Overlord: The Last Player

The brunette receptionist seemed to notice Aron's hesitation. Her lips curved into a slight smile as she suggested,

"If you register as an adventurer, questions like this are free, you know?"

She looked at him expectantly.

Aron raised an eyebrow. "Can a single person register as an adventurer?"

"Adventuring is dangerous work. Anyone can register, and there's no rule about the number of members. But for safety reasons, it's recommended to have at least two people."

"Of course, it's just a recommendation." She lowered her voice conspiratorially as she finished.

"How much is the registration fee?" Aron asked, his face calm.

"One silver coin!" She held up a single finger with a sly grin.

Aron reached into his pocket as a distraction, secretly retrieving a silver coin from his inventory. He placed it on the counter.

"Right away, I'll handle it for you!" the receptionist exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.

"No. I want to pay for the information—five copper coins," Aron said flatly, pressing his hand down on the silver coin before she could grab it.

The brunette blinked in surprise, her enthusiasm faltering.

Aron's remaining funds amounted to only 2 gold, 6 silver, and 3 copper coins. Reaching the border city of E-Rantel would undoubtedly require more money for lodging, supplies, and other expenses.

He couldn't afford to waste resources registering as an adventurer—he had no plans to undertake the guild's assignments anyway.

"Oh, well…" The receptionist sighed, her expression deflating. "See that commission over there? It's for escorting someone to E-Rantel."

"Despite the long distance, it's only considered a low-tier gold-level job. Cheap, right?" She pointed toward the wall where requests were posted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"It looks like it'll be taken by that silver-level party soon."

Aron followed her gaze and saw a four-member adventuring party. His eyes flashed with understanding—he had overheard their earlier discussion about taking on the commission to advance to gold rank.

"By the way," the receptionist added, "if you want to tag along with a group like that, you'll need permission from both the client and the adventurers themselves. Just so you know."

Aron nodded, retrieving the silver coin from the counter and pushing it toward her.

The brunette's mood instantly brightened as she took the coin, running her fingers over its surface as though savoring its texture.

She opened a box under the counter and deposited the coin, then handed eight copper coins back to him.

"Thanks," Aron said, pocketing the change.

The receptionist froze.

"Th… thank you?" she murmured, stunned. Watching Aron walk away, her face shifted into a mix of surprise and curiosity.

In all her time working at the Adventurer's Guild, she'd never been thanked before. Adventurers were usually a rough bunch, not known for politeness.

"Hmm… rough clothes but surprisingly courteous." Her cheeks flushed slightly as she muttered to herself. "And… quite handsome, with rare black hair and dark eyes… A foreigner, maybe?"

Aron moved to a quiet corner of the guild hall, leaning against the wall and exhaling softly. Things were more complicated than he had anticipated—or perhaps he had been overly optimistic.

If both the client and the adventurers had to agree to let him join, it would be almost impossible.

A client hiring protection wouldn't want outsiders tagging along, and no adventurer would willingly take on additional risks by allowing a stranger to join them.

But reaching E-Rantel was non-negotiable.

To level up, Aron needed to venture into areas like the northern Tob Forest or the southern Katze Plains—regions teeming with monsters. This wasn't a game; there were no endlessly respawning enemies.

If he wanted to grow stronger, he had to go where the danger was.

Additionally, E-Rantel, as the border city between Re-Estize Kingdom and the Baharuth Empire, offered greater opportunities for future plans.

Staying in the capital wouldn't suffice. However, the cost of hiring an escort party was far beyond his means.

"Maybe I could stop at Re-Bel, then head to E-Rantel from there," Aron thought. Re-Bel, located between the capital and E-Rantel, was the domain of Marquis Raeven, one of the six great nobles of the kingdom. Shorter trips might cost less.

But time wasn't on his side, and detours would only delay him further.

Suddenly, a familiar voice reached his ears.

"Miss Daya, has anyone accepted yesterday's commission?"

Aron froze, the voice sparking recognition.

The receptionist's calm tone replied, "Oh, it's you. You're just in time—your request has been accepted by a silver-level party. Are you satisfied, or would you like us to arrange a replacement?"

"No, no, that's fine!" The voice sounded hurried and slightly nervous.

Aron's eyes narrowed as he turned toward the source.

*Nfirea Bareare?*

He hadn't expected to run into the young alchemist here. Was the escort commission to E-Rantel his?

Despite his grandmother being a third-tier magic caster, Nfirea still saw fit to hire adventurers for protection?

As Aron processed this unexpected development, Nfirea was already speaking with the silver-level adventurers who had accepted the commission.

Aron hesitated for only a moment before making up his mind.

He rose to his feet and began walking toward them.

Meanwhile, Nfirea was nervously addressing the four adventurers.

"Thank you for accepting the commission. I know the journey will be long, but we're counting on you."

The leader of the party—a burly man clad in lightweight black armor—slapped his chest confidently.

"Don't worry! We've done this kind of job before. You'll be safe with us."

Nfirea's shy nature made him blush at the man's enthusiasm. He opened his mouth to clarify but hesitated, unsure of how to respond.

Just then, a calm voice spoke from behind him.

"Hello."