A new morning has arrived once again, and even though Moterno was much smaller than Galderia, the bustling of the crowd wasn't any less than the former. They were already busy even though it was still so early in the morning.
"Huwaahh～" ［Grey］
And just like when he was still in Galderia, Grey greeted the new morning with a lengthy yawn whilst stretching his arms. His eyes were still half open as he stared blankly at the wall for a few seconds.
"Hmm... I wonder what's for breakfast today..." ［Grey］
Grey mumbled in a low voice as he started to get up from the bed. He then continued to prepare himself by bathing, changing clothes, and checking his adventurer equipment. It was time to take a quest after a couple of days.
Knock Knock Knock
After preparing himself, Grey went out of his own room and headed to Yuna's. He knocked a couple of times, but there was no answer. Yuna was still sleeping.
The color of surprise was visible on Grey's face as no answer came after his knocking. After all, Yuna would normally be up at that hour. It was extremely rare for her to wake up late.
Unbeknownst to Grey, after they arrived back at the inn, the words he said to Yuna kept repeating again and again inside her mind like a broken record player. It was the reason why Yuna couldn't sleep early. She was too flustered.
"Yunaー.... Never mind, let's just let her sleep for longer." ［Grey］
Grey attempted to knock once again but decided to stop. He wanted Yuna to have a peaceful rest. Grey thought that since she woke up late, she must have been really tired. He was really considerate when it came to Yuna.
Grey then turned around and headed straight to the dining hall. There, he was greeted by Mira who served him breakfast as soon as he requested it. Of course, he also asked for Yuna's share to be prepared.
A little more than 20 minutes after Grey left Yuna to sleep peacefully, Yuna woke up, and, with a panicked face, she prepared herself for the day. Usually, it would take her about half an hour to do so, but today, she did it in less than 15 minutes.
Hurriedly, Yuna came down the stairs with a trace of urgency prevalent on her face. She was really panicking at the thought of being late. She didn't want to trouble Grey because she woke up later.
"G-Grey! I-I'm sorry, I oversleptー !!!" ［Yuna］
Yuna apologized to Grey and tried to bow her head, but before she could even do so, Grey immediately stopped her by patting her head out of the blue. It was so sudden, Yuna didn't know how to react.
"Why are you apologizing?" ［Grey］
"B-Because I woke up late!" ［Yuna］
Yuna retaliated with a troubled look on her face. Grey was still patting her head with his right hand, something Yuna didn't really mind him doing.
"Haah... Look, Yuna... It's alright to wake up late, you know? Even if we're going to do quests today, we can just do it at our own pace. You don't have force yourself, okay?" ［Grey］
"B-Butー" ［Yuna］
"No buts! That is my order as the party leader and my request to you as your partner and friend!" ［Grey］
Grey declared boisterously with a stern expression. Yuna wanted to retaliate but she had no way to do so. All of Grey's points were valid.
With the end of Iblis, Yuna has no more reason to push herself too much. While she could train and work hard if she wanted to, Grey didn't want her happiness to be affected negatively. It was the one thing he won't compromise on.
Hearing Grey's words, Yuna felt a happy and warm sensation fill her heart. She was happy that Grey cared deeply for her. It makes her feel like he was spoiling her and was showering her with affection.
"Alright..." ［Yuna］
"If you understand, then take a seat. I've already ordered your breakfast. Make sure to eat it before it gets cold." ［Grey］
"Un." ［Yuna］
Yuna quietly sat on her seat and enjoyed her breakfast with Grey. As Grey waited for Yuna, he also hadn't eaten it yet. He wanted to enjoy a meal with Yuna like how they always did.
After they ate our breakfast, Grey and Yuna then headed to the Adventurers' Guild as per usual. Although it was their first time heading there, they didn't get lost thanks to the guards' instructions the day of their arrival.
A clear difference between a city and a town's Adventurers' Guild building greeted them as soon as they arrived. The one in Galderia is easily more than 30% larger than Moterno's, and was also more gaudy.
Although that is the case, Moterno's Adventurers' Guild was just as impressive. It was still an establishment which dwarfed other buildings which were located near it. It still gave off an overwhelming aura like the one in Galderia.
