Get Set!

Having finished our shopping, we decided to stop by the guild to receive our further explanation of the guild rank system and maybe even pick up our first quest. Walking inside, we immediately spotted Kyana and her cute little half-elven ears as she stood in the middle of the guild floor, training a group of new guild workers.

"Hello, Miss Lorcell," I said from behind her, watching her jump a bit at the suddenness of being addressed so directly. Spinning on her heel, she made eye contact with me. "John, Luna, I am glad you were able to make it. I was just about to call a break for afternoon tea." At this, all the girls in the group cheered. They had been leaning and craning their necks to get a look at the newcomers who had grabbed their teacher's attention. They all shot looks of interest and curiosity towards Luna and me. I smiled back at them, which caused a few of them to blush varying shades of pink and red before hurrying to enjoy their break.

"You will have to be careful of that potent grin of yours." Kyana jokingly warned me. Looking at her with confusion, I noticed Luna nodding at her words. Maybe this is what my Charisma score helps with, I pondered. "Let's grab a seat over in the rest area." Kyana led us to an area of sofas and armchairs where adventurers, clients and staff could sit for various discussions or pass the time while waiting for an appointment. "Before we go any further, let me teach you all about how ranking in the guild works."

Kyana proceeded to launch into an in-depth explanation of how the guild system worked. The card we received stores a copy of all of our achievements as members of the guild. Upon completing quests, CP (contribution points) are awarded to your profile at the guild. The more CP you have, the higher your rank in the guild could go. However, The guild did not just immediately give out ranks. One had to pass a test which could be a combat exam or dangerous quest. If an adventurer had performed an extraordinary feat, that could also be considered a contribution towards a rank up. The ranking went F, E, D, C, B, A, S, and then S+.

We are currently F rank. F rank is specifically for aspirants to the guild. Kyana explained how Guildmaster Briggs had already approved our encounter with the orcs and recovery of the tags of the fallen as our F rank to E rank trial. Now, all we had to do was accumulate the CP to become official members of the guild.

The guild gave more benefits to its members the higher the rank they attained. The most important of these benefits was the travel guarantees that the guild provides. At up to a D rank, The guild has your entry tariffs covered throughout the nation in which you registered. Ranks C through A, you have greater access to other countries and exemption of border crossing fees and interrogations. Guild banking, concierge services, smithing services and more were also some of the great things a contributing member of the guild had access to.

Kyana took us over to the guild quest board. It looked like an empty chalkboard, and when I did as Kyana suggested and placed my card against the board, I was blown away by the results. Like something out of a sci-fi movie, the board scanned my ID and brought up an app-like user interface. I was shown how to modify settings and form an adventurer party. Luna placed hers against the board, and we partied up. For now, we left the party name as the generic 'John's Party' that the System automatically set. Now that we were a group, a list of quests available for our group appeared on the board. Looking through it, we were able to individually pull up each request to see additional information and map data.

I also realized that I could open a much larger map of the entire country. I quickly did, acting like I was just checking out all the features. My personal map, however, had just received some major data upgrades. I had the entire bordered area of the Human Empire filled in with as much data as could be expected without visiting it all myself. This knowledge would be beneficial as we travel. I should see if I can access more maps of the rest of the continent since I heard that the guild spans the continent. Asking Kyana, she explained that, like the travel, it was tied to my rank.

I joined Luna in looking through the quests. They were straightforward since they were meant for aspiring adventurers. Collect herbs, deliver notices or hunt monsters. We took one of each, all in the same area. We would have to travel south of the city to provide a statement of required alchemical products to an old witch who lived in the woods and had a contract with the guild who purchased her products. On the way to her cottage, we would have to eliminate the goblins that had scared off the previous civilian messenger sent to give the potion requisition to the witch. And while heading there, we also needed to acquire ten or more Warlock's Boils. They are a type of toadstool that grows in the darkness of forests created by the impenetrable canopy.

Accepting all three quests, we shook Kyana's hand and thanked her for the service before departing. We made our way back to the Resort. It was now into the evening, and as we passed through the lobby, the delicious smell of sizzling meat met our noses. Luna's cute tush was shaking as her tail shook with the fury of a god.

Gorging ourselves on even more delicious food, we ate every variety of dish on offer that night. After the meal, Marcy told us that in the courtyard, a minstrel was playing. Heading to where Marcy directed us, we found a small area with an open roof in the middle of the Resort. A warm fire was crackling away in the outdoor fireplace that warmed the cooling evening. A female minstrel was plucking sweet melodies on her small harp as her soft voice sang tales in a lost language.

Now that we had relaxed with the music's help, Luna led me by the hand to the bath. As we got through the door, Luna started undressing me in a fervour. We both needed to be with each other, so we embraced, and as we went through the process of showering and bathing, we experienced the furthest reaches of one another's bodies.

Finally making it back to our room, we continued to familiarize ourselves with the other most passionately. As we lay in the afterglow, my cooler head emerged, and for the first time in this new world, I thought about contraception. In a bit of a panic, I pulled up my help guide in my System and research pregnancy. Finding the beast people article, I discovered that, like certain mammals, they have mating periods. Though unlike animals, the human side of a beast person drives them to attain the pleasures of the flesh. But ultimately, the women could only conceive during their heat. I also read further about human fertility and discovered that they could mate successfully with all known sentient races.

I held the snoring Luna in my arms as I checked her status panel and found a new entry that listed the time until her next heat. 'Days until Mating Season: 278 Days'. I guess the Canus only have one per year. I guess I now have a clock I have to beat for getting us a bit more settled. Because let's be honest, abstinence was never an option.