Chapter 20: The Guild

---D-Day+12, Nizhen 15th---

Its late morning by the time I'm able to move again. Sunlight shining thru the window spotlights the ground zero this poor bed became. The bath, incident, wine, and bed, really got them to kick it up a notch. Even this muscle car body is sore.

Did they turn into vampires? Sucking me dry like that? Smells like a porn shoot in here. Yeah, it felt great but aren't they pushing themselves to hard? This can't be healthy for them.

"Fatal Attraction, the fantasy rpg."

Sigh.

I pity the maids who have to deal with this scene out of a disaster movie. Well, once we reach the school I'll create a safe environment and start weening them off me. Help them build new free lives.

I'm not here to relive glory days I never had. I'm here to protect my son. Not kill the demon king. Not start some twisted polygamy on steroids family. Again, sigh...

My goal today is the 'guild.' This world's version of the isekai staple 'Adventurer's Guild.' Vira calls it is a global organization. Or at least no one has found a place where it isn't yet. Five of the now seven girls are not registered adventurers, and neither am I.

Adventurer tags are considered valid forms of ID pretty much everywhere. Reportedly the guild leader in Colrac is also not a fan of the 'church.' So he might ignore their boycott of all things Beast.

The plan is to enter the guild while its empty and try to register. Vira and Olete say guilds empty out earlier in the morning. So late morning should be perfect. If the girls can register it will give them opportunities both in and out of Tourin. An adventurer is a respected and well paid profession.

It is a common practice for the children of nobility to register as adventurers. So it should be expected for the adopted son of a marquis.

The girls are all smiles while they dress me in another black and gold outfit. Avi and Vira are both having difficulty walking though. They are the hardest riders out of the bunch. Got to be rough on their hips.

"[Touch of Menerva]" "[Relief of Glanis]"

I use [Recovery Magic] on me and the girls. Even on the ones who are hiding their aches and pains. This starts getting them aroused again but I shut it down. This isn't a vacation. We've got work to do.

All eight of us leave the inn wearing freshly washed clothes and I take a deep breath. Oh yeah, another thing? Colrac doesn't stink. Seriously, I expected everything to reek of piss and shit. I visited Paris once and everywhere outside smelled like pee.

Inside was okay but as soon as I stepped outside? It was like standing in a urinal. Instead? Here a kaleidoscope of smells awaits me.

Now I'm not saying the breeze is always pleasant. We pass all sorts of workshops on the way to the guild that reek. Tanners and the like.

The houses are low, none over three stories high, and the streets were wide. They actually have sidewalks on some blocks. The main streets are even paved with brick or stone. Again, my mind is blown. In some ways my world doesn't seem much more advanced than this one.

Oh and no breakfast again. At best it could be called a snack, some bread, wine, a bit of something that might be sausage. Don't really want to know what critter and part it came from. I miss bacon. Eggs. A ham, egg, and cheese, omelet. Stop it. Just torturing myself.

The more I'm reminded of urban life? The more I miss the conveniences I had.

We walk half way across town before reaching the guild. Near the main gate, far from the central square where you find the town mayor and church. A large but humble looking building that's three stories tall. Imposing, but old, worn, and clearly not the best maintained. I see cracks here and there in the plaster. The wood staircase is well worn and warped from years of use by thousands.

Above the entrance is, according to Olete, the guild's emblem. A vertical sword pointed down with a crossed wand and dagger making an 'X' on it. It represents the pillars of adventuring. Fighters, mages, and thieves.

The double doors are wide open so we walk right in. A wide open space spreads before me. The long guild receptionist counter from isekai cartoons is before me on the other side of the big room. Far enough away that there is room for lines though no one is waiting right now. In fact there is only one guild lady visible behind it.

To the right along the wall is the classic posting boards with notices, quests, and requests scattered across it. On the left are the tables and chairs with a bar beyond.

I walk to the receptionist while taking in the woody and plaster smells of a well used old building. I see a few adventurer looking types loitering among the tables on my left. Is this the challenge the new adventurer trope? Wouldn't mind showing off a little.

Odd, I'm getting the looks. I've even got seven hotties hanging on me. Where is the drunk has been or thug to put me in my place?

Oh, yeah, forgot again. Keep thinking of myself as an out of shape old guy. Not a 15 year old that's over 6 feet tall wearing a couple hundred pounds of solid muscle. I'm also wearing some fancy duds. Including a mix of plate and chain mail with Sanctity on my left hip and Tormentor over my right shoulder.

'New adventurer' is probably the last thing anyone looking at me thinks. The girls look pretty intimidating too.

