"Wait here for me, I'll be back momentarily," instructed Nixsen.
Krey nodded.
A while later she came back; however, she was no longer holding the books that she had borrowed from the library. As he was about to inquire about it, he was then promptly cut off.
"Well then, let's go inside, shall we?"
Opening the door, a strong scent of sweat permeated through the air. The crowd of misfits, from young to old, were conversing amongst one another. Walking inside, a few eyes stared at them, although they all diverted their attention to the tall, stunning woman bathed in black garments walking in front of Krey.
Murmurs of jealousy then covered the air, but it soon quickly died down once a few old heads recognized who she was.
"That ashen hair, it can't be…?"
"What's someone of her status doing here?"
A young, naïve adventurer leaned towards them and asked what the big deal was; a face of stern grew on one of the visibly experienced adventurers.
"She's not someone to be trifled with. If she overhears you speaking out of turn, they say she will put a never-ending curse onto you."
The man's voice growing evermore serious, he adds.
"She's known as the—"
As he was about to continue his statement, the room, which was gradually growing silent, Nixsen abruptly cut them off when asked by the front desk lady with shaky hands.
"Hello, sweetheart, my friend would like to register as an adventurer." Nixsen said, her voice smooth as silk.
Squeaking, the lady then took out a pen and paper.
"U-uhm, you have to fill this sheet out first."
Putting her hand on the sheet of paper, she then slid it towards the odd duo.
Krey stared at the paper. He didn't know how to read or write, barely scratching the basics. He looked at Nixsen, then back at the form. Placing his cloth-wrapped sword down, he picked up the pen and carefully inscribed a single word: 'Krey.' When he finished, the witch looked at him with a disapproving tilt of her head.
"And your last name?" Nixsen asked.
Shifting his weight from side to side, but due to the weights, he instead squirmed, his feet firmly planted on the ground.
"What's the use of a last name if people are only ever going to call you by your first name?" Krey thought.
Picking the pen off of his hand, Nixsen began to fill the form in Krey's stead.
"Your name is now Krey Allykeeper. You'd better not forget it." A note of sternness edged her voice.
Sliding the paper form in the direction of the front desk employee.
"Is this sufficient for establishing residency within Graswald?" Nixsen asked.
"U-uhm, I'm sorry if this isn't the news you wanted to hear—"
The lady, averting her eyes, the pupils bouncing around the room as she handed the form to someone behind her, continued.
"But unless you were born in Graswald or are a well-accomplished adventurer with a verified rank… new registrants can't gain residential status..."
When she looked up, her face grew paler as the room began to become colder, distorting the air, as an irritated witch's veins were beginning to bulge.
Noticing this, she opened her mouth, the teeth of her jaw scampering to find words to say.
"Unless you're in a party!" Yelping with a lump in her throat.
"Elaborate."
"Parties of adventurers who've made a name for themselves can be let into kingdoms, even if one of the members is a new registrant... o-of course if it's you, there won't be any problems even if you are a new registrant yourself!"
She squealed, desperately trying to find another forum sheet.
"There's no need, love." A calm tone being uttered out of the witch.
Opening the bag around her waist, she then pulled out an intricate card made from a metallic texture, containing faint information about her.
***
[Name: Nixsen Hemlock]
[Registry: Greatsky Kingdom]
[Party: (Blank)]
***
"Well, then. Can we form a party?" she asked, handing over her identification.
The receptionist shrank back slightly.
"…Actually, you need at least three registered members in order to form an official party," she muttered, touching the tips of her fingers together nervously.
Nixsen calmly slotted the card back into her bag and let out a sigh laden with indignation.
"Then find yourself a deathbed and curse to die by," she said flatly.
The clerk yelped and ducked under the counter, crying out for forgiveness. After a moment, she peeked over the edge and slid a freshly forged adventurer's card toward Krey.
***
[Name: Krey Allykeeper]
[Registry: Graswald Kingdom]
[Party: (blank)]
***
"Y-you can come back to register the party when you find a third member," she squeaked.
