolin cleared his throat.

"Good day. I would like to register with the guild," he said, choosing each word carefully.

"Better," a soft whisper came from behind him, close to his ear. There was a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Maybe you should've started with that," Hilda said. Adolin stared at the desk.

"Uh… yes. Sorry."

"ID?" Hilda said.

"I lost it," Adolin said. Hilda muttered something, but he didn't hear her.

"Name."

"Dareth Wood,""Place of birth."

"The town of Grest." The questions kept coming. Hilda wrote everything down without looking up.

"Level?" Adolin hesitated.

"Status," he muttered. [Skill Tier Increased: Mana Control.] [Skill Tier: 9] [Level Increased.] [Attribute Points Available: 2] [Status:] Name: Dareth Wood Race: Human Mana: 125/140 Level: 9 Class: / [Attributes:] Strength: 11 Agility: 12 Endurance: 13 Intelligence: 14 Constitution: 11 Attribute Points Available: 2"Level nine," Adolin said. Hilda rolled her eyes.

"Bronze tier. That's the best I can do for you. You'll be limited to bronze-tier requests." She tapped the desk.

"Two gold for registration." Adolin felt like a dagger had been driven through his heart. His hard-earned gold. Still, he took out two coins and placed them on the counter.

"Your ID will be ready tomorrow morning," Hilda said.

"Uh… how am I supposed to stay at an inn without one?" Adolin asked, hoping for some leniency. Hilda rolled her eyes. She grabbed a piece of parchment, scribbled something down, then stamped it with a seal.

"Here. Temporary identification. It'll last two days."

"Thanks," Adolin said, picking up the parchment. He stepped out of line and gave Elira a small nod. Elira smiled.

"Till next time." She winked. Adolin left the guild as quickly as he could. He was spent. All he wanted was somewhere to hide for a few days. He didn't have that yet. Next on his list was finding a room at the nearest inn. The driver had mentioned a few inns worth staying at. The closest one was the Garden. The same place Eduard had told him to go once he was ready. Under normal circumstances, Adolin might have chosen differently. Right now, he didn't care. He just needed a room.

Sleep was already catching up to him. The walk to the inn didn't take long. It was just a few streets away, in the direction of the Academy. The Garden Inn looked promising. A small garden spread out at the entrance, filled with a dozen tables. Most of them were occupied. He just hoped it would be quieter inside. He walked straight to the door, avoiding everyone else. The moment he stepped inside, he felt himself relax. This was better. Not like the guild. A bartender stood behind the counter.

"A room for the night," he said.

"ID." Adolin handed over the parchment. The bartender glanced at it and nodded.

"Fifty silver." Adolin's heart sank. Still, he took out a gold coin and placed it on the counter, silently cursing Dareth. The bartender handed him his change and a key.

"Third floor. Door on the right." Adolin didn't waste a second. A minute later, he was inside his room. The bed was in the middle of the room, that was enough for him. He was tired and his energy was running low. A small, private space for himself. He sprawled out on the bed. The day reminded him how much he missed Aylinth. If she were here, he wouldn't have been underpaid by Eduard. He wouldn't have to deal with people so much. Talking. Negotiating. Dealing with people.

He never had to deal with any of it with her around. Now that he thought about it, she really had made his life easier. But when his thoughts drifted to the rest of the party, his stomach churned. No. He would do everything himself. It would be better that way. He would just need to find another Aylinth to handle the people parts. That reminded him of Lira. Tomorrow. She might be worried. But there was no chance he was going outside today. Tomorrow, probably not either. This was already too much.

There was also the library he needed to visit. And his gold wouldn't be enough. Not even close. Maybe if he stayed at a cheaper inn. No. He cut that thought off immediately. He wasn't staying in some rundown place. This one was good enough. He didn't actually know. He didn't care about that now. He would deal with it tomorrow. With that, he fell asleep.