A soft whistling sound wakes me up, I find myself in my room. I feel much better, but Getting up is still a challenge as my chest aches every time I try.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJopIH4kuDd
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtl1blyJIcd
After a few attempts, I drag myself to the edge of the bed and roll down softly to get up, then walk up to the window.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuui4C6gW1
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDvMwERcLK
The sun is not visible but the sky seem dimly lit, stars are still visible, and now that I see it, the planet has two moons, one is blue and another is silver, except the blue moon is broken.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzMoHudw9N
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmp6upREiQ
I can hear the whistling sound. And now that I am awake, might as well take a stroll.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfKfJYCoo7
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqIeKX7g9O
But before that I tie a cloth around my left eye which is making me feel dizzy, this place is filled with energies.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnZWxwCd9J
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5OsW3VTdO
I open the window, and using the branches as foot hold, climb down slowly, but just as I am about to reach the bottom, my foot slip and I am about to fall flat on my face, but using my unbelievable strength I use my arms and legs like a cat to spread the impact across the ground.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInB0k4meMn
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGB8sK9awx
Although it pains my chest, I power through it636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkodgcHFmY
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpWgzrEHIb
“Cool..., lets go.” I say to myself optimistically.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHRDYRuKKx
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuLSXBxbaD
But if someone saw me walking around I am sure they would avoid me.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKvGhVWh80
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDvzOzfOZc
There are less people around than I expected, maybe people sleep till sunrise here. And this place feels like it’s based in center of an Oasis, there are lots of trees and bushes.
I follow the sound and arrive into a small clearing not too far away behind the mansion. There are some wooden swords, some sort of equipment.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwLSO8CFDo
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9totUX0Y2
I am sure the whistling sound must be coming from here. But there is no one here?636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlRRG51Gy6
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsYCxx6goE
Just kidding, they think they can ambush me, they are on my right in the darkness of the trees. I summon a dagger just in case.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHyq1VS7dz
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRywKzS5Meg
I quickly turn towards my right, ready to defend, but the flash of bright golden hair dazed me. I snap into action as the sword nears me, I divert it using calculated precision, tilting it so that the flat side slides against my neck, but suddenly Gloria switches her grip, trying to stop herself.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxeWAF3u1cj
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9Gjrhozq1
It works for me but seems like it didn’t quite work for her.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssuo3TfMXB
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0zABBvF15
Gold particles disappearing in the air signified her failed attempt to use her powers.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEcJTbnPJF
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ULIvso8oc
I catch her shoulders. Frail looking like any woman’s, But she sure is strong, and It felt like I am holding ambers.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCf6VW3D6o
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFC7Woo5BY
A hissing sound starts to come from my hands.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6ZpWTPx7J
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25HJoklXsb
“Get your hands off me!” she says as she tries to force my hands away.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3czka3rl8
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VOThyATyA
“You should be in bed. I nearly killed you.” she says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pDdYaWmH4
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgcA0Joyun
“Don’t flatter yourself, and do you attack people out of the blue if they approach you?” I ask in a serious tone636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1Bd8WfOUm
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqp3OvssAv
“Excellent, so you CAN~ talk?!” she says forcing a hint of surprise and frustration in her voice636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIv9n1TUXGP
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4HIWHy34IL
“This is my training ground. Restricted. I hate people Intruding during practice.” She says arrogantly.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqESrZAnEf
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyaUQMQKia
She flicks her head to slight right “I didn’t injure you did I?”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgVkOJNKTN
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEOwGTC34G
I don’t speak to strangers much, trying to save energy is a habit I developed during my time as the best hitman. She is just my contractor’s daughter.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TvRBPYz8m
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBd0Hylmtls
I smirk, looking around.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKMFjrcD0i
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrQ6RkeZt8
“Oh, so you can smile. I though you were some serious guy.” She says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCy5jS4mVoV
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1MhLnJUYt7
I stroll around, looking at the equipment. But as I turn towards Gloria again, I catch a wooden sword. Old memories, unpleasant ones return to me as it instantly crush the sword in my hand and throw it aside.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26ZjwVA7jx
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11EFySgu3r
“Wha—Hey! If you didn’t want to practice you could have said so! Why break it?!” she says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnM1eCFKeFZ
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1aySaWVmQ1
“If it were a random person that forced a sword in my hand, they would be draining on the ground by now.” I snap, only to realize that I am way out of line.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxXuGIepaDN
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGb47onZWq
“….” Gloria flinches636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SZ1YAwR7I
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLAX3miZfv
“Sorry. I didn’t intend to do that. Swords and I don’t get along.” I say as I pinch my nose disappointed on myself.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBSItmMyXr
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13zip9mn6Y
“No, it’s fine.” A small, almost surprised smile touched her lips. “Startling, is all. Not many outside my family dare raise their voice at me.”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0THhQSmNU
“You aren’t angry?” I ask636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDm7VdpKSyB
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhFC4rsJkW
“No, I was just trying to get you to spar with me, forgetting you are injured. I was the one at fault, so I will let you off the hook this once.” she chuckles, mischief in her voice.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ltQvAz84s
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuQlmxYGgN
“A spar?” I considered it. Good exercise, but not worth reopening these wounds. “Maybe Another time.”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJZ4YhCXgz
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoncvD9OJcg
“Then we have a deal?” she asks636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9XbBMNTVs
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp36z1KWZm8
“Deal” I assure her with a thumbs up as I transition into a cross-armed pose.
