Two weeks have passed, and most of Zarina’s wounds have healed. The bandages slowly disappeared, and her skin closed again, although she still cannot run without feeling pain in her side. Even so, she tries to do everything she can to keep up with her young master, even if that means walking faster than she should.

  Kael received several knocks on the head for pushing her too hard and making her follow him everywhere, crossing streets, shops, and hallways as if the concept of “rest” did not exist.

  Unfortunately, today would not be the exception.. On one of his business trips to the city, he would not be supervised by his guardians… but by his own mother.

  At the Adventurers’ Guild, a new batch of missions was being prepared. Constant murmurs filled the main hall: the sound of parchment sliding, the metallic noise of armor being adjusted, the smell of leather, sweat, and old wood filling the air. Several teams gathered at long tables, planning routes, dangers, and rewards.

  Suddenly, the guild doors opened wide with a loud bang against the wall.

  A figure entered in a hurry.

  He was a frequent visitor, someone who regularly requested assignments. But this time he looked agitated.

  All the adventurers, upon seeing him, were already familiar with his presence. They knew him as the young master who requested missions to gather unusual resources.

  Kael walked past them quickly, barely raising a hand in greeting as he moved almost at a trot, heading straight to the reception desk where Jane was.

  He stopped her without slowing down.

  —My dear and beautiful Jane! I need to post a protection mission immediately! —Kael exclaimed, placing both hands on the counter.

  Shocked by the request, Jane opened her eyes wide in surprise.

  —Young master? Did something happen? Where is the danger? —she asked, leaning toward him.

  Kael looked at her with an expression that mixed concern and drama.

  —It’s right here! A horrible and evil gorilla is chasing me! I need immediate protection!

  Some adventurers tensed when they heard the word “gorilla.” Others simply looked at him with clear skepticism.

  At that moment, Valeryn and the rank D team approached to greet him.

  Kael looked at them as if he had found divine salvation.

  —Guys! I need an immediate escort to take me to the elf kingdom! —he declared, pointing toward the door.

  Lyris frowned.

  —Didn’t you just say a monster had invaded the city?

  Valeryn crossed her arms, calmly analyzing the situation.

  —Why exactly do you need to escape?

  Suddenly, the guild doors opened wide again.

  This time there was no murmur.

  A terrifying magical aura spread through the place like an invisible pressure compressing the air. Several adventurers felt a chill run down their backs. Some even reached for their weapons out of instinct.

  The young master was not joking about being chased by something powerful.

  But, to everyone’s surprise, it was not a monster.

  It was the great lady Caria.

  Furious.

  Looking for her son.

  In a movement almost supersonic, she appeared next to the reception desk and grabbed Kael by the collar of his jacket.

  —You little troublemaker! How many times did I tell you not to separate from us when we’re outside? —Caria roared, her brow deeply furrowed.

  The adventurers, quite shocked, exchanged nervous looks.

  Elira stepped forward with a tense smile.

  —Lady Caria, what a pleasure to see you here… did young master Kael misbehave?

  Kael, still hanging by his collar, looked at her with the expression of a scolded puppy.

  —Of course not! I clearly told her I needed to come check some exploration books from the guild. And she said, “Yes, of course, we’ll go to the guild, I’ll go with you.” And she stayed with Mama Tana for almost half an hour in the clothing store!

  Several adventurers had to hold back their laughter.

  Caria looked at him with an expression that mixed fury and embarrassment.

  —Is this how you repay me for looking for nice clothes for you, ungrateful child? —she said before giving him several knocks on the head for being rude.

  —I’m comfortable and happy with my workshop clothes! —Kael protested, covering his head.

  —How can you say that? You can’t wear dirty clothes that smell bad every day! —Caria replied, hitting him again on the top of his head.

  While Caria finished scolding Kael, Tana arrived carrying Zarina in her arms, since the girl could not run.

  —Oh, you two! You’re the same, real whirlwinds of energy —Tana sighed, with a mix of affection and exhaustion.

  Lyris looked at the newcomer and finally saw clearly the girl who had once been tragic and mistreated.

  —Oh… Lady Tana… and you brought the little one? Hello…

  Zarina, a little embarrassed, tried to cover herself more with her hat so her horns would not show. She was carefully placed on the floor and greeted politely, slightly bowing her head.

  —Hello… good morning. My name is Zarina. It’s a pleasure to meet you.

  The four adventurers looked at her small hat and her shy voice.

  And they were completely moved by her cuteness.

