"Umm...." I felt something tugging on my hair as I dizzily opened my eyes and saw Blaze trying to wake me up.
"Rise and shine, princess~" He greeted me with a mischievous glint in his eyes as I struggled to get up.
"Yawn*
"What time is it?" I asked, my voice groggy from just waking up.
"Six in the morning," Blaze answered, his excitement evident in his voice as he jumped out to the floor, ready for the day.
"Okay," I left the comfort of the bed, feeling the cool wooden floor beneath my feet as I immediately got ready to leave the room.
Picking up Blaze with me, I descended the stairs, the wooden steps creaking ever so slightly with each step. The house was still quiet, and I could only assume that everyone was still sleeping.
Last night, we had talked late into the night, and I had shared my self-made fake adventures with them. The stories were elaborate fabrications, but I had to cover up what I had been doing after leaving the house. My real adventures were far too dangerous to share.
"Not to forget you kicked me," Blaze reminded me, still a hint of playfulness in his tone.
"You planned it," I sighed, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips as I was reminded that last night, I hadn't been able to see through Blaze's clever plan.
When he mentioned the bandit group that I slaughtered to let out some steam and test the elemental vision, I had unconsciously kicked him under the table, drawing everyone's attention to me. In an attempt to save face, I had to say that Blaze was biting my toe from under the table. But then, I realized the true motive behind his sudden comment.
He had used that opportunity to jump onto Marylin's lap and nuzzle her with his sparkly eyes, getting her to pet him.
"Well, it was a success, wasn't it, hehe," Blaze chuckled smugly, clearly proud of his little scheme.
"Whatever," I replied, trying to hide my amusement. I was not in the mood for playful banter. I had a serious task ahead of me.
I made my way out of the house, the cool morning air hitting my face as I locked the door behind me.
My next destination was Demacia Guild. There was someone I needed to meet, and it couldn't wait any longer.
"Don't be so full of suspense, it's just Old Man Clay," Blaze said as he climbed up to my shoulder, sensing my seriousness.
The two suns on the horizon were just beginning to rise, casting a golden glow over everything.
It took me a few minutes before I stood in front of a familiar building at the city center.
"Doesn't it look..... different," I mused, marveling at the changes in the Guild building.
It had undergone significant renovations, with repairs and an expanded structure, while still maintaining its medieval half-timbered vibe.
"They removed the statues, huh?" I observed as I stepped forward, entering the building. The once-adorned gargoyle statue and others were now gone from the top, making way for the new upper floor. It seemed like the Guild had become the biggest structure in all of Sephra.
Inside, the Guild still held its warm and familiar atmosphere, despite the changes. There were more adventurers bustling about, and the quest board seemed to be brimming with new opportunities.
"Damn, they removed the dinner," I muttered, realizing there was no food available. I hadn't eaten breakfast before leaving, thinking I could have something here.
"How may I help you?" a Raven-haired girl approached me from the left, introducing herself as Astrid.
"I'd like to meet Old Man Clay. Is he available?" I asked politely, looking at her nameplate to confirm her identity.
As I looked around, I noticed that they had hired new staff. Several employees were wearing butler-like uniforms, though the women's uniforms had some distinct differences. The Guild seemed to be bustling with activity and expansion.
"Hu!!-huh?" The girl froze in her place, her face turning slightly red, before she pinched herself and stammered, "I am so, so sorry, but you can't meet him."
"Why?" I inquired, glancing over at the regular counter where Old Man Clay would usually be, but to my dismay, he wasn't there.
"He's busy right now. Our guild master is on a trip, so he had to take his place in his stead, and he's currently swamped with the workload. I can't arrange a meeting with him," Astrid explained, nervously tapping her feet on the floor.
'Go die,' Blaze's voice suddenly chimed in, directed solely at me. I knew exactly why; he was just jealous because he's an ugly cat now.
"Well, is there any way I can leave him a message?" I asked, trying to think of an alternative to meet with Old Man Clay.