Keeping up this polite facade was exhausting. So much wasted energy.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SAgFIQhhP
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgJN9AuNDB
“Last night, Old man said you defeated the demon lord. If you didn’t use a sword, then what did you use?” she ask636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTJvFoFVbr
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7So5jwyW8R
“You want to know?” I ask, she nods immediately.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjDOUv4OVr8
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWOL2d0Von
I point at the moon to distract her “Oh, look! A bird!” It works like it always does.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzIjt77jUv
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7oQIhaXVv
I only need moments to summon my spear using my strange powers.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJWR49fhwS
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkU3i7TCSD
Now that it was in my hand, I remember how badly its damaged since the last battle.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49t1cmvPmS
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqViOrMCSm0
“Hold on—Where did that come from?” she asks636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6A56mw61X
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7J7FYrNUgR
“Magic?” I offer with a shrug “Maybe, who knows?” motion636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhpdSFYcf0
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9C2Wmkh082
“Don’t take me as a fool. That staff was not there before. How did you make it appear out of nowhere? And I know you have an artifact which stops magic around you, mine didn’t work when I attacked you earlier.” she asks636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1L1dLtPuE
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBN4zbzrqIJ
I had a feeling she might ask this.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvMfQ5hLjh
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANVNWd4fHC
“Fine, It’s a lost technology. I had the staff, but in a miniature form.” I say636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrat4gwstCP
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2J10lxkIe
“Hmm, that might explain how you defeated the demon lord.” She murmurs while clutching her chin and the part of the mask covering it.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5ii0Ziv6N
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjn73EmmUh
“What rank are you anyway?” she asks636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IuwBGqCPH
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUVezTp4uM
“Rank?” I ask back in confusion636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXZrurA4Ly
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAd226mpLi
“Yeah, as in Adventurer Rank. I am called the ‘Flame queen’ and my Rank is called Silver Hand. Burned a Wyvern into a crisp with single blow using my fire magic once Although I was trying to hide my power.” She says with a smug voice.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRawDbrI9A
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cWyKiKrNW
“Adventurer, huh? I am not one, I am a Hitman.” I say636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKvZcbUDxh
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVprDQ2MzZ
“Oldzheil did mention that before. What does that even mean? Is that some kind of title?” she asks636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbnzLUNuKg
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwW9PrCU3nf
my stomach lets out a deep growl as if a lion roar.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswxAINl9bJ
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBx7wIbCa3V
“History can wait for later. But Food? My friend here suggests we Eat.” I say rubbing my stomach under the shirt.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsVczC9uY6
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdwbIYp0oi
“Now that you mention it, I am hungry too. But…” she hesitates636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAR7JGfCWRp
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04rANkqp9r
“But I don’t think you would like what I eat.” She says.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBq6F8L1iew
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBBnPDklqO
“Anything that doesn’t scream first.” I pause. “Even a tree will do, if it comes down to it.”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2mtmFZojG
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSfg3i8skAw
She giggles “Your sense of humor sucks just like Oldzheil.”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPxzHQtiQx
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxAZIp0hwO
“Problem with vegetables?” I ask with a flat voice636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPLX1KHAGR
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJfCOAjJXf
“Not at all stupid, as a matter of fact I am veg too.” she says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXr3gQraE8B
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwV5yS8xo0l
“A veg like me in this world? Crazy fantasy world to be in.”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCnLQ2dFWF5
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3cw8XFGyg
“HEHE, there are many out there. Meat is quite expensive for common folk. And, eating lower beings is the last thing I want to do,” She says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMiApUhngK
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCiferQlPXb
Gloria starts walking excited, and I follow behind her, we both walk for a few minutes, quite. But then she speaks.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZDQbyTIJ1X
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCKl4YRmnE
“You know, when I first saw you, I Mistook you for some god’s descendant too, Your eyes, although strange, speaks of wisdom and knowledge not meant For humans to achieve your age, It’s unbelievable no matter how I think of it.” She says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpDwA0Hpzl
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYD8kXz9A4
“Seems like the Old dwarf spilled more than I expected,” I say.
