"Is anyone in here?"

Sage and Mina turned toward the entrance, where a man stepped into the Guild Hall. He appeared to be in his mid-forties, sporting a square, handsome face, a well-trimmed mustache, and neat black hair with flecks of gray.

He wore an elegant green robe cinched with a gold belt around his waist, complemented by long black pants adorned with intricate designs and polished brown leather boots that clicked softly against the marble floor.

The man carried himself with an air of sophistication, standing tall and exuding a calm, intellectual presence.

Sage raised an eyebrow at the sight of him; surprise flickered in his eyes before he quickly donned a professional smile. He stepped out from behind the desk and approached the newcomer with a respectful bow.

"Good morning, sir. Welcome to the Adventurer Guild. Please have a seat," Sage offered warmly.

"Oh, good morning," the man replied, taken aback for a moment but nodding calmly as he followed Sage to sit beside Mina.

Mina dangled her legs from her chair, looking up at the man beside her with wide golden eyes filled with curiosity. She waved her tiny hands and smiled sweetly. "Hi there! I'm Mina!"

The man was momentarily surprised by Mina's enthusiasm but responded kindly. "Hello there, young lady."

Mina's eyes sparkled with delight as she turned back to Sage and exclaimed, "See? He called me 'young lady,' unlike those who think I'm just a child!"

Sage shook his head slightly and muttered under his breath, "You are still a child." He then resumed his focus on the man.

"How may I address you, sir? And what can I assist you with today?" Sage asked while clasping his hands on the worn desk.

The man's gaze briefly flickered to the cracked surface before he cleared his throat. "My name is Cassian... Cassian Thaumas. Yesterday I received information indicating that I could come here to commission missions for assistance. Is that true?"

"Hehehe... Looks like our flyers are finally yielding results," Sage thought inwardly, pleased by how quickly things were progressing.

In this dangerous world where people faced problems beyond ordinary solutions daily, he believed it wouldn't be long before many sought help through their guild.

"Yes indeed, Sir Cassian," Sage confirmed enthusiastically. "This is certainly the right place for posting missions; we can get them completed promptly."

Cassian visibly relaxed upon hearing Sage's assurance and smiled warmly at him. "Well then… Mr…?"

"Sage! You can call me Guildmaster Sage," he replied amicably.

Cassian nodded appreciatively before continuing. "Guildmaster Sage, I am an Alchemist currently attempting to create a potion but lacking three crucial ingredients. I've searched extensively within Greyvale City without success."

With a frustrated sigh escaping his lips, Cassian continued tapping on the desk. "I've sent people to look for the ingredients in other places, but I've been told it will take half a month before I can receive them."

Sage's eyes widened at the revelation that Cassian was an Alchemist. He was genuinely shocked; alchemy was one of the most respected professions in the world, and he hadn't expected such a distinguished individual to come here to post a mission.

"Why am I receiving so many shocks today?" Sage thought inwardly. "First, it was this flatboard princess nearly giving me a heart attack, and now a highly respected Alchemist is here."

"That's why I rushed here when I saw the parchment stating that I could post a mission," Cassian explained.

Sage snapped back to reality, contemplating for a moment before looking at Cassian with confusion. "Sir Cassian… no offense intended, but why do you think these ingredients can be found if you post the mission here? You mentioned you've searched everywhere without success. What makes you believe they can be located now?"

He paused again and then asked, "Or do you have some specific information about these ingredients?"

Cassian's eyes gleamed with appreciation as he nodded. "Well, Guildmaster Sage, I do have some information that could assist in locating these ingredients."

"Please continue," Sage said, gesturing for him to go on.

Cassian uncrossed his arms and took a deep breath before speaking. "The three ingredients I need are all Silver Grade and essential for the potion I'm trying to refine."

He raised three fingers to list them out. "First is the Moondew Pear, a fruit with a bluish glow shaped like a drop. Its flesh contains condensed mana essence, perfect for stabilizing volatile mixtures."

He lifted his second finger. "Second is the Windwhisper Apricot, pale green and shaped like a small lantern. When shaken, its inner core emits a faint humming sound that enhances any mana-circulation potion."

Finally, he raised his third finger. "And third is the Silverlace Bloom, a delicate herb with thin silver petals that grows in clusters. It balances the other two ingredients and prevents toxicity in the potion."

Sage leaned back slightly, impressed by Cassian's knowledge. Even Mina, who had been swinging her legs under her chair, perked up with curiosity.

"I've done extensive research," Cassian continued. "I found out that these ingredients can be found in Greyvale Forest just seven kilometers north of the city."

Sage nodded slowly as he absorbed this information. "Is there anything else we should know?"

