Advice

Lenora sat across the table from Ichiro as she slowly ate a hearty meal of meat, vegetables, and a mug of ale. The adventurer guild hall wasn't usually as busy, but it wasn't every day that a living legend graced it with her presence. A worker approached with another plate and placed it in front of Ichiro.

"Sorry it took so long for yours." The worker apologized with a slight bow. "If there is anything else I can get for either of you, don't hesitate to ask."

"Mmmmm" Lenora uttered as she swallowed a mouthful of ale. "Keep the drinks coming."

"Of course ma'am!" The worker exclaimed before skittering off to fetch more ale for the pair.

With seemingly no manners, Lenora tore into a giant roasted leg of some animal. Ichiro, taken aback by how aggressively Lenora was eating, made a face expressing his surprise.

"When you're out and working, you can't afford to look cute while you're eating." Lenora said, belaying the young man's reservations. "You eat and then you get out of the way and back onto the road. These places don't have much room and you most likely don't have time to be wasting."

Ichiro picked up and took a bite of his massive roasted animal leg as he looked around and noticed there were only three more tables in the hall. Just after that, a different worker approached the table.

"Excuse me." The young boy stated with a bow before continuing. "There are a number of adventurers here who have heard about you and would like to meet you or hear stories from you or anything."

Ichiro looked at the crowd gathered by the front desk which stretched out the door and around the building. Others were looking through the windows and, while most were there to see Lenora, a few were wondering who the man was sitting with her.

"Maybe after I'm done eating." Lenora answered the worker much to their chagrin.

"I understand," the worker's speech faltered as he backed away slowly.

Once the worker was far enough away, Ichiro mumbled to Lenora, "We could have let one or two come over. They just want to meet you."

"Do you really think that's all they want?" Lenora snapped back at Ichiro. "Do you know them? Do you know why they're here?"

"What do you mean?" Ichiro wondered.

Lenora continued to eat as she explained, "Let's say they are here to just see me. What harm is there for them waiting slightly longer? Now imagine if a few of them aren't here to meet me but instead want a fight. Imagine the damage this building or this town might endure if I were to fight here. What if only one of that group wants to test their might. You haven't been in this business for long, but you'll come to find that most adventurers are unsavory."

As Lenora finished up her explanation, the young female worked returned with more ale and stated, "Here's more ale Mrs. Breaker. Also, I've finished the registration of your companion here."

"He's not my companion." Lenora corrected the worker. "He's my student. What rank did you place him at?" Lenora questioned the girl.

"All new members start at rank D and have to work their way up." The worker responded.

"Not good enough." Lenora bristled. "I can and do personally vouch that his skills are equal to or exceed any A rank."

"I'm sorry ma'am. My hands are tied and, without authorization from the guild leadership, no member can level up." The worker stated without an ounce of emotion in her voice.

"Humph" Lenora uttered as she leaned back in her chair. "I like you. Since the guild master isn't here then I'm assuming you don't have one. I would ask you send a letter to the nearest guild master informing them that I am here and the nature of my request."

"Right away." The worker responded with a nod before promptly walking back to the front desk.

"When she grows up," Lenora stated leaning in to Ichiro. "She has all the mental fortitude needed to be a good adventurer."

Ichiro raised his eyebrow looking back at the seasoned adventurer as he took another large bite of his food.

"What?" Lenora questioned as she drank some ale while holding back a smile.

The pair sat and ate while chuckling with each other for a short while before a thought popped into Ichiro's head and he had to ask, "If you're saying I'm at least an A rank adventurer, what rank adventurer are you considered to be?"

"Oh" Lenora started. "The highest rank is SS, but I reached that in my twenties. I don't think there is an equivalent."

"How long does it take to go up a rank?" Ichiro asked.

"People can climb the low ranks pretty fast." Lenora explained as she neared the end of her meal. "You can rank up every year or two depending on what all you accomplish. The higher ranks can take ten or twenty years depending on what you accomplish."

"And you reached the highest rank in your twenties?" Ichiro tried to puzzle out.

