My knees were shaking. My shirt clung to my back, and my pants were soaked with sweat, at least, I hoped it was sweat. I was breathing fast, short sharp gasps. Panic gripped .
I slowly turned around, praying the ghost hadn’t seen . My instinct told to run and never look back.
But then... I heard sothing.
The wailing had changed. It was not just crying anymore, it sounded like soone speaking. Low, broken words mixed with sobs.
Swallowing hard, I forced myself to glance back at the figure. This ti, I covered my eyes with one hand, leaving a small gap between my index and middle fingers. I peeked through it like a terrified child watching a horror movie, half-expecting the worst.
...
Luckily, no jump scare.
Thank god.
As I looked more carefully, I saw a lady kneeling in front of a tombstone. One of her hands rested gently on the stone, her head bowed low. I could barely make out what she was saying, just fragnts carried by the wind. I cupped my right ear, trying to amplify the sound.
"I’m sorry, Mother. Even after you and father are gone... I’m still a useless daughter."
She must have just lost soone she loved deeply. I figured I should not interrupt, people grieving need space. I was about to quietly back away when she continued:
"I can’t face any of this anymore. No one wants soone like . I just... wish I were dead."
Oi, oi... That was a red flag.
As an unofficial advocate of anti–self-harm, an honorary title bestowed by the old man from the Realm In-Between, and also just as a fellow human being, I knew I had to step in.
I stepped forward, my [Torch Bug Net] gripped in my left hand.
"Excuse ... err, miss, or madam, are you alright?" I asked, trying my best not to sound awkward.
Now, in the back of my mind, I expected her to either flinch in surprise or stay silent, as is always the case in those dramatic love stories
What I got was the last thing I ever expected.
Without any warning, the lady dashed at with terrifying speed. She kicked my leg out from under , and before I could process what was happening, I was on the ground, with a black blade pressed against my neck.
Dark aura poured from her body like smoke escaping a furnace.
Oh my god.
This was far worse than a ghost.
"Who are you!? Are you following !?" she shouted, her voice sharp and trembling.
She glared down at . In the glow of the [Torch Bug Net], I could finally see her face, ssy black hair partly covering the right side, sharp eyes like a predator, yet brimming with tears.
Did I just ss with the wrong girl?
"I-I’m really sorry! I didn’t an any harm! I just wanted to help!" I stamred, my voice cracking with panic.
I did not know who this girl was, but I could feel it, she was strong. Stronger than anyone I did ever t.
I could not even risk activating [Hero Grace]. One wrong move, and my head might part ways with my body before I could blink, let alone summon Indra.
And in that mont, the only thought that crossed my mind was...
"Do... do you want so chicken wings?"
I gave her the most awkward smile I have ever made in my life, holding up the box of leftover chicken wings in my right hand like it was a peace offering to a wild beast.
I had no idea why I said that. It was dumb I knew. But so primal survival instinct deep inside told to offer food or die.
She looked at .
Expressionless.
She must thought I was the biggest idiot on the continent.
Suddenly, from beyond the darkness behind the girl, a figure erged.
"Lady Cynthia," the robed figure said. "Sir Kelar is waiting. Please prepare for the next session."
They wore a long dark robe that concealed every part of their body, face hidden beneath the hood.
Cynthia glanced at , her eyes cold.
"Don’t ever let see you again."
The words were simple, but they carried a chilling weight. A shiver ran down my spine.
She turned away. Her sword dissolved into black mist and vanished from her hand. Without another word, she followed the robed figure into the shadows and dissappear.
What the hell was that?
Is that how won in this world react when soone disturbs their privacy?
If that was the case, I really need to stop doing that.
I stood up, brushing the dirt off my pants. My eyes drifted to the gravestone she had been kneeling before.
It read:
"Here lies a gentle mother."
And beneath it, in smaller letters:
"Lisa Graham."
That must be her mother.
She must be in pain. I know that kind of sadness. Bob lost his mother too. I rember how broken he looked back then...
But before I could fall too deep into mory, the [Torch Bug Net] began to flicker, light sputtering like a dying candle.
"Oh shoot! Ti’s almost up!"
I bolted, sprinting across the cetery, with my left hand holding the flickering torch, and my right clutching a box of chicken wings.
---
A figure was standing on top of the hill of the cetery. Its eyes glittered with the moonlight. It look sharp at a man running fast through the cetery with a unique light on his hand. The figure then retreat slowly into the darkness.
---
The sunlight poured across the sky, bright and warm. The heavens above were a vibrant blue, with only a few clouds drifting lazily.
At the Dawnbloom Guild, the place was buzzing with activity. With the carnival fast approaching, the guild was busier than ever. Adventurers ca in waves, snatching up quests from the board. Within an hour, the board was completely empty, only to be refilled just as quickly by the tireless staff.
This cycle had repeated daily for the past month.
"Another busy day..." sighed a woman stationed behind the quest counter.
She wore a maid-style uniform, paired with a decorative rabbit-ear headband. Her outfit clung tightly to her body, almost ready to burst at the chest and hips.
"As long as the carnival isn’t over yet, we’ll have to deal with this, Yui," replied another woman beside her. She wore the sa uniform, but hers was more modest, fitting more comfortably on her slimr fra. A pair of dog ears adorned her headband.
"But our wages haven’t changed at all, Elsa! I already asked the Guildmaster about it, and she said the guild can’t offer any bonuses because of budget issues."
Yui slumped over the counter, letting her arms dangle limply below the desk.
Elsa gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"Cheer up, Yui. After work, let’s go to that café you’ve been dying to try. My treat."
"Wait...really?! Elsa, you’re the best! I’m so glad to have a friend like you!"
Yui lunged forward, hugging Elsa tightly, making Elsa’s face buried into Yui’s chest.
"Erm... excuse ? Can I ask sothing?"
A voice interrupted them from the other side of the counter.
The two snapped to attention, instantly regaining their composure.
"Hello! How can I help you today?" Yui asked, smiling professionally.
Standing before them were two unfamiliar n, one slim man and the other one fat.
They were clearly newcors, but sothing about the fat one’s funny expression made him hard to ignore.
---
At the sa mont, on the second floor of the guild, a heated discussion was taking place in the Guildmaster’s Room. Inside were two n. One of them was familiar, a brown-haired man with an axe strapped to his back. William.
"What are you trying to do, Will?" asked the other man, who appeared to be in his forties. He wore rectangular glasses, and his dark blue hair reached his shoulder blades, tied neatly at the ends. His sharp gaze was now fixed angrily on William.
"As I said, Beltimore, I want you, the vice guildmaster, to authorize a new intake of mbers as soon as possible. Preferably before the carnival," William said firmly.
"Do you even rember we just did the initiation ceremony two weeks ago? We only recruit once per month. The next one is scheduled after the carnival."
"Please, Beltimore," William pleaded. "I’m asking for your help. This might be our only chance."
"Chance? What chance are you talking about?" Beltimore frowned, confused. As far as he rembered, this was the first ti William had ever made a request like this. They had known each other for over ten years, fighting together in expeditions, completing quests side by side, and surviving countless battles. William had always been calm and logical, never impulsive.
But today... this was not the William he knew.
William t his eyes, unwavering. "A chance to make our guild great."
That got Beltimore’s attention. His brows rose, clearly intrigued.
"And what exactly does this ergency recruitnt have to do with our guild’s prestige?"
William hesitated. He was unsure whether to reveal the truth. But to convince Beltimore, he would have to gamble.
"I believe I may have found potential S-rank individuals," he said at last, his voice low but steady.
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