The security around the entire metropolis has increased by two levels as a result of yesterday's attack. Thanks to that, Aster could move around freely while only hiding his race and appearance.
The reason he was alone wasn't because the mayor was going back on his words and not protecting Aster. Rather, he could see people in uniform keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings at almost every turn he took. They were protecting him while setting up a large information network around the city!
As Aster walked down the automatic pathways, he was facing down while staring at his feet and avoiding looking toward others. The reason? Well, the places he went to before were mostly with those that had "pretty" appearances, like elves or beastmen.
However, while walking along the streets, other races could be seen. Some even had appearances that would make Aster draw his sword if he ever had one, thinking they were monsters.
When Aster glanced up, he caught sight of a man with a snake head, turning its eyes to him as he peeked. "...!" Without delay, he returned to looking down while trying to keep his heartbeat and breathing under control.
*Huff!*
The Adventurer's Guild was a full 30-minute walk from the Twister Hotel. The entire time, he was looking down, keeping his distance from other pedestrians as he walked on. As he arrived at the location marked on the tablet in his hand, he gulped.
'So this is the adventurer's guild!'
He looked at the large dark grey building, which at a glance seemed more like a market hub than a guild, seeing the stalls lining up its sides with neon signs floating above them.
Aster took a deep breath before stepping forward. The auto doors slid to either side, revealing the place's seedy interior. The first floor worked as both a pub and a reception, with a few "adventurers" sitting around, drinking and laughing while chatting with their allies.
"Huh?"
"What's that? A newbie?"
Of course, entering through the door would attract everyone's attention. Aster was bathed in various gazes, making his body stiffen for a moment. However, despite his fear, he still took a step forward, heading for the receptionist lady leaning across the counter.
Aster walked forward; he pulled his hood even deeper while hiding half his face behind his dirty-white scarf. As soon as he saw the bottom of the reception desk, he stopped his legs and carefully looked forward.
"Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild! How may we help you?"
"Ah..."
As he did, he found a beautiful, tanned woman standing before him. She sported curly black hair topped with a white sailor hat, blue eyes with vertical pupils, and a notably lengthy tongue with a forked tip. Looking lower, she was wearing a white dress with blue trimmings, simple yet aesthetically pleasing.
'A snake woman!' Aster was taken aback for a moment.
However, he tried to control his fear and stared the woman straight in the eyes before speaking. "I want to... register."
"Registration, is it?" The tanned snakewoman repeated. "Then, can you show me an identification card?"
"... Eh?"
ID Card. It was obvious when one thought about it, as it's the easiest thing to prove one's identity. However, as luck would have it, he didn't have one, nor did he read that it was needed to register. "I-I don't have an ID..." Aster whispered in an embarrassed tone.
Dexterity: 10
Constitution: 2
Intelligence: 15
Wisdom: 16
Charisma: 12
Luck: 0
]
A smile appeared on his face. He really did get his very own Adventurer's Card, something he could call an ID to prove his identity!
"We have confirmed that you're level one. Unfortunately, Level 1's can't enter the dungeon without a party member." She continued professionally, as if she were used to saying the line. "Please look for an appropriate party on the application board over there."
Aster turned to where she was pointing and found a holographic billboard on the right wall of the guild.
"Thank you for the information, Miss..."
"Ah, have I forgotten to introduce myself?" She scratched her cheeks awkwardly.
"I'm Zenearith, the top receptionist of the Adventurer's Guild! I am pleased to be working with you, Mr. Aster!"
"Got it, Miss Zenearith. Then, please excuse me." Aster lightly bowed before moving toward the board and reading it.
There were a lot of requests written on it, so it was hard to read the entries. Looking to the top, Aster found the URL of the board and used his tablet to access it instead. With that, he could zoom in and out to make it easier to read the entries!
"Let's see..." Aster muttered as he sat down on an empty corner table, browsing the board while looking for a fitting party.
However, most of the parties were on higher floors, with only a few on the first floor. And the majority of those were also looking for someone at least level 3 to take along.
"... I'm underleveled." Aster sighed.
Nobody was looking for a level 1 newbie as a new party member! It was a little sad, but thinking normally, going to a dangerous place with someone who could pull your legs in a dire situation wasn't a wise choice.
While scratching his head, he checked the very last request and raised a brow.
'Any Level accepted, first floor limited? The other party is... a healer alone.'
Aster pondered for a moment before nodding to himself. With a healer, he can at least rely on their healing when things go south. He decided to select this party and returned to where the receptionist, Ms. Zenearith, was.
Seeing him approach, she smiled while lightly licking the air. "So? Did you find a party?"