Chapter 11 - Adventurers

Chapter 11 - Adventurers

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Alexius

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It was a beautiful, fleeting smile.

I had seen people smile countless times before, from the forced grins of merchants to the polite curves of nobles, and even the jubilant laughter of children. So why was Melanie’s smile so different?

Her smile had already disappeared, yet the image was burned into my retina. My chest constricted, and I took a half step back subconsciously. Then, I dug my nails into my palm. The pain snapped me back to reality.

Is this what Melanie looks like when she finally smiles? It was so bright I could barely look away—

“Young man, what is your name?”

Layla’s sudden question interrupted my stupor, and I blinked hard. How long had I been staring at Melanie like a fool?

“Oh, it’s…uhh, Alexius,” I hurriedly blurted out my name.

“Alexius, I will entrust Melanie to your care. Please, promise me that you will protect her, ok?”

Promise…the word hit way harder than it should have. Protect her? Can I really do that? Yesterday’s fight suddenly appeared in my mind. The way Melanie perched on that ice wall and mowed down bandits with surgical precision, while I fumbled on the ground. The memory of my inadequacy burned painfully.

But, Layla’s eyes…I couldn’t ignore them. Though I barely knew her, I could tell. I could tell that her eyes were filled with trust and expectation. It was the kind of look that made you want to become something more…someone better than you were.

“I…yes, I promise,” the words slowly came out of my mouth as I registered the impossible promise I was making. “Though honestly, after yesterday, I think she might end up protecting me instead. But I’ll do everything I can to keep her safe. You have my word.”

Even as I made my promise, doubt gnawed at me. How could I protect someone who clearly didn’t need protection? It would be fortunate if I didn’t hold Melanie down. Despite my doubts, I finally felt the crushing weight on my chest lift.

***

After parting with Layla, we headed toward the adventurer’s guild. The streets of Lunaris transformed as we traveled, and the quiet orphanage atmosphere slowly gave way to chaos. Merchants were shouting out prices in their stalls, loud clangs of metal came from the blacksmith’s hammer, and a smell of fresh bread from the bakery filled the air.

I had walked through streets like these before, back when I was a ghost that drifted aimlessly. But now, I had a purpose. I had a promise to keep, and everything felt sharper and alive.

A cart loaded with vegetables suddenly appeared and nearly struck my shoulders, but I managed to jerk myself out of the way. My heart pounded, only to find that Melanie had already smoothly sidestepped it without breaking pace. Of course, she had.

“Keep up, and watch where you’re going,” Melanie said without looking back.

“Right…sorry”

We navigated through the busy morning streets as farmers headed for their morning shifts, merchants got ready for work, children darted between the adults’ legs, and pairs of patrol guards lazily roamed around. I tried to match Melanie's confident footwork, but the crowd felt overwhelming. So many people, so much noise. My shoulders hunched instinctively.

Ouch, my palm suddenly throbbed with pain. I looked down to find my knuckles white as my fingers wrapped tightly around the sword hilt. Deep grooves were engraved on my skin where the grip had pressed in.

Then, Melanie stopped ahead of me and quickly glanced at me. Her eyes briefly flickered between my face and my hand, which was still clutching the hilt. It was just a momentary pause before she turned away and continued walking.

Yet, it was enough for me to loosen my hold and finally let blood return to my fingers.

Ok, Alexius, focus. Just get to the guild, register, and try not to embarrass yourself further. Just five minutes. Surely, I can manage five minutes without making a fool of myself, right?

When the building finally appeared after the longest five minutes of my life, my stomach dropped. Seasoned adventurers moved through the heavy oak doors with confidence. An ornate wooden sign, depicting a set of interlocked sword and staff, hung above the door.

A sword and a staff, clearly the weapons wielded by the competent. I wonder what I had. Oh yeah, a rusty blade and desperation. Perfect.

"We’re here," Melanie said, her tone neutral as always.

“Yeah, this is it.” My voice came out way weaker than intended.

She moved toward the entrance with the same serenity that she had shown when facing bandits, but my legs had frozen solid. I pinched my thighs, forcing my shaky legs to follow Melanie, drifting closer until I was nearly hiding behind her shoulder.

The doorway loomed, and through the windows, I could see clusters of adventurers gathered around the tables, laughing. Melanie paused as she was about to push the door open.

“Having second thoughts?”

“No,” I lied. Then, my honesty slipped out, “Maybe a little.”

She exhaled quietly through her nose. “Well, what are you waiting for. You proposed the whole idea, so come on.”

Then, Melanie stepped inside, and after a momentary hesitation, I followed.

The pungent smell of ale hit me almost immediately, followed by the sound of mugs clattering against each other. These adventurers must have been drinking away whatever demons haunted them, literally and metaphorically. Wanted posters were plastered all over the walls. From monster heads to bandit leaders, each of them promised rewards that proved they were far beyond my capabilities. Behind the counter, a massive map marked quest locations across the region. So much of the world needed saving. So much I’d be useless against.

Standing in front of the map, a young receptionist was sorting through stacks of paper, but before we could approach her, one of the adventurers, an imposing male carrying a broadsword on his back, stood and blocked us.

