CHAPTER 187: CHAPTER 187 – AMIDST THE BUSTLING CITY OF ANARETS

The air in the city of Anarets felt completely different from that of the castle. This city, governed by Lady Velthya, was known for its vibrant, lively, and colorful atmosphere. The scent of spices, the voices of merchants advertising their wares, and the chatter of the crowds that filled the streets created a distinct atmosphere far from the silence they had grown used to in the castle.

Stacia and Alicia stood at the grand city gate, both still wearing their light travel cloaks, the fabric fluttering slightly in the warm morning breeze. Alicia’s silver hair gleamed under the morning sunlight, while Stacia adjusted her long ash-gray hair to keep it out of her face.

"We finally made it," murmured Stacia, her curious eyes taking in the rows of buildings and bustling streets before her.

"Yes, it really is a beautiful city," Alicia replied with a faint smile, her eyes scanning every corner that caught her attention. "But we should head to the Hunter’s Guild before it gets even more crowded."

Stacia nodded quickly, and the two of them began walking down the main street, which was packed with merchants and townsfolk. Small shops lined both sides of the street, offering a variety of unique items from magical jewelry and rare books to adventure gear that looked foreign but intriguing.

The clinking of metal, merchants haggling with customers, and the cheerful laughter of children running about filled their ears. The smell of freshly baked bread and spices from street food stalls was almost irresistible, but they pressed on toward the guild.

When they reached the Hunter’s Guild, a large stone building with a crossed sword and bow emblem above the entrance, they went straight inside. As the doors opened, the loud murmur of hunters chatting and laughing echoed through the room.

Stacia looked a little overwhelmed by the commotion, but Alicia gently took her hand.

"Come on, let’s register quickly so we can get started," Alicia whispered, guiding Stacia toward the reception desk, where a young woman with bright red hair tied neatly behind her greeted them.

"Welcome to the Anarets Hunter’s Guild! How can I help you?" the woman asked cheerfully, her eyes gleaming with enthusiasm.

"We’d like to register as hunters," Alicia said calmly, placing a few gold coins on the counter to cover the registration fee.

The woman nodded and quickly handed them two forms to fill out. "Please fill out these forms, and then you’ll receive your official guild cards."

Alicia filled out the form swiftly, while Stacia frowned several times, clearly unaccustomed to this kind of paperwork. After a few minutes, they handed the completed forms back.

"Alright, from this moment forward, you are officially hunters in this city," the woman announced, handing them two small golden-colored cards. "Best of luck on your adventures!"

Alicia and Stacia thanked her, then stepped out of the guild with their new identification cards. Once outside, Stacia let out a long breath.

"Ugh, I really don’t like crowded places like that," she complained, wiping the light sweat from her brow.

"But we got through it," Alicia said with a soft laugh. "So, what’s your plan next?"

Stacia looked up and replied without hesitation, "I’m going to the city library. I’m sure they have books that can help with my dimensional magic research."

Alicia nodded knowingly. "Alright. Then you go to the library. I’ll... look around a bit."

Stacia raised an eyebrow at her sister with a teasing smirk. "You’re going shopping, aren’t you?"

Alicia blushed slightly but simply shrugged. "There’s nothing wrong with picking up a few necessities, is there?"

They parted ways in the middle of the street. Stacia headed toward the towering library building with rows of grand marble columns, while Alicia disappeared into the bustling city market filled with eager visitors.

At the library, Stacia entered with great enthusiasm. The scent of old books and aged paper welcomed her immediately. The large room was silent, save for the occasional whisper of other visitors and the soft sound of pages turning.

Stacia smiled faintly, feeling completely at ease among the tall shelves filled with ancient books. She moved through the aisles of magical literature, pulling down several books relevant to her research. Soon, she was lost in a sea of words and magical diagrams, no longer aware of the passing time.

