The smell of freshly baked bread and simmering stew wafted faintly through the open window. Birds were already chirping outside by the time Oliver finally stirred.

He groaned, blinking against the soft morning light that filtered through the curtains. His entire body felt sore and dry, every muscle stiff like he had fought a war — which, in a sense, he had.

"Ugh… my whole body's wrecked," he muttered, sitting up slowly. His lean frame was covered in faint red marks and scratches. His throat was parched, his abs still glistening faintly from sweat that had long since dried. "Damn it… that damned aphrodisiac. I swear, I'm never touching that thing again. I don't even remember half of things I have done last night"

From beside him, Isolde stirred. She turned lazily, one crimson eye peeking open. Her hair was a disheveled mess, spilling down her bare shoulders, yet somehow she still looked unfairly beautiful — like sin made flesh.

Oliver glanced at her, then at the sunlight streaming in, and suddenly jolted upright. "Shit—what time is it?!"

Isolde yawned, stretching her arms above her head in a slow, sensual arc. "You're awake… barely. What's got you panicking so early?"

"I'm late!" Oliver scrambled off the bed, nearly tripping over his pants. "I was supposed to report to the guild this morning about the goblin mission! It's already—damn it, it's probably noon!"

"Oh my~," Isolde said with mock sympathy, resting her chin on her hand as she watched him rush around. "A mighty hero felled by paperwork. Truly tragic."

Oliver shot her a flat look. "Laugh all you want, but the sooner I get there, the sooner I can sleep again."

Isolde chuckled, pulling the blanket closer around herself. "Do you want me to come along?"

"No need," he said quickly, shoving his shirt over his head. "I'm just reporting the mission and collecting the reward. I'm not taking any new quests today — I'm running on fumes as it is."

Isolde tilted her head, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "Oh? And here I thought you'd gotten used to sleepless nights."

Oliver paused halfway through buckling his belt, groaning. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"

Before Isolde could reply, a familiar voice cut in from the doorway. "Good morning, lovebirds."

Serena leaned against the frame with her usual confident smile, her hair tied up neatly and her apron already dusted with flour. "Sleep well?" she asked, her tone playful.

Oliver froze, already suspecting where this was going. "…Define 'well.'"

"Oh, don't be a baby. You still slept till noon whereas I had been awake since 5 and working" Serena said, smirking as she stepped into the room. "And so, you know, customers downstairs heard some very interesting noises last night. I had to tell them we were testing the durability of the beds."

"Wha— you didn't actually—!" Oliver sputtered, turning red.

Serena laughed, brushing a hand through her hair. "Relax, I'm joking… mostly." Her gaze ran over him, noting his tired face and sluggish movements. "You look like you've been squeezed dry, though. Did someone overdo it, hmm?"

Isolde raised an eyebrow, smirking faintly. "If you're implying, I was the one who overdid it, you'd be mistaken."

"Oh really?" Serena said, crossing her arms. "Then who was the one begging me for more halfway through the night?"

"Oi! Stop talking like that so casually!" Oliver protested, face burning.

Both women burst out laughing, the tension breaking immediately.

"Anyway," Oliver said, running a hand through his hair in defeat, "I'm heading out before this turns into another round of teasing."

"Going to the guild?" Serena asked, her tone softening slightly.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Just need to give a full report about yesterday's goblin subjugation and pick up the reward."

"Oh?" Isolde asked curiously, sitting up straighter. "That's right — I meant to ask how you fared alone yesterday. Did everything go well?"

Serena added with interest, "Yes, I'd like to hear that too. You looked quite haggard yesterday"

Oliver sighed, adjusting his cloak. "It's… a long story. If I start now, I'll never make it to the guild on time. I'll tell you both once I get back."

"Fine," Isolde said, waving lazily as she fell back on the bed. "Don't take too long. We'll be waiting."

Serena grinned. "I'll make sure to save you something good for lunch."

Oliver smirked faintly as he reached for the door. "Appreciate it, miss landlady."

"Be careful, hero," Serena teased, her tone light but affectionate. "Try not to end up in another woman's bed today."

