I nodded slowly, my hand brushing against the pouch of coins at my waist.
That was pretty much all I needed to know. I wasn't too concerned about the guild's assessments or what those so-called instructors might think of me.
In my past life, I had served as a soldier—not a glorious one, but a seasoned one. I'd marched through battlefields drenched in blood, fought alongside expeditioners, and learned firsthand how their system worked. Their ranks, their missions, their code of survival—it was nothing new to me.
Even though my body had awakened this time, that didn't mean I could suddenly unleash the full extent of my old battle experience. My mind remembered how to fight—but my muscles, my bones, my very flesh hadn't yet caught up. This body was still too young, too frail, too untested.
First, I needed to rebuild the foundation. Every swing, every step, every reaction needed to become second nature again. I had to temper this fragile vessel until it could finally move the way my instincts demanded.
It would take time. But I had certainty—that I could achieve it.
I looked at the receptionist, who seemed to be waiting for more questions, and asked,
"When will the training start if I register myself right now?"
A flicker of surprise—and maybe excitement—passed through her eyes. She leaned forward slightly, eager to answer.
Beside me, Elara sighed quietly, clearly not expecting me to jump from one decision to another so quickly.
"You're in luck, sir," the receptionist said, her tone brightening. "It's the perfect time to register. A new batch of trainees begins their course tomorrow morning."
"That's perfect," I nodded, satisfied. Then, after a brief pause, I asked casually, "Before I register, I have another question—would it be possible to… optimize my meals?"
Her brows furrowed slightly. "Optimize your meals?"
"I mean," I clarified, "I have an ability that requires me to consume monster meat on a regular basis. It's essential for me."
Behind me, I didn't notice Elara stiffen. Her pupils trembled, and a dozen questions stormed through her mind.
How does he know that? Even the bishop didn't have that information… Did he somehow learn it already? or Is he bluffing? No—that couldn't be a lie. She'd seen him awaken. If he could digest monster meat, it meant his ability truly was unlike anything she have known.
Meanwhile, the receptionist's expression changed completely. The polite, detached professionalism was replaced by a look of keen understanding—and perhaps a touch of excitement.
"Oh, yes! Yes, of course!" she said quickly. "We do provide meals made with monster meat in the guild's cafeteria. However, instead of the standard hundred Lumas for food and lodging, you'd have to pay two hundred. That would cover both accommodations and specialized meals for six months."
"Six months, two hundred Lumas…" I repeated thoughtfully. "Is there any limit to how much I can eat, or the type of monster meat provided?"
"None whatsoever," she said, smiling now. "You can eat as much as you like. Most people avoid monster meat, since only a few can properly digest it without suffering backlash. But since this is the Expedition Guild, we get monster corpses every single day—more than we can use. A lot of the meat ends up going to waste. I'm sure our head chef, who specializes in preparing such ingredients, will be thrilled to have someone who can actually appreciate his cooking."
Her voice carried a trace of excitement she couldn't quite hide, as if she'd stumbled upon something rare and remarkable.
After gathering all the information I needed, I placed three Ragas on the counter and pulled out the status scroll I had sneaked away from the bishop earlier. Laying it flat on the desk, I asked calmly, "Would this be enough proof of my awakened ability?"
The receptionist blinked, clearly not expecting that. Her eyes scanned the scroll, and then her lips parted slightly. "Instinctive Devourer?" she murmured, disbelief coloring her tone. It was obvious — this was the first time she had ever heard a name like that. It did sound kind of... edgy, I suppose.
"Yes," I nodded. "That's my ability. By consuming monster meat, I can improve my body's strength and stamina — to a certain degree."
From beside me, Elara perked up, her attention sharpening at once. I didn't bother to stop her from listening — this information was going to spread sooner or later anyway.
"O-oh…" The receptionist nodded awkwardly, reminding herself to stay professional. She quickly pulled out a copying stone — a small, rune-etched black rock that absorbed the inscriptions from one scroll and imprinted them onto a fresh one. Handy little magic tool for paperwork.
Once the copy was made, she straightened up and began asking for my basic details — name, age, place of residence, and so on. I answered truthfully. Since I had arrived here in my family's carriage, there was no point trying to hide my identity.
After verifying everything, she looked up again. "When would you like to start staying in our accommodations?"
"Today. From now on," I replied without hesitation.
Her eyes widened slightly as she looked me over — a young man with nothing but the clothes on his back and a coin pouch in hand. I gave a small, weary laugh at her expression.
Once the registration was done, I retrieved the original status scroll from her and handed it to Elara, who had been standing silently the whole time, eyes full of unspoken questions.
"I'll be staying here to train as an expeditioner," I told her. "Take this scroll and inform my family. I already told them I'd awaken soon, but this will reassure them even more."
"Forgive me, sir," Elara said softly, bowing slightly. "The head butler instructed me to serve you during your stay outside. I will remain here to assist you."
I smiled faintly and turned to the receptionist. "Is it possible for attendants to stay with their masters?"
The receptionist shook her head immediately. "I'm afraid not. All trainees live together in shared dormitories — two per room. No servants or attendants are allowed."
I looked back at Elara. "You heard her. Go home and inform my father. Don't worry — you won't be punished for leaving me here."
"B-but…" she murmured, looking troubled. Her expression was complicated, almost… conflicted.
That threw me off. I had expected her to be relieved — maybe even happy to be rid of me. She wasn't staying by my side because she wanted to, right?
Then why did she look like that?
A flicker of doubt crossed my mind, but I pushed it aside. Who would bother wasting their time keeping an eye on me anyway?
With one last hesitant glance, Elara climbed into the carriage and disappeared down the street.
Only then did I finally exhale.
"Finally… free," I muttered to myself, a faint grin tugging at my lips.
After watching the maid's carriage disappear into the distance, I began strolling leisurely down the street. The air was warm, the cobblestones sunlit, and for a brief moment… I felt something strange — familiarity mixed with nostalgia.
The city was alive — laughter echoing from the taverns, merchants shouting over one another, children running with wooden toys in hand.
Ten years from now, I thought, all of this will be gone.
Once the Catastrophe descends, everything will turn upside down. Smiles will vanish. The sound of life will be replaced by screams and the stench of blood.
But for now… everything still looked painfully peaceful.
By the time I reached the marketplace, the sun was dipping low — late noon, the hour when the smell of roasted food ruled the streets. Dozens of vendors lined the road, their stalls overflowing with sizzling skewers, grilled fish, freshly baked bread, and golden-brown pastries. The air itself was thick with flavor.
I didn't bother to restrain myself.
If there was ever a time to indulge, it was now.
I bought a skewer of roasted beast meat first — the surface charred, the fat glistening. The moment I bit into it, my tongue was flooded with spice and salt. Before finishing it, I'd already bought another one — then a bowl of sweet fruit slices, a loaf of bread, fried fish, and a handful of honey-dipped nuts.
I ate everything that caught my eye — but the more I ate, the more hollow I felt inside.
No matter how much food I swallowed, my stomach refused to fill. I could feel the meat dissolve before even reaching my gut — like my body devoured it instantly, tearing it apart into nothing.
A faint warmth pulsed through my veins, but it vanished as quickly as it came.
I sighed quietly, wiping my mouth.
"This… is the curse of my ability," I muttered.
No matter what I eat, no matter how much I consume — I'll always be hungry.