The sign creaked in the faint breeze as the old man waved his arms with exaggerated enthusiasm.
"Wrestling training! Ninety percent discount for first-timers! Only ten copper today!"
Darkness swallowed, her eyes darting to the scribbled numbers. Normally one hundred copper—far too steep for someone who had just returned from a near-empty goblin cave. With the discount it was practically nothing, yet she still felt her belt pouch sagging with emptiness.
She pressed her lips together nervously before speaking.
"I-I don't have any copper… not even ten."
The old man froze, his grin faltering for only a moment. Then his eyes traveled, slow and deliberate, over her armored frame—the curves of her body far less concealed than she thought they were. He stroked his patchy beard, gaze sharp despite the tattered state of his clothing.
"No coin, eh?" His voice dropped lower, gravelly. "Well… for someone like you, perhaps a free trial can be arranged. A test lesson, just to see how you handle yourself."
Darkness's heart lurched into her throat. Her face burned crimson as she stumbled a step back, waving her hands frantically.
"W-wait, no! I-I can't right now! I need to go to the guild first! I-I just came back from a mission and I have to—um—report!"
The man chuckled, a sound that was half-amused, half-knowing. "Heh… Guild, reward, ears on the belt, I see. Fine, fine. Go take care of your adventurer's business."
She exhaled, relief washing over her—until his eyes locked on hers again, piercing through her.
"But promise me you'll come back. A warrior who fights with a body like yours can't afford to ignore wrestling training. You'd be a fool not to learn."
Her stomach twisted, the weight of his words pressing down on her. She clenched her fists against her chest, looking away with flushed cheeks.
"…I-I'll think about it…" she whispered.
The man's grin returned, wide and toothless. "Good girl. I'll be here waiting."
Darkness hurried away, her steps fast and uneven, heart pounding in contradiction. She didn't dare look back, but she could still feel the old man's gaze lingering on her until she vanished into the guild's doors.
The guildhall was warm and noisy, the air heavy with the smell of beer and roasted meat. Adventurers filled the tables, laughing and boasting about their kills, their coin purses clinking with the day's rewards.
Darkness walked in quietly, her boots dragging as though each step weighed double. The bundle of goblin ears hung from her hand, damp and unpleasant, but her eyes weren't fixed on them—they flickered restlessly, unfocused. The old man's words still echoed in her head. "Promise me you'll come back… You'd be a fool not to learn."
She shook her head violently, cheeks flushing. "N-no, don't think about that! Just… just focus on the quest reward!"
Stepping up to the counter, she placed the bundle on the polished wood. The receptionist, a sharp-eyed young woman, raised her brows slightly at the sight, then nodded approvingly.
"Eight goblins, correct? All accounted for." She began to count, tallying each ear with quick efficiency. "That's a solid job. You'll be rewarded according to the standard bounty."
Darkness forced herself to stand straighter, though her hands twitched against her thighs. "Y-yes, of course. It wasn't… it wasn't too difficult." Her voice cracked at the end, her body betraying her as heat surged in her stomach at the memory of how one of those victories had been earned.
The receptionist didn't notice, too busy jotting down numbers. Soon enough, she placed a small stack of bronze coins on the counter. "Here. Eight kills, that's eighty copper."
Darkness stared at the money, lips parting. Normally she would feel relief—finally, enough to cover another week of food and lodging. Yet the clinking of the coins only reminded her of what she didn't have earlier. Ten copper… a small price for that strange old man's lesson.
Her fingers closed slowly around the reward, the cold touch of the coins contrasting with the hot thoughts swirling in her chest.
"Um… thank you." She bowed quickly and stepped aside, coins tucked safely away, though she clutched them almost too tightly, as if afraid they'd vanish.
The room bustled with laughter and chatter, but she barely heard it. Her thoughts were elsewhere.
"I could pay him now… I actually could. Just ten copper. That's nothing. But… w-what kind of 'training' was he really talking about? He looked at me so strangely… like he already knew how weak I am there."
Her thighs pressed together involuntarily as she shuffled toward the exit, head bowed.
Every step out of the guild felt heavier, as though the promise she had made wasn't just words—it was a chain, pulling her back toward that old man in the street.
And deep inside, beneath her flustered protests, there was a guilty, trembling spark of anticipation.