Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking

Getlow was one of the many border towns of the kingdom. Originally a resting point for traveling merchants, it had grown into a fortified town under the influence of the adventuring boom. Merchants capitalized on the demand for adventurers, building infrastructure that eventually formed a stronghold capable of withstanding monster raids.

In this world, monsters were less like natural creatures and more like respawning "data," akin to the settings of online games.

This phenomenon was, unsurprisingly, tied to the gods. Even goblins—creatures capable of significant harm—were dismissed by most people as a mere nuisance, thanks to divine manipulation.

To the majority, goblins were like weeds along the roadside: cut them down, and they'd soon reappear elsewhere. Filthy and insignificant, killing them yielded little reward and often earned scorn from fellow adventurers.

This distorted worldview had deeply influenced the kingdom's economy, which revolved almost entirely around defeating the demon king's forces and hunting monsters. This single-track system left it vulnerable to unexpected disasters.

Now, with the calamity seed's influence, monsters had grown stronger and more aggressive, pushing adventurer casualty rates to new highs—particularly among the low-ranked.

Ironically, this danger made the rewards for higher-ranked adventurers even more lucrative, attracting people desperate to join this hazardous profession.

For every fresh batch of adventurers, more than half would meet their end due to unforeseen circumstances. Their adventurer badges, simple white porcelain plates, were often the only thing left to identify them.

Those who survived long enough to reach jadeite rank—like Fina—enjoyed significantly improved survival odds. Copper- and silver-ranked adventurers, with experience and caution, generally stabilized as long as they avoided overreaching.

The high mortality rate among novices also discouraged lone adventurers. Going solo wasn't just reckless—it made it unlikely anyone would find their remains should they fail to return from a mission.

This was a harsh, uncompromising world where monsters and humans fought endlessly, their struggles observed by the gods, who derived amusement from the drama.

"—That about sums up the current state of this world," Venti said, closing the book he had borrowed from the Adventurers' Guild. His expression revealed little emotion.

"…It sounds even worse than I thought," March 7th muttered under her breath.

"So, what's our next step?" Stelle asked.

"In the end," Dan Heng replied, "there's no need for us to do anything beyond retrieving the Stellaron. The gods of this world seem to enjoy their endless cycle of heroes defeating the demon king, so they're unlikely to want the drama to end."

His gaze shifted to Zaryus, Mimiya, and Fina, who were at the counter finalizing their mission report.

"As usual, we'll locate the Stellaron, secure it, and leave the rest to the planet's inhabitants. They've managed this way for millennia. There's no need for us to play saviors or drag them into the vast, unfamiliar expanse of the stars."

"…Uncle Yang once said something similar," March 7th remarked, tapping her palm as if in realization. "It's easy to feel omniscient and omnipotent from our perspective, but once you're on the ground, you realize how small you really are."

She then glanced at Venti, her tone shifting playfully.

"That said, I used to think a carefree god like Venti was unreliable, but compared to the gods here, he's practically a saint!"

Venti, pulled from his thoughts, sighed and waved her off.

"Don't lump me in with them. Besides, this world isn't without benevolent gods. Take Fina and her faith in the Earth Mother—she's a fine example of goodness, isn't she?"

"She's… a bit too devout, though," Stelle said bluntly.

"Promoting ideals like truth and beauty is fine," Stelle continued, "but expecting everyone to live up to them is naive."

"You're not wrong, but hearing that from you feels strange," March 7th teased.

"Speaking of, how is it that you've adapted so quickly? Weren't you supposed to have an amnesiac backstory like me?"

"Maybe you should look inward for that answer," Dan Heng quipped, shutting down her line of questioning.

He then gestured toward the counter.

"Zaryus and the others seem to be wrapping up. Stay sharp."

As the faint barrier of wind surrounding their group dissipated, the guild's noisy atmosphere surged back like a tide.

The Adventurers' Guild resembled a tavern straight out of a fantasy story, filled with lizardfolk, dwarves, dryads, elves, and, of course, humans.

As Zaryus and his companions approached, the Trailblazers noticed several adventurers glancing their way.

The group's immaculate appearance drew attention—clean gear, spotless weapons, and refined auras stood in stark contrast to the grimy, battle-worn look of most adventurers.

Many likely assumed they were inexperienced nobles playing at adventuring, the type who believed in romanticized tales of heroics only to face harsh reality when tasked with mundane chores like finding lost cats or cleaning sewers.

"Phew—we're back!" Mimiya announced cheerfully, dropping a bulging coin pouch onto the table. "Submitting proof of completion took a bit longer than expected. You wouldn't believe the reaction when Zaryus pulled out the troll's heart—the guild's appraiser thought we'd taken the wrong quest!"

