Ethan's eyes widened; not because he had spotted a legendary adventurer or some mythical beast.
But because of her.
Behind the front desk of the Adventurer's Guild stood a woman who looked like she had walked straight off the cover of a fantasy game or novel.
Her long, wavy hair framed a face that could ruin a man's focus. She had soft lips, high cheekbones, and deep amber eyes that held a spark of mischief. Her figure was... unreal. Majestic, almost. Curves in all the right places, a slim waist, long legs. She wore the standard guild uniform: a crisp white blouse stretched tight across her chest, a fitted black vest, a short skirt, and thigh-high stockings tucked into brown boots. The guild emblem was pinned just above her cleavage.
She smiled politely as she scribbled something with a feather pen, handing a form to the adventurer in front of her.
Ethan almost forgot to breathe.
"Holy fucking shit," he blurted.
It slipped out before he could stop it. Not because he was trying to be vulgar, just... no real-life girl he'd ever seen looked like that. And this fantasy bombshell? She made every Instagram model look like a potato.
He straightened his back, adjusted his collar, and began walking toward her while ignoring the long line of confused rookies behind him.
She glanced at him as he approached, her expression cool and professional.
"Yes? The line is behind you. Not here."
Ethan offered a small, confident smile. "Sorry, I just arrived in Ember's Hollow. I'm new, uhh name's Ethan Graves."
She raised a single eyebrow. "Congratulations. Now get in line. Rules are rules."
But Ethan didn't flinch. Instead, he leaned in slightly over the counter, just enough to seem casual, confident, and maybe a bit teasing.
"I figured someone as sharp and stunning as you would already know I'm not like those other rookies."
That made her pause.
The quill in her hand stopped mid-word.
Her amber eyes narrowed slightly as she gave him another look—examining him more closely. Even the faintest of twitch was visible on her lips.
"Bold words for a rookie."
"Maybe," Ethan said, resting his elbow on the counter. "But I'm gonna be a name you'll remember soon. So I figured... might as well make an early connection."
She let out a soft chuckle, amused. Then, to his surprise, she closed her ledger and leaned forward just enough to test his ability to maintain eye contact.
"Alright then, Mr. Graves. You want registration?"
"You got it. I want my adventure pass ASAP. I'm planning to hit a dungeon soon, you know."
She pulled out a form and started scribbling. "F-rank for newcomers. Don't get cocky and run off to dangerous missions, most who do end up dead before lunch."
Ethan frowned slightly. "F-rank? Not even an E? Are you sure someone like me deserves to start that low?"
He said it with just the right tone—playful, confident, and not too desperate.
She blinked at him, then smirked. "You sure are a troublemaker," she muttered. She tore off the form and stamped it with a heavy clunk.
When she handed it over to him, the paper read:
[Adventurer Rank: E]
Ethan blinked. Wait, seriously? That worked?
She winked. "Don't make me regret it, okay?"
He took the pass with a grin. "You won't. You didn't mention your name?"
She hesitated for a moment, then smiled, cheeks tinged slightly pink. "Elira Vexhart."
"Lira," he repeated, savoring it. "Nice to meet you. I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other a lot."
He winked, then turned around—ignoring the glares and muttered death threats from the 50 adventurers standing in line behind him—and made his way toward the Quest Board.
Most of the quests were the usual beginner stuff—gathering herbs, hunting oversized rabbits, escorting old merchants.
But then something caught his eye.
Nailed to the far-left corner of the board was a different slip. Its paper was pitch black instead of the usual faded brown.
He walked up and read:
---
[URGENT – Shadow Fang Den Discovered in Ember Forest]
[Difficulty: E-Rank]
[Reward: 2 Gold + Bonus Materials]
[Note: Suitable for parties of 2–4 adventurers. Beware of ambush tactics.]
---
Ethan smirked.
He tore the quest off the board and slid it into his pocket.
The grind had officially begun.