"Innkeeper, are you still serving dinner?"

  A young man asks a question as he removes his knight helmet, revealing a handsome face with fair skin, hazel eyes, wild red hair, and pearly white teeth that give him a noble appearance. He addresses the busy innkeeper cleaning the food hall with a broom. It is almost midnight, and the street outside is quiet.

  "Aye, my wife still has some chicken and mushroom soup boiling in the kitchen if you can be satisfied with a humble meal." The old innkeeper answered the young knight.

  "We are the 'Summoned Ones' from another world. Not nobles of your world, so soup is more than fine."

  The knight replied in a firm tone to clear any confusion while a bronze-skinned woman in light blue robes, long dark black hair, and crystal grey eyes followed into the inn. She looks to be around sixteen years old and is holding two dead frozen Rabbits with their long spiral horns poking through the skull between their long ears.

  "Would your wife be willing to butcher and cook up these rabbits? You can keep one for yourself and serve us the other. It would also be lovely if you could pair that soup with any leftover bread and cheese of the day."

  The innkeeper's eyes widened as he accepted the frozen rabbit corpses to inspect them.

  "Horned rabbits! Their horns are worth a gold coin each. Are you sure you want to give one to me?"

  "Keep both their horns as payment for making you work so late, and please prepare your best two rooms for us."

  The innkeeper bowed in thanks but nervously replied in a regretful tone.

  "Afraid I only have one good room left, though it's big and nice enough for the two of you. Are you husband and wife or friends?"

  "We are siblings, so it shouldn't be an issue."

  The knight responded as he made his way to a rustic wooden table and chair in the inn's food hall. He pulled a large steel shield from his back and rested it against the table leg before sitting down and letting out a relieved sigh. After walking throughout the day, he felt the need to rest.

  The innkeeper seemed confused as he couldn't find any family resemblance.

  "We are step-siblings. But I will adjust if you are willing to sleep on the floor."

  "I still think of you as my older sister, regardless of blood! You even forced me to share your bed back home when Mom and Dad yelled at night."

  "You were only an 8-year-old before I got summoned to this world. I never expected to find a full-grown knight in my guild hall, staring and yelling that I am your sister. Only after you removed the helmet to show your hair and eyes was it then that I believed you were the same little boy I knew."

  "Not my fault that you only aged a year since you ran away from home. It's strange to see you younger than me. I first thought you were her ghost because of your cold glare, light blue robe, and the cold temperature around you."

  She examined herself before replying in irritation.

  "I didn't run away! I ended up being summoned to this world."

  "I understand that now! Time is moving faster in our old world since you've only been here for ten months, while I went through ten years before I got summoned here. How about we catch up to avoid treating each other like strangers."

  She gave her stepbrother a regretful look as the innkeeper noticed the temperature in the room drop by several degrees.

  "A Cryomancer?" The innkeeper whispered in shock before loudly announcing.

  "Seems like you two have a lot to talk about! I will go help my wife prepare the rabbits!"

  The innkeeper performed a deep bow before quickly limping towards the kitchen and shutting the door to offer the step-siblings some privacy. Frost soon covered the kitchen door along with most of the tables and chairs in the food hall.

  "Now that we are alone. We can finally talk about how you ended up here. But before that, how is my mom?"

  "She passed away a month after you disappeared."

  "Mom... died? How?"

  "She thought you ran away because of the failed marriage, which made her stop fighting, eating, and talking to anyone. Dad admitted her to therapy and went out of his way to search for you, but he stopped after she passed away from the depression."

  "I... I... didn't run away..."

  "It was a natural assumption. Their fighting and yelling were enough to tempt me to run away before you went missing."

  "I would never do that to my mother or you. I just wanted peace, so I went to the old abandoned amusement park that we used to go to as a family, and there I found a criminal gang that had secretly turned it into their hideout."

  "Did those scumbags..."

