Leo stood still for a beat.
The guild doors had already swallowed the Astral Sovereign, but her presence still lingered in the room like a pressure change. Cold mist curled around their boots before fading into the floorboards, leaving behind just the distant hum of the city beyond.
He let the crowd fold back into itself, eyes shifting, whispers bubbling low, but his focus stayed ahead.
"That was," he said finally, "an intense welcome."
Amanda didn't respond.
Instead, she reached out and grabbed his arm—not roughly, not urgently. Just tight. Like she needed to remember he was real. That he was still here.
Leo glanced down at her fingers curled around his sleeve. He placed his hand gently on top of hers.
"It'll be okay," he said quietly. "You saw it firsthand."
She didn't argue.
Just nodded once.
Susan exhaled from behind the counter, rubbing her arm as if trying to ease away her anxiousness.
"You should prepare," she said, her tone brisk but not unkind. "The Dragon Lord's not just strong. He doesn't pick fights he's not sure he'll win."
She bent down, pulled open a lower drawer, and slid a parchment sheet across the counter toward Leo.
"Fill this out. I'll get your adventurer card processed."
Leo took the form. The paper felt oddly warm in his hands.
Amanda sighed beside him, long, worn, from somewhere deep behind her ribs.
She leaned forward, resting her head against the counter with her elbow propped up, chin in one hand. The other arm dangled at her side, lifeless.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled, muffled slightly by the wood. "I forgot I added that to the request. The whole 'bring the Orc Lord's head' thing."
Then she buried her face entirely in her folded arms.
Leo gave her a light tap on the back. Not quite a pat, not quite a push. Just enough to say: It's fine.
His eyes flicked back to the form. Name, age, region of origin… A few boxes down, he paused at the line marked Guild Affiliation (if applicable).
Susan was still watching him. Not pressing, just attentive.
"System users are rare," she said, adjusting a stack of guild tokens beside her. "But very sought after. Once word gets out that another's emerged, every major guild in the capital will start scouring the streets."
She looked at him more directly now. Not demanding. Just curious. Professional.
"If you don't mind me asking," she said, "what system do you possess?"
Leo didn't look up.
He checked a box on the form. Reached for the quill again.
His voice was calm.
"It's the VIP system."
Someone behind them laughed.
The kind that didn't care who heard.
"The VIP system?" the voice snorted. "Damn. We were all holding our breath, thinking he was a real contender for the Dragon Lord."
Another joined in, louder. "Yeah, I thought he might actually be dangerous. Didn't even flinch when the Dragon Lord called him out."
There was a pause. Then, smugly: "Guess he's just confident he won't die tomorrow."
A third voice chimed in from somewhere near the benches. "Wait, wait, what was that again?" he asked, arms slowly lifting like a magician setting up for a bad trick. He started wiggling his fingers and hips with mock flair.
"The curse," he said in a sing-song tone. "OoOoOooh."
Laughter followed. Ugly. The kind that piled on itself without needing to be clever.
Leo glanced back at them. Just a quick look.
They were already laughing at their own jokes, leaning into each other, one of them slapping a nearby table like he'd just told the funniest thing this side of a tavern.
It didn't fully land. Not for Leo. Like hearing a bad echo in another room.
Susan let out a heavy sigh, barely louder than a breath.
"Don't mind them," she said, voice dry. "But you really do need to prepare. I'd rather not see Amanda end up with the Dragon Lord."
Amanda groaned something into her arm. She still hadn't moved. "I saw how powerful he is," she mumbled, voice muffled by the counter. "But I don't know how powerful the Dragon Lord really is."
Leo finished scribbling on the form and slid it back across the counter.
"Believe in me," he said. "Both of you. But let's finish this up first."
He turned to Amanda.
"We still need to get you proper clothing."
That got her attention.
She sat upright in a snap, eyes narrowing slightly. "What? I don't need anything. My dress is fine."
Leo raised an eyebrow, but didn't argue.
Susan squinted at him. The kind of look people give puzzle boxes.
Then her gaze flicked to Amanda. Slid down. Froze.
Her eyes widened. A slow "ah" flickered behind them. And then—
She groaned. Full exhale. Shoulders up, shoulders down. One hand covered her face like she was shielding herself from secondhand embarrassment.
It became obvious.
Susan didn't say anything at first. Just narrowed her eyes.
Amanda's dress wasn't the problem; it was how little it left to the imagination. The fabric hugged her like it owed her rent. No undergarments either, from the looks of it. Or, more accurately, from the fact that everyone else was looking.
Susan's gaze swept the room. Trained. Efficient. She clocked three adventurers whispering by the benches. Two more by the request board pretending to browse. And one idiot was practically drooling into his drink.
Her jaw clenched.
Then—
THUD!
Her palm hit the desk like a warhammer drop.
The sound cracked through the guildhall. Several adventurers flinched.
Her eyes snapped toward them. She didn't say a word, just stared.
It worked better than a threat.
Chairs scraped. Cups were set down. Conversations ended mid-sentence. The gawkers turned away, some trying to act casual, others moving fast like the air around Susan had turned acidic.
Silence gave way to the usual hum. The right kind.
She let out another breath and turned back toward Leo, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"You really are something," she muttered.
Then she pointed. "There's a shop across the canal that sells actual clothes. Go there."
Her hand shifted a few inches to the left. "There's also an inn. Just a few blocks down."
"Thanks."
He slid the form across the desk.
Susan glanced at it, brows lifting when she saw the class field.
"Swordsman," she murmured. Then looked up and gave him a small nod. "Alright. Come with me."
They moved together. Susan leading, Amanda staying close to Leo's side, quieter now. The corridor was clean and plain, lit by high lanterns spaced like clock ticks. At the end was a door with no sign.
Susan opened it.
The room inside felt different. Not larger. Just more.
A giant crystal-like fragment floated at the center. Suspended mid-air, glowing soft purple. Slow rotation. Light caught its edges, casting gentle arcs across the walls.
It breathed.
Susan walked straight up to a platform at its base and placed Leo's form on it. There was a smaller orb built into the stand, less impressive than the crystal, but clearly connected.
She motioned toward it. "Hand here."
Leo stepped forward and placed his palm on the orb.
For a moment, nothing.
Then the platform pulsed once, faint and warm. The light from the floating crystal flared in sync, casting long streaks across the floor. The orb glowed beneath Leo's hand.
Then, with a gentle shhhk, a card slid from the platform's side.
Plain on one side. Etched with lines of glowing script on the other.
Susan picked it up. Turned it once in her fingers. Nodded.
"Your official adventurer ID," she said, handing it over. "Try not to lose it."