"Most adventurers don't have the dedication to climb as fast as I did." Lenora said as her eyes snapped to a man who was approaching the table.

A tall, heavily armored man carrying a massive spear walked up to the table where Lenora and Ichiro were eating. The grizzled, brawny adventurer stood at the head of the table.

"I am Sheen." The adventurer started, interrupting the pair's meal and pointing at Ichiro. "I am an S Ranked adventurer and I challenge you for the right to be apprentice to The Breaker."

Looking at him like he's stupid, Ichiro replied, "Do you not realize how rude it is to interrupt someone's meal?"

After staring at Ichiro for a few moments, Sheen the adventurer continued with, "A whelp like you doesn't deserve to stand alongside a legend like her."

Sarcastically, Ichiro quipped back, "Lucky for me, I'm sitting."

As the altercation was brewing, the young female worker noticed and returned to the table to ask, "Is there anything I can assist with?" hinting at the adventurer interrupting the meal.

"Girl" Lenora hailed. "If my student were to defeat an S ranked adventurer in combat, how would that be viewed by the guild?"

"Yes," The girl started. "I can officially sanction the duel and it could aide you in your current goal of increasing his level."

"An officially sanctioned duel doesn't sound so bad." Ichiro beamed. "That should solve a lot of these problems too. Let's do that then."

Everyone went quiet for a few seconds before Lenore let out a sigh and asked, "And can you explain the rules for an officially sanctioned duel for my apprentice considering he just became a guild member and is unsure what he just agreed to." Lenora stared into Ichiro's eyes as she knew the answer and she wanted to press upon him the gravity of the situation he was in.

"Yes," The worker responded and then turned to look at Ichiro. "An officially sanctioned duel will take place the day after the agreement is made. All parties involved will meet at an official guild practice field, ours is just outside of town. There, the dueling parties will fight to the death. Upon completion of the duel, the victor will receive all weapons, equipment, gear, and fortunes of the losing party, but will be responsible of the burial of the loser."

As the girl continued, Ichiro's reality started to sink in. He, who Lenora considered to be A rank, was going to have to fight an S ranked adventurer to the death. Lenora's eyes burned into Ichiro's mind.

"I agree to all terms laid down by the guild." Sheen said, looking down at Ichiro. "I will see you tomorrow." The adventurer then turned to leave the guild.

"Even if you win," Lenora said having shifted her gaze to the adventurer. "Do not think it would endear me to taking you as a student."

Sheen bowed his head to the legendary adventurer and then continued on.

"I'll make preparations for tomorrow." the worker said before returning to the front desk.

"That is why we don't bother with other adventurers. It only takes one who wants to prove their strength or something stupid like that." Lenora emphasized her previous point rubbing it in. "Luckily, this helps solve some problems assuming you don't die. Depending on how easily you win, hopefully they'll raise your rank to S and bypass the A rank I was wanting completely."

"Will I really have to kill him though?" Ichiro asked with a solemn tone to his voice.

Lenora let out a deep sigh and considered for a moment before continuing, "Ichiro, there will come a time in which you may have to kill someone to defend yourself or others. It's part of the lifestyle. If you are that worried about it now though, you can disable them to where they won't be able to continue the fight. From there you can show them mercy and state that the fight should have never happened because your difference in ability was so great."

Looking relieved, Ichiro smiled slightly and murmured to himself, "Good."

"Don't necessarily consider that to be a good thing though." Lenora said sternly to Ichiro. "Losing a duel like that will strip him of his pride, dignity, and honor. For many adventurers, it might be better to die in the duel than face the disgrace of that. If you let him live, you might be doing him a disservice."

"No," Ichiro responded. "In life, he may regain his pride and his dignity and his honor through acts and achievements he accomplishes, but losing his time would be something irrecoverable."

"Regardless, never hesitate." Lenora said staring down her young apprentice. "Whoever or whatever you're fighting will try to kill you. If it's between you and your enemy, make sure you come out of it alive or at least take them out too."