Behind the front counter of the Adventurers' Guild was more than just a reception area. There was a whole lounge in the back that looked a lot like a tavern—tables, drinks, and all—designed to give adventurers a place to rest and chat.
The actual tasks and commissions were posted out front, along with the reception counter for registration and claims. Structurally, it was a lot like the guild setup in Fairy Tail, though with one key difference: the camaraderie was far less intense. Adventurers here were acquaintances at best, not the close-knit family Fairy Tail had been.
If Fairy Tail had Mirajane as the friendly and capable receptionist, the Guild here had Katheryne.
After leaving the inn, Su Mo and the others arrived at the back entrance of the Guild. They were planning to go through the lounge and meet Katheryne at the counter—but just as they were about to enter, someone stepped in their way.
It was a girl with long blonde twin-tails, wearing a tight, sheer black dress embroidered with intricate detail. Her outfit was extravagant and bold—almost theatrical—but what stood out most was the mysterious air she carried. One of her eyes was covered by an elegant black eyepatch, further enhancing her dramatic appearance.
A strong chuunibyou vibe rolled off her in waves.
"I am the Prinzessin der Verurteilung—Fischl. I have descended upon this realm, summoned by fate itself!" she announced in a grand, poetic voice.
Lumine blinked. Wait, she's a princess? Just… casually walking around Mondstadt?
Before she could figure out how to respond formally, Su Mo leaned over and whispered, "Leave this to me."
He stepped forward with the confidence of someone who had faced his fair share of second-hand embarrassment—and caused plenty of it himself.
Locking eyes with Fischl, Su Mo extended a hand. "The Prinzessin der Verurteilung, Fischl, is it? A pleasure to meet you."
"...Eh?" Fischl was stunned. Most people usually looked at her like she was crazy when she spoke like that—but this guy responded without flinching. Her eyes lit up with surprise and joy.
She took his hand immediately.
Off to the side, her raven companion Oz—who normally translated her cryptic speech for others—stayed quiet, sensing that communication wasn't going to be a problem here.
As they shook hands, Su Mo continued his introduction, his voice full of gravity and theatrical flair. "I am the Harbinger of Calamity, the Ender of All Things. Irrevocable, unstoppable—I am the Cataclysm incarnate!"
Fischl froze, her pupils shaking.
The Harbinger of Calamity… The Ender of All Things?!
This man's titles—his aura—it was on a level even she couldn't match! In all her time at the Guild, she'd never encountered anyone whose "dark history" exuded this much dramatic weight.
Oz flapped his wings awkwardly. Compared to this guy, even he couldn't play along.
Su Mo smiled faintly and kept going. "Some call me the Godslayer. Others, the Warrior of Light. There are those who fear me as the Tyrant… and others who revere me as the Demon King."
Su Mo smiled faintly and looked at Fischl, the corners of his lips curving into a calm expression. "People tend to label things they don't understand, as a way to alleviate their fear," he said. "But in truth, I'm just an ordinary adventurer who happened to come here. Miss Fischl, please just call me Su Mo."
That single response, full of grandeur at first, suddenly turned humble and sincere by the end. It struck a chord in Fischl's chuuni heart. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she gripped Su Mo's hand even tighter.
"Demon King Su Mo!" she exclaimed in delight. "Welcome to my homeland! As a fellow traveler of fate, this Prinzessin der Verurteilung acknowledges your noble presence. Should petty troubles arise, speak to the stars, and know that I am always generous to my allies!"
Su Mo chuckled, playing along with just the right tone. "Then by the will of destiny, I won't say thank you."
Off to the side, Lumine and Paimon stared at the two of them, visibly confused as they watched the strange exchange of dramatic proclamations.
"What… are they even saying?" Paimon scratched her head, clearly baffled.
Fortunately, Oz—the night raven floating nearby—swooped in to help. Seeing how happy Fischl was, he decided to offer a translation for the benefit of Su Mo's companions. "Miss Fischl said that since she's a local, if Su Mo ever needs help, she'll be glad to assist. And Su Mo accepted, expressing his gratitude in return."
