Sier smiled softly as he saw the gates to his home were just ahead. The gate guards were already waving over the driver for the mandatory inspection. He grabbed the belt mounted sheath of his short sword and fastened it to his waist as he got ready to hop off. He watched as the carriage driver handed over a note to the inspecting guard. It was quiet for a moment as he read it over. He nodded and handed it back, then moving to inspect the carriage's contents.
Sier made his way to the back and hopped down, greeting the man in armor with a smile.
"Good afternoon."
The man nodded back a greeting before speaking.
"Travel registry?"
Sier reached into a small pack on the back of his waist and produced a small but thick sheet of mana paper. He handed it to the man and his eyes lit up as he read the contents. He chuckled to himself as he removed his helmet, allowing his features to be seen. Sier was just as surprised to see the man as said man was to see him.
The guard is a tall man in his early thirties with his brown hair cut short to make his helmet a little more comfortable. He has a full, well kept beard and mustache that complemented the rest of his face. His sharp, black eyes held a bit of previously unseen warmth as they gazed into Sier's crimson ones.
"It's been a while, kid. Welcome back."
Sier smiled at the man he hadn't seen in quite some time.
"I guess it has, huh? You weren't a gate guard last time we were here, were you, Gris?"
The man, Gris, shook his head.
"Nope. Got promoted to Captain while you and the others were away, actually. I'm over here teaching the new kid."
Gris waved over to a shorter guard about Sier's age.
"Killian, you can let this one go on. I'll guide the passenger here."
The young man, Killian, saluted his captain stiffly before guiding the carriage. Gris motioned for Sier to follow after him into the bustling city.
The city, Alagon, isn't the biggest city out there, but that wasn't a bad thing. The community was much less spread out, so most people end up knowing each other. It sits at the base of a semicircular mountain range, which had carefully carved and well traveled roads that lead upwards to the hot springs at the somewhat low peaks. The lower section was divided with three fifths used for housing and marketing and the other two fifths being used for farming of crops and animals. But the city's beauty lay not in its architecture or location, but rather the people.
Sier waved at the townsfolk who greeted him and Gris as they walked down the street. To either side of the street sat various businesses with people coming and going. As they continued, the buildings went from storefronts to housing, with a few inns meant for weary travelers being the dividing line between the sections. One of the inns was dedicated to the Alagon Guard, the city's own personal devision of guild members acting as protective knights. It was also connected to the city's guild hall, which was Sier's intended location.
Gris opened the door for Sier, who followed in and marveled at the renovations made since he had last visited. While the place he remembered well was great, it didn't compare to the new grand and somehow simultaneously quaint lobby of what he thought of as his journey's starting point.
"Thanks for the nostalgia tour, Gris."
Gris laughed heartily as he patted the young man's shoulder.
"Don't worry about it, Sier."
Sier nodded and continued.
"Well, I don't wanna keep you for too long. I think I'll be fine from here so you can go back to your station."
Gris scratched the back of his head.
"Oh, no, it's fine. It was almost my lunch break anyways. I think Killian will be fine handling things for a couple minutes. If not..."
Gris trailed off slightly before waving his raised hand dismissively.
"Ah, Joss can probably cover for me. It'll be fine."
Sier laughed. Though Gris was now in a pretty important position, he was the same as he had always been. It wasn't like that was a bad thing, though. No, no, it was quite the opposite.
Sier waved to Gris as the man went off to another section of the guild hall. He turned back to head towards the receptionist. She wears the standard attire of the female guild staff, being a dark green corset over a puffy sleeved, white blouse complimented by a frilly, dark green skirt that goes down a bit past the knees. Her dirty blonde bobcut hair and glasses added to her kind expression and gave her a recognizable and cutesy look. She looked up from one of the papers she had been going through as Sier approached. Her bright green eyes lit up with recognition and a smile made its way onto her face.
"Sier! Welcome back!"
She giddily waved at Sier, who waved back with a smile of his own.
"Hey, Umir. How have you been?"
The woman, Umir, pouted at the question.
"Hey, I was gonna ask you that. You're the one who went out on an adventure."
Sier chuckled as he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. Umir frowned as she noticed something rather obvious to anyone who knew the young man.
"Hey, where's Rainer? Did he have to go do something?"
She crossed her arms with an annoyed look.
"Don't tell me he got a high and mighty attitude after making an S-Rank party. Does he think he's too good to come see one of his friends after such a long time?"
Umir stopped as she noticed Sier's downtrodden expression. She became concerned as he began to explain in a noticeably quieter tone.
"Actually, we... we split up. I'm not a part of the Dire Pack anymore."
Umir let out a quiet gasp as she covered her mouth.
"What? Why would they kick you out?"
Sier saw the woman's expression and immediately raised a hand in a placating gesture.
"Please don't be upset at them. It was for my own good."
Umir's eyebrows furrowed.
"Is that what they told you?"
Sier paused for a second and sighed. He rubbed the back of his neck as he continued.
"I felt it. They were scared for me. Guild business was starting to pick up in the area with all the monsters appearing. It was getting too dangerous for me to stay. It's not their fault, okay?"
Umir remained silent for a few seconds as she gathered her thoughts. She only really had the paper to go on, but Sier was both physically and mentally unable to tell a lie, even if his life depended on it. But, she saw that look in his eyes. He didn't blame his teammates, he blamed himself.
"I understand. So, what can I do for you? I'd imagine you already updated your status before you left, right?"
Sier nodded as his saddened frown disappeared.
"Right. I actually came here looking for Aurelia. Is she here or is she out of town?"
"Ah, you just missed her. She and some of the other guild members were tasked with helping a neighbor town. The population of the low tier monsters was getting a little out of control. We've got some specialists out as well to find the reason behind the population boost. But, it could be a few weeks before the task is handled. Maybe a little shorter since she's there."
Sier sighed in exhaustion as it seemed he needed to make another trip. He was glad Rainer and the others gave him a good bit of money for his travels, he supposed.
"So, was it in Wraun?"
Umir shook her head.
"Holleon. Should I see if we can get you a carriage ride over there?"
Sier shook his head.
"No, I think I'll be fine walking. It's only a few hours by foot, right?"
Umir frowned.
"I thought I told you there was a monster surplus. You're still E-Rank, Sier. You could get overrun if you don't at least go with another party."
Sier nodded.
"I remember you said they were low tier. Besides, I learned a lot with Rainer. I'll be fine."
He gave the woman a reassuring smile. She stared at him for a second before nodding along with a sigh.
"It's not like I can order you to stay here without a reason. Just be careful, alright? Make sure you're prepared before you head out."
Sier nodded happily. He thanked Umir before turning and making his way to the door. He gave her one last wave before leaving to head to the town of Holleon.