The sky had already turned reddish when Kyran and Byron entered Nhadal.
The layout of the Mercenary Guild was the same in every city or town all over the empire. It was a rectangular two-floor building made from a combination of asphalt and wood. The main entrance led to a spacious reception area where the reception desk and bounty bulletin board were. Few tables and chairs were placed near the bulletin board for mercenaries to sit on. At the right of the reception, another entrance led to a public cafeteria for all mercenaries, while on the left led to the Mercenary Guild’s employee’s quarters. On the sides of both entrances were stairs leading up to the second floor. At the center overlooking the reception was the Guild Master’s study room, while the rest were single or double private rooms that mercenaries could stay at.
The private rooms of the guild were limited. But it was never a problem even if there were too many mercenaries because the Conclave had partner inns where mercenaries could rent at a discounted price. The downside of this, they could not enjoy the ‘protection’ of the guild’s array. Still, very few mercenaries cared because they believed that danger was hand in hand with their profession. If they wanted to be protected, there was no meaning to them being mercenaries.
“Sir, this place is… Are you really a mercenary?” Byron cautiously asked as he looked at Kyran.
Both of them had just arrived at the Mercenary Guild’s front steps, and Byron was already intimidated by the stares they received from mercenaries hanging out at the front porch.
Kyran could not help but sweat as he looked at Byron.
This big guy appeared ‘bossy’ back when he first met him in Tarrin. Why was he acting such a coward now?
“Why are you scared?”
Byron shook his head in denial and said, after clearing his throat. “Of course not! Why should I be? The truth… this is the Conclave’s jurisdiction and well….”
‘So that’s why,’ Kyran thought, finally understanding why he was acting like a wuss.
Since the Blue Lotus and the Conclave dealt with similar businesses albeit different target markets, Byron would definitely feel agitated.
“You look different right now. Stop fidgeting, you’ll appear more suspicious.” Kyran told him.
“I understand,” Byron replied and straightened his back at once.
The two walked up the front porch and ignored the curious stares from the mercenaries nearby.
As soon as they entered the guild, every mercenary inside turned to look at them. It made Byron cower once again. He looked at Kyran, who acted indifferent from all the stares, and he was awed.
After experiencing this man’s ‘teleport’ ability, Byron was now half convinced of his claim of being the Void Master’s successor. He still had his reservations, though. After all, many kinds of magic appeared similar to ‘Void’. However, he had to admit that the more he looked at this man, he could not help but admire him. Especially his attitude and strength. Submitting to such a man was not that bad.
If Byron knew how Kyran doubted taking him as his first Sigil, he would probably cry tears of blood.
“Good day, how may I be of help?” A man with short brown hair and black eyes, dressed in a dark gray suit with the Mercenary Hall’s emblem stitched on his vest, greeted them as they neared the reception desk.
Kyran took out his mercenary token and showed it to the man, and he said, “I’d like to rent a room upstairs. Is there a vacancy?”
The man nodded.
“We do as a matter of fact, will it be a double room or two single rooms?” The man confirmed as he took the token.
He hovered the token above a square silver item with an unusual rectangular array at the center. The rectangular array lit up, and a light yellow light scanned the token. A transparent white rectangular layer appeared on edge in front of the square silver item, and Tyr’s information reflected it.
The man’s eyes almost popped out of its sockets when he saw the ‘Chairman Noir’s Disciple’ under Tyr’s title.
“Apologies good sir, I will now call the guild master and arrange a suite for-.”
“No need. I just need one room. We’re not staying, we just need a private area to discuss something.” Kyran said in a hurry when he noticed the receptionist’s reaction upon seeing his information.
He did not want unnecessary attention.
“Right away, sir.”
The receptionist looked at Byron.
“He’s with me. He’s not a mercenary but he works for me,” Kyran explained hastily.
“I understand,” the receptionist nodded. He left the reception desk and led the two of them toward the stairs at the right.
“This way please.”
The two followed him.
He led the two in a singles room, as Kyran insisted. Before he left to inform the guild master of his presence, Kyran told him that it was unnecessary because he did not plan to stay.
