“It seems like you’re good to go now.” The blue haired woman says to me inspecting me one st time.
“So I can go on quests again?”
“Yes, but your skin will still be easily xxx try to avoid things that make your skin itch because it will be xxx tenfold as you are now.”
“Okay thank you ma’am! By the way, what is your name?”
“Maria but my adventuring name is Landmaid.”
“Landmaid?”
“Yeah…It’s a pun about me being like a mermaid stranded on nd. You don’t really choose your adventuring names, people just call you something one day and then it sticks.”
“I see. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me Maria!”
“You’re welcome. Just try not to get hurt like this anymore, okay? I’ll be moving south soon. In fact, I was about to say my goodbyes to the guild the day you got injured, that’s the only reason I was there in the first pce.”
“Sorry, did I dey your trip?”
“Yes, but it’s fine. It’s only been half a week. Also make sure to check in at the guildmaster’s office soon. She said she wanted to speak to you and your party leader.”
“Alright, thank you Maria!”
“You’re welcome, I’m going to tell her you’re ready. Goodbye, Thoma Ahad.”
“See ya!”
I then get my things together and head out. It seems like I’ve been staying in a small side building for sick people next to the training grounds. As I enter the main guild hall there seem to be a lot of people there giving me the side eye as I walk upstairs to see Uli. I then walk into the office to the sight of a depressed looking Ray fiddling with her bone neckce and the guildmaster just sitting there silently.
“Good evening, Uli and Ray. There is no need to be worried anymore! Maria said I’m all good again!”
The guildmaster smiles and points at an empty seat, “It does seem like you have recovered well. Please sit down.”
“Okay.”
“So, Miss Ray, Thoma Ahad. Since both of you are here now I’m going to discuss your performance on your first quest as a team. Frankly, Miss Ray, I’m considering removing you from your position as team leader and demoting you to G-Rank. Despite being given xxx warning about the danger of this quest you still decided to bring a first time adventurer with no experience on this quest and would have gotten him killed if it weren’t for the lucky appearance of Miss Maria.”
“B-but I didn’t die though! So that means Ray shouldn’t get demoted right? It was my ck of knowledge that put me in danger and I could have refused to go on the quest with her if I wanted to, so if anything it’s my fault.”
“No, as party leader it is her responsibility to make up for the ck of training or knowledge of her companions. She should have known that a quest like this was too dangerous. So, what is your answer Miss Ray?”
Ray stands up from her chair, goes down on her knees and puts her hands and head to the ground.
“It is as you say. I failed as a party leader and led a new adventurer to their death. Blinded by pride and ambition I misjudged both the danger of the quest as well as the capabilities of Thoma Ahad. I was of the impression that he was secretly a xxx of yours that was more capable than he seemed. When I found out that this was not the case I should have returned to the guild and picked out an easier quest. I also mistakenly thought he had knowledge on how to handle himself while in the field that I arrogantly considered common knowledge. I have failed on all fronts as a leader and will take full responsibility for my actions.”
“Hmm…Thoma Ahad, what is your view on this issue?”
“I want to keep adventuring with Ray. She’s a nice person and she took care of me after I got hurt. She didn’t just give up on me and leave me there she brought me back herself and then went on to help by looking for pain killing herbs. She also seems very strong and knows a lot more than I do. I want to keep working and learning with her and help her dream come true.”
“Oh? What is your dream Miss Ray?”
“I…Uhm…It’s a bit embarrassing to say ma’am.”
“If you can’t even voice your dream, how is it going to come to pass? Go on, tell me.”
“I…Uhm…M-My dream is…”
“Come on speak up, I might be old but I don’t have all day.”
Ray then blushes and yells, “My dream is to become rich and famous! I want to travel the world, marry lots of cute and handsome men and have people look up to me!”
The guildmaster raises an eyebrow, “Eh~ That is…Certainly a dream one can hold.”
“Yeah and I’m going to help her achieve it!”
“Thoma Ahad, you’re not mature enough to get married.”
“I don’t want to marry her anyways.”
“Good. Miss Ray, as for my final ruling, I'm demoting you to F-Rank, but you will be able to keep your position as party leader. I will also be crediting the E-Rank quest to both of you as a success but if anything like this happens again any time soon I’ll personally make sure that you will be banned from adventuring in all branches of our guild. Understood?”
Ray, with a wide toothy smile, salutes and says, “Yes ma’am! Thank you very much guildmaster! I won’t disappoint you again.”
“I trust that you won’t, I won’t show leniency for a second time. Now then, onto a different topic, Thoma Ahad, could you give me that box beneath your chair?”
“Sure, here you go, auntie.”
“Thoma Ahad, what nguage were we just speaking in?”
