"...From the Everidian Kingdom"
"I REFUSE!!!"
I didn't even wait for anyone else to react before intervening. I exclaimed at the top of my lungs as I placed my hands on Kira's counter forcing her to back up.
"Ummm... Reika... I know you have issues-"
"ISSUES?! ISSUES?! YOU KNOW BETTER THAN ANYONE WHY I WILL NOT COOPERATE WITH THOSE ARROGANT STUCK-UP B**TARDS!"
By now my grip had begun tightening on the counter. I had placed enough strength that small cracks had begun appearing on the marble table-top.
"Reika... You cannot refuse this request-"
"I will not take it."
Both Myria and Scarlet were utterly confused at my sudden change in attitude. After all, they have never seen me react like this towards anyone, especially Kira who was our friend and someone I was clearly close to.
"Ummm, Reika... why don't we just hear out Kira?"
Said Myria as Scarlet attempted to comfort me...
"Hah〜 Ok..."
I said reluctantly. I took some deep long breaths as I prepared myself for the absolute worst...
I kept holding onto the counter as I... attempted... to calm down...
"...I'm sorry Kira... please continue..."
Kira then smiled wryly as she continued explaining:
"Alright... First things first... It's not the type of request you think it is..."
This, instantly caught my attention. 'I might not have to deal with those blockheads!' but seriously, things never go my way...
"...All you have to do for this quest is to help a new emerging party of 4, from the Everidian kingdom, complete their first quest. Simple!"
As Kira said this kindheartedly a sarcastic thought kept replaying over and over inside my head: 'Hmmm, I WONDER WHO COULD POSSIBLY〜 BE IN THAT PARTY OF 4?!' I was not going to go through abuse any longer.
"I still refuse the quest."
But as I said this Kira finally said something which made tension rise.
"You can't. You see since you now represent the Litherm Kingdom by being one of the most powerful parties we have, it could potentially worsen relationships between the kingdoms. And knowing the Everdian Kingdom's track record, they wouldn't doubt going to war using their new 'troops'..."
Thinking about it logically, I couldn't just allow an entire kingdom to fall into despair for my ordeals... yet I didn't want to go back to my suffering...
"I won't do it."
Kira had started getting agitated by my persistence as she kept insisting:
"Please Reika, this kingdom could suffer great loss, famine and even war if you do not accept. The Everidian Kingdom is known to be a disgusting dealer in these types of situations..."
"I still ref-"
"Reika, that's enough."
"..."
I was caught off guard by Myria suddenly interrupting me. 'Since when does Myria... reply like that?' I was left wordless, as the normally outgoing Myria wore a serious look on her face.
"Reika, I understand you may have some issues you do not wish to tell us about with the Everidian Kingdom... But please, and I say this as your friend and as the princess of this kingdom... you cannot just refuse the quest if it means creating despair among all the people of my kingdom... If we were to refuse, I bet the Everidian kingdom wouldn't hesitate to cut all trade with us creating shortages all around the kingdom..."
I was completely entranced by her words as everybody inside the guild stared at us... I felt ashamed... I had been acting like a complete idiot... Even if I have been mistreated throughout my life... I can't let my current life go to waste because of my past... As Myria continued:
"Please Reika... we're your friends... even if your relationships with the Everidian Kingdom aren't the best, we can protect you..."
'What have I been doing...' As Myria returned to a compassionate face I hugged her.
"Woah〜 R-Reika!?"
She was flustered at my sudden embrace, yet I was calm...
"Thanks... I'll be counting on you..."
I said soothingly as I released a blushing Myria and turned to Kira once again.
"Very well. We'll take the quest... When do we have to go to the Everidian Kingdom?"
Kira chuckled a little at my serious question when she said:
"No, no, it isn't like that hehe. You see, in order for you to help them here the best you can the 4 member party will be arriving at the Litherm Kingdom..."
'Hah〜 Thank goodness... At least I won't have to see ALL of them at once...'
"...Tomorrow!"
*CRACK*
Yeah... I had just broken the marble counter that I was holding onto out of the surprise... I guess my emotions got the better of me, as I felt everybody gazing at me with disappointed looks...
"Oops?"
※
We were entering the guild... Scarlet, Myria and I had been instructed to arrive at sunrise to introduce ourselves to the party we would be aiding. While Myria and Scarlet were completely unfazed by what was going on... I, on the other hand, couldn't be more anxious...
"Reika."
"Hm?"
"Calm down. You're shaking too much."
I had not noticed until Scarlet actually pointed it out... but apparently, at some point I had begun trembling due to my anxiety...
"Sorry..."
