*Hours later*
As we return to the Guild house I realize it is getting fairly late. But I might as well get a contract before the night ends and get something for tomorrow.
Lara and Arla have both decided to split from me and get a different room at the hotel which has room for 3 people instead of 2 like before. I wouldn't mind if there were not enough beds...
I take a glance briefly from the Contract board and then to the Guild main hall and it is mostly quiet with some people hanging out and chatting.
Most people have taken them throughout the day no doubt so I bet none of the ones available are worth much.
*2 minutes later*
Yep...Most of these are lengthy ones that take days, like hunting 300 wolves in Brunich and delivering them back. Or too short such as picking up my son for about a week after school.
*sigh* "Oh well."
As I turn around and begin making my way out an Elven man wearing what appears to be a clean almost silver shine with Yellow highlights on the edges walks by me to the Contract board.
First time I have seen someone be the odd one out instead of me. I walk towards a table and keep my left eye on him but do not make it obvious. With my back mostly to him.
The Elf male with blond hair stamps something into the paper and turns to the left and walks out at the same pace he did walking in. As I wait a couple of extra seconds I turn my head and walk towards the sheet of paper stamped on the center of the contract board now.
I take a closer look and begin reading the description of it.
"Dear Adventurers, a private investigative group within Arcadia is seeking some reliable and trustworthy escorts and assistance for an investigation digging deeper into the 'Davenville Massacre'. As horrible of an event as it is, the reasoning behind the attack seems suspicious. Hestia, though known for causing skirmishes on borders, and disputes know an outright war between Brunich and now Arcadia would be foolish. They barely can deal with the Beastmen who have yet to make an actual offensive. If Arcadia is involved then the Hestia Empire will fall and the Sun will set on the Hestian Empire. If you are interested, we will be meeting at the White District at the Cohal Center."
I guess I should ask Arla about the war and conflict situation between the big players of this world. I know Brunich and Hestia have bad blood due to years of slavery, and the mass slaughter of the most prominent members of Hestian society. But I am unsure if they are at war, or just border disputes, skirmishes, and attempted espionage.
That would make sense. I know if I had a country with issues like Brunich and Hestia I would keep a hand on the holster just to be safe.
I pull it off the board and take it with me back to the hotel
*minutes later*
*Creek*
The door opens and I see the tiger man eating something I don't recognize and reading ad different-looking newspaper. I give him a nod but stop halfway up the stairs.
"Uh, what room am I in now? They changed rooms recently because we have a 3rd person with us now." I ask leaning my head around the corner
"Room 10"
"Thank you"
I make my way to the room and knock on the door a couple of times. I am surprised it is taking so long for them to open the door. Are they even here right now? Did they go somewhere else before the night? Damn, do I wish phones were a thing so I can call or text?
I go back downstairs to the front desk and signal with my left hand for a key turn and he stops what he is doing at the moment.
He pulls out a single small silver-like key and tosses it to me without looking. I catch it and pull myself back to room 10.
As I unlock the door and open it the room is fairly dark, and a window is partially open as a faint white curtain is shifting a bit. I adjust my natural night vision and see no figures of people. The beds are neatly made or have been the entire time. Did they even walk inside the hotel?
I walk inside and shut the door behind me to look around a bit more, and it is more spacious. Has a small kitchen, a hallway that has what looks like 3 bedrooms, and a bathroom likely. Not bad for a small home space. Might as well be a small condo. Condo? I am thinking of a can-do right? Or an apartment? God, I wish I had google still! If google is even still called that.
As I take steps toward the bedrooms and hear a creak before I even take the next step. I halt briefly and hear it just before it gets cut off.
Someone is here. Not just me. I don't have my weapon or armor on me so hopefully, it is in my room. Hopefully. I begin trying to casually stride down the hall listening carefully to anything out of the ordinary.
As I enter one of the rooms I see a box that has a piece of one of my shoulder guards poking up. I quickly walk over to the box in search of one of my weapons and dig through it, not being subtle at all.
As I ruffle through them my sword isn't there. Nor is my knife. No way they left it in-
My feathers stand up and twitch a bit briefly and I turn my head to the right. I see a leg come at my face. I duck my face down, and another leg I catch with my right hand. I look at the clothing and they are wearing fully jet black, from the leg to head. The person's head was covered in some black clothes around the face only not covering the eyes. I see brown eyes and for a moment can tell the body and eyes look female.
I get up placing my right hand on her throat and then my left holding her right arm. I pin them against a wall and snarl a bit.
"Who the hell are you!"
They only stare at me and glance to the left for a moment. I then start hearing footsteps. I turn my head and see another figure wearing similar black clothing sprinting at me. I try to respond but the woman I am holding grabs the collar of my shirt and wraps there legs around my right leg.
The figure on my right runs into me, tackling me over into the side of the wall. As I get slammed into the side of the wall, I put my legs on the wall, and push myself with enough force to force them to the ground They feel more muscular and are taller than me, but do not appear to have a flexible kind of behavior but a rougher, more brutish one.
I grab the cloth on their face and pull it off only to be shocked to see Lara's face underneath the mask.
"Wh-Wha the hell are you doing?"
She looks away from me and bites the inside of her cheeks. I then look at Arla who also takes the mask off and shakes her head letting her hair flail around.
I get off of Lara and just look between the two. After Lara gets up she begins to get a bit squirmish.
"So...Would any of you two like to explain why both of you two attacked my ass..."
"It was Lara's idea." Arla blirts out without hesitation
Lara in response loses all her reserved behavior and turns to her in a sudden twist and fit.
"WHAT?! This was your specific idea!"
"But you're the one who accepted it and had the reason why we did it..." Arla states with a triumphant face and posture
"Ehh..." Lara squeals
"What does she mean Lara?"
*Sighs* "Alra and I were both having a small debate about your health for a while when you were not around. I said I didn't think you should go on the next few contract for the guild for a while. But she said 'he healed unnaturally fast and I think we should capitalize on that and see if he is up to the task.' So we had an agreement to wait for you and jump on you to see how well your response and reaction were. I am also sorry for slamming you into the wall."
"UUUUUGH..." I groan out rubbing both eyes with my fists
"That's not healthy for your eyes." Arla remarks
"Don't care my eyes will grow back. Why didn't you guys just ask to spar with me? That way I didn't just treat you guys with intruders?"
"Well, we felt that if you were caught off guard we can observe if you were physically able," Arla remarks without much emotion
"Am I?"
"Eh...You didn't bring much of a swing after I attempted to double kick you, you only attempted to choke me..."
She then in a hushed voice and with a slight turn of the head I can see her lips barely make movement or noise. "Not that I didn't enjoy it"
"What?" I state with ensuring to her remark.
"Ahem, anyways," Arla fake coughs continuing her statement, "But then when Lara charged you you didn't respond by letting go and doing this 'Heavy right side strike' or whatever Lara said it was called. Which I am unsure is a good thing or a bad thing."
"I mean I didn't know someone else was also in the room so I was not sure to hit the assailant. But that's not what I want to deal with right now. I want to sleep now." I state shoving both Arla and Lara out of my room and closing the door behind them
"Ugh...." I groan out slumming my shoulder as if they are weak and walk to the bed jumping into it.
I will talk to them about the contract tomorrow.