"So, you're the kid that's looking for a job. Let me give you a tour of the building." As Derian wraps his arm around Roth with a mischievous smile.
"Is this really a good time to be doing that?" Said the girl with the bow in an irritated tone. She seemed discontented with Roth joining the group. The other girl however wasn't bothered by the situation. She seemed more concerned for the archer. Derian stopped and gave a quick comeback to her.
"Oh, and sleeping the entire day is productive?"
She blushes and raises her voice to Derian, "I... need rest since this quest is going to be dangerous. I need to be physically and mentally prepared." Crossing her arms and looking away.
"It's barely the afternoon and we're not leaving until tomorrow afternoon." said Derian annoyingly.
The woman with the staff finally spoke in a soft-spoken tone, " He has a point Nina, there's nothing wrong with showing our new member around."
Nina scoff's and looks away slightly red. Derian shakes his head, " Apologies my friend the hot head is Nina and the quiet one is Fila."
Fila bows giving a smile, but Nina is still looking away with her arms crossed. Eventually they pressed on giving Roth the tour of the building and both girls behind their heels. To the left side of the front desk was an entry way to a big mess hall in rows and rows of benches, looks almost how a school cafeteria is set up. The walls were covered in banners of the adventures of where they were born. Swords of every kind and paintings filled every space. Chandeliers above them were magnificently carved with runes and symbols.
The candles off of each one brightened the room with warm light. The smells of different kinds of food filled the area and commotion of every person in it was filled with laughter and cheers. The next room was a massive library. Roth didn't realize how big the building was until he saw the library. It was an old library with three floors and an open space in the middle of the room with a clerk in the center. Mosaic glass windows fill the room with outside light. The hint smell of vanilla is present in the air, most likely cause is the old books. It is surprisingly calm and soothing in this area. Then Roth is stunned to see the ceiling curved and painted with beautiful art. It's as if he was walking just as Michelangelo Painted it himself. The next room was a beautiful indoor garden with many unique plants and trees. The air here was also different, it was a bittersweet smell. With a dome ceiling that let the flora basked in the light.
The last room was a science room filled with enchantment tables, astrology chart of the sky and beakers for mixture. Roth coughed for the smell of unknow liquids burned his nose. Roth didn't expect this type of guild building to be so diverse in all types of characters in a special field. Roth's past knowledge on RPG's has changed, he keeps getting thrown with more and more surprises. Eventually they made full circle and came through the right side of the building to the front desk.
"Did you enjoy the tour from your new party member?" Saudia cheerfully spouted.
Roths bewildered expression says it all. "Enjoy? This place is amazing! I didn't realize how much stuff you guys owned!"
Derian lets out a capacious laugh, "I guess you've never been outside to new towns before huh? Sorry miss Lulin we'll be talking to the boy about this quest now, so we'll be right in the mess hall. The usuals please?"
"Of course, we'll send it right away."
Derian winks to Saudia, she chuckles and is flattered. They made their way to the bench, Fila and Nina sit across from Derian and Roth. Nina is slouching over the table resting her cheek in her left hand. However, Fila is properly postured, and her staff slightly tilted against her side. Roth finds the duo humorous. As Roth is about to speak, he is quickly silenced by Derian.
"Hold on kid, we'll talk about the details. First, we have to be eating if we're discussing about anything." He chuckles to himself.
Roth was puzzled looking over to the very opposite of duos.
" Derian likes to stuff his face whenever we're discussing about plans." Timidly said Fila.
After a few moments of listening to the crowd of hungry adventurers and mercenaries, a very built toned woman came out of the blue humming. Her outfit seemed very similar to that of a dirndl. Shes carrying two giant serving trays stacked on top one another, with one hand no less. With one graceful movement she places the trays onto the table. The bottom tray was four wooden bowls of broth with potatoes, carrots, beef, and roasted cabbage. The other tray was filled with pints and toasted garlic bread.
Derian takes a big chunk off the garlic bread and dips the bitten one into the broth. Nina is sloppily eating the broth and bread like a savage, almost how Derian's manner in eating. However, Fila is still having her straight posture slight leaning in slowly blowing on her wooden spoon. "So, this quest we took on, it's just a simple extermination job but it's super risky, take a look."
Derian passed the weathered poster paper to Roth. It shows a map of the city and the point of interest of the beast but no picture of the beast. He also notices that there's several X's across the top of the page. " I'm assuming those X's mean...?" questioned Roth.
"That's right. They're failed attempts, the town this beast is near say they never see the people who take on this quest again. So, they take that as a failed attempt."
"What's the total so far tallying the failed quest?" Curiously asked Fila.
Derian smiles sinisterly, " The total is worth four hundred gold."
Immediately Nina spits her food out and nearly chokes on the broth, " FOUR HUNDRED!"
Derian nods confidently, "You heard me right. It might be super dangerous Roth, but seeing you need the money, are you willing to take this risk? It's a whole lotta money."
Roth is in deep thought looking at the parchment of paper. " I still need a sword; do you know anywhere I can rent a weapon?"
Derian chuckles, "kid, no need to worry, you can borrow one of my spare ones."
Roth is taken back by his answer, just offering his sword, without hesitation. Looking towards the other members he sees Fila nods her head in assurance. Nina however is still a bit resentment of the idea. She immediately stands over the table and protest.
