Guild
"Hello, Miss Rose."
Rose smiled upon seeing him and said, "What can I help you with, John?"
"I'm just here to ask."
"Ask. I'll answer it if I can."
"How do you get permits for selling medicine?"
"Just fill up this form and show your skill before an examiner. If your skill and medicine are up to standards or better—high quality—you'll get the permits. Do you want me to help you with the process?" Rose asked while taking out some documents.
While Rose and John were talking, he could feel murderous stares from behind. They were adventurers—and Rose's suitors.
Damn these guys, did they have nothing to do but this?
Rose also noticed the stares.
Each time John met with her and her friends Misha and Eina, murderous stares were always locked on John. They always noticed this but ignored it because to them it was harmless, but this time she felt a bit annoyed. Now she knew John more and became friends with him after she and her friends spent trillions of years with him in that meeting room. Their bond had already deepened at that point.
With a cold glare she looked at the adventurers who were staring at John with murderous gazes.
The adventurers who saw Rose's cold eyes felt as if they had fallen into the Antarctic; a chill ran down their spines.
They averted their eyes in fear.
"Pathetic," Rose mumbled after seeing their reaction.
"Hmm? What, I didn't catch that?"
Rose smiled again and continued speaking with John.
She then led him into a small laboratory at the corner of the lobby. It was an alchemy lab—a magical one.
John took his test there and finished it in a minute under the stunned gazes of the examiner and Rose.
The Guild's boundless cafeteria—a place much larger than all the meeting rooms of the Guild combined.
At a table:
Three beauties having their lunch.
A human with pink hair, a half-elf, and a red-haired werewolf.
"What do you think?" Misha asked the two friends sitting opposite her.
"What are you talking about, Misha?" Rose said, biting her delicious chicken leg.
"That quest," Misha whispered like she was sharing dangerous gossip and gestured the number 3.
Seeing the gesture, Rose instantly understood what she meant.
"Hey, Eina, do you know that quest too?" Misha asked cheerfully.
"No, I wasn't paying attention to the quests. I'm too busy with my work."
"You're too serious, Eina. Just hand some work to AIofs," Misha said.
AIofs, also known as Artificial Intelligence Office Support—an AI that exists inside all the Guild's office room. They act as aides, guardians, and cleaners of the Office Room. An example was the unfathomably massive fairy looming above the skies of Eina's office. That fairy was an AI.
"Did the Guild approve that quest?" Misha asked Rose.
"I don't know. I'm not paying attention to that either," Rose replied.
"Eina," Misha said and looked at Eina expectantly, hoping Eina knew something even though she had already said she knew nothing.
Eina, the target of the look, sighed. "Alexia."
A melodious and gentle voice sounded out of nowhere, only heard by Eina, her trusted friends, and family. That voice came from her office—it was her AIofs, Alexia, Artificial Intelligence type Alofs, model Fairy Nameless series.
A thick document materialized in Eina's hands. "This is what I know. Just read it."
Seeing the thick book, Misha's interest in the quest instantly diminished, and she ignored the document like nothing had happened.
Eina's eyes twitched in irritation.
Misha felt a chill run down her spine and instantly grabbed the thick document, starting to read obediently.
"S-rank quest, Gatol Islands," Misha read the title and flipped to the first page.
"By the way, did the Loki Familia finish their expedition?" Eina asked.
"No, not yet, but I heard they encountered some problems," Rose answered.
"Lady Silence told me that they almost lost Sword Princess. If she didn't intervene…" Rose added.
"What's their situation?"
"Few casualties and loss of weapons," Rose said.
Eina showed worry.
Misha, who was reading on the sidelines, butted in, "Don't worry, Eina. Lady Saintess was there. Based on her personality, she wouldn't ignore anyone who needs help. Those casualties are now zero."
Eina sighed in relief. Eina had a close connection with the Loki Familia. Her mother's friend was there—a vice-captain—and the princess of the Elves on the continent at that.
"That's a relief."
The trio continued to chat while eating.
Wheat Manor – Gate
The guard who saw John greeted him and let him in.
The familiar and boundless courtyard greeted him once more.
In the distance, the unimaginably massive manor stood.
"Now, how do I use this key?" John stared at the key that Demeter gave him. He forgot to ask her how to use it.
"Oh well, just trust my instinct then."
John closed his eyes and pictured Demeter's beautiful and seductive image in his mind. The moment he did that, the key in his hand glowed and engulfed him; the next moment he disappeared.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a Familiar place—the smallest room of the manor.
The same island, the same boundless ocean, the same tree and sky, and the set of table.
Demeter sat quietly reading a book. Beside her was another beauty as stunning as her—she had waist-length brown hair, brown eyes, fair skin, and a voluptuous figure like Demeter's. She wore a simple white dress.
Behind them was an equally beautiful maid—silver hair tied in twin braids ending at her waist, an equally voluptuous figure, fair skin, and wearing a dark blue Victorian-style maid uniform.
The trio noticed John's arrival.
Demeter beckoned him to sit opposite them.
John obliged and sat.
The silver-haired maid teleported and poured tea for him.
"Thank you."
The maid bowed and smiled before disappearing and reappearing behind Demeter.
"You're the new one. I'm Venelana Gremor," the brunette beauty said with a gentle smile.
The maid bowed, hands resting on her stomach.
"Grayfia Luciabalar, vice-captain."
"John Alver. I just joined a few days ago."
Venelana's eyes focused on him.
She suddenly smiled with gentle acknowledgment. Seeing her reaction, John knew he was seen through—nothing could hide under her gaze.
"I can see why you let him enter, Lady Demeter."
John was bewildered at the conversation happening before him—conversation about him.
"You chose to live outside. What a surprise. Can I ask why?" Venelana said.
"This mansion is full of gorgeous women. I don't have the confidence to stay here without any incident."
"You're an honest one. Thank you for your consideration, then."
Demeter pouted upon hearing his words. "Unnecessary. If it comes to it, I would calm you down. You can live here with peace of mind."
"Cough—stop joking, Lady Goddess, or I might misunderstand something."
Demeter smiled at him with a hidden meaning in her eyes. He knew what she was trying to convey, but he dodged it. He was not ready to face it, so he decided to change the topic.
"I'm here to tell you my address—and also to visit."
"Help yourself then."
Demeter stood, sat beside John, and gave him a lap pillow, which stunned the two beauties.