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jqzeBSKK4
Maybe she's right about the age thing, though.
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0OmWi6k9C
Telling her I'm decades older felt wrong somehow.
I lost my childhood working to meet expectations; perhaps being young again wasn't so bad. I shift the topic.
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4N5lT9MhH
“So—these adventurers—they are what, monster hunters?”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWNp4Iy6zh
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOEjLBgLh0
“It’s an umbrella term, but yeah it involves bandit hunting, monster hunting and many other things.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtR9jWDxeQP
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAfwb8vUDx
“So it’s a freelancing platform for people?” I ask636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhCGCxCMCk
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJP70M2nCmT
“What’s freelancing?” she asks636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqORZEw2C0
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFsXDLdEGE
“Work on hire.” I say636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpan7YoJ35
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3o6UmNnXAD
“yeah, more or less. How the hell do you don’t know about adventurer’s guild?” Gloria says, suspicion creeping in her voice.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXD0tKrzaf
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3PYejIwFm
“Geolard scrambled my memory before I met Warzheil. Only the important bits stuck.” I say636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPsHm4HRaM
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMS3igejUtq
“Oh, Oldman didn’t tell us about that.”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrIHFKYvn7
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8H84RBXpE
“He doesn’t know it as well. I just realized that there was something missing in my head.” I say as I make up a random story.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEE5eS8pyG
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8VbHM0keMO
”By the way, you don’t quite speak like how one would expect a goddess, I assume you grew up here and not in a castle?”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ozUmP086R
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pXIiLN5It
“It’s that bad? Maybe I should take those classes Sil was telling me to.”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBV2PsD5MkJ
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFbCRgj4mv
“One’s presence can be powerful when used with knowledge and precision.” I say.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGG3GyPJjC
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYxOYjfIIx
“You should become a Sage.” She laughs636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTnI8rcUqQ
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46707WNicC
“So, What’s your plan after this? Like, what do you want to do in life? You already defeated extremely powerful foes and lived to tell the tale. I am sure you can easily become a captain of some knight’s order in a capital city if you wanted.” She asks636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7rdncimMc
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTeRT0l9cU
Her ideas are alluring, now that I reflect on it, I never took time to peacefully sit down and think about what I want to do after I found Ava.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuiAGWFXH7h
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjslN1IFzru
“Maybe I will go visit the man who stole my precious sister’s heart, and show him who the boss of the house is!” I say, cracking my knuckles with a grin.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0I4JWcQjKh
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYdQWgrYKr
“You mean Ava ‘The Light Borne Hero’, right?” she catches me off-guard by mentioning Ava.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzOHTE5Ufm
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqmpZQS7Dm
“Oldzheil told us about her too.” She says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8N1eOtOIf
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLh8i9DvjS
I sneer “That Oldman…...” tightening my fist636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtVn7mkZIB
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTY1N9z18gg
“Hehehe, Don’t hold it against him, Grandma Sil has a special spell that forces other to speak more than they intend.” She explains636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfVoxa8WPT
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHqjECOD3W
“Fine.” The thought of facing Ava still unnerved me. “Doesn't change that I need to see them.”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSRbp95OmD
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWATdHa7EEi
“Why the long face? You think your sister won’t welcome you because you had a fight with her?” she asks636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSC6M2CyF6
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQije6B3uwO
“It’s---complicated. Right now, she hates me more than I hate the sword” I say636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHyJET10u7
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ypyRJf6xG
Gloria does not enquire further. But after a moment of quite walking she speaks636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9rBSNbP3n
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gfU82wd7Y
“Why not become an adventurer just like me? I have never asked anyone this because no one is worthy around here, but maybe we can become friends?” she says as she spins and walks backward while she face me636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDJbhJ805r