Meanwhile, Alicia was enjoying herself in the marketplace. Her silver eyes sparkled as she browsed the wide variety of goods. She bought some groceries, fresh fruits, fine-quality fabric, and even a new pair of travel shoes that felt incredibly comfortable.

But just as she was about to buy more, a sudden realization struck her.

"Ah, damn," she muttered, staring at her growing pile of purchases. "I forgot I don’t have a storage space like Sylvia."

She sighed deeply, feeling foolish for not thinking of it sooner. In the end, she decided to carry everything back to the inn by hand.

With both arms full of shopping bags, Alicia walked slowly through the crowded streets. She grumbled softly, realizing that carrying so much was far more troublesome than she had imagined. A few townspeople chuckled at the sight of her struggling.

Eventually, she reached the small inn where they were staying. After dropping off her bags in the room, Alicia flopped onto the edge of the bed with a long sigh.

"Good grief... not having storage magic is such a pain," she muttered to herself, laughing quietly.

She looked out the window, watching the sun begin its slow descent, casting a beautiful orange silhouette across the city. In the stillness, she suddenly realized Stacia was probably still buried in her books at the library.

With a small smile, Alicia rose from the bed and decided to go find her. She knew exactly how her sister could be when engrossed in reading she might easily forget the time and stay until nightfall.

Meanwhile, Stacia had indeed lost track of time in the library. Dozens of books had been read and noted, but she still hadn’t found the precise answer she was searching for. She sighed quietly, glancing toward the large library windows now glowing with the colors of a beautiful sunset.

"Looks like I should head back soon," she murmured, stretching her stiff body after sitting for so long.

But before she could stand, the soft sound of approaching footsteps caught her attention, followed by Alicia’s gentle voice.

"You really haven’t changed, Stacia. It’s almost night, and you’re still here."

Stacia turned around, surprised but happy to see her sister.

"Ah, sorry. I totally lost track of time," she said with a small laugh, scratching the back of her neck.

Alicia smiled gently and offered her hand. "Come on, let’s head back to the inn. You can continue again tomorrow."

With a soft nod, Stacia took her sister’s hand, and the two of them walked out of the library together. As they strolled leisurely through the beautiful twilight, they chatted lightly about their day amid the gradually quieting bustle of Anarets, as the city settled into the warm peace of night.

The next morning, sunlight slowly filtered through the thin curtains of their inn room. But unlike the disciplined mornings at Sylvia’s castle, Stacia and Alicia were still comfortably lying in their beds, enjoying the softness of the mattress and the gentle morning breeze drifting through the slightly open window. In the distance, birds chirped softly.

Stacia stretched lazily under the blanket, her ash-gray hair messily covering part of her face. She slowly opened her eyes and let out a soft sigh. "...Is it morning already?"

On the other side of the room, Alicia was still hugging a large pillow, her expression peaceful. But upon hearing Stacia’s voice, she opened one eye and glanced at the window. "Looks like it’s already late morning. But this place is too comfortable... I don’t feel like getting up."

Stacia chuckled. "I agree. But if we slack off too much, we might get removed from the guild roster."

That statement made Alicia sit up abruptly, her hair a mess. "Ah, that’s right. I remember the guild officer said if we don’t take on a mission after a few days, our status will be marked inactive."

"Let’s get moving!" Stacia had already jumped out of bed and grabbed a towel to wash her face.

They quickly got ready taking turns showering, changing into light adventuring outfits, and packing their essential belongings. Alicia wore a light leather top with flexible pants, while Stacia donned a robe layered with thin magical protections that remained both stylish and functional.

Once they stepped out of the inn, they were greeted by the bustling streets of Anarets once again. The sun was already high, casting beautiful shadows of the buildings across the cobbled roads. Merchants were setting up their stalls, the clanging of metal rang from a blacksmith’s forge down the street, and the aroma of fresh bread from a bakery made both of their stomachs quietly grumble.

"Maybe we grab a snack after this?" Alicia suggested while holding her stomach.

