"We're here, the Romero Adventurer's Guild. Let's take a step in, and a step forward in the story of your lives, why don't we?"
Miss Charlotte opens the door with a kick, alerting the other adventurers inside to our presence.
She struts up to the reception counter confidently, holding my hand.
There's so many eyes on me, this is scary. This is the first time I've been thankful that Meeka's taller than me, as her and Kenji surround me so it's harder for people to look. Thank you so much.
"Hello Miss Charlotte of Turmeric, what can we do for you today?" The receptionist says with a nice smile.
"I'd like to have my rank re-evaluated, and my friends and lover here register for the guild. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by everything Miss Tabitha." Miss Charlotte says, her voice sounding a little arrogant. It seems as though she's on some sort of power trip due to how much stronger she's gotten without noticing. I think this side of her is quite attractive. I wish she'd talk to me like that sometime.
The receptionist looked a little confused but quickly recovered. "Yes, yes. It's been so long since you had your rank re-evaluated Miss Charlotte, did you get stronger?" She says, pulling out a crystal ball-like object and placing it on the table in front of Miss Charlotte.
Does that do something like evaluate your status?
"Absolutely yes." Miss Charlotte says, that confident glint in her eyes shining even brighter. Can you like, please talk down to me like that?
She makes a small cut on her finger with a knife in her bag, letting the blood drip onto the crystal ball.
===
Stats:
Strength: B+
Defense: B+
Speed: B+
Magic: B+
Perception: B+
Race and Class Skills: Fox Senses [Max], Magic Enchantment [B+], Golem Manipulation [B+], Mana Sense [B+], Fire Magic [B+], Wind Magic [B+], Lightning Magic [B+]
Personal Skills: Swordsmanship [B+], Seduction [B+]
===
Receptionist Tabitha is shocked. Her hand quickly covers her mouth. "Miss Charlotte, when was the last time you checked your status?"
"Before yesterday, it must have been probably two or three years ago." Miss Charlotte says as Receptionist Tabitha's eyes die.
"You have not one, but five skills that are almost A grade. And every single one of your stats is B+. I think the only thing we can do is promote you to a top class A rank adventurer!" Tabitha says, clapping.
The other adventurers in the guild look at Miss Charlotte with inquisitive eyes, some of them a tad lustful. It'd be a shame if all your glasses spilled their contents onto your pants, wouldn't it?
Woops, it looks like my [Telekinesis] activated without my control! I'm sorry guys. Don't stare at the asses of other people's lovers next time, I guess.
"Eh? What the hell?" Some of these adventurers say, but they have no clue what just happened, and especially no idea about my involvement.
It's Meeka's turn to register now.
===
Strength: B-
Defense: D+
Speed: B+
Magic: C
Perception: B-
Race and Class Skills: Fox Senses [Max], Archery [B], Magic Arrows [C+]
Personal Skills: Wind Magic [D-], Ice Magic [D-], Fire Magic [D-], Water Magic [D-] Knife Skills [E]
===
"What a great status for such a young girl!" Tabitha says, patting Meeka on her head.
Meeka's smiling like an angel, she's such a cute kid. If only she wasn't taller than me.
"You're qualified to become a low class A rank adventurer Miss!" Tabitha warmly declares.
Meeka pumps her fist and starts jumping up and down for joy,
"Wow, that little fox kid's an A ranker too, and she just registered." Some of the background people say.
"Now that Meeka and I've finished our business, would you please register this beautiful girl as an adventurer." Miss Charlotte says, pushing me forward. All eyes in the building are on me.
I'm going to have to cut my finger. Wait, can I even bleed? No, this is a serious question. Am I actually able to bleed. I don't need to breathe or eat, even in this form, so do I bleed?
"Please make a small incision on your finger and drip the blood onto the crystal ball, young miss." Tabitha says, smiling at me like you would at a child.
I must really look childish here, shaking due to the pressure of everyone looking at me.
It feels like their eyes are drilling into me, judging me, wanting to hurt me, I'm scared.
I hold the knife over my index finger, wavering. I don't know if I'm the kind of person who will be able to cut themselves. I'm just a kid you know! A child! I've never had these kinds of thoughts! I'm jittering as Miss Charlotte puts her hand on my shoulder.
