"Little Princess, have you come up with a plan?"

"The Adventurers' Guild."

An’s dragon eyes lowered slightly, but he ultimately chose to heed the girl’s advice.

With a low, rumbling Draconic chant, his body slowly shrank—dragon wings and scales gradually melding into his skin.

Sophia stepped forward, scooped up An (now a small crimson cat), and walked out the door.

Adventuring was a brutal profession; every mission meant dancing on the edge of a blade.

Naturally, high risk brought high rewards.

Even goblin ears harvested from Dungeon Floor 1 could fetch three silver coins.

Clad in an unusual black robe, Sophia drew immediate attention the moment she entered the guild.

"That scrawny kid—what’s he doing here? Registering as an adventurer? Hahahaha!"

"Hey, don’t rule it out. Could be a Necromancer."

"Hehehe, call *that* a mage? My old tomcat’s tail’s thicker than his waist!"

Adventurers, boisterous by nature, made no effort to lower their voices. Sophia heard every word.

"Little Princess, want me to teach them a lesson? Heh."

An’s voice echoed softly in her mind—a fleeting mental link forged by their contract.

Sophia gave no reaction. Her aquamarine eyes remained perfectly calm.

Seeing her ignore him, An fell silent, curling deeper into her arms and drifting into a light nap.

At the counter, Sophia gently tapped the polished wood, rousing the dozing elf attendant.

"I’d like to register as an adventurer," she said, deliberately deepening her voice—though its clear, melodic tone still slipped through.

Only the elf heard her.

"Please fill this form and pay one silver six coppers for membership and processing," the Tree Elf replied kindly.

Sophia nodded, took the quill, filled the form swiftly, and returned it.

"Knew it—he *is* registering! Bet two silvers he fails!"

"Pfft, skip the coins. Lose? Lend us that elf girl from your squad for a few days."

"Pick a fight? Two silvers—bet or not?"

Chatter swirled around Sophia, but she didn’t glance their way. Her aquamarine eyes held a faint vacancy, lost in thought.

The elf’s gaze paused on the "Abilities" field.

"A Level 7 Mage!?"

Her shocked exclamation rippled through the quiet hall.

After a stunned silence, the guild erupted.

Mages were famed for terrifying, unpredictable magic and explosive damage—but rare due to sky-high talent demands.

In tiny Nexar City, even a Level 4 mage was prized by major squads.

Now—a Level 7?

The mockers froze, jaws dropped, trembling under her gaze.

Nearby squads locked on her with hungry intensity: *Recruit her, and our squad rises.*

Unfazed by the stares, Sophia met the elf’s eyes calmly.

"Excuse me—is it ready?"

"Ah, s-sorry, ma’am! Here’s your badge. Please keep it safe," the Tree Elf smiled apologetically, handing over a small iron token.

Sophia accepted it with a nod.

"The quest board’s over there. Use your badge to claim tasks."

"Ranks: Iron, Copper, Silver, Gold. For Silver and Gold, we recommend a party."

After a few final reminders, Sophia turned away.

Amid the burning gazes, she approached the board and began scanning the posted quests, one by one.