The crowd parted as a towering, burly middle-aged man stepped before Suran and Lyasis.

"Miss Maid," he said politely yet firmly, "would you kindly take back exactly what you just said? Your words plainly belittle the adventurer profession."

"That’s right! I can’t just let that slide either!"

Another adventurer stepped forward.

"Are you implying only the strong join the Solflare Legion, while the weak end up in the Adventurers Guild? As if we had no choice but to become adventurers! Do you think this path is so easily taken?"

"Exactly! Can’t we choose adventuring simply because we love it?"

Suran felt a flicker of helplessness. She had merely stated a fact—yet faced such backlash.

*Looks like… I accidentally hit a sore spot,* she thought quietly.

As a professional assassin and maid, reading people was second nature. Earlier, while the crowd gathered around the notice board, she’d observed everyone. Those now confronting her had, upon seeing the Solflare Legion recruitment poster, briefly lit up with hope—then shifted to regret, finally settling into quiet resignation.

She deduced: years ago, they’d dreamed of joining the Legion. Failing the assessment due to insufficient strength, they turned to adventuring. This regret ran deep. Yet their defense of the adventurer identity suggested they’d found peace—and even pride—in their current lives.

Still, apologizing? Impossible. She’d spoken truth; others merely took it personally. Arguing on the street would disgrace her dignity as a maid of the noble Night Demons.

"Miss, shall we go?" Suran murmured to Lyasis.

They turned to leave.

"Hey! Don’t walk away! Take back what you said—" The men chased after them.

Suran halted, turned gracefully, and asked with perfect courtesy, "Might I kindly request you stop making such a fuss?"

Her poise was flawless—but an invisible pressure radiated from her, freezing the pursuers mid-step.

Just then, bystanders spoke up:

"I think the maid’s right. Isn’t she just stating facts?"

"Yeah, she never said adventurers are bad. You uncles are being too sensitive—don’t overinterpret!"

"Chasing her down like that… kinda tacky."

Hearing this, the men glanced at Suran—so composed, elegant, dignified—and suddenly felt like crude primitives. Shame flushed their faces.

"L-Let’s go!" one stammered.

They covered their faces, slipped from the crowd, and vanished before whispers grew louder.

...

"My apologies, Miss, for that little incident," Suran said once the crowd cleared, stepping quickly to Lyasis’s side.

"It wasn’t your fault at all. I thought you handled it beautifully," Lyasis smiled warmly.

"I’m glad I caused you no trouble, Miss." Suran exhaled softly, then asked earnestly, "May I ask… what are your thoughts on becoming an adventurer?"

Though Lyasis dreamed of journeying with Suran as a "human mage," she’d never committed to any faction. The Solflare Legion and Duskmire Legion were off the table—leaving only the Adventurers Guild. (Though refusing it wouldn’t hinder their travels.)

"Hmm… Actually, I do want to join," Lyasis replied with a meaningful glance. "Perhaps only by becoming an adventurer can I truly become a mage."

"Miss…"

Suran understood perfectly. Lyasis remained the Night Demon young mistress disguised as a human mage. Only official adventurer status would validate that second identity—not out of shame for being the noblest Nightmare Queen, but to make her chosen path *real*, to truly belong in this world.

"Hey! Our saviors!!"

A familiar shout cut through the air. The trio Suran had rescued earlier waved eagerly and jogged over.

"It’s you," Lyasis greeted with gentle grace. "How did your Adventurers Guild assessment go?"

"Smoothly! We passed the first stage! Hard work pays off—we’re probationary adventurers now!" Hushang beamed, flashing a gray iron token. "After the practical trial, the Guild emblem gets engraved. Then we’re full adventurers, free to join any branch!"

"Only F-rank now, but we’ll climb higher with effort!"

"Congratulations," Suran said sincerely. "May I ask—what does the assessment entail?"

Having been a "solo player" in her past life as a "gamer," guild procedures were unfamiliar territory.

"Huh? Are you registering too, Miss Maid?"

"We’re considering it."

"Ah… You’re an assassin, right? I don’t know that test. But for *this* young lady—" Hushang glanced at Lyasis, nodding to his elven companion, "—Ruby can help. Same profession: mage."

"For mages, Stage One tests magical formulas," Ruby explained. "Spells known, types, incantation speed, power, utility, precision… everything. As a Forest Elf using plant magic, a senior nature-affinity mage assessed me. Pass that, and Stage Two is practical: hunt monsters, retrieve trophies."

Suran and Lyasis exchanged subtly awkward glances.

*Our young mistress…*

*…doesn’t seem to have mastered a single spell.*