Carrie soon excused herself, citing an early mission the following day. As the door closed behind her, the atmosphere in the office shifted subtly—becoming more intimate, less formal.
"Well, speaking of missing people," Kali said, stretching her legs out beneath the table, "where is the Prince? I thought he'd at least show up for the celebration."
"Jin's busy," I replied, recalling the message I'd received earlier. "I wasn't expecting him to do much guild work anyway, but I'll put him to work soon enough."
Elias chuckled. "A royal connection is useful even without his direct involvement."
"Though his combat skills would be an asset," Reika added quietly.
"Speaking of combat," Elias said, leaning forward with interest, "when exactly do you plan on reaching the peak, Guild Master? Now that we've hit Silver, what's the timeline for the rest of your ambitions?"
I considered my response carefully. These people deserved honesty, even if my plans might seem outlandish.
