By the time the last badge was handed out and the final ledger entry was stamped, the Guild Hall felt as if it had weathered a small war, not one fought with steel and blood, but one waged through decisions, pride, and inevitability.
The mercenaries stood in neat lines, each now adorned with the insignia of an Adventurer, the unfamiliar weight of their new identities settling onto their shoulders.
Licenses were tucked carefully into inner pockets, badges fastened with varying degrees of awkwardness and curiosity. Some wore expressions of irritation, others were deep in thought, while a few quietly chuckled at the absurdity of it all. Yet none chose to leave.
Sage concluded his explanations with the same calm professionalism he had maintained throughout this entire ordeal.
