~ Cliff's POV — Yesterday ~
Walking into the Guild Master's office, I found her seated at her desk in the innermost room, absorbed in her paperwork. She was scribbling something down and signing various documents. As I approached her desk, the Guild Master immediately paused her work and lifted her gaze to meet mine.
"Good evening, Guild Master. I have an important report about the forest investigation quest, along with another matter," I said, my voice carrying a serious tone.
The Guild Master's eyes scanned me, noting the state I was in. As she examined my tattered leather armor and battered body, the atmosphere around her shifted—becoming colder and heavier. It felt as though my very being was being pulled down. "Is it this serious?" she asked, pointing toward my injuries.
I did my best to keep my composure despite the pressure, which, I realized, was not meant to harm but rather a reflection of the Guild Master's deep concern for her adventurers. "These injuries were caused by the Orcs who ambushed me and my party," I explained, gesturing toward my wounds. "But yes, it is serious."
My tone shifted as I added, "We discovered a large Orc camp in the [Dark Forest], and it's not just any regular Orcs. There were higher-tier Orcs, some with special classes and jobs." I paused, my thoughts weighing heavily as I considered the implications. It would be impossible for just an Orc Leader and an Orc Mage to control such a large group. There had to be something—or someone—more powerful behind it all.
Hesitating for a moment, I decided to share my suspicions. "Guild Master, when we were ambushed, we were being pursued by an Orc Leader, an Orc Mage, and several Orc Soldiers. But I suspect there might be something more... possibly an Orc Lord or even an Orc King."
Given our hasty retreat and the ambush, we hadn't been able to accurately count the number of Orcs in the camp. But from what I observed, there were certainly more than we'd encountered. The camp also had a cave, with Orcs constantly entering and exiting it. It was likely there was far more hidden underground.
"There's more. The camp alone is home to at least a thousand Orcs, and many more are pouring out of the cave. We could be dealing with something much larger than we first thought," I added, detailing my findings and speculations about the underground camp.
These speculations if wrong, could bring more harm than good. But I didn't want to take the chance that I was actually right, and end up facing thousands of Orcs, and not just any regular Orcs, but a higher species of Orcs with different Classes and Jobs. If we let them grow too much, it would be like fighting small kingdom with just a few soldiers.
The Guild Master was quiet the whole time I was doing my report and sharing my speculations, it continued for a few more minutes, before the Guild Master let out a heavy and deep sigh, turning to look at me. The Guild Master spoke, "Cliff, I want you to call Syl up here, and I want you to stay afterwards." She ordered.
"Okay." I replied, with nothing to add I went down to the first floor to look for Syl. Looking around the area on the first floor, I saw Syl and immediately made my way towards her, upon reaching her I called her. "Syl, the Guild Master is calling for you..." Noticing that Elaria and the two young lasses were nowhere to be found, I asked Syl. "Syl, Celeste and Mirelle must have already finished their registration and left with Elaria?"
Syl turned around and hearing what I said, she nodded and said a few words to the other guild receptionist near the counter, and made her way to the stairs towards the Guild Master's Office. "The two girls are already done with the registration, and left with Elaria. They're currently looking for an Inn." Syl reported.
"You're coming back to the Guild Master's Office, Cliff?" Syl asked me with curiosity, as to why I was coming with her. "Yeah, Guild Master wanted me to be there." I replied, continuing to walk up the stairs and reaching the fifth floor, where the Guild Master's Office and small residence resides.
Syl and I entered the Guild Master's Office, "Guild Master, Syl is here." I reported to the Guild Master, and she lifted her head to look the two of us in the eyes, as she softly placed the pen on the table, and taking off her glasses, she spoke. "Syl, close the door and make the room sound proof."
"Rina, is everything alright with Cliff's report?" Syl asked in suspicion of the Guild Master's orders. Syl, was the few people in the guild capable of calling the Guild Master by her name, Rina Halford without being reprimanded by the Guild Master, and other fans of the Guild Master.
