Prior to commencing this chapter, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to 'Daoist_Culture' for presenting me with a 'Dragon' and a 'Magic Castle'. Words fail to convey the depth of appreciation I feel for the generosity extended to me in the form of these two gifts.
Moreover, Yesterday, I established a Discord server with the purpose of fostering discussions on various topics. This decision was prompted by the fact that Webnovel has been deleting certain comments, which has on occasion led to significant misunderstandings amongst our community.
Here is the link— https://discord.gg/wR7KyerXgc
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Yuan and Emma approached the old-looking town gate with its numerous cracks, its age evident in its weathered appearance.
As they drew near, they saw a few carriages loaded with goods protected by four hunters getting checked by the town guards at the entrance.
The guards scrutinized the carriages' contents, asking the merchant questions about their origin and destination.
After a few moments, the guards seemed satisfied and allowed the merchant and his goods to enter the town.
Yuan and Emma made their way toward the gate, ready to enter the town themselves. As they approached, one of the guards recognized them and called out, "Hey, aren't the two of you from before? How did your mission go?"
Yuan replied, "It went well. We took care of a pack of wolves on the outskirts of the forest."
The guard nodded approvingly. "Good to hear. You may pass."
As Yuan and Emma made their way through the town gate, Yuan couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. He had grown up in this town and had many fond memories of its streets and people.
As they walked through the bustling marketplace, the sights and sounds of the town surrounded them. The smells of freshly baked bread, sizzling meats, and fragrant flowers wafted through the air, creating a tapestry of scents that was uniquely the town's.
Emma smiled at Yuan and said, "It's good to be back here, isn't it?"
Yuan nodded, taking in the sights around him. "Yes, it feels like coming home."
He turned to Emma, a gentle smile on his face, and said, "How about we grab something to eat before heading to the Hunter Association? We missed lunch today, after all."
Emma's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "I'm feeling quite hungry, actually," she said with a grin. "But I didn't bring any money with me."
Yuan reached into his pocket and pulled out a few coins. "Don't worry, I have some spare money from before. We can use this."
Emma beamed at him. "Thank you, Yuan. You're always so thoughtful."
They perused the stalls, taking in the smells and sights of the various foods being offered. They settled on a small cart selling savory pies and bought a few to share. As they ate, they walked through the streets, enjoying the atmosphere of the town.
Yuan couldn't help but feel grateful for this moment, for the simple pleasures of good food and good company.
He looked at Emma, a contented smile on his face, and said, "I'm glad we decided to stop and grab a bite to eat. It's the small things in life that can bring us the most joy."
Emma nodded in agreement, a glimmer of understanding in her eyes. "You're right, Yuan. Sometimes, it's the little moments that can make the biggest impact on our lives."
With that, they finished their pies and continued on their way, their stomachs full and their hearts content.
As they finished their pies, Yuan wiped his mouth with a napkin and said to Emma, "We should head back to the Hunter Association now and submit our mission details."
Emma nodded in agreement. "Yes, now that our stomachs are satisfied, there's no reason for us to linger here any longer."
They made their way through the bustling streets once more, with many people stealing glances at them as they walked by. Males whispered to each other about how beautiful Emma was, admiring her grace and poise.
Meanwhile, females talked amongst themselves about how handsome Yuan was, and how they envied the girl beside him.
Yuan and Emma couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious under their scrutiny, but they kept their head held high and continued on.
A few minutes later, Yuan and Emma arrived at the Hunter Association, gazing upon the old, medieval-looking building before them.
"Let's head in," he said to Emma, pushing open the large wooden door with ease.
As they stepped inside, the sounds of chatter and clanging metal filled their ears. The scent of leather and sweat hung heavily in the air, and the sight of other hunters bustling about caught their attention.
As Yuan and Emma made their way to the counter, the hunters inside the Association couldn't help but whisper amongst themselves. Many of them had never seen the two of them before, and their presence seemed to spark curiosity and interest.
"Who are those two?" one hunter whispered to another.
"I don't know, but they look like they know what they're doing," the other replied.
A third hunter, who had overheard their conversation, spoke up. "Oh, I know them. They just became hunters today."
This sparked a wave of murmurs among the hunters, some of whom had just become hunters themselves.
Yuan and Emma patiently waited in line, listening to the chatter of hunters exchanging stories about their missions. They could feel the excitement and tension in the air, as each hunter eagerly awaited their turn to submit their reports and collect their rewards.
As they waited, Mireya looked up and noticed the two of them standing in line. She smiled warmly and greeted them, "Hello Yuan and Emma, it's good to see you both back safe and sound. How was your mission?"
Yuan replied, "It went well, we were able to take down the pack of wolves as requested."
Yuan and Emma approached Mireya, holding out the proof of their successful subjugation mission. Mireya, the mission coordinator, took the proof from them and examined it carefully.
After a few moments of scrutinizing the proof, Mireya's expression softened into a smile. "Excellent work," she said. "You have provided clear and convincing evidence of your success in subjugating the target."
Relieved, Yuan and Emma both grinned widely. "Thank you, Mireya," Yuan said.