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYst0PGzEu
“Friends?” I continue after reconsidering. “Hard pass.”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhsdLu9ajO
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6PCtRWSypb
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcabUrrpvL0
Gloria, who was excited earlier with her hand raised in joy had suddenly stopped. Her joy was put to an abrupt halt. I stop too.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnMOCsvcE8
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqf908kkHlT
She must be struck hard, but I cannot be friends with my contractor’s daughter. I don’t want anyone else to be hurt because of me.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLl4FjrZ0xP
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcT024hv3Yk
But, Then I hear a few sniffs. My heart sinks.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM3bosRWNoJ
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWGi8X8129
Giggles after sniffs “I was just joking? Why would anyone want to be friends out of the blue with someone who attacked them.” She says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1HzUIfluY
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bwt7xggKi
“Your father taught you well, arrogance is downfall of the weak who think they are strong..” I says with a small smile as I rub my beard.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAS4T49HEuS
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiBj7IMqKn
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuz1ghWzoEv
“So, do you think I can become an Adventurer?” I ask trying to divert from the sobby mood.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKqPDN08jf
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHu2dshj1P
“oh, They don’t let mutants into the guild, but I can vouch for you if you want. The local adventurer guild can only promote you till the Elder Silver Hand rank. But after that you will need to go to one of the capitals.” She says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARGo9nRREC
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypImLmuUqB
“Can I ask for your help? Or did I hurt your feelings and you won’t help me?” I ask636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUahQEEfev
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDIBR3OJj8
“I am not some fool who dwell on emotions for too long, and you are our guest, so I will help you. We are almost there anyways and Since there is still time until the food stalls open up, we should go there” She says
“Won’t the guild be closed as well?” I ask636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmWGp7e5iZ
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXKUTCsLLK
“No, it opens up early, since adventurers start coming here.” She says as we walk through the town.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4sr6irSIf
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fF5YcjdNF
“You will need to fight a monster or instructor to get a rank, which should be breeze for you. But I suggest you take off your artifact when you measure your mana.” gloria says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprMIuia0oP
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9C83qkTEiW
“Take off? Oh didn’t Warzheil tell you? I cannot take off my artifact. It is bound to me with Curse of Binding.” I say636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH35CX9dxfE
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzAIoe6peSf
“Curse of Binding? But that’s a curse lost during time of the Elder Gods. Just how old is that artifact? And how did you even get your hands on it?” She asks with a gasp636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUaPrGhnqaA
“Well, Geolard had it.” I say636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbdu0icMGt
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcpA2271Mp
“Oh, that makes sense.” She says with an analytical nod636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7NIsWvhDn
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQjUkh3CTo
Soon, we arrive near a big, exotic looking building, magical almost.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOZ7gv7JkA
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48uy0qaRpe
The doors are open and a Cat woman is mopping the front of the guild.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTw6yvO8aVX
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cSwJ0nyEl
“Nya-? Miss Gloria? What brings the Flame Queen so early to the guild?” she asks636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebc9YV5Nsd
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXlN3otNmy
“Good morning Canthrine, This is a guest of our house. And he wants to register as an adventurer.”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvndhIKw4y
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2CU1n56GV
I join my hand as a greeting which confuses them.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2sZRxSdI20
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOhSF3ShE65
“This is the way of greeting in my homeland” I say636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdeub0j5KW
“Oh, you gi~yot me nyanfused for a second there. Hahahaha. Go in, Sinfia should be on the reception.” she says with a welcoming gesture.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0QB7VLMIq
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrbXpanBn1
“Hmm… strange man, I couldn’t feel my mana near him.” Canthrine dwells on the thought for a few moments before getting back to her chore.
