It didn't take long (at least after her brain finally began to boot up once again) for the poor girl at the counter to decide that dealing with me was far beyond her paygrade.
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<< {user}.[Armor-Cordis] Does Not Need To Be A Mind Reader To Read Expressions Like Those >>
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Indeed.
She hadn't spoken a word, nevertheless, her eyes were constantly shifting about the room while giving the occasional glance to me. No doubt trying to find someone to help her out at the same time making sure I wasn't about to snap for making me wait. Getting more nervous as time went on.
No doubt believing that I may begin to get the impression she was purposefully ignoring me; a very understandable reason why a noble figure would get very angry very quickly. Honestly I did not actually care that much. If anything her panicking little squirrel self was too adorable to annoy me.
"I-I think I need to contact the guild manager!" Her voice trembled as much as her body did - I honestly believe she didn't mean to be as loud as she ended up being. Honestly I was kind of surprised that a little beast-kin girl like her could be so loud but I guess squirrels always have been surprisingly loud.
I could potentially drag this out some more yet (fortunately for her) I have had enough amusement from this little interaction to last me for a while.
Simply chuckling behind my helm while nodding in acceptance of her request.
Immediately the tension fell away from her shoulders with her look towards me transforming from fear to a bit of awe at how "approachable" I was. Which is honestly quite true. As long as you are a cute/hot girl I am more than willing to humour you when you approach.
Quickly she fell into a bow with those little squirrel ears twitching excitedly atop her head. In addition her large eyes couldn't help glancing up at me, specifically taking in my armour she hadn't exactly had the mental fortitude to do before, with glow in her eyes. No doubt realising the high quality materials.
One may be confused that a young girl could recognise what makes a good armour or not… Unless they used their brain for a solid second.
This "young girl" had likely spent all her life watching adventurers constantly coming and going, natural in a trade city like this one, so had seen many different warriors. Then she became an adventurers guild employee thus was able to see their different ranks. Naturally she would pick up a thing or two.
Likely allowed her to know quite a bit more than your average low-tier adventurer.
Being able to tell what rank an adventurer was based on the quality of their equipment did seem like an important skill to have as a guild attendant.
Sadly she seemed to notice that I saw her glance, jumping upon being startled, just like the animal she descended from. Her tail even pointed up with bristling hair. Without another word she scurried into the back of the guild with surprising agility.
Skillfully darting around anyone who got in her way.
Spreading the panic as one even threw up the documents that they were carrying; others dropped the money they were likely delivering to some adventurer for completing their task. Or perhaps they were refilling the change they kept on hand to give out for lower level jobs? Not that it matters to me.
There is no way I'd be caught dead doing the lowly task required in order to be paid enough that it could simply be handed out.
Although there was little I could actually do to speed up this process so I was simply left waiting for that cute little squirrel to come back. A fact that seemed to make things very awkward for the numerous adventurers who were stuck inside the guild. Especially those who needed to go to the countertop.
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<< It Is Fortunate That {user}.[Armor-Cordis] Likes Being The Center Of Attention >>
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I could indeed feel a lot of eyes on me.
Especially from behind. Like in most stories the guild had a little bit of an internal economy due to both paying and being paid by the adventurers who used them. Having a traditional pub (essentially an eatery mixed with a bar) as the first thing you find when entering the building.
They also had some simple potions available for their adventurers to buy; those were about as cheap as one could come by yet a low level adventurer hardly cared about the bitter taste of burnt herb.
As long as they stopped your friend from bleeding out.
"I wonder what variety they have…" So I pondered out loud as I found myself soon drifting away from the counter to instead walk over to the little "hut" used to sell potions through. There were a lot of people between me and the outlet, however I didn't exactly have any issues getting through a crowd.
Chiefly on account of that same crowd dispersing as soon as I approached. Nobody here was going to be dumb enough to pick a fight or get involved with a knight for no reason. I did hear some discussions about how strong a female knight order could be but they were often shut up by those around.
Soon arriving at the little shop allowed me to see a large chalkboard on the wall - a whole bunch of potion names were put next to a lot of prices.
Not taking a genius to figure out what that was for.
It also made it easy to see that most of the concoctions sold here were only common-level with only mana and health recovery potions.
Although where wasn't only draughts available as food pills, disinfectant, bandages as well as more available for purchase. Currently there was just a short line as someone rested a backpack on the lip of the counter with a glass plane between him and the worker. Open at the bottom to allow trade.
The person's order was essentially reading off a list with a pencil in one hand; making off whatever they were given while putting it in their bag. I took this chance to look inside to see what it was like. Somehow managing to this with neither worker or buyer realising.
I could only compare the look inside as being akin to one of those pharmacies inside the supermarkets that only those on the economic bottom rung needed to go to. Though I rarely even got to visit one of those shops in my past life. That would imply I was even on the wrung in the first place.
One could say I truly went from one extreme to the other extreme.
"M-Miss knight!" Hearing a familiar voice caused me to turn back to the main counter where I saw that little squirrel girl had turned once more. Leaning over the counter as she looked at me with an anxious expression upon "interrupting me" once again.
Deciding not to torture the poor little thing, I walked back up to where I previously was, the girl falling back behind the counter. "Yes, miss?"
"The guild manager would like to meet with you in order to discuss your knight b-battalion being registered in the adventurers guild." Her voice showed her struggle to imagine just what that term meant. Hardly shocking as a human usually couldn't even imagine 10 people in a room let alone hundreds.
Wait until she realises what the human chapter is still likely re-rolling their races.
Right now they were far more than mere men.
To save her the heart ache I simply nodded while quickly letting her guide me through to the back and then up some stares till I eventually found myself sitting down in your standard office. Across from me was a middle to twilight aged man. The guild worker left after delivering a cup of tea for him.
He spent some time sipping from his teacup yet I didn't even bother to remove my helmet as I waited for him to be done with his posturing. Something he seemed to realise on account of the cold sweat as the smile on his face slowly began to face. Nervously clearing his voice before he spoke up.
Although only after making his cup land on its coaster with a very audible clink; clearly expecting some reaction from me.
Maybe hoping for a nervous flinch after making sure he built up as much tension as possible.
Yet why would the one in the battle ready exo-armour flinch?
"There has been a long history of co-operation between the guild and the god hunter-" His no doubt long winded speech - likely being an attempt to get a position over me - was not something I desired to listen to so I could him off. "You seem to have a misguided belief when it comes to the god hunters."
Narrowing my eyes with my suit doing the exact same by making the sight far more intense, let's just say it wasn't me who flinched, as I let my words sink in. Not for too long as I spoke again. "It is the head of our order that holds the mantle of head, not a single manager who tries to do more than he should."
"DO YOU-"
"Do you not know that it is you who works for us?" That manager did stand up as he yelled but the pressure of my released spirit quickly pushed him back down. Sweat flowing down from his forehead as I finally made a movement; simply crossing my legs and leaning back in my seat.
"Get the forms ready so that Ankou Knight Battalion doesn't need to make your usurpation attempt on the guild our first crusade." Tapping my metallic knee with my displeasure clear even behind my helm.