  While some were catching up socially, others were being punished without mercy. Kael kept receiving knocks on the head with questionable dignity, and Caria did not seem willing to stop yet.

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  Then the guild’s side door opened, this time with less noise, but with a presence that imposed silence.

  An imposing man appeared in the room.

  His dark hair falls in untamed waves, perfectly matching his image as an indomitable veteran. He wears light yet refined armor, designed not for everyday combat but to project authority; over it, he bears a red cape that symbolizes his rank within the guild and his responsibility over dozens of adventurers.

  —What is going on here? —he asked in a deep voice, observing the scene of mother and son in full punishment.

  Jane slightly lowered her head.

  —Oh, Guild Leader… it’s unusual to see you here…

  Caria looked at him with clear annoyance, still holding Kael by the collar.

  —Hey, Joel… don’t you think you’re already old enough to retire?

  Joel raised an eyebrow with exaggerated drama.

  —Oh… by the gods… young master Kael is being cruelly attacked by a gorilla, and my adventurers are doing nothing to save him…

  Kael raised his thumb while still hanging.

  —That’s right! That clearly shows the loyalty of your adventurers!

  The comment earned him another immediate knock on the head.

  And just like that, both the guild leader and the young master ended up receiving more hits than usual.

  Joel rubbed his head with resignation.

  —If you’re going to come with your mother, at least tell me so I don’t have to be present…

  —I wanted to come alone, but they won’t let me! —Kael complained, crossing his arms.

  Tana intervened firmly.

  —Of course not! How could you even think we would let you come without supervision?

  Joel sighed while adjusting his cape.

  —Very well. The room is ready, and I have the books you requested… now let’s move on to business.

  Everyone, except Kael, looked confused.

  Business?

  Kael stepped forward with a satisfied smile and walked with Joel toward a private room on the second floor of the guild. Before going up, he looked back.

  —My two mothers, if you want, you can go look at clothes with Zarina… but you guys, I need you for some missions. So you need to come.

  The five rank D adventurers exchanged looks.

  A rank S adventurer was accompanying them.

  Clearly, this was not something insignificant.

  The private room was lit by large windows that let in the midday light. On the central sturdy wooden table, Joel placed several open books, their pages marked and covered with notes written in dark ink.

  The smell of old parchment and dust mixed with the warm air rising from the main hall.

  Joel took a seat.

  —All right… let’s start with what you mentioned about white soils and walls…

  Kael, sitting in front of everyone, straightened his back. His eyes shone with excitement.

  —That’s right. We need saltpeter. It is characterized by being white and slightly crystallized.

  He took a small sample from his backpack. It looked like a white layer attached to a fragment of stone. When touched, it crumbled into fine, dry powder.

  Arán looked at it with clear disgust.

  —Hey, shorty… if that’s what I think it is… isn’t that what starts to appear in latrines that have been used for a long time?

  Kael looked at him with admiration.

  —Exactly! Much of the saltpeter is produced in places where large amounts of excrement and urine have flowed.

  Silence.

  Everyone looked at him with discomfort.

  Adriel made a face.

  —How disgusting… young master… what do you need that material for?

  Kael placed both hands on the table and spoke with an analytical look.

  —Saltpeter contains a very important component for my advances. One of its main elements is potassium nitrate.

  Valeryn looked at him with complete seriousness.

  —Young master… I appreciate you very much… but not for all the money in the world will I search for that material in old latrines.

  The other three adventurers nodded immediately.

  Joel intervened in a practical tone.

  —All right… since you don’t want to go into old latrines… there is another way to obtain it, right, young master?

  Kael nodded slowly.

  —Yes. There is another way… but it will be more dangerous. That’s why I first proposed the latrine option.

  He leaned over the open book.

  —In caves with bats, where goblins or other creatures usually live, you can find accumulated saltpeter.

  Bezal spoke with determination.

  —That would benefit us a lot. With the training Lady Valeryn gave us and the equipment we have… we can already enter a goblin cave.

  Kael looked at him confidently.

  —With your equipment and some improvements I will provide, you will be able to conquer several caves that need to be cleared of monsters. That way you complete a guild mission… and you get my materials.

  Valeryn slightly tilted her head.

  —Then… why do you need me?

  Kael’s expression changed. He became more serious.

  —There is a rank S mission: eliminate some wyverns on the slopes of the Mount of the Gods. You are waiting for your group members to arrive before doing it, right?

  Valeryn looked at him in surprise.

  —That’s right. The others arrive tomorrow, and we will depart immediately.