Gloria nods as we walk into the Adventurer’s Guild. Polished hardwood floors gleamed under soft, magical light emanating from runes carved into the ceiling beams. A long counter dominated one wall, several empty stools before it, while comfortable-looking leather chairs were arranged near a large, unlit hearth on the other side. Quiet, for now.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMXarcw1UX
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6ActgzHFA
A half Dragon half Human girl sat on the center counter.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnxH4C629m
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgqvq6SwF7
As far as my knowledge go, they are called dragonewt.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cWWfGufYi
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHfCOaJGC0
There are 5 counter openings and she is on the center.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1UcwXz0Ft
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rLkTokRIG
She Seems busy with some paper work, and doesn’t notice us.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtMg4D0tyV
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHl6HNSRFUU
“Hey Sinfia!” Gloria says waving her hand.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGejhMtSKSV
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22qvbICe9E
“Oh, If it isn’t Sister Gloria.” The girl says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7T1OSls00
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKixzongnfb
“Kid, Where is the receptionist?” I ask, teasing her636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxJKyPUDub
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRKlhBFH4F
“Wha-?, Excuse me, I am THE receptionist and I am 19, a full fledged adult. And I will soon be posted to a capital city too. Sister, Who is this rude per…..son?!” her voice drifts from annoyed to shocked when she notices my hand.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTfcv041lc
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTTKsSY2eA
Seeing her stare at my hand, I and realize that my hand really makes things complex for me.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0klY2sZAqQ
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCl7KSmAiXF
“You mean This? Standard issue. Made For certain specialized… professions.” I say636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqwb4eSKqdl
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCO9kAW6sM
“A gauntlet?” she asks suspiciously636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqs6aunRpAN
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1EzCKIsc7N
“You don’t need to hide it when I am with you Ronin, I will fill her in later.”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgSfqJzNG4
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPiku78Lk0
“If you say so Big sister. But what brings the Flame Queen here today?” Sinfia says, letting her guard down slightest.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YaNLnhxDu
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSJyMXEour
“I am here to vouch for this man, Says he wants to be an adventurer.”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfp2B8bgsrE
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5qderqizX
“Him? I don’t see much in him though. His left eye is patched by a cloth, his left hand looks like a gauntlet out of the demon treasury.” She says with a bored expression636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7Y3U6WR1C
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXEpc4tCjR
“Fia, If one of your adventurer becomes above Vanquisher Rank, you would finally get a job in one of the main branch, Right?” Gloria says, gesturing at me.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hh2Gi1ojC
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxnAyNuyrL
“So you are telling me this guy here is that capable? Even if it’s you, I need some proof to accept your vouch.” She says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgt0I8kJ3G
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPTEESG0ti
“A proof? I don’t think we have….” Gloria says but I know exactly what to do.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWB1W3Prlb
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJVWIB5IE1
So I interrupt her as I step forward and put my index finger on the desk. “Listen kiddo, you saw the flash of light in the sky a few nights ago right?”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuTK7CV1QI
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCeCs4SDKh
“I am not a kid!” she recoils636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VZn2ncSNS
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNgcPaR5hJ
“Tell me that, When you learn to control your temper. For now answer the question.” I say which annoys her but she answers636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHXSJa7zCw
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1gkfPfrje
“Yeah, what if I saw it? The Heroes must have defeated the demon lord.” She says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmPp9CLKz6
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mHEYf9zrb
“Heroes didn’t kill that monster.” I lean forward slightly. “I did.”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYlClFB9ih
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3i2SnMRqxy
At first Sinfia covers her mouth and then starts laughing wildly almost falling off her chair.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjaOPZPvWc
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoBmWPfWvw
But Shortly after, I hear another giggle. I look up, slightly backing away from the counter, and see a powerfully built woman perched atop a counter. Muscle corded her arms and shoulders, compact and dense beneath practical white clothes and a half-leather jacket, but she moved with a surprising grace when she later jumped down. Not just brute strength, but honed power.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBK6FgilKvl
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNPbvdUXfQ
“Guild Master Kainia, You returned from Holy Kingdom?” Gloria asks.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgK3ufyG7R
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8x7BoYAsl
“Hello, Gloria. Thanks for taking care of our town in my absence.” She says as she jumps down from the top near Gloria.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUcQzl5Q4K
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzHDiUKDsn
Walking up to me she realizes something is wrong with her mana, her expression gives her away.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSATu0B3MG
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHdR0WB1pu
Kainia’s eyes narrow on me. “No mana In or around you… An artifact?”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50xBoBDBzg
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Ou7PmmtGY
“As expected of the boss of the place. You know your stuff.” I say636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNmCB9yAqe
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8mmRooBlD
The guild master’s expression changes, now she feels like someone who is worth talking to.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZlGAs3g1j
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFQNijvSPP
“Kid, going around, telling other that you have precious commodity doesn’t raise fame, it raise chances of death.”636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFb4onWERjh
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRuawRO5Ax
But Her bossy attitude won’t work on me, putting bossy people in their place has been a big part of my history.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScQ6lReJk9
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPtEDCYO1Q
“I am confident I won’t meet someone who can take it from me, I know just fine how to go against odds.” I say636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhjqZ6irIL
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09yj15s2Ll
Kainia nods slowly, her sharp eyes assessing me. "So it is true." She lets out a short, barking laugh, devoid of humor. "I like you already kid."636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7a9EqZ96Vf
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWIE5xFo4H
Kainia leans a hand on the counter, her expression turning serious. "And to think such a youngling is the 'Demon Traitor'. You're already a hot topic in the Holy Kingdom, you know?"636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPgf6UFVnU
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8RnHi9DBF
“Me?” I ask636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoIrt9pG9o3
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuW6uBdyGNI
"Yeah, you," Kainia confirms, seemingly enjoying the dramatic effect. "The Holy Kingdom realized you killed the Demon Lord – their prophet, the one who talks to gods, apparently saw the whole thing."