When the two entered, they were once again greeted by different kinds of people just like when they first entered Galderia's adventurer's guild. There were still the stereotypical musclebound warriors and hooded mages.
But what's more interesting is the internal arrangement of the guild. It was arranged similarly to how Galderia's guild was. Not only Moterno's, all guild buildings were arranged in a specific way. It was done so that adventurers could easily familiarize themselves even if they went to a new town or city.
As there was a long line to the counter, Yuna and Grey decided to check out the quests being posted in the quest board. And like usual, the harder the quests are, the sparser they become.
Grey and Yuna were just peacefully eyeing the quests when suddenly, something common in fictional works occurred...
"Hey, Brats! What are you doing here!?" ［???］
... A drunk and muscle-headed adventurer with a foul mouth who looked like an orc approached them. It was a cliché.
The drunkard reeked of alcohol as he opened his mouth and both his hair and attire was messy. He looked like someone who hadn't bathed in a week, maybe even a month. He looked like a plain old drunkard.
With the drunkard's loud voice, the attention of everyone in the guild was shifted to Grey and Yuna. Some looked with a smile on their face, obviously wanting entertainment, some looked at the two with concern or pity, some didn't care, and some even looked at them with fear.
Of course, the ones looking at Grey and Yuna with fear were adventurers who were from Galderia. They were present at the moment Grey unleashed his bloodlust towards a certain group of scumbags.
Seeing those adventurers with fear in their eyes, Grey became curious as to how many of the adventurers in Galderia have arrived in Moterno. He had completely ignored the drunkard in front of him.
"Hey! I'm talking to you!" ［???］
"Ah, sorry, I got distracted by something. What were you saying again?" ［Grey］
"You brat..." ［???］
Hearing Grey's response, irked veins popped up in the drunkard's foreheads as he became filled with rage. He was so angry that his face had started to turn red. He wanted to beat up the youth in front of him.
One of the receptionists quickly fled from the scene towards the employee-only section. Her face was full of urgency. She was going to report the commotion to the Guildmaster.
The surrounding adventurers weren't any better either. The commotion got even louder as Grey's words spread throughout the guild. Some of the adventurers laughed while some became even more worried.
"Those brats are finished..."
"Yeah, trying to talk back to Boros like that..."
"Hey, someone stop them!"
"Do it yourself! We don't wanna get involved!"
Chaos ensued in the guild as the adventurers' opinions overlapped with one another, but amongst the ones voicing out their thoughts, there was one in particular that stood out like a sore thumb.
"That guy is doomed! Threatening the Grim Reaper like that..."
It was a comment from one of the adventurers from Galderia. His legs and hands were trembling as he said those words. He could still clearly recall the day that Grey almost scared the whole guild to death.
That certain adventurer happened to be one of the few who were at the front when Grey confronted the scumbags. He had experienced Grey's menacing bloodlust up close and had nightmares for days because of it. It was a terrifying experience for him.
"Hey, stop ignoring me!" ［Boros］
Boros tried to grab Grey by the collar, but before he could, Grey skillfully dodged his assault with a simple sidestep. His hostility towards Grey grew by leaps and bounds with his failed attempt.
Yuna was also calm as day even when Boros tried to assault Grey. With all the experiences she had, she had become tougher than before. Besides, she knew that there was no way Boros could touch Grey with his lousy moves.
"Umm... Miss Receptionist, is there a place here where we can fight it out? This is getting really annoying." ［Grey］
Grey glanced at the receptionist nearest to them and asked her a question. And of course, because of what he said, the commotion got even louder. It has become a pandemonium of loud noises.
"Hey, did you hear that!? That brat's challenging Boros!"
"That kid's got some guts, challenging an E-ranker like that."
"He should have backed out when he had the chance."
"Hey! At this rate, that kid's really going to get killed!"
Trouble and anxiety was painted in the receptionist as she heard Grey's question. And with the adventurers' voices, she became even more troubled. Still, she answered Grey honestly.
"Umm... there isn't..." ［Receptionist］
The receptionist shook her head slowly with her eyes still full of anxiety and worry. She wanted to stop the fight but had no way to do so. She was powerless in a fight between adventurers.
Although Grey had already expected the answer because of his knowledge, He was still a little bit let down. He had faintly hoped something had changed in the 3 years he was in the forest.