Picking up the simple metallic card, the duo exited the guild hall. Upon stepping into the open air, Krey released a sigh he hadn't realized he was holding.
"I'm sorry, dear. I couldn't do more," Nixsen said, a rare hint of apology in her voice.
He shook his head.
"No, no, you did more than enough... but if you really want to do something for me..."
"And what could that be?" she asked, raising a delicate eyebrow.
"It would be to stop treating me like a child!"
Nixsen laughed, a bright, unexpected sound, and reached out to twist his cheek playfully.
"Alright, alright. Since you can't live here, are you okay with staying in the outskirts a while longer? I'll drop by occasionally. Tell me if you need anything."
"Food," Krey said immediately.
"Pardon?"
"…Can you perhaps buy me food?" he asked, his bluntness overcoming his embarrassment.
As the sun began to fall, Nixsen dropped the young man off at the gates.
Walking back to the shabby shed, moving the wooden plank aside, sealing the doorway once he entered, and greeting his mentor, who was sitting idly, Krey opened a crate that had been sitting in a corner, placing his belongings inside.
The sword was too big for the crate. Unwrapping the blade, he spread it across the floor, picked out a hotdog that was marinating in his pocket, and fed it to the mentor by opening his mouth and helping him chew.
"...She's a really nice person. I wanted to bring more food, but it all ended up in my mouth."
...
"I'll surely bring more next time."
...
"No, I really mean it! I swear on it."
...
"Come on, don't look at me like that. When have I ever broken a promise?"
...
"Yeah, yeah, think whatever you like..."
Wiping the juices of the sausage off of his hand, Krey then rested down on the spread sheet of cloth, looking up at the star-filled sky.
"Soon I'll make a lot of money, when I do, I'll find us a nice place."
...
"I guess you're right. I need to get stronger."
The sharp howl of the cold wind grazed against his skin; soon the moon had gone to sleep.
Krey put the cloth sheet aside, turned the pages of the swordsmanship book that the cheerful, well-fed man had generously given him, set it on the crate, and clasped the blade, attempting to mimic the pictures.
After sluggishly repeating the techniques numerous times, Krey's movements were stiff and slow, with a pool of perspiration bathing his face. He then removed his clothes to cool off, exposing a slender, lean body.
"This would be so much easier if my limbs weren't caged."
Rubbing the bracelet on his wrist, trying to see if there was a way to take it off; however, there wasn't. Grimacing, Krey picked up his sword; he continued on with the relentless progression to finish the first technique.
He squatted slightly to lower the center of gravity, widened the space between his feet with the back foot facing sideways, raised the sword above his head, and struck the ground with outstretched arms until it passed his chin, at which point he tucked in his elbows, the air snapping into wind as Krey struck down.
"Not yet. It's not good enough yet."
A fresh liquid of dark red droplets fell from his hands, the technique of an overhead slash being engraved into his bones, but his muscles stretched and contracted, causing a ripping sensation of pain to ring throughout his body.
Due to his inexperience with the sword, his hands had not formed calluses to protect them. Gritting his teeth, he looked for his old clothes, tore off pieces, and wrapped them around his hands.
"I'm almost there, I can feel it. Just a little bit more."
As he was about to continue, a loud thud rang throughout the shed.
"...huh? What happened..."
His vision was growing hazy, and a curtain of darkness was falling down on his eyes.
When he came to it, it was already night.
Putting his hand over his stomach, a loud growl rang. Standing up, he then went off. As he slid open the wooden door, something wrapped in paper was in front of his doorstep, radiating a scent of sweetness.
Looking around, he quickly snatched it and covered the doorway.
He gulped as he sat on the ground and looked at his mentor, who was staring at him blankly.
Unwrapping the paper, revealing meat, sweet, juicy, delicious meat, smoke steaming off of it. which raised his eyebrow.
"Was this recently put here? I guess Nixsen came on to check up on me…"
Shifting himself closer to his mentor, they split the food.