After evacuating the last person to safety, I returned to the factory and made sure to secure the remaining barrels of waste to prevent them from toppling over during aftershocks. With that done, I decided to lend a hand with the firefighting efforts.

I could have extinguished the entire fire instantly with magic, but that would have been far too conspicuous. Instead, I opted to use water magic in a gradual and subtle way to assist in containing the blaze. Once the situation had stabilized, I teleported back home to rest.

That day had been exhausting. I’d used teleportation magic extensively, cast countless healing spells, and had been operating at my peak for hours. Even as a Grand Mage with ample magical reserves, I felt the strain. Still, I had enough energy left to use magic if absolutely necessary. However, I decided to skip any otherworldly visits for the day.

Tomorrow was Saturday, a perfect chance to visit Lady Sara with some cake again. Before that, I planned to check on Lilith and the others around noon. I hoped the lord they referred to as their “lifesaver” had been rescued safely.

The next morning, I checked the news about yesterday’s earthquake. As expected, the factory explosion was a significant topic. Miraculously, there were no casualties, not even before I arrived. Apparently, the area of the explosion had been unoccupied, sparing lives by sheer luck.

The investigation was ongoing, and it seemed inevitable that the factory’s safety lapses—and the illegal waste storage—would come to light. For now, there was no mention of me in the news. While I’d worn my disguise suit to conceal my identity, I half-expected that rumors about a mysterious rescuer might emerge in a few days.

With cake in hand, I teleported to the other world. This time, I chose to appear near Egarton, the town where I had escorted Lilith and the others. After showing my pass at the gate, I entered the town and made my way to the Adventurer Guild.

"So, this is it..."

The guild was easy to find. Its large and prominent building stood out, and the gatekeeper had given me clear directions.

Last time, I had Sara and Darga accompanying me to the guild in Luxeria. This time, I was alone, and the nerves were real. Fortunately, my fine armor and weaponry discouraged any unwelcome attention—at least, I hoped so.

Ding-ding!

The bell chimed as I opened the guild doors, drawing the attention of everyone inside. For a moment, all eyes were on me.

Scanning the room, I didn’t see Lilith or the others yet. I had mentioned meeting them around noon, but it was only 11 AM. It seemed I had arrived too early. I decided to explore the guild hall to kill time.

Thankfully, the initial stares didn’t escalate into anything troublesome. Honestly, if a new face walking into the guild led to harassment, the guild itself would be at fault for permitting such behavior.

The guild was an interesting place. One side of the hall housed a reception desk for clients, while another catered to adventurers. The receptionists, unsurprisingly, were all stunningly attractive. Considering how morale could directly impact survival rates in this world, hiring charming receptionists seemed like a logical strategy.

I then inspected the quest board. It displayed a wide range of requests, from hunting three Beequacks and delivering their materials to subduing a Red Bull or collecting ten wyvern fangs.

The other side featured beginner-friendly tasks: helping with a house move, staffing a newly opened restaurant, or eliminating goblins invading farmland. It seemed adventurers in this world served as all-purpose problem solvers.

"Um... Excuse me..."

A voice interrupted my musings. I turned to see two young women who looked like fledgling adventurers. They appeared younger than me and wore minimal leather armor with small knives at their waists.

"Yes? How can I help you?"

One of them hesitated but spoke: "You were looking at the low-rank quests, so... Are you an E or F-rank adventurer? Or maybe you're a higher rank but just interested in beginner quests?"

The other added, "We just became F-rank adventurers recently. Sorry for the sudden request, but could you join our party just for today? It's our first time taking on a quest, and we’re a bit nervous..."

What!?

Was this... reverse adventurer matchmaking!? I thought such things were just myths! Or maybe my equipment had impressed them. Regardless, being approached by women was a first since elementary school!

Unfortunately, I wasn’t registered as an adventurer. Why didn’t I take care of that earlier? Could I register now? No, it was too late for that.

"Thank you for the invitation, but I’m afraid—"

"Hey, you two!"

A rough voice cut through our conversation. A group of four burly men with menacing expressions approached us.