Her grin widened as she gestured to the pouch.

"The original reward was 300 kingdom coins, but since we defeated a high-risk troll, the guild added a bonus of 700 coins. There's more to come after a secondary investigation, but even now, this is a huge haul!"

"Wait, you're not keeping it?" March 7th asked, unsure of its value but noting Mimiya's evident excitement.

"How could we?" Zaryus shook his head solemnly. "We owe our lives to you and your team. Taking this money would be far too greedy."

Though tempted, Zaryus knew better than to exploit his benefactors. Trustworthiness was paramount in his faith, and offending a golden-tier team over money was suicidal.

Fina chimed in eagerly, holding up her adventurer badge.

"Look—we didn't walk away empty-handed! I've advanced to jadeite rank, and Mimiya is now silver-tier!"

She proudly displayed her newly upgraded badge, prompting awed looks from the surrounding adventurers. Silver-tier adventurers represented the pinnacle of a border town's strength, second only to senior silvers and golden-tier elites.

Mimiya, slightly embarrassed, added, "I know it seems like we took credit for your work, but guild rules only allow recognized adventurers to earn points. I hope you'll forgive us."

"It's no problem," Venti said with a smile. "We agreed from the start that the quest would be yours to claim. If you feel bad, why not help us out with something?"

Mimiya's cheeks flushed, but she quickly nodded.

"Of course, Venti. Anything you need!"

"Could we ask you to help us handle the necessary formalities over the next few days?"

The most direct way to investigate the calamity seed's whereabouts would be to head straight to the frontlines of the allied forces. However, such an approach was reckless and inefficient. The sprawling border made pinpointing the Stellaron's crash site difficult, and areas ravaged by monster hordes were likely now overrun by dimensional rifts. The creatures there wouldn't be as manageable as the local ones.

Whether for the sake of the Trailblazers' mission or Stelle's growth, it made more sense to gain experience and reputation gradually. Once their renown grew, the kingdom would likely approach them of its own accord, bringing the needed intelligence with them.

This approach might take a few months, but it would allow Stelle to grow significantly. If all else failed, they could always use the demon king's revival timeline as a reference and confront it directly.

This way, their time would be maximized without risking the loss of their ultimate mission objective.

Registering as adventurers was the next step toward understanding this world.

"No problem," Mimiya agreed, nodding toward Zaryus. She led the group to the guild's counter.

On the way, a few rogue-like adventurers whistled at her, only to avert their eyes and feign interest in the scenery the moment she shot them a glare.

At the counter, the young and beautiful receptionist noticed the shift in atmosphere. She also took note of the four individuals following behind Mimiya. Their striking appearances rivaled that of the elves, and their equipment seemed far beyond anything even a dwarven master might craft.

Her gaze lingered on the cold-faced spearman. The faint glow from his spear's blade made it clear that even the toughest monster scales would be like paper against it. Combined with his calm, masterful demeanor, she couldn't help but feel her heart flutter.

Oh no. Is this what they mean by love at first sight?

Then her eyes shifted to the gray-haired woman, whom she instinctively identified as a mage. Her aura was sharp and commanding, her golden eyes exuding a detached allure.

Would it be too much to lean in close? To rest my head against her chest and hear her soothing whispers of wisdom?

And that bard…

Why is he wearing such pristine white stockings? Hugging those soft little feet must feel heavenly.

Just as the receptionist struggled to maintain her professional smile, Mimiya's words snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Miss Receptionist, could you please help them register as adventurers?"

"Eh?"

Did she hear that right? This team, perfectly coordinated in appearance and demeanor, was just registering as adventurers for the first time?

"Is something wrong?" Mimiya asked, her tone slightly sharp.

"No, not at all!" The receptionist hurriedly retrieved the necessary documents from the drawer.

Meanwhile, on the guild's second floor, a distinguished-looking older gentleman with a monocle descended the stairs. Behind him was an elderly man with sharp, Saiyan-like hair, his face lined with age yet radiating an intimidating presence.

"Hm?"

The gentleman cast a casual glance toward the counter, only for his gaze to linger on the group gathered there.

His expression shifted to one of intrigue as he hummed thoughtfully to himself.

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T/N: SAIYAN?

Hello! Thank you so much for reading this chapter. WiseTL has worked hard to bring these wonderful stories to you, and I'm so happy we could share this moment together! Don't you think stories are a little like dreams? Each one has its own colors and shapes, and they grow even brighter when shared with others.

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