Oliver stopped mid-step and gave her a side glance. "As if. You have left me with no strength in me."

He left before she could retort, his laughter echoing faintly down the stairs.

~~~~

The Adventurer's Guild was already buzzing by the time Oliver arrived.

The clatter of mugs, the rustle of parchment, and the constant murmur of quests being discussed filled the air. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting golden light over the wooden hall.

Oliver pushed open the door, rubbing the back of his neck. He still looked a little worn out, but his eyes were clearer than last night — a good night's rest and a long bath did wonders.

Behind the counter, Lena looked up from her paperwork.

Her lips curved into a small smile. "Well, look who actually kept his word."

Oliver chuckled, leaning an elbow against the counter. "Did you doubt me?"

"After the way you looked yesterday?" she teased. "I thought you might sleep for a week."

"Tempting," he admitted, "but I figured you'd hunt me down if I didn't show."

"You're not wrong." She flipped through a stack of reports and pulled out a parchment. "Now, about that goblin subjugation mission — I already got the reports from the adventurers and knights who arrived after you."

Oliver nodded slowly. "So they confirmed everything?"

"More than confirmed." Lena's tone turned serious as she scanned the sheet. "From their accounts — and from the state of the site — it was clearly a full goblin tribe, not just a wandering group. There were organized defenses, a hobgoblin leader, even signs of a shaman's rituals. That changes the mission rank from D to A."

Oliver blinked. "A-rank? That's quite the jump."

"Mm-hm." She tapped the parchment with her pen. "Which also means the reward's increased. You're getting paid like an A-rank completion — hazard bonus, emergency suppression credit, and tribal extermination bonus."

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like a lot of words for 'extra gold.'"

Lena grinned. "Exactly." She reached under the counter and brought out a small leather pouch. The faint jingle inside was promising. "Thirty-five gold coins. Plus, the city hall added another five as gratitude for saving the captured villagers."

Oliver let out a low whistle, taking the pouch and weighing it in his hand. "Not bad for a day's work."

"Well, considering you nearly wiped out a small goblin army solo," Lena said, resting her chin on her hand, "I'd say you earned it."

"Fair point." He smirked.

"But that's not all." Her tone shifted again — this time, more formal. "The guild's review board went through your performance history, mission logs, and the latest report. And…"

She extended her hand. "Adventurer card, please."

Oliver blinked, surprised. "Oh? Why?"

"Just hand it over, hero."

He reached into his pocket and placed the thin metal card on the counter. Lena covered it with her palm and closed her eyes for a moment, murmuring something softly under her breath. A faint glow pulsed beneath her hand — a soft blue shimmer that flickered like mana-infused light.

When the glow faded, she slid the card back to him with a smile.

"Congratulations, Oliver Shaw. You've been officially promoted to C-rank."

Oliver looked at the card — and sure enough, the etched letters beside his name now read C-Rank Adventurer.

He stared for a second before giving a small laugh. "Huh. Guess I'm moving up in the world."

"Don't act so modest," Lena said, chuckling. "You ranked up from E to C in barely a month. Most adventurers take years to get that far."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I had a good teacher."

"Oh? Isolde, right?" Lena's grin turned teasing. "Having a S rank in your party is a overkill you know? I suspect she basically carried you through your early quests."

Oliver gave her a mock glare. "You sound jealous."

"I'm just stating facts. Most of the adventurers would do anything to take your place," she said innocently, twirling her pen. "So, what now, mister C-rank? Planning to take on a dragon next?"

He laughed quietly. "Not today. I'm taking the day off."

"Smart choice," she said, stamping his report. "Rest while you can. Once word spreads that you cleared a tribe alone, the guild's going to start throwing jobs your way."

"I'll keep that in mind." He slid the card back into his pocket and turned to leave.

"Oliver," Lena called as he reached the door.

He paused, glancing back.

"Good work," she said softly. "Not just for the job — but for saving those people. You did something that really mattered."

For a moment, he said nothing. Then he smiled faintly, a quiet sincerity in his eyes.

"Thanks, Lena."

And with that, he pushed open the door a familiar girl blocked his path.

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