Sensing Kyran’s reluctance to meet the guild master, the receptionist got the message and assured him that he would inform the guild master that he did not want to be ‘bothered’.
Kyran agreed.
As soon as the receptionist left, Kyran closed the door, and he looked at Byron, who was standing by the window waiting for him.
“Sit anywhere you like. I have to do something first then we’ll talk,” Kyran told him.
“Yes, sir.” Byron replied and sat on the chair beside the bed.
Kyran went to the small space at the foot of the bed and took some materials from his pouch.
Byron fidgeted uneasily, trying not to ‘look’ at what he was doing in fear that he might see something he was not supposed to see. Although, he was still tempted and would peek from time to time.
He was very curious about what Kyran was going to do. The truth, he was amazed that this man was also an Array Specialist.
A vein appeared on Kyran’s forehead. He wanted to scold Byron, but he decided against it.
Kyran set the magic orbs with the miasma samples and the three rectangular flasks with the golden dust to the side. He spread a thin semi-transparent material on the floor and was about to draw an array but then stopped with a slight frown. He did not have to pretend to create an array to transport the items.
After a short pause, Kyran looked at Byron, who immediately looked away.
Sweat appeared on Kyran’s head. This guy was too obvious.
“Come here for a moment, I’ll show you something.” Kyran told him.
Byron turned his attention back at him with a surprised expression. Would he show him his array? As far as he knew, most Array Specialists did not want others to see their work.
“Yes, sir.” Byron replied and stood up. He moved closer to the foot of the bed.
But then, Kyran packed up his array materials and returned them to his pouch, which greatly disappointed Byron.
So he was not going to show his array creation.
“What I’m going to show you is somewhat proof of what I am going to explain later. I am going to show this to you because you are now my Sigil,” Kyran explained.
Byron had a confused expression, but he only nodded and replied, “I understand.”
“Good.”
Without further ado, Kyran sat crossed-legged on the floor and lifted his left hand. He spread his palm upward, and purple rings appeared above.
Byron watched in silence. It only occurred to him that the proof Kyran meant was likely to be his claim of being the Void Master’s successor. He gulped in anticipation as he stared mesmerized at the purple rings circling above Kyran’s hand.
Kyran closed his eyes and concentrated. He thought of a location where he would ‘transport’ the materials he collected.
The location was inside his temporary residence in the training ground.
Crackle!
The air around them crackled as a round fissure slowly formed in front of Kyran.
‘This!’ Byron’s eyes widened more in excitement than surprise as he saw the fissure.
Inside the fissure, one had a feeling of looking into a bottomless abyss. Most would feel fear upon seeing it, but to Byron, he was ecstatic, and his heart pound in excitement.
The moment he met this man, Byron already felt how deep and mysterious he was. He also had a feeling that Kyran acted too mature for his age.
Kyran opened his eyes and looked at the fissure. Others would only see a bottomless abyss or an infinite starry sky when looking into this fissure. Kyran, however, could see the ‘location’ he thought of inside the fissure.
He reached for the magic orbs and the flasks and put them inside the fissures.
At Kyran’s temporary residence, a similar fissure had appeared, and his hand emerged from the inside while he placed the magic orbs and the flasks neatly on the floor.
When he was done, he withdrew his hand, and slowly, the fissure decreased in size.
The air crackled for a few more seconds before returning to normal as soon as the fissure disappeared.
Similarly, the purple rings on Kyran’s hands slowly disappeared.
With a sigh, Kyran was about to say something when Byron jolted and kowtowed in front of him.
“Master!” He exclaimed fervently.
Kyran’s brow twitched at Byron. But well, it was fine. He wanted to skip a lot of explaining and convincing, so Byron’s reaction was good enough.
Still, being called a master was a little…embarrassing.
“Don’t call me master. And would you stop that, one bow is enough-.”
“No can do! Master! You have no idea how long we have waited for your return!”
Sweat appeared on Kyran’s head.
‘This… Don’t tell me they have a crazy idea that the Void Master will reincarnate?’ He thought.
It seemed he had to learn more about the Void Master’s followers.
