"Stupid idiots!" Said the guild master "Lay down, now!"
It wasn't common for the guild master to lose his temper, he was a retired adventurer, he had achieved Mithril level during his life adventuring, and even reached level 14, but now, the girls in front of him, so young, had those monstrous levels.
"You are standing before probably two of the strongest people in the kingdom! No, the continent!"
The faces of the people surrounding the girls were surprised, then they erupted in laughter... then they went pale. The book of adventuring was a curious item, it synced with the adventuring plates, it was capable of telling if the person was dead or alive, and it revealed the level of the people who wore them.
As the crowd surrounding Raven and Fuwa suddenly fell silent, the tension in the air grew palpable. The adventurers who had drawn their weapons were now shifting uneasily, their previous bravado evaporating as the guild master's words sank in.
Raven, still standing with her usual smirk, tilted her head and crossed her arms, enjoying the sudden shift in mood. Her amber eyes scanned the room, watching as the color drained from the faces of the men who had just been so confident.
Fuwa, on the other hand, seemed more embarrassed than anything. She shifted uncomfortably under the weight of all the attention "Raven, we didn't come here to cause a scene" she muttered quietly.
Raven glanced at her, the smirk never leaving her face. "I didn't cause a scene, Fuwa. They did" She shrugged, clearly unbothered "Besides, I haven't even done anything yet"
But inside she was boiling, these pitiful bastards were the same as the people she remembered, always looking for chances to pray on the weak and excuses to get away with it, she could see herself for a moment as a child in front of an angry mob, but she let go of those mental images, she wasn't going to start a fight with Fuwa here. If she had been alone...
Raven clenched her fists for a brief moment, feeling the anger simmering just beneath the surface. The memories of her past tried to claw their way forward... memories of being cornered, outnumbered, and powerless. But that was a long time ago. She wasn't weak anymore, and the people around her now were no better than the scum she once escaped.
But this wasn't the time. Not with Fuwa here.
She forced herself to take a deep breath, letting the tension in her body slowly release as she kept her mischievous grin in place. It was easier to smile, to pretend it didn't bother her, than to let the rage take over.
"Raven?" Fuwa's voice was softer now, sensing something beneath her friend's carefree attitude. She stepped closer, her red eyes studying Raven's face, but she didn't push further. She touched the cat girl's hand and gasped.
"Hey shouldn't we just go somewhere to celebrate!?" Raven suddenly said energetically "We achieved one of your goals, shouldn't you be more happy!"
The people around them suddenly started nodding. Tina sensed it was a good chance to intervene in all of this.
"Free drinks for everybody for today to celebrate the membership of these two girls!"
At that moment, everybody started cheering, in a shitty situation, booze was usually the best way to forgive and forget, Fuwa felt disgusted, and her breath was heavy, but when she raised her eyes again, even Raven was cheering...
The tense atmosphere had shifted so quickly that Fuwa barely had time to process it. The air that had been thick with hostility just moments ago was now filled with laughter, cheers, and the clinking of mugs. People were celebrating as if they had just won a grand battle. The guild master's declaration had stunned the adventurers into a state of realization, and now they were eager to make peace with Raven and Fuwa.
Fuwa, however, felt uneasy. She watched as the once-hostile crowd transformed into a festive group, patting each other on the back and offering drinks in good faith. Tina's offer of free drinks seemed to be the spark that ignited the sudden camaraderie, and even Raven, who had been on edge, was playing along. The cat girl's mischievous grin returned full force, shaking hands with people she had nearly threatened minutes ago, accepting apologies as if none of it had mattered. Even Fuwa who didn't drink alcohol had a mug on her hand, and for the first time she gave it a go, it tasted like shit in her mouth, but she needed it.
"Looky look here" Said Raven teasing her, Fuwa was feeling confused, she smiled at her partner in crime and collided her mug with the cat girl's as she kept saluting other adventurers "Perfect missy is growing into a fine woman it seems" Mocked Raven.
'How can you even say that?' Fuwa wanted to puke.
Everything was so sudden and was happening so fast, that everything began to spin around. She couldn't shake the feeling gnawing at her insides. Her passive skill, one that had only activated a couple of times during her time, it was supposed to be her cheat skill, path to illumination, had flared up the moment she touched Raven's hand. It wasn't a fleeting glimpse of a stray thought or feeling, usually, it gave her this sense when she came into contact with specific stuff... This time, it was vivid, almost overwhelming.
In that brief moment of contact, Fuwa saw a scene from Raven's mind: a small house engulfed in flames, smoke rising into the darkening sky. A young girl, barely recognizable as Raven, was being dragged away by shadowy figures. Their faces were twisted into wicked smiles, cruel and unforgiving, as they pulled her into the depths of some dark place, her cries for help swallowed by the roaring fire behind her.
Fuwa's heart raced as the vision faded. She blinked, trying to shake the image from her mind, but it lingered, making her feel lightheaded. The cheerful noise around her felt distant, muffled like it was happening in another world. She could barely hear the cheers, the clinking mugs, or even Raven's laughter as she joined the others in the celebration.
Then Fuwa fainted, and Raven caught her mid-air, she looked around.
"It seems she can't hold her drink" She excused herself, her fake smile turning into a very well-worked expression to show she was disappointed in her companion.
"You can use the guest room on the second floor!" Said Tina hurriedly.
Raven's smirk faltered as she looked down at Fuwa, unconscious in her arms. She wasn't fooled by the excuse she gave, and neither were the others, but no one questioned it. The crowd continued its celebration, toasting to the girls' new membership and their impressive levels, unaware of the turmoil simmering beneath Raven's calm facade.
"Thanks" Raven replied to the offer of the guest room, her voice steady. She carried Fuwa effortlessly through the crowd, the weight of her friend's body a stark contrast to the lighthearted atmosphere around them.
As soon as she disappeared from sight, Tina looked at the guild master panicked, and then looked in turn to the rest. One look was enough. Keep. The. Fucking. Noise. If they didn't want to die they had to keep the stupid celebration, he knew deep inside, that they would be into some deep trouble if the dark-haired girl suddenly returned. They had to keep this farce. Some people who heard the noise and were curious entered the guild and were dragged into the celebration.
As they climbed the stairs, Raven's amber eyes flickered with something darker. Fuwa had fainted after touching her hand. There was no way it was because of the drink... Fuwa didn't drink enough for that... did she even drink anything? Her mug seemed almost full. Her mind raced with possibilities, and for the first time in a long while, she felt uneasy... she had touched Fuwa many times after they had met, and they even had that light fun last night... but now it felt different.
'What if... nah... it would be impossible'
Reaching the second floor, Raven pushed open the door to the guest room with her foot and gently laid Fuwa down on the bed. The room was quiet, the noise from the party downstairs muffled by the walls. Raven took a deep breath, brushing a few strands of hair away from Fuwa's face. She sat down on the edge of the bed, her tail swishing slowly behind her, the silence heavy between them.
"What happened to you now idiot?" Raven touched her face with a hand and sighed "You aren't drinking again just in case!"