Adventurers often travelled in parties consisting of four to five members, a standard regulated by the Adventurers Guild.
There were strict rules when forming a party. Unlike solo adventurers, parties had their own ranking system, and the quests assigned to them were typically more difficult and dangerous than those available to individuals.
Once a party was officially formed and registered, its members could no longer take solo quests. They were expected to operate as a unit, working together and choosing quests that matched their combined skills and capabilities.
A party leader had to be appointed during the party's creation.
The leader was responsible for maintaining discipline and ensuring the party followed guild rules.
Once appointed, a leader could not leave the party unless they officially disbanded the entire group.
As for party members, they were allowed to leave under certain conditions—but only with a valid reason.
In such cases, the guild would review the request and hold a meeting with both the party leader and the member seeking to leave, ensuring fairness and transparency.
Party quests often included dungeon exploration, military support for kingdom expeditions and other high-stakes mission. These quests typically ranged from C-rank to S-rank, making parties an essential force in larger-scale operation.
There were also cases where a party would seek a temporary member to assist with a specific quest, this was especially common when traveling to unfamiliar towns or villages.
In such situations, parties often hired local adventurers to serve as guides or provide support tailored to the area, such as navigating terrain, dealing with local monsters, or gathering specific resources.
Though temporary members were not officially registered as part of a party, they were still expected to follow all guild protocols during the quest.
Even though Lux was a low-ranked adventurer, he wasn't clueless.
In fact, he was smart and diligent—he had read the entire guild manual and even attended guild classes on the fundamentals of adventuring.
While he lacked strength and a class, Lux made up for it in knowledge and intelligence.
So when the unfamiliar group of adventurers entered the guild, Lux didn't leave immediately.
Instead, he quietly returned and took a seat at one of the empty tables, casually watching the group from the corner of his eye.
Lisa, behind the counter, noticed his sudden change in behaviour.
She could tell Lux was curious, but she didn't call him out, the party had already stepped up to her counter.
"Good morning! How can I assist you today?"
She greeted them with her usual professional smile, preparing herself to listen carefully.
And Lux, without making it obvious, tilted his head slightly—just enough to eavesdrop on the conversation.
Then, form the group, a man stepped forward.
He wore full rough armour, unpolished which shown what he been gone through so far because the surface of his amor plate.
He looked young, likely around Lisa's age. His most striking features were his long blonde hair, and the scar etched across his left cheek. At his side hung a sheathed sword, resting firmly against his left hip.
"We're here from the nearby town," he said in a low, composed tone, "to investigate the Dungeon of Nightfall."
Lisa's eyes widened slightly as she realized something.
"Ah. That's right. You must be the C-Rank party we requested."
Since there were no adventurer parties based in Egrish, the guild would often submit formal request to nearby towns when assistance was needed with dungeon activity, monster control or expedition support.
Near Egrish, there was a small dungeon known as Nightfall.
It had long been considered inactive monsters were rarely seen, and no unusual activity had ever been reported by the guild's scouts.
Still, as a precautionary measure, the guild never overlooked it. The ruin was scheduled for inspection once every month, just to be safe.
As per guild regulations, exploring a dungeon required an official adventurer party.
Since Lux was only an E-rank adventurer and lacked a party, he was prohibited from entering the dungeon, strictly for his own safety.
However, there were exceptions.
Adventurers ranked B or higher were permitted to enter dungeons alone, though only under certain precautions and with prior approval from the guild.
There had been many tragic cases in the past where adventurers ignored such warnings.
Overconfident and dismissive of guild rules, they entered dungeons alone and never returned.
"Would you mind if I check your Adventurer ID and party registration before we proceed?"
Lisa asked politely.
The blonde man nodded and handed over his Adventurer Card along with a Party Registration Card.
Then, as Lisa examined the documents, he added with a calm voice,
"Apologies, Miss Receptionist. It seems two of my regular members couldn't make it today, so I've temporarily filled their spots with other adventurers. I've already filed a joint party request."
Lisa tilted her head slighty as she examined the party card.
The group of his registration was consisting of four people, including the blonde man himself, however behind this man stood four, add him would be five.
"I see, Mr. Blake,"
She replied, glancing at this name on the ID.
"In that case, I'll need to verify the identification of all current part members before approving the request."
After a thorough verification process by Lisa, it was confirmed that the original party led by Mr. Blake was called "Storming Night", composed of five members, all males.
Currently, only two of the original members had arrived, Blake himself and another warrior named Lowel. Both were veteran adventurers.
What truly caught Lisa's attention, were the three temporary members, two young men and one girl.
The two boys, Will and Vox, appeared to be around Lux's age. Despite their youth, both were equipped with high-quality gear, far more expensive than what average adventurers could afford. According to their records, they had registered as adventurers just half a year ago.
Will, a Dexterity Class ranger, was outfitted with a bow and a quiver full of arrows strapped across his back.
Vox, on the other hand, was a Warrior Class adventurer, wielding a longsword and a small round shield.
From their appearance and equipment alone, it was clear—they likely came from wealthy households.
The final member was a girl named Lia, dressed in a long, flowing robe that concealed most of her body, revealing only her beautiful face. She was registered under the Mage Class.
"…Sorry for the wait, Mr. Blake. Everything has been verified, you're all clear!"
Lisa returned with a polite smile, holding the stamped documents of approval from the Guild Master.
However, a subtle flicker of irritation crossed both Blake and Lowel's faces. It was clear they had grown tired of the lengthy verification process, though neither of them said a word.
Blake stepped forward once again, his tone calm and composed.
"This is our first time here. We'd like to request a local guide to escort us to the dungeon"
Just a Lisa was about to respond, a loud voice rang out from the side of the hall.
"HERE, SIR !"
Everyone turned toward the sound.
Lux stood there; hand raised high.
Lisa froze, caught between shock and disbelief.
Brake raised an eyebrow, slightly amused.
".. I see. And are you an adventurer?"
Lux nodded proudly.
"Yes, sir ! An E-rank adventurer !"
"...E-rank?"
Blake repeated, surprised.
The same look of doubt appeared on the faces of Will, Vox, and Lia. They exchanged glances, clearly unsure about the situation.
Lisa quickly stepped in; her voice laced with concern.
"Mr. Blake… I don't think Lux is suited for this. He's not ready to explore a dungeon."
Blake turned to her with a calm, reassuring smile.
"Don't worry. We'll keep him safe. We just need him to guide us to the dungeon. Once we get there, he's free to leave."
"I see. Then I'll write it in the report."
"Thanks!"
Lisa gave Lux a sharp, pointed stare before sitting back down and continuing her paperwork.
Lux realized he'd probably made her mad, but still, this was his first real step into the life of a true adventurer.
It was far better than wasting away on E-rank tasks.