Chapter 55 Hunters Guild

Suzuka's expression shows a slight sign of anger as he asks about Eloran, she still can't forget what the goblins did to him. "Eloran, the young adventurer, I saw his final moment... the goblins... they did, a horrible thing to him. Despite his own horrible injuries, he only asked to save Jazz the woman in the next prison cell."

Suzuka told Olivia about the fate of Jazz and Eloran. For a moment, she glanced at Olivia, only to see the facade of her strong and flirtatious personality crack and reveal her genuine emotions. However, it was not sadness or grief that was displayed, it was anger. Olivia's eyes became slanted, her eyebrows furrowed, and her jaw tightened as she clenched her teeth. Her grip on the handle of her sword tightened, and the blade began to vibrate from the tension in her hand.

It was only a brief moment before Olivia noticed Suzuka looking at her and regained her composure. She forced a smile on her face, trying to hide her anger. "Yes, please continue, tell me everything," she said, trying to sound as casual as possible. Suzuka could sense the change in Olivia's demeanor.

She continued her story, telling Olivia about what had happened to Jazz and Eloran. Despite her efforts to remain composed, Olivia's hands remained tightly gripped around the handle of her sword, and her eyes never left Suzuka's face, eagerly drinking in every detail of the story.

Olivia then shared information about Eloran, the next member of Martin's party that Suzuka asked about. She described him as a carefree half-elf, who was always playing his lute and singing songs when they were drinking. He was also the team's source of information, as he had vast knowledge about many things and was well-traveled. He was making the trading and all the money-related stuff.

Suzuka then turned her attention toward the man with white hair who was part of Martin's party. She wanted to know his name and what role he played within the group.

She asked Olivia, "What was his name, the man with white hair and what was his role in the party?" 

Olivia took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts, and replied, "His name was Arin, he was a warrior like Martin. He was quiet and a bit of an odd one," she started, with a soft smile on her face. "He was always so quiet, never really socializing with the rest of us. But despite that, he was actually a pretty decent fighter. I remember sparing with him a few times but I always came out on top. I used to tease him a lot, in a playful and flirty way, but he always pushed me away. He just never seemed to open up to anyone." Olivia chuckled at the memories before becoming serious again and quietly whispered to herself, "Just like me."

The last person to talk about was Jazz.

Suzuka carefully asked Olivia about Jazz, "If it's okay with you, Olivia, can I ask about the woman, Jazz?"

When Suzuka asked about Jazz, Olivia felt a painful knot form in her throat. Memories of Jazz flooded her mind and she struggled to hold back her emotions. Despite this, she mustered a single-word response to Suzuka's question, "Yes."

Olivia continued after a short pause, "Jazz and I were close, more than friends close. We weren't dating or deep in love, but we liked each other's company. I am sorry but I don't want to speak further."

Suzuka nodded understandingly and with a firm voice, said, "Olivia, I don't know if my words will bring you comfort for your lost friends, but me and Bill, the minotaur I was with. We made sure that not a single one of those goblins was left standing alive in that cursed castle ruin."

Olivia said, "Thanks, it makes me feel better knowing they won't be hurting anyone else."           

Thomas, who was leading the group, suddenly stopped and held up his hand for the others to stop as well. Suzuka's heart skipped a beat as she wondered what was wrong.

Thomas pointed to two large wooden poles on the sides of the path. "We're entering Rockmine territory," he said. "These are the markers. We should be safe from here on now. City guards patrolling up to this point. That means we won't run into any bandits or monsters. We are almost back home."

As the party walked toward the town, their spirits lifted as they finally caught a glimpse of their destination. The town was surrounded by towering walls and they could see the guards patrolling the road up ahead.

The sight of the guards was a comforting one, as they knew they were now entering a safe zone. Thomas led the group, his voice steady as he spoke, "From here on, we go straight for the hunters guild. We've completed our quest, and now it's time to turn in and collect our rewards."

The group followed Thomas and is relieved to finally be nearing the end of their journey. They could see the guild building in the distance, its familiar wooden sign a welcome sight.

They quickened their pace, eager to turn in their spoils.

As the group approached the town, Suzuka couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation.

Finally, after walking a few hours through the town outskirts they are at the hunter guild's main entrance. Thomas party and Suzuka enters the guild building. Suzuka looks around and inspects the surroundings.

 The interior of the guild building is elegantly designed with spacious rooms. The main area features a grand reception desk, staffed by polite and professional attendants. The decor is intricate and refined, with intricate moldings and carvings, gleaming marble floors, and plush furnishings.

 Chandeliers cast a warm glow over the space, and large windows let in plenty of natural light. The walls are adorned with exquisite paintings and tapestries, and the air is scented with the fragrance of fresh flowers. Overall, the atmosphere is one of sophistication and refinement, befitting the esteemed guild. 

Amid the sophisticated surroundings, dozens of adventurers can be seen sitting around, chatting, or looking at the elegant quest board with posters on it. They all possess a rough and rugged appearance, with scars and bruises to match. Their muscular builds and fierce expressions add to their intimidating presence, as they demonstrate their bravery and determination through their imposing presence. 

Despite the seemingly rough exterior, the atmosphere is relaxed and jovial, as the adventurers share their experiences and support one another. The sight of these powerful figures surrounded by a luxury only adds to the unique and dynamic atmosphere of the guild building.

