The morning sun streamed through the high windows of Algora's Adventurer Guild, casting golden light over stone floors and the bustle of activity. Laughter echoed from the hall, papers shuffled at the reception desk.
A man stepped through the front doors with quiet grace. His jet-black coat didn't catch a single speck of dust as he passed. Adventurers greeted him with nods or bashful smiles—some just stole glances, murmuring how he looked like he is a noble.
He nodded politely to Maya at the front desk.
"Good-Morning, Shin-sama!" she chirped, cheeks faintly red.
"Morning," he replied smoothly, already heading toward the stairs.
Second floor. Guild Master's office. Same routine.
He opened the door.
Empty.
The chair behind the desk turned slightly with the breeze.
Shin sighed. "Of course."
He walked towards the tall window and pulled the curtain aside. His sharp eyes scanned the town road just outside the gates.
There—half a block down—an elf boy shuffled along the street with a cloak draped over his shoulders like a blanket, hair a mess, and a sweet roll hanging lazily from his mouth.
Shin said nothing.
In a blink of an eye, he vanished. A gust of wind rushed through the office. scattering papers and scrolls across the floor like bird taking a flight.
Outside, the elf boy raised the sweet roll to his lips.
Then— "Vel-sama, What are you doing exactly looking like that?."
"Oh. Shin-kun, this ish shoo good" the elf muttered mid-bite, still half-asleep.
Vel didn't get to finish his pastry. In a blink, Shin had scooped him up bridal-style and launched into the sky.
Two seconds later, they landed back inside the Guild Master's office through the open window, silent as a shadow.
Vel flailed mildly as he was set—gently but firmly—into his chair.
"You're the Guild Master," Shin said flatly, brushing crumbs off Vel's shoulder. "please try to act like it."
Vel grinned sleepily. "But the bakery just opened…"
Shin's expression remained composed—but his eye twitched. Slightly.
With mechanical precision, he straightened Vel's dark cloak, and fixed his dark green hair, and adjusted the chair height. He could not allow anyone to see this version of the Guild Master.
Vel spun lazily in his chair, munching on a sweet roll.
Quietly, Shin knelt to gather the scattered documents across the floor.
Vel blinked mid-spin. "You treat me like a child."
"Only because you make me," Shin said as he neatly restacked the scattered papers. "If you'd act like a proper Guild Master, I wouldn't have to treat you like this."
Vel grinned. "Ugh.. You're grumpier than usual today."
"I'm not grumpy," Shin replied. "I'm trying to preserve the dignity of this guild, and its guild master."
A silent breath escaped him. "Maybe I really should move in with you… just to make sure you leave the house properly dressed and arrive at the guild on time."
Vel beamed, holding out another sweet roll. "Come on, don't be like that. Want one? They're seriously delicious."
Shin paused, staring at the offered pastry with mild disbelief. Then let out a long, tired sigh. "You're the Guild Master," he muttered under his breath.
Vel laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Hehe…"
Shin placed the last folder on the desk, straightened up, and pulled out his notepad. Clearing his throat, he said, "Ahem. Here's your schedule for the day."
Vel—now upside down on the chair, legs draped over the armrest—groaned. Shin ignored the pose entirely. "You are expected to go to the magic research facility regarding a project."
Vel instantly flipped upright. "Wait—the prototype? Is it ready?"
"I don't know the details," Shin replied flatly. "After that, you have forty-seven adventurer rank advancement applications to review."
Vel slumped again. "Urgh…"
"Furthermore," Shin continued, "there are rumors from the eastern district—unfamiliar monster activity in the woods."
Vel's ears twitched. He sat up straighter. "New monsters, huh… Now that sounds exciting. If only I could check it out—"
"No," Shin interrupted, already adjusting his glasses. "You are the Guild Master. You do not run into the forest with a sword and a grin, chasing around some monsters. You have responsibilities."
Vel sighed dramatically and looked out the window. "Would've been fun, though."
"Please decide, what do you want to do first." Shin said. "Research facility first, or paperwork?"
"Research facility. Obviously."
Shin nodded, already noting it in his notepad. "We'll depart after a meeting with vice guild master."
Vel shot up, cloak flaring. "Let's go now!"
