The storm was only just picking up speed and no real destruction had been caused yet. My worry about possible consequences for the city was rather small since the storm would abate as soon as we left the city. Still, the faster we got this over with the better for all parties involved.
We abruptly descended from the sky like two arrows released by a heavenly archer. Aiming for the house that Priscilla was currently inside I turned into a phantom and slipped through the walls like they weren't even there. Aurelia became an azure gust that entered through the many crevices inside the house.
We both returned to our human forms and checked out the room we were in. It was an attic with a ladder leading down to the second floor of the house. We could hear two female voices from below speaking in hushed tones.
Not very useful considering that both mine and Aurelia's hearing was extraordinary.
"Such a pity! I had truly been looking forward to this evening's open-air play. But with the weather like this, they will probably have to cancel it."
"Don't worry Priscilla. Now that you are here I can take you to a play any day of the week. If today's play is prevented by the weather we will just have to go tomorrow."
"You are the best, Adelaine! If you were a man I'd marry you this instant."
Aurelia walked over a little until she was right above the voices, raised her foot, and brought it down with just enough force to break the floor beneath her. As the floor gave out she fell, landing on her feet and right before a pair of shocked girls.
I chose to descend using the ladder and positioned myself in front of the door that was yanked open only moments later. Seeing me standing in the hallway the two girls reeled back nearly crashing into Aurelia.
Like cornered animals they were looking around with back and forth between the two of us. Then, Adelaine, a blond, fair-skinned beauty, drew a dagger and lunged at me.
I let her stab me knowing full well that the blade would be unable to pierce my skin. The dagger hit my chest at an awkward angle and was completely halted by my skin alone.
Horror was evident in the girl's expression and her grip on the dagger loosened as she wanted to retreat. I followed after her, gripped her receding wrist, pulled her close, and wrapped my other hand around her waist. Simultaneously, I created a small wind barrier between my legs to block her ascending knee.
Yes, no normal weapons can hurt me, and similarly, her knee would be unable to do any damage to me but... Damage or no damage that is a place I don't want to get hit.
"Miss Adelaine I presume. You have nothing to fear as we are only here to retrieve what was stolen. But you should go to sleep now."
By just infusing a little power into my words the girl fell asleep instantly. I picked her up and princess-carried her over to the bedroom. I placed her on the bed and returned to the other room.
Back in the other room Priscilla, a young lady with turquoise hair and a slight tan, was pressing her back against a wall.
"Why did you run from me?!"
"I told you not to search for me! I don't want to be yours!"
"Oh, so when you begged me to win the arena fight with tears in your eyes that was just a lie?"
"No, I needed you to clear my father's debt. No one else was willing to do it!"
"So you said all those things solely to get me to clear your father's debt?"
Priscilla certainly knew how to push Aurelia's buttons. Despite her pure act, she seemed more like a snobbish aristocrat that thought she was entitled to do anything she wanted.
"So what if I said those things without meaning them! You got your guild so be grateful for that! You are just a lowly adventurer! And-"
She tried to keep talking but no further sound escaped her lips. I had used a high-level curse of silence to keep her from doing any more damage. Talking was overrated anyway.
"I think we should leave now. Your emotions are getting increasingly unstable and your sanity is slipping from your grasp."
"Agreed, I need to calm down."
She grabbed Priscilla by the neck and we teleported back to her room in Saitala. Upon arrival, Aurelia conjured a dark chain with black lightning arcs running along its full length and snapped it shut around Priscilla's neck. The other end fused with space creating an unmovable anchor in the middle of the room.
"You still have one of those? They are dangerous, an experiment to utilize the power of black magic."
"But they work, do they?"
"Yes but this is overkill! She's a normal mortal with no powers and you use a chain that could potentially harm world gods."
"I'm just increasing security. You don't have to worry so much Abel, you yourself said that the black lightning doesn't contain any real black magic."
"That doesn't make it safe."
"Worrywart. Let's go, we still need to get this guild back to its former glory."
"That might be harder than you think. There were two more letters for you in the office."
This time I had no qualms to let Aurelia read them since the content wasn't something she'd get emotional over.
"So basically, we don't have any employees, we don't have any merchandise, and we don't have the money to get either one. Why is this so hard?"
"It's not so bad. Do you have an auction hall here?"
"Yes, but it's pretty small."
"Space doesn't concern me, we'll just take some time to remodel it. We only need an auctioneer."
"You already have someone in mind, don't you?"
"While I was scanning the place for your little toy I also found that secretary in the letter. I've been monitoring her since then and I took quite a liking to her. Furthermore, she seems to be in a slightly dangerous situation."
"Taking advantage of other people's misfortune again? So why do you like her so much? Is she pretty?"
"Among other things. The main factor is her strong mind. She is undoubtedly an uncut gem waiting to be polished."