The hangover didn't come only from the drink. It came from the weight.
When I woke up, the distant sound of the city still echoed in my head, even with the sun already high, crossing through the inn room's window. The celebrations had diminished, but Vailor didn't seem willing to return to normal anytime soon. There was something different in the air. A silent expectation, as if everyone were waiting for an official final point to something they already considered a historic victory.
Liriel was sitting at the table, silent, with a cup of tea in her hands. Elara was still asleep, sprawled across the other bed, while Vespera leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching through the window with excessive attention.
"Today is the day," Vespera said without turning around.
"Day for what?" I asked, even knowing the answer.
"To put a seal on all of this," she replied. "When the name becomes a title."
Elara opened one eye and muttered something incomprehensible before sitting up. "I hate ceremonies."
"You hate standing still," Vespera corrected.
We got ready in silence. There was no armor, only clean clothes, too simple for what was to come. We walked to the guild headquarters, and the closer we got, the more evident it became that we were not the only ones invited.
The square in front of the building was crowded. Adventurers of all ranks, soldiers, representatives of smaller guilds, and even nobles I had never seen before. When we crossed the gate, some conversations stopped. Others merely lowered, as if they didn't want to be overheard.
I felt the gazes. Not only envy. There was respect there. And something more dangerous than hostility. Expectation.
The guild's main hall had never seemed so large. The guild master stood at the front, beside representatives of the kingdom. Sealed scrolls, medallions, and insignias rested on a long table.
"Takumi," he called.
My body responded before my mind. I stepped forward. Liriel, Elara, and Vespera stood right behind me.
"What was achieved by you will not be diminished by words," the master said. "But words are necessary."
He spoke about the battle. About the Sixth General. About the alliance between humans and elves. About losses and victories. I heard it all, but it felt distant, as if I were watching someone tell the story of another person.
"By joint decision of the Central Guild and the Kingdom," he continued, "you are elevated to Rank S."
The hall exploded in voices. Some applause, some closed expressions. Elara held her breath. Vespera simply closed her eyes for a second. Liriel kept her gaze firm.
I received the medallion from the master's hands. It was heavy. Not because of the material, but because of what it represented. Rank S wasn't just one level higher. It was a point of no return.
"With this," he said, "comes access to restricted missions, greater rewards, and responsibilities that cannot be refused."
Responsibilities. The word stayed engraved.
When the three of them received their symbols, I felt something strange in my chest. Not pride. Not exactly. It was fear mixed with certainty. We knew how to fight. But now we were something bigger than individuals.
After the ceremony, we were surrounded. Adventurers asking for advice, nobles offering contacts, soldiers making bows that were too quick. I answered as best I could, but every word felt like a poorly rehearsed line.
"They're looking at us as if we're something else," Elara murmured.
"We are," Liriel replied. "Whether we want to be or not."
When we finally managed to leave, the air outside felt lighter. But inside me, something weighed down.
"Are you okay?" Liriel asked.
"I don't know," I answered honestly. "Gaining strength was simple. This isn't."
Vespera let out a short laugh. "Welcome to the top. Now every mistake falls from higher up."
We walked aimlessly for a few minutes. The city was still alive, but now I felt that I was part of something I couldn't easily walk away from. Rank S wasn't a prize. It was a commitment.
Looking at them, I realized I wasn't alone. Maybe that was enough. For now.
And even so, I knew. From that day on, the world would expect more from us. And it wouldn't ask if we were ready.