The next morning, the sky wept.
Not a storm. Just a light, persistent drizzle that made the streets of Iskandaria smell like moss and soot.
Selene Mira huddled under her hoodie, trying to shield the charcoal sketches tucked under her arm.
They were simple—rough designs of spatial layouts, stacked furniture plans, and a tiny concept for a folding table made from salvaged crate wood.
She had no appointment. No reputation. No magic.
But she had two copper coins and a weird determination she didn't recognize as her own.
[Quest Initiated: Seek Guild Affiliation]
[Suggested Path: Craftsmanship Guild – Sector B, Brick Alley]
---
The guild hall was unimpressive—more like a government office and a lumberyard had a very practical baby.
Inside, the smell of varnish and sawdust clung to everything. A bored receptionist sat behind a polished wooden desk, flipping through a scroll like she was mentally in another dimension.
Selene stepped up, heart in her throat.
"Hi. Uh… I'd like to register?"
The woman looked up. Blinking slowly. "What's your craft?"
"I… design spaces," Selene said. "Layouts. Functional comfort. Furniture placement. I also work with found materials. Sort of like… adaptive upcycling."
A beat.
"You're not a carpenter?"
"No."
"Mason?"
"No."
"Enchanter of furniture?"
Selene blinked. "That's a thing?"
The woman sighed, pulled out a form, and handed it over.
"Fill this. Five silver for registration. Includes one free guild mission if you get approved. Also, you'll need a sponsor or demonstration to get on the job list."
Selene froze. "Five silver?"
[Conversion: You currently have 0.2 silver.]
"…Right," she whispered. "Of course."
---
She left the guild hall without drama, without a tantrum, and without a job.
But she didn't feel defeated.
Instead, she sat on a bench across the street, took out one of her sketches, and stared at it.
It was a shelving design made from two broken planks, a bent nail, and binding rope.
It worked in her shed. It could work again.
[System Note: Observation shows 4 passing villagers noticed your shed's layout yesterday. 2 displayed increased calmness. 1 returned twice. 1 is a candle seller.]
Selene let out a long breath.
"I don't need recognition," she said. "I just need a way in."
---
Back in her shed that evening, she added a small sign to the outer wall.
It was hand-drawn on scrap wood, tied with leftover twine, and said:
"Need help fixing your space? I barter."
(No magic. No shouting. Rats welcome.)
She sat down beside Clarence (the rat, now a semi-permanent roommate), tore her bread in half, and offered him a piece.
"Step one: survive. Step two: get that silver. Step three… convince this world folding tables are revolutionary."
Clarence squeaked in approval.
Ding! [New Goal Set: Obtain Guild Membership — Progress 8%]
And so, Selene's quiet hustle began—not with a bang, but with a board, a rat, and the kind of hope that comes only after losing everything.