Clink Clink Clink
It was a new morning. The sweet scent of chocolate and warm aroma of fresh milk wafted the air, filling the hearts of those who smelled it with warmth and comfort, a perfect scent to accompany relaxation.
The spoon stopped stirring. As it was lifted, drops of light brown liquid came dripping back to the glass. The spoon still covered in that very same liquid, a fine young man delivered it to his mouth to have a taste.
"Yeah. This is good." ［Grey］
The night has passed after their arrival, and to start the day, Grey was making some warm chocolate milk for him and Yuna to enjoy. The latter, still sleeping soundly in the bedroom from their long and tiresome journey.
There were no dishes to be seen at the dining table, only two glasses of chocolate milk, fragrant steam rising from it. The quietness in the room gave Grey peace he hasn't had for a long time. It was a time of comfort and relaxation.
Tap Tap Tap
The sound of footsteps echoed as a certain silver-haired young lady came down the stairs, still rubbing her eyes softly with a sleepy look in her face. She had just woken up, her mind still up in the clouds and her eyes a little out of focus.
"Good morning, Princess." ［Grey］
"Mhm... Morning..." ［Yuna］
"Here, have some chocolate milk." ［Grey］
Like a little child who will receive whatever you give them, Yuna received the glass of chocolate milk without much thinking. She didn't even realize it was chocolate milk when she received it. Her eyes staring at it intently as she tried to figure out what manner of object she just received.
A smile bloomed on her face as soon as she realized it was actually chocolate milk, a peaceful expression on her face. She was very different from the lady who could wipe out monsters in a single strike. Now, she was just a defenseless munchkin who had just woken up.
Snap
A light came flashing as soon as a smile appeared on Yuna's face. It came none other from the camera in Grey's hands. A satisfied expression now on Grey's face, he had once again acquired a new photo for his collection of cute (Yuna) things.
Of course, since he had given a camera to newlywed Kris and Aria, it also went without saying that he made one for his and Yuna's use. And it was worth the effort as of the current, he had gotten a couple dozen pictures of Yuna, thinking of making a large album at a later date.
At this point, Grey is already instinctively taking out the camera from his "Inventory" whenever he sees Yuna doing something adorable. He didn't even notice his hands move. It was only after the flash came that he did.
"Hey, Grey... I told you to stop that..." ［Yuna］
Receiving the full brunt of the sudden flashing, Yuna was quickly woken up and was now on her right mind. A pink tint showing on her face as she looked at Grey, half-sulking, half-embarrassed.
"Hahaha, sorry. You were just too cute, I couldn't help it." ［Grey］
"Geez... Saying that so early in the morning... It's embarrassing..." ［Yuna］
"Hm? But it's true though. My Yuna is the cutest in the world!" ［Grey］
A proud declaration came ringing throughout the house, making Yuna even more embarrassed than she already was. She couldn't exactly retort to Grey's words as she was also happy receiving such compliments. It was a complicated feeling.
Yuna just simply continued drinking her chocolate milk in silence, her face still looking feverish. Her mood quickly improved as soon as she had a taste of the drink as if her embarrassment was but just a mere lie.
"Hm? Grey, where's breakfast?" ［Yuna］
"I didn't make one. It's been some time, so I figured out it would be nice to have breakfast at the Rabbit's Den. What do you think?" ［Grey］
"Un! I'd love that too! I also want to see and chat with Helen again!" ［Yuna］
"It's decided then." ［Grey］
There wasn't much of a discussion to be done. It wasn't just that they missed breakfast there. They were also so tired from their journey that they didn't feel like cooking at all. They just want to relax for the time being.
Well, all was well until Yuna noticed something was off with her drink, tilting her head in confusion. While it was not bland, it was not as sweet as usual either. It was just like Grey's blend Yuna had a taste before.
"Is something wrong, Yuna?" ［Grey］
"No. It's just... The chocolate milk tastes a little blander than usual..." ［Yuna］
"Ah, that... That's only to be expected. When I checked this morning, we didn't have any sugar left. It's quite a problem." ［Grey］
"Eh?" ［Yuna］
Yuna sat frozen, her eyes staring at Grey, as soon as she heard the latter's words. She stared at him even more, reexamining what she just heard. Thinking that it was only her mishearing things, a smile bloomed back in her face.