  "I didn't give them the chance to touch me. I ran into the house of mirrors and found a glowing white portal with a forest on the other side. I jumped into it without thinking and ended up in the 'Testing Grounds', and the portal closed behind me. After reaching level 10 and getting blessed by the Elemental God, I crossed through another portal that brought me to Geratina. What about you?"

  "Dad put me in boarding school, saying that I needed a change of scenery and therapy. He also passed away before my 18th birthday. I went back home to attend his funeral and decided to visit the places we used to enjoy as a family. It led me to the same amusement park where I found that gang you mentioned."

  "Wait... did you come here through the same portal?"

  "Has to be... the other 'Summoned Ones' said their portals were in different countries, but they all led to the same 'Testing Grounds'."

  "I see... Did that gang chase you, too?"

  "HAHA! I beat the shit out of them when I saw one wearing your old jacket that mom embroidered with your name on it in blue."

  "I remember throwing it at one of them as they chased me through the park. But when did you become a fighter capable of taking down a criminal gang?"

  "Well, I thought they did something worse to you. Something in me broke, and I went after them all without thinking about the consequences. Plus, my life at the boarding school wasn't a pleasant place to grow up if you couldn't fight back. I almost choked the life out of their boss until he told me they did nothing to you and that you disappeared somewhere in the house of mirrors. I spared his life and let his gang run away before going into that building. There was nothing unusual about it, but a portal appeared when I called out your name out of frustration."

  "It just appeared like that? Why would you dare to enter it?"

  "I am not sure. Something in me said you must have gone through it, and I wanted to see where you went. Granted, I didn't expect it to be a one-way door."

  "Do you regret trying to find me, since it brought you to another world?"

  "Not anymore since I found you. Anyways, I was planning to join the army after the funeral, so it's not like my future life there was not worth losing out on, since it felt like WW3 was bound to happen any day."

  "I'm glad you came for me... wait... how did you know which guild I was in?"

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  "I didn't... I was trying to get accepted. But they rejected me like the others. It was either a coincidence or fate to find you there."

  "I see... How many guilds did you try before mine?"

  "Yours was the seventh one this week. The remaining guilds have fewer than ten members or are level 10s like me. So there isn't a reason for me to join them."

  His step-sister examined his armor more closely and then nodded.

  "The powerful guilds don't admit level 10s who picked the melee class. They can hire a mercenary group of several hundred melee and ranger types if they need the numbers for a Dungeon dive or a guild war."

  "Maybe I should sign up with a mercenary group instead. I heard they never refuse level 10s of any class."

  "That's true, but those who pick melee or ranged classes as their first are treated as meat shields or cannon fodder against boss monsters by the mercenary groups. The rest of the time, they are baggage handlers and loot scavengers at best since they only unlocked their first combat class with one active and one passive skill until they get more at levels 20, 30, and 40. Which is why level 10s are too weak to contribute to mid or high-level boss battles and thus expendable."

  "I didn't know it was that bad. You are lucky you unlocked the Elemental Mage Class to get invited to your guild."

  "It wasn't entirely luck. I found a spirit in the 'Testing Grounds' who was once a human like us who died in this world. His spirit was about to reincarnate, but the Gods offered him a chance to return to the Testing Grounds as a mentor for the new arrivals who manage to find him. He warned me about the harsh reality that the summoned ones experienced in mercenary groups. But he was kind enough to hint that the Guilds rolled out the red carpet to pure elemental or primal mage types, so I focused on meeting the requirements to get blessed as a Cryomancer at level 10 from the Pantheon of Gods. When I crossed over to Geratina, the guild recruiters offered me an 'Oath Contract' that stated that I would only pursue the path of a pure elemental mage. I signed it immediately, and that's how I got in."

  "I never encountered a mentor there. I wasn't curious enough to explore the place, since I made it my mission to clear it as quickly as possible. Anyways, what will be your next class?"