I took deep breaths as I prepared myself to enter the guild. 'Behind this door is at most 4 of my classmates from earth... I need to control myself... for my friends and my new life...' And finally when I finally managed to clear... most... of my head... I was finally ready:
"Alright let's go in..."
*Creak*
The adventurers' guild was basically empty, with the exception of Callum frivolously talking to some skinny yet muscular blonde guy with blue eyes holding several hatchets on his belt. Just a few feet to the left, stood a restless Kira who became relieved as she watched us enter. 'She had probably been expecting me to bail at the last minute since she knows what I endured throughout my life' I thought to myself. But as I kept gazing around, my eyes finally locked on to the 4 member party... The reason we had been called for...
Standing next to the unknown person speaking with Callum stood pretty, but not beautiful, girls. They all had similar blonde hair and were wearing what I can only assume to be noble's clothing. They were quite similar so I can only assume they were sisters. But something came to my attention immediately after I processed the scene displayed before me... I didn't actually know these 3 girls!
Just to confirm my doubts, I chanted:
"[Master Appraisal]"
(AN: I didn't want to bore you with 3 different appraisals, so I've compressed everything in a single one. Any information displayed in () means that it is held by all three girls, yes they are sisters.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Mia ; Eri ; Charlotte (Evenhide)
Gender: (Female)
Age: 18 ; 17 ; 15
Race: (Human)
Class: High Priestess ; Sorcerer ; Swordswoman
Adventurer Level: B ; C ; C
Lvl: 82 ; 54 ; 51
HP: 14,653/14,653 ; 10,423/10,423 ; 9,543/9,543
MP: 5,432/5,432 ; 6,432/6,432 ; 1,174/1,174
STR: 2,143 ; 1,324 ; 5,564
DEF: 1,446 ; 1,688 ; 5,672
SPD: 5,654 ; 2,432 ; 7,312
MRES: 7,342 ; 6,486 ; 1,886
Skills: [Great Heal], [Area Heal], [Holy Shot], [Purify] ; [Water Beam], [Water Lance], [Hydro Field], [Hydro Draconic Blast] ; [Assassinate], [Pierce], [Magic Serration], [Body Enhancement] ; ([Create Water], [Water shot], [Cleanse]. [Purge])
Affinities: ([Holy] [Water])
Titles: [Good Soul], [Healing Saint] ; [Nature's Pawn] ; [Assassin] ; ([Noble's Daughter], [Spoiled Princess], [Otherworldly Hero admirer] [Treacherous])
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Weak...'
That was my one and only reaction for the first few seconds as I looked disappointed at the transparent screen before me but then something else hit me...
'Wait?! This is the party of the Everidian kingdom!? I don't know these girls! Has luck finally conspired in my favor?!?! DID NONE OF MY CLASSMATES COME?!'
But of course... that never happens or will ever happen... I really should've been able to tell from the very beginning this was going to happen...
After all, we had been repeatedly told... this was a 4 member party...
Gazing towards the encounter I finally found what I had been dreading...
I hadn't actually noticed him until now, but flirting with a receptionist from the counter, was a young male of my age. He had combed brown hair and enticing blue eyes. He was about 5.8 feet and was quite the looker while having a charming smile... He wore a shiny potent Mythril armor and had a sapphire blade strapped on his belt. To any on-looker, he looked like a true warrior and a perfect man... yet in my eyes, he was no more than garbage...
"[Master Appraisal]"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Haruto Yamamoto
Gender: Male
Age: 18
Race: Human
Class: Magic Swordsman
Adventurer Level: A
Lvl: 153
HP: 45,425/45,425
MP: 42,543/42,543
STR: 54,765
DEF: 76,324
SPD: 43,765
MRES: 35,675
Skills: [Heroic Slash], [Infierno], [Hell's door], [Meteorite], [Pyro Slash], [Fuse], [Melt], [Incinerate], [Aria Punch], [Fire Beam], [Fire Lance], [Heat Wave], [Heat Death], [Fire Charge],
Affinities: [Fire]
Titles: [Harem Holder], [Other Wordly Hero], [Blessed by the divine angel], [Noble's Focus], [Thriving Hero], [Monster Slayer], [Loved of the Everidian People]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...
A wicked grin grew on my face as I saw the name of the person displayed on the status...
'Haruto Yamamoto, huh?'
He hadn't been one to constantly pursue me in order to release hell on my life... yet he had kicked, insulted and shunned me enough... for me to remember his name with frustration...
'A little scare won't do anybody any harm...'
As I threw all of my self-control out the window, a villainous smile finally presented itself on my face as I chanted:
"[Master Hide Presence: Off]"