The tense atmosphere in the room dispersed like a fleeting mist when the Guild master bowed his head in front of Silvia. He lowered his gaze, and his demeanor changed in seconds.
"Raise your head, I came here just to accompany my guest, so…".
Silvia's clear voice cut through the tension, dismissing the need for further formality. The guild master lifted his gaze, turning to the boy beside her.
His brows furrowed as he wondered who this boy was standing so casually beside Lady Silvia's presence. As someone who lives in Duke territory, he is aware of Silvia's identity and the position she held.
He also heard a strange rumor about her being unrivaled in swordsmanship. However, the news was soon dismissed, for it had nothing to do with the Adventure Guild, so he never had a chance to meet the person mentioned, and yet she was present in the flesh currently.
"I understand then. I will take up on your offer." The man straightened up and stared at Lady Silvia for a while before focusing on the boy. "I've never seen you around here, boy. Who are you?".
"My name is Jin". Jin summons his guild card and shows it to the man, "I am registering as an Adventurer with the Guild in Viscount Midnight territory".
The Guild master's brows twitched upon hearing the word Viscount Midnight territory. That place was neighboring one of the most dangerous places on the continent, the Dark Forest.
As a former adventurer, he is aware of what kind of place that town is. He also has his fair share of activity exploring the eerily dark forest, which has a high death risk the further he goes inside.
There was a never-ending monster ambush, and the surrounding area seemed to have a will of its own, creating a living maze that couldn't be cracked no matter how experienced he was. Until this day, he had not heard any news of an explorer who went inside to return in one piece, leaving only fleeting names.
The man exhaled straight, shaking his head to clear away his thoughts. The man's gaze swept over Jin, observing him from head to toe. An Invisible pressure crept over his skin; it was as sharp as the edge of the blade, sending shivers down his spine. 'This boy is not normal…'
The man feigned ignorance and spoke with tightened lips: "My name is Randy. So you are saying you found a Newborn Dungeon?"
"Yeah, I can show you the proof".
With a flick from his wrist, a dull thud reverberated across the room as the big body of a Hobgoblin emerged from thin air. The guild master's eyes widened, the same with the receptionist.
However, Jin was still not finished. He summoned another item, proof of his defeat in the form of an Item: "I also received a Treasure chest when defeating it…"
A deafening silence hung in the room as Jin's words linger in their ears. All of a sudden, the guild master snapped wide open and opened his lips to speak.
*Bam!
The wooden door that held the place slammed open, revealing Duke Sullivan and the other two members, who had tight expressions. Sullivan's expression hardened, but as a head of state, he exhaled and lightly approached the four.
"Tell me the details of your Investigation, Jin Midnight".
"Father". Silvia's eyes opened wide.
Jin froze, his brows furrowed to see two figures that approached him with tension. He gulped to moisten his throat, feeling the oppressive pressure from his parents' frowned faces, tingling his skin. "Jin, we will talk later."
"Y-Yes, Father". Jin touches the body of the hobgoblin before it disappears like a phantom.
He could only nod meekly before his parents' stern expression. And the Guild master who watched Jin's banter, his eyes snapped open for the second time, seeing his distant comrade who succeeded in becoming a noble in the frontier.
'I see, that kid is the son of those two…'. The guild master parted his lips deeply, understanding the situation, 'No wonder the kid seems out of the norm…'.
"First of all, let's go to the room upstairs. We must discuss this matter further," Randy pointed toward the second floor.
"Yeah, we should." The Duke turned to Silvia, then toward the entrance door. "Silvia, if you are tired, you can board the carriage to return home. Take some rest."
Silvia shook her head and stared at her father clearly: "No, father. I also want to hear the discussion, but of course if it was a secret one, I will abstain."
Sullivan's cheek twitches; this aspect of her daughter, who knows how to touch his heartstrings, has returned. His heart wells with intense emotion, which blurs his eyes, but Sullivan manages to suppress it and nods his head.
"Okay, you can come too".
"Thank you, Father". Silvia's face loosened as she bowed her head slightly.
"Lead the way, guild master".
With the Duke's command, the guild master nodded his head and led them toward the second floor, which stretched like a hallway. Several doors lined up in intervals before the guild master opened one in the corner.
The guild master pushed the door with a creak. He entered first before the guests flooded in. Jin stared at the brown interior with a nod.
Its wide space was enough to hold all the guests. The place had a neat ambiance and was filled with the earthy scent of the wood and papers stacked on the desk further in the innermost corner facing a window.
A light light filtered the room, basking the three-seater sofa, which faced each other on four sides and encased a single round wooden table in the middle. "Everyone, please have a seat."
