Chapter 82: The Hunter Departs

Chapter 82: The Hunter Departs

The Guild Hall had settled into a rhythm that felt almost natural now.

Sage still marveled at how much the Guild had grown. Not long ago, silence reigned here, dusty corners, empty chairs and tables, and the Mission Board stood as a lonely slab of wood, more promise than purpose.

Now, the air was thick with energy; voices overlapped in low, steady currents. Boots crossed the polished stone floor confidently rather than hesitantly. The scent of metal, parchment, and faint traces of blood mingled together, not unpleasantly, but as proof that work was being done.

Sage felt a deep satisfaction with the progress of the Guild. He had come a long way, from being unceremoniously dumped in an alley by some unknown god to awakening a system and finally building the Guild to its current size.

It hadn’t been easy. While it wasn’t perfect yet, at least it was on the right track; as long as he followed his plan, everything would be fine.

He sat behind the receptionist desk with his usual relaxed posture, one arm draped lazily over the armrest while the other rested near a neat stack of documents.

His expression appeared calm, almost bored, but his eyes were constantly moving, cataloging details like a merchant counting coins or a general assessing a battlefield: who stood where, who spoke to whom, which Adventurers lingered near the Mission Board and which avoided it altogether.

Growth was never loud at first; it crept in quietly under the guise of routine.

A small figure stood before the Mission Board, balanced on her toes with one hand braced against the wood as she leaned in close.

Mina’s brows furrowed in concentration; her oversized shield rested against her back at an angle that would have toppled a less disciplined fighter.

The Copper Badge pinned to her chest caught the light as she shifted slightly, a glinting promise she wasn’t quite accustomed to yet.

Her eyes moved methodically from one docket to another. Most Adventurers skimmed quickly for gold figures first and danger second; Mina read differently.

She traced routes with her finger across each mission’s details, noting locations and estimating travel times while imagining terrain.

These habits were older than her time in the Guild; they had been drilled into her long before she ever heard the word "Adventurer."

After a moment, her gaze landed on one particular parchment marked with a modest seal and simple designation:

[2-Star Mission]

With a sharp tug, she tore it free, the sound of dry parchment ripping from wood cutting cleanly through background noise. A few nearby Adventurers glanced over briefly before returning to their own business.

Mina didn’t look back. She folded the docket neatly once and turned toward Sage’s desk.

Sage watched her approach without altering his posture.

She approached the desk with small, steady steps, her shield shifting slightly with each movement.

When she reached the desk, she placed the folded mission docket in front of him with both hands, as if presenting something of great importance rather than just a piece of paper.

"Petty Uncle Sage, I’m taking this one," she declared with a proud grin.

Sage raised an eyebrow and unfolded the docket with deliberate care. His eyes scanned its contents once, then again more slowly, absorbing every detail.

Objective: Retrieve the hearts of twenty First Order Low-level Beasts.

Location: Ashfall Woods, outer perimeter.

Threat Assessment: Moderate.

Reward: 100 Gold Coins.

A 2-Star mission.

On paper, it seemed straightforward. In reality, it required efficiency, stamina, and a level of situational awareness that filtered out most reckless novices.

Twenty beasts were manageable if tackled individually but could become dangerous if underestimated.

Sage hummed softly to himself. "Ashfall Woods," he said thoughtfully. "You’re sure about this?"

Mina nodded confidently, her head held high. "Yes, of course."

He tilted the docket slightly and tapped it against the desk. "You know you’ll be out there alone, and Ashfall Woods is quite far from Greyvale."

"I know that! Don’t assume I’ll be afraid just because I’m a little girl." She sneered playfully and wrinkled her cute red nose.

"Low-level doesn’t mean harmless," Sage replied calmly. "They can hunt in packs and ambush you in thick undergrowth."

"Can you stop nagging? You sound just like my older sister," she said evenly.

Sage met her gaze; there was no bravado in her eyes, only quiet confidence born from knowing what she could handle.

He shook his head and chuckled softly as he asked, "Travel time?"

"Two days out," Mina replied confidently. "Two days back. One day to clear the quota safely."

Sage smiled faintly; she had already planned everything meticulously. He opened her ledger to the appropriate section with practiced ease.

His pen glided smoothly across the page as he recorded her name, rank, and mission details in neat script.

"Flatboard princess," he said casually while writing, "you don’t have to rush."

She blinked at him. "I’m not rushing."

Sage chuckled under his breath. "Fair enough."

He slid the docket aside and stamped it with the Guild’s seal before handing it back to her; the sound echoed softly, a finality that felt official.

"One hundred gold upon completion," he stated. "Standard verification: hearts must remain intact."

"I already know that." Mina rolled her eyes as she snatched up the docket and tucked it into her pouch.

Sage studied her for a moment longer than necessary; over recent days, he’d watched as she took on missions with growing assurance.

There was no wasted movement in her decisions anymore. No uncertainty. Mina didn’t linger at the board or glance around to see who might be watching.

She trusted the system. More importantly, she seemed to trust Sage quite a lot.

That wasn’t something he took lightly.

"Provisioning?" he asked.

"I’m stocked."

"Medical?"

"I won’t need it."

"That’s not what I asked."

Mina hesitated, then shook her head. "I’ll take a kit."

"Good," Sage replied. "Use it if you have to. Pride doesn’t cover medical fees."

She nodded, accepting the rebuke without complaint.

For a moment, silence enveloped them. Around them, the Guild Hall continued its quiet rhythm, Adventurers coming and going, whispering about missions as the Mission Board steadily emptied with claimed dockets. It felt almost peaceful.

Sage closed the ledger and leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled loosely as he regarded Mina.

"You’ve been adapting quicker than I expected," he said.

Mina shifted her weight slightly. "Is that bad?"

"No," Sage replied. "It’s just rare. In fact, you seem to adapt better than that green-haired one."

Her lips curved into a small, almost shy smile at that.

"I’ll be back soon," she said.

Sage inclined his head and waved his hand nonchalantly. "Be careful on the road; if someone offers you candy, run away, there are a lot of kidnappers nowadays."

Mina turned back to him with an incredulous look on her face. "Do I look like a child to you?"

"Yes... yes, you are literally a child," Sage nodded without hesitation.

Mina rolled her big golden eyes and turned around, adjusting the strap of her shield with practiced ease.

As she walked away from the desk, Sage watched her go, his expression thoughtful rather than amused.

When Mina stepped out into the daylight beyond, sunlight spilled across the stone floor, illuminating dust motes that danced briefly before settling again. Then the door closed behind her, and the Guild returned to its steady hum.

Sage remained still for a moment longer. Only after Mina was gone did he pull up the translucent interface visible only to him.

The familiar panel shimmered into existence, numbers and text hovering patiently for his attention.

His gaze lingered briefly on it as he calculated effortlessly in his mind, aligning timelines and overlapping movements and absences.

Two days out. One day to hunt. Two days back.Five days total. Sage exhaled slowly through his nose; a faint smile touched his lips.

The Guild Hall felt steady, perhaps too steady, as if the world beyond its walls had paused to hold its breath.

He lowered the interface with a thought and leaned back again, eyes drifting toward where Mina had just exited. His fingers drummed lightly against the desk, not out of impatience but anticipation.

"Five days..." he whispered to himself.

His gaze sharpened, the relaxed demeanor giving way to a flurry of thoughts that began to click into place.

"That should be enough."

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A/N: The emergency I mentioned is resolved earlier than expected. Everything’s sorted now, and Chapter releases will resume as usual. Thanks for the patience and support.