Two mornings later, the guild's inn hall was already bustling with noise — the smell of buttered bread and warm stew filling the air. Adventurers came and went, laughing, arguing, bragging about yesterday's missions.
At a corner table, Ryn's team of four sat finishing their breakfast.
Kael — the archer — was on his third plate of pancakes, grinning ear to ear.
"Alright, alright! We've waited long enough. Today's the day — let's go slay a dragon!"
Lyra nearly choked on her tea. "A… what?"
Kael leaned back confidently. "You heard me! Big, scaly, terrifying—"
Lyra's face went blank. "…You're serious?"
Taren didn't even look up from his cup of herbal tea. "I'm not healing you when you get eaten."
Ryn sighed, setting his fork down. "Relax, dragon slayer. We're not exactly ready for that."
Kael frowned. "Then what kind of mission can we take? Something exciting, right? Bandits? Monsters? Secret tomb?"
Ryn rubbed his temples. "I asked a few senior adventurers earlier. Apparently, as new recruits, we can only take miscellaneous missions inside the city."
Kael blinked. "Miscellaneous?"
Lyra tilted her head. "Like what?"
"Finding lost pets," Ryn said, counting on his fingers. "Cleaning the riverside, carrying crates, running errands for merchants…"
Taren groaned loudly. "Oh, great. The mighty adventurers of the Silverwind Guild — champions of garbage disposal."
Kael dropped his head onto the table. "Nooo… I didn't train for months to become a glorified cat catcher!"
Lyra giggled behind her hand. "Well, everyone starts somewhere, right?"
Ryn smiled faintly. "There's more. If we want to take missions outside the city walls, we need to complete fifty of these small jobs first."
"Fifty?!" Kael shouted, slamming the table. "We'll be old men by then!"
Taren sighed, poking his food. "At least you'll have time to work on your patience."
Ryn shrugged, unfazed. "Anyway, I already picked a mission for today."
Lyra perked up. "Really? What is it?"
Ryn unfolded a small parchment from his pocket and read aloud:
"Request: Locate and return the pet cat of Lady Marbeth of House Claron.
Description: The cat is white, fluffy, well-fed, and responds to the name Snowbelle. Reward: 5 silver coins and one box of pastries."
There was a long silence.
Kael squinted. "…Wait. Did you just say well-fed?"
Ryn nodded.
Kael leaned closer, studying the crude drawing on the paper — a round, overly plump feline with a jeweled collar.
"Bro… that cat looks fat. Like, noble-family-overfed fat."
Lyra stifled a laugh. "I think she's adorable."
Taren muttered dryly, "You two can admire it after we find it. I'll be napping until then."
Ryn stood, stretching. "Alright, team. Our first mission — Operation: Find the Noble Lady's Cat."
Kael groaned. "So this is how legends begin, huh?"
Lyra smiled softly, adjusting her staff. "Who knows? Maybe fate hides in small beginnings."
Taren yawned. "If fate involves cat hair, count me out."
Ryn chuckled, leading the way toward the guild's front doors. "Come on, heroes. Let's go make history… one fat cat at a time."
By midmorning, the streets of Lunebridge City were alive with energy. Merchants shouted prices, kids darted between carts, and guards patrolled with their usual bored expressions. The four rookie adventurers stood at the edge of the noble district, staring up at tall white-stone mansions and glittering fountains.
Kael looked around, whistling. "Man… nobles live like kings. Look at that house — it's got its own fountain!"
Taren muttered, "That's not a fountain. That's their bath."
Lyra giggled softly, holding the mission parchment. "Lady Marbeth's residence should be the one with the rose crest by the gate."
Sure enough, a pair of golden gates loomed ahead, with two guards standing tall. The moment the group approached, one of them gave a skeptical look.
"Adventurers, huh? Let me guess — you're here for the cat."
Ryn nodded calmly. "That's right. 'Snowbelle,' correct?"
The guard sighed. "Aye. The lady's been in tears since morning. Says the 'precious angel' slipped out of her window during breakfast."
Kael whispered, "An angel? More like a loaf of fur."
The guard smirked. "Good luck finding her. That cat's been spotted everywhere and nowhere — the thing's faster than it looks."
