Neron was surprised to see the familiar face of Legris as it had been a while since he had seen the boy.
"I didn't know you were still around here," He said casually to Legris who was grinning from ear to ear as though he had seen his best friend or something.
"Of course I am still around. You never just looked for me. Don't tell me you took on the Wyrm cave solo and finished it? There were rumours of a certain masked man taking on the job so I figured it must be you."
Neron shrugged like he had done nothing special, confirming Legris' question.
"Whew, that's great, you're one brave guy. I can tell you that."
He acknowledged his praise with a nod. "Thanks. Just doing what needs to be done," he said, keeping his tone casual.
"Who are your friends?" Neron said, his eyes lingering on some group of well dressed Adventurers seated to the far right end of the hall.
He had noticed them from the moment he had first walked in and noticed that they were a bit different from the regular Adventurers there.
Apart from the fact that they were better dressed, they also appeared to be seasoned Adventurers.
It didn't make them stiff and uptight as one would expect rather it was the opposite.
They were a lively bunch and racous laughter and banter punctuated their conversations.
Though Legris had come from a different part of the hall, Neron noticed how their attention had been drawn when the boy had walked over to meet him.
They weren't hostile or curious looks but he glimpsed an air of familiarity from them towards Legris.
Since then, there had been stylish and furtive glances in their direction the longer he and Legris talked.
"You have an eye for detail" Legris said, clearly impressed by his observation.
"Shouldn't we all have it in this line of business?"
"I figure. Anyway, they are my party members. We are about to go on a particularly dangerous dungeon expedition east from here. Have you heard of Scythe guild?" Legris asked and tutted when Neron said that he had not. "Well that's the Guild I'm now partnered with. They're one of the strongest in the entire kingdom with a high success rate.
"Pfttt. You must be kidding. Sure you haven't had too much to drink?" The man nearest to him said, dismissing what he said.
Another adventurer nodded eagerly in support of the first man.
"Yeah, he isn't lying. I heard he's paying top coin for anyone willing to brave the depths. It's a newly discovered dungeon—no one knows what's in there, but there are rumors that the treasures are worthwhile."
Neron listened closely, his curiosity growing.
A noble organizing an expedition to a newly discovered dungeon?
It was too tempting to ignore and he stood quietly, mulling over the conversation he had just overheard.
The prospect of venturing into an uncharted dungeon, particularly one under the patronage of a noble, intrigued him.
But there was an underlying tension that accompanied the idea—something that gnawed at the back of his mind.
He stepped away from the huddled group of adventurers, finding a quiet corner of the guildhall where he could think.
The thought of returning to a noble's court, even for a mission as dangerous as this, brought a strange mix of emotions and he didn't know if he could face that part of his past again
His mind drifted to Serah, the one person he had left behind without explanation. She had been his closest confidante and he knew how hurt she would be.
The thought of possibly encountering someone from his past, or worse, Serah herself, made him hesitate. What if they recognized and exposed him?
The very idea sent a chill down his spine as he had worked hard to build his new identity.
He figured that if he wanted to sever his past, he would have to confront it so he looked at the bright side.
It was certain that he would advance to four stars if he went along with them though he knew that it would bring a lot of attention to him.
Pushing himself off the wall, Neron headed back toward the group of adventurers who were still discussing the details of the expedition.
"Count me in," he said, his voice firm with resolve.