Celebration (end of the first Arc)

The sun had already set when we arrived near the city. As we got off Wulfred, Aewyn hugged the wolf and said goodbye through tears. Then the wolf turned around and began to run until he disappeared on the horizon. The blue-haired girl waved her arm energetically to bid farewell, but then lowered her arm and stared intently in the direction where Wulfred had gone. I touched her shoulder.

“You’ll see him again soon,” I said. Aewyn looked at me intently, wiped her tears with her hand, and then nodded.

Nozomi transformed into a blue slime, jumped into Karen's arms, and the five of us headed towards the city gates. The guard at the gate looked at us strangely, probably because of the fifth person, but he said nothing. Although we were hungry, we decided to head straight to the guild; I wanted to discuss the demons with Gerald in person. Upon entering the guild door, some of the adventurers drinking at the bar stared at us, paying special attention to our new companion. There wasn’t much of a line at Rosie’s counter, so she quickly greeted us.

“Ray!” her tone resonated with relief. “Thank goodness you’re okay. Have you completed the mission?” Then her gaze fell on Aewyn. “And who is she?”

“She’s Aewyn,” I began to speak, deciding to mention first what would take the longest to complete. “A companion who wants to join the Flower of Wishes, so if you could give her a form to become an adventurer, we would appreciate it.”

“Alright,” Rosie grabbed a yellowed paper from somewhere behind the counter and handed it to Aewyn. “And the mission?”

“Everything is in order,” I gave her my IE while Aewyn turned the paper around and around with a confused look, perhaps the translator of my ability doesn’t work for the paper. “Also, I would like to speak with Gerald.”

Rosie paused while trying to find the reward money.

“With the manager?” she asked, surprised. “Is there a special reason?”

I wasn’t sure whether to tell Rosie something or keep it a secret; it’s better not to cause panic, so telling only Gerald would be best. But before I could speak, Karen took the word.

“It’s about the mission,” she said. “We want to personally inform him about the cause of the wolves' aggression; it’s important.”

Rosie simply nodded, gave us the bag with the reward, and then waved her hand under the counter. After a moment, she began to speak.

“Gerald will see you, but I don’t recommend that you all go.”

I looked at the others; Aewyn was still turning the form while Kharel was guiding her and helping her fill out the fields.

“Karen, Nozomi, and I will go, if you don’t mind.”

Karen nodded, as did Nozomi.

“Alright,” Rosie bowed. “Ray, you know the way; I’ll take care of Aewyn’s application.”

The girl waved us goodbye with a smile, and the three of us began to climb the stairs to Gerald’s office. Karen seemed nervous; well, that’s normal. That man is quite imposing, not to mention that if he wanted, he could probably put a price on our heads with just a few words. When we reached the door, before I could even knock, the door opened. The man with gray hair bowed to us and invited us in. We entered and sat on the sofa closest to the door. Gerald closed the door and sat on the opposite sofa.

“What requires my presence?” he began to speak in a tired voice. “Something serious, I suppose.”

I looked at Karen; she was quite tense, so I decided to start speaking.

“The cause of the wolves' aggression was worse than we imagined.” Gerald’s face turned serious. “We had conjectures about it, but what we found is something that probably few people would believe, which is why we came to see you.”

Gerald’s expression darkened. If he can see everything with his godly eye, he is the one most likely to take us seriously.

“What was the cause?”

“A demon,” Karen said. A look of surprise crossed Gerald’s face for a moment before he returned to his serious demeanor. “There was a lesser demon in the forest.”

“It had taken the wolves' territory,” I continued explaining, “and had even taken their pups hostage to force them not to rebel.”

Gerald adjusted his monocle.

“What happened to the demon?”

“We killed it,” Karen said, “with the help of the leader of the wolves and a filgyanta who lived with them.”

Gerald looked at us in astonishment; I imagine he didn’t expect novices like us to deal with a lesser demon.

