"Hey Ron, why do people keep staring at us?" I asked, walking down the crowded street.
Ron, who was walking a few steps behind me, flinched at the question. He looked around nervously, pulling the hood of his jacket lower over his face.
"b-because of you," he mumbled, his gaze fixed on the ground.
"Me? Why?" I asked, genuinely curious.
I was in my angelic form, with my silver-white hair and fair skin. I was wearing simple, human clothes. Sure, I was turning heads, but that was normal for a succubus, angelic form or not.
"b-because you look like... a goddess," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "and I look like... this."
He gestured to himself. He was wearing a dirty, oversized hoodie and a pair of worn-out jeans. He looked like he had just rolled out of a dumpster.
"So? Who cares what they think?" I said with a shrug. "We're here to make money, not to make friends."
"I-I know, but... still," he mumbled, shrinking into himself.
I sighed. I had forgotten how fragile mortal egos could be, especially a broken one like Ron's.
"Look at me," I said, my voice leaving no room for argument.
He flinched but slowly lifted his head, his stormy-blue eyes meeting my silver ones.
"From now on, you're not my pathetic little contractor," I said, my tone firm. "You're my assistant. My partner. And you will act like it. Walk with your back straight. Keep your head up. And for fuck's sake, stop looking like you're about to cry at any moment."
I could see the conflict in his eyes. The old, ingrained habits of submission are warring with a newfound, desperate desire to please me.
"Can... can I do that?" he asked, a flicker of hope in his eyes.
"You can," I said, my voice softening slightly, "and you will. Now, walk beside me."
He hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and straightened his back. He walked up to me, his shoulders still a little hunched, but he was trying. It was a start.
"Good," I said with a small smile. "Now, lead the way. We need to buy a few things."
Before even thinking about dungeon crawling, I needed some gear, not just for me but for Ron too.
Fortunately, the gold coins I gained from the treasure chest and the quest before worked in this world.
Monsters inside the dungeons drop coins and materials that can be exchanged for the local currency. It was a universal system.
I have 1500 gold coins. One gold coin is equal to 100k universal credits.
In short, I'm fucking rich.
I can even pay for Ron's sister's medical fee, but that would be too easy and a temporary solution. However, knowing that I could, made me feel a little better.
Ron led me to a massive, multi-story building that gleamed with holographic advertisements. The sign above the entrance read: "The Adventurer's Guild."
"Wow," I said, looking up at the building. "It's... big."
"This is the place where all the registered adventurers go to take quests, buy gear, and get information," Ron explained, a hint of pride in his voice. "It's the heart of the city's adventuring community."
"Good, let's go inside," I said, my eyes gleaming with anticipation.
The inside of the guild was even more impressive. The main hall was a cavernous space, filled with a dizzying array of people. There were burly men in full plate armor, nimble-looking women in tight-fitting leather, mages in flowing robes, and even a few people with animal ears and tails.
Due to the nature of mana, humans with beast-like features were born. They were called 'Beastkin', but at their core, they were still human.
The walls were lined with massive holographic screens, displaying a constant stream of quests, from simple monster exterminations to complex dungeon raids.
The air was thick with the smell of sweat, steel, and a faint, magical tang.
"Stay close," I said to Ron, my eyes scanning the crowd. I was drawing stares, even more than on the street. A new face, especially one that looked like mine, was an oddity.
I walked up to the main counter, where a bored-looking woman with green hair and cat ears was typing on a glowing keyboard.
"Hi," I said, my voice a smooth, melodic hum. "I'd like to register as an adventurer, and I need to buy some gear for me and my... partner."
The woman looked up, her tired eyes widening slightly as she took in my appearance. She blinked, then a small, professional smile appeared on her face.
"Of course, ma'am," she said, her tone suddenly much more attentive. "Welcome to the Neo-Tokyo Adventurer's Guild. My name is Nya. It will be my pleasure to assist you."
'A cat girl whose name is Nya?' I thought, 'That's a bit cliché.'
