When they made it back to town, they first stopped by the bar to pick up Francis. Conveniently, he was waiting next to the front door. Next, their top priority was delivering the Iridescent Ore to the Outland Count, so they took a direct route to the Court.
The Count looked happy to see them. "Well done, members of the T-seeker guild! I see you've brought back a fine sample of the Iridescent Ore. I now pronounce the T-seeker guild to be explorers of Tharsis with my official blessing! And of course, there is the other half of your reward to be given." He placed a second moneybag on his desk with a few important papers. "Here you are, then…"
"Thank you, your honor," the leader responded. This certainly felt like an enriching experience already.
"Now, to the main topic of discussion," the Count went on, "Since you have proven your worth, your guild merits a skyship." He emphasized the last word, aware that not every new adventurer would be aware of the concept.
The leader certainly wasn't. "A Skyship?"
"It's a vessel that sails the skies, powered by Iridescent Ore. You'll be searching for Yggdrasil on one," the Count explained. So, this was why the crumbly rock was so important. The Outland Count had felt it appropriate for them to earn their ship by fetching the fuel that would power it.
"Your skyship is ready now at the city gates. Once you claim it, why not make the Lush Woodlands your first stop?" the Count suggested. "The Lush Woodlands is a large, natural labyrinth currently being investigated by many of our explorers. Once you reach the Lush Woodlands, head straight for the pillar of light you'll see. It's an invaluable tool. Oh, and stop by the atelier before you go. I sent them my authorization for you to buy certain necessities."
"Thank you, sir," Maurice said brightly, while the others were still processing all of the information they had just been given.
"Well then, may your way be clear!" the Count said by way of goodbye.
Rather than go to Berund Altier or their airship's dock, their leader instead led them to the Guild Hall. The interview rooms they had used earlier remained the closest thing they had to a base, and he wanted to discuss the previous mission and its results in a professional environment..
"Hey, Truthseekers!" the Guildkeeper spoke up, "There's someone here who wanted to meet with you." He gestured over to someone standing next to the wall, but only the leader recognized who she was.
"Hello. My name is Kylie," the silver haired dancer said, "It's nice to meet you all. I'd like to join you on your adventures."
"Exploring is a dangerous life," Francis said, "If you want to join it, you need to be ready for hardship."
"Like you would know," Maurice dismissed him, "I think we could use another hand right now."
"...Bad crowds, huh?" Gabriel asked, turning to the leader, "Who'd have thought."
"That man saved me earlier. Don't be hard on him," Kylie protested.
"Point stands," Gabriel said.
"We can tell you the full story later. Obviously, the paperwork to have her join is already filled out," the leader said. "It's nice to get your name, Kylie. Here we have Maurice, Gabriel, Henry, Olivia, and Francis Crowe. Now, if we could all find a room, we need to review what we've learned about the Old Forest Mine, the Lush Woodlands… and our new airship." Everyone brightened at the thought.