"Number Seventeen? Is Number Seventeen here? Number Seventeen—"
"I'm here!"
Annan strode up to the clerk.
The clerk looked over the energetic mage, took the parchment scroll, and glanced at it. "Your professional certification, please."
"What certification?"
"The certificate issued by the Magic Association, showing your profession and rank."
"I don't have one..."
"Ah... Then you'll need to visit a nearby Magic Association branch to get certified."
"All right. I'll go after you verify my identity."
"Mr. Annan Reeves, we can only verify your identity after you've been certified by the Magic Association."
"Where's the nearest branch?"
"There's one in the Raymond Territory in the Broken Mountains."
"The Raymond Territory... Would a branch somewhere else work?"
The clerk smiled politely. "Of course, as long as the area where you were certified hasn't suffered any upheaval, the certification remains valid."
It seemed the Adventurer Associations' internal verification systems worked much the same way—
"Thank you."
Annan had no choice but to leave the queue and step out of the Town Chief's Mansion, where he had wasted the entire morning.
The early-winter sun was still warm. After standing in it for a while, he began to feel hot.
Annan returned to the edge of town. The guards and a few others stood well away from the White Dragon, afraid to approach.
"Lord Mage, are you finished with your business?"
"Not yet."
Annan answered as he returned to the White Dragon and opened a Teleportation Portal.
"Have you found the Blue Dragon?"
Olmedo looked up, silver-framed glasses perched on her nose. She seemed unsurprised to see Annan in his hood.
"Not yet, but we're close. Do we have a Magic Association branch?"
"You mean in the city? The Magic Association came to inspect it a few months ago. I expect they'll set up