—Welcome to Sun Island!
A crisp voice greeted me as I disembarked from the train. The train station appeared relatively calm, likely due to the early hour, and only a handful of passengers alighted alongside me.
'I must say, it's quite clean here.'
It was my first coming to Sun Island, and the tidiness left me pleasantly surprised.
In comparison to my residence on Gayo Island, it was a lot more organized and clean. Admittedly, Sun Island's smaller size accounted for the disparity. With a population of approximately 5 million, it was merely a fifth the size of Gayo Island.
Even so, it was by no means a small island.
The walk to the main guild wasn't far. It was by far the tallest and most striking building in the city.
Ascending toward the sky above, the building showcased a golden glass façade that reflected the sunlight, casting a warm glow across its surface. The exterior, adorned with patterns resembling sun rays, exuded a sense of energy and vitality.
'I'm just about on time.'
I arrived earlier than I thought. Maybe they won't mind my current appearance?
Staring at my reflection in the window of a random car, I didn't feel so confident anymore. I looked really sloppy. Especially my smile, it was really stiff. But to be honest, I had been told for quite a while that my smile was rather stiff. I guess it was something along the lines of me being too serious all the time.
Didn't really understand it before, but now... I think I was starting to get it.
"It should be them, right?"
'He said I'll be able to know the moment I arrive. So it should be them...?'
The only thing that stood out to me was the large SUV that stood in front of the main building. SUVs weren't a rare sight, but considering that there weren't many people around, I figured it was probably what I was looking for.
To Tok—
I knocked on the glass window. It was tinted black and I couldn't see what was behind it.
"Hello?"
"Ah, you're here."
A familiar voice. The car's door slid open and a haggard man came out to greet me. I was taken aback by his appearance.
'Why is it that everyone looks like they haven't slept in a long time?'
It was the same for Manager Micheal back at Knight's Crest. Was it just something unique to this industry? I was suddenly starting to have second thoughts. I wouldn't look like them in the future, right?
No, wait. I already did...
Shit.
Not only was his suit filled with wrinkles, but the top of his shirt wasn't even buttoned as his tie loosely hung down his chest. The thin gray beard on his face also suggested he didn't even have time to shave.
I wasn't momentarily left at a loss for words, and I suddenly felt a little better about my appearance.
As I was looking at Dean, he was also carefully scrutinizing me.
"You must be the new recruit."
"Yes. I got lucky with the timing of the train and got here earlier."
"...That's great."
His facial expression didn't match his words.
"Yes?"
'Is it just me or does he look a little displeased?'
"Mh, no never mind. Since you're here we might as well go."
Ah.
That's when it suddenly struck me. Looking at the glaring black circles beneath his eyes, and then his pale face, it all became clear. He wanted to rest more.
"Come, I'll introduce you to everyone."
Helplessly, I followed him into the van.
"Girls, I'd like to introduce you to your new manager, Liam. He was supposed to start next week, but given our circumstances, we had him start today. For now, until you familiarize yourself with him, I'll still be working with you guys. Get to know him better."
"Uh? A new manager?"
"Huaam. What's with you? I told you I wanted to sleep more."
'Holy fuck.'
Even though I somewhat expected it after glancing at the files I'd been sent beforehand, I still couldn't help but secretly gape. This... was this what people called eye candy?
Not one, not two, but three... Three girls appeared right before me and were all extremely beautiful.
"Can you please close the door? The sun is hurting my eyes."
A woman with shoulder-length brown hair and radiant emerald green eyes, reminiscent of precious gemstones, wrapped herself in a cozy brown teddy bear blanket. As she peered through the car window, she rubbed her eyes, seemingly adjusting to the view outside.
"What are you on about Mia? Sun? What sun? There's no sun outside."
"My eyes are sensitive."
"What bullshit..."
"Swearing is not good. What would our fans think if they saw you use such crude words?"
"...Do we even have any fans?"
"..."
Mia Stonewall. Close-ranged fighter. Primary weapon spear, and 18 years old. That was all I could remember from her profile. Even so, the photo on the profile did her no justice as she was many times more attractive in real life than in the photo.
"Mia, lower your voice. You talk too much."
"But... my eyes really are sensitive!"
"It's dark outside."
With her long, flowing blonde hair and captivating green eyes, her looks weren't any inferior to Mia's. In fact, one could even argue she was more attractive as she gave a more mature vibe than Mia.
'Her name's Joana, right?'
In the profile, I made sure to pay especially close attention to her. She was a speed-type figure, the oldest of the group at 24, and her primary weapon was the dagger. If I wasn't wrong, she was the leader of the group, [Blue Daisy].
