Chapter 27: Adventuring Awaits: Registration and Reservations

“Angelina, are you truly not coming back to the church with me?”

Just before we parted ways, Sally was still trying her utmost to persuade Angelina and me to return to Partington Cathedral with her.

After all, angels were considered exceptionally special beings within the church, and for her to bring two angels to the grand cathedral would undoubtedly be a tremendous honor.

“Oh… no, thank you,” Angelina politely declined the invitation.

“We still have many matters to attend to, such as visiting the Adventurers’ Guild.”

In truth, ever since my last conversation with Sally about the church, I had developed a certain interest in the Church of God.

We had even discussed it at length, wondering if there might be other transmigrators involved behind the scenes.

However, since joining the Adventurers’ Guild had been our priority, it remained the most crucial task at hand, leaving no room for immediate detours.

“Perhaps another time, when an opportunity arises.”

“Very well then,” Sally conceded, a note of disappointment in her voice.

“I wonder how long it will be before I can meet you again, Angelina…”

With nothing more to say, she departed with Ling and Amos, her spirits visibly dampened.

As for Ling, it had already been arranged that she would meet other Light Elves within the church to ensure her proper placement.

After exchanging farewells, we agreed to reconvene once our respective tasks were completed that evening.

****

“The Adventurers’ Guild isn’t far at all,” Tiffany explained, leading us along the lakeside road.

The shore was beautifully landscaped, offering ample shade from the trees and frequently placed benches for passersby to rest.

We had not walked much further before a colossal, domed building came into view, standing prominently by the roadside.

Its facade was adorned with numerous parallel columns, reminiscent of a grand parliament, making it strikingly conspicuous amidst the surrounding low-rise bungalows.

This was it!

Indeed, several plaques were mounted on its roof, clearly spelling out “Adventurers’ Guild.”

A small plaza bustled with constant streams of people in front of the building.

“This particular branch is so grand because it’s the Adventurers’ Guild headquarters for the Asante Kingdom,” Tiffany informed us.

“In other cities, the branch offices can be quite humble.”

Upon stepping inside, we discovered that the interior was no less expansive than the exterior.

Its layout resembled a train station’s ticket hall, with a vast space where numerous small windows lined the far wall, each fronted by a lengthy queue.

Each window appeared to serve a different purpose.

Tiffany guided us to the one marked “Registration” and we joined the end of the line.

“Are you two angels really not just playing around, registering as adventurers?” Tiffany whispered into my ear.

From her perspective, our actions seemed utterly frivolous, as if we had nothing better to do.

Even if we couldn’t return to Emmana for now, there was no need for angels to seek mundane work for income.

“I simply don’t wish to burden you any longer,” I replied.

“Since there’s a way to earn money, I naturally want to be self-reliant.”

There were too many unspoken complexities involved.

I couldn’t reveal that we were actually afraid to return to Emmana, so making long-term plans was essential.

We couldn’t possibly keep relying on them indefinitely.

Angelina, on the other hand, didn’t seem to overthink things.

She had always been indifferent to such matters, having come from a wealthy family where money was never an issue, and thus paid little attention to basic livelihood.

However, being penniless after leaving the forest had made her deeply uncomfortable, which was why she wholeheartedly agreed to follow me here.

“Next!” a voice called from the front window.

It was our turn soon enough.

Angelina stepped forward first, and I observed her filling out a form under the guidance of a staff member.

It seemed she had encountered an issue, for she waved to Tiffany and me, beckoning us closer.

“There’s a race option here…” Angelina whispered, pointing to a field on the form.

“What should we put down?”

I noticed that the field offered a lengthy list of choices, including Human, Angel, Light Elf, Dwarf, and many others.

The Adventurers’ Guild’s scope of operations seemed surprisingly broad.

While most were races friendly to humans, I was astonished to see ‘Dragon’ listed as an option at the very end.

That seemed quite extravagant; were they truly so adventurous?

“The Adventurers’ Guild is said to have a very wide range of members and immense influence,” Tiffany remarked, though it was clear she had a lot to say about the race question.

“But even with all these options, I’ve never actually seen any adventurers other than humans.

You two angels are the first.”

Her point was valid; despite the crowded hall, Angelina and I were the only non-humans present.

This presented a genuine dilemma.