"Eep!" I say, jerking my body. My finger rose into the blade, leaving a jagged cut and a lot of blood behind. It drips in a clump onto the crystal ball. "Owwww" I say, starting to tear up. I've never felt this much pain and shame and embarrassment before.
Tabitha gets me a small bandage to put over my finger and hands it to Miss Charlotte. Miss Charlotte puts it on my fingertip and kisses the back of my hand.
"I don't think you'll have to do that again my love. I don't like seeing you get hurt, so I'll protect you." She says, with a look that calms me down. I stop shaking and take a deep breath.
"Miss? Your status seems a little strange…" Tabitha says.
===
Strength: D-
Defense: F
Speed: C
Magic: A
Perception: S+
Race and Class Skills: Tangibility [Max], Pseudo Possession [Max], Telekinesis [A-], Possession [B+]
Personal Skills: Mana Sense [S], Foresight [F+]
===
"What the hell is this? You have an S+ stat in [Perception]? [Magic] at A too? Two max level skills? An A grade combat skill? [Mana Sense] S? How is that even possible? You have an F+ skill too, what's that…" Tabitha says as her face goes dark. Oops, looks like she's seen [Foresight].
"""What? An S+ stat? Is that even real?""" the adventurers in the guild ask, while clamoring to get a look at the crystal ball.
"My god…" One of them says. He looks rather strong, probably the strongest person here, excluding Kenji and maybe myself and Miss Charlotte. He seems like he's probably the guild master. "Young lady, how did your status get like this?" He asks, with a hint of anger in his voice. He's probably wondering how this upstart who's registering for the first time has such a bullshit status.
"Well Mister Guild Master, I just got them. My [Perception] was always S+ ever since I was born into the world. My [Mana Sense] is the same." I'm telling half-truths because my [Mana Sense] is telling me he's using magic that will allow him to determine whether or not I'm telling the truth,
"How'd you know I was the guild master? Ah, well nevermind. It's probably that crazy [Perception] stat of yours. I'm going to use my [Appraisal] skill on you if you don't mind." The Guild Master says as his eyes glow golden for a bit. "Miss… Aria is it?"
"Um… y-yes that's me." I say timidly. I don't like the look on his face. It's scary.
He leans up to me and whispers into my ear, "I've never had a ghost register for my guild before, try and keep that under wraps." I'm relieved. He's not going to hurt me for being a ghost. I planned on keeping it a secret anyway!
"Everyone, Miss Aria here's just registered for the guild. Treat her well, as she's a new member who's now officially an S ranked adventurer." He booms, clapping his hands.
The crowd goes well, apeshit. They've just witnessed the birth of an S class adventurer. And it's such a small girl like me. They're looking at me with different eyes now. It's a little scary too. It's like they see me as an object to protect or worship now. Miss Charlotte, hide me!
The guild master lifts me up onto his shoulders. No, no, no! Stop it, I tell him. He doesn't let me down.
I use my [Pseudo Possession] to jump into Miss Charlotte's body.
(Sorry about this, I don't want to be seen right now, it's making me really uncomfortable.)
(Oh wow, this is your [Pseudo Possession] skill! Ahhh, it's like you're inside of me, it's such a nice feeling. I wonder if I were to make my body feel pleasure, would you feel it too?)
(Please leave all talks of lewd matters for later. We have- have not even kissed yet!) I protest.
(That can be remedied.) She says, a smile creeping up on her face.
The guildmaster looks surprised. The little girl he was just carrying on his shoulders vanished without a trace. He couldn't sense her body anywhere. Ah, she probably used one of her skills to possess one of her friends.
The crowd has no idea what's going on. The pretty little new S rank adventurer just up and disappeared.
"I'm sorry, but my wife is quite shy, so she decided to use a skill." Miss Charlotte says, relief washing over me. The audience looks a little confused but accepts it.
(Oh, do you like it when I call you my wife?)
(M-maybe I do, Maybe I don't, you know?) God I'm a tsundere sometimes.
(You don't like it? I'll never do it again then!) She says, calling my bluff.
(Wait no! I like it, I really do, I want you to say it more often, it makes me really happy!) I exclaim quickly. I don't want her to take advantage of my words like that.
(I see, I see. I'll keep calling you my wife then it seems. So if we're now married, is this our first night? I'm intrigued to see how my wife will service me for our first time…) She says seductively. No, this isn't fair. You can't just tease me so relentlessly when I can't run away or cover my ears.
