Building The First Adventurer Guild In Another World-Chapter 231: Choice

The corridor outside Mina’s room was quieter than the rest of the Inn, as if the building itself recognized that whatever happened beyond that door required silence rather than noise.

The distant murmur of conversation from the common hall faded to a faint hum, while the sounds of reconstruction in the Adventurer District were muted by thick stone walls and heavy wooden beams.

When Sage pushed the door open and stepped inside, he moved slowly, but there was a weight in his actions that transcended mere exhaustion. It was the weight of decision, a resolve settled deep within him rather than spoken aloud.

The room was dimly lit, primarily by pale morning light filtering through half-drawn curtains and the steady glow of several mana-lamps placed strategically around the bed. The air carried a faint scent of medicinal herbs, sharp and bitter, mingled with a metallic trace from healing tonics recently administered.

Mina lay atop neatly prepared sheets, her small frame nearly swallowed by the expanse of the bed, her hands resting loosely at her sides.

Her eyes were tightly closed, lashes trembling occasionally as if caught in dreams she could not escape. Now and then, her brows twitched slightly, a silent testament to pain that even unconsciousness couldn’t fully silence.

Sage paused a short distance from her bed and simply looked at her. For a moment, he didn’t speak or move; he allowed himself to be absorbed entirely by what lay before him.

A memory flashed unbidden across his mind, Mina standing between him and death, the way she had acted without hesitation to shield him. The cost of that instinct lay before him now, fragile and unmoving.

A soft rustle drew his attention to the other side of the room. Cassian stood near a low table where an array of materials had been carefully arranged: crystal vials filled with faintly glowing liquid, thin silver needles etched with runes, sheets inscribed with complex diagrams, and at the center, a shallow metal basin carved with intricate symbols shimmering subtly in the mana-lamp light.

The old mage wore long green robes that hung loosely from his shoulders; lines beneath his eyes were more pronounced than usual, as though recent days had taken their toll even on someone accustomed to fatigue.

Sage inclined his head slightly and offered an apologetic smile. "I’m sorry," he said quietly. "You’ve already done more than anyone should have to."

Cassian waved a hand dismissively; there was no irritation in his gesture. "I am being compensated," he replied steadily but edged with weariness. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"There is no injustice here," he continued. "Besides, if I refused every difficult request, I would have retired decades ago."

His gaze shifted briefly toward Mina before returning to Sage. "We must begin soon. The longer we delay, the more unstable her condition becomes. Soul resonance deteriorates over time, especially in a body that has suffered trauma."

Sage nodded once. "I understand."

Cassian narrowed his eyes slightly. "The others?"

"In the adjacent room," Sage replied. "I instructed them to wait. This isn’t something they need to witness."

Cassian nodded slightly in approval. "Wise choice. The fewer emotional disturbances nearby, the better. Soul transfer is not a spectacle; it’s a delicate negotiation between two existences."

Sage moved closer to the bed. "What do you need me to do?"

Cassian straightened, his demeanor shifting from weary to intensely focused. "First, I must assess the stability of your soul. If it’s not sufficiently condensed, the process will fail before it even begins."

Sage blinked once and nodded firmly. "Go ahead."

Cassian stepped forward and raised his right hand. Without any incantation or dramatic gestures, he traced a small sigil in the air. As soon as he completed the final line, Sage felt a noticeable shift in the atmosphere around him.

A faint pressure descended, subtle yet unmistakable, like standing at the edge of deep water. From beneath him, intricate grey magic circles blossomed outward in layered formations, their lines weaving into patterns too complex to decipher at a glance.

They rotated slowly, some rising while others fell, overlapping and intersecting as if scanning every inch of him inside and out.

Sage sensed it immediately; it wasn’t pain but rather exposure, a feeling akin to being stripped of armor he hadn’t realized he wore. His thoughts grew louder, his heartbeat clearer; the edges of his consciousness illuminated as though something were probing them.

He fought against the instinct to tense up and instead forced himself to remain still, breathing evenly despite an uncomfortable awareness that every secret and hidden flaw might be laid bare under Cassian’s scrutiny.

