The Awakener Guild was impossible to miss.
Even from several streets away, its towering silhouette rose above the surrounding buildings, standing out against the modern skyline of Kragdeep City. The structure was so tall that Mira had to tilt her head back considerably just to see its uppermost floors.
"That’s the guild?" she asked, slowing down.
Evelyne glanced in the direction of her gaze. "Unless someone has built another thirty-story building with the guild’s emblem on its roof, yes."
Mira ignored the remark.
The Awakener Guild was the tallest building in the city, consisting of thirty floors of polished glass, dark metal, and pale stone. Its architecture was distinctly modern, with broad windows stretching across the exterior, smooth walls, and several elevated platforms extending from the upper levels. The sunlight reflected off the glass facade, giving the building a faint silver sheen.
A massive emblem had been engraved above the main entrance. It depicted a sword crossing a circular crest, with a stylized mountain rising behind them. The symbol represented the guild’s three principal responsibilities: combat, exploration, and the protection of those who ventured into dangerous territories.
Electronic displays had been installed on either side of the entrance, showing announcements, available missions, dungeon warnings, and the names of Awakeners who had recently completed particularly difficult assignments.
Mira stared at everything.
"This place looks more like a corporate headquarters than an adventurer’s guild."
"Why?" Evelyne asked. "Did you expect a wooden building with a counter, a notice board, and a group of suspicious-looking men drinking in the corner?"
Mira considered that for a moment.
"Actually, yes."
"Then I’m afraid you’ll have to adjust your expectations."
Evelyne continued walking, leaving Mira to hurry after her.
The closer they came, the more clearly Mira could appreciate the scale of the building. The main entrance was wide enough to accommodate several people walking side by side, and the glass doors opened automatically as visitors approached.
Beyond them lay a spacious lobby that appeared to extend several stories upward. The ceiling was high, the floor was made of polished stone, and a series of elevators stood along the far wall. Digital signs displayed directions to the various departments, while a long information counter occupied the center of the hall.
There were people everywhere.
Awakeners came and went in a steady stream, accompanied by assistants, merchants, and ordinary citizens who had business with the guild. Some carried weapons openly, while others wore identification badges around their necks. A few looked exhausted, with dusty clothes and tired expressions suggesting that they had only recently returned from an expedition.
Despite the crowd, the lobby remained remarkably orderly.
Mira had expected the guild to be a place where powerful people shouted at one another, argued over rewards, and competed to prove their strength.
Instead, it seemed to operate with the efficiency of a large modern organization.
"Come on," Evelyne said. "We need the mission reception."
Mira followed her gaze toward a series of counters on the left side of the lobby.
"Is that where we hire people?"
"Among other things."
The Awakener Guild was not merely an organization that arranged parties for dungeon exploration. Its responsibilities extended throughout the city and beyond, making it one of the most important institutions in the realm.
Arranging dungeon expeditions was one of its most recognizable functions. Independent Awakeners and established teams regularly visited the guild to find companions, hire specialists, obtain information about dungeon conditions, and register their expeditions. Those who lacked sufficient manpower could post recruitment requests, while experienced teams could offer their services for an agreed fee.
However, that was only one part of its business.
The guild also accepted requests from merchants, city officials, private citizens, and other organizations. These tasks ranged from escorting valuable shipments and gathering rare ingredients to investigating unusual phenomena, retrieving lost belongings, guarding important locations, and dealing with dangerous creatures that wandered too close to populated areas.
Anyone with a legitimate request could submit a task, provided they met the guild’s requirements and were willing to pay the necessary fees.
The guild would then assess the request, establish its terms, and make it available to suitable Awakeners.
Apart from its mission services, the guild also functioned as one of the most accessible places in the city to buy and sell items related to awakening.
Awakeners frequently returned from dungeons carrying materials they had no use for, equipment they had outgrown, or valuable objects they lacked the knowledge to identify. Rather than searching for individual buyers, they could sell their findings through the guild’s trading department.
Likewise, those preparing for expeditions could purchase weapons, protective equipment, potions, monster materials, and various other supplies from registered merchants operating within the building.
The guild took a commission from many of these transactions, but in exchange, buyers and sellers benefited from established procedures, verification services, and a degree of protection against fraud.
For someone who had no connections in Kragdeep City, it was arguably the easiest place to begin.
And that was precisely why Evelyne had brought Mira here.
They reached the reception area, where several counters were arranged in a neat row. Each had a digital sign indicating its purpose.
One handled registrations. Another dealt with expedition permits. A third processed payments and rewards.
The counter they needed was marked MISSIONS AND CONTRACTS.
A young woman sat behind it, reviewing information displayed on a transparent screen. She wore a formal guild uniform, with her dark hair tied neatly behind her head and a small identification badge pinned to her collar.
When Evelyne approached, the receptionist raised her head.
"Good afternoon. How may I assist you?"
"We’d like to issue a task," Evelyne replied.
"Certainly. May I ask what kind of task you’d like to register?"
"We’re looking for a group of experienced Awakeners to accompany us into Kragdeep Dungeon. We need people who are familiar with the surrounding area and have sufficient experience to handle unexpected situations."
The receptionist nodded and began entering the details.
"Understood. May I have your name, please?"
"Evelyne de Roselle."