  "To be a pure elemental mage, I must double down on the same class but with a different element. Once I get to level 50, I plan on meeting the requirements for the Aeromancer class. At level 100, I will combine my Cryomancy and Aeromancy classes to create the Frost Tempest class. Its offensive skills have high penetration, passive skills have freezing debuffs, and defensive skills can push back mobs. They also have plenty of mana capacity to hardly need a Mana potion to keep using my skills in battles against non-boss monsters."

  "I see. But why do guilds want pure elemental or primal mages?"

  "Since certain species of monsters are weak to elemental spells or mana-based attacks, having a pure mage on the team is necessary. Only a few summoned ones pick those two classes at level 10 because their bodies become extremely fragile, and their skills are limited to one offensive, support, and defensive spell. Each spell consumes their entire mana pool, so they must drink several bottles of low-grade Mana potion to contribute to a tough battle. Those potions are expensive to those who have no backing. Even melee-focused classes like you need to drink a lot of stamina potions, but they are much cheaper and easier to acquire than mana potions. Shouldn't you have learned all of this in orientation?"

  "When I learned I could become a knight like those in the fantasy books, I ignored the details about every other class. But from what you shared, level 10 Mages sound like a burden."

  "You have to factor in the scarcity of Pure Mages. The guild's 'Oath Contract' promised to protect and carry me till level 50 as long as I specialize as a Mage type. In exchange for loyalty to the guild and permanent membership, unless it is disbanded."

  "So if I pick a mana-based class for my second, will your guild accept me?"

  "Yes. There is a reason why mercenary groups are 95% stamina-based classes. Raising a summoned one to wield magic at a high level is a money pit that takes several months or years of investment. Mercenary groups' membership contracts are short-term, profit-oriented, and easy to break or replace. Most summoned ones pick a melee or range class and branch out to Elemental, Primal Magic, or the other Mana-based classes when they reach level 50. Which effectively turns them into a Battle Mage or a Mage Knight. However, guilds will wait until you reach level 100 to see if your class combination is useful to them before offering a permanent membership, since too many summoned ones pick popular combos, which isn't a good thing if a guild needs a diverse army."

  "I see. But why are 'Pure Mages' better than 'Battle Mages'?"

  "Shouldn't that be obvious? Haven't you ever played RPG games with your friends in that boarding school?"

  "No, I was a bookworm since they didn't allow us to play games in the boarding school's computer department. I stuck to the classics like The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. Do they count?"

  "Hahaha! No... Battle Mages offer more versatility! But they lose access to high-level magic spells since they split their focus on stamina and mana skills. They are also limited by having access to a small Mana and Stamina pool. Only at level 100 does a Mana and Stamina core appear in their body, which constantly refills them as long as they rest or meditate. While pure mana or stamina-based classes get those same cores at level 50 if they go the specialist route."

  "Sounds like I would be better off as a melee specialist then."

  "Well, if you get a Dragon egg and choose the tamer class at level 50, you could meet the requirement to become a Dragon Knight at level 100. They are the most powerful knights of Geratina."

  The knight's eyes bulged and sparkled from this possibility.

  "I still can't believe they are real in this world. How hard is it to get their eggs?"

  "A wild Dragon egg is almost impossible since their parents will turn you into ash if you enter their den. Fortunately, my guild has a Dragon Tamer who sells their eggs to the Guild's exclusive store for our members."

  "What's the cost to you?"

  "If you swear to become my Dragon Knight in battle, I am prepared to make any sacrifice necessary to secure your allegiance. Every pure mage dreams of partnering with a Dragon Knight because their mounts can amplify and enhance the mage's magic if they share a bond with their rider."

  "So you want to turn my future Dragon into a living mana battery for your spells?"

  "It's a symbiotic relationship since your melee skills will be imbued with my elemental magic, which turns you into a Frost Tempest Mage Knight at level 100 after we form a bond through an 'Oath Contract'."

