Once Aya and the villager reached the guild, they both got off the cart, as they were going to report everything to the receptionist.
However, upon entering, Aya couldn't help but notice the swift transformation of Mirai's calm countenance into one of sheer astonishment. Suspicion began to gnaw at Aya as she observed this abrupt shift.
"Did something happen…?" Aya mumbled to herself.
~Something doesn't feel right…~ Hiroki's warning echoed in her mind as they continued onward.
As they approached the front desk, Aya noticed that Mirai was busy with what seemed like a knight in a red uniform.
However, at the sight of Aya entering the guild, Mirai's eyes filled with fear. Her expression shifted abruptly, and the knight beside her turned to investigate the cause of her unease.
Aware that it was too late to retreat unnoticed, Aya resolved to approach the two of them.
"Actually, I was looking for you," the knight stated, his tone carrying a hint of relief upon spotting Aya.
'Of all times, why did you have to arrive now, Aya?!' The receptionist cursed in her mind, not sure how to dodge this kind of problematic situation.
Aya already recognized that man. It was the same knight that she accidentally bumped into. He was also the one who had discovered her white hair concealed beneath her dark cloak.
"Ah, n-no! She isn't the one you're looking for!" The receptionist intervened abruptly, hurriedly leaving her desk to position herself in front of Aya, shielding her face from view.
"He was actually here a day or two ago. He was tall, muscular, and had a scar on his arm. Ah– y-yes, I remember it clearly, like it was yesterday! Yes, and I know where he was heading, so I can also help you on that. Mhm! Yeap, that's right! I remember him as clearly as if I saw him a moment ago."
The knight's eyes widened as he witnessed the sudden and almost theatrical shift in the receptionist's reaction. He stood there, slightly baffled by the unexpected turn of events, feeling as if he were caught up in an impromptu performance.
But despite his confusion, he remained composed, waiting to see how the situation would unfold.
Aya also quickly understood — or, more like, Hiroki was one who got a brief understanding of the situation they were in, giving a small sigh at the unnecessary distraction that the receptionist was trying to give.
"Miss Mirai. It's okay. He has already seen my face…"
Aya said with a soft smile of acceptance as she moved from the receptionist's back, revealing herself to the knight.
"Aya, what are you doing!!?"
The receptionist reacted in disbelief as she saw that her struggle to avoid this situation was already failing.
"It's okay."
"Ah, p-please, Aya is not a demon, so please don't kill her. I can vouch that she has not brought or done anything evil to our town as well, so please reconsider your decision!"
Despite Aya's attempts to reassure the receptionist about this, she still tried to cover for Aya. She knew that Aya's hair was going to cause trouble, which is why she was prepared to do anything to protect her.
The rest of the staff and the adventurers who were idling around the guild had fallen into silence as they were watching this whole thing occur.
Even the knight's surprised expression abruptly changed to one of concern.
"I know that I'm a knight, but…. I'm not the kind of person that would kill someone just because they have white hair…." he softly expressed, "All I wanted was to ask her a few questions and perhaps figure something out."
"Ah…."
After understanding the scene she was causing, the receptionist let out a surprised gasp before going back into her professional stand and coughing once on her fist to change the subject.
"If that's so, then I will inform the guild master regarding any matter involving this situation." Mirai explained with a stern voice.
Then, once she explained to the knight how this situation was going to proceed, the receptionist brought Aya with her to the guildmaster's office in order to explain the whole situation.
The guildmaster attentively listened to the explanation, nodding thoughtfully. He instructed Mirai to bring the involved knight into the office to clarify the misunderstanding and potentially find a resolution. While Mirai harbored some suspicion toward the guildmaster's intentions, she maintained a degree of trust in his ability to assist Aya in escaping from this perilous situation.