Ren walked out of the palace gates at a leisurely pace, still dressed in his school uniform—the only clothing that felt comfortable compared to the rough gear they had provided during training. The leather outfits they issued had been too stiff and itchy against his skin, so the moment he was dismissed, he immediately returned to the attire he had worn when he first arrived in this world. A white dress shirt, black blazer, long trousers, and indoor shoes.
Before him lay a bustling cityscape, its stone-paved streets filled with merchants, adventurers, and townsfolk going about their daily lives. Wooden and stone buildings stood with classic medieval architecture, while royal banners fluttered at several corners, signifying that this was a prosperous capital. However, as he stepped further away, two palace guards stationed by the gates kept a sharp eye on him, their expressions wary despite his expulsion from the Hero party.
Ren glanced at them briefly before letting out a short sigh. (Do they really think I'm going to do something suspicious? I don't even have a grand plan yet.) But he paid them no further mind and continued walking down the city's main street with a calm stride.
His first objective was clear—finding shelter.
With only ten gold coins in his pocket, he had to manage his finances wisely. Staying at a cheap inn for the time being was the best option, at least until he secured a source of income.
After walking for several minutes, he finally found a building with a wooden sign that read "Silver Hearth Inn." The place looked simple yet well-maintained, and the lively chatter and clinking of glasses from the lower floor indicated that it also functioned as a tavern.
Ren stepped inside, his eyes quickly adjusting to the dimly lit interior. Behind the reception desk, a middle-aged woman with wavy brown hair greeted him with a warm smile.
"Welcome to Silver Hearth! You need a room, kid?" she asked in a motherly tone, though her gaze subtly studied his unusual attire.
Ren gave a small nod before reaching into his pocket and placing a single gold coin on the counter. "Yeah. I need a room for a few days."
The woman's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the gold coin. "Oh? A gold coin? That'll get you our finest room, complete with complimentary dinner service."
Ren shook his head lightly. "No need for luxury. I just need a bed and privacy."
She eyed him for a moment before nodding and retrieving a silver coin from the drawer beneath the counter. "Alright, kid. For a standard room, here's your change. You'll be in Room Seven, second floor."
Without much fuss, Ren accepted the silver coin, giving a slight nod of acknowledgment. Once he received the key, he made his way upstairs, leaving behind the lively atmosphere of the tavern below.
Upon reaching his assigned room, he unlocked the door and stepped inside. The space was modest but comfortable—featuring a small bed, a wooden desk, and a tiny window overlooking the city street.
Locking the door behind him, he sat on the edge of the bed and took a deep breath.
(Alright... I'm officially on my own in this world now.)
Lying down on the bed, he stared up at the wooden ceiling of the simple room that would serve as his temporary home. No supervision, no pressure from the kingdom, and no restrictions holding him back. Rather than feeling dejected about being expelled from the Hero party, he saw this as his greatest opportunity.
(Now, I can do things my way.)
However, there was one issue he needed to resolve quickly—money.
He couldn't rely on the nine gold coins he had left forever, as they would eventually run out. And as someone who aimed to create something using technology, he needed raw materials, tools, and other resources—all of which wouldn't come for free.
The fastest way to make money?
Registering as a mercenary or adventurer.
In this world, the Adventurer's Guild seemed to function just like the ones Ren had often read about in fantasy stories. They accepted a wide variety of missions and contracts, ranging from monster subjugation and merchant escorts to rare material gathering and other dangerous tasks. It was the fastest and most flexible way to earn money, especially for someone who didn't want to be tied to the kingdom's authority.
With that plan in mind, the next morning, Ren packed his things and left the inn after a quick breakfast. The city was already bustling with morning activity—merchants setting up their stalls, adventurers gathering in small groups to discuss their missions. After asking the innkeeper for directions, he finally located the Adventurer's Guild—a large building with an arched roof and a crest of crossed swords engraved above the entrance.
The moment he stepped inside, the atmosphere was exactly as he had imagined—loud, busy, and full of energy. Adventurers of various races and classes filled the hall, some sitting at tables enjoying their drinks, while others gathered around the mission board, selecting their next task.
Ren made his way toward the reception desk, where a young woman with blonde hair tied in a ponytail was busy writing down reports. As soon as she noticed his presence, she looked up and gave a professional smile.
"Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild. Are you here to register as a new member?"
Ren gave a small nod and placed one hand on the counter. "Yeah. I want to become an adventurer."
The receptionist nodded and retrieved a registration form from a drawer behind her. "Alright, please fill out this form with your details. Also, if you already have an identified job, we'll conduct a small test to determine your starting rank."
Glancing at the form, Ren picked up the feathered pen provided and began filling it out. But in his mind, he already knew this was going to be interesting.
(An unidentified job... How are they going to evaluate someone like me?)
A small smirk formed on his lips as he completed the form.
The receptionist maintained her polite smile before retrieving a transparent crystal orb from the shelf behind her, placing it on the desk. It looked nearly identical to the one used by the royal court to assess the students' jobs.
"Alright, now please place your hand on the crystal so we can record your job and potential."
Ren stared at the crystal with a deadpan expression. (Haah... this again?) Without hesitation, he placed his hand on it, and just as he had expected, the crystal immediately began to tremble violently.
The light inside flickered chaotically, shifting between multiple colors as if the system was unable to process the information correctly. A few adventurers seated near the reception desk glanced over with mild curiosity, but most of them simply shrugged and went back to their own business. After a few seconds, the final result appeared in glowing text above the orb.
Just like in the palace, the outcome remained the same. However, unlike the nobles who had been shocked and concerned, the receptionist merely blinked before jotting something down on her form, her expression completely unfazed.
"Alright, your job is unidentified. That's not a problem."
Ren raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. "Eh? You're not going to ask any questions?"
The receptionist shrugged casually. "Here at the Adventurer's Guild, we don't really care about things like that. As long as you can complete the jobs given to you, your status or job doesn't matter to us."
A small smile played on Ren's lips. (This is completely different from the kingdom. Much more flexible.)
Once the registration process was complete, the receptionist explained the ranking system within the guild.
"The guild ranks adventurers by letter, starting from the lowest rank, F, to the highest, S. Every new adventurer begins at Rank F, and to advance to higher ranks, you must complete a certain number of missions and receive positive evaluations from clients or guild officials."
She then gestured toward the large board on the side of the room, where various missions were pinned on parchment.
"Missions are categorized by rank. Low-ranked tasks such as material gathering and hunting small monsters are available to Rank F and E adventurers, while high-risk assignments like bandit suppression or hunting powerful monsters are restricted to Rank B and above."
Turning back to him, she flashed another professional smile. "So, what do you think? You can start by picking an F or E-ranked mission to prove your abilities."
Ren nodded, his eyes scanning the mission board, searching for the task that suited him best.
(Alright, this is the first step to gaining complete freedom in this world.)