Just then, a familiar, steady set of footsteps echoed from the entrance.
"Welcome back—ah, Mr. Balin and..." She paused, her gaze landing on the dwarven man wearing a heavy cloak, his face bearing a weary but resolute smile. She remembered him clearly—the new adventurer who had just registered: Yggdrasil.
"I’ve completed the commission," Yggdrasil said calmly, though his tone carried an unmistakable spark of confidence.
Lisa snapped out of her daze, her eyes darting between the two. Though they bore no obvious wounds, their armor was flecked with scorch marks and blood spatter, suggesting they had been through a significant battle.
"And which subjugation quest was this...?" she asked, flipping through the ledger on her desk.
"Goblins," Balin answered simply on Yggdrasil’s behalf.
"Goblins?" Lisa arched an eyebrow. That commission was known for being more trouble than it was worth. Just as she was about to ask for details, she realized the dwarf before her wasn't carrying any bundles or trophy bags. She asked hesitantly, "Um... where is the proof of subjugation? Did you..."
Yggdrasil offered a small smile but said nothing. He simply raised one hand and gave it a light flick in the air.
Wrummm— The air itself seemed to vibrate for a split second.
In the next instant, a small heap of goblin ears still stained with mud and gore, several sharp tusks, and a collection of tokens from high-ranking individuals appeared out of thin air. They hit the stone floor with a heavy clatter, piling up into a small mountain before them. At the very top of the pile, a massive canine tooth decorated with a shattered golden crown ornament rolled down—the symbol of a Goblin King.
Lisa’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. Her face flushed a deep crimson, her mouth hanging open as she nearly forgot to breathe.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
"This... all of this... just you alone...?"
Yggdrasil nodded. "Yes."
Lisa’s mind was in a chaotic whirl. She knew dwarves weren't typically gifted in magic, and spatial storage was a mid-to-high-level spell. A newly registered dwarf had not only wiped out an entire goblin nest alone but also possessed such sophisticated spatial magic?
"P-please wait... I... I have to get the Guildmaster...!" Finding her voice at last, Lisa turned in a panic and practically fled toward the stairs leading to the second-floor offices.
She left Yggdrasil and Balin standing there, facing a guild hall that had fallen into an eerie, shocked silence.
The dead quiet lasted only a few seconds. Soon, the surrounding adventurers noticed the "mountain of trophies" at the counter. Incredulous whispers began to ripple through the crowd like a rising tide.
Balin took it all in and leaned in to whisper into Yggdrasil’s ear, "You fellow... it's your first mission and you’re already acting like you want the whole city to know your name!"
He grumbled, but the hand resting on Yggdrasil’s waist gave a proud, firm squeeze to the other man’s rounded belly.
Yggdrasil let out a soft chuckle, covering Balin’s hand with his own and patting it gently. He lowered his voice, replying in a breathy tone only the two of them could hear: "And don't you love it? Look at you, your beard is practically curling with pride."
"Hmph, it is not," Balin muttered stubbornly, but his arm tightened around Yggdrasil’s waist, pulling him securely into his embrace as if to shield him from the inquisitive stares of the crowd.
At that moment, heavy footsteps thundered from the stairs. The sound wasn't loud, yet it felt like a hammer striking the earth, causing the noise in the hall to instantly die down.
Everyone’s gaze shifted as one.
A burly dwarf with dark skin and arms as thick as old tree trunks descended the stairs slowly. His face was covered in a thick mane of whiskers, his brow etched with the lines of age and experience. It was the Guildmaster, Hagg Ironmane.
Ignoring the other adventurers, he walked straight to the counter. His hawk-like eyes swept over the pile of proof on the floor, finally coming to a rest on the Goblin King’s fang.
"A Goblin King?" His voice was deep and gravelly, like crushed stones hitting a rock face.
Then, he looked up. He didn't look at the trophies; he stared directly at Yggdrasil.
"So, what Lisa said is true—" He huffed, his tone thick with skepticism yet underscored by a suppressed heat, as if he had just discovered a rare vein of ore. "A newly registered dwarf, using spatial magic, brought back proof of an entire nest?"
He didn't wait for Yggdrasil to answer. He simply jerked his chin toward the stairs.
"You two. Come up with me."
"The secret is out! Yggdrasil's debut mission has caused a massive stir in the Guild. Spatial magic in the hands of a dwarf is unheard of, and the Guildmaster, Hagg Ironmane, has taken notice.
I especially loved the little moment between Balin and Yggdrasil at the counter—even in a room full of people, they can't help but be close. What does the Guildmaster want? Is it a promotion, or something more dangerous?
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