Since the adventurer didn't try to harm or harass Yuna, Grey wanted to resolve the situation without much complication. If it was the former, there would have been no way to tell what Grey would have done.
'Ah!' ［Grey］
Just as Grey rummaged and racked his brain for a solution, a wonderful idea came to mind. It was something which wouldn't hurt anyone physically. After all, he had already used it once.
"Miss Receptionist, please brace yourself." ［Grey］
"Eh?" ［Receptionist］
Even though the receptionist didn't fully understand what Grey was trying to convey, she still went ahead and followed Grey's words. Her instincts were telling her that it was the right thing to do.
"Those eyes! Everybody, brace yourselves!"
Learning from experience, an adventurer from Galderia warned the other adventurers of what was going to happen. A few seconds later, Grey released his aura and directed it towards Boros.
Unlike before which was an aura full of bloodlust, the current one was only fueled by raw mana. It was one of the three types of aura a person could release which had varying results.
The first type, normal aura, uses mana as fuel and pressures the soul of others. Although it doesn't really damage the soul, it can make the people subjected to it feel like they are being crushed. It was the one Grey is currently using.
The second type, bloodlust, is an aura produced by mixing mana and killing intent. It is much sharper and can affect the target's mental state if they can't resist it. It was the reason why many had nightmares upon experiencing Grey's bloodlust.
Lastly, there is the third type, authority. It is an aura which comes in two forms, "martial aura" and "elemental aura", depending on one's class and attribute. It is something only those at "Advanced" mastery can use, and it could affect the vicinity and enhance the user at the same time at the cost of high mana consumption.
Boros, receiving the pressure from Grey's aura slowly fell to the floor as he tried to resist the pressure. Soon after, he fainted and fell flat to the ground with his mouth frothing. He couldn't withstand it even for a few seconds.
Because of that one adventurer's warning, the others managed to prepare themselves and withstand the aura which leaked out from Grey. It wasn't as dense as the one Boros endured but it was still powerful.
Grey had already held back his aura to match that of a B-ranker, yet the other adventurers already had a hard time. One could only imagine the pressure Grey's fully powered aura brings.
"He shouldn't have challenged the Grim Reaper!..."
'You guys know those kids?"
"Yeah, they're pretty famous in Galderia's guild for reaching C-rank in less than two weeks after registering."
"C-rank... You've gotta be kidding me..."
"Can you still say it's a joke after witnessing that?!"
"... You're right..."
After Grey's little exhibition, everyone in the guild looked at him in a new light, no rather than that, it's more like they were looking at them with fear. Not just any fear, but extreme fear.
It wasn't just him, they have also looked at Yuna with the same amount of feats they did with Grey. While they may not know how strong Yuna was, judging by the fact that she was at least C-rank, she was also terrifying.
"Boros! What do you think you're doing!?" ［???］
Just a few seconds after Boros fainted, a woman suddenly barged inside the lobby as if she was trying to stop something from happening. But the moment she noticed how peaceful the guild was, her face was filled with confusion. An awkward silence filled the guild.
"Umm... Didn't you say there was a commotion?" ［???］
The woman asked the one who reported her, but since that person also had no idea what just happened, she also wasn't able to answer it. Her eyes were just as confused as the woman.
Thankfully, there were other receptionists and staff members in the scene so she was able to ask them about what just happened.
"Umm... Guildmaster, it's already over." ［Receptionist］
"Over? Did Boros back out?" ［Guildmaster］
"No, he's over there." ［Receptionist］
The receptionist pointed to the unconscious Boros lying on the floor. The moment the Guildmaster saw Boros, she looked even more confused. She just couldn't comprehend the current situation.
"Did he pass out from drinking too much?" ［Guildmaster］
"No, he was done in by that kid." ［Receptionist］
The receptionist turned to Grey and Yuna's direction, and following her lead, the guildmaster did the same. The Guildmaster has spotted a pair of youths who just looked like rookie adventurers.
"You're not joking, are you?" ［Guildmaster］
"No." ［Receptionist］
The guildmaster didn't believe the receptionist's words immediately and looked at the other receptionist in order to confirm it, and to her surprise, all the receptionists' responses were the same.
She even looked at the adventurers for further confirmation but she still received the same answer. They are all telling her than the young man who didn't even look like 20 had done in a D-rank adventurer.
