Lois, Jasmine, Saya, Shizuka, Saeko, Nell, and James walked down the well-trodden path.
"We're heading to a Guild, right?" Saya asked, glancing at Nell.
Nell nodded. "That's right," she replied.
"And what exactly is a Guild?" Jasmine asked.
"It's where adventurers register and get identification cards," Nell explained. "Once you're in the system, it allows you to take on various quests and grants easier access through borders," she added.
Lois considered this. "So once we register, we'll be able to move freely in and out of towns?" she asked.
"Yes," Nell confirmed.
Saeko tilted her head slightly. "What kind of work do adventurers do?" she questioned.
"They subjugate monsters, work as bodyguards, escort travelers, and gather rare herbs," Nell answered.
Lois smirked. "Well, we've got plenty of cute monster girls with us already," she said.
"If anyone looks at them in the wrong way, I'll destroy them completely." James stated.
The girls exchanged glances, then chuckled.
Shizuka stretched her arms casually. "I don't really care much about guild thing things," she remarked. "But an ID means I can come here more often… and get more food," she added. The girls smiled.
"But like James said, there are good monsters as well," Jasmine said.
"We would only like the bad ones, the ones that hurt other people," Nell responded.
"Like the undead ones, which make sense," Saya remarked. She thought of this world as magic and monster. She thought the adventures controlled populations of wild monsters.
They stepped into the Guild Hall. The space was expansive, with polished wooden floors.
Several sturdy tables were scattered throughout, some occupied by adventurers exchanging stories. Against the far wall stood a large board, filled with pinned requests. Near the center, a set of counters lined the hall, each manned by attendants. There was a pool table sat tucked in the corner.
"Smells weird," Saya said.
"Let's go and get our guild passes," James said.
They walked towards the counter and saw a person dressed formally, wearing a hat, vest, and a blouse with a bow tie. She was a woman with a big smile and blonde hair. "Welcome what can I help you with," she said.
"We would like to register these 7 people as adventurers," Nell responded.
"All of them?" the woman asked.
"All of us?" Shizuka said, bouncing her breasts.
"We are capable," Saya muttered.
"I will guarantee their background checks," Nell said as she started to fill in the paperwork.
James leaned over the registration form. "Nell, we can't read this language," he said.
"I'll fill it in for you." Nell responded. She glanced at him. "Alright, what's your full name?" she asked.
"James Everhart," he replied.
"Lois Everhart." Lois responded.
Nell wrote down their names, but Saya raised an eyebrow. "Everhart?" she asked.
"I thought you two weren't married yet," Shizuka replied as she tilted her head curiously.
Lois smirked. "Not officially. But we are in every way that matters," she said. She looked at James with a knowing look. "I took his name after… well, after that," she added.
Jasmine hummed thoughtfully. "So we can take names even before marriage?" she asked and paused before offering a soft smile. "I'll wait until marriage, but I already belong to James." A slight blush dusted her cheeks. "Just Jasmine, for now," she added.
Nell nodded, writing down the names as Saeko stepped forward. "Saeko Everhart," she said. She met James's gaze with quiet certainty. "I have accepted, Danna-sama," she added.
Saya sighed, folding her arms. "Saya Takagi." Her voice softened as she added, "I'm keeping my name, even after," she said. A faint blush crept onto her face.
Shizuka chuckled, waving a hand. "Shizuka Marikawa. I like my name, too. But Everhart for all kids," she said.
Nell finished writing their names and blushed. He was popular for sure.
"What about the rest?" Saya asked.
"We can get them to register later," James responded.
Saya nodded. "Mother will like it," Saya said.
"Okay now what shall I write in classes?" Nell asked.
"Classes?" Saeko said.
"Classes describe the role you have in battle," the woman said with a smile on her face. "You can fit whatever describes you," she added. "You can also look up your class using the analyse skill or Appraisal Orb in a guild," she explained.
James knew he was not a Demon Lord. He wondered what he was. He looked around and thought best not to reveal it now.
Shizuka bounced up and down. Her large breasts moved up and down. Saya touched her holster while Saeko touched the hilt of Slasher.
"Put weapon users for all," James responded.
"That is pretty generic," Nell said.
"It will be okay," James said. The other girls nodded.
"As James said, it will be okay," Lois said. Nell nodded and wrote it down.
"Finally what are your special attacks or what are you the best at," Nell said.
Saeko's eyes gleamed. "I like slicing people in half, watching their blood splatter everywhere, cutting them again and again, just to see how they break," she said. Her face became more twisted.
James reached for her without hesitation, pulling her closer with an amused smirk. "Maybe just say 'cutting,' Saeko," he said.
Saeko blinked, then chuckled, tilting her head slightly. "If you insist, Danna-sama," she responded.
Lois adjusted the strap of her rifle. "We can shoot," she said.
"Yeah, that sums it up pretty well," Saya said as she gave a small shrug.
Shizuka leaned back, shaking her head. "I don't like shooting," she said.
Nell wrote down their preferences. "Noted," she said. She thought although on paper they looked weak and unremarkable, the weapons they had were different.
At that moment, the Guild attendant said, "Now, I will register you all with the provided information. Please place your hand on the magic tool."
James nodded, stepping forward first. He pressed his palm against the scanner, which glowed softly as it processed his data. A moment later, a card materialized in the slot beneath.
One by one, the others followed, Shizuka, Saya, Lois, Jasmine, and Saeko, each placing their hand on the tool. The glow pulsed with each scan, and soon, their registration cards were in hand.
"That was simple," Jasmine remarked.
"Very simple," Saya said.
"Usually we have to fill in like 100 forms," Lois remarked.
"Not here," James said. "We will get the rest here soon," James added.
"Okay let's leave," James said.
As they left, Saeko looked at her card. "What is the pattern on it?" she asked.
"I have seen they are different," Saya added.
"It is a ripple of your magic," Nell said. "People say it is a Magic Crest," she added. "Everyone has a unique magic pattern so we can use it to identify you," Nell added.
"Even people without magic?" James asked.
"There is no one with magic," Nell responded.