With the explanation, Lumine finally understood. She had seen people like Fischl before and could handle the chuuni behavior, even if the dialogue was a bit over the top. Paimon, however, was still puzzled.
"But didn't Su Mo say he wouldn't thank her?" Paimon tilted her head. "Then why does the translation say he did?"
Lumine stepped in to clarify. "That's just a more roundabout way of showing gratitude. What he meant was—'I do appreciate it, but since we're already comrades, there's no need to be so formal. I'll remember your kindness in my heart.' Something like that."
Paimon blinked in awe. "That's… so complicated!"
She turned to Su Mo with wide eyes, clearly impressed. "You're amazing, Su Mo! You not only understand these flowery ways of talking, but you're also so good at making friends with strangers! Traveler, you should really learn from him!"
Lumine glanced at Su Mo, who was still chatting smoothly with Fischl. He really had a knack for quickly building rapport. After a brief introduction, he'd already made Fischl beam like she'd reunited with an old friend. Seeing this, Lumine's expression subtly changed—just a little colder, and the air pressure around her seemed to dip ever so slightly.
Still oblivious to what she'd caused, Paimon flew closer to Su Mo and waved at Lumine. "Traveler, come on over! Miss Fischl said she's willing to help us with registering as adventurers!"
Lumine finally walked over, her face expressionless, and without realizing it, stood closer to Su Mo than she usually did.
"Ah, so this must be the traveler you mentioned from another world!" Fischl's eyes lit up again. "Excellent! This Prinzessin grants you permission to walk the path of fate alongside me!"
Oz quickly translated, "Miss Fischl means she's happy to meet you."
"I'm glad to meet you too," Lumine replied, a bit surprised by how welcoming Fischl was. Her earlier impression of the girl softened a bit.
"We're hoping to register as adventurers," Su Mo explained. "We need to start taking on missions to earn some mora. Is there anything we should be careful about?"
Having already established a connection, Su Mo toned down the chuuni act. It wasn't that he found it embarrassing, just that it was too tiring to keep up. Fischl, of course, understood normal speech perfectly fine as well.
"So, even a demon king seeks a new beginning…" Fischl muttered dramatically. "A fine tale worth witnessing. To become an adventurer, there is no need for offerings or rituals. Only the soul of an adventurer is required."
"Follow me, and you shall glimpse the true nature of the world."
Oz once again offered a less theatrical translation. "Miss Fischl means you don't need to pay anything to register. Just the will to become an adventurer is enough. She'll guide you through the process."
With Fischl leading the way, everything became much simpler. Su Mo nodded with a smile. "Thanks a lot!"
"N-No need to thank me!" Fischl waved her hands bashfully, though the joy on her face was unmistakable.
To be clear, it wasn't romantic affection. Fischl wasn't blushing because of a crush. It was simply that very few people ever thanked her directly. Most adventurers, even when appreciative, usually directed their gratitude to Oz. In the Adventurers' Guild, Oz was far more popular, and Fischl was often treated like his quirky accessory. For someone like Su Mo to sincerely thank her as herself… it touched her more than she expected.
With her help, the process was quick. Both Su Mo and Lumine got their Adventurer Licenses in no time. Fischl explained that the guild was currently understaffed. Normally, there would be a selection process or qualification exam. But lately, as long as someone was willing to register, they'd pretty much be accepted.
In less than ten minutes, Su Mo and Lumine officially became adventurers, authorized to take on commissions from the guild.
Ideally, Su Mo had hoped to grab some light gathering missions from the Knights of Favonius—stuff like collecting meat or Sweet Flowers. But they hadn't yet established contact with the logistics officer in the Knights, so they had to settle for whatever the Adventurers' Guild offered in the meantime.
"Hmmm… Talk to the hilichurls... Eileen—Future Knight... Cold and Cool Summer Adventure…"
The names of the tasks were unexpectedly familiar. Despite the nostalgia, Su Mo ignored the quirky titles and focused on practicality. After a quick scan, he selected the nearest mission with the shortest round-trip time.
"Target: Clear out the nearby hilichurl camp near Mondstadt. A detailed map is attached. Reward: 20,000 mora."
Not a bad way to start.