Due to the dust storm, the Quistack Adventurers' Guild doesn't have many people inside.
This building looks like an old Holy Sanctuary from the outside, and it is said that it once was a Holy Sanctuary, but it's long forgotten which Deity it belonged to. Fang Hong speculates that it might have been a Holy Sanctuary of Yudeurik, a Lesser Deity, whose believers often overlapped with adventurers.
The ancient murals on the deep arched ceiling have long been faded and mottled. The hall's floor is paved with pebbles, creating a peculiar pattern in alternating brownish-red stones. A few people are seated around several round tables, most appearing lackluster. The lighting in the hall is not good, slightly dim, with the only light filtering through a patterned window on one wall.
Green vines hang from the beams, exuding a tender yellow glow.
Fang Hong didn't look at the rows of notices on the boards, instead heading straight to the circular counter in the center of the hall. Since all the adventurers' guilds in Colin Ishurian belong to the Golande Adventurers' Guild, their interior setups are mostly similar, from northern Elpaxin to the Sand Realm of Istania.
There were even fewer people by the counter, with an Elf carrying a longbow handing over a task, and on the other side, a young man was consulting something with a staff member.
Because this person actually brought two followers with him, Fang Hong looked at him twice, only to find those two followers had curved blades under their robes. They looked like Desert Knights. The young man noticed his gaze and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Out of courtesy, Fang Hong returned the nod in greeting.
He then stepped between the two, noting that the Quistack Adventurers' Guild's counters were marked by symbols of the sun, moon, stars, Chongshan, and Emerald Forest. The counter the person was at was marked with the sun, while he happened to arrive at the counter adorned with an emerald tree symbol.
The staff member behind the counter was a Papalarian. It was Fang Hong's first time seeing a Papalarian other than Parker in Colin Ishurian, though in the hotter southern regions of Istania, they weren't as rare compared to the north. This male Papalarian staff member was dozing off amidst a heap of parchment scrolls, only waking after Fang Hong rapped on the marble counter twice, looking at him dazed and confused.
"Is there a royal commission?" Fang Hong asked.
The Papalarian was evidently still confused: "Which royal household?"
"Of course, the Royal House of Penelope."
The Papalarian finally woke up, rummaging through a pile of old papers like a sleepwalker, then shook his head.
"No, there isn't."
"Are you sure?" Fang Hong was highly skeptical of his state.
"I remember now, it's been half a month since the royal household issued any task." The Papalarian suddenly recalled something.
Seeing the other's appearance, Fang Hong confirmed that the Papalarian wasn't just being perfunctory, and was somewhat taken aback. Although local royal households sounded unreachable, they seemed to have no intersection with adventurers, the Royal Palace was not just filled with kings and ministers, princesses and princes, politics and affairs of war.
The royal household actually had many trivial matters, usually managed by the Royal Palace Steward, such as assisting court sorcerers in collecting rare materials, or helping a certain princess or prince find their lost pets, and so on. There were usually a ton each quarter. Though he was not quite aware of Istania's situation, from the Papalarian's tone, it seemed somewhat unexpected.
The royal household hadn't issued any tasks for half a month, and Fang Hong instinctively felt it might be related to current events.
But he didn't know if the King of Sand was being especially cautious, considering even this detail, or if it was just a coincidence?
Regardless, either way, it meant his prior plans had to be put on hold.
The Papalarian saw him standing there stunned, couldn't help but ask: "Sir, do you need any other tasks?"
Fang Hong slowly shook his head.
With a somewhat curious look from the Papalarian, he turned to leave. However, as he turned, the conversation at the counter marked with the sun symbol next to him reached his ears:
"Master Berlede really hasn't returned?"
"Master Berlede was originally planning to return this week, but no one expected this sudden dust storm. Given the current situation, returning isn't realistic, Your Highness Aleph, I'm very sorry."
Being at a distance, Fang Hong didn't clearly hear the names mentioned by the two, but roughly inferred that they were looking for someone, and the person being sought hadn't returned due to the dust storm. Frustrated with the setback in his plan to infiltrate the Royal Palace, he inadvertently glanced over, just catching sight of something in the other's hand:
"Tower-Style Magic Conductor Furnace?"
Hearing this term, the young man immediately stopped, turned his head to look at him. The young man showed a slight surprise, and then a glimmer of curiosity passed through his eyes as he asked: "You recognize this thing?"
Seeing the young man's eyes, Fang Hong was slightly stunned. Earlier, when the young man nodded at him, he hadn't paid much attention due to distraction, but now he noticed that the young man's eyes were quite beautiful, sparkling like brown gemstones.
The young man was also quite handsome, with a straight nose and slightly curly hair, with an air of melancholy; he wore a luxurious robe of beautiful satin that instantly marked him as no commoner. Previously, Fang Hong had instinctively spoken, not very willing to engage with him.