“He thinks he’d fail because of ethics?” Farrah asked.

“He’ll figure it out once the training starts,” Rufus said.

* * *

The guild district was different from the north marina district in which Jason had first arrived on the island. Rather than the large private residences, it was occupied by various organisations, with smaller permanent residences serving the people that worked for them. Other than that, there was a large number of storefronts that seemed to be extensions of the various societies and associations headquartered around them.

Two sprawling campuses dominated the guild district. One was the Adventure Society, and the other was an organisation called the Magic Society. Jason knew Farrah was a member, but only had a vague idea of what they did. From what he could gather, they were something between a magic university and a magic utility company.

Judging by size and centrality, the Forge Society and the Alchemist Association were clearly second to the Adventure and Magic Societies, but still occupied impressive chunks of real estate. Other organisations in the district ranged from occupying large buildings to being clustered into one space with other groups. Some were trade organisations, while others were adventuring guilds, private organisations of adventurers banded together for varying purposes.

Rufus had warned Jason against joining any of the local adventuring guilds. According to Rufus, they were all small-time affairs that took more from their members than they offered, although Jason wasn't entirely convinced. He’d learned enough about Rufus's background to realise Rufus looked down from a very great height.

After arriving at the Adventure Society’s administration building, Jason was shown through to a waiting room. There was one other occupant, a young man Jason estimated to be in his mid-to-late teens. He had the usual olive skin and dark hair of the local population, at least the human part of it. The young man was handsome, tall and broad-shouldered. If that wasn’t bad enough, there was a puppy in his lap receiving a scratch on the tummy.

“G’day, mate,” Jason said, sitting down next to him. “I like your dog.”

“His name is Stash,” the young man said. “Mine is Humphrey, Humphrey Geller.”

“Jason Asano,” Jason said, shaking Humphrey’s offered hand. “Nice to meet you, Humphrey. Stash is an unusual name.”

“It’s short for Velitraxistaasch,” Humphrey said. “He likes ‘Stash,’ though.”

“Velitraxistaasch?” Jason said. “What is he, a shape-changed dragon or something?”

Humphrey’s eyes went wide. “How did you…?”

“Wait, he actually is?” Jason burst out laughing, then reached over to scratch the puppy’s tummy. “Who’s a good little dragon? You are, yes you are. Good boy.”

The puppy transformed into a canary, flying out of Humphrey’s lap to settle on his head, where it twittered away merrily.

“That’s impressive,” Jason said. “I take it he’s still a baby dragon.”