Chapter 59: A Welcome Gift

The receptionist cleared her throat, pulling Finn’s attention back toward the counter.

For a few moments, he had almost forgotten about the problem sitting directly in front of him.

The registration fee.

His father still had the small collection of coins resting in his palm, but no matter how Finn looked at them, they were still a few copper short.

The receptionist gave them an apologetic look. "If you’re unable to pay today, you can come back another time. However, there will be an additional processing charge when the registration is recreated."

Finn’s fingers tightened slightly around the silver identification plate.

Another charge. That only made things worse.

He swallowed and looked toward his father. The older man was staring down at the coins in his hand, his brows pulled together. Whatever excitement he had carried when bringing Finn into the Guild was completely gone.

For several seconds, neither of them said anything.

Then his father finally looked at him.

"I’m sorry, son." His eyes lowered again. "I didn’t expect..."

Finn immediately shook his head.

"It’s okay."

He meant it. Or at least he wanted his father to believe he did.

They could come back later. Maybe after the next harvest, or after they managed to sell something else. Finn had already waited nineteen years to become an adventurer. A little longer would not hurt.

He was about to hand the identification plate back when a cheerful voice came from beside him.

"Here, I’ll cover it!"

Finn turned and found a blond-haired woman standing only a few steps away with one hand already reaching toward the pouch at her waist.

There was something familiar about her face. Then his eyes widened.

"It’s you!"

The woman blinked before smiling.

A few more people stood behind her. A heavily built man carrying a shield was speaking quietly with another Guild employee. Beside him stood a dark-haired woman with several daggers around her waist, while a man holding a staff waited nearby.

Finn recognized them too. They were the adventurers from the dungeon. The first party he had ever seen there.

He looked back at the blond woman. "You’re from the dungeon!"

Several nearby adventurers glanced over. Finn immediately realized how strange that sounded.

"Oh! I mean—"

He felt his face heat up. "You were there when I first went in. You explained the entry rules to me."

The woman stared at him for another moment before recognition appeared on her face.

"Oh!" She laughed softly. "You were the boy who went in alone."

Finn’s face became even warmer. "Yes."

He hoped she didn’t know what happened afterward.

"I’m June," she said softly.

Finn smiled and took it. "I’m Finn."

"Finn," she repeated, as though making sure she remembered it. Then her eyes moved toward the identification plate still resting in his hand. "Are you registering?"

"I was."

Finn glanced awkwardly toward the counter. "We’re just a little short."

June followed his gaze toward the coins still sitting in his father’s hand, then looked at the receptionist.

"How much?"

"Two silver in total," the receptionist replied. "They’re only short by a few copper."

Finn expected June to offer the missing amount.

Instead, she opened her pouch and pulled out two silver coins. "Here."

Finn stared. His father did too.

June placed both coins on the counter.

"I’ll cover the registration."

Finn’s eyes widened. "No, you don’t have to do that!"

"I know." June smiled. "That’s why it’s a gift."

Finn looked at the two silver pieces.

It was too much.

"We only need a few copper."

"I heard."

June pushed the coins slightly closer to the receptionist.

Finn looked helplessly toward his father, but the older man appeared just as surprised as he was.

June laughed quietly.

"Don’t worry about it. Really."

She turned back toward Finn. "I don’t meet many new adventurers who look as excited to enter a dungeon as you did."

Finn scratched his cheek. He was not sure that was entirely a compliment considering how quickly he had been defeated that day. June didn’t seem to be making fun of him, though.

"Take it as a small welcome gift from a senior adventurer."

Finn stared at her for another second before his smile slowly widened.

He clasped his hands together in front of him.

"Thank you!"

June laughed.

"Finn—"

"Thank you so much, June!"

"You’re welcome."

"I’ll pay you back."

"You don’t have to."

"I will."

June opened her mouth, apparently thought better of arguing, and smiled instead.

"All right. Then maybe one day when you’re a famous adventurer, you can buy me dinner."