"Yuna, you aren't hearing things. We really have no more sugar left. Don't run away from reality." ［Grey］
"Ehhh?!!" ［Yuna］
Shock. Great shock. Intense and Immeasurable shock. Yuna's shock only grew with the passing of time. She was pale as a clean sheet of paper, her soul slipping out of her mouth as she processed what she just heard.
For someone with a sweet tooth like her, there was no greater tragedy. No matter what kind of sweets or desserts one thinks of, sugar is an absolute need. After all, "sweets" are called sweets precisely because they were sweetened with sugar.
It was as if the world had ended. Yuna would rather fight an endless horde of S-rank monsters rather than losing sugar. It was as if her world revolved on sweets and sugars. It was a painful news to hear. A painful news, indeed.
"Why...? Why...? Why is this happening...?" ［Yuna］
Yuna quickly despaired at the sudden news, her expression which was very pale was now brooding with darkness. It resembled Falroe's expressions when he saw Reina having a lot of fun with Eldhart. Despair, it was total despair.
Meanwhile, Grey could only look at her with eyes filled with hopelessness as he heaved a sigh of resignation. He knew full well the answer to Yuna's question and he knows Yuna knows it too. After all, the very cause was none other than the one who was despairing before him.
"Yuna, you were the one who spent it all making sweets when we were at the village. You have no one else to blame but yourself." ［Grey］
An arrow struck and pierced Yuna's heart deep and stinging. It was a critical hit which Yuna couldn't even retort against. Even when she tried to hide her sweets making to Grey, he still found out at the end.
"To begin with, people don't normally consume a whole bag of sugar in a single day, not to mention making hundreds of cookies or cupcakes." ［Grey］
Another arrow struck, piercing even deeper than the one from before. The amount of sweets Yuna consumes a day could match a hundred people. It was once again a point Yuna had no way of turning around and retorting against.
"Do you know that you use up about 90% of our sugar in your sweets? Even the reserves we have for the next few months are gone. Yuna, to tell you the truth, we should probably limit your consumption of sweets." ［Grey］
The heaviest statement of them all. As soon as Yuna heard the word "limit", her world came crumbling down. To her, sweets were already like rice for Asians. There was no way she could live without it.
"Uuu... Sorry..." ［Yuna］
Yuna could only apologize after Grey finished his words, no way to retort, no way to retaliate, and no way to go against him. All of Grey's words were on point and all she could do was accept her mistakes and reflect on it.
Seeing Yuna on the brink of tears, Greh could only sigh to himself inwardly. In truth, he knew he was also to blame for spoiling Yuna too much. In the first place, he was most probably the one responsible for cultivating Yuna's sweets addiction to such a worrying extent.
Thankfully, as high-rankers, their bodies can effectively eliminate excess substances in their bodies and process them efficiently. There was no harm in eating too much carbohydrates or sugars. As long as it wasn't poisonous, it wasn't harmful.
Well, Grey wasn't really thinking if scolding Yuna too much. He also has no intentions of changing her love for sweets. He loves her the way she is and he always will. Still, he needs to remind her or else they'll be in dire situations without sugar once again.
"Haah... Then, Yuna, how about this? I'll only give you 10 bags of sugar as a monthly allowance. If you run out of sugar, I won't be giving you any more. The responsibility will be on you." ［Grey］
"20... Make it 20 bags..." ［Yuna］
"No. In the first place, people normally use only one bag, two bags at most, in a single month. 10 is already more than enough." ［Grey］
"15...?" ［Yuna］
"No means no!" ［Grey］
"Uuu... Okay..." ［Yuna］
Yuna has no choice but to accept Grey's conditions, her heart sinking in gloom little by little. Just imagining the number of sweets she can enjoy whittling down was enough to make her heart ache. She felt like crying.
Meanwhile, Grey only felt guilty as if he was scolding a child. He was almost won over by Yuna's puppy eyes, but was able to resist thankfully. It was in these moments that he needed to be strict and stern.
After settling their conditions, Grey and Yuna then headed towards the Rabbit's Den to have their breakfast. It was only then that Yuna's mood improved by leaps and bounds until she was back to her usual self.
Breakfast finished, the next destination was none other than the Adventurers' Guild. It has been a while since they've left and as one would expect, the number of high-ranking quests posted has overflown once again.
Thankfully, there weren't any urgent ones amongst them. After all, those which needed to be cleared immediately are done by the lord's knights. Of course, it also means that they'll receive the rewards. It was a win-win situation for both the guild and the lord.
