Free Web NovelChapter 11: The Guilds of Valoria 1
Meanwhile, in another wing of the manor, Elena hadn’t yet headed towards the Order of the Knights.
No sooner had Adam left than Lyriana led her down the corridors.
"Come on."
"Lyriana? We have work to do."
"It can wait a few minutes."
The dark elf didn’t really give her a choice.
A few moments later, they arrived at the duchess’s office.
Isadora was already waiting for them.
The door closed behind them, and a faint soundproofing enchantment spread around the room.
The duchess slowly set down her quill.
"Well?"
Elena immediately felt her cheeks flush.
"Mother..."
"Well?" Isadora repeated, more insistently.
Lyriana folded her arms.
"I’m curious too." "
Elena looked away.
The silence lasted several seconds.
Then she finally recounted what had happened during the night.
As she told her story, Isadora and Lyriana’s expressions changed.
First, surprise.
Then disbelief.
And finally, a kind of jealousy that neither of them really tried to hide.
When the story ended, a long silence fell.
"I see..." Isadora finally murmured.
Lyriana sighed.
"You really are incredibly lucky."
Elena blushed even more.
"This wasn’t planned."
"Of course not," the elf replied with an amused smile.
The duchess then got up from her chair and walked to the window.
Her gaze fell upon the city of Valoria.
"Adam is someone special."
"Very special," Lyriana confirmed.
"And I doubt his presence in this duchy is a coincidence," the duchess said. "I have a feeling it’s linked to fate."
Elena remained silent.
Deep down, she was thinking exactly the same thing.
After a few minutes of discussion, the topic naturally drifted toward the future.
"Whatever happens," Isadora declared, "with everything that’s been going on behind the scenes of the empire lately, we have to proceed with caution."
"And Adam is just what we need to decide who’s next."
They started arguing until Isadora won with a game of rock-paper-scissors.
Lyriana nodded.
Even though a slight disappointment crossed her eyes, she didn’t protest.
"My turn will come soon enough," she said finally with a wry smile.
Isadora didn’t reply.
But for the first time in a long time, the duchess seemed eager for nightfall.
As for Elena, she didn’t know whether to be worried... or amused.
One thing was certain:
Adam was completely unaware of the conversations currently taking place in the manor.
And when he discovered the interest some people had in him, his life was likely to become even more complicated.
Meanwhile, Adam had left the manor.
After passing through the imposing gates of the Valoria estate, he headed towards the city’s central district.
His first objective was obvious.
The Adventurers’ Guild.
According to Elena and Lyriana, it was the ideal place to begin to understand how the world worked.
After about twenty minutes of walking, a massive building finally appeared before him.
Adam instinctively slowed down.
"Impressive..."
The guild looked more like a fortress than a simple administrative building.
Constructed of white stone reinforced with black metal, it rose several stories high.
Huge banners bearing the guild’s colors fluttered in the wind.
Adventurers came and went constantly.
Some wore armor covered in scars.
Others carried bags filled with materials or freshly hunted monsters.
The whole place exuded an air of power and constant activity.
Adam pushed open the heavy doors.
The interior was even more impressive.
A vast hall stretched out before him.
Dozens of counters lined the sides of the room.
Behind each one worked uniformed receptionists.
In the center was a large open space where adventurers, merchants, and messengers constantly moved about.
A grand stone staircase led up to the upper floors.
Several massive doors were visible at the far end of the hall.
Some led to the administrative offices.
Others seemed to lead to training rooms or meeting rooms.
The place was more reminiscent of a small town than a simple guild.
Adam walked over to a temporarily empty counter.
A young receptionist with brown hair immediately gave him a professional smile.
"Welcome to the Adventurers’ Guild. How can I help you?"
Adam then took out the gold token that Isadora had entrusted to him.
The receptionist’s expression changed as soon as she saw it.
"This token..."
She straightened up immediately.
"Please wait a moment, sir."
A few minutes later, she returned.
"The guild mistress agrees to see you immediately."
Adam raised his eyebrows slightly.
He hadn’t expected such prompt service.
The receptionist escorted him to the top floor.
Finally, they arrived at a large, dark wooden door.
The young woman knocked.
"Madam, your visitor has arrived." "
A deep voice echoed from inside.
"Bring him in."
Adam entered the office.
The room was vast.
Maps of the continent covered several walls.
Trophies of rare monsters were displayed in glass cases.
Behind a large desk sat an imposing woman.
Her long white hair reached her waist.
Two white tiger ears protruded from her hair.
Her golden eyes watched Adam intently.
Despite her obvious beauty, she exuded an aura of power.
A power comparable to Isadora’s.
"I am Selene Arkwell."
She rested her chin on her clasped fingers.
"Mistress of the Valorian Adventurers’ Guild."
Her gaze flicked briefly to the token.
