Chapter 170: Cathedral

Chapter 170: Cathedral With Mina perched on his shoulders, her small hands loosely tangled in his still-damp hair, Sage stepped through the towering metallic gates and crossed into the heart of the Adventurer Guild.


The moment his foot touched the interior marble, both he and Mina froze.


"...Wow," Mina breathed.


"...What..." Sage murmured under his breath.


They stood at the entrance like two statues, eyes wide and mouths slightly open, their gazes fixed ahead as if reality itself had briefly shifted out of alignment.


The Guild Hall was no longer just a hall. It had morphed into a cathedral, no, more than that, it was an institution made manifest.


The space had expanded so dramatically that Sage had to tilt his head back to take in its full height. The ceiling arched far above them, adorned with elegant curves and mana-etched seams that glowed faintly like pale constellations embedded in polished stone.


Massive white marble pillars rose from the floor at regular intervals, each thick enough that three grown men linking arms couldn’t wrap around a single column. Their surfaces were flawlessly smooth, yet faint reliefs of ancient drawings, mythical beasts and abstract sigils were carved into them.subtle enough to be noticed only upon closer inspection.


The floor beneath their feet was no longer simple stone, it was mirror polished marble veined with silver mana thread, reflecting banners, light, boots, and movement in ghostlike patterns.


Every step taken by the throng of adventurers sent soft echoes rippling across the hall not sharp or jarring but deep and resonant.


Gone were the old tables, instead stood massive circular conference style tables arranged in carefully spaced clusters, each capable of seating twenty or more adventurers.


They were crafted from dark ancient wood sourced from millennia old trees and reinforced with enchanted metal bands that shimmered along their edges.


The chairs were no longer simple stools but heavy backed seats designed for comfort and durability against armored bodies and restless movements.


Even the air felt different, cleaner and cooler. It carried a faint mineral scent from the woven mana lines throughout the structure and a subtle warmth from crystal chandeliers suspended overhead.


Those chandeliers alone were works of art, interlocking crystal shards arranged like inverted crowns, with each fragment refracting light into soft hues of gold, blue, and faint violet that bathed the entire hall in an elegant glow.


Mina leaned forward on Sage’s shoulders, her mouth parting in awe.


"Petty Uncle Sage..." she whispered, her golden eyes practically sparkling. "You didn’t just renovate; you... rebuilt the world."


Sage didn’t answer because he couldn’t. His mind was caught somewhere between shock and reverence.


He looked at what used to be familiar, the bar and even it had transformed beyond recognition.


The old wooden counter had transformed into an impressive, multi-tiered structure that spanned nearly a quarter of the hall’s width. Its surface was crafted from polished obsidian stone layered with enchanted oak.


Behind it, crystal shelving rose like a radiant wall, already stocked with bottles that glowed softly in various colors, each seeming to contain liquid light rather than mere alcohol. Runes etched into the counter pulsed gently, stabilizing temperature, preserving flavor, and filtering out impurities.


And there stood Old Man Harlan, leaning lightly on his cane.


The old winemaker gazed at the bar in complete silence, his cloudy eyes reflecting the crystal light as his fingers trembled slightly against the smooth surface. He stroked his beard absentmindedly; his lips parted as if he were standing before something sacred rather than just a counter.


"...By the gods," he murmured hoarsely. "They’ve given me a palace to poison."


Sage almost laughed. Then his gaze shifted forward and he stopped breathing.


The mission board had evolved, it was no longer just a board; it had become an entire wall. The far end of the Guild Hall was dominated by a massive metallic surface stretching from floor to ceiling, polished to a stunning steel blue sheen and segmented into towering panels framed by glowing mana lines.


Each panel was clearly labeled with softly illuminated glyphs: 1 Star Missions, 2 Star Missions, 3 Star Missions, and so on.


Mission dockets were no longer pinned haphazardly but embedded within the board through thin mana brackets that automatically arranged themselves.


They shifted positions as contracts were accepted or completed, some notices glowed faintly red while others pulsed gold. A few radiated unstable blue hues, indicating time-sensitive or high risk operations.


Adventurers crowded around it in dense clusters, pointing and debating excitedly.


