A gift?
From a merchant in the Weapons Hall?
That wasn''t normal.
Nothing in this city was free.
Arthur had spent enough time in the slums to know that nothing was free. And, a simple kind gesture didn''t exist in ces like this.
Everything was a transaction. A calcted move.
His gaze sharpened slightly as he studied the saleswoman.
She remained poised, her professional smile never wavering, but there was a certain deliberate nature in the way she had spoken.@@novelbin@@
A test.
A probe.
She was watching him.
Measuring his reaction.
Arthur slowly let the coins slip back into his inventory.
Then, after a moment, he nodded. "Alright, then. I''ll thank you for your gift."
His tone was even, unreadable.
He neither sounded overly grateful nor suspicious.
A neutral stance.
One that left room for interpretation.
The woman''s smile widened slightly, her eyes flickering with something unreadable.
Arthur pocketed the two potions and stepped away from the counter, but his mind was already sorting through possible reasons behind the exchange.
Perhaps she was simply trying to establish rapport.
It wasmon for traders and merchants to give out small favours to promising customers—especially those who had money.
And Arthur had just spent over 700 gold coins in a single transaction.
That alone made him a high-value client.
But… that didn''t quite sit right.
If she was part of one of the elite families, this could be her way of testing the waters.
A simple gift now.
An unspoken expectationter.
Arthur wasn''t foolish enough to assume this wouldn''te with strings attached.
But at the same time…
He wasn''t opposed to making connections.
Even if they turned into enemiester, it was better to at least establish a foundation than outright reject her.
A man with only enemies was a man with nowhere to run.
And Arthur?
He needed to move freely.
The city was a different battlefield.
It wasn''t like the vige where he could simply crush everything in his path.
For now, he would y along.
If she turned against himter?
Then she would be handled like the rest.
He turned away from the counter, walking toward the exit.
As he did, he caught the saleswoman watching him.
Not openly.
But with a nce that lingered just a second too long.
Arthur smirked slightly.
''You''re testing me, aren''t you?''
Fine.
Arthur stepped onto the streets of Caldera, and made his way toward his next destination—the tinum Guild of Gilderhaven.
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The insignia of a hawk in flight was etched into the colossal marble facade, its wings stretched wide as if itmanded the sky itself.
The sheer scale of the guild was staggering. Towering columns nked the entrance, massive banners draped down in royal blue.
This wasn''t just a guild. It was a fortress of influence over the whole city.
As Arthur entered, a wave of morous energy hit him.
He saw hundreds of adventurers filled the grand hall—mercenaries, swordsmen, mages—all engaged in their own affairs.
But something else caught his attention.
Summoners.
His eyes flickered across the crowd, locking onto several figures with familiars by their sides.
Arthur''s brow furrowed slightly.
He hadn''t seen a single summoner until now.
For a while, he had started to wonder if he was the only one.
But it made sense. He was in a small vige, with only yers around and some vigers who had talent. But now, he was in the heart of the kingdom of Mera. So he would see stronger, more talented individuals.
Arthur exhaled softly.
Interesting.
His gaze shifted away from the summoners, focusing on the massive mission board in the center of the hall.
It was divided into two sections.
Combat Missions and Non-Combat Missions.
Arthur barely spared a nce at the Non-Combat section.
It was filled with mundane requests—delivering letters, crafting things, cleaning courtyards and asking about information.
That wasn''t why he was here.
Instead, his focus snapped onto the Combat Missions.
He scanned the rows of parchment, each detailing a different assignment:
[y ten Crimson Bears in the northern ins.]
[Escort a merchant caravan.]
None of these interested him.
Arthur was here for one reason.
To find an area where serpents thrived.
He needed Sylvaris to evolve. He could hit two birds with one stone.
By taking the right mission, he could gain experience, level up, andplete Sylvaris''s evolution pathway at the same time.
Arthur''s eyes flicked through the missions.
And then—he found it.
A single parchment was nailed to the board.
Arthur''s eyes traced over the words as he read them.
[Retrieve fifty fangs of Poisonous Painted Serpents from ckwater Hollow.]
[Mission Rank: D ]
[Reward: 10 Gold Coins & Rare Poison Vial]
Arthur''s lips curled slightly. "Perfect."
This would lead him straight to the serpents he needed.
His mind flickered back to Sylvaris''s evolution requirements.
<Abyssal Devourer>
Focus: Offensivebat specialization. Gains increased size and venom potency, capable of devouring entire foes.
<Requirements:>
<Kill 100 Serpents (1/100)>
<Devour 100 Serpents (0/100)>
<A Spirit Core (1/1)>
A slow exhale left his lips.
He still had a long way to go before reaching the requirements. But this mission would help him slowly increase that number.
It was a start.
Arthur ripped the parchment from the board and turned toward the mission desk.
A woman sat behind the counter, organizing documents. Her silver hair was tied into a tight bun.
As he approached, she barely spared him a nce.
"Name?" she asked.
"Azarel."
Her quill paused mid-air.
For the first time, she looked at him—really looked at him.
Arthur met her gaze evenly.
A long silence stretched between them before the receptionist finally broke it.
"You''re new here, aren''t you?" she said, tilting her head slightly.
Arthur remained quiet, waiting for her to continue.
She sighed as if she had repeated this line far too many times. "You need to register with the guild before you can ept any missions."
Arthur''s eyes flickered with interest. So it was that easy to take on work at a tinum-grade guild?