Thomas walked to the nearest empty table and said, "Take a seat everyone, I and Olivia will turn in our quest, then we will move out to meet our client for caravan escort quest for detail. I am sorry Suzuka, but this is where we part ways. I wish we could do more, but the best I can do is vouch for you if you want to be an adventurer of Rockmine town. They won't ask questions or identify. I assume you don't have any papers on you, right?"

Suzuka remembered that she need her citizenship documents and proof of identity to register as an adventurer and also to pay a registration fee. "Oh darn, I forgot, I don't have papers."

Olivia put her hand on Suzuka's shoulder and lean forward toward her ear, then said, "Don't worry, I will ask our pretty, quest coordinator, a favor, mmm..."

Suzuka felt at ease, "Thank you, Thomas, Olivia, that would really help me out." 

The rest of the adventurers in the party took a moment to relax, sitting comfortably around a large table and indulging in the refreshments that had been provided. This included a variety of fruit, placed out for their enjoyment. 

 As Thomas walked past Olivia, he playfully tapped her on the back, signaling that it was time to move forward and turn in the quest. Together, they made their way over to the quest coordinator.

As Olivia approached the quest coordinator, she made a deliberate effort to catch her attention. She swayed her hips slightly as she walked, drawing attention to her curvaceous figure. When she reached the counter, she leaned forward, exposing a hint of cleavage as she flicked her hair back over her shoulder.

Suzuka watched as they approached, observing as Thomas adopted a powerful and intimidating stance, crossing his arms in front of him. Meanwhile, Olivia took a more flirtatious approach, coyly playing with her fingers on the counter while she engaged with the coordinator.

 She then began to play with her fingers, tracing circles on the surface of the counter and tracing the contours of her lips with the tip of her index finger. With every move she made, Olivia's gaze was fixed on the quest coordinator, her eyes sparkling with seduction.

 She playfully talked as she twirled a strand of hair around her finger in a playful manner. Her body language was confident and flirtatious, and she made no attempt to hide the fact that she was trying to charm the coordinator into giving them what they wanted.

 Through her subtle but effective flirting, Olivia was making a clear statement: she was not afraid to use her feminine wiles to get what she wanted. Suzuka couldn't hear what they talked about, it was too far away. 

As she looked, John said, "Oh, here we go again. Olivia's negotiations, and Thomas's tough look. That's a guaranteed 10% increase in our reward."

Shara said, "I don't want to jinx it but I doubt it will work this time, they used a seductive and tough approach last time. No way Lisanna will fold twice in a row."

Michael joined the conversation, "How about a bet! Huh? John, you say Olivie will strike a better deal for us and you Shara say she will fail. How about it, 5 silver coins, winner takes all. I say we will get a bonus but a normal reward."

John confidently said, "It is ON Michael! 5 silver coins, no takebacks!" Shara agreed, "Yeah, don't cry about lost money, you two chumps."

Michael calmly said, "Then it's settled, let's wait and see."

Ten long minutes passed that seemed like an eternity, and at long last, Thomas and Olivia came back. Olivia took a seat next to Suzuka, and Thomas sit right next to John.

Olivia started a conversation with a cheerful note, "Wow, Lisanna was adamant today, she didn't give in to rising our reward, I like her stubbornness, mmmm..."

Shara rejoiced, "Ha! Chumps, pay up, 5 coins each, no complaints."

"God damn it, lost again. Hold your horses, you get your coins."

Olivia looked at them both and said, "Hold on, girls and boys. I haven't finished talking yet."

Shara asked, "What? There's more? Don't tell me we don't get anything, that would be absurd."

Michael was covering his grin as he sat in silence and waited for Olivia to finish talking. 

Olivia continued, "So, Lisanna was difficult today and we got regular rewards but she gave a generous bonus. That's the story."

Michael jumped from his seat and while pointing his fingers at John and Shara said, "Ha! Got em! Pay up suckers."

"Hey! What the hell!" Shara said, "Yeah, what the hell? Where is this bonus come from?" John asked.

Michael sat back on the chair and explained, "Shara was right, no way that play would have worked on Lisanna twice, as for bonus, you two dumb shmucks, adventurers get a bonus for every person found and rescued outside the town territory. And guess what we have here," he pointed at Suzuka. "Yeah, exactly." He continued.

Shara said, "Yeah, yeah... no need to be so smug about it, Michael. You get your silver when we get paid for the job."

John said after Shara, "Come on Michael, be a man, can you wait a few weeks? I still need to pay my gear maintenance debt."

Michael responded, "Come on John, be a man and pay da f up. Just joking man, sure, when you can you pay, no pressure."

Thomas tapped the table to attract their attention and said, "Listen, we don't have much time, we need to meet the client. We took longer than we anticipated and now we are short on time. We need to get to him today, by evening or we missing out on easy gold coins. And we all know how desperate we are for gold in this day." 

Thomas turned toward Suzuka and said, "I am sorry, but this is where we part ways, we won't be back for at least a month. We are escorting a caravan to the next town. The caravan does its business there for a few weeks, and we take some easy jobs in the meanwhile. When the caravan is ready to go back, we join in and escort it back, that takes time, it is a joint mission, so, if we miss the window, we are out."