Garnlao seemed like just an old man who had seen his fair share of experiences and didn't care much for more. He set Kaede on the path handing him a bag quite generously stuffed with food and a petty amount of money.

With nowhere to go, Kaede began his journey by merely putting some distance between him and the Scentful Spring Sect, eventually ending up in Rith, a Special Economic Zone on the eastern border. That's where foreign goods could legally enter the Mhyrr¹. Despite formally being part of the Elven Empire, in Rith even the local branch of the royal family was more of a token than actually holding any influence. The Chamber of Commerce and the Adventurer's Guild, however, were politically powerful. As a matter of fact, Kaede believed that the Adventurer's Guild would provide the best opportunities and resources for someone like him, which definitely wasn't an offhand rationalization for actually wanting to be an adventurer since he was a kid.

"I would like to apply as an Adventurer."
The receptionist Gaell eyed Kaede from head to toe, then stated: "For people below the Soul Shaping Realm there's only the provisional license available. Your rank will be F, and the license will cost 10 silver per month until you pass the E-Rank exam. Also you won't be formally supervised, which means only public assignments are going to be available for you. That being said there's no shortage of those, so staying alive will be more of a problem than starving. Interested?"
"When can I take an E-Rank exam?"
"At the end of each season we hold all sorts of exams. The fee is 10 silver coins, and E-Rankers are expected to pass the test at least once per year."
"I see, and what does it consist of?"
"It depends on what skill adventurers tend to lack at that time, which usually means combat or stealth. Sometimes even knowledge."