Sinfia gasps, her earlier mockery vanishing, replaced by wide-eyed shock as she glances nervously between me and the Guild Master. She had heard my claim.
"They're saying," Kainia continues, ticking points off on her fingers, "that a 'half-demon' betrayed the demon race..."
Half-demon? Where did they get that? I think, catching Gloria giving me a quick, questioning look.
"...held his own against the Light Borne Hero..."
Gloria's eyes widen “So Oldzheil wasn’t lying?” she asks636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAXjGVFwjQ
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOJMp0CRnC
“You still had your doubts, huh?” I ask with a sigh
"...and then killed the Demon Lord," Kainia finishes, driving the point home.
Sinfia looks faint, clutching the counter for support, finally grasping the reality behind my earlier statement. Gloria lets out a slow breath, seemingly confirming this part to herself while the other details swirl.
Kainia smirks slightly. "Made you a wanted criminal and a legend overnight." She pauses, letting the weight of her words settle in the now silent reception area. "Point is, they’ve put out a request to every guild, mine included. Compulsory quest: report any information on your whereabouts."636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37pz5FWcdk
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8psOABuJTF
“W-w-wait, tell me you aren’t joking boss!” Sinfia says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡft3tu9FflW
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7rjA3Fl9V
“Not at all, Sinfia, you should apologies this man before he eats you.” She says teasingly to Sinfia, which works.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKbAE2f4pU
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGCfZxZwb8
Sinfia is about to get up but I gesture her to sit down and relax.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNXO9md9g3
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSxL7VQaez
“Ok, first of all, I may look like this, but I am not a Demon. I am human by heart.” I pause “I am here to apply as an adventurer, so, are you going to let me take a test or should I leave? Because I have other things to do.” I get straight to the point.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXweUhh2oFS
“Hold your horses now, there is no way we can make a demon into an adventurer, but I will make it a special case for you. I have ears around the town you know. Since you are a guest who saved our elder Warzheil, I will be delighted to help you create a fake card.” She suggests636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1JUh0rS6q
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Atojabc4W
“I see a fake card….” I dwell on it for a moment636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6irTqYrhgD
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2nS9PT0hr
“I can register you as a human adventurer with a prostitute hand or something. As for the test, I need you to bring some big hunt with you while you are here. I am sure you don’t want people hunting you know where you are because that’s what will happen if I told the main branches of adventurer guild about you.” She says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwr9cHbJez3
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcW9TbnPgwu
“I think that’s a good plan, so I just need to register as a newbie, hunt some beasts, and rise through the ranks?” I ask636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR71Cph4Qz1
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqYUX8l2io
“Bingo. It seems like our Gloria found a smart boyfriend for herself, I was starting to think she would be alone all her life.” The guild master huffs teasing Gloria.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeh7MM7AKcJ
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pQeMwuQUz
“B-b-boyfriend? We aren’t like that! How can I- with him.” She starts to stammer.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2EZYb7EOkf
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1T6PcqCpKA
“She is teasing you, snap out of it.” I say in a commanding voice636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEY70lg0DNi
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwbcoUhjM2
“so? What did you decide?” Kainia asks636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDuy0Tg2Jc
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCdu78Orol
“Your proposition is not bad, ok let’s go with that.” I say636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJlMq0Ia1u
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmUn9gB5SU
“I will get register you on Steel Sentinel rank which is the 8th rank out of 10, hunt a good beast and I will raise your rank.” She says handing me over a small tempered Blue-Steel wristband that fails to attach to my wrist, so I try to bend it to fit my wrist.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYyzW6hq7l
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWifRW0HCy
“Killing the demon lord has it’s benefits It seems. Thank you. Although it doesn’t fit my hand.” I say trying to fix the band, Gloria turn to leave, I follow her as I fix the band, but Kainia stops us as we near the gate.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIkMvC9zRW
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡit3wp0vj8L
“Take this advice to heart. Do not use your powers, items or artifacts openly. Kingdoms rage Wars over such precious commodities. They will try anything to strip you off your things if you are not under a kingdom.” She says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡak6kBJloes
