Chapter 443: Bronze

Leon Drakar returned to the Guild the following morning without ceremony. He wore the same red coat from the previous day, carried his sword at his hip, and walked toward the Adventurer Registry.

Leon ignored the attention. He reached the front desk, placed one hand on the counter and told the startled clerk, "I want to register as an Adventurer."

The clerk stared at him for half a heartbeat too long before recovering. "Captain Drakar, certainly. I only need your information and signature."

His hands became more careful as he pulled out a registration sheet. "Name, age, race, profession and Warrior Rank first, please."

Leon answered each question without impatience. "Leon Drakar. Twenty-seven. Human. Knight. Six-Star Grandmaster."

When asked about his affiliation, Leon added, "Captain of the Ardent Sun Knight Order. I’m remaining its Captain. My registration here doesn’t change that."

"It doesn’t need to," the clerk assured him, relaxing now that procedure had given him something familiar to follow.

He continued through the remaining questions, confirmed Leon’s information, then carried the parchment toward Sage’s desk because the Guildmaster had specifically asked to be informed if Leon registered.

She watched the clerk whisper into Sage’s ear, then followed Sage’s gaze toward Leon. "He’s registering?" Mina asked, interested.

Sage rose from his chair. "Looks like it."

Boren, who had been sorting mission records at another table, heard them and looked over. "Yesterday he came to investigate the Guild. Today he’s joining it. That’s quick."

"He isn’t joining my army," Sage reminded him as he took the form from the clerk. "He’s registering as an Adventurer."

Leon approached in time to hear the distinction and gave Sage an approving nod. "Exactly. Ardent Sun remains my Order. I decided there was no reason my Knights should be the only ones using what the Guild offers."

Sage read the registration sheet once, confirmed the information and motioned for Leon to follow him toward the registry counter. Leon Drakar registering was noteworthy by itself. Everyone wanted to see how the Guild would classify a Six-Star Grandmaster who commanded a Knight Order.

The clerk prepared Leon’s identification record and looked toward Sage for confirmation. Sage barely needed to think about it. "Bronze Adventurer," he said.

The scratching of pens stopped.

A conversation died halfway through a sentence. One Warrior who had been leaning against the wall straightened. Even the clerk holding Leon’s record hesitated and glanced at Sage as though wondering whether he had misheard.

Leon looked at the bronze badge placed on the counter between them. He raised his eyes toward Sage and asked, "Why Bronze?"

Sage had expected the question. "Because you’ve never completed a Guild mission."

Leon rested one hand against the counter and asked whether his Warrior Rank affected his starting Rank at all. Sage shook his head. "No, Leon. Your Six-Star Grandmaster Rank tells me what level of combat power you possess. Adventurer Rank measures something else."

Leon glanced once more at the badge. "Explain the difference."

Sage nodded, aware that everyone was listening. "Suppose two people register today. One is a Six-Star Knight who spent his life guarding a noble estate. The other is a Three-Star Knight with ten years of escorts, monster hunts and dangerous expeditions. The Six-Star is stronger, but strength alone doesn’t tell me who is better at completing an Adventurer mission."

Heads turned toward Sage.

He continued, "A mission can require judgment, preparation, tracking, protecting clients, teamwork and knowing when continuing would get everyone killed. That’s why you begin at Bronze. The Guild has no record yet of what Leon Drakar accomplishes as an Adventurer."

Leon listened without interrupting, then asked, "So if a One-Star Knight and I register on the same morning, both of us begin at Bronze?"

Sage answered him directly. "Yes, Leon. You both begin at Bronze. That doesn’t mean the Guild believes you’re equally strong. Your Warrior Ranks answer that question. It means both of you begin with no Adventurer accomplishments recorded by the Guild."

A murmur moved through the hall before Leon asked, "Would we have access to the same missions?"

"No," Sage replied. "Starting at the same Adventurer Rank doesn’t mean your capabilities are identical. Mission eligibility can consider Warrior Rank, abilities, experience, party and danger. Adventurer Rank is your standing within the Guild. It isn’t a replacement for common sense."

Before Sage could move away, an older mercenary near the rear raised his voice and asked whether adventurers would receive exceptions later, once nobles and organizations began registering in larger numbers.

