A single room sat tucked away in the back of the "Blue Eye," a dim-lit tavern. It had no windows; the only light came from the dull, sickly glow of a magic tool.
Sasha sat in a leather chair, looking up at the figure standing before her. The person wore a deep hood that obscured their face, but their ornate jewelry and the lingering scent of refined perfume made it clear they were no commoner.
"To get straight to the point, could you tell me the details of the request?" Sasha asked.
Her tone was polite and soft, yet her gaze remained sharp and calculating, meticulously sizing up her client. The hooded figure gave a small nod, drew a parchment letter from her robes, and placed it on the table.
"Deliver this letter to Count Bradley. Then, bring whatever you receive from the Count back to me."
The voice was unmistakably feminine. Sasha didn't touch the letter; instead, she narrowed her eyes.
"Count Bradley? You mean the man who reportedly escaped the Royal Capital Dungeon the other day?"
The hooded figure nodded silently once more.
"That is correct. It is said he evaded the guards and fled toward the east of the capital."
"I see. Contacting a fugitive wanted by the state... That makes this an act of treason. There is a high probability of running into the Royal Guard or members of the regular guilds. If we succeed, the reward will have to be more than—"
"I will pay double the standard rate," the woman interrupted, her voice firm.
"That will be sufficient."
"I will also provide a generous advance. Please, ensure you hire someone capable."
"Of course."
Sasha mentally sifted through the list of underworld thugs who frequented the Lizard’s Tail. A specific young man’s face came to mind.
"I shall arrange for a specialist—a man with skills rarely seen even within the regular guilds."
"I am counting on you."
The hooded figure produced a small pouch and set it on the table. The heavy clink of gold coins made Sasha’s expression soften. After a quick check of the contents, her face broke into a beaming smile.
"I will see to it that the mission is a success."
"I expect nothing less."
Her business concluded, the woman hurried out of the Blue Eye, acting as though she were well aware of how out of place she was in such a dive. Sasha remained in the room, arms crossed in thought, surrounded only by the fading scent of noble perfume.
I was currently staying in a flophouse on the second floor of the Lizard’s Tail, an underworld brokerage.
This neighborhood, tucked away in the shadow of the regular guilds, was a grim and dismal place. The eyes of the people I passed in the halls were either glazed over with hopelessness or bloodshot with a manic intensity. No one here had "normal" eyes.
The room itself was pathetic. It was a cramped box barely large enough for a man to lie down in, furnished with nothing but a thin straw mattress. There were no windows, and the walls were so thin that every snore and grumble from the next room carried through clearly.
"Dammit...! Next time! Next time I'll do it!"
Next door, some washed-up adventurer was currently pounding on the wall in despair.
I’d seen my neighbor earlier in the dining hall, and he looked like hell. Apparently, he’d failed a request and returned to the Lizard’s Tail having lost his left arm. He’d used a potion to stop the bleeding, but the sight of those blood-soaked bandages made my skin crawl.
I doubted he could keep taking Dark Guild jobs with only one arm, but he probably had nowhere else to go. A chill ran down my spine when I realized that could easily be me tomorrow.
Suddenly, a violent pounding rattled my door.
"Walt! The old man's calling for you!"
I opened the door to find the apprentice boy standing there with his arms crossed, glaring at me. Rumor had it he was the owner's son. I found myself wondering if a kid under ten should really be living in a place like this, but then again, he was just "inheriting the family business," which wasn't much different from how I’d grown up.
"What is it? It's late."
"How should I know? Just get down there! The old man’s gonna be in a bad mood if you're slow!"
the brat shoved my back to hurry me along. I moved quickly down to the first floor, where the one-eyed man who ran the Lizard’s Tail was beckoning me from behind the counter.
"What is it, old man? Another job?"
"Exactly. And it’s an easy one this time."
Old Man Lizard wiped down a grimy table before sliding a request form toward me. I reached for it.
"Read the form for the details. It's got the objectives and how to proceed. It's a direct nomination from Sasha, so don't screw it up."
"Sasha? From that woman?"
"Yeah. Looks like she took a real liking to you. You get lucky with her or something?"
The old man flashed a vulgar grin.
"I did not. Don't be an idiot."
"Hehehe."
I ignored his nonsense and quickly skimmed the document.
Request Details: Deliver a letter to a specific individual and return to the Royal Capital with the item provided in exchange. Details regarding the target will be provided upon commencement. Meeting Place: Park near the Royal Capital’s East Gate. Meeting Time: Today, 2:00 AM. Reward: 5 Gold Coins.
Wait, what?
"I'm doing this tonight? Right now?"
"Seems they're in a hurry. Just so you know, if you turn this down, you’re barred from taking any more Dark Guild jobs. Keep that in mind."
That’s a straight-up threat...
Still, five gold coins was a hell of a lot of money. I wouldn't have to fight any massive monsters, either. This sounded like a dream job.
"...Fine. I'll take it."
"That’s what I like to hear! Don’t let me down, rookie!"
The old man’s eyes glittered. I’m sure he was getting a fat cut for brokering the deal.
He provided lodging, food, and work for failed adventurers while taking a middleman's fee. Even though the regular Adventurer's Guild existed, the Dark Guild never seemed to run out of business.
Back when I was in my fishing village, I never imagined a world like this existed. Life was a lot more complicated than I’d thought.
"Hey, quit standing around and go get ready."
"I know, I know."
I went back to my room, grabbed my dagger and pack, and headed out of the Lizard’s Tail.
Shield of the Sky, Headquarters.
In the pristine courtyard of the dormitory, the sharp whistle of a rapier sliced through the air.
Even after the Vice-Guildmaster had accepted her report the previous day, Fiona’s rage toward Walt had not cooled. She channeled her fury into her training.
"That man...! I will not forgive him...!"
She visualized Walt in the empty air, her blade a blur as she shredded the phantom image with blinding speed.
A light sweat broke across Fiona’s forehead, causing her silken golden hair to cling to her skin. A small gnat flew toward her, seemingly drawn to the intensity of her movement.
"Hah!"
The tip of her rapier skewered the insect instantly, silencing its wings. The air in the courtyard felt taut, charged by the precision of her blade.
"You're pushing yourself quite hard. Still stinging from the other day?"
A stout, portly man stepped into the plaza—the Vice-Guildmaster of the Shield of the Sky. Fiona immediately sheathed her weapon.
"Of course I am. The Shield of the Sky was mocked by a bottom-feeder who isn't even fit for a guild. More than that, I am disgusted by my own immaturity. No matter what cowardly tricks are used against us, we cannot allow ourselves to be defeated."
Fiona declared this while wiping the sweat from her brow.
"Precisely. If word of that incident gets out, the other guilds will jump at the chance to laugh at us. We are in a period of expansion. We intend to continue growing our membership, and that means we must act with even greater discipline."
Fiona nodded solemnly at the Vice-Guildmaster’s words.
"Is there something you need?" she asked, her eyes falling on the folded paper in his right hand.
"Emergency word from the capital. It seems Count Bradley has dove into the eastern dungeon, the 'Cradle of the Dead,' to escape the Royal Guard. They've requested that Holy Knight Fiona—a specialist in fighting the undead—be the one to apprehend him."
"The Count is in the Cradle of the Dead...?"
The Vice-Guildmaster stepped closer and handed her the document.
"Check the request for the specifics. I'll leave the member selection to you, but time is of the essence. I want a small, elite unit to move immediately."
"Understood."
A chance for redemption had arrived sooner than expected.
Fiona hurried back into the dormitory, already beginning to map out the expedition.