"You're always spoiling my fun, Kayda," I said with a dramatic pout, planting my hands on my hips for emphasis. My tail twitched behind me, mirroring my mock disappointment.
Kayda didn't even blink. "Not always—just when you go too far." She casually nudged the blue-haired monkey demi away, who had been clinging to her sleeve like a nervous child.
"That's when it's the funniest, party pooper," I said, narrowing my eyes and flashing a sharp-toothed smirk at her.
From below, a small, meek voice chimed in. "Um, are you with Kayda here?" the monkey demi asked timidly, eyes wide as she looked between us.
"Yes, she's with me," Kayda replied, patting the girl gently on the head. "I asked her to wait so I could take her straight through, but it seems she didn't listen when I said wait."
I tilted my head, genuinely confused. "You told me to wait?"
Kayda raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you hear me?"
"Hearing you is one thing," I said, lifting a finger like I was teaching a grand truth, "but listening is another."
Kayda stared at me. "So… you didn't listen."
I gave a sheepish chuckle, rubbing the back of my head. "I was probably busy looking around when you talked to me. So, where are you taking me?
"To the guild master. Tracy, come with us," Kayda said without missing a beat, turning and walking deeper into the building without waiting for my reply.
"For what reason are we going to the guild master?" I asked, hurrying after her with quick steps. The soft thud of my boots echoed through the stone hallway.
"Who knows, but I think she's going to use the favors we owe her," said Tracy, the monkey demi, trailing behind me.
"Plural?" I echoed, glancing back at her in confusion. "I guess she—huh?"
"You'll understand when we meet the big guy," Kayda interrupted as we stopped in front of a massive wooden door reinforced with iron.
It loomed like the entrance to a dungeon boss room. I squinted up at it, gauging its size. "The boss, I guess," I muttered.
"Just be respectful," Kayda warned, turning toward me with an uncharacteristically serious expression. "He leads the Adventurer Guild."
I gave a half-hearted shrug. "I'll try my best."
Kayda sighed, her tone exasperated but resigned. "That's the best I can ask for."
With a low creak, she pushed open the door, revealing a spacious office lit by warm golden light streaming through the high windows. At the far end of the room sat a giant—not metaphorically. A real, honest-to-the-gods giant, hunched over a desk groaning under the weight of paperwork. He looked like a massive, muscular human with silver-streaked hair, but easily four meters tall even while seated.
'Huh, so this is what a giant looks like,' I thought, stepping inside and taking in his features. 'They look just like normal humans… just much, much bigger. Four meters bigger, I think? Can't really tell while he's sitting.'
"Aah, you're finally back—with the fox in tow this time," the giant said, his voice deep and rich like rolling thunder. He paused, eyes flicking past me to Tracy. "And you brought my wife as well?"
'Wife!?' My head snapped toward Tracy in disbelief.
"It looked like she needed a break, so I called her to join us," Kayda explained, already taking a seat across from the giant's desk like the occasion was a normal family gathering.
"Thank you. You've been working hard, honey," the giant said warmly, watching Tracy walk around his desk.
"Of course! I'm no slacker," she said, puffing her chest with pride. Her fluffy tail waved like a content cat's, clearly pleased with the compliment.
"Of course, you aren't," he said with a knowing smile.
"Huh. I'm not even going to ask," I said as I sat beside Kayda, blank-faced.
"Where did all the playfulness go?" Kayda asked, smirking at my deadpan stare.
I said nothing, simply maintaining my bored look. That was enough to answer.
Kayda just sighed and turned back to the guild master. "Guild master, I want you to let Kitsuna join the guild as a member—and give her the same privileges as me."
There was a beat of silence. The giant's smile vanished.
"You know damn well I can't do that," the guild master—Ed, apparently—said, narrowing his eyes at Kayda before shifting his gaze to me.
I held up my hands. "Don't look at me like that. I have no idea what's going on here," I said honestly.
"Ed," Kayda said flatly, "do you think I care whether your little board of old fogeys will like it? Just do it. You'll see—she'll be useful to you in the future."
