NameLess

Arrival

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It was the busiest time of the year. That was the nicest way Margaret Anex could describe what it was like working as a receptionist in the moment.

As an acting worker for the World Guild Center (WGC), it was always bustling and crowded on normal days, the innards of the various branches constantly filled to the brim with adventurers, civilians, Rift Hunters, and a plethora of other individuals. However, come the 16th and final month of the calendar year, the number would, without fail, spike to unprecedented levels, to the point where lengthy lines would form and appointments had to be made weeks or even months in advance. Problems arose within separate branches, mistakes were made, and people with no common decency, patience, or manners would file complaints about things the workers could do nothing about. It would become almost impossible to manage and the vast majority of new WGC staff would quit before the end of their first year.

All of this and more was, mostly, due to the Adventurer Exam, or more commonly known as the Trials.

Those who aspired to be adventurers and earn the right to travel into the various worlds and explore the vast terrains and dungeons they held, they all needed to pass three major tests. If they succeeded, they would be registered with the WGC and be able to receive requests, earn money, create a guild, and be given the qualifications to venture into the 3000+ Rifts scattered through the world of Ornera. The benefits were so extensive that there was no end to the number of people who wanted to partake in the Exams, which is where the minimum requirements came into play.

In order to minimize the amount of people coming into the WGC specifically for the Trials, the WGC's core members instituted a policy.

In order to partake in the Trials, one must have been alive for a full thirteen years, fully able, and have no current diseases or illnesses. Those who were above the ages of 70 and below the ages of 13 were automatically excluded from the running unless they could prove their own worth, in which case they would be made an exception.

Another rule put into place in order to minimize crowding, and one that almost everyone admitted was ridiculous, was the Year End rule. It stated that even if one turned 13, they would have to wait for the last month of the calendar year in order to partake in any of the 3 Tests.

The 16th month of the year was the final. Which was the part Margaret found herself on, hence why she was currently beside herself with frustration and exhaustion. Wave after wave of rookies, both young and old, would come in and out of the #257 Branch, one after another, again and again, seemingly without end. On top of that, she still had to deal with the other adventurers who needed help in picking a quest, wanted to form a guild, or possessed a whole slew of other requests she had little to no patience for. Even now, despite the help of her co-workers Flora Symone and Junji Atwon, she was constantly shifting between running the Trials and being a "kind and upbeat" receptionist who looked like she had everything together. The work was draining, physically, mentally, magically, and she would've quit long ago had it not been for personal reasons.

"Ah, hello. How may I be of help today?" Margaret asked for the millionth time that day, a bright smile on her face. "I shall assist you as best I can."

The purple haired woman glanced behind the one currently standing before her counter, violet hues drifting down the long line queued up to see her. Just beyond the controlled chaos, she could see Flora's blonde hair as she closed the large twin oak doors, shutting them tightly and preventing anyone else from entering. Having been awake for more than 12 hours, she almost let out a sigh of relief as her eyes turned back to her present visitor.