License

Sunlight streamed through the glass window, illuminating the room as the old man slowly rose from his bed. "Oh my heavens, my head feels heavy," he muttered to himself. Just then, a knock echoed through the room.

Knock! Knock!

"I am entering," a voice announced. The door swung open, revealing a tall, sweaty man standing at 6 feet 2 inches. It was Aldric, returning from his morning training session. "Good morning, Mr. Torin," Aldric greeted respectfully. Torin, still holding his head in his hands, looked up in confusion. "You, what am I doing here?" he questioned.

Realizing that Torin had no recollection of how he ended up in the room, Aldric took a seat nearby. "You don't remember anything?" Aldric asked. Torin closed his eyes, trying to piece together his memories. After a moment, he looked at Aldric with a vacant expression and said, "I remember now."

Curious about Torin's situation, Aldric inquired, "Mind telling me how you ended up like this?" Instead of answering, Torin fell silent, creating a tense atmosphere in the room. Finally, Torin broke the silence and uttered, "They were killed."They! What do you mean by they?" Aldric asked. "Kane and Sharlyn" Torin replied. Aldric was taken aback by this revelation. Earlier that morning, he had heard rumors about two adventurers who had died in a dungeon, but he never expected them to be Kane and Sharlyn.

"How did they die?" Aldric asked, seeking more information. Torin's voice remained lifeless as he replied, "They were killed by monster hoarders." Perplexed, Aldric questioned, "Monster hoarders? Who are they?" Torin explained that they were a group of adventurers who smuggled monster parts. Sensing Torin's distress, Aldric decided not to press further, understanding the pain of losing loved ones and being unable to protect them.

"You should rest. I'm going to the Adventurers Association. If you need anything, come find me there," Aldric offered, trying to comfort Torin. Torin nodded in response and returned to sleep. Aldric left the room, instructing the receptionist not to disturb Torin and slipping her 20 glimmer coins as compensation. He then made his way to the Adventurers Association, where he was met with curious gazes from those who had witnessed his impressive performance during the previous day's exam.

Ignoring the attention, Aldric headed straight for the management counter, where he encountered a familiar face - Ragnar Fangmaw, a wolfkin. "Hello, sir," Aldric greeted Ragnar respectfully, his admiration for the strong and helpful individual evident. Ragnar chuckled and said, "Ah, it's you, kid. I assume you're here to get your license, right?" Irritated by being called "kid," Aldric corrected him, "Yes, and my name is Aldric, not kid."

Ragnar searched for Aldric's license and eventually found it. Handing it over, he then requested Aldric's hand. Confused, Aldric asked why, to which Ragnar simply replied, "Don't ask questions." Reluctantly, Aldric extended his hand, and Ragnar pricked his finger with a sharp claw. "Yametae!" Aldric gasped, watching as blood dripped from his finger. Ragnar instructed him to drop the blood onto the license, and as soon as the blood made contact, the license absorbed it, leaving no stains.

"What is this?" Aldric inquired. Ragnar explained that the blood infusion would turn the license into an identification card, allowing Aldric to carry weapons in restricted areas. Aldric examined his license, noting his name, sex, age, and rank. He had been granted the Master rank in swordsmanship. Excitedly, Aldric asked if he could now enter dungeons with his new license. Ragnar confirmed that he could, but reminded him that he would need to purchase a dungeon permit before doing so. With his license in hand, Aldric left the building, filled with joy.

Ragnar chuckled to himself and thought," I wonder what storm this kid would bring with him this time".