Ask the receptionist how Adventuring works.

Although the halls of the Adventurer's Guild were massive, they were very well laid-out. The centrally-located receptionist's desk was not at all hard to find.

It consisted of a round countertop in the center of the main walkway. At one point, it was probably designed to support several receptionists. Now, however, the entire area within the perimeter of the desk was occupied with layer upon layer of bookcases, card catalogues, and strange magical technology serving some unknown bureaucratic function.

In the center of that nest of brass, wood and mana crystals, a single receptionist in a prim, stiff outfit whirred like a dervish, stamping papers, filing documents, and triggering magical artifacts. There was a steady rhythm to her scraping, folding and stamping. And the rigid logic of that beat transformed the cacophony of repetitive office sounds into something almost like music.

As Shiroe approached the desk, her eyes darted to his only for a split second while transferring a stack of papers, before darting back down to the work her hands were already engaged in. He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw a slight twinkle in her eye during that moment, as if she were delighted to see the newcomer.

He reached the desk, and patiently waited for her to reach a stopping point in her dance of bureaucracy.

"You're wasting your time," Niki said, walking up behind him. "Amellia's a stuck-up bitch. She won't even talk to you if you don't ring her stupid bell first." As if to demonstrate, Niki repeatedly tapped the call bell sitting on the desk, ringing it several times before the receptionist could halt her task, straighten her papers and tools, quickly turn to face Niki, and silence the bell with her hand.

With a severe facial expression, a professional tone to her voice, and a glint of mischief in her eyes, she quickly rattled off what sounded like a prepared statement:

"Welcome back, Miss Ofthevakila. Your application for special dispensation of starter equipment has once again been rejected. Reason given: None. If you would like to appeal this decision, you can file form 35-F any time within the next 90 days. Thank you for visiting the Adventurer's Guild, and we look forward to working with you. Next in line, please."

Niki's hand briefly twitched towards her mace, but this only increased the sparkle of mirth within the eyes of the receptionist. She didn't move a muscle. Instead, she just waited for Niki to try something. Shiroe wondered what combination of magic and laws protected employees of the Guild from the powerful adventurers that passed through its halls every day. He also wondered how many times they'd had this conversation before.

Whatever their checkered past, Niki withheld her wrath this time. With an exasperated huff, she turned and stormed off to a table where some tanky-looking warriors were arm wrestling.

Amellia pivoted smoothly on her heel to face Shiroe, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face as she did so. The slightly mischevious look beneath her professional facade faded away, replaced by a genuine warmth and interest, even an eagerness. Regardless of her personal feelings towards this newcomer, however, she didn't deviate from her script for even a moment.

"Welcome to the Avana Adventurer's Guild. I'm receptionist Amellia La Cour."