Mixarnt glanced around the expansive guild hall, his sharp eyes taking in the sparse number of adventurers scattered about. The guild was far larger than he had expected, but the lack of activity was striking. It was a stark contrast to the bustling adventurers’ guilds he had seen in other places.

"Anyways, I couldn’t help but notice there aren’t many adventurers here in Aetherlight. Is it because the kingdom leans more on knights? I read in a book that yearly knight exams are held, and the kingdom produces fine knights. Knights can even be commissioned by people in place of adventurers, right?"

The guildmaster, his expression a mix of pride and resignation as he surveyed the nearly empty hall. "That’s correct, Mixarnt," he said, his voice carrying the weight of experience. "Aetherlight places a strong emphasis on chivalry and martial prowess, which is reflected in the prevalence of knights throughout the kingdom. Our knights are renowned for their valor, honor, and unwavering dedication to serving the realm."

He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly as if considering how much to reveal. Then, leaning forward, his voice dropped to a more conspiratorial tone. "However, beneath the surface, there exists a complex web of politics and social hierarchy that affects the adventuring community. Many nobles view adventurers as inferior, seeing us as mere mercenary scum who operate outside the bounds of proper knightly conduct."

The guildmaster’s voice took on a slightly bitter edge as he continued. "As a result, opportunities for adventurers in Aetherlight can be scarce, especially when compared to more open-minded kingdoms like Naeva. Knights are seen as the epitome of nobility and service, while adventurers are often dismissed as unruly and unreliable. It’s a mindset that’s deeply ingrained in the culture here."

Mixarnt listened intently, his grin fading slightly as he processed the guildmaster’s words. He had suspected as much, but hearing it laid out so plainly was still a bit jarring. "So, adventurers are basically second-class citizens here, huh?" he said, his tone light but with an undercurrent of frustration.

The guildmaster nodded, his expression grim. "In many ways, yes. It’s not uncommon for adventurers to be passed over for jobs in favor of knights, even when the task at hand would be better suited to our skills. The nobility here values tradition and status above all else, and that often leaves little room for those of us who don’t fit into their neatly defined hierarchy."

Mixarnt crossed his arms, his deep blue eyes narrowing as he considered the situation. "Well, that’s just stupid," he said bluntly. "Adventurers and knights both have their strengths. It’s not about who’s ‘better’—it’s about getting the job done."

The guildmaster chuckled dryly, a hint of admiration in his eyes. "You’re not wrong, kid. But try telling that to the nobles. They’re not exactly known for their open-mindedness."

"I also heard that knights who come from low-class families—um, commoners—are treated badly by their own colleagues and commanders. Some are even sent on suicide missions-," Mixarnt said casually.

The guildmaster’s hand shot up to cover Mixarnt’s mouth, cutting him off mid-sentence. His eyes widened with alarm, and a look of warning flashed across his face. For a moment, the two locked eyes, a silent understanding passing between them. Then, the guildmaster slowly removed his hand and pressed a finger to his own lips, signaling Mixarnt to keep quiet about such a sensitive topic.

Once the tension eased, the guildmaster cleared his throat and spoke in a calm but serious tone. "Let’s just say that not everything is as perfect as it seems in the knights' world, young one. But these matters are best left unspoken, for the sake of harmony and safety within the kingdom."

He stood up from his seat and gestured for Mixarnt to follow. "Now, tell me, what brings you to Aetherlight, aside from your... unfortunate incident during the quest? Do you have any specific goals or plans while you’re here?"

"Plans? Not really. I just came here to submit my completed quests," Mixarnt said, pulling out 50 gathering quests he had finished. These were originally from the Naeva Kingdom, but submitting them to a different branch of the adventurers' guild was allowed.

He then retrieved 10 large bags of loot from his dimensional pocket.

The guild master’s jaw nearly dropped, his eyes widening in disbelief as he watched Mixarnt casually pull out massive sacks of loot as if it were nothing. "W-what the—WHAT!?" he stammered, completely overwhelmed by the sheer size and number of the bags.

"As you know, gathering quests are tough and often involve collecting rare to ultra-rare items. It took me four months to complete all of these, and I made sure to collect at least 100 of each item to sell to the guild as well," Mixarnt said with a grin.