Cassian tapped the desk thoughtfully. "Yes, these ingredients are typically guarded by magical beasts, but thankfully, they're not too dangerous. The area is still within Greyvale City's territory, so the beasts you'll encounter range from 1st Order Low-Level to 2nd Order Common Beasts."

Mina blinked and tilted her head. "So, no big monsters?" she asked.

Cassian smiled faintly. "No, young miss. Nothing too large, just ordinary beasts that can still be troublesome without the right strength."

Sage clasped his hands together. "I understand. Are there any other environmental hazards we should be aware of? What about weather conditions?"

"Just the beasts," Cassian replied. "The ingredients grow freely; you just need someone strong enough to gather them."

He then pulled out a folded paper, unfolded it carefully, and slid it across the table toward Sage. "This might help you identify them."

Sage took the paper and glanced through it before looking back at Cassian with a smile and a nod. "That makes things easier," he said calmly. "Don't worry, Sir Cassian; this mission is definitely achievable. I just need to jot down some information."

He stood up, turned around, and opened a cabinet filled with neatly stacked Mission Dockets. After selecting one, he returned to the desk and dipped his quill into ink.

Mina leaned over curiously to catch a glimpse of the parchment as he wrote.

Sage began filling in each field aloud as he worked.

"Mission Title… Retrieval of Silver Grade Ingredients…"

"Mission Type… Retrieval…"

"Commissioner… Cassian Thaumas…"

He paused and looked up at Cassian. "Sir Cassian, what is the amount of reward you you offering for the completion of the mission?"

Cassian folded his hands on the desk thoughtfully. "I'm offering 150 Gold Coins for all three ingredients if they are fresh and intact."

"150 Gold Coins?" Mina echoed incredulously, her eyes widening like two golden lanterns as if she had just witnessed a dragon made entirely of coins being born.

Sage ignored her sparkling enthusiasm and turned inwardly to consult the system. "System, what's the difficulty rating for this mission?"

[Ding]

[ Mission Difficulty Rating: 1-Star

Threat Level: Minimal. Ingredient region guarded by low-tier beasts. Retrieval mission type is low-risk.]

Sage nodded slightly before addressing Cassian again with politeness. "Sir Cassian," he said carefully, "before finalizing this mission, I must inform you that there's a posting fee required. Since it's rated only 1-Star in difficulty, that fee is 10 Gold Coins."

Cassian blinked once but nodded with surprising calmness. "That seems reasonable; I can pay that immediately."

Mina muttered under her breath, "I wish I could charge people ten gold coins just for talking to me…"

Sage paid no attention to her and focused on the final lines he was writing on the parchment. He then lifted the completed Mission Docket for Cassian to review:

-----------

[ Mission Docket ]

Mission Title: Retrieval of Silver Grade Ingredients.

Mission Type: Ingredient Retrieval.

Mission Commissioner: Cassian Thaumas — Licensed Alchemist of Greyvale City.

Threat Description: The ingredients are located within Greyvale City territory, specifically in Greyvale Forest. This area is home to 1st Order Low-Level Beasts and 2nd Order Common Beasts. No high-threat entities have been detected.

Location of Mission: Greyvale Forest — 7 km north of Greyvale City.

Recommended Rank: Iron Rank – Copper Rank Adventurers .

Difficulty Rating: ★ (1-Star)

Estimated Warrior Rank: 1-Star Warrior — up to 3-Star Warrior.

Reward Amount: 150 Gold Coins.

Mission Duration: 3 – 5 Days.

Additional Notes / Conditions: Ingredients must be retrieved fresh and undamaged.

Targets: Moondew Pear, Windwhisper Apricot, Silverlace Bloom.

Standard verification required upon return.

Status: [Pending Adventurer Assignment]

----------

Sage placed the parchment neatly on the table, allowing the ink to settle. "Everything is ready, Sir Cassian," he said with a confident smile. "Once an Adventurer accepts the mission, we'll process it right away."

Cassian looked genuinely relieved, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from him. "Thank you, Guildmaster Sage," he replied warmly. "You can't imagine how urgent this is. I truly appreciate your assistance."

As he spoke, he reached into his robe and pulled out a small pouch and handed it to Sage. Sage opened it and counted, there were exactly 160 Gold Coins: 150 for the reward and an additional 10 for the posting fee.

Mina puffed out her cheeks proudly. "Of course! Leave it to us!"

Sage shot her a sideways glance. "Us? Since when do you complete missions?"

"Since I became an Adventurer," Mina declared defiantly.

Sage fought back a sigh and looked at Cassian and said. "Sir Cassian please, it will take about three to five days for your mission to completed."

"Ok, i will come back here in three days time to see the progress." Cassian chuckled softly as he stood up and gave a slight bow. "I'll await your results. Please let me know if anything changes."

"Of course," Sage replied with assurance.

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