"This one pays double if completed in three days."


"That’s a Tier-2 escort with monster contact."


"Whoever designed this is insane..."


Sage swallowed hard. He felt small yet immensely satisfied. He and Mina remained rooted for several long seconds, letting the enormity of it all wash over them.


Then Mina straightened up on his shoulders with a grin. "Petty Uncle Sage," she declared proudly, "it seems like you really outdid yourself this time."


Sage finally exhaled. "...I might’ve gone a little overboard."


Her legs swung lightly against his chest. "I didn’t think you could create something this grand and shiny. I expected it to be... messier."


Sage snorted softly and reached up to tap her shin. "You really have no respect for infrastructure."


Around them, a steady tide of adventurers flowed, their voices echoing upward, footsteps ringing across the marble floor, excitement layering over itself like heat.


Finally, Sage began to move. Each step took him deeper into the hall, his eyes picking out new details with every meter. The banners of the Adventurer Guild now hung from the upper balconies, long, flowing fabrics stitched with silver thread and deep blue crests.


The stairways that once barely accommodated two people side by side had turned into grand ascending ramps, complete with railings sculpted like interlocking swords and staffs.


When he reached the reception area...


He stopped again, staring ahead in wide eyed disbelief.


"...What?"


The front desk was no longer just a desk; it had evolved into an administrative wing. The counter alone stretched wider than the entire previous receptionist section. Crafted from pale gold heartwood reinforced with dark metallic inlays, its surface gleamed softly beneath crystal lighting.


In front of the counter, more than twenty cushioned chairs were arranged in neat rows, each equipped with small built-in desks for filling out forms. Adventurers were already lining up, craning their necks and whispering while some laughed in disbelief.


Behind the counter stood more than thirty seats as well, each accompanied by neatly organized drawers, crystal terminals and stacks of ledgers.


And behind all that —The Guild Archive Wall.


Sage slowly tilted his head upward. The entire back wall of the reception area had transformed into a colossal rotating archive system.


Layer upon layer of towering cylindrical shelves rose from floor to near-ceiling height. Each ring was composed of interlocking book segments that rotated independently along thin glowing mana tracks.


The shelves weren’t static; they moved slowly and silently, rearranging themselves based on classification: Adventurer Ledgers, Mission History, Records, Legal Contracts.


At the center of this impressive wall stood a vertical crystalline spine pulsing softly, the core of the system. From it extended thin beams of blue light at intervals, causing entire sections of the rotating archive to shift, opening access corridors between records or sealing away sensitive documents.


It wasn’t just storage; it was a living information engine.


Sage felt a tingle at his scalp. "This..." he murmured softly, "...is better than my brain."


Mina leaned sideways to peer at it with wide eyes. "It looks like a giant book monster that eats paperwork."


"I like it," Sage replied.


The space behind the counter had expanded into its own chamber now; side doors led to what Sage immediately recognized as offices and document processing rooms, as well as restricted archive rooms.


Everything was orderly. Everything was efficient. Everything looked terrifyingly expensive.


Mina playfully tugged at his hair. "Petty Uncle Sage, check out the lounge!"


Sage turned at the sound of her voice and was taken aback. The lounge had turned into a multi-tiered relaxation space, filled with layered couches, low tables, private discussion nooks and raised platforms where Valeria and some of her mercenary crew were already sinking into seats, their laughter echoing through the room.


Warm light bathed the area, while gentle currents of mana softened the noise, creating an atmosphere that felt both vibrant and serene.


Sage stood there, his heart racing. This wasn’t just a hall anymore; it was a headquarters, a hub representing everything he had worked to build since arriving in this world.


He took a cautious step forward...


"...Tch."


The sound was sharp and laced with disdain, one he recognized all too well.


"Look who’s here," came a cold voice from behind him. "The incompetent Guildmaster himself."


Sage’s shoulders tensed, but he didn’t turn around just yet. He already knew who it was.


Gregor.


The green-haired veteran stood several paces back, arms crossed and wearing an expression etched with irritation and contempt. His gaze swept over the transformed hall before landing back on Sage.


"...Here we go," Sage muttered under his breath.