Finn nodded seriously.

"I will."

That made her laugh again. The mage from her party approached from behind and tapped June lightly on the shoulder. She looked back at him.

"We should go. Gareth’s already waiting."

June nodded before turning toward Finn one last time. "Sorry. We have a meeting with the Guild leader."

Finn’s eyes widened slightly.

The Guild leader?

That sounded incredibly important.

June lifted one hand in a small wave. "I hope I see you around more often, Finn."

"You too!"

She turned and followed the others farther into the Guild.

Finn watched them leave. The dark-haired woman with the daggers said something to June as they walked, earning a laugh from her, while the large man Finn assumed was Gareth looked back toward them once before continuing toward a hallway near the rear of the building.

Finn wondered what they needed to speak to the Guild leader about. Maybe it was about the new dungeon. They seemed like they were very capable.

The receptionist cleared her throat again.

Finn quickly turned back.

She was smiling now as she held out the silver identification plate. "Here you go. Your registration is complete."

Finn accepted it with both hands. This time, it really belonged to him.

He looked down at the engraving again. The class still embarrassed him a little but somehow, seeing it written there did not feel quite as bad anymore.

"Keep it somewhere safe," the receptionist said. "And if you have questions about Guild work, rankings, requests, or selling dungeon materials, you can ask at any reception desk."

Finn nodded quickly.

"I will. Thank you."

He held the plate carefully as he and his father left the counter. The Guild hall still buzzed around them, and Finn caught himself looking for the woman dressed in black again, but she had disappeared somewhere into the crowd.

June and her party were gone too.

By the time Finn and his father stepped outside, the sun had dropped low enough that the tops of the buildings had begun casting long shadows across the street.

Finn was still staring at his adventurer plate. He turned it over once, then back again, smiling to himself. He was really an adventurer.

When he finally looked up, he realized his father had not said anything since they left the Guild.

Finn’s smile faded slightly.

"Dad?"

His father kept walking.

"Dad, what’s wrong?"

That finally made him stop.

For a moment, his father looked toward the busy street rather than at him. Merchants were beginning to pack away some of their goods while lanterns appeared outside several shops and inns.

Then he placed one hand on Finn’s shoulder. "It’s good to make friends, Finn."

Finn waited.

His father’s hand tightened slightly. "That woman seems kind."

"She is."

"I’m glad."

His father finally looked at him, and there was something strange in his expression. "I’m sorry I couldn’t pay for it."

Finn stared at him.

"What?"

"I brought you here thinking I had enough." His father gave a small, uncomfortable laugh before looking down. "I should have checked first."

"Dad—"

"I wanted to do this for you."

His voice had become quieter.

"I know there are things you want that I can’t give you. Better equipment. A proper sword. Even something as simple as registering with the Guild..."

Finn felt something tighten in his chest. His father rarely spoke like this.

"I’m sorry, son. I’m not capable enough to buy you all the things you want."

Finn shook his head immediately.

"No."

His father looked at him.

"No, Dad." Finn stepped closer. "You’re the best dad ever."

His father blinked.

"I mean it."

The words came faster now.

"You and Mom do everything for me and Rowan. You work all day. You even let me take Grandfather’s sword even though I lost it the first time."

His father smiled faintly at that.

"You brought me all the way here just because I said I wanted to keep trying." Finn looked down at the adventurer plate in his hand. "This is already more than I expected. You and Mom are the best parents I could ever ask for."

His father stayed quiet.

Finn smiled at him. "So don’t say something like that."

His father’s expression crumpled slightly before he stepped forward and pulled Finn into a tight hug. Finn hadn’t expected it, but he hugged him back just as tightly.

His father held him tightly, tighter than usual, with one hand pressed against the back of Finn’s head like he was still a little kid.

"You’ll always be my little boy," his father said quietly, his voice trembling slightly. "My hero."

Finn’s eyes widened. His grip around his father tightened. Neither of them said anything else for a while.