Jin took a single sofa as his own near the entrance; its soft sponge absorbed his stiff butt. In front of him sat the guild master; on the right were his parents, and on the left were the Duke and SIlvia.
"Okay, so where do we start?" Sullivan broke the stillness in the room, and all eyes were gathered into a single entity: Jin.
"Okay, I will tell everyone the details…" Jin exhaled softly. His eyes scanned the people around him, and he nodded his head solemnly, "First, we went on a quest to investigate a case of missing cattle in the nearby village…"
He began to tell everyone as silence enveloped the space. The adults in the room, eyes knitted in a deep frown, when they heard Jin obliterate a horde of goblins and a single Hobgoblin alone.
Duke, Ryan, and Marina accept reality as it is, for they understand the boy's capabilities. Also, the proof they witnessed earlier is enough to deal with the matter. However, the guild master's face is frowning.
Hobgoblin is a Rare-rank monster that is strong enough to obliterate a village. Let alone killing it alone, but a kid who did it, 'Well, putting that aside'.
"Thank you for the report, Adventure Jin". The guild master leaned forward and looked toward the person on the right, "Your Highness, what do you have in mind?".
Sullivan crossed his hands on his chest, a black line present on his forehead. He was formulating the gain and risk of obtaining a Dungeon.
"As a guild master, I was overjoyed to hear this news and wanted to keep the Dungeon alive". The guild master carefully inserted something between the lines, "Of course, you will decide all the decisions as the head of this town. I am just merely giving my suggestion, but I think it was pretty good for the town's sake as well".
The Duke lifted his gaze, staring at a single spot on the middle table, tapping his index finger on cheek. The things that the guild master told him were indeed beneficial for the Adventure Guilds and the town's prosperity.
When the Dungeon matures, it will bring a stable cycle of Mana stone that would enrich the town's economy and bring an Adventure that will stay in the town.
Despite its benefits, the Dungeon will also bring an equal amount of suffering in case a monster wave happens. However, it could be handled if the Adventurer regularly dived to reduce the monster population inside.
Because one of the Monster Wave causes is an overflowing monster population inside a Dungeon.
After a few seconds of stifling silence, the Duke nodded and glanced at others.
"Okay, in the name of Duke Frost, we will take possession of the dungeon." Everyone in the room nodded their heads. The Duke continued, "Guild master, I give you my full support and high authority to manage the Dungeon. Build an adventure branch in the village to monitor the Dungeon in time. I also will dispatch some knights to fortify the security within the village."
"Very well, I will take this honorable offer". The guild master bowed his head deeply condescending to the Duke's order.
"...And lastly," Sullivan's shrunken eyes stare ahead, prompting the spouse's stiff response: "Viscount Midnight and family, as a former Adventurer, I give you the order to investigate the dungeon."
"By your will".
"We will accept the honor".
Ryan and Marina placed a hand on their chests and bowed deeply. Jin looked at his parents, his lips parted in joy, holding the emotion that welled up in his chest. As a member of the Midnight family, Jin also copied his parents' act and slightly bowed to the Duke.
Silvia's gaze trembled, her fingers clenched tightly on her skirt as she stared at Jin. He didn't hesitate despite the looming danger and threat that could have crushed him. Jin's posture remained firm, his heart unshaken.
He held his head high, proud of his strength and confident in his ability to wield that strength for his own good and others. And that is what she lacks; having only talent is not enough to bring her to another stage.
Those relentless duels she conducted, giving her a title as the strongest in the Kingdom, were nothing but sophistry, filled with heretical lies. Silvia never forgives herself for realizing that this late.
The people she dueled with left with a crumpling face and shrunken eyes. Their frowned expressions meant nothing to the former herself, who also had the same sentiment and looked toward the sword path and the world.
What she currently wanted was something more fundamental, not a recognition of others but something formed by the manifestation of experience she grasped and the courage to take a step forward to break free from her curse.
Silvia longs for that moment until Jin comes and one-sidedly crushes her in a duel.
That moment came like a storm, blowing away the black clouds that cast a darkened world into her mind and heart. Jin also came to give her options.
It is to stay in her current situation. Or break free and achieve what her heart wants.
A memory flashed before her eyes; the tension gripped her consciousness, the boy's back as the word he said tore her perception of her path, resonated, 'What is your purpose in swinging your sword?'.
Her vision widened, and a bright, glimmering hope formed a red thread in her darkened heart, which she grasped. Unconsciously, her finger curled as she pinched the sleeves on her father, "Father, can I?"