Well, there was one thing which also didn't change. As soon as they entered the guild, the people's eyes were quickly on them. Even the new faces also looked at them with astonishment and curiosity.
"Oh! Grey, Yuna, when did you return?" ［Tilda］
"Good morning, Tilda!" ［Yuna］
"We just returned yesterday evening. How's the guild doing?" ［Grey］
"Morning! And the guild's doing just fine. Thanks for asking!" ［Tilda］
Thankfully, there was still their cheerful friend, Tilda, to greet them. It was all thanks to her that the atmosphere in the guild was much more bearable. It has also been a while since they saw each other so they were quite happy.
"How was your trip to Ingrasia?" ［Tilda］
"Well, there were some unexpected circumstances, but overall, it was a very good experience. It was a beautiful country." ［Grey］
"Un! They have sacred trees and lots of wonderful sweets. There were also lots of trees everywhere. It was an amazing place!" ［Yuna］
"I see… I wish I could go there someday too..." ［Tilda］
Before they knew it, they already found themselves chatting merrily. Even when Tilda was entertaining the other customers, she didn't fail in replying ti Grey and Yuna's statements. It was as if she also possessed Grey's "Multitask" ability.
Just as they were chatting ever so happily, a certain familiar figure walked behind Tilda, suddenly stopping when he saw the other two. It was the Guildmaster with a handful of documents in his hands.
"Grey, Yuna, you should have told me you've arrived. So, how was the wedding? And when will those two be coming back?" ［Gaston］
"Morning, Guildmaster. There were a few issues but the wedding went well. If I'm not wrong, it should still be a few weeks before they come back." ［Grey］
"I see... That's good to know." ［Gaston］
The Guildmaster saying all his statements in a single breath, Grey returned the favor and replied in the same manner. Yuna and Tilda, on the other hand, slightly bowed their heads towards the Guildmaster, greeting him with a smile.
"Are you two free right now?" ［Gaston］
"Yes, we are... Do you need something from us, Guildmaster?" ［Grey］
"Oh, nothing much, really. Why don't you two follow me to my office for a little bit? I just have something to confirm." ［Gaston］
Their heads filled with a couple of question marks, Grey and Yuna said goodbye to Tilda before following the Guildmaster. They had no idea what they were going to talk about, but still followed silently nonetheless.
Arriving in the office, silence still loomed over them. The Guildmaster headed over to his desk, took out a card identification device, placed it on top of his desk, turning it on with a little bit of mana. It was a device made of a tablet and an orb.
"Can I have your guild cards for a moment? And by that, I meant your main ones, not the alternate cards." ［Gaston］
"Ah, yes..." ［Grey］
"Un..." ［Yuna］
Still puzzled over the situation, Grey and Yuna politely handed their guild cards as per the Guildmaster's request. The latter, after receiving it, placed it on top of the device, scanning it quickly.
A few seconds later, a number of characters were projected on the orb. The very moment those letters appeared, the Guildmaster felt his head started to ache, his expression cringing a little. He then heaved a lengthy sigh.
"You two... Just what the heck is this?" ［Gaston］
Asked the Guildmaster as he showed the contents of the orb to the two. At first, nothing looked wrong with the contents, that was up until they arrived at the last part. There, they found a very peculiar title and crest embedded ever so beautifully.
Under the title "Hero of Alfrione", another one has shown up. There was now a "Hero of Ingrasia" title with the Ingrasia royal family's crest next to it. Both of them were dumbfounded at the sight, even more confused now than before.
"Just what the heck did you do when you doing when you were at Ingrasia for you to have another title?" ［Gaston］
At the Guildmaster's question, Grey and Yuna's eyes quickly swam in different directions, obviously not wanting to answer. They were like children who just got caught doing something naughty, currently getting a scolding.
"Oi! Tell me... What. Did. You. Do?" ［Gaston］
"Well... We just helped them out in a monster flood. Nothing much." ［Grey］
"And the rank of the boss?" ［Gaston］
"Umm... It was A-rank..." ［Grey］
The Guildmaster was instantly frozen at Grey's response. They, who had just gone there to attend a wedding, had ended up stopping a monster flood which could destroy an entire country. Who wouldn't be shocked at such a news.