Somewhere East of Town – Noon
The forest shimmered under the lazy sunlight, birds chirping overhead as a young group of adventurers picked their way through the underbrush.
"We're pretty deep now," said Kael, the party's swordsman. His sharp eyes scanned the trees. "Tessa, are you sure this is the spot?"
"C'mon, don't chicken out," said Tessa, a fiery redhead archer. "The rumor said a new kind of monster was seen here."
"And you believe that?" grumbled Lio, the party's tank.
"But if it's real," Mira the healer chimed in, "we would be the first to take it down... if its rare we can get high reward for it!"
"Yeah, and with that, we could finally afford new gear—or maybe even our own place," Tessa said with a hopeful smile.
Kael chuckled lightly. "Save the daydreaming for later—let's stay focused and move out."
Lio glanced around, his eyes scanning the quiet woods. "No goblins, no wolves, no slimes... it's strange," he muttered, casually slicing through a low-hanging branch with his knife.
"Yeah, maybe it's just a lucky day for us," as she replied, Tessa gave a small, shrug.
They ventured deeper into the woods, the dense trees closing in around them. The air began to cool down as they moved further into the forest. A quietness settled, almost unnatural.
Then, suddenly, a subtle shift in the air—a flicker of movement between the thick trunks of trees, something out of place in the stillness.
Kael's hand shot up, signaling the team to halt. His eyes narrowed, scanning the surroundings with practiced intensity.
"Hold," he whispered, his voice steady but low.
Mira's grip tightened around her weapon. "…What was that?" she whispered
The group instinctively tensed, hands hovering over their weapons, ready for a fight.
Meanwhile – Northern District of Algora
The Magic Research Facility was a monument symbolizing curiosity and ambitions . A wide staircase led up to a grand arched entrance.
Within, Vel and Shin passed through the great arch and entered a scene of bustling order—robed scholars hurried about, quills scratching furiously over scrolls. Mana crystals glowed faintly within glass jars. In other containers, pieces of monster materials—fangs, claws, scales—floated in preserving fluid, each tagged with handwritten notes.
A young woman in a deep blue cloak turned quickly, almost losing her grip on a stack of papers.
"V-Vel-sama! Shin-san!" she stammered, silver hair slipping from her braid.
"Shuri!" Vel beamed. "There you are!"
Shuri, the facility's quiet genius, adjusted her glasses nervously. "You came for the prototype?"
Vel leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Is it ready? Tell me it is something cool!"
"Please don't overwhelm her," Shin said calmly.
Shuri nodded and motioned them down a side corridor. "I-It's not fully tested… but I can show you."
She guided them upstairs into a disorganized office, where scrolls and papers were scattered across the floor. Mana crystals pulsed softly in their jars, casting a faint glow. From a drawer, Shuri delicately pulled out an object wrapped in cloth. As she unwrapped it, a sleek, silver-black collar emerged, etched with green mana crystal and adorned with intricate engravings.
Vel tilted his head. "A necklace?"
Shuri flinched slightly. "N-No! It's a magical collar. Designed to suppress and influence the instincts of magical beasts or wild monsters."
Shin stepped closer, eyes sharp. "How strong is the control?"
"It depends on the the user," Shuri explained. "The collar bonds with the caster and his mana. If it's properly stabilized, it can keep even berserk-class monsters calm. Also it will obey every command given, except for those involving harm or death."
Shuri cleared her throat and added, "It's not stable yet. Still working on resistance issues. If the target has high mana resistance, the effect might weaken or not work properly."
"Still," Vel said, rubbing his chin, "it's very interesting."
"Why exactly do you need something like this?" Shin asked, eyebrows raised.
"You never know when we'll need it…" Vel said with a smirk.
Before Shin could say anything, his posture stiffened slightly. His eyes flicked to the side.
A faint shimmer of mana like a thread quivered near his ear. He pressed two fingers to it.
"…Adventurer report," he murmured.
He turned to the door. "We need to return to the guild."
Vel didn't move. "Can't I stay a few more minutes? I want to name it!"
"No."
"Just one minute—"
"Vel-sama—"
Shin sighed and turned to Shuri. "Thank you for the demonstration. Please prepare a detailed report."
Shuri nodded, cheeks tinged pink. "Of course."
Vel was gently—but inevitably—guided out of the room by Shin.