Ryn nodded. "We'll handle it. Come on, team."
The party split up across the cobblestone streets, following clues.
Ryn and Lyra took the upper district gardens, while Kael and Taren searched near the marketplace.
Lyra cupped her hands. "Snowbelle! Here, kitty kitty!"
Ryn chuckled. "You're really getting into this."
Lyra smiled. "It's kind of fun, actually. My little sister used to have a cat too."
Ryn gave her a curious glance. "You have a sister?"
She nodded, brushing a strand of golden hair behind her ear. "Mm. Back in my village. She cried every time our cat ran off, so I always ended up searching. Guess I'm used to it."
Ryn smiled faintly. "Then you're the expert here."
Meanwhile—
Kael leaned against a lamp post, yawning. "So… what exactly are we looking for again?"
Taren deadpanned. "A fat white cat."
"Oh yeah, that narrows it down."
Suddenly, a merchant shouted nearby — "Hey! Get back here!"
The two turned just in time to see a round white blur dart under a cart, scattering vegetables.
Kael's eyes widened. "Wait— that's it!"
Taren blinked. "You sure?"
Kael pointed dramatically. "I'd bet my lunch on it!"
He dashed after the blur, vaulting over baskets and startling shoppers. The cat zipped between crates with unnatural speed for something so plump.
"Come back, you royal furball!" Kael shouted, nearly tripping over a barrel.
Taren sighed, walking behind him at a snail's pace. "He's gonna die chasing that thing."
Ryn and Lyra turned a corner just as Kael came sprinting by, waving wildly.
"There it goes! It's heading for the plaza!"
Ryn drew his sword slightly, not to attack — but to block the cat's escape path. "Lyra, corner it!"
"On it!" She waved her staff, and a faint blue sigil appeared under her feet. A soft barrier of light shimmered ahead, gently sealing the cat's path.
Snowbelle froze — big eyes wide, fur puffed up — then hissed indignantly.
Kael lunged forward… and missed spectacularly, face-planting into the dirt.
Lyra gasped. "Oh no!"
Ryn stifled a laugh. "You okay?"
Kael groaned, muffled. "I'm fine… I just… need to rethink my life choices."
Ryn stepped forward carefully, crouching near the cat. He extended a hand, calm and steady.
"Easy there, Snowbelle. We're not here to hurt you."
The cat stared, sniffed his fingers… then, with the slow regal dignity only noble pets possess, walked right into his arms.
Lyra sighed in relief. "You did it."
Ryn smiled, cradling the fluffy beast. "See? No need for swords or arrows."
Taren finally arrived, holding an apple. "Did we catch it?"
Kael pointed at Ryn. "He caught it. I contributed emotional support."
Taren smirked. "Sure. You also terrified half the market."
When they brought Snowbelle back, Lady Marbeth nearly fainted with joy. She clutched the cat dramatically, showering them with thanks and promises of reward.
"Oh, my sweet precious angel! You brave adventurers — you've saved my heart!"
Kael leaned toward Ryn. "You think she'd faint again if we told her it scratched my face?"
Ryn elbowed him. "Shut up and take the silver."
They left the mansion with 5 silver coins, a box of pastries, and one bruised ego.
As they walked down the marble steps, Taren yawned. "One mission down. Forty-nine to go."
Kael groaned. "If the next one involves cats again, I'm retiring."
Lyra laughed softly, holding the pastry box. "Then I guess I'll eat your share."
Ryn smiled, the warm sun gleaming off his sword. "Not bad for our first job. Every legend starts somewhere — even with a cat."
Kael muttered, "Yeah. Hopefully the next one doesn't start with a litter box."
The group's laughter echoed down the cobblestone street — four new adventurers, still green, but one step closer to their real journey.
Morning sunlight streamed through the guild's tall windows, illuminating the bustle of adventurers checking notice boards and shouting across the hall.
Ryn and his team of four squeezed through the crowd toward the task counter.
Kael, the archer, yawned. "Alright, alright, what's today's glorious adventure? Dragon? Bandit raid? Evil cult?"
Taren, the healer, deadpanned. "You wish. We're still under 'Newbie Restriction.'"
