It took me weeks to get everyone off the topic of me going death sick. Having to stay in bed the whole time so they don't worry about me so much after the incident in the alley. For now no one knows about me being the prophet of the black god of might, Malcum. I didn't want them to know my intervention with him was the cause of my pale features that day. They finally blew it off as a stress trigger and made big brother escort me to the guild afterward since father and mother didn't want me to overburden myself after all that happened. I just realized I haven't gotten a name for big brother yet. I'll think of it later.
We make it to the guild and are greeted by a few familiar faces that was attracting eyes from everywhere. The first was the s- classed party I helped a while ago. The leader, … Bartabus, right? And his siblings, the flower bundle, Lilac and Lotus. They were waiting at the register talking to the clerk. The second group of faces was none other than the hero party, Xyle and his new friends. He instantly notices me and looks at me funny.
"Well would you look at that." He says suddenly. "You finally came back after going missing for three weeks?" He gets the attention of his party and Bartabus's party as well. "I thought you chickened out and lost your trainee licence."
"Sorry to disappoint. The Halliway house refused to let me leave after I supposedly got sick from stress and fatigue. They still don't trust me to be on my own right now so I brought someone with me to register as well."
"Wow. I didn't know goblins could get stress sickness."
"It depends on the being, sir Hero."
"Its Xyle. I don't think we had a proper introduction."
"I believe we already had an informal introduction, though I guess it makes sense since I'm only a goblin in a low faction noble house."
"Oh yeah!That's right! You're that weird Halliway goblin. So why are you back anyway?"
"I need to speak with Mr. Maul and Mr. Brights about training."
"Do you really think you'd be accepted at this rate though? I'm mean you goblins aren't even that adapt in the field anyway, so what's the point of coming back?"
"To keep a promise." My answer fills the room with a hush as I glare at Xyle for his insensitive, smart ass remark. I can feel the eyes shifting to me with the same intensity of anger directed at me.
"To who? Your adopted family? Cuz it sounds like they don't even want you here either."
"So you've taken our offer in seriousness?" Bartabus interrupts.
"Of course I have." I tell him. "I may be weak now but I don't intend to back down on the challenges presented to me. I just need to slow down a bit. Though I can't say I'll be able to meet that deadline as soon as I thought I would."
"... Then we will give you more time to collect yourself. It's not good to overburden your body. Be sure you keep yourself in top shape when you join us."
"... I will. Thank you for your concern."
"Of course. There's no way I'm letting you get away with a sick ticket."
"Coming from the guy who should be using that sick ticket to get better faster rather than worry about little bitty me. But I guess that's to be expected of a man with priorities, yes?"
I snicker at him because I was joking but he doesn't respond the way I would have expected him to. I expected him to give me a comeback like " I don't need your concern of my priorities. I need you to be in shape for our venture." But he only turns a bit red in the cheeks with an embarrassed snarl. Odd. He doesn't say anything and walks past us with his party snickering behind him as he grumbles.
… guess I hit a tack somewhere. As they leave, Maul and Brights come in from the main door and see me with everyone. Maul is scanning me like I was hiding something then glances at big brother, and finally to Xyle and his party. "It's good to see all of you well."
"Of course I'm better. I'm not sure about your special goblin though. He brought himself an escort from home."
"I'm a woman." I correct with a grumble.
"Ugh…!?"
I bow my head to them like the maids do for guests, standing legs together with my hands cupped at my knees. Big brother bows with me but more gentlemanly. "I'm sorry for my absence Mr. Maul." I say. "I haven't been in good health lately it seems. However I am still able to train to the best of my abilities. I hope you are still willing to train me."
I don't get a response for a few seconds. "... So long as you're still able I don't see the harm in continuing." Yes! "But only if you can prove you're still able." Figures. No surprise there.
"How should I do that, sir?"
"... Hm~... Have a mock battle with sir Vaticus. If you win, I will continue your training." ...What!?
"Huh!? That just doesn't sound fair for him does it?"
"Her." I correct.
"I feel it's completely fair actually. If you lose I will take your license and you'll have to start over. Is that clear, Miss Halliway?"
"... I understand sir. When should we start?"
"Wait seriously!?"
"Is it a problem, sir Vaticus?" Maul asks him. Didn't expect that, did you?
"Uh… Well no, but… come on you don't actually expect me to fight him seriously do you?"
"Well I would hope so. You two are currently on the same pedestal due to her absences. If she fails, she will not be able to return for one season. I had expected you to be in the same position as an A class adventurer at best but your no better than a beginner."
… what did I miss!?
"Alright! Alright… Jesus."
"Do you think you can start today, miss Halliway?"
"I think I can…!?" Before I could finish big brother stops me and shakes his head.
"I feel it be best if ya let this off for another moon, sir. See she be fightin for a few days prior to her sickening, and has since been stuck pale as you can tell, I be sure."
"... And you are, if I may ask?"
"... Grinning Grimm be me, sir. I be a Dragonjaw just as she yet be her elder."
"... And why do you find her so incapable when she herself says she can do it?"
"I not find her incapable. I find her to be unable at this time to be fightin so soon. And I be sure you as well see this all the same."
"... You would be right. I can't argue that. Come back in three days. Be sure you are both prepared by then."
"Huh??"
"Come, Brights."
"Uh… yeah. Right." They head to the back room when brights looks to me as I sit up and watch them leave. "... Get some more rest, you hear?" He says as he shuts the door.
