The doors of the Adventurer’s Guild slammed open so hard they struck the walls.

  Several adventurers turned at once.

  Captain Charlotte did not slow her stride.

  Her armor still carried dust from the street. Her long red hair flowed behind her like a banner of war. The two knights behind her struggled to keep pace.

  Every conversation died.

  She walked straight to the reception desk.

  “Where is Guild Master Rudolph Veng?”

  The receptionist stiffened.

  “He’s upstairs, Captain.”

  “I know.”

  She didn’t wait to be escorted.

  Moments later, the heavy office door opened without a knock.

  Rudolph Veng looked up from his desk.

  His expression didn’t change when he saw who entered.

  But he did notice the look in her eyes.

  This wasn’t a routine visit.

  “This better be important, Captain,” he said calmly.

  Charlotte closed the door behind her.

  “It is.”

  She did not sit.

  She walked to the desk and placed both hands on it.

  “I need information.”

  Rudolph leaned back slightly.

  “On what?”

  “On a rookie adventurer who completed a Commander-rank quest today.”

  Rudolph’s eyes narrowed.

  Ah.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  So it reached her already.

  “What about him?”

  Charlotte’s jaw tightened.

  “He disarmed me and two of my knights in three seconds without drawing his sword.”

  Silence filled the room.

  Rudolph did not speak.

  Charlotte continued.

  “He stopped a slave trader. Bought three demi-human children. Cut their chains. Refused to come with us. And walked away.”

  Still no reaction.

  She stared at him.

  “Who is he?”

  Rudolph folded his hands on the desk.

  “What was the name?”

  Charlotte blinked.

  “I don’t know. He never said it.”

  Rudolph’s gaze sharpened.

  “Short brown hair. Strong build. Calm. Polite. A silver wolf with him?”

  Charlotte’s eyes widened slightly.

  “Yes.”

  Rudolph exhaled slowly through his nose.

  “…So he made it back.”

  Charlotte frowned.

  “Back from what?”

  Rudolph stood and walked to the window.

  “Today, a rookie adventurer took a Commander-rank quest.”

  Charlotte felt something shift in the air.

  “Don’t tell me…”

  “He returned with thirty goblin ears. And the ear of a Goblin General.”

  Charlotte stared at him.

  “That’s impossible.”

  “That’s what I thought too.”

  Silence stretched.

  Charlotte’s mind raced.

  Rookie. Goblin General. Silver wolf. Unarmed disarm.

  Her voice dropped.

  “Who is he?”

  Rudolph shook his head slowly.

  “I don’t know.”

  That answer unsettled her more than anything.

  “He just registered today. Said he wanted ‘field training.’”

  Charlotte almost laughed.

  “That’s not field training. That’s war.”

  Rudolph nodded.

  “He apologized for taking the quest.”

  Charlotte blinked.

  “…What?”

  “He didn’t know it was above his rank.”

  She stared at him in disbelief.

  Rudolph turned back to her.

  “And there’s something else.”

  He paused.

  “That wolf.”

  Charlotte’s eyes narrowed.

  “What about it?”

  Rudolph spoke carefully.

  “I’ve seen thousands of familiars in my life.”

  A beat.

  “That was not a familiar.”

  Silence.

  Charlotte’s voice lowered.

  “…What was it?”

  Rudolph met her eyes.

  “I don’t know.”

  A pause.

  “But it was watching everything.”

  Charlotte replayed the scene in her head.

  The way the wolf never panicked. Never moved. Never reacted.

  Like it knew.

  Like it trusted him.

  Her voice was almost a whisper.

  “He told me he promised his father he’d be home before dark.”

  Rudolph’s brows furrowed.

  “Father…”

  Charlotte nodded.

  “He kept repeating it. Like that mattered more than anything else.”

  Rudolph’s expression changed slightly.

  “…So he has somewhere to go back to.”

  Charlotte looked at him sharply.

  “You think he’s from outside Estralia.”

  “I’m certain of it.”

  Silence again.

  Then Charlotte spoke quietly.

  “There’s more.”

  Rudolph waited.

  “He said he was coming back next week.”

  Rudolph’s eyes flickered.

  “To the guild?”

  “Yes.”

  A slow smile formed on his scarred face.

  “Good.”

  Charlotte stared.

  “Good?”

  Rudolph nodded.

  “Because now we can be ready when he does.”

  Charlotte folded her arms.

  “You’re not alarmed?”

  Rudolph’s gaze hardened.

  “I am.”

  A beat.

  “But I’m also curious.”

  Charlotte turned toward the door, then stopped.

  “…Rudolph.”

  He looked at her.

  “If someone like that exists in this world…”

  Her voice trailed.

  Rudolph finished the thought.

  “…then the balance of power just shifted.”

  Neither of them spoke for a long moment.

  Then Charlotte said quietly:

  “I’m going to find out who he is.”

  Rudolph nodded once.

  “Yes.”

  A pause.

  “So am I.”

  is simply exist.