Chapter 14

The First Step Toward Becoming an Explorer

The morning after our long-awaited first flight, I was already busy checking over the Luminark.

Today, we planned to head to the Explorer’s Guild to complete our official registration. But before that, I wanted to make sure Luminark was in perfect condition one more time.

Meanwhile, Mile cheerfully announced,

“I’ll make us some lunch!”
and headed off to the kitchen.

Nocti followed right after her — though I knew that was purely for the sake of “taste-testing.” He claimed it was “part of his job,” but at this point, he’d become a full-blown glutton character.

Just then—

Heavy footsteps echoed from behind me.
When I turned around, Master Gran, the head of the workshop, was slowly approaching. His usual rugged presence made me instinctively straighten my posture.

“So? How’s the maintenance coming along?”

“Yes, sir. After yesterday’s test flight, Nocti finished the general adjustments. I’m just doing a final inspection now.”

I replied while checking the joints of the ship’s hull with my tools in hand.

“Hmph… spirits really are convenient, aren’t they? But don’t rely on them too much. You’ll never grow that way.”

Arms crossed, he fixed me with a sharp stare — harsh, but filled with something like quiet expectation.

“Yes, sir. I understand.”

“Good.”

After giving a short nod, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled something out.

“You’re heading to the Explorer’s Guild today, right?”

“Yes. Mile and I are going to register, just like you suggested.”

“Then take this.”

He held out a small metal badge.

It resembled the Gran Workshop logo, but there were four small wrenches engraved beside a larger wrench at its center. The surface was worn, the metal dulled with age — clearly something that had been used for years.

“What’s this…?”

“That badge belonged to me back when I was an explorer. Don’t need it anymore, but it might come in handy for you. …Think of it as a good-luck charm.”

There was a faint nostalgia in his eyes.
This badge must’ve carried memories from his own youth.

I accepted it with both hands, feeling warmth rise in my chest.

“Thank you. I’ll take good care of it.”

I pinned the badge to the left side of my chest.

“Hmph… and where are the other two?”

“In the kitchen, making lunch.”

“I see. Then maybe I’ll go… ‘sample’ a bit.”

He smirked slightly and turned on his heel, walking off with a spring in his step. I couldn’t help but laugh.

(Let’s just hope there’s any lunch left by the time we go…)

◆◆◆

A little later, Mile and Nocti returned from the kitchen.

“Welcome back. …You two took your time, huh?”

“Well, Tii-chan and the foreman…”

From the look on her face, it was clear those two had been sneaking bites as fast as she could cook.
Nocti, pretending to be innocent, wore a calm expression — though the slight guilt in his eyes was obvious.

“Alright then… time to go.”

“Mm-hm!”
“Oof… I’m so full I could nap right here…”

Nocti yawned and stretched.

Our destination — the Gearbelg Branch of the Explorer’s Guild — was located in the city center, so we’d take the Luminark there by air.

Since the Guild didn’t have a direct landing pad, we’d park at a nearby designated platform and walk the rest of the way.

The closer we got, the busier the city became.
Tall buildings crowded the skyline, small advertising ships flitted through the air, and below, the streets bustled with people.

Merchants, engineers, travelers — people of all kinds gathered here. It was easy to see why Gearbelg was called an “industrial city.”

Before long, the Guild building came into view.

“Alright, let’s go.”

The Explorer’s Guild stood solid and imposing, with a metal gate and an emblem of wings and a sword gleaming proudly at its front.

Inside, warm lighting illuminated the reception lobby.

At one of the counters, a smiling receptionist noticed us and spoke up:

“Welcome to the Gearbelg Branch of the Explorer’s Guild. How can I help you today?”

“Ah, um… we’re here to register as explorers.”

“Of course! Please fill out this form with the required information. If you have a flight ship, please write its registration number here as well.”

Mile and I sat down at a nearby table and began to fill out the forms — name, age, contact info, home base… there were more fields than I expected, and my hands felt a bit shaky.

I entered Luminark’s registration number — the one Master Gran had given us beforehand.

“All right, confirmed. It’ll take a few minutes to prepare your Explorer IDs. Would you like to take on any requests today?”

“No, just registration for now.”

“Understood. Please wait in that lounge area.”

We sat on a sofa and glanced around.

A huge bulletin board covered one wall — filled with job postings: monster hunts, deliveries, investigations, and even a few marked with a red “Danger” symbol, clearly high-level missions.

At the entrance, other explorers were lining up to report their completed tasks — seasoned veterans, scholarly types, even young newcomers still in basic uniforms.
Everyone looked so natural in this place, regardless of age or background.

I overheard someone laughing with their teammates after turning in a mission, while another nervously handed in paperwork at the counter.

I couldn’t help but watch in fascination.

“There really are all kinds of people here, huh,” Mile murmured.

“Yeah… even some around our age.”

We were still chatting when the receptionist called us back to the counter.

“Thank you for waiting. Here are your Explorer IDs.”

The cards she handed us were solid copper, heavier than I expected, with our names engraved on the surface.

“Your current rank is Copper — the beginner tier,” she explained kindly.
“The explorer ranks are, from lowest to highest:
Copper (Beginner)
Iron (Intermediate)
Silver (Advanced)
Gold (Elite)
Platinum (National/Special Operations)”

So everyone starts at Copper, huh.

“That completes your registration. Welcome to the Explorer’s Guild!”

“Thank you very much!”

Mile and I bowed and left the building — heading straight back to Gran Workshop.

“We registered as explorers!”

I proudly showed off my brand-new ID.

“Good. Everyone starts at Copper. Don’t rush it — take things step by step.”

“Yes, sir!”

The foreman chuckled, then his face grew serious.

“Listen, ranks aren’t something you force upward. They rise naturally, once you’ve earned them. Do the work properly, and recognition will follow.”

“Understood!”

“Alright then… let’s unseal your ship’s weapon systems. …Well, technically, just unlock them.”

He gave Nocti some instructions. Nocti grinned confidently —

“Leave it to me.”

With skillful precision, he completed the adjustments in no time at all, as if he already knew Luminark’s structure by heart.

“There. The weapon systems aren’t sealed anymore. They’ll now synchronize with the pilot’s own strength.”
“In other words—this ship will grow alongside you.”