"Umm... You two, can you come with me to my office?" ［Guildmaster］
And as per the guildmaster's request, Yuna and Grey went with her to her office without asking any question. With Grey's "Judgement", he could tell that she meant no harm.
Well, even if she did mean to harm them...
-----------------------------------
[Salferine]
[Name] Althea
[Race] Human
[Sex] Female
[Age] 28
[Status] Healthy
[Mana Capacity] 695 [Mana Quality] D
[Combat Power] 463 [Threat Level] D
[Attribute] Plant [Magic Proficiency] Intermediate (36%)
[Class] Archer [Weapon Proficiency] Intermediate (35%)
[Physical Enhancement] 39%
[Ability] 『Keen Sight (1☆)』
-----------------------------------
... she didn't have the ability to do so. At most, she could only last about 20 seconds in a fight with either Grey or Yuna.
The moment they entered the office, their familiarity about the guild's layout vanished. It was organized in a different way compared to Gaston's and even has some cute artwork as decorations.
Although the office was still a place for professional work, it is also a place that the Guildmaster spends most of their time in. It is only natural that it contained a hint of the Guidlmaster's personality.
"Umm... First of all, I would like to apologize for one of our adventurer's actions. I know this is a selfish request, but I ask you to forgive him." ［Althea］
"Ah, don't worry about it, Guildmaster. We didn't get hurt anyways." ［Grey］
"Un. We have faced far more dangerous people than him." ［Yuna］
"I see... Thank you for your understanding." ［Althea］
The Guildmaster breathed out a sigh of relief as soon as she heard Grey and Yuna's response. She was relieved that the two didn't harbor any feelings of hatred.
Although Boros was the one who acted out of line, it was still the Guildmaster's responsibility to oversee the adventurers and clean up any of the mess they made. She was thankful that Grey and Yuna were such understanding people.
"Ah, how rude of me, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Althea, a D-ranker. I also happen to be this branch's Guildmaster. It's a pleasure to meet you." ［Althea］
"I'm Grey of the B-rank party 'Aster' from Galderia. It's also a pleasure." ［Grey］
"And I'm Yuna of the same party. Also a B-rank adventurer like Grey. Nice to meet you too." ［Yuna］
"B-B-B-rank!? F-Forgive me for my rudeness!" ［Althea］
Upon learning of Grey and Yuna's identities, the Guildmaster immediately panicked and quickly bowed her head before us. She was trying her best to not make any mistake which could endanger the guild.
While Grey and Yuna understood where the Guilldmaster was coming from, they were getting tired of dealing with the same thing over and over again. They can only imagine how many times they'll experience it in the future.
"Umm... Guildmaster, please raise your head. We're not really good with formalities, so just act normal towards us." ［Grey］
"But... But..." ［Althea］
"It's alright, we don't really mind. Right, Yuna?" ［Grey］
"Un. Casual feels more comfortable." ［Yuna］
"T-Then... is it fine to call you Yuna and Grey?" ［Althea］
"I'm fine with it." ［Grey］
"Un, me too." ［Yuna］
While Grey and Yuna were expecting to be addressed with "Mister" and "Miss" ,respectively, they didn't mind the Guildmaster's very familiar tone. After all, Gaston also addresses them without honorifics attached.
"So, Guildmaster... Why did you call us here again?" ［Grey］
Grey asked, thinking there was another reason as to why the Guildmaster called them over other than an apology, but...
"Huh? I just wanted to apologize." ［Althea］
... sometimes fate could be playful. The Guildmaster really just wanted to apologize. She was a sweet and sincere woman.
After that, Yuna and Grey ask a few questions regarding the labyrinth and high-ranking quests available at the moment. While they weren't in dire need of money, they could use a bit of exercise.
"Thank you for your time. Please enjoy your stay here in Moterno!" ［Althea］
"Sure!" ［Grey］
"Un!" ［Yuna］
With all matters settled, Grey and Yuna left the Guildmaster's office and headed back to the lobby where they selected a couple of quests.
They will finally be having some adventure after a few days of leisure. Just the thought of it made Grey and Yuna a little excited. Especially since it was a new territory that they have yet to explore.
It was going to be a fun day.
CHAPTER 37 END