Chapter 402 City Of Adventures [Pt 3]
The rest of the registration process didn't take too long.
Burke was soon finished with most of it. There were just a few things left, and that included their signature, a shot of their real face, and the Adventurer Test that they would each have to participate in.
Of course, depending on the rank they desired, they would have to pay the appropriate sum to take the test. This way, the Guild wouldn't suffer any losses from organizing the test and accommodating the candidate.
The duo didn't have an issue with the signature—which was essentially just them imprinting their Mana on the form.
Anyone who desired to be an Adventurer had to at least have a Skill, and since Skills required Mana, it was expected for candidates to be able to use it.
Imprinting Mana wasn't very difficult, as the paper itself would extract the Mana once it made contact with the necessary part of the candidate's body. It required no Skill or innate Mana Control.
After the signature was the face reveal, which was just standard procedure when it came to registration procedures.
"Do we really have to show our faces?" The gentleman in black asked.
His deep tone was calm, showing no hint of anxiety or skepticism. It just seemed like he was mildly curious.
"Yes, sir. It's standard procedure. If you want to keep your identity hidden, we can move to a private place where you'll show your face to the Receptionist in charge of you, i.e. Me. Of course, you'd also have to fill another form for—"
"There's no need for that. We'll do it here."
Burke nodded at his words, though she made a silent observation as the conversation progressed.
'The lady beside him isn't saying anything. Why?'
The gentleman was speaking for both of them as if it was natural. They both outlined in their history that they were partners, and they even opted to be recognized as a Party by the Guild.
'Are they married or something?' Burke wondered.
Before she could conclude her line of thought, the man took off his hat, revealing his silvery-dark hair. It had a certain charm to it, and the excess hair was packed behind with a dark band.
The few unruly strands fluttered around, revealing the pale and incredibly handsome face of the young man.
His dark purple eyes were charming, and his soft-looking skin was sharply contrasted with the stern look he had on.
Something about his demeanor felt threatening.
'H-he's so handsome! He's more handsome than any Adventurer I've ever seen!' Burke wanted to scream out loud.
He also had a very gentlemanly voice, with a calm face and a proper attitude. This man, Jet, was everything she looked for in a man.
Sure, he was just a newcomer, but merely looking at his equipment it was easy to deduce that he was a man of means.
'If I could have someone like him, then—!' Before she could conclude her line of thoughts, the woman beside the man took down her hood.
The moment Burke gazed upon the pristine beauty that stood before her, she didn't dare have another thought about the gentleman.
Lux had white hair, so long that they streamed past her back. Her clear blue eyes could captivate anyone. Even a woman like Burke was mesmerized.
Her heart nearly stopped at the sight.
Her skin wasn't as pale as the gentleman, but she had a similar soft-looking skin. Without a doubt, she was an unparalleled beauty.
As both of them—gods of beauty in their respective rights—stood before Burke, she nearly fainted from overexposure to pure attractiveness
'If this is his partner, I don't stand a chance!'
No… even if Lux wasn't his partner, did she really deserve a man as perfect as Jet?
'Ahh… I see now.' At that point, Burke had an epiphany. Her inner eyes became open to the very things she couldn't see in the past.
The things she chose not to see.
'All this time, I've always thought that the men in this city aren't good enough for me, but… I never bothered asking myself why I didn't attract the men that I desired.'
Men like Jet deserved women like Lux.
Likewise, if she was going to find the man of her dreams, then maybe she also had to be deserving of him. Perhaps…
'… I should find a way to better myself somehow, if I don't want to settle for less.'
Being a receptionist, with nothing to go for but her job and good looks, the kind of men she would attract were those who were interested in those things.
If she didn't want to work after settling down, that left only her good looks on the table.
'I'm thirty-five. These looks won't last forever…' In fact, they were already fading very quickly.
Many veteran Adventurers already knew how long she had been working in the Guild, and of all the receptionists present, she had the most experience.
'Perhaps it's time I advance and move on with my life.' Burke thought to herself, her eyes glistening in resolve.
'I should—!'
"What next, Miss?" Burke's introspection was interrupted by the words of the charming gentleman.
She nearly jumped out of her seat the moment she heard his voice.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
To say she was flustered would be an understatement.
'Shit! Once again, I got distracted!' Beads of sweat appeared on her face. She quickly cleaned them off with her neat napkin and returned her mind to the task.
The two in front of her had calm, stoic faces. They simply waited for her to regain her composure and address them properly.
"W-well, all that's left is to take the Adventurer Test. As you know, the test is divided into categories based on difficulty, which determine the rank of an—"
"We will take the most difficult one." The man said, his tone so smooth that Burke nearly nodded in response.
That was until she realized what he just uttered.
"Huh? You want to take the Heroic Rank Test?!"
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[A/N]
Thanks for reading!
I guess we finally got to see Burke's small character arc. Now, I'll try to focus solely on the story at hand.
Sorry once again…