The old man smoothly filled in his name on the form, his handwriting so elegant and concise that it seemed like art to the young clerk. After taking back the returned form, the girl could not help but question her own judgment. Could an "elderly gentleman whose mind was no longer quite clear" really write such fine characters?
Of course, the girl was not a professional physician or druid, and she knew perfectly well that handwriting could prove nothing. Yet this brief doubt still made her look at the old man a few more times before she could not help asking, "May I ask why you are going to Tarlonnd? I mean... you do not look young anymore, and joining an exploration group is very risky."
"Going to an unfamiliar land, witnessing unfamiliar things, doing thrilling and exciting things that may benefit many people—now all of that can be accomplished by filling out one form. Do I need any more reason?" The old man looked at the young woman as though she were an ignorant child. "And that is Tarlonnd! Any adventurer in their right mind would seize this opportunity. It may be a once-in-a-lifetime chance!"
"Well... you do have a point," the clerk said uncertainly, apparently overwhelmed by the old man's enthusiasm. At the same time, she became even more doubtful of her assessment of his "condition." He really did seem like a passionate, clear-minded adventurer, one filled with longing for Tarlonnd.
At the same time, she noticed a detail in his words: the old man called himself an "adventurer," rather than using the more common term "explorer." The subtle difference in the word root might not have meant much among rough-and-tumble explorers, but this elderly gentleman was very likely a well-bred mage and Supernatural Being. In that case,