[Vol. 7] Chapter 71: The Undercurrents in the City
No matter what that receptionist was up to, since he had already taken Violet’s adventurer badge, she couldn’t just get up and leave.
Since there was nothing else to do, Violet decided to make the most of her time. She casually asked the nervous replacement receptionist, who was already aware that she was a Legendary Adventurer and that her colleague’s actions were against the rules, for a high-level quest catalog. Then, she picked up the tiny dragon girl and let her sit on her lap.
Might as well make myself comfortable. Instead of overthinking things without any proof, she figured she could use this time to browse for interesting quests.
Luckily, Le Qiaoqiao, Hongyan, and even her little dragon had recently started learning [Veir Language] properly, so reading the quest descriptions shouldn’t be too hard for them.
Since they were still new adventurers, Violet thought she might as well teach them how to choose the right quests for themselves. A skill that would be more useful in the long run than just giving advice every time.
The Adventurers’ Guild was an 800-year-old organization, and its quest-ranking system was rigorous and straightforward. In particular, combat quests were carefully evaluated, not just based on the strength of the target but also on environmental factors and real-time conditions, ensuring that adventurers received balanced recommendations.
Most importantly, low-rank adventurers couldn’t accept high-difficulty quests, so even if a complete rookie took on a challenging task, they wouldn’t be walking into a death trap. As long as they didn’t make reckless choices.
So what Violet really needed to teach these two newcomers was how to pick the most practical quests.
“Look here, there are three different quests for hunting Shallow Sea Demon Sharks. All of them are ranked Mithril Level at minimum, meaning you two qualify for them. These aren’t too difficult, but the rewards are decent, making them a good option for earning money. If your goal is just to make some quick cash, these types of quests are worth considering instead of chasing after the hardest ones.”
She cleared her throat, slipping into gamer mode as she explained,
“This is what we call cost efficiency.”
As she spoke, she noticed that not just Le Qiaoqiao and Hongyan, but also the little dragon on her lap, and even the receptionist girl behind the counter, were all listening with intense focus.
"And when it comes to the actual quest details, if we break it down simply, these three tasks fall into passive defense, active hunting, and coastal patrol categories."
"Even though the rewards look similar, the time and effort required are vastly different. If you're confident in your strength and teamwork, then heading out to actively hunt the demon sharks will be the fastest way to earn money. But it’s also far more dangerous."
"On the other hand, taking the beach defense mission is the complete opposite. It requires a longer time commitment, but since you're just assisting the coastal patrol and navy, it’s much safer. If you're lucky, you might not even have to fight at all. So, adventurers need to choose based on their own situation."
"I see… This is really valuable advice."
Hongyan nodded thoughtfully as she carefully read through the long list of quests on the table. However, a slight frown appeared on her face.
"But, Miss Violet… This coastal city seems so peaceful and calm, yet there are so many hidden dangers? Just looking at the Mithril-level quests alone, there are hundreds waiting to be taken. And most of them involve dangerous monster subjugations or combat missions. Is this really normal?"
"And if the situation is already this dire, why hasn't the government stepped in to deal with it directly? Why are they still relying on private adventurers?"
"Hmm… You're as sharp as always. This is a little unusual. Remember when we first arrived here and ran into that offshore patrol team…?"
Before Violet could finish her thought, a clear and confident voice suddenly spoke up from across the counter.
"It's not that the authorities don't want to step in. It's that the military has its own responsibilities, and adventurers have theirs. And what you're seeing here? This is only a fraction of the problems this city is facing…"
Everyone stopped their conversation and looked up toward the source of the voice. It was the young male guild staff member from earlier, he had returned at some point without them noticing. But this time, he wasn’t alone. Two unfamiliar young men and women stood beside him.
Wait… unfamiliar?
No, not exactly.
What a coincidence.
One of them, the young woman, was someone Violet had actually seen before.
Back when they encountered the Empire’s fleet at sea, she was one of the four core members who boarded the [Noah’s Ark].
At the time, this girl had followed closely behind that red-haired mage, and although she never spoke a single word to them, Violet still remembered her. After all, their meeting wasn’t that long ago, and it had been at very close range.
Now, standing next to her was the young man who had just spoken. He looked almost identical to her, with long, leaf-green hair, multiple braided strands on each side, and long, pointed ears, features that clearly weren’t human.
Violet recognized their race immediately, Tree Spirit.
And not just any Tree Spirits, but the Lingmu Tribe, the strongest and most well-known among them.
Tree Spirits are a race that exists in close symbiosis with plants, with many of them having originally evolved from plants in ancient times. They were once one of the primary followers of the Goddess of Earth and are widely spread across the world. Traces of their presence can be found in nearly every untouched and pristine forest.
The Lingmu Tribe is considered the Tree Spirits group that most resembles humans in appearance, though they still have distinct features that set them apart, such as their unique hair color, elongated ears, and even internal biological differences. Because of this, the majority of Tree Spirits can only reproduce within their own species.
Since they never established a nation of their own, Tree Spirit Tribes are often classified as monstrous beings in the Human United Kingdom. An example was Berta Lingmu, the disciple of Minchen, whom they encountered in the Ten Thousand Demons Mountain Range. She was a wandering traveler of their kind.
However, the Austre Empire had far less racial prejudice than the Human United Kingdom, meaning Tree Spirit Tribes could move freely within its borders without fear of discrimination.
As Violet recognized them, the young Lingmu Tribe girl also seemed to realize the same thing. Her eyebrows twitched slightly in surprise before she quickly leaned over to whisper something to her companion. The young man’s expression showed a hint of surprise, but he didn’t say much.
Instead, he simply approached the counter with his companion, relieving the substitute receptionist, who looked visibly relieved to step away. Then, with polite manners, he greeted the group of girls.
“Praise be to the Goddess of Life. I never expected to meet the famous Legendary Adventurer, the [Priest], here in this coastal city. It’s an honor. My name is Enrique Lingmu, also known as [Tree Bow], and this is my sister, Sophie Lingmu, known as [Tree Wall].”
A Legendary Adventurer with a title?
It looked like these two were part of the same team. If they were stationed in this city, they were probably the top-ranked adventurers in the local guild. No wonder Sophie had been standing alongside the Admiral of the Imperial Navy back when they encountered the fleet.
Violet kept these thoughts to herself and nodded slightly, calmly closing the quest list in her hands.
“No need to be so formal. I’m just here to help my friends register as adventurers and maybe pick up a mission for some practice. Nothing special. If you have something to say, just say it.”
By now, even Le Qiaoqiao had figured it out.
The receptionist hadn’t taken Violet’s badge for verification at all. Instead, he had gone to inform these two about the arrival of a Legendary Adventurer and personally escorted them out to meet her.
Sure, Legendary Adventurers held a prestigious status, but unless it was a specified visit, there was no reason for two equally legendary figures to come greet them in person.
And considering the suspicious number of high-level quests Hongyan had pointed out earlier, the situation was becoming very clear.
Something troublesome was definitely going on in this city.