"Me? Useful to him?" I blinked. "Where the hell do you think I'd let him use me?"
"Not like that," Kayda said with a groan. "When a dangerous monster or being attacks, he'll call you to kill it—or be a bodyguard for guild members. I meant that kind of useful."
"I get paid, right?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course. "Of course, I will do it very well," Kayda replied with a smirk.
Ed looked me up and down, unimpressed. "You say she'd be useful to me, but her aura screams brat."
"A little brat, huh?" I tilted my head. "Well, I guess I am still a brat in your eyes."
"Don't think that kind of smug face will scare me, fox," he growled.
I chuckled softly. "Wasn't trying to scare you. Anyway, you're way above my league in strength. Two hundred years old, level 999, exotic class sage, right? But I have to ask—why haven't you gone for godhood with stats like that?"
His eyes flashed with irritation. "You know it's against guild rules to use Analysis on someone without permission."
I blinked. "Oh. Didn't know that. Why didn't you tell me, Kayda?"
"When I said, 'Be respectful,' I also meant don't use skills on him," Kayda replied, shaking her head.
"But I am respecting him," I defended myself. "I haven't released any of my bloodlust."
"…You—how old are you really?" Ed asked, his expression difficult to read.
"Oh, I should probably introduce myself. Name's Kitsuna Draig. I'm fourteen. Oh, and I'm a demon fox," I said with a proud smile.
"Draig?" he muttered, frowning. "When did they get another daughter? Oh wait—King mentioned a troublesome redhead demon fox recently." His expression tightened. "You're not that one, right?"
"That'd be me," I said cheerfully. "However, I would prefer not to be called 'troublesome.'"
"So you're the primordial youngling he warned me about," he said, leaning back in his chair to get a better look.
"How did you know?" Kayda asked, visibly surprised.
"The king gave me a heads-up a few days ago—said you might show up at the guild soon. He didn't say much, only that you were… rare. Only Tracy and I know the details."
"Good to hear," Kayda said with a sigh. "So, will you give her the same privileges?"
"Yes. And from now on, Tracy will be her personal secretary," Ed replied before turning his attention back to me. "I hope we can work together—and that you'll answer my call when something needs killing."
"I see no problem in that," I said with a nod.
"Good. To answer your earlier question—giants can't become gods. And while only exotic and legendary classes can ascend, exotic class users have weaker bodies. It's ten times harder for us to achieve godhood."
"Interesting. I'll have to ask Stacy more about that later," I mused, crossing my legs and resting my chin on my palm.
"Your turn to answer some questions," Tracy said, pulling out a form. "It's for your sign-up."
"Shoot."
"What class do you currently have?"
"None yet."
"Fighting type?"
"Speed."
"Class goal?"
"Weapon Master."
"…That legendary class is a myth," Tracy muttered, tilting her head. "Many people aim for it, but I've never seen anyone get it."
"Okay then—something close to it," I said with a shrug.
"Preferred weapon?"
"None."
"Dominant arm?"
"Don't have one."
"… Dominant eye?"
"Neither."
"Leg?"
"Nope. Is this really necessary?"
Ed looked up, confused. "Is it even possible to not have a dominant side?"
"What? Stacy trained me from the beginning to use everything equally. I was dual-wielding as soon as I could hold two sticks," I explained.
"Sigh… okay. How many weapons have you mastered?"
"…"
Kayda chuckled softly behind me, clearly anticipating the flood.
"Katana. Odachi. Chakram. Daggers. Short swords. Greatsword. Bow. Crossbow. Warhammer. Spear. Halberd. Scythe…" I paused, ticking them off on my fingers. "Most of them I can dual-wield. Then there's also—"
"Okay, that's enough," Ed interrupted, raising a hand. "I get it. You're just like Stacy. Just younger."
"What'd you expect from Stacy's disciple?" Kayda grinned.
"I expected her to be half-dead most of the time," Ed said, completely serious.
"I agree," I nodded sagely. "Any normal person would be."