"You two..."
Lifting her eyemask, a brunette with long flowing hair that curled at its ends glanced at the front before covering her eyes once again. She didn't say anything else after that.
"..."
'Did she fall asleep?'
That... what sort of skill was that?
"Don't mind her. In fact, it's a good thing she's sleepy."
Joana said, smiling at me.
"Nice to meet you, my name is Joana. I look forward to working with you."
"The pleasure is mine."
I was afraid I'd be treated like in Knight's Crest, but it looks like things were a lot more harmonious here. Was it because they were still unsuccessful?
"Hmm…?"
A tender voice suddenly attracted my attention, and when I turned my head, my heart almost melted on the spot. Her eyes, heavy with drowsiness, fluttered intermittently as she tried her best to keep herself awake.
Amidst her messy hair which was covering her face, my attention was irresistibly drawn to her clear blue eyes. Even partially concealed, their vibrant color shone through.
"I... I..."
Trying to mumble something, her eyes blinked several times before she drowsily fell to the side.
Thump!
Soft, innocent breaths escaped her slightly parted lips, accompanied by the occasional contented sigh. With her tousled hair framing her angelic face, she emitted an undeniable aura of innocence, captivating all who laid eyes upon her.
"Joana, don't tell me she didn't sleep last night?"
"I'm sorry Director. She insisted she couldn't miss her favorite show, and..."
"Ugh. You guys spoil her too much."
"Can you blame us?"
Joana gently caressed Lyla's head.
"She's only eight. She should enjoy her life a little."
"Sure, but don't make my life harder in the process."
Dean didn't seem to be fooled by their pitiful appearance.
"I'm going to make a quick call, you guys familiarize yourself with Liam for now. We'll leave once I'm done."
Glaring at them, he took out his phone and left the car. Before going out, he pointed at it as if saying 'I've got business to attend to so don't mess around while I'm out.'
Leaving the car, he closed the door behind him.
Well, this is a bit awkward. A sudden silence plunged the car after he left. For some reason, my mind blanked as I struggled to come out with anything to talk about. It wasn't because I was nervous, but because I wasn't the type of person to talk a lot.
Just as I was about to speak, my attention was diverted by the unmistakable sound of a wrapper being opened. The crinkling noise filled the air, giving me an excuse to turn my attention elsewhere.
Wow. Wow. Wow.
That was when I saw her. Perhaps because she was sitting at the back, I hadn't noticed her in the beginning, but had she been sitting at the front, I'd without a doubt have laid my eyes on her first. If the others were considered beautiful, then I didn't know how to describe her. She was simply the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen.
With lustrous black hair that cascaded down her shoulders, framing her enchanting features, I found myself at a loss for words on how to describe her. Her eyes, a warm shade of brown, sparkled with a captivating allure.
Her entire focus was drawn toward the packet of candy in her hands. Pursing her lips, she grabbed a handful and put it in her mouth, her delicate eyes squinting in delight.
"...!"
Suddenly sensing my gaze, her eyes opened. Staring at me for a short second, her eyes immediately grew wary as she hid the candy behind her. She didn't say anything, but from her expression, it seemed as though she was saying, 'Don't touch it. It's mine.'
I could only smile wryly.
"I'm not—"
"Wow, you're even eating at this hour? How is it that your teeth are still so perfect?"
Oh god. My heart almost leaped out of my chest as Mia's head appeared beside me.
"Sarah, you know eating sweets in the morning is not good for you, right?"
"Sure."
Totally ignored.
The last member of Blue Daisy, Sarah Andler. According to her profile, she had just turned twenty-three a week ago, and her primary weapon was the sword. From what was written in her profile, she was apparently scouted just last year, and most of it was due to her visuals which stood above the rest.
Her skills, compared to the others who had been trained by the guild since young was a little lacking.
"Did you not hear what I said?"
"Sure."
"You didn't!"
"Sure."
"Am I beautiful?"
"Sure."
"Am I smart?"
"Sure."
For some reason, I could imagine a small bar beside her, with the word ego at the top, slowly rising with each question.
"Will you share some of the candy?"
"No."
An immediate answer. Pfft. Seeing Mia's face change from bright to dark, I almost burst out laughing. What a weird duo.
The atmosphere was short-lived.
"What did you say!?"
Bang—!
My attention was abruptly seized by an enraged shout, accompanied by the forceful impact against the car's side.
In an instant, the once lively bus fell into an eerie stillness, and everyone swiveled their heads toward the source of the disturbance. Dean, his face flushed, became the focal point of our collective gaze.
"I swear to god...!"