Mireya nodded, handing over a pouch filled with gold coins to Yuan. "Here is your reward for completing the mission," she said. "You will receive 250 gold coins for your success, plus a bonus of 20 gold coins for providing proof of the subjugation."
Yuan carefully took the pouch from Mireya's hand, his eyes flickering with a faint blue light as he activated his 'Divine Sense'. He quickly counted the gold coins inside the pouch, making sure that the total matched the amount that Mireya had mentioned.
"270 gold coins, just as she said," he whispered to Emma, who was standing next to him.
Emma nodded, taking the pouch from Yuan's hand and swiftly transferring the gold coins into her storage ring. Yuan watched as she did so, admiring her deft movements and quick reflexes.
Yuan cleared his throat and turned back to Mireya. "Actually, there is something else we wanted to discuss with you, but we don't want to attract too much attention," he said, glancing around at the other hunters in the room.
Emma nodded in agreement. "It's something that we think would be best discussed in private," she added.
Mireya raised an eyebrow, looking curious. "I see," she said. "Well, I do have a private room where we can talk freely. Follow me."
She led them out of the main hall and into a small, secluded room at the back of the building. The room was sparsely furnished, with a simple wooden table and a few chairs.
Mireya gestured for them to sit down, taking a seat across from them. "So, what is it that you wanted to discuss?" she asked, looking expectant.
Yuan took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. He turned to Emma and nodded, signaling for her to take out the Greater Wolf's corpse from her storage ring.
Emma cast a quick glance towards Mireya, then reached into her storage ring and retrieved the corpse of the Greater Wolf, laying it carefully on the ground in front of them.
Mireya's eyes widened in surprise as she saw the creature before her. "Isn't that a Greater Wolf?" she exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief. "A 'C' rank magical monster?"
Yuan nodded gravely. "Yes, it is," he confirmed. "We came across it during our subjugation mission. It put up quite a fight, but we were able to take it down with some difficulty."
'But in truth, it wasn't even a fight for me!' Yuan thought as he lied to Mireya.
Mireya looked at them both in awe, clearly impressed by their feat. "I have never seen a Greater Wolf in person before," she said. "You two are truly exceptional hunters."
Mireya considered the corpse of the Greater Wolf for a moment, then turned to Yuan and Emma with a shrewd smile. "So, what are you planning to do with it?" she asked. "Are you going to sell it?"
Emma nodded. "Yes, we have no use for it," she said.
Mireya's smile widened, and she leaned forward in her seat. "Well, how about you sell it to me?" she suggested. "I'm willing to offer you 1200 gold coins for it."
Yuan hesitated for a moment, considering her offer. "We appreciate the offer," he said finally. "But we were hoping to get a little more for it. How about 1300 gold coins?"
Mireya raised an eyebrow in surprise, clearly impressed by Yuan's bargaining skills. "You drive a hard bargain," she said with a chuckle. "But I can agree to that. 1300 gold coins it is."
Yuan and Emma both nodded, relieved that they had managed to get a good price for the Greater Wolf's corpse.
As they prepared to leave the private room, Mireya turned to Yuan with a curious glint in her eyes. "Before you go, I have a request for you, if you don't mind," she said.
Yuan and Emma looked at each other, puzzled by her sudden request. "Of course, what is it?" Yuan asked.
Mireya took a deep breath before continuing. "During the hunter test, I noticed the handle of your sword," she said. "I was fascinated by its design, even though I'm a mage and have zero interest in swords. I was wondering if I could see the sword itself, to satisfy my curiosity."
Yuan hesitated for a moment, but eventually he nodded and unsheathed his sword, presenting it to Mireya with a flourish.
Mireya's eyes widened as she took in the sight of the blue sword. "Wow," she breathed, running her fingers over the intricate engravings on the blade. "This is truly a work of art. I've never seen a sword like this before. What kind of material is it made of? How did you come to possess such a unique weapon?"
Yuan hesitated for a moment, considering his answer carefully. He didn't want to reveal too much about the sword's true nature. "It's made of a special kind of metal," he said finally. "One that is rare and difficult to find."
Mireya nodded, clearly satisfied with his answer. "I can see why," she said, examining the blade closely. "It's beautiful. Thank you for showing it to me."
Yuan nodded, resheathing his sword. He was glad that he had been able to satisfy Mireya's curiosity, but he couldn't help feeling a little uneasy. He knew that he had to be careful about revealing too much about his abilities and equipment in the future.
"Well then, let's go to the counter to make the transaction," she said.
Yuan and Emma followed her out of the private room and towards the front of the building, where a counter was set up for transactions. Mireya went behind the counter and retrieved a pouch of gold coins, which she handed to Yuan and Emma.
"Here you go, 1300 gold coins, just as we agreed," she said, a satisfied smile on her face. "It was a pleasure doing business with you."
Yuan and Emma thanked her and counted the gold coins in the pouch, making sure that the amount was correct. They were pleased with the outcome of their transaction, and they knew that they had made a good impression on Mireya as well.
After that, Yuan and Emma walked out of the Hunter association with the pouch of gold coins safely stored away in Emma's storage ring. They breathed a sigh of relief as they made their way towards their home.
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