Chapter 135: On the eve of trouble
Twilight enveloped the earth, and the sun disappeared below the horizon.
After a short conversation, the group did not go to their rooms to relax. Everyone was busy with their own business, tense in anticipation of possible trouble.
The group's initial plan was simple: they intended to wait out tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, when the «Reset» came, determine the location of the Forest of Doppelgangers, and then, having received another task, go there hoping for luck.
After all, there were no guarantees that if the Temple did not appear in this place this week, it would appear after the «Reset».
Idan noticed that Arabel had been acting a little strangely since the end of the conversation.
"Arabel, — Idan called out to her, —can you hear me?" But she, lost in her own thoughts, did not respond.
"Arabel!" Idan called out again, but this time she ignored him.
Idan frowned, trying to figure out what was going on.
"Belle!" he called, shortening her name.
To his surprise, Arabel shuddered and finally turned her gaze on him.
"What did you just call me?" she asked, looking into Idan's eyes.
Idan was pleasantly surprised and, without trying to hide anything, said:
"Belle. I called you Belle. It's just that when I called you as usual, you didn't pay attention to me."
"Hmm..."
"Don't you like it?" asked Idan.
"Well, I wouldn't say I don't like it, it's just kind of unusual. No one called me that," Arabel replied.
"Well, just because no one called you that doesn't mean I can't. I'll be the first and only one to call you that," Idan said, and it wasn't a question, but a statement.
Arabel was a little stunned, but she didn't mind it, on the contrary, it seemed a little appropriate to have an abbreviated name that was used only by the two of them.
"All right," Arabel agreed.
"Hehe, you can also come up with an abbreviated name for me," Idan suggested.
"Huh? You already have a short name; how else can you shorten it?" Arabel was a little confused, and Idan only realized that he had been too stupid.
"Dan?" Arabel blurted out almost without thinking.
"How about Dan?"
Idan burst out laughing. "She just deleted one letter."
Arabel was a little embarrassed by his laughter, not realizing that her mood and emotions had gradually returned to normal.
"Okay, okay, I like it. Let it be Dan," Idan agreed with her version.
The others quietly watched and listened to the conversation between the couple, and a smile played on their faces, seeing how the relationship between the couple was slowly but surely progressing.
Sierra also noticed that Arabel's mood had returned to normal during her conversation with Idan. And she found it amazing and strange.
She had interacted with the Ice Valkyries many times, and compared to them, Arabel was completely different.
"Perhaps because she wasn't originally born an Ice Valkyrie?" Sierra asked herself and then looked at Idan.
"Or because he's next to her?"
***
At the same time, in a small office on the top floor of the Adventurer Guild branch, there was a man in his fifties, whose hair was already streaked with gray. He looked strong and full of strength for his age.
His height was about two meters, and his body was not overly muscular. He was wearing the official clothes of the Adventurer's Guild, and there was a distinctive badge on the right side of his chest, indicating his position as the chief of this branch.
The Guild branch Chief was busy writing something important when he was distracted by a knock on the door.
"Come in!" — he said in a confident and firm voice.
The door opened and a middle-aged woman entered the office. Her eyes were hidden behind round glasses, and her short black hair was neatly styled. She was wearing a uniform typical of members of the Adventurer's Guild.
The woman who entered rubbed her eyes slightly and adjusted her glasses, which showed her fatigue after hours of paperwork.
"Lisa, you should rest more, the reports won't go away," said the Chief.
"If everything was as simple as you say, Chief, then I would have been asleep in my room a long time ago," the woman whom the Guild Chief called Lisa replied with annoyance.
She served as the chief secretary in this branch of the Adventurer Guild. Recently, the department has faced a shortage of qualified staff, which has led to an increased workload for all more or less experienced employees.
"This week, a couple more employees left the department, transferring to other cities," Lisa added.
"Hmm..." The Guild Chief was also annoyed by the current situation, but he did his best, and there was nothing more he could do.
"Well, let's leave it at that. What brings you to me?"
Lisa understood that the Guild Chief had done everything in his power and could not change the course of events, so, sighing, she began to talk about the incident that happened recently in the Branch lobby, namely the incident with Eulalia's group and the Staff Hero's subordinate.
"Well, well! Have you managed to identify these people?"
"The one who attacked first was the Staff Hero's subordinate!" said Lisa, and there was a note of disgust in her voice when she mentioned the Hero's title.
"As for the other side, they were four disciples of Milica from Usuria and one unknown woman of the "Diamond" rank. It was she who rebuffed the Staff Hero's subordinate and injured him," Lisa said.
The Guild Chief rubbed his chin thoughtfully. As the Chief of the Guild, he was familiar with Milica.
"Wait, did you say that these are Milica's disciples?" — it's only now that he remembers the information he received a few days ago.
It was about the fact that Milica accepted two strangers from another world as students.
"Yes, Guild Chief, it's them," Lisa confirmed his guesses. — And those two were also among them."
"Oh!" The Chief was surprised, but not as much as one might expect.
"What should we do?" Lisa asked the Guild Chief.
"Nothing!" the Guild Chief replied without hesitation.
"..." Lisa bowed her head, not quite understanding.
"It's the Staff Hero's subordinate's fault," the Guild Chief said. — The opponent only responded with force against force. So leave them to themselves. Just keep an eye on the situation. The Staff Hero will not ignore this matter and will take appropriate measures."
"The Guild," the Chief continued, "has always been and will always be a neutral force, and we intend to maintain this status.
"If any of the participants in the conflict violate the rules of the Guild on its territory, they will be punished in accordance with our rules."
"Understood!" the chief secretary replied and, leaving the Guild Chief's office, proceeded to a special office where the personal forces of the Adventurer Guild were gathered, awaiting the orders of the Chief.
***
At this time, in a luxurious building located near the Branch of the Adventurer Guild, in a spacious room enveloped in clouds of hot steam, a beauty with long golden hair was basking in a huge bathtub. The thick steam hid her figure and face, allowing one to only guess at her appearance.
She was enjoying the warmth and peace, immersed in a pleasant bliss. But suddenly her privacy was disrupted— a young girl in maid's clothes ran into the room. She was agitated and out of breath.
"Mistress!" the maid exclaimed in panic.
"What happened?" the beauty asked, frowning with displeasure.
"Mistress, the Hero is heading to the Adventurer's Guild Branch! He found out that his subordinate was injured, and there was an elf among the attackers!" the maid quickly reported.
"Oh, I'm so tired of this!" the beauty exclaimed. Her mood was hopelessly spoiled, and she no longer found pleasure in basking in the warm water. She left the bathroom and, putting on clothes with the help of her Diamond-ranked Soul Force, headed towards the Branch of the Adventurer Guild, expressing her dissatisfaction with her whole appearance.
***
At this time, a young woman with long sea-green hair appeared at the gates of the first city, breathing heavily, but there was anticipation in her gaze.
It was the avatar of the infamous Water Valkyrie Esmari Waterial, Esma, who finally reached the first city and, without delay, went in search of another Valkyrie who lived in this city. However, she didn't know that she had already gone to the Adventurer Guild Branch after the Staff Hero.
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