Chapter 15: Deep Entries and Fake Names!
Lucien woke up in Seraphina’s room, sunlight slanting through the curtains.
He washed up, humming to himself, and headed downstairs.
The smell of breakfast was already drifting through the house before he even reached the kitchen.
’Right, muscle memory. I’ve apparently trained myself to cook before I’m even fully awake.’
By the time the food hit the table, all three wives had gathered, drawn in by scent alone.
"I still can’t hold the stupid sword right,"
Evelisse grumbled, flexing her fingers like they’d personally betrayed her.
"You’re gripping it like it insulted your mother," Aurelia said.
"Loosen your hand. It’s a sword, not a hostage."
"It’s heavy."
"It’s a training blade, it weighs nothing."
Seraphina hid a smile behind her cup.
"I’ll make an ointment for the soreness," she offered.
"Should help with the grip strain."
"See," Evelisse said, pointing at her, "she understands suffering."
The moment forks touched plates, the familiar chime rippled through Lucien’s skull.
[Ding!]
[Aurelia — ×9 — Reward: 3x Bloodvein root (Uncommon)]
[Seraphina — ×8 — Reward: 2× Spirit Dew Flower (Uncommon)]
[Evelisse — ×11 — Reward: Basic Footwork Manual]
Lucien smiled faintly.
’Seems like the system’s really committed to the "make Evelisse a swordswoman" arc. Noted, and appreciated.’
He kept the rewards tucked away for later and cleared his throat instead.
"I’m heading to the Adventurers Guild today," he said.
Three very different reactions arrived at once.
Aurelia nodded approvingly.
"Good. Dungeon income is respectable work. Don’t underestimate even beginner dungeons, though — plenty of overconfident idiots die in E-rank ones."
"Comforting send-off," Lucien said.
Seraphina’s brow furrowed with quiet worry. She slid a small cloth pouch across the table.
"Healing pills," she said.
"I made extras yesterday. Just in case."
"Thank you," Lucien said, pocketing them.
Evelisse folded her arms, pouting hard enough to be visible from across the room.
"You’re leaving us already?"
"It’s been three days."
"Still counts."
He finished eating, changed into something less kitchen-scented, and headed for the door.
Seraphina caught him there, reaching up to straighten his collar without a word.
"Be careful," she said softly.
Aurelia tossed him a sword from the rack by the door.
"Don’t embarrass me out there."
"Bring snacks!" Evelisse yelled from the couch, not even looking up.
Lucien caught the sword, slung it over his shoulder, and stepped outside grinning.
’Three days. Already feels like I’ve got people waiting for me to come home, it’s weird but a good weird.’
---
The city opened up around him properly for the first time.
Gothic spires loomed over sleek glass towers, the old and new pressed shoulder to shoulder like neither had ever considered moving.
Mana-powered streetlamps flickered against the daylight. A demon bus rattled past on enchanted rails, packed with commuters of every shape imaginable.
Holographic advertisements floated lazily above the street, one looping an ad for succubus perfume, another hawking dwarven rune-forged kitchenware.
Oni shouldered through the crowd, twice the size of everyone around them.
A cluster of tieflings argued loudly outside a blood café.
A gargoyle perched motionless atop a lamppost, either resting or advertising something, Lucien genuinely couldn’t tell.
’This city has everything,’ he thought. ’Everything except a reasonable definition of "normal."’
The Adventurers Guild came into view several blocks later — a fortress of black stone, easily five stories tall, gold emblem gleaming above the entrance: crossed swords over a shield.
Dozens of adventurers streamed in and out. Vendors outside hawked monster parts fresh from morning hunts.
A massive magical screen displayed scrolling dungeon listings above the doors.
’Impressive,’ Lucien thought, stepping inside.
’Very "beginning of an adventure" energy.’
---
The interior was chaos, in the best possible way.
Reception desks lined one wall. Quest boards and dungeon boards covered another, cluttered with fluttering parchment.
A weapon repair counter buzzed near the back, sparks flying off someone’s dented armor. Teams argued loudly over recruitment near the potion shop.
A pink haired succubus receptionist waved him over with a warm smile.
Her nameplate read Luna.
"First registration?" she asked.
Lucien nodded.
"Name?"
He opened his mouth.
’...I never actually thought of a fake name.’
"...Luc," he said.
Luna blinked, pen hovering. "Full name?"
’Think fast. Think fast.’
"...Luc Voss."
She wrote it down without comment.
"Never heard of you."
"That’s kind of the idea," Lucien said.
She smiled like she’d heard that line a hundred times before.
"Guild registration only requires proof of identity and cultivation rank," she explained.
"Bloodline, talent, and skills are optional disclosures."
"I’ll pass on those," Lucien said.
"Most do." She gestured toward a side hallway.
"Rank verification’s this way."
---
The testing room held a single elderly Oni, arms crossed, tusks slightly yellowed with age, expression permanently unimpressed.
"Hand on the crystal," the Oni grunted.
Lucien complied.
The crystal on the pedestal flared to life, pulsing crimson light climbing steadily up an internal gauge.
It stopped near the top.
"Mid E-Rank," the Oni said, sounding faintly surprised.
"Clean reading, no irregularities."
’Good, nothing screaming ’secret Mythical bloodline’ on the display. System’s discretion, much appreciated.’
The Oni nodded once.
"Fine. You’re cleared."
Somewhere near the door, a loud adventurer — human-adjacent, broad-shouldered, clearly overconfident — snorted from a nearby bench.
"Mid E-Rank," he said to his buddies, not quietly.
"Guy looks like he’s never held a sword in his life."
Lucien glanced over, unbothered.
’Sure. Keep talking. I’ve got a Mythical bloodline and a body count of exactly one incompetent assassin. We’ll circle back to this conversation eventually.’
He said nothing, and walked back toward reception.
---
Luna handed him a sleek black card, cool to the touch, along with a small device that synced silently with his phone.
"Guild Card," she said, "doubles as your Dungeon License."
"It’ll give you map access, monster encyclopedia entries, emergency signal function, and dungeon reservation through the app."
"Very efficient, thanks" Lucien said.
"We try." She smiled again.
"Good luck out there, Luc."
He stepped outside, card in hand, and allowed himself a small, satisfied breath.
’Finally, a real way to actually support my family instead of just eating through the dowry.’
He pulled out his phone, tapping into the newly synced guild app. A list of dungeons scrolled into view, all E-rank, all within reach.
Goblin Mine — E Rank
Blood Bat Cavern — E Rank
Crystal Spider Nest — E Rank
Ruined Cemetery — E Rank
Small Slime Marsh — E Rank
He scrolled further, unimpressed, until one entry caught his eye.
Goblin Mine
Difficulty: E-Rank
Recommended Party Size: 1–3
Estimated Reward: 15–30 Gold
’Goblins, always has to be goblins if there’s no slimes,’
’Whatever, let’s start easy.’
He tapped Reserve Entry.
Reservation Successful.
Scheduled: Tomorrow.
Lucien pocketed the phone, glancing up at the sky, the sun beginning its slow slide toward evening.
"Tomorrow," he murmured to himself, a small grin tugging at his mouth.
"My first dungeon."
***************
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