Our original intention had been to conceal our wings and register as humans.

If we were to declare ourselves “Human” under race, problems might arise later.

Yet, truthfully identifying as “Angel” could also lead to its own set of complications.

“But if we don’t reveal our wings, we can’t even utilize our angelic powers, can we?” I mused.

“We’d essentially be like ordinary people.

What if they require a strength test?”

I recalled the fiasco during the siege of Minos, where our hidden wings had led to a misunderstanding.

Furthermore, a sign for “Strength Assessment” had been prominently displayed to the left of the entrance when we arrived.

“So, it seems we have no choice but to fill it out truthfully?” Angelina asked, her eyes seeking confirmation from us.

“I don’t think there should be any major issues,” Tiffany said after a moment of thought.

“Since they dare to list this option, it suggests they were prepared for it, so there’s no need to worry excessively.

Besides, even if you were to conceal your identity, there’s no guarantee you wouldn’t be discovered.”

She had a point.

I found it hard to believe that such a large organization wouldn’t have anyone capable of seeing through our disguise, especially since the sages had recognized us at a glance.

“Let’s just write the truth then.”

Having made my decision, I nodded to Angelina.

The process proceeded smoothly thereafter.

Angelina returned to the window and seemingly completed her registration without a hitch.

Then it was my turn.

The procedure was quite simple: just filling out a form.

“You’re an angel too?” The staff member looked up, a flicker of surprise in their eyes as they noted my race.

They hadn’t reacted so strongly before, but two angels registering seemed to be an exceptionally rare occurrence for them.

Nevertheless, their professionalism was evident; they didn’t make a fuss and quickly resumed processing the registration as usual.

Witnessing this, I couldn’t help but feel my impression of the guild improve further.

Before long, I received a card registered under the name Flora.

This Adventurers’ Guild card was said to be incredibly versatile, serving not only as internal guild identification but also as proof of identity in many countries, essentially functioning as a modern-day ID card.

ID: XXXXXXXXXX

Name: Flora

Gender: Female

Race: Angel

Magic Affinity: Light

Rank: 0

Points: 0

Could it be that my magic affinity was automatically added due to my race?

The card contained very little information, just these few items.

Its texture was also peculiar; I couldn’t discern its material, but it was rumored to be imbued with magic, allowing for verification and protection against damage.

Ah… gazing at the name and gender on my card, I knew that unless I somehow transmigrated back, I would have to bid a permanent farewell to the name Mu Feng.

Angelina’s card was quite similar to mine, both showing Rank 0.

This initial data could only be changed after a strength test.

Tiffany informed us that a card required at least Rank 1 to be activated, which was a prerequisite for accepting quests.

Consequently, our cards were currently useless, effectively just pieces of paper.

It was no wonder the staff member hadn’t bothered to verify my identity, seemingly unafraid of the possibility that I might be a fake angel.

“Should we go test our strength first?” Angelina suggested, and I readily agreed.

Together, we headed towards the “Strength Assessment” area.

The assessments here were divided into two types: a comprehensive strength test and a magic affinity appraisal.

The comprehensive strength test was free of charge, but once taken, it could not be repeated within a short period.

The magic affinity appraisal, however, cost 200 Sira per attempt, with no limit on the number of tries.

Naturally, being free, we decided to take the comprehensive strength test first.

“This feels rather strange,” I couldn’t help but blurt out from the back of the queue.

All around us were people waiting for strength assessments, dressed in a myriad of outfits.

The sight of such a long line transported me back to my days on Earth, yet this was not for getting a permit or buying a ticket, but for engaging in combat.

Indeed, the comprehensive strength test involved fighting others, a fact I gathered from listening to the conversations of those who had just emerged.

It seemed perfectly logical to gauge one’s true overall strength through direct combat.

“When it’s your turn to fight, don’t pull out the Condensing Qi Sword,” I cautioned Angelina, who was queuing right behind me.

That rumored divine weapon, a lethal instrument, would be far too dangerous to unleash in such a crowded place, no matter how one looked at it.

Moreover, this was merely a test, not an actual battle to the death.

“I understand,” Angelina assured me, her expression conveying reassurance.

I found myself unable to say anything further.

After waiting for what felt like several tens of minutes, it was finally my turn.