A flicker of surprise crossed his mind: both he and Cassian were 3-Star Apprentice Mages; Sage knew he had more raw mana capacity than Cassian did. Yet this spell felt far beyond what someone of equal standing could cast, it carried a precision and depth that spoke of experience beyond classification. A quiet suspicion stirred within him: Cassian is not just an ordinary Apprentice Mage.

The circles continued their silent rotation for several long moments before gradually slowing down and dissipating into faint motes of light that dissolved into the air. The pressure lifted.

Cassian remained silent for a moment longer as he studied Sage with renewed intensity; a subtle gleam of astonishment flickered in his old eyes.

"Interesting," he murmured.

Sage scratched the back of his head reflexively, offering a half-grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Is that good or bad?"

Cassian exhaled slowly before responding, "Your soul is... unusually condensed, stronger than most mages at your level. There’s a density to it, stability that bodes well for our work here."

He paused briefly before adding, "If no unforeseen disruption occurs, this transfer won’t be as difficult as I feared."

Sage’s smile grew just a bit wider. "So, when do we start?"

Cassian’s gaze shifted back to Mina. "Now."

He gestured toward the bed. "Lift her carefully."

Without hesitation, Sage moved into action. He slid one arm beneath Mina’s shoulders and the other under her knees, lifting her with a gentleness that contrasted starkly with his rugged demeanor.

Her body felt alarmingly light, almost too light and the faint warmth of her skin against his palms was the only sign that she was still alive. As he held her close, he looked down at her face, noting the subtle lines of pain etched even in her unconscious state. A sense of quiet determination tightened within his chest.

Cassian stepped back and pointed to the center of the room, where a large circular array had already been inscribed onto the floor in pale silver ink.

"Sit there," he instructed. "Place her on your lap. You need to face each other with your foreheads touching."

Sage complied immediately, lowering himself to the floor and crossing his legs within the circle’s confines. He adjusted Mina so that she sat upright against him, securely cradled in his arms.

He angled her slightly until their foreheads touched, her hair brushing softly against his cheek. Even in unconsciousness, her breathing was faint but steady.

Once satisfied with their position, he looked up at Cassian.

Cassian’s expression had transformed completely. The weariness remained, but it was underlined by something serious and resolute.

"Sage," he said quietly, "once we begin, there’s no turning back. If your mind fractures or you lose consciousness before it’s done, both of you will die. I can’t pull you back mid-transfer."

Sage nodded firmly. "I understand."

"You must keep your thoughts focused," Cassian continued. "The soul isn’t guided by logic alone, doubt can destabilize it; fear can distort it. Concentrate on your intention, nothing else."

Sage swallowed hard and spoke softly but with conviction. "She saved my life. This is what I can do for her in return."

As those words left his lips, he briefly thought about Gregor. If given such an option, a ritual that could erase guilt at a cost, would Gregor have accepted without question? Would he have risked everything just to find balance in his own mind?

Shaking off that thought gently, Sage reminded himself this wasn’t about guilt; it was about choice.

He looked at Cassian again and nodded once more.

Cassian took a slow breath and exhaled deeply to center himself. "Close your eyes," he instructed gently. "Focus your mind and endure whatever comes next without losing consciousness."

Sage exhaled deeply and slowly closed his eyes.

The moment he closed his eyes, the room seemed to pause, as if the very air recognized that something extraordinary was about to happen. For several heartbeats, there was stillness.

The soft hum of the mana-lamps continued steadily, the curtains hung without a flutter, and silence enveloped the space like a presence waiting for acknowledgment.

Then Cassian took a slow breath. When he opened his mouth, the first syllable of his chant emerged not loud or dramatic but deep and resonant, carrying a weight that seemed to vibrate through bones rather than just reach ears.

Cassian’s lips moved, but in his mind, he offered a silent plea to powers he had long since stopped believing in: ’Let this one not break. Let this one not be the one I lose.’

The chant was a language older than everyday speech; each sound felt intentional and carefully crafted rather than performed with flair. As the rhythm settled into place, the room itself appeared to respond.