"Well… That was rather troublesome." His mage says as she fixes her hair over her shoulder sassily. Oh yeah. This was Dressrosa. The middle noble mage that got the title of a hero class.
"I know. Why do I have to fight a goblin of all things? I don't want to kill the thing." Oh I'm a thing now.
"I mean it's troublesome that he placed you in the same category as it. The fact that your still as weak as them says a lot about us all and I would rather not be put in the same room as them. Let alone be in the same class. What would that say about you as a hero?"
I should leave. "Lets go before we get stuck in that." I whisper to big brother. We head to the door as they argue when Xyle calls to us again.
"Hey wait a minute, Goblin!" Urgh. What~? "Don't think you're better than I am just cuz you got a favor from the guildmaster. Just make sure you don't disappoint during the fight. I don't want to accidentally kill you."
"... I doubt that's a possibility with the blessings I have, but fine. I'll do my best to kick your ass in the mock fight. Not sure if that's possible either but I'll give it a shot." The room fills with gasps from my reply. He and his party, along with the rest of the guild, were just as shocked at my answer.
"Oi." Xyle's friend says obviously furious. Oops. "You better be ready to have some broken bones, tiny." He says as he makes his way to us. His marks glowing on his hand as he pulls a sword from his other palm. I remember this guy. It was the longsword nobleman the first time I met Xyle on the streets. "Cuz your first fight is with me right now." Oh. my god.
Warning: unidentified threat level registered.
¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤
The nobleman attacks Tessa without warning and she is sent out the door. Grinning Grimm rushes to her aid as the noble walks out after them, looking down on her with malice. She stays on the ground for a while and doesn't move.
"Hmph! He obviously had a death wish. Let that be a lesson to all of your kind."
As soon as he turned around, Tessa stands back up. He turns to sees her ease back to her feet and holding her head. Blood was dripping from her eye for a short moment until she lowered her hand.
"'She'." Tessa corrects. "I'd like to keep my life thanks." Her marks of blue and green begin to glow on her head. The blood flow stopped but it left a bruise and her eye blackened and a little swollen. "And honestly… that didn't hurt much at all. I didn't think you would be the kind of guy to pull his punches."
The noble rushes her again, and this time she dodges it. Grimm stumbles over and scampers back to the guild. The noble rushes a combo of attacks and each one gets dodged or parried until tessa finally lands a hit for the first time.
¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤
Woah!! Did not mean to do that!! Holy hell!
The noble staggers back holding his nose. He sits up and looks at his hand that now had blood dripping into it from his nose. He glares at me and I jump to my guard holding my hands to my head and chest out of humanly instinct. I was ready for his next move. He wipes the blood off his face and I can see he wasn't too happy about getting socked in the face. It almost seemed like it was the first time he was hit with the curious look he had on his face after a while.
He swings his sword to the ground and stands there staring at his hand then finally looked back at me with the same glare. "... What's your name again?"
Please let this be a courtesy. "Tessa Halliway."
"... Your stats say you got a full name. Give me your classification."
Shit. It was bound to happen after almost a year now. "... Tessa Greenwood Halliway. Alfa Dragonjaw."
"... Antonio Delrosé. Noble knight of Caletone sector." Is this courtesy?? "I'll show you what it means to be a chosen knight of Manchester."
¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤
Antonio raises his sword to his chest and his marks starts to glow red and spread to cover his blade. He was casting a spell and was ready to attack with it. The glow coats the blade of his sword thinly and he jumps high in the air and swings down at Tessa. Tessa jumps back to dodge and is suddenly rushed again and sent backwards.
At the guild, Xyle stood at the entrance with Dressrosa and the shield noble that stood by him watching.
"Oi, mate. Is he seriously going all out on a goblin runt?" The shield noble says.
"He never goes out of his way to show off like that to anyone." Dressrosa says. "Heh. He must really hate that thing to want to have so much killing intent in his attacks like that."
Xyle only stands by and watches the fight not hearing them banter. He heard Tessa's name and remained stunned at her performance. He didn't question how she was holding her ground to a high ranked knight of the middle ground. He watches the seriousness of the battle and stayed silent all the while when Grimm returned with Maul and Brights.
"What is happening right now?" Brights says.
"Oh! Mr. Maul!?" Dressrosa says in shock at their presence. "The goblin had the nerve to snark at us as if he could beat Master Xyle in a one on one fight knowing full well that he is stronger than even sir Antonio. So he chose to put the thing in his place."
"'She'." Maul corrects. "How long has this gone on for?"
"About fifteen minutes, sir." Xyle answers in a serious tone. He was very focused on the fight in front of him. Maul and Brights saw this and chose to watch as well.
Every now and then, Tessa would land a hit after countering Antonio's attacks. At the same time, he would leave small gashes on Tessa that healed instantly after. Xyle knew Antonio never allowed anyone to land any attacks on him unless his opponent was actually skilled in combat. This only proved that Tessa was right to say what she said.
"Wh- what is taking him so long to deal with one weak goblin. He should easily take him down without a problem."
"That's a girl." Xyle says suddenly. "And once their fight is over, we're leaving for stricter training."
"Eh!?"
"And that includes Antonio too. Mr. Maul."
"Hm?"
"Would you be willing to continue our training instead of having me fight her?"
"Oh? Why the sudden change? Did this fight make you understand something?"
"... Yeah. It made me understand a lot."