Should be surprised that the guild girl behind the counter looks like she's straight out of an isekai, but I'm not. Got what looks like some pretty formal clothes on. Business formal more than business casual. Uniforms in medieval land, funny.

Her voice is crisp and clear.

"Welcome to the Shadefall Adventurer Guild." Really good posture. "I am Assistant Lumiona. How may I help you today?"

"I and some of my slaves want to register as adventurers." The girls who don't have tags step forward.

Her head tilts a bit and her eyes move over us. "Excuse me?"

"We want to register." Say it twice, just as nice. "As adventurers."

"You have not registered at another guild?" That's a very suspicious look.

"No we have not." This may be harder than I thought.

She looks like she isn't buying it. "Do you have any proof of your identity?"

This I was prepared for. I pull out a medallion and scroll given to me by monocle. Pretending to be someone you are not is apparently a common issue in this world. So members of 'important' families bring proof of who they are.

Forged documents are possible of course but a magical 'tag' added to the medallion and document is supposedly very difficult to copy.

Guild girl tells us to wait, takes the medal and paper, and disappears behind a door. Not really worried about theft because I can sense the tag from quit the distance. Sense she's entered a large office like room at the back of the building.

Someone with an impressive aura is back there. Two in fact. And there fire the analysis spells. My proof is being checked.

The peanut gallery is curious but no one has worked up the courage to make a move yet.

The door she disappeared into opens again and guild girl comes out, walking around the counter this time. Asks us to follow and we enter thru a side door. After a short hallway we enter the room where those auras are.

Behind a big desk is an old beastkin. Big and tough looking but with wrinkles and scars just about everywhere. He's clearly lived a hard life. The second is a human woman wearing the universally recognized slutty witch outfit.

Without waiting for an invitation I hand Sanctity to Avalina, Tormentor to Seylia, and plop down on the couch opposite the one slutty witch is sitting on. Time to man spread. Earning raised eyebrows from both beast guy and slutty witch. Vira and Ushalen sit on both sides of me while the rest flank Avi and Seylia behind the couch.

Beast guy starts chuckling.

"Metia's tits. I never would have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes."

"The rumors are really true." Slutty witch mumbles.

So the eyebrows weren't about me being an ass?

I half expected Avalina to go on another rambling rant but she actually keeps her mouth shut this time. I simply turn my head and stare at beast guy.

The I'm betting guild master points at the medal and paper on the table between the couches.

"That medallion proves you are a member of the marquis branch of the Lianlaf family. That paper states you are the adopted son of the Marquis who just drove the demons out of Tourin." He spreads his hands on his desk. "If that wasn't enough? You rolling into town with a dozen Black Hart knights and the Marquis' personal carriage would be."

I pick up the medallion, scroll, and hand them to Darabym.

Slutty witch talks now.

"So while a baron might be able to survive ignoring you? Remote guild branch managers will not." She elegantly motions to herself and beast guy. "So what can our small corner of the guild do for the Beast from another world, who can tear apart demon lords with his bare hands, tame Divine Blades, subdue Infernal Swords, enslave Oracles, and is the newly adopted son of the Lion of Tourin?"

A couple of the girls freeze up at my 'beast' nickname being used. A couple others get heated instead. Me? I don't really care. Secrets are hard to keep and rumors impossible to stop completely.

I know I'm not helping by carrying Sanctity and Tormentor with me but I've grown to like their company. The girls know this too as Seylia and Avalina are right behind me, making sure to keep the hilts in easy reach for me.

Just in case.

So anyone who recognizes these swords may connect me to 'The Beast' rumors with a little effort. Won't bother to confirm or deny them. It won't do me any good either way. As I get further away from the cathedral and time passes, the rumors should fade.

"I and five of my slaves do not have adventurer tags. I want them." Let's make things clear from the start. "I am able to pay the extra fees for slave registering."

Beast guy's leans back is too fancy chair.

"Registering you will upset the church. You having Sanctity and that Oracle has them more upset than Metia's monthly blood."

"Then decide which will bring you more trouble." I level another stare at him. "Me or the church."

Slutty witch holds up her hands.

"Do not take the words of Rasmius too seriously. A message from Count Werclair arrived a couple of days ago." She puts on her sluttiest smile. "That old beastkin does not fear the church nor the baron. We would just prefer this trouble passed us by. On the frontier you need every friend you can get."

Beast guy's hands slap the desktop.

"Let's get this over with. We'll head to the training hall for the examination."

Lumiona (female, human, tourinese)

Rasmius (male, beastkin, tourinese)

Leana (female, human, tourinese)