“Huh? What a weird question. We were speaking in Uni of course, I don’t speak any other nguages.”
The guildmaster then reclines into her chair looking deep in thought.
“Thoma Ahad, could you take your shirt off for me? There’s something I’d like to check.”
“Sure. The burns have mostly healed but I still have some bck spots.”
“Wha-Wha-What!? Are you really just going to take your shirt off right here?”
The guildmaster smirks and says, “You know for someone trying to build a xxx of multiple husbands you are quite green behind the ears.”
She then inspects my body and when she gets to my back says, “I see, it is as I expected. Take a look at this Miss Ray.”
“A-Are you sure? I mean…I-If you insist guildmaster I will t-take a small…Is that a sve crest?”
“No…Not quite. It’s a common misconception but sve crests aren’t a purposeful marking. All curses leave behind a mark on the victim, the bigger the mark the stronger the curse. If it’s a minor curse you are likely to confuse it for a mole or a scar but stronger curses like ensvement curses are quite visible.”
“Most sve crests I’ve seen are only the size of my hand and they’re notoriously hard to get rid off…Guildmaster, what is the meaning behind a mark that’s half the size of his entire back?”
“That a very powerful curse has been cast on him…There must have been something that you were not supposed to witness…But still valuable enough that it’s not worth killing you over it.”
“So…Am I sick, Uli?”
“Yes and no. It’s most likely nothing new, it seems to be the root for why you forgot everything two years ago.”
“So, can I be healed?”
“Most likely yes. But I am no expert. I’ll be having a talk with the Red Valkyrie about it in the future, she is well versed in holy magic. The Five Winged Angel left two days ago for a quest, it will be a while until they return so until then just carry on as usual. Are you two hungry?”
“I sure am.”
“I could definitely go for a bite.”
“Good, let’s go downstairs and eat something.”
As we leave her office together, the guildmaster yells down, “They’re both staying!”
“What was that about, Uli?”
“You’ll see. Let’s just give 'em a minute before we go down.”
We wait a bit before going downstairs. It looks like they put together a small party with hastily spread decorations and a big cake in the middle.
As we come into view they all start cheering, “Congratutions on surviving, Charcoal!”
“Charcoal? Are they talking to me?”
Ray answers, “They came up with that one a few days ago. I think it’s a bit distasteful but it’s still an honor to get an adventuring name.”
“Woah…So you guys threw a party for me!? Thank you so much! All of you!”
Jared the guy with the red Mohawk then yells, “Come on, come down here already, you deaf or something? Don’t worry about the cash or nothing I’m buying for you two today.”
I then smile wholeheartedly and take Ray by the hand, “Come on, let’s get down there!”
We sit down at the same table as Jared, Sarah the secretary and some other people with wild hairstyles each in a different color, wearing leather clothing. They look like they’re friends of Jared.
“Yo! guildmaster you coming? Or are ya gonna go off and do some work or something?”
“Well, I do have a lot of work to do, unlike you guys. So I will go back to my office for the evening. Have a nice party.”
“Oh come on, Uli! It’s not going to be a party without you! Please stay with us!”
“Uli?” The crowd asks around in confusion.
“Oy, bro. I get you want the whole guild to party together but once the guildmaster makes a decision she doesn’t go back on it. Never has.”
Uli then looks at me, sighs and says, “Fine, a bit of rexation from time to time is important as well,” walks downstairs and sits down next to me.
The crowd starts whispering again.
“D-Did the guildmaster just go back on a decision?”
“Must be a celestial alignment today…”
Maria speaks up from the crowd, “Guildmaster, what does ‘Uli’ mean?”
“It’s Elvish and means auntie.”
“Eeeeeeeeeeeeh!?” the crowd roars.
“Wait a second guildmaster are you and Charcoal…Reted?”
“No we’re not.”
“And you…Of all people, are okay with him calling you that? Why is that?”
“He reminds me of my niece.”
“Are…Are you okay with us giving you nicknames too?”
“Sure, once you leave this guild you can call me whatever you want, just don’t expect to be allowed back afterwards.”
The crowd then suddenly grows cold as people whisper things like,
“I guess she’s still the same after all.”
“I thought for a second she was repced by a body double.”
“I guess you can’t warm a frozen heart in a few days after all.”
Noticing this, the guildmaster picks up a pitcher of Ale and says, “What’s with this drab mood, this is a party after all! Start the music! A toast to Charcoal!”
Seeing this as their cue the adventurers who brought instruments start pying and the other adventurers start rexing again and yell, “A Toast to Charcoal!”
We then have a wonderful party that goes long into the night with people dancing, pying cards, py fighting and more. Allowing me to get to know a lot of people.