Ryn handed him the parchment. "See for yourself."
Kael squinted at it — then froze.
Mission: Clear mold and overgrown plants from the abandoned warehouse district.
Reward: 8 silver coins + lunch voucher.
He blinked. "...We're glorified gardeners now."
Lyra giggled, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Every hero starts somewhere, Kael."
"Yeah," he muttered, "but somewhere shouldn't smell like mildew
The team arrived at the western end of Lunebridge — a half-forgotten row of stone buildings covered in moss, vines, and suspicious patches of glowing fungus.
Ryn drew a slow breath. "...Wow. Looks like nature won this one."
Kael poked a vine with his bow. "It's moving. It's actually moving. Why is it moving!?"
Lyra examined it calmly. "It's probably reacting to ambient mana. Overgrowth like this happens when no one cleans an area for too long."
Taren sighed. "So we're basically fighting magical weeds."
Kael scowled. "Wonderful. I trained five years with the bow to become a weed killer."
Ryn grinned. "Then consider it good practice."
They split into pairs again — Ryn and Lyra took the storage building, Kael and Taren took the yard.
Inside, Ryn swung a dull training sword to slice through vines while Lyra used mild frost magic to slow the spread of moss.
"Hey," she said softly, "you're actually pretty good at this."
Ryn smiled. "I grew up in a village. We did chores like this every week. Just with fewer glowing plants trying to eat you."
She laughed, her voice echoing in the dim warehouse. "You're funny, Ryn."
He blinked, caught off guard by her smile — sunlight catching in her golden hair, her eyes bright with amusement.
He thought, She's smiling at me again… focus, man, focus.
Outside—
Kael shouted, "Taren! Healing magic! I think this vine just tried to choke me!"
The healer, expression still blank, waved his staff lazily. "You're fine."
Kael flailed. "I'm not fine! It's— it's in my sleeve!"
With a thwack, Ryn stepped out and sliced the vine clean off.
Kael slumped to the ground, panting. "I swear this city's plants have a personal grudge."
Taren looked unimpressed. "You screamed louder than the noblewoman yesterday."
Kael glared. "You try fighting a homicidal shrub!"
Just as they were about to finish, Lyra suddenly called out —
"Wait! There's something under the floorboards!"
She pointed her staff, and a faint light revealed a wriggling mass — a Mold Slime, faintly translucent and dripping green fluid.
Kael backed away instantly. "Oh no. Nope. I'm out. I don't do goo."
Ryn sighed, gripping his sword. "We can't leave it. That thing'll just spread again."
The slime oozed forward, gurgling ominously.
Lyra cast a freezing charm, slowing its movement, while Kael reluctantly nocked an arrow.
"Fine. But if it explodes on me, I'm suing the guild."
With a fwip, his arrow pierced the slime, followed by Ryn's precise slash — the creature burst with a hiss, dissolving into harmless mist.
A faint sparkle of mana drifted in the air.
Ryn lowered his sword. "And that… is how you clean like professionals."
Kael wiped his face. "Professional idiots, maybe."
Lyra laughed again, and even Taren cracked a small smile. "Well, at least it's cleaner now."
By evening, the group trudged back to the guild hall, covered in mud, dust, and questionable green stains.
Elara, the receptionist, raised an eyebrow. "Well, you four look... fragrant."
Ryn placed the completed form on the counter. "Mission accomplished."
She inspected it, smiling warmly. "Nicely done. The warehouse district looks much better already. Here's your reward — eight silver and meal coupons for the tavern."
Kael's eyes lit up. "Free food? Finally, something good came out of this!"
Lyra giggled. "See? Told you it'd be worth it."
Ryn smiled as the group headed toward the tavern corner, laughter echoing among them.
As they ate together, Kael slammed his mug down.
"Alright! No more cleaning jobs. Tomorrow, we take something cool — like monster hunting!"
Taren sighed. "Watch it be picking mushrooms."
Lyra giggled. "If it is, I'll bring baskets."
Ryn just smiled quietly, looking at his companions — the archer who complained, the healer who never cared, and the bright-eyed mage who made the world seem a little warmer.
"Even if it's cleaning mold," he thought,
"as long as it's with them… it's not so bad."