"I'll need to perform a mana assessment to determine your starting rank," she said, pulling out a crystal sphere from under the counter. "Just place your hand on this and channel a little bit of your mana into it."
I placed my hand on the sphere. It was cool to the touch. I channeled a tiny, minuscule fraction of my mana into it. Just enough to get the job done, not enough to blow the thing to smithereens.
The sphere flared to life, glowing with a brilliant, white light. The light was so intense that it blinded a few people nearby, and the crystal started to crackle with energy.
"W-Woah!" Nya yelped, jumping back, her cat ears flattening against her head.
The light grew brighter and brighter, and the entire hall fell silent. Everyone was staring at us, their faces filled with shock and awe.
"SHIT!" I cursed under my breath. I cut off the flow of mana immediately. "I was careless."
"U-um... m-ma'am..."
The sphere sputtered and died, a thin wisp of smoke rising from a large crack that now ran down its center.
The hall was dead silent for a moment, then erupted into a frenzy of whispers and excited chatter.
"Who is she?"
"I've never seen mana that pure before!"
"Is she a noble? A hero from another city?"
"t-that's impossible!"
Nya was staring at the broken sphere, her jaw agape, her tail puffed up like a bottle brush. She looked from the sphere to me, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and reverence.
"Ma'am... your... your mana reading... it's... " It's off the charts," she stammered, her hands trembling. "The system... it's giving me an error. It can't process your power level."
I sighed. This was exactly what I wanted to avoid.
"Fine," I said, my tone flat. "What rank does that get me?"
Nya blinked, then seemed to remember her training. She straightened up, her expression a mask of professionalism, though her tail was still twitching nervously.
"According to the Guild's regulations, any individual whose mana level cannot be accurately measured by a standard assessment crystal is to be granted an automatic A-rank status," she said, her voice a little shaky.
An A-rank? Right off the bat?
This was perfect.
"Great," I said. "Now, about the gear. I need a full set for myself. Lightweight, durable, and stylish. And I need something for my partner here."
I gestured to Ron, who was trying to make himself as small as possible behind me.
"Of course." Nya nodded, her fingers flying across her holographic keyboard. "For an A-rank adventurer, we have access to the premium armories. We can get you fitted with custom-made gear from the best craftsmen in the city. For your partner... what is his rank?"
Ron flinched at the question.
"I-I haven't registered yet," he mumbled.
"No problem. We'll get him registered after I'm done with my shopping," I said with a wave of my hand. "He's my assistant, so get him something basic. A good dagger, some leather armor. Something that won't get him killed in an F-rank dungeon."
"Very good, ma'am," Nya said, her eyes gleaming. This was going to be a huge commission for her. "If you'll follow me, I'll take you to our VIP fitting rooms."
As we followed Nya through the guild, I could feel the weight of dozens of stares on my back. People were whispering, pointing. I was a spectacle. A mystery. And I was loving it.
Ron, on the other hand, was visibly shaking. He was not used to this kind of attention. He was used to being invisible.
The VIP fitting rooms were on the top floor, a luxurious space with plush carpets, soft lighting, and floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a panoramic view of the city.
A team of impeccably dressed attendants was waiting for us.
They were a whirlwind of activity, taking my measurements, showing me catalogs of armor designs, and discussing the properties of various materials. They treated me with the deference usually reserved for royalty or S-rank heroes.
"How much will all of this cost?" I asked, curious.
"Do not worry, ma'am," the lead attendant, a handsome man with silver hair and a warm smile, said. "As an A-rank adventurer, you are entitled to a significant discount, as well as a line of credit with the Guild."
"Good," I said with a nod.
"Ma'am, I need your full name to complete the registration," Nya said from the corner of the room where she was typing on her tablet.
'My full name, huh? It's been a while since anyone asked me that,' I thought, recalling my old mentor. After he gave me his dragon heart, he also gave me his last name.
"Azariel Pendragon"