Location: Southern Gate of Lurenhart — Day 18 in Atheria
The road curved gently around golden meadows and stone watchtowers as the party approached the outer gates of Lurenhart Kingdom, the first true human city-state they had seen in Atheria.
Unlike the flowing architecture of Tivaros or the crystal shimmer of Sundermarket, this place was solid—thick walls of white stone, iron-wrought gates, and banners fluttering with a sigil of a blue lion biting a star.
The smell of fresh bread, hay, and steel filled the air.
Sena tilted her head. "Feels like a classic medieval town straight out of an isekai game."
Baek grinned. "Finally. I've been waiting for this arc."
Jiwoo smiled. "Let's be normal, just for a while."
---
Entering the Capital – A New Identity
To avoid drawing attention, they wore simple travel gear: light cloaks, tunics, boots. No floating crystals, no enchanted scarves. Jiwoo carried only a basic wooden staff (completely non-magical in appearance), and the others followed suit.
At the city gate, a bored-looking guard eyed them.
"Names and purpose?"
Jiwoo stepped forward. "Travelers from the south. Looking for honest work."
The guard raised a brow. "You lot look a bit… refined for mercenaries."
"We're not mercenaries," Jihae said quickly. "We're thinking of becoming adventurers."
That made the guard chuckle. "Ah, that explains it. Another batch of hopefuls."
He stamped their scrolls and waved them through.
> "Adventurer Guild's two blocks north of the plaza. Good luck—you'll need it."
---
Lurenhart Adventurer Guild
The guild hall was exactly what one might expect—buzzing with voices, sword-swinging hopefuls, tankards of mead, job boards nailed to cracked wood, and a few tough-looking veterans glaring from corner tables.
A busty receptionist in silver armor and glasses stood behind the main desk.
"Welcome to the Lurenhart Adventurer Guild. Are you here to register?"
Jiwoo smiled. "Yes. Nine of us."
She blinked. "...Nine?"
Jiwoo gently placed a pouch of low-grade mana crystals on the desk. "We can cover the fees."
Her professionalism kicked in. "Right this way, please."
---
The Registration Test
To register, adventurers had to complete a basic trial: either a mock combat match, a survival task, or an item identification puzzle.
Jiwoo chose identification, while Baek and Sena chose mock combat for fun.
Jihye, Yoori, and Eunsol completed a field simulation—locating a "lost herb" in a magically simulated forest.
Mirae passed the survival challenge by charming a simulated bear into leaving her camp alone with a lullaby.
Even Noeun, who rarely spoke, completed the enchanted rune puzzle with a smirk.
As expected, they all passed. Flawlessly.
But they did so quietly.
No explosions. No overkill. Just precision.
Enough to raise eyebrows—but not alarms.
---
Assigned Ranks: Bronze Tier
"Starting tier: Bronze," the receptionist said cheerfully. "You'll rise fast, I'm sure."
Baek muttered, "They have no idea…"
"Let them not know," Jiwoo replied.
---
Exploring the Capital
That evening, they rented a cozy inn with separate rooms. For the first time in a while, they blended in completely—just another group of adventurers with quiet confidence and curious smiles.
The city was lively.
Street performers danced with flame.
Merchants sold enchanted scarves that whispered lullabies.
A bard sang a tale of "The Fallen Whale That Ate the Sky."
Children played with floating marbles and laughed freely.
Yoori bought a small bag of candied firefruit and shared it with the group.
Eunsol found a tiny garden shop and bought a glowing cactus she named "Tofu."
Jiwoo simply watched.
> The human world wasn't filled with kings and thrones—it was filled with life. And peace.
---
The Guild's First Request
The next day, a quest appeared on the bronze board.
> Quest: Herb Recovery — Location: Moonroot Hills
Collect 12 glowpetals for a local apothecary.
Reward: 2 silver coins + free potion bundle.
Baek groaned. "That's so low tier…"
Mirae smiled. "That's exactly why it's perfect."
Sena added, "We're adventurers now. Let's live like it."
Jiwoo accepted the quest.
---
Moonroot Hills – Later That Day
The hills shimmered with soft blue flowers that glowed beneath the shade. Local squirrels with antlers hopped between trees.
The group split into pairs to collect glowpetals, taking it slowly.
They didn't teleport.
They didn't fly.
They walked.
Talked.
Listened.
Mirae hummed to the flowers and they opened gently.
Jihye found a hidden spring where the water whispered forgotten names.
Sena and Baek raced to see who could collect the most without using any tools.
Yoori helped a wounded fox and sent it running with a healed leg.
And Jiwoo?
He lay on the grass, eyes closed.
Letting peace sink into his bones.
---
Final Scene – Back at the Guild
They returned just before sunset. The apothecary was so moved by their kindness that she doubled their potion reward and gifted them a rare "Nightbloom Elixir."
The guild receptionist smiled warmly. "Not many Bronze adventurers return this quickly with perfect items."
Jiwoo bowed politely. "We're fast learners."
As the sun dipped below the rooftops of Lurenhart, the group sat in the inn's balcony, sipping berry juice and watching lanterns float through the streets.
For the first time in this world, they felt ordinary.
And Jiwoo couldn't stop smiling.
> "We came from the sky. But maybe… it's okay to walk with the ground for a while."
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