"…Ok. These are the rules of these contracts.
You (Ben) will help us (the Hosling Guild) in the upcoming mission without any pay.
You cannot take anything from this mission; you can fight monsters on your own terms, but you will cooperate with the team."
Ann said as the three purple electroballs hovered in between them.
"…I would like to add one more rule." Ben said as he raised his index finger.
"What is it?" Ann asked.
"If you do find what you are looking for, I want to take a look at it for a moment. Just a look." Ben said as Ann went silent for a moment. Ben knew what Ann wanted from this dungeon.
While this dungeon was indeed a newly discovered one, that wasn't the main reason for the Hosling guild to explore it.
It was because there was something that Ann was looking for.
The real black flames.
Ann had found some samples of it there. Those samples were very real. There must be real black flames inside the dungeon.
"Ok."
After thinking about it for a while, Ann nodded her head in agreement as Ben also nodded his head.
Whoosh
As soon as both of them agreed, the three purple electroballs started rotating as Ann extended her right hand ahead.
Zzzp
One of the electroballs quickly zapped toward her wrist and disappeared.
Looking at it, Ben also extended his right hand.
Zzzp
Again, another electro ball zapped towards his wrist and disappeared.
Zzzp Zzzp
The last remaining electro ball zapped twice and disappeared on its own.
"This vow is just as risky as it is to you." Ann said as she tried to let Ben know that it was a fair game.
"Then, contact me when needed." Ben said as he stood up.
Looking at him, Ann just realized that Ben's was barely over the desk.
"I am a human. Just a small one." Ben said, as he could tell what Ann was thinking even without any skills or power.
Ann nodded her head in understanding as Ben left the room.
Clack
"…Sigh. Why is he doing this?" Ann thought as she lowered her head.
Clack
"Guild master."
Opening the door, Lyn walked in as she called out to Ann.
"What is it, Lyn?" Ann asked.
"I have booked an appointment for you to meet the city lord." Lyn said.
"…"
Ann went silent as she was starting to realize that this girl was going wild.
"Did I ask you to?" Ann asked.
"No, but it is a good time to do so since you helped him a while ago. Asking him for the funding of this mission may even go in our favor." Lyn said as Ann frowned.
"The reward for that mission has already been claimed and spent in its righteous place." Ann said as Lyn flinched and shook her head.
"Not that, but that one mission might make him look at it in a more positive way than a negative one." Lyn said as Ann shook her head.
"No, that man is too professional for that." She said.
"…I see." Lyn said as she lowered her head.
"Don't worry. I didn't make any wrong decisions by choosing to use the reward money for your daughter. She is a very smart mage to get enrolled in such a great academy. It's my responsibility, as her godmother, to help her. So don't fret over it." Ann said, as she knew why Lyn was acting this way.
"…Thank you, Ann." Lyn said as she adjusted her glasses, which were falling off.
"Ok. When is the appointment time then?" Ann said as she decided to go and talk to the city lord about the funding.
…
Inside the mansion,
"WHAT IS THIS?"
A loud voice resounded from inside the young master's room.
"How come he is more injured here than he was in the forest?"
A blue haired lady shouted as she pointed her fingers at a robed person standing silently.
"These are all the matters of the city lord. Go and ask him if you have anything, but just heal him quickly." Louis said as the blue laired lady frowned.
[Chlory: Blueberry Guild's guild master]
"These wounds can be healed very easily, but I don't think the young mind of his will be. He is probably going to experience trauma after this." Chlory said as she turned towards Aiden.
He was breathing very silently, as if he weren't breathing at all.
Whoosh
A blue book appeared in front of her as the papers turned.
[Water magic: Restorative water]
Blob Blob Blob Blob
Blue water appeared from the surrounding area as it started to cover Aiden's body.
Slowly but effectively, the blue water completely enveloped Aiden's whole body in water.
Srrrrrrr
The water started to glow bright as it completely became like a bolb of light.
CHHHHSSK
The bolb of light exploded in millions of pieces and disappeared just the way they appeared.
Aiden, whose whole body was red earlier, was now clean as all the wounds were gone.
But his whole body was swollen now, as he appeared a little out of shape.
"What happened to him?"
Louis asked as Aiden's face and body looked like they were stung by bees.
"They are swollen. I made them so he doesn't feel any pain. It will slowly start to wear off, so don't do anything to him for a while. I will come in tomorrow at this same time for his checking." Chlory said as she sighed.
"Please come this way."
Louis said as he nodded his head and led Chlory outside the room.
"I don't know what or how that happened to him, but his mentality might be threatened if he goes through such a thing. Be careful." Chlory said this in worry as she felt bad for Aiden.
Not long ago, he had faced some kind of dangerous monster in the forest that involved even the servants of the ruler, and to be beaten like this right after he returned home was dangerous.
"It won't happen again. Please keep this information a secret." Louis said as Chlory frowned.
"I will, but I'll also have a talk with the city lord; such treatment is unjustice for a city's ruler." Chlory said as Louis listened to her and nodded his head.
"Please do so. As a doctor, you should definitely disagree with such a thing, Ms. Chlory." Louis suddenly took a different tone as he encouraged Chlory.
As someone who wanted to do that but couldn't, he could just hope Chlory would do it.
"Here." Louis hurriedly took out a white card from his pocket as he handed it to her.
"…What is this?" Chlory asked as he looked at it.
"This will allow you to have a talk with him easily. Please do tell him that this activity of his isn't right." Louis said as Chlory nodded her head and took the card.
"I will." She said this as she excused herself to leave the mansion.
"Ah. Ms. Chlory." Louis called out to her as he remembered something he was about to ask her earlier.
Hearing the call, Chlory stopped as she turned around.
"Yes?"
"I was wondering if you knew how to heal memory loss."