His armor consisted of a piece of steel plate that hung in front of his vital organs; it was cheap, battered, but well-maintained. His blade bore nicks along the edges, and scratches covered the metal, dulling its shine. These were clear proof of the countless battles he must’ve witnessed.

His eyes briefly glanced at Melanie before settling on me. Ahh, I could feel it again: the assessment, the judgement, and the mockery. My fingers curled tighter around themselves, and the fresh tunic I brought yesterday now felt unbelievably stiff, almost as if the fabric had turned into stone.

What about the way I was dressed? Was it too obvious? It felt like I was announcing myself, similar to one of those naive kids trying to become an adventurer. Gosh, control yourself. If your sword starts clattering, that would draw more attention, which would prove—

“Oh, let me guess. You’re here to become adventurers, aren’t you?” He leaned in, his face mere inches away.

Say something! My throat was working; I was clearly able to swallow, but nothing came out. My jaw moved and my lips opened, but the words stayed locked inside my throat. Defend yourself. Defend Melanie. Hurry, prove you're not just—

“Um…yes?” I finally managed to breathe the words out, but they weren’t the words I meant to say. My chest suddenly felt empty. Strange. When had breathing become so difficult?

But at least I said something…or mumbled a response. That counted for something, right? Right?

“Khah-hah-hah!”

A rough laugh of disbelief cut through the air, sharper than the broadsword on his back. Then, others joined in, and laughter soon rippled through the sea of adventurers.

Amidst the laughter, Melanie moved toward the counter. Her pace was neither fast nor slow, just…moving, as if she had already moved on from this conversation. The adventurer then reached out his hand and suddenly grabbed her shoulder.

Melanie stopped, not frozen like me, but controlled. Her body subtly shifted, preparing to break free from his grip, and I caught sight of ice faintly gathering at her fingertips before she dismissed it.

No. Don't touch her. My hand moved toward my sword, but what was I going to do? Fight a veteran here? Get us thrown out before we even registered?

“This isn't a game." The mockery in his voice hardened, but beneath it, there was something else. “I've seen plenty like you. Starry-eyed kids who think a bronze license makes them invincible." Was that concern in his voice? I couldn’t tell.

His grip tightened slightly on Melanie’s shoulder.

"Most kids quit in a week. The smart ones will run home crying. The rest..." He gestured vaguely toward the wanted posters. "End up making those bounties look cheap."

Then, his eyes flicked between me and Melanie, before his lips curled into an ugly grin. "Why don't you two run along home? Go back to drinking your mama's milk before you die trynna play hero." The crowd erupted into raucous laughter.

My face burned. My hands clenched. Say something. Do something. Don't just stand there like a fool—

Melanie's turned her head.

Just slightly for her eyes to catch his.

One second, or maybe even less.

It was cold. Icy cold. I could feel it despite being a few steps away. There wasn’t any anger at all— heck, even anger would've been warmer. This was something else entirely. It was as if winter itself was looking for a new prey to kill.

He immediately released his hand from her shoulder.

Although the laughter continued around us, nobody else had seen it; that brief moment of eye contact was enough to wipe the smirk from his face. Something in her gaze must have made him step back.

Melanie turned back toward the counter and resumed walking.

The veteran adventurer cleared his throat and forced a smirk back onto his face.

"See? Already running away with their tails between their legs."

He raised his mug toward the crowd.

"Remember, I warned 'em. It’s not my fault when they don’t come back."

A few half-hearted chuckles answered him, but the atmosphere had shifted. The room felt a lot colder than before.

Finally, breaking out of my stupor, I stumbled after her.

The receptionist didn’t even bother to look up as we approached, her expression bored yet professional. It was almost as if she had seen this exact scene play out a thousand times already.

“Which quest would you be taking?” the receptionist asked with her eyes locked on the documents.

"We're not here for a quest," I managed, my voice came out steadier than expected. "We want to register. As adventurers."

That finally got her attention, and her eyes slowly lifted to scan us.

"Registration fee isn’t free. It’s one silver Valor per person. Are you aware of that?"

I nodded quickly and reached into my pocket. My fingers found coins—two of them. Perfect, just enough. I pulled out my two copper coins and—

Wait? Copper? Crap! I forgot I had spent all my money on these clothes. My ears felt hot as reality settled in. Two copper coins were not even close to enough. But before I could make up some sorry excuse, Melanie had already placed the coins on the counter: one silver and eight coppers Valors.

“For both of us,” she said simply.

The receptionist swept the coins away without a word. “Names?”

“Melanie.”

“Alexius.”

“Wait here,” she instructed before disappearing into the back room.

An uncomfortable silence settled in between us. I should probably thank her and say something. But instead, I found myself watching her. My mind returned to that smile she had shown to Layla earlier.

I would protect that smile. Somehow. Even if I had no idea how.

The receptionist at last returned with two bronze tags, dropping them on the counter with a metallic clink. Melanie picked hers up immediately, but I stared at mine for a moment longer. It was made out of bronze with my name engraved on it, yet the weight was heavier than expected.

~ End of chapter ~