Astrid seemed to consider it for a moment before nodding, "Yes, you can leave a message with me, and I'll make sure he gets it when he's free."
"Alright, tell him Ren came back to Sephra and wants to see him when he's available," I said, hoping that Old Man Clay would receive my message soon.
"I will pass it along, Ren," Astrid said with a smile, seeming relieved that she could at least do that.
"Thanks," I replied, turning to leave before -
"Ren!?" I heard her squeal, and I saw her pointing at me with a trembling hand, gathering attention towards us.
"?" I looked at Astrid, realizing what she was trying to say.
'You're famous, huh...' Blaze commented.
"Yeah," I said with a smile.
"J-j-just wait here! I'll get Clay here, don't go-" Astrid tried to turn immediately.
"Stop," I said softly, grabbing her wrist to halt her movement and closing the distance between us. Leaning in a little, I continued, "Why don't you, Miss Astrid, take me to him? I'd much prefer that, and he would too since..." I let go of her hand and took a step back, saying, "He's busy, right?"
..... Silence.....
The silence enveloped the atmosphere as Astrid stared at me, or more accurately, at her hand.
'Wow! She's scared now! You should stop with these molester tactics of yours...' Blaze began ranting about the same old shit.
Sigh,
Don't worry, I did nothing wrong. Just wait and see.
"Why-why not? Surely, please follow me," Astrid cheered at once, clearly relieved, as she hurried to lead me to Old Man Clay.
'Simpette,' Blaze said, dead-eyed, and he was spot on.
I followed Astrid as she led me to the guild master's office on the second floor. She knocked on the door and waited for a response, her nervousness evident in the way she fidgeted with a few strands of hair, tucking them behind her ear.
"Umm.... I've heard about you from Clay, so I knew your name," Astrid turned back to me, her cheeks slightly flushed with embarrassment.
"You did?" I faked surprise, raising an eyebrow in amusement, and continued, "Well, I am flattered to be remembered by a beauty like you, Miss Astrid. Is it fine for me to call you by your first name? If not, then I am sorry for being so casual back there too..." I started speaking as if I were genuinely nervous, watching her closely to gauge her reaction.
"No! It was fine! Yeah-" her words of agreement were left hanging as the door opened.
"What happened, Astrid?" A bespectacled old Elf emerged from the room with a stern expression, curiosity evident in his eyes.
"Hello~ there~, Old Man Clay," I chimed in with a playful tone, seeing him so... relaxed.
"Is that... Mr. Ren?" He raised his brows, attempting to fix his glasses as if to get a clearer look.
"Indeed. Can I have a word with you? I have something urgent to discuss, and I believe you might know about it too," I said, aware that Alver probably informed Clay about my meeting with him through a mana letter or some other communication method.
Clay didn't say anything, but his eyes scrutinized me from top to bottom. Then, he turned to Astrid and instructed her with a serious tone, "Astrid, go down and tell everyone not to bother me... even if there's something important for the next-" he glanced at me.
"Two hours should suffice," I happily interjected, and Clay nodded in agreement, dismissing Astrid from there.
The girl kept glancing back as she left, seemingly curious about the reason for my visit.
Tap*
Blaze jumped off my shoulder, startling Clay, and left to do his own part of the plan as we had agreed.
We entered the office, and the door closed behind us. No words were exchanged, as both of us knew why I was there and what I wanted to discuss.
Taking his seat on the Guild Master's chair opposite me, Clay asked, "So, what do you want to know? It seems Alver didn't follow my advice of staying away from you for a while." He questioned for the sake of formalities and the topic at hand.
Fixing the paperweight on the top of the table, I glanced around the room and replied, "Everything."
I woke up early.
I didn't fight my way into the office.
I was patient enough to flirt with a lousy receptionist.
I think I've been a good guy for a long time, so shouldn't I get rewarded for enduring the headaches caused by this pair of the Guild Master and receptionist?
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[A/N: I knew it! This mofo was being sus!
How was he sooo calm!!! I knew it!]
Updat𝓮d from freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.co(m)