"Okay I have had enough! I was willing to let it slide of a stranger joining us but now you're letting him borrow one of your swords! If he doesn't even have his own weapon what makes you think he'll have our back on this job!"
Roth is frustrated, confused on why she has a grudge against him. Fila tries to calm her down but is shrugged off. "Why are you letting this kid walk all over you!" Nina is furious now, Derian's demeanor has changed quite tremendously. The lay back nonchalant attitude is now replaced by this silent intimidating aura.
"Why do we even nee-" Nina is interrupted with a loud slam against the table. Her frustrated emotion now has changed to a timid look. Derian has hit the table hard with his fist that nearly all the items on the table jumped. The sound of the wood creaking almost looks as if he was about to break the whole table in half. Derian's eyes lock onto Nina, they were an ice-cold stare, as if he was looking deep into her soul.
"Everyone has to have a start, Nina. Whether from poor or rich, nobody is born perfect and strong. You of all people should know that by now. So I suggest you refrain from this high horse you have and give our temporary companion some respect. He has done nothing wrong and is listening to us and hasn't said a negative thing towards you, yet here you are insulting him. I thought I taught you better."
Nina now seems repentant and slowly sits back down. Her eyes are slightly shining from holding her tears in.
"Yes sir, sorry sir."
Fila is unphased from Derian's switch in behavior. All she did was console Nina and rubbed her upper back. Roth is still trying to process on the situation he had witness, he looks around and the other adventurers close to their table are observing Roth's group. Derian inhales and lets out gruesome sigh, his friendlier side comes out immediately.
"My apologies kid. She tends to go a bit overboard; I hope you don't think different of us because of this situation." He slightly chuckles smiling at Roth. Roth still a bit hesitant he responds modestly.
"Not...at all. Regardless I know what I'm getting myself into. With all those X's on the job it's a powerful creature, which I expect why the reward is so high. So yes, I'm in."
Derian is exhilarated and smacks Roth hard on the back, "Now that's the spirit! Miss Lulin! Have a banquet prepared for everyone here and the drinks are on the house for today!"
Saudia steps through the doorway and is greeted with Derian tossing a heft bag of coins to her. She smiles proudly," Of course, how wonderful!"
The whole room erupts with applause. Through the whole day waitresses have been giving out food and pints of ale. Some adventurers even had instruments on hand to play music throughout the day. Fila is awkwardly but happily dancing with one adventurer. Nina was still a bit dampened by her outspoken tone was soon change through the day with Derian quickly helping her to drinks.
Roth saw how close those two were. Her outspoken tone was the result of the great respect she has for him, he tried not to hold to much of a grudge towards her. Soon the night turn into a chugging matched between Derian and Nina. The dining area was filled with chants of the word chug. It was impressive they both were several pints of ale down and still chugging. In an instant Nina drops her drink and passes out, she's flushed, and her face is smiling.
Derian yells victorious. The whole day was filled with laughter and smiles, Roth was filled with amazement. However, he still had a gnawing feeling in his stomach, holding his ale pint he steps outside for a bit of fresh air. The night was surprisingly lit very brightly, he looks up and is startled. There were two crystal clear moons, they were close enough to see each crater on the surface with detail.
He softly smiles and sits on the steps of the guild. "Is everything alright?" Roth turns around to see the voice, it was Fila. "Oh, hello Fila, I was just getting some air." She goes and sits next to him.
"I know my little sister can be very rude, but I promise she means well."
He looks towards Fila in curiosity. "I didn't know you guys were sisters."
They both look the same age and same height. Roth was dumbfounded, he expected Nina to be the older one, given how confident and bold her attitude is.
"We're all childhood friends. Derian was always protecting us even to this day. I guess she aspires to be like him, though she does it a bit aggressively."
"It's alright it wasn't that bad. I get it a stranger randomly joins your group and is ill prepared, I can see why there might be some resentment." he giggles.
"By the way, why did you want to become an adventurer. Derian seems to like you a lot, I guess he sees potential in you."
Roth is quiet for a moment and Fila notices his bashfulness. "Well not too long ago... my father actually passed away."
Fila is now attentive to his words. "Before he died, he actually wanted me to live my life to the fullest and not wallow in his death. To be honest sometimes I feel like what I'm doing is wrong, like I'm just ignoring his death even happened, but I know that's not what he wants me to think."
In that moment there was silence. Only the chirps of the crickets, the muffled sounds of the party going on, then it was interrupted by a hug. Roth looks over to see Fila hugging him tightly. He is nervous why an NPC is showing so much emotion like this.
"I'm sorry what happened, truly. I don't know what you've been through or the struggles you've faced, but I know you're not alone anymore. you don't have to just tag along with us you can be part of our group permanently."
He is stunned, he doesn't even know what to say. Her eyes are slightly watering from holding in tears. Seeing that almost makes Roth tear, but he keeps his composure.
"I- thank you Fila. I am grateful you want me in your party."
She smiles and lets him go slowly. She gets up and holds his hand helping him up. "Shall we head in, Derian wants to share more drinks with you." Still with that slight tear in her eye she seems really happy. Roth now having butterflies, he accepts and gives her a smile. She grabs his hand and leads him into the party. His first quest as a real adventurer will finally begin, he is overwhelmed with joy of the thought. With a surprise turn of events, he even developed a crush to Fila.