"If we complete the mission, I’ll treat you," Stacia replied casually, then quickly headed toward the guild building that was already bustling with other adventurers.

Inside the guild, the atmosphere was even livelier than the day before. Many hunters had gathered, some were engaged in serious discussions at long tables, while others laughed heartily after returning from their missions. On one side of the room stood a massive bulletin board covered in quest postings. Sheets listing various tasks ranging from monster exterminations and merchant escorts to gathering natural resources were plastered all over.

Stacia and Alicia approached the board and scanned the list of available missions.

"This one’s too hard... fighting fire wolves? No thanks." Alicia pointed at one slip and shook her head.

"This one’s ridiculous. Escorting a caravan for ten days? We don’t have time for that now." Stacia dismissed another.

After a few minutes of filtering through the missions, they finally stopped at one that seemed simple and perfect as a warm-up.

"Gather medicinal plants in the small forest south of the city. Easy to reach, minimal danger," Stacia read aloud. "This looks good for a start."

"Agreed. We don’t need to fight big monsters yet," Alicia replied.

They quickly headed to the mission counter, where an elderly man with graying hair was recording reports from other adventurers. As they submitted their chosen quest, the man looked at them for a moment before jotting it down.

"This is a basic mission, suitable for beginners. But don’t underestimate it. Some hunters have gotten injured by stepping on poisonous plants that look similar," he warned, handing them a small scroll map and a description of the herbs they needed to find.

"Thank you. We’ll be careful," Alicia replied politely.

They exited the guild and began heading south through the city. The roads gradually changed from cobblestone to packed earth, and then into a narrow path flanked by fields and low trees. Birds chirped, the wind blew gently, and the scent of fresh earth filled the air.

After about twenty minutes of walking, they arrived at the small forest that was the target location. Pine trees mixed with dense bushes filled the area. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating spots of light on the mossy ground.

Stacia unrolled the map and plant notes. "We need three types: renya leaves, sorven roots, and leleth flowers."

Alicia immediately put on her thin gloves and began searching the shrubs. "Renya leaves usually grow near rocks, right?"

"Yeah, and sorven roots can be found near large trees."

They split up to cover more ground. Stacia used elemental detection magic to narrow down areas, while Alicia relied on her sharp eyes and instincts.

After about half an hour, Alicia had gathered several renya leaves and leleth flowers growing near the edge of the bushes. She placed them into a small cloth pouch.

Elsewhere, Stacia crouched near the roots of a large tree, her expression focused.

"Hmm... here it is. Sorven root," she murmured, carefully slicing off the needed portion.

Once they had gathered everything, they regrouped on a narrow path in the forest.

"We did it," Alicia said with satisfaction. "And we didn’t even get scratched."

"It was a simple mission, but at least we’ve learned how the guild system works. Maybe we can try a slightly more challenging quest next time," Stacia replied while dusting off her pants.

They returned to the city with light steps, joking about how they looked more like village girls gathering mushrooms than real adventurers. But amidst their laughter and light banter, a new spirit was beginning to form the spirit of adventure, and the hope of finding something truly meaningful beyond the castle walls.

Upon returning to the guild, they handed over the collected herbs. The mission officer examined the items and nodded approvingly.

"You’ve completed your first mission. Your guild cards will be updated and remain active. Keep working hard."

With that, their first mission was officially complete.

It was late afternoon when they returned to the inn this time without Alicia carrying a mountain of shopping bags, only a sense of accomplishment and quiet joy. Stacia immediately lay down to write notes on her magic research, while Alicia sat by the window, watching the sunset.

"Stacia..." she called suddenly. "I think we can last here. At least until you find the clue you’re looking for."

Stacia smiled softly without turning around. "I think so too."

Outside, twilight wrapped itself around the city of Anarets. The last golden light touched the guild tower and the rooftops of stone houses, while in the distance, the town bell chimed gently. Their first day as adventurers had begun, and the world beyond was slowly opening itself to them.