  "I understand you feel the need to help me out. But you could make a contract with anyone else who is already a Dragon knight if all you need is to bind them through a contract."

  "That is true, but these bonds allow access into each other's minds, which means I have to be very careful in my choice since I have to trust them with my life. Knowing that you came for me after 10 years is enough to commit myself to creating a sibling bond with you through the contract."

  The knight perked up upon hearing that.

  "I'm touched. But I still want to know what the egg costs."

  "10,000 gold coins and completing ten Level 50 rank missions for the guild. I am still at level 30 and have 120 gold coins. So it will take time, but long enough for you to level up to 50 and pick the Tamer Class. You could get a horse as a mount or tame other beasts to fight alongside you till I get the egg for you."

  "That sounds like a lot of gold. I will hand over to you whatever I earn."

  "All the missions at your level will reward you only with copper or silver coins at best. You need those coins to upgrade your gear and pay rent since you can no longer stay in the towns for free as a new Summoned One."

  "Right. I always found it weird that they let me stay at the inn for free. Is it the King's policy?"

  "Yes, the royal treasury pays the rent and food cost for all the newly summoned ones until they reach level 10 and get a blessing from one of the gods in the pantheon. I'm surprised you didn't know this as well."

  "I don't like being in debt to anyone, so I ended up hunting wild game and sleeping in the forest near this town after I got kicked out of the first Inn I stayed in. You took the liberty of giving away my horned rabbits as payment for this one. I could have gotten a nice sword for their horns."

  "You don't need to live life on the edge anymore. I will inform the guild master of my intention to move out and buy a house for us to share."

  "You don't have to go that far for me on top of getting the Dragon Egg. Knowing that you are alive and still think of me as your brother is enough. I will try to find a home in one of those smaller new guilds willing to take me in."

  "Hold on... I passed by a notice board in the town center this morning that said a new guild is willing to train newbies of any type to level 50, provide free lodging, and free food if they sign an 'Oath Contract' to become a permanent member. However, this guild forces all their members to hide their faces behind demonic masks for some reason."

  "I have no problem with wearing a mask. But I thought I was supposed to join your guild later to become your Dragon Knight."

  "As long as our Guild Masters aren't enemies, they should be fine with us teaming up on missions. I thought it seemed like a scam at first to suck in fools to rob them blind until I heard one of my guild mates requested the guild master to let him help them get to 1-star rank because he owed their guild master a big favor."

  "Guilds have star rankings?"

  "Up to 5 stars, like mine. Though below the star system, every guild has to climb the ladder of metals before they can get missions from the King of Ferdina, which is the only way to get a five-star rank."

  "Cool... so what is the name of this new guild?"

  "Smiling Devil... sounds a bit weird, but their masks have a lot of fangs in them, so the theme fits."

  "Where is their guild at?"

  "It's at the base of Mount Terror."

  "Never heard of it before. But why would someone give it that name?"

  "The mountain turns every fresh corpse into a zombie or spirit. Though there is an invisible boundary that prevents the undead from leaving the mountain."

  "Oh? They don't bother the Smiling Devils?"

  "I believe they have a Dragon Summoner among their founding members, it's an ultra-rare class. The summoned Dragons use primal magic, which is deadly against the undead."

  "Interesting... I will head there tomorrow morning and decide if they are legit with their promises."

  The heavy kitchen door creaked open, revealing the innkeeper and his wife, their arms laden with an array of wooden plates and bowls. They carefully set down the warm, fragrant dishes, which overflowed with tender roasted rabbit meat, glistening in its savory juices. A rich, steaming chicken and mushroom soup swirled with aromatic herbs filled another bowl, inviting everyone to partake. Alongside this hearty fare were freshly baked loaves of rustic bread, their crusts golden and crisp, and wedges of dark yellow cheese, each slice a promise of creamy indulgence. The tantalizing aromas wafted through the air, drawing the step-siblings' eager attention to the enticing feast that lay before them.

  "Dinner is served!"