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpgKWRMhIc
“Why tell me this?” I ask636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CdC2Gei05
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLCloUECgyx
“Your ancestors must have worked hard as adventurers to obtain such precious artifact. I can respect that.” She says636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjnWWyULpl
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0FBdXAy9F
Well, It’s good that she doesn’t know that it’s not an artifact. She is a good person.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtZRafj31F
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVf5jwwP8pE
We step into the pre-dawn twilight. Just as our eyes adjust, a party of five adventurers approaches the entrance, moving with the synchronized efficiency of a veteran team, their boots crunching softly on the street. Their gear, though travel-worn, is high quality; the leader, encased in gleaming golden plate armor, wears the unmistakable Obsidian Black wristband of a Reaver. The bulky warrior beside him sports the Burnished Bronze of a Vanquisher. Slightly ahead of them, hurrying towards the door while glancing back, is a man in flamboyant silks carrying a lute.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnsO7m1dcxk
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQQojp0Iy0
Preoccupied in adjusting my band to my wrist, I don't sidestep quite fast enough as the bard reaches the threshold. Our shoulders collide. He yelps as the waterskin he was lifting flies from his grasp, splashing dark liquid down his colorful tunic.
"Seven bloody hells!" Valerius—the bard—exclaims, stumbling back and staring aghast at the spreading stain with theatrical horror. "My Aquarian silk! Utterly ruined! Have you no eyes, man?!" Real irritation underlies his dramatic tone.
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gOyEOLQUt
"Easy, Valerius," the Vanquisher rumbles, planting his heavy frame squarely in the doorway, blocking our path. His Bronze band is prominent as his hand rests near his axe hilt. He looks me up and down, gaze lingering contemptuously on my blue-steel band. "Watch yourself when approaching your betters, Sentinel. Some 'accidents' have steep prices."
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dvabVBBSm
Gloria Step forward, he hair flaring with amber particles.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Jx1293yDG
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVQfhesmHV
Gloria draws herself up beside me, her posture unwavering, her hand near her Polished Silver band. "He was rushing blindly toward an occupied exit. Perhaps even those," she adds coolly, pointedly glancing at the leader's Obsidian Black band, "self proclaimed ‘betters’ should mind their own path."636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcUMhTb8fjj
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJs3cIhoeit
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAROY2AxzG
The leader in gold armor remains silent, visor fixed forward, assessing. Behind him, the veiled mage and the shadow figure watch impassively.
Valerius recovers, striking a pose despite his damp tunic. "A tragedy! Such artistry warrants recompense! Perhaps," his eyes flick to Gloria's rank and bearing, "the lady understands? A private performance, maybe?"
I step slightly forward, drawing the focus. "It was unintentional," I state raising my left hand a little suggesting a gesture of de-escalation, my gaze fixed past the others onto the impassive golden helm of the Reaver leader.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSAPssFKcX
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcXyk545qh
My stance is relaxed, although the Vanquisher seems to be raring for a fight.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBekiRe3s8A
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4ihCsnBII
The Vanquisher bristles. "That all? It seem we need to teach you how to respect elders. You think that Silver Hand protects—"
"Rank means less out here," I cut him off, I say flatly, going out of my way to avoid an unnecessary fight, addressing only the leader. "Rank doesn't grant you the whole doorway. Travel costs coin. And Don't mistake the colour of a man's wristband for the threat he might be hiding just because he works the fields."
The challenge hangs, palpable. The Vanquisher glares, momentarily silenced. Valerius raises an intrigued eyebrow. The leader remains still, but I sense his focus sharpen behind the visor. The veiled mage shifts, lifting a hand subtly.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRGtyCLCVj
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJEnO5lGff
“A small lesson for one so young as you.” She says in a whispering voice.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZCW9H6DBp
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoU3Vi1Gif
A faint thrum vibrates the air as mana gathers around her fingertips, Condensing into a sharp water stream aimed my way. It touches the field around me – less than a breath against my senses – and then its form destabilises, falling at my feet, wetting them. A silent crack like static discharge, and the nascent spell vanishes utterly, leaving no trace near my inert Blue-Steel band.
The mage gasps audibly, physically recoiling, her entire frame rigid beneath her veil.