I make her pinch herself. Ha! That's what you get for teasing me like that!
(Oh my Aria, I didn't know you were a sadist. You controlling my body just felt so~ good you know? I'd love to see how I can control your body.) I'm leaving… this is bullshit.
(Shut up. Bye.)
(Wait, wh-)
I use my [Pseudo Possession] to inhabit Kenji's body, not even letting Miss Charlotte finish her sentence. She looks at Kenji longingly, she seems to have guessed where I've gone. She seems a little sad and embarrassed. Good! That's how I feel!
(Miss Charlotte's teasing me.) I say. (I couldn't take it anymore so I left, hope you don't mind.)
(I'll make sure to have a strongly worded chat with her then. It seems she's made you uncomfortable.) Kenji says, his voice sounding sharp like a weapon at this moment.
(No, no, don't. It's just she got a little too into teasing me, that's all. I think she realized her mistake, so it's fine.)
(If you say so, but if she ever crosses a line you don't like, tell me right away.)
Kenji, it sounds like you're threatening her.
"So boy, why don't you go get your status read?" The guild master says to Kenji with a chuckle. He comes up and whispers to Kenji, "If that girl's possessing you, you might want to have her move, her stats will probably get counted with yours."
(Understood, I'm moving) I say.
"Understood, she's moving, Kenji whispers back to the guild master, who smiles.
(Hello Meeka! It's me, Aria! I'm using my [Pseudo Possession] to hide in your body!)
(Gah! Don't scare me like that… Why aren't you possessing your lovely Charlotte?)
(She's being mean to me! So I left.) I say confidently. Miss Charlotte, now you're looking at Meeka. How well do you have me figured out?
(Oh, she's teasing you mercilessly is she? How sad. She must be sad her wife left her. The divorce was so quick wasn't it?) Stop it! Why are you like this too!
Kenji's done and his status is ready to be read. I immediately hop into his body.
(Kenjiiiiii, Meeka's being mean to me too!) I say. I'd probably be almost in tears if I was in a physical body.
(You should probably come out now Aria.) Kenji says to me.
(Fine…)
I deactivate my [Pseudo Possession] and activate [Tangibility], seeming to step out of Kenji's shadow.
The crowd and Tabitha are surprised by my sudden reappearance.
This is quickly overshadowed by Kenji's status.
===
Strength: S
Defense: A
Speed: A+
Magic: C+
Perception: F-
Race and Class Skills: Hero's Journey [Max], Nobility [S], Hero Judgement [S], Golden Draw [A]
Personal Skills: Swordsmanship [B-], Blessed Magic [C-]
===
"Sir Kenji, are you perhaps the summoned hero that the king's been looking for?" the Guild Master says in a quiet voice.
"We have absolutely no idea what you could be talking about Mister Guild Master! Your silly magic tool can't read it seems! There aren't any skills that say [Hero] or [Blessed] are there?" I say in a threatening tone. The Guild Master seems to have realized my killing intent, but ignores it.
"I have to report this. I'm sorry." He says, bowing.
Within a second I use [Telekinesis] to pull out an ogre bone I pilfered way back during one of my nightly training sessions. I place it in my hand and use [Telekinesis] to swing it like a baseball club right towards the Guild Master's neck. As I stop it just short, a shockwave flies behind the weapon and damages the wall of the Guild.
"Is there anything you need to report sir, I was just hitting a bug that got in my way. Sorry if I got so close to you there." I say in a threatening tone. I say it in a threatening tone because this is a threat. I see immense fear enter his eyes as Kenji and my killing intent wash over him.
"The only thing I have to report is that we now have two new S ranked adventurers. A perfectly normal mage and a perfectly normal magic swordsman! That's all!" He says, quickly shifting gears. It seems as though our threat worked!
"Now that we've all registered, I think the four of us want to form a party!" Miss Charlotte says to Tabitha and the Guild Master, both of whom are slightly intimidated.
"Y-yes, of course! Let's start that registration right now!" Tabitha says, scrambling to find some documents.
"Wonderful!" Miss Charlotte says as she hugs me from behind, gently stroking my hair.
I'll forgive you if you keep doing this, but you'll need to apologize once we've left the guild.
"Here you go Miss," Tabitha says.