He blinked, caught off guard by the Guild Master's words.
"… What do you mean?"
"Your identity, Sebastian," she said, stepping closer to him, her tone dropped to a near whisper, "no one knows the true face behind the great Alpha Knight. Aside from myself and a trusted few, your true identity is an enigma… a ghost in the public eye."
"…"
Sebastian's silence was answer enough. Slowly, he began to understand the Guild Master's reasoning.
"This is why you were chosen among other candidates," she continued, her voice steady, "if you accept this role, your identity as Alpha Knight Sebastian must be kept away—thrown away, even! You will become a simple butler—a head butler—for this young, upstart noble."
Hearing this, Sebastian let out a groan, dragging a hand down his face.
"… I get it, at least some part of it," he muttered, his voice carrying a begrudging understanding. "Our client needs someone strong enough to handle the Garden of Hell, but they also need someone with an obscure background, someone no one can trace. Am I right?"
"Indeed, you're spot on, Sebas."
Sebastian fell silent, contemplating the situation once more.
"Guild Master… what the hell is happening here?" he asked, suspicion creeping back into his voice. "Was this level of secrecy really necessary, ma'am? Why go to such lengths to provide an extra bodyguard for some upstart noble kid?"
"…"
"These restrictions given to them are too damn unreasonable, too," he continued, his frustration building. "Our kingdom is about to send someone into a dangerous region filled with monsters to the brink. LOGICALLY, you'd need an actual battalion for this!"
"…"
"And yet, they're sending an inexperienced youngster with only three attendants by their side? Not gonna lie, Guild Master… but it sounds like this kid is being sent to their death. Why?"
"…"
The Guild Master's silence remained unbroken amid Sebastian's barrage of questions, her expression grim. It was clear that she understood the weight of the situation all too well.
"Seriously, Guild Master," he pressed on, "who is this noble brat I'm supposed to babysit? What the hell did they do to deserve this bona fide death sentence?"
"… You haven't heard the news lately, have you?"
"What?"
"Figures," she said with a faint sigh, "I suppose that's expected, since you've been on the Red Dragon hunt for weeks."
"What the hell are you talking about…?"
She sighed again, her gaze drifting briefly to the map on the wall—the region marked as the Garden of Hell.
"I've told you enough, Sebastian. I cannot disclose more details. I still have to respect the client's request."
"It's not enough, dammit!" he snapped, his frustration boiling over. "If I'm going to risk my life—hell, my entire identity—for this, I deserve to know what I'm walking into!"
The Guild Master met his anger head-on, her expression resolute.
"I've said all I can, Sebastian."
"Ugh…!"
He took a step back, his hands balling into fists.
"Tch! this smells like some royal political bullshit… and I want no part of it. Sorry, Guild Master, but pick some other poor idiot to handle this mess."
But as he turned to leave...
"Sebastian."
... the Guild Master's sharp voice sliced through the air like a blade. He stopped in his tracks, his shoulders stiffening.
"… What now?"
She drew a deep breath, her tone heavy with gravity.
"… I am invoking 'that' favor."
"What…?!"
His eyes widened as he spun around to face her.
"You can't be serious!"
"I am," she said firmly, her gaze unwavering.
Sebastian's shock quickly morphed into disbelief and frustration.
"You're really going to use 'that' favor… on this?!"
Her silence spoke louder than words ever could.
He stared at her, torn between fury and resignation. No matter how much he tried to reason with her, the Guild Master's unyielding expression didn't falter. She truly meant with her words.
Finally, he let out a sharp exhale, running a hand through his hair.
"You're not giving me a choice, are you…?"
"No," she replied, breaking her silence. "But I wouldn't use 'that' favor if I didn't believe this was important."
"Is this so important for the kingdom that you'd invoke 'that' favor on me?"
"Yes… but this isn't just for our dear kingdom. It is also… for a dear friend of mine."
"… For a dear friend of yours?"
"… Yes."
"…"
For a long moment, Sebastian said nothing. His expression darkened as he weighed his options. He didn't want to involve himself in what clearly reeked of political intrigue…
But the Guild Master had invoked 'that' favor—a favor he could not refuse. Whatever this was, it was dire enough for her to make such a drastic move.
"Fine. I'll do it."
"…! Thank you, Sebas!" she breathed, her grim expression breaking into a genuine smile of relief.
He let out a weary sigh, feeling more exhausted than ever. But seeing the Guild Master's expression lifted his spirits, even if just a little. Unwittingly, a faint smile crossed his lips.
"So… what now, Guild Master?"
She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she clapped her hands twice.
"Alfred, if you would."
"Alfred…?"
"As you wish, Madam Guild Master."
"…! What the—?!"
A man's voice came from behind him, greatly startling the Alpha Knight!
He spun around immediately and found a man standing there—a seasoned, grey-haired butler, impeccably dressed. His presence was almost ghostly, given how he had managed to approach without Sebastian noticing.
"Since when…?" Sebastian muttered, dumbfounded.
He couldn't believe that someone had managed to sneak up on him. Was he so distracted that he didn't notice? Or was this butler simply that skilled at concealing his presence?
"Sebastian, meet Alfred," the Guild Master said, ignoring the bewildered Alpha Knight.
"... Let me guess, he's going to be my crash course teacher for the day?"
"Hehe~, glad you picked up on that quickly~," she teased, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips. "That's right. Alfred here will be your butler mentor for the next few weeks, teaching you all the essentials of being a proper butler and the head servant of a noble household."
"Uh-huh... okay," Sebastian muttered, his tone dripping with resignation.
Alfred stepped forward with a polite bow. "It's an honor to make your acquaintance, Sir Sebastian."
Sebastian sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. "Yeah, nice to meet you too, I guess."
"Hehe~, good luck with your training, Sebas~," the Guild Master added cheerfully, giving him an encouraging thumbs up.
"Shall we begin, Sir Sebastian?" Alfred asked, his tone steady and formal.
"Yeah... let's get this over with," Sebastian replied, his tone as reluctant as ever.
Alfred made his way to the door, opening it with a smooth, practiced motion. Sebastian trailed behind with a slower, reluctant pace, mentally preparing himself for the task ahead.
But...
"Sebastian," the Guild Master's voice rang out, halting him in his tracks.
He turned slightly, his brows knitting together, "…what now, Guild Master?"
"...Before you go, the client has left a message specifically for you," she said, her tone shifting to a more serious one.
"Hmm... sure, I'm listening."
There was a slight pause as she closed her eyes for a moment, gathering herself.
"Guild Master...?"
And then... she bowed her head deeply toward him.
"...!"
His eyes widened, caught off guard by the sight of the Guild Master lowering herself before him. The weight of her gesture wasn't lost on him—it wasn't just out of respect, but something heavier—more solemn...
"Please," she relayed, her voice steady yet filled with an unshakable urgency, "take care of her."
For a long moment, Sebastian said nothing. His gaze lingered on her bowed form, a mix of surprise and understanding flickering across his face.
Then, with a deep exhale, he turned back toward the exit where Alfred waited patiently.
"Got it... I'll take care of her."