“Nice job, dummy…” Aria murmured, knowing full well that Farem could hear her with his high-level [Detection]. “Ugh… The Chosen Hero… exiled. Stupid!”

Farem shrugged again and turned back to the receptionist. “Well, I guess we can go questing for a bit to rise in ranking. Is there any A-Rank quest available today, miss?”

“A-Rank? You?” the receptionist scoffed. “Apologies, sir. All the B-Rank quests and above are taken. Plus, you need two more members, preferably B-Rank or above, in your party to go. Sorry, it’s the standard rule,” the girl smirked, her gaze lingering on Aria a bit too long. Had she recognized them?

“C-Rank and below, then?” said Farem.

“Do you need quests that badly?” The receptionist scanned the nearby Quest Board. “Fine. Excuse me for a moment.” Then she dashed over to the board to get a closer look.

Aria repeatedly tapped her feet on the floor, inspecting the Guild’s windows and back doors for an escape route. Should things go awry, they’d bolt to safety. Time ticked away, weighing on her nerves. How good was this Info Board? And how would ranking up even work?

“Farem…” she whispered. “How do we rank up?”

“They judge you based on your [Stat] levels and completion of higher-level quests. You need to give them proof of achievement, like a goblin’s claws or something. If we want to reach A-Rank, we’d need the Guildmaster’s stamp of approval. If we want S-Rank, we’d need to do an exam.”

“That sounds tedious…” Aria grumbled.

“Sorry, this is my fault. I’ve been out of the game for so long. But think of it like a little adventure! Dragons and orcs! Serpents and centipedes! Old ruins and ancient dungeons filled with loot!” Farem bounced up and down, then calmed himself down to avoid embarrassing himself in front of his wife. “Sorry, got nostalgic there.”

“I’m so sorry, sir,” said the receptionist, strolling over to Farem. “All the quests are taken today.”

“Every single one?!” Farem gasped.

“Yes, sir. My humblest apologies.” She flashed a customer-service smile. “At least you won’t become goblin dinner.”

Aria stared daggers at the girl. How dare she insult her husband?!

But before Aria could teach her a lesson, a booming voice burst from behind them. “Hello, adventurers!” said a man in heavy-plate armour. Aria spun around, halfway through summoning her trident. He looked like a Tank Class, and judging by the massive hammer on his back, he probably was. “The name is Borius! Nice to meet you all!”

Aria stared blankly at him.

Behind Borius, every adventurer was whispering about his presence. Aria perked her ears and listened.

“Omigosh! It’s Borius the Bold! He’s so handsome in person!!! OMG!!!!” squealed a fox girl.

“I heard he suplexed a dragon!” murmured a mage.

“Isn’t that guy rich? Being A-Rank must be quite profitable…” muttered a man in a thief's garb.

“Hello, Borius!” Farem shook his hand. “What business do you have with us?”

“Pardon me! I just happened to overhear. Seems you two got no quest or party member, eh?” He glanced at the all-filled-up Quest Board. “No worries! You two can join us. Me and the priest over there!”

Borius pointed at a man robed in white, a golden cross dangling around his neck, his face obscured under a black brimmed hat. Aria immediately recognized that uniform—the Church. Her army had fought them countless times, but their numbers rarely depleted. They wielded noble healing magic, yet they used it to torture! Aria had seen Dark Beasts’ limbs hacked off, restored instantly, then cleaved off again. Furious, she shot the priest with a glare so sharp it could draw blood.

Priests and paladins often travelled around the world, but most of their activities resided in the Sancta-Delariff Cathedral. But why would one be in a Guild building? If this priest were walking around the Town of Oroga, it wouldn’t surprise her since the town belonged to the High Emperor, and the Highpeak Kingdom and the Church were allies back in the war. A thought made Aria shudder. Perhaps this time, the Guild Association was involved, as well.

Oh, wait. Aria accidentally bit her tongue as she realized her hubris. Of course, a priest would be in a Guild building because they might be registered healers! She groaned at her own overthinking. Suspicions could be misleading without concrete evidence.

Still, priests also possessed [Holy Detection], a high-level skill unique to the Church, able to catch the faintest sign of darkness. In short, this man was a threat. That was all she needed to know.

“A priest, huh?” Farem scanned the man with [Detection], but it was of no use. His robe shimmered brightly, stacked with layer after layer of protection enchantments.

Aria threw Farem a look that said: “I don’t trust these guys at all.”

And Farem returned with a slight nod that said: “I know, but they may be our only option.”

“I see,” Farem smiled, turning back to Borius. “What kind of quest are you on today?”

“We plan to raid a high-tier A-Rank dungeon today, and don’t worry! I’ll protect you guys if it gets too dangerous. You two are both E-Rankers, yes?”

The almighty Dark Lord glanced at her husband, the strongest Hero of the modern day. They both nodded yes. It would be a pain if anyone recognized their true identity. Pretending to be weak was annoying, though; Aria wasn’t used to pulling her punches.

“It’ll be a good learning experience! Hahahaha!” Borius laughed heartily.

“Thank god.” The receptionist sighed in relief. “With Borius, I’m sure you two newbies will be safe. Also, I’ll register you two on the Blue Lobster Guild’s list. May I have your names?”

“Umm…” Farem glanced at Aria, then at the receptionist, then at Borius, and finally, at the ceiling. Stressful, indeed. He needed two names that wouldn’t sound suspicious or too revealing. So Farem racked his brain for ideas, sweat rolling down his face like a waterfall.

Thankfully, Aria spoke for him. “I’m Maria. This is my partner… Dumbrem.”

“Dumb…bell?” Borius puzzled. “Like a dumbbell?”

“Dumb… rem?” The receptionist clicked her pen. “Umm… Alright. Welcome to the Blue Lobster Guild, Mr. Dumbrem and Mrs. Maria.”

Farem looked at Aria like she had just told him to sleep on the couch tonight.

And she couldn’t hold back her giggle.