His legs quickly gave out from shock and he was forced to take a seat down. Now, the Guildmaster's head was hurting even more as he tried to figure out just how they were involved in such a situation. For one reason or another, they always found themselves near trouble.
The Guildmaster looked at the two once again, and no matter how he thought about it, their guild really had caught quite the troublesome stars. While it does improve the guild's reputation, it also meant more work to be done. It was a double-edged sword.
"Haah... First, becoming heroes of Alfrione, and now, Ingrasia. What? Are you trying to become heroes of every country in existence?" ［Gaston］
"Guildmaster, it's not like we wished for us to be involved in those situations. We were also surprised ourselves." ［Grey］
"Un... We were just in the right place, in the right time, and in the right situation... It was just an unlucky coincidence." ［Yuna］
"I know that, but still, can't you just avoid trouble for once. You do know I'm the one responsible for your actions, right?" ［Gaston］
""Sorry..."" ［Grey and Yuna］
Grey and Yuna could only apologize for their actions. After all, as the Guildmaster, Gaston was the go-to of other people if the two of them did something significant. Every time they pull stunts such as what they just did, it was the Guildmaster who handles the transactions and negotiations.
Well, Grey only expected such a thing to happen. After all, no matter how much Torvis' Lord could keep his promise, he still needed to oblige to their King's question. He really couldn't blame him since it was his responsibility as a noble.
Still, Grey expected it would buy them a little more time. It was completely out of his expectations that they acted so quickly, even giving them such titles and privilege which is only lower than the King and dukes of their kingdom.
"Oh, and right, the King of Ingrasia also sent some rewards for your contributions. Just wait a moment... Where was it again...?" ［Gaston］
The Guildmaster docked under his desk and opened up a few drawers before finding a small black box. It was filled with intricate patterns with a certain crest carved in it. It was the same crest in their guild cards. The Ingrasia Royal Family's crest.
Without further ado, the Guildmaster opened the box and what was revealed was a very generous sight. There, five moon crystals were neatly placed on the box. They were rewarded with 50 million kiels for their efforts. It was yet another addition to their not-so-humble pile of money.
But the Guildmaster didn't stop there. He took out from the same drawer a white pouch which was not just any pouch. Inside, there was a variety of crystals to be found, totaling roughly 27 million kiels.
"And here is the total of the monster drops back during the monster flood with an added bonus from the lord of Torvis, Count Citron." ［Gaston］
50 million in the box and 27 million in the pouch, it was a total of 77 million. God knows what they could afford with such a large amount of money. A mansion or two wouldn't even make much of a dent. It was an astronomically large amount.
Even if Grey were to buy all of the sugar in Galderia for Yuna's sake, the total would barely be touched. If they were to turn them all into gold and silver coins, they could fill a swimming pool with it. That's just how rich they are.
"Oh, and right. The King also said they will be sending you your medals of honor at a later date. They are still making it with their best artisans. It is expected to arrive in a few weeks." ［Gaston］
One after another, the Guildmaster revealed some amazing news. First, the titles, next, the reward money, and now, medals of honor. There was no end to Grey and Yuna's surprise. Now, it was their turn for their heads to hurt.
"And don't you dare say you want to decline it. I'll be the one who'll be in trouble if you do something reckless." ［Gaston］
"Ugh...." ［Grey］
Grey could only respond with a low groan as he hesitantly accepted the reward the King and Torvis' lord sent. Well, I say accept, but in reality, they'll most likely just sit in a corner of Grey's "Inventory". Especially the medals, they would surely be gathering dust in the corner.
After accepting the rewards, Grey and Yuna stayed, or rather, were forced to stay behind for a little bit to process the points they accumulated in their alternate guild cards and into their main guild cards.
It was only after half an hour that they were dismissed by the Guildmaster. Needless to say, it was an exhausting experience. They weren't the ones who dealt with the documents, but it was still tiring nonetheless.
"You bastard! Do you want me to gouge out those eyes of yours?!" ［???］
When they headed back to the lobby, rather than a welcoming smile from Tilda, what greeted the two of them was a loud voice, booming heavily as a large muscle-headed adventurer harassed two youths by the request boards.
The adventurer wasn't alone either. Behind him, a couple rough-looking men who were laughing with much irritating vigor. The smiles on their faces were one which could only be described as vile and plain annoying.
A precarious and troublesome situation has appeared out of the blue. A sudden event!
CHAPTER 156 END