  Elira opened her eyes with excitement.

  —Miss Valeryn… are the other members of your group the other six rank S adventurers?

  —Yes —she answered calmly—. Some of them already had the strength necessary to participate in the Grand Academy ceremony and make a contract with a magical beast. They told me only one managed to pass it.

  The five rank D adventurers looked at her with fascination.

  Kael rested his chin on his hands.

  —I understand that trial is quite difficult and requires a ritual from the goddess. Not just anyone can pass it.

  Valeryn nodded.

  —That’s right. The best warriors of the continent come to try. But never more than three succeed. There have been years when none managed to do it… I will try soon and see if I can succeed.

  Kael smiled confidently.

  —I know you can. Just make sure you don’t form a contract with a violent monkey like my mom’s.

  Everyone laughed.

  Except Kael.

  He had to endure the fury of the “violent monkey” every day.

  The laughter slowly faded, and the conversation returned to the mission.

  Valeryn regained her composure and looked at Kael carefully.

  —All right… but regarding that mission, what exactly would you need?

  Kael interlocked his fingers over the table. His expression was no longer that of the joking child from the main hall. Now he looked like a completely focused researcher.

  —Also a collection. As I understand, wyverns nest near active lava pits. And according to these books, there are several as you ascend the Mount of the Gods…

  Valeryn nodded slowly.

  —That’s correct. There are very dangerous zones where wyverns live. The terrain is unstable, and the heat can be felt even from several meters away.

  The atmosphere in the room seemed to grow heavier just imagining it.

  —One question —Kael continued—. Have you already done missions in these kinds of volcanic places?

  —Yes. Once. Also eliminating wyverns —she answered firmly.

  Kael tilted his head slightly.

  —When you carried out that mission… when you passed through those volcanic areas… did you notice a smell similar to rotten eggs?

  The five rank D adventurers looked at each other, confused by the question. Arán even frowned.

  Valeryn, however, nodded without hesitation.

  —Yes… there were zones where they guarded their eggs, and you could smell it… it made you dizzy. It was suffocating.

  Kael’s eyes shone intensely.

  —Perfect! Then there is sulfur!

  Lyris blinked.

  —Sul… what?

  Kael slightly rose from his seat, unable to contain his excitement.

  —Sulfur is the most dangerous material on my list. It is only found in specific mines and volcanic zones. The problem is that it is very difficult to extract. And dangerous…

  His voice changed. It became lower, more technical.

  —Sulfur itself is not the dangerous part… what is dangerous is what surrounds it. Where there is sulfur, there are poisonous gases, extreme heat, and unstable ground. One wrong step… and the body stops breathing before it touches the ground.

  The adventurers felt a faint chill.

  —The rotten egg smell is a warning —Kael continued seriously—. When the air smells like that, the body begins to fail without you noticing.

  The silence in the room was absolute. The image of yellow, vaporous, lethal ground formed in everyone’s mind.

  Kael returned to a practical tone.

  —You will know there is sulfur when the ground or the walls are yellow.

  Then he looked at Valeryn with determination.

  —Just like with the others… if you can bring me that material while you carry out the mission, that would be excellent.

  Valeryn evaluated him for a few seconds. It was not a simple request. Not a minor task. It required calculation, proper equipment, and preparation.

  Finally, she nodded.

  —All right. If the terrain allows it and it does not compromise the main mission… I will bring it.

  With that, the agreement was sealed.

  A rank S team and a rank D team accepted the young master’s request to continue his most important advance.

  Kael smiled with satisfaction.

  —When both groups are ready to depart, please go to the mansion and say you are coming to do business with the stupid and sexy monkey boss. I will give you the necessary equipment so you can complete the mission more easily.

  Arán had to hold back his laughter. Elira almost choked trying not to laugh.

  Joel, who had remained silent during the technical explanation, finally spoke.

  —And by the way… what exactly do you need these materials for?

  Kael slowly turned his head toward him.

  His expression changed.

  A barely noticeable smile appeared on his face, but his eyes reflected something different. Deeper. More ambitious.

  —Because I want to take this kingdom toward the next technological and military advance.

  The sentence remained suspended in the air.

  It was not a shout.

  It wasn’t childish exaggeration.

  It was a declaration.

  In the room, five rank D adventurers and one rank S adventurer felt that, without realizing it, they had just become pieces of something much bigger than a simple gathering mission.

  And Joel, as experienced as he was, understood that the young master was not speaking on a whim.

  He was speaking with intention.