Sage turned toward him and answered firmly, "No. The rule doesn’t change because the name on the form is famous. A prince, Grandmaster or celebrated Mage can possess strength and still have no Adventurer record. If they register, they begin where the Guild’s rules say they begin." Leon gave a approving nod, making the answer harder for anyone in the hall to challenge.

That answer seemed to settle something for Leon. He picked up the bronze badge, turned it once between his fingers and attached it beside his belt. "Fair enough."

A Knight standing nearby finally spoke up. "Captain Drakar, you’re accepting that?"

Leon turned toward the man, whose insignia marked him as belonging to another Capital Knight Order. "Why wouldn’t I?"

The Knight gestured toward Leon’s badge. "Because you’re a Grandmaster. Half the people wearing Bronze in this hall wouldn’t last ten breaths against you."

Leon looked down at the badge and then back at him. "Then it’s fortunate the badge doesn’t claim they would."

A few people laughed as Leon continued matter-of-factly. "I have Six-Star Grandmaster to describe my strength. If Sage handed me a high Adventurer Rank for the same reason, the second Rank would be useless. I asked what Bronze meant, and he explained it. I haven’t accomplished anything as an Adventurer yet. So I’m Bronze."

Mina walked closer and studied Leon’s badge. "It does look funny on you, though. Everyone knows you’re a Grandmaster, and now there’s a tiny Bronze badge hanging there."

Leon looked down at her. "Does the badge become larger when I rank up?"

Mina paused, uncertain whether he was serious.

Boren answered before she could. "No, Captain. Sage hasn’t created increasingly enormous badges to display importance."

Leon nodded thoughtfully. "A missed opportunity."

Mina laughed, and even Sage needed a moment before continuing.

Several Ardent Sun Knights had gathered. One, a Four-Star Knight named Corvin, approached with his own Bronze badge hanging from his belt. "Captain, does this mean we’re the same Rank now?"

Leon looked at Corvin’s badge before answering, "As Adventurers, yes."

Corvin’s smile widened. "I’ve completed four missions already."

Leon narrowed his eyes. "Are you boasting?"

"Only reporting my accomplishments, Captain," Corvin replied, failing to hide his satisfaction.

Leon turned toward Sage. "How many missions until I outrank him?"

Sage laughed. "That’s not how advancement works."

"I was afraid you’d say that."

Corvin wisely moved away while Sage explained that no fixed number of tasks guaranteed promotion. The Guild considered difficulty, performance, reliability, contribution and the quality of an Adventurer’s record. Repeatedly choosing work far beneath one’s abilities proved little.

Leon nodded slowly. "So a Grandmaster taking twenty jobs meant for weak Warriors isn’t impressive."

"Correct," Sage replied. "If you want your Adventurer Rank to rise, do work worthy of your capabilities and do it well."

That drew Leon’s attention toward the mission boards.

Sage recognized the look.

"Don’t start competing with your own Knights," Sage warned him.

Leon glanced toward Corvin, who was retreating toward laughing Ardent Sun members. "Too late."

Boren sighed. "We’ve created another one."

Mina shook her head with exaggerated disappointment. "Lucan is going to hate this."

Leon looked toward her. "Why would Auremont care?"

Mina’s grin returned. "Because now there are more people who can rank up before him."

Sage decided not to encourage her.

Before Leon left the registry, Sage stopped him for one clarification. "There’s something else you should understand. A high Adventurer Rank won’t make you a stronger Knight either. If one day you’re Platinum and another Adventurer is Gold, that doesn’t automatically mean you can defeat them. The Ranks aren’t a combat ladder."

Leon nodded. "Warrior Rank answers how powerful I am. Adventurer Rank answers what I’ve accomplished through the Guild."

"Exactly," Sage said.

Leon tapped the Bronze badge hanging from his belt. "Then this means I haven’t accomplished anything yet."

Sage smiled. "As an Adventurer? Not a thing."

Leon laughed rather than taking offense. "I suppose I’ll have to fix that."

He turned toward the mission boards, and Ardent Sun Knights exchanged looks as their Captain began reading the work.

The rule had now been tested by someone nobody could dismiss as an Warrior. A Six-Star Grandmaster and Captain of a Knight Order had entered with a reputation built over years.

He had still started at Bronze.

Strength could decide what an Adventurer was capable of attempting.

Only accomplishments would decide how far that Adventurer climbed.