"Few possess a Duchess’s Pass."
Adam sat down opposite her.
For nearly an hour, he asked her all sorts of questions.
The rank system.
Dungeons.
Monsters.
Guilds.
Contracts.
Dangerous territories.
Regions of the Empire.
To his surprise, Selene patiently answered each question.
Finally, she completed the registration formalities.
A small metal identification plate appeared on her desk.
"Welcome to the Valorian Adventurers."
Adam took his new card.
"Thank you."
Selene thought for a few seconds.
Then she opened a drawer.
"I understand you enjoy reading."
She placed several ledgers on the table.
"The guild library contains many books on monsters, wilderness areas, and the history of exploration." "
Adam immediately felt his interest grow.
"Can I consult them?"
"Better."
A slight smile appeared on the tiger woman’s face.
"With the special permission associated with your token, you can also borrow certain books."
Adam felt almost as if he had received a treasure.
A few minutes later, he left the office with his newly acquired adventurer card and several books under his arm.
However, as he descended the guild’s stairs, he didn’t notice the thoughtful look Selene was giving him.
The guild master remained silent for several seconds.
Then she murmured to herself:
"A man personally recommended by Isadora of Valoria..."
Her tiger ears twitched slightly.
"Now that’s interesting."
After leaving Selene Arkwell’s office, Adam spent some time in the Adventurers’ Guild library.
Thanks to the special permission associated with the gold token, no one questioned him when he borrowed several books.
He carefully selected his books:
Bestiary of Common and Rare Monsters. Geography of the Empire. Neighboring Kingdoms and Independent Territories. Map of Known Regions. Introduction to Dungeons. Guide to Magical Artifacts.
As he headed towards the exit, Adam noticed an interesting detail.
Contrary to what he had observed since arriving in this world, the guild staff wasn’t composed solely of women.
Among the receptionists and administrative employees were several men.
However, the adventurers themselves were almost exclusively women.
This observation only heightened his curiosity about the society of this world.
"I really need to learn more about this..."
After putting his books away in his inventory, Adam resumed his tour of the city.
His next destination was the Artisans’ Guild.
The building was located just a few streets away from the Adventurers’ Guild.
Upon arrival, he noticed a striking difference.
The place was much quieter.
Less shouting.
Less coming and going.
Less commotion.
The architecture itself was different.
Where the Adventurers’ Guild resembled a fortress, the Artisans’ Guild was more like a vast academy.
Large windows let in the light.
Carefully manicured gardens surrounded the building.
Numerous sculptures and handcrafted creations were displayed near the entrance.
Inside, the atmosphere was studious.
Artisans discussed schematics.
Alchemists carried crates filled with ingredients.
Blacksmiths examined weapon designs.
Engineers talked over strange mechanisms.
Adam presented his gold token again.
The reaction was virtually identical to that of the Adventurers’ Guild.
A few minutes later, he was led into the guildmaster’s office.
Behind a large desk covered in books and scrolls sat an elven woman.
A white elf.
Her long green hair fell to her waist.
Her sky-blue eyes radiated remarkable intelligence.
She wore silver-framed glasses and seemed more like a scholar than a leader.
She looked up from her book.
"I am Elaria Sylverleaf."
Her voice was soft but confident.
"Master of the Valorian Artisans’ Guild."
She glanced briefly at the token.
Then a slight smile appeared.
"I see Isadora continues to surprise everyone."
Adam sat down opposite her.
As with Selene, he began asking numerous questions.
And like Selene, Elaria answered patiently.
He learned that the Artisans’ Guild encompassed several professions.
The four main branches were:
Alchemists, specializing in potions, remedies, and magical substances. Blacksmiths, creators of weapons, armor, and equipment. Enchanters, capable of adding magical effects to objects or crafting certain artifacts. Engineers, experts in mechanisms, traps, chests, security systems, drawbridges, and other complex constructions.
But these four professions were not the only ones.
The guild also housed:
Architects. Cooks. Builders. Tailors. Jewelers. Scribes. And many other specialized professions.
"We make practically everything that allows a civilization to function," Elaria explained.
Adam nodded slowly.
The more he discovered about this world, the more he realized its complexity.
After nearly an hour of discussion, Elaria also granted him the right to join the guild.
She gave him several documents before allowing him to consult the public archives.
Adam took advantage of this immediately.
He borrowed several additional books:
Introduction to Alchemy. Fundamentals of Enchantments. History of Great Artifacts. Rare and Legendary Materials. Handbook of Magical Engineering. Encyclopedia of Magical Metals.
When he finally left the Artisans’ Guild, his inventory already contained more books than he could normally carry.
Adam looked up at the sky.
The day was far from over.
And several other guilds were still waiting for his visit.
Without realizing it, he was gradually beginning to forge connections with the most influential people in all of Valoria.
