Once they left Shirley's office, Gauss finally let out a breath.
That warlock, Shirley, had been intense.
It felt like her aura alone had suppressed everything around him.
The sudden encounter with such a powerful and mysterious figure humbled him. He'd been riding high on his recent advancement, but that reminded him—there's always someone stronger out there.
Becoming a professional was just the beginning.
They walked a bit further down the hallway before Petra led him into the VIP room.
This room wasn't normally open to the public—reserved for professional-level adventurers. Most Bronze-ranked adventurers, once used to the difficulty of beginner quests, rarely came down to the first floor. But there were exceptions.
Sometimes, even Iron-ranked adventurers or higher would come down and take basic jobs, maybe just to unwind or pass the time.
Gauss followed Petra inside. The ceiling lights activated automatically.
Unlike the rugged décor of the main hall, this room was beautifully furnished, giving off a peaceful, calming vibe the moment he stepped in.
Despite being sealed off, the air felt clean and fresh.
Gauss looked around, intrigued. He'd visited the Adventurer's Guild many times but had never known this kind of room existed.
"Lady Shirley is actually really nice," Petra said as she closed the door. "Out of all the higher-ups, she's the friendliest to us receptionists."
Gauss sat down in a high-backed armchair.
"I get it. She just… gives off a lot of pressure."
"Heh, once you talk to her a few more times, you'll get used to it. Anyway, relax. I need to file your registration report."
"Go ahead."
Gauss nodded and glanced around the room again.
Warm golden light flowed from crystal lamps embedded in the white ceiling—bright, but not harsh. Every corner was evenly illuminated.
The walls were covered in olive-green velvet with the guild emblem subtly embroidered in silver thread—elegant and understated.
A polished oak round table stood in the center. The table's edge was carved with entwined vines and ancient runes. On top were a few glasses of water and snacks.
In the corner, a brass-trimmed grandfather clock ticked steadily. On the far wall, a massive parchment map hung—detailing the entire kingdom and its surrounding danger zones.
Grayrock Town was barely a dot. Even Jade Forest was no larger than a thumbprint. Gauss figured if this map hadn't been made for the Grayrock Guild, the town wouldn't even be marked.
The proof? Wormwood Town wasn't marked at all—only major cities made it onto the map.
After a while, Gauss exhaled deeply and sank into the chair.
The deep-brown leather was soft yet supportive. So comfortable he could almost doze off.
This is nice.
He'd been in this world for a while now. His memories of Earth had begun to blur, as if they belonged to a distant past.
And this room? It was the most luxurious space he'd seen since arriving. Even upscale rooms back in his old world lacked this kind of class.
Breathing in the faint floral scent that lingered in the air, Gauss couldn't help but think back to the chaotic mess of the main adventurer hall.
Crowds pushing shoulder-to-shoulder. The din of voices clashing. The rank sweat of unwashed adventurers. The scuffed and faded floor tiles…
And here? Just him and Petra, in a space built for a different world entirely.
Professionals and non-professionals really do live in two separate worlds.
This world's resources clustered unapologetically around the powerful.
Not that Gauss disliked the chaotic energy of the hall—but some peace and quiet? Yeah, that was pretty great too.
As he reflected, Petra finally finished her paperwork.
"All done." She set the report aside and placed two crystals—one large and one small—on the oak table.
"Gauss, take the larger blue crystal. That's your quest crystal. Since you're a professional now, you should be able to access mission data from it."
"Beginner quests vary in difficulty. What you can accept now are all one-star missions—relatively low-risk."
"Got it. Thanks."
Gauss reached out and picked up the crystal.
The moment he touched it, a wave of magical energy pulsed through the crystal and into his body.
He felt a slight reaction from his class core, a cool tingling at the back of his head. And suddenly, it was like he could see into the crystal—its contents opened up before his mind's eye.
He sank into the stream of quest data.
Dozens of one-star beginner quests flowed into his awareness.
There were all kinds of monsters: the usual suspects like goblins and slimes, but also ones he hadn't encountered yet—gnolls, fishmen, rust creatures, flame lizards…
Surprisingly, most of these monsters weren't assigned a challenge rating. They were just more numerous—usually in groups of 40 or more. Some notes even mentioned potential mutated variants.
There were only a few quests involving challenge-rated enemies, and all of them were clearly labeled: "Solo applicants—proceed with caution."
Apparently, even a newly advanced professional was not expected to handle a Challenge 1 creature alone.
That made Gauss feel a little smug.
He'd already taken down a Challenge 1 elite—the Thri-kreen Mantis—before becoming a professional. Sure, he'd used some tricks, but a win was a win.
After leveling up, his power had grown significantly. He was confident his strength outclassed most newly minted professionals.
Still, when he glanced at the challenge-rated monster quests, he quickly looked away.
No need to act tough. He'd take it slow, start with the basics.
And honestly, these mob-clearing quests looked great—each one involved dozens of low-level creatures.
Way more efficient than standard jobs.
He'd just have to make sure he didn't get swarmed. But that was manageable—with his upgraded armor skill, he'd be fine as long as he stayed cautious.
His eyes scanned the list for a while before finally settling on one.
[Goblin Extermination – Redcap Tribe]
Objective: Eliminate all goblins in a mid-sized tribe.
Location: See map for coordinates.
Deadline: Within two weeks.
Notes: Over 50 adult goblins confirmed. Tribe is led by a Redcap Goblin (non-rated, but stronger than average). Proceed with caution.
Reward: 90 silver coins.
Yup. Even at this stage, he was still choosing goblins.
Why? Because there were lots of them.
And his racial trait—Quick Digestion—benefited from goblin kills.
He did the math. His combat ability should be more than enough.
Besides, he didn't need to charge head-on. He could burn them out, poison them, ambush them… plenty of options.
[Total Monster Kills: 179.]
If this went well, he'd easily break 200.
And since beginner quests had more mobs, his kill rate would skyrocket compared to before.
The only real drawback? The mission would take him into the Jade Forest, and he'd have to push past the outer perimeter.
Riskier—but expected.
After all, if this goblin tribe was that close to town, someone else would've wiped them out already.
"I've chosen." Gauss looked at Petra. "How do I confirm it?"
"Just focus on the quest you want for a few seconds, and it'll register."
Gauss did as instructed—and the goblin quest vanished from the crystal's list.
"Since you're still an unranked adventurer, your badge isn't bound to the quest crystal yet," Petra explained. "I'll need to register it manually. Hand over your badge—I'll be right back."
"Oh, and this smaller crystal? That's your mission recorder. You'll need to carry it with you the entire time. Otherwise, the exam result won't count."
"Understood."
After reminding him, Petra grabbed the quest crystal and left for another room to file the registration.
Gauss picked up the small crystal, examining it.
It emitted a faint magical pulse—but it was subtle. The crystal was light and almost felt… cheap.
Still, it made sense.
The recording device ensured the guild could safely allow solo trials. When he turned in the crystal, they'd review the footage to confirm he'd completed the task alone—no outside help, no tricks.
Gauss tucked it away.
Before heading out to wipe the goblin tribe, he'd need two days to restock supplies and maybe buy new gear.