*Present*
James stepped out of the room.
Voices drifted up from downstairs—calm, unfamiliar, carrying a weight the inn usually lacked. He paused for a moment, then made his way down.
At the bottom of the stairs, he saw Ms. Marie speaking with two strangers.
Ms. Marie was plump, cheerful, and endlessly kind, forever pressing food and warm words on her guests. She ruled her inn like a mother hen—loving, relentless, and impossible to refuse. But anyone foolish enough to cause trouble quickly learned that her temper burned hotter than her hearth, and one sharp shout from her could end a fight before it ever started.
Marie noticed him first.
"Oh—James," she said, relief softening her face. "These gentlemen were just asking about you."
They were unmistakably from the Guild.
Both wore clean black robes trimmed with blue lapels, the fabric thick and well-kept. Swords rested at their sides, not displayed proudly, but worn like an extension of the body—tools rather than symbols.
The older man stood with a relaxed posture.. His presence was quiet, controlled, yet overwhelming. He didn't need to raise his voice or shift his stance. The air around him felt steady, unmovable.
Although most of his body was covered by the robe, the parts James could see told the story of a life of violence. His hands were calloused and rough, his fingers never fully straightening. Old scars sprinkled across his face and neck as though they were freckles, each one holding a story.
The younger one stood beside him, about James's age, with an easy confidence that came from knowing where he stood in the world.
He had short, light brown hair that never seemed quite in place, no matter how neatly he tied it back, and sharp green eyes that missed very little. When he smiled it carried a mix of excitement and genuine curiosity, like someone who still believed the world had more to show him.
Both of them carried an aura James recognized immediately.
Mana.
He'd only felt something similar from a person once before—from the old man who had saved him months ago. But the two before him now paled in comparison to that old man.
Comparing them was like comparing a cup of water to the ocean.
The younger guild member turned instantly, eyes lighting up.
"That's him?" he asked, stepping forward. "You're James?"
James nodded, stopping at the foot of the stairs. "Yes, sir."
The older man studied him in silence.
James felt it immediately—the scrutiny. Not hostile, but sharp, like a blade testing its edge. And yet… something felt off. The man's gaze lingered longer than expected, brows faintly knitting together.
Nothing, the elder thought.
No fluctuation. No internal energy he could sense at all.
A mana cultivator at Elder Hans level can sense and accurately gauge the density of a beings mana core.
Elder Han can even sense the tiniest traces of mana in people who have never formed a core or practiced a mana cultivation method.
For him to not even be able to sense the slightest ounce of mana from the boy can only mean 3 possible things.
He lacks the ability to hold any mana within his body
Although very rare, its not unheard of, but if that was the case the Grand Elder certainly would have noticed and would never have offered for him to join the guild.
He practices some sort of strange mana cultivation method that masks any trace of mana in his body
This is definitely possible, and the most likely case considering the kids mysterious origins
He has a much more dense mana control than himself and the precise control to match
Elder Han didn't even remotely consider it due to the sheer impossibility.
Strange…
He kept his thoughts to himself.
"So you're the boy," the older man said at last, his tone calm. "James."
"Yes, sir."
"I am Elder Han," he said. "This is on of our Disciples, Ren."
The younger boy grinned. "Disciple Ren. It's nice to finally meet you."
James bowed slightly. "Thank you for coming."
James hesitated, then turned toward Marie.
She was watching him with that same worried look she always had when he left the inn for too long.
He bowed deeper this time.
"Marie… thank you. For everything," he said. "The food. The bed. Letting me stay when I had nowhere else to go."
She waved a hand, but her eyes shone. "You worked hard for it. Don't talk like you were a burden."
"I won't forget it," James said quietly. "I promise. Someday, I'll repay your kindness."
She smiled, then reached out and straightened his collar. "Just make sure you come back alive, hm?"
"Yes," he said. "I will."
Ren watched the exchange with open curiosity.
Elder Han turned toward the door. "If you're ready, we should depart. The road is long."
James took one last look around the inn.
Then he nodded.
"I'm ready."
As they stepped outside, Ren walked alongside him, barely containing his excitement.
"So, Elder Han told me that you've been at that inn for the last three months waiting for us. What have you been doing?"
"Just training and working around the inn. Would you mind telling me a little about the guild?"
Behind them, Elder Han followed in silence, his gaze never leaving James's back.