Every member of the Reaver party reacts instantly. The Vanquisher stares, his jaw slackening in disbelief. Valerius pales, eyes wide. The shadow figure becomes a knot of pure tension. The Reaver leader's helmet snaps fully toward me, his stillness radiating sudden, intense scrutiny. An Iron Guard nullifying magic? Impossible.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rWsMA4nso
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaC6H3KNej
“Now I am wet too, that makes us Equal.” I say
The Reaver holds the stunned silence for a long, calculating moment, clearly recalibrating the threat assessment. When he finally speaks, his voice is dangerously smooth, stripped bare of any condescension. "Enough. Hedvard" The command is clipped, directed at the Vanquisher, but his unseen eyes bore into me. "Inside. Now."
He starts to turn but pauses deliberately beside me, his presence radiating controlled power. His voice drops, a low murmur meant only for me, sharp as obsidian shards. "Don’t think I didn’t notice your artifact, Sentinel." The leader says with a voice dripping with venom. "Artifacts attract attention. The wrong kind. And that behavior of your will be your gravedigger." He holds my gaze through the visor slit, a silent promise of future scrutiny. "Remember that."
Without awaiting acknowledgment, he brushes past me and disappears through the open doorway into the quiet shadows of the guild hall. The bulky warrior gives me a final, hateful glare before lumbering inside. Valerius, looking thoroughly unnerved, scurries after them, followed swiftly by the still-shaken mage and the silent shadow, their figures quickly swallowed by the hall's depths.
The immediate threat recedes, but the tension lingers heavily in the air, the silence from the empty guild hall behind us somehow amplifying it. Gloria lets out a slow, shaky breath beside me.
"Well," she murmurs, looking from the empty doorway back to me, her expression troubled. "That was… more than I expected. I have a very bad feeling we'll be seeing that Obsidian band again."
I stare into the guild hall's depths where they vanished, the leader's parting words echoing. "No," I agree quietly, a cold certainty settling within me. "I have a feeling this isn’t the last we will see of them." I turn away from the guild entrance. "Let's go I am Hungry."636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmC72g9qPF
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAB9iPge5V8
And we walk into the streets looking for cuisine that would satiate my hunger.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyXbOMXFl2
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It's an old stubborn habit of mine to observe surrounding to almost minute details even when relaxed. I always feel insecure if I don’t, so I do what I am best at.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVFDIuA38j
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passers talking about Jortheus’s death, omens, wars and demon attacks on various kingdoms, Species trafficking etc. but there is one interesting think I noticed to be odd.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvr5vAIcq84
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There were birds chirping in the trees unlike in the Kobe forest, who suddenly went quite. I look around, scanning the trees, but my right eye can see only so much, so I force my left eye open under the bandage while it’s still on it.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmu2MqWKqt
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I see outlines of beings, as if using some sort of sensor to outline things, even if it makes me nauseous, its handy in these situations and surely I see many figures in the trees watching me.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6M226oQPf
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2 have pointy ears, elves, 1 has ears and a tail, a beastman?, another have a bow and its hiding under a hood, they all have a very thin line of colorful outline unlike gloria whose is overflowing, which means they are suppressing their power, but the hooded person doesn’t have any outline maybe I can try to peek…..I try to focus my left eye on the person, but it sends a dizzying pain in my head, maybe I shouldn’t force my strange powers, I don’t know enough about them.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkurCVIduEe
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They aren’t too bad, but they are unlucky I am the best at the game they are playing. I smirk at them to put them off their game.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYERNsdRJ7
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anyone would see me as crazed guy if they saw me smirking to thin air but I am certain I saw them flinch. I can even hear bits of murmur if I concentrate my enhanced hearing, but its no use.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5WnbcrtIr
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I notice them using sign language and then using magic to disappear like they were never there.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡot4RvBVmcY
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“Hey! What you gawking at up there? The stall is very close, come on I am hungry too, it’s Oldzheil favorite too.” Gloria shouts from a distance which snaps me from the Simulator phase of my thoughts.
For now, let’s see what happens.
Dear Reader, be kind enough to leave a comment in the chapter about it, as it inspires me to keep improving and doing better. And like if you enjoyed this chapter.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoT0GOHC6Bh
It hardly takes a few seconds to write "Good", but it boosts the confidence of us authors.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFZLt0MFQJ
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Join my Discord server If you want sneak peeks or early access to chapters of Cosmeta series. Discord Server link: http://discord.gg/Q27uA8vnfu636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEN38JGrHJ
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and then Add to home screen.