The Guild Master Rina's appearance was quite the contrast, while her height was close to Mirelle, and her build being quite thin, you wouldn't think she could have an insane amount of strength, or even be the Guild Master, but she is someone who has reach a status of living legends rank, S Rank. Capable of fighting any lesser dragons, and she is the young despite being the guild master.
"Everything is alright, Syl. However, I don't to leak what we're about to talk about to the general populace." Guild Master Rina, said sternly, her voice with conviction and weight. You could feel the air shake for a moment.
"Alright, calm down. No need to get anxious." Syl replied, with a tone of familiarity. Since Syl was an Elf, she had seen the rise of Rina Halford to Guild Master, from the very start since Rina was just a G- Rank Adventurer, it was a well-known story, that's why no one dares to mess with Syl, as she is someone trusted and treasured by the Guild Master.
Syl raised her hands, and spoke in a language incomprehensible to other races, unique only to Elves and High Elves. Mana burst out from Syl and covered the entire area in white light, sticking to every nook and cranny of the room, as if a blanket was placed all over the room, in a moment the light slowly submerged into the floor and walls, before fully disappearing complete, as if it had never happened.
"It's done, Rina. Let's talk." Syl with her hands now down, she sat on one of the sofa chairs in front of the Guild Master's table. "Cliff, sit down." the Guild Master spoke, pointing to the other sofa. I nodded and sat down opposite of Syl.
"What's wrong, Rina?" Syl immediately went straight to the point, seeing that I had sat down. The Guild Master paused for a bit, before turning to look at me and spoke. "Cliff, tell us what you found again, along with your speculations." hearing Guild Master Rina's order, I told Syl everything that I had told Guild Master Rina earlier, but this time the atmosphere was now getting more serious, and heavy.
After telling Syl everything, Syl remained quite before turning to look towards Guild Master Rina and Nodding, as she did that Guild Master Rina, stood up and walked towards the Mirror that was overlooking the training grounds of the Adventurers Guild. "Syl, I want you to call back all available Adventurers about the C- Rank up to A+ Rank Adventurers." She said, and turning to look back at Syl and I again, before turning to Syl, she added. "Hold any quests that will have any adventurers below D+ Ranks go into the forest."
Syl who was listening nodded silently, and Guild Master Rina then turned to me, before coming back to her table. "Cliff, I want you to investigate the Orc Camp once more, but bring other rogues and scouts along with 1 whole rank above yours." seating down she continued to talk. "Syl will help gather the rogues and scouts, you have a month or two to complete the mission. Please be detail in your investigation cliff."
"Yes, Guild Master." I replied.
"Right, before you two go. Cliff, you said that you had another report to make." Guild Master Rina asked me, forgetting that I had mention something additional about the report.
"Yes, Guild Master. It's about some kids we had met back in the [Dark Forest], if not for them, we would not have been able to report back our findings." I told Guild Master Rina and Head Receptionist Syl about the two kids I had encountered during our escape from the ambush.
Guild Master Rina, turned to Syl and Syl nodded softly towards the Guild Master. "Are they not that Kingdom's spies?", Guild Master Rina speculated, Syl then interrupted. "That's unlikely, Rina. Going through the [Dark Forest], as kids would be anything but desperate, and from the way Cliff, describe them it is most likely that they did run away from that Kingdom's inner turmoil and succession war."
Syl and Guild Master Rina went back and forth for a few more times, before coming to similar conclusion of that the kids where nobles who either had lost their parents from that Kingdom's chaos, or they ran away from the all that Kingdom's Chaos, but it didn't change the possibility of them being spies.
"Cliff, have Elaria keep an eye on the kids." she paused for a moment, in thought. "Regardless of their reason for coming here, they are no longer nobles. They are now commoners of the Velmorin Kingdom." she added.
"I understand" I said to Guild Master Rina, as I watching over them, allowed as to not only help them but also keep our town safe.
"Syl, please keep an eye out for the Drakonir Empire." Guild Master Rina requested Syl, and Syl nodded in turn.
"That's all, you can leave now. Thank you for your efforts, Cliff. Also, Syl. Thanks." said Guild Master Rina shyly and Syl giggled in turn before removing the sound proofing, she had done to the room earlier.