“The problem arose afterward,” I said. “He claimed to serve one of the seven demon lords, Gluttony.” Gerald’s gaze darkened. “She was the one who finished off the demon while we were trying to extract information from him, although she didn’t come in person.”

“What information did you obtain?” Gerald asked.

“They are trying to bring back the demon king,” Karen said. “That lesser demon is not the only one in human territory; it’s very likely that there are other demons in different places trying to corrupt some area or something worse.”

“That’s why we came to speak with you directly,” I said. “I believe you know better than we do how to act.”

Gerald remained silent for a while until he finally spoke.

“Who else knows about this?” His tone was much more serious now.

“Besides our group and the filgyanta, only the leader of the pack,” Karen replied.

For a moment, I could see Gerald relax.

“You’ve done well,” he said. “Not only by confronting a lesser demon and coming out victorious, but also by telling me directly.” Gerald stood up from the sofa and moved to the window, looking out at some point outside. “We cannot allow this information to leak.” The man turned to us. “First of all, if the village finds out, it would cause panic, making the demons advance their plans more quickly. And secondly,” Gerald approached us, his gaze darkening again, “it could likely spark a new war against the demons. If that were to happen, their race would end up extinct.”

Gerald sat back down, his neutral expression clearly examining us, as if he were waiting for some reaction from us.

“Don’t they deserve it?” Karen seemed quite angry. “I understand that they were the ones who started the war over 200 years ago, and it seems they want to start another one. If they want to go ahead with their plans, then let them become extinct.”

I stared at her, unsure of what to say. I completely understand her point, especially if they were the ones who started the conflict in the previous war, but I lack details about that conflict. What were the causes? How did they end up losing? Are they seeking revenge after all these years? Gerald leaned back on the sofa before speaking.

“Do you know why the demons started the war 214 years ago?”

“...No,” Karen said after a few seconds.

Gerald smiled and straightened his posture.

“The northern region, the land of the demons, also known as Finnerlard, is a wasteland devoid of resources.” Gerald’s smile disappeared as he spoke. “I understand that the previous demon king tried to trade with humans and other races, but due to prejudice, they denied him any attempts at trade or requests for help. So, in the end, he decided to conquer the neighboring country. Of course, not all demons were in favor of that decision, but the war happened anyway. After fifteen years of a bloody war that seemed endless, the demon king was assassinated along with his seven closest followers, the demon lords. That ended the war, but not the suffering of the entire demon race.” Gerald paused to observe our faces. Karen had a complicated expression and was gritting her teeth; I was normal, I suppose. I can’t see my own expression, but the man simply nodded with satisfaction. “It’s very likely that the actions the demons are taking are not the decision of the entire race, but of a few, probably the most conservative. Not all demons want a new war; many have even tried to forge relationships with other races, but without much success due to prejudice, like the one you have, miss.”

Karen opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it and looked down. Gerald turned his gaze to me; I suppose he wanted my opinion as an outsider to this world.

“Honestly, I have very little information to give a clear opinion,” I said straightforwardly. “I’ve only encountered one demon, and although he seemed to be out of his mind, I don’t think it’s good to lump an entire race together with that individual. But if they want to bring back the demon king and start a war again, I wouldn’t have a very good opinion of them.”

Gerald laughed loudly, which annoyed me. Was I too predictable with my response?

“You see, young lady,” Gerald began to speak when he finished laughing, “clearly your friend’s opinion is different from yours. It’s the same with demons; not all will be in favor of a new war, and that’s why we will stop their plans.” Gerald stood up from the sofa. “I will talk to others about this matter, and we will decide what to do. We probably won’t communicate anything to you since we don’t want the information to leak, but Ray—” Gerald extended his hand, and I took it. He then shook it firmly—“I’m pleased to announce that from today your rank will be C, and your companions, including the new member, will be D. You have stopped a greater threat, and that deserves its reward.”

Two rank ups in two days? That would definitely attract too much attention, but well, I suppose this means I can earn more money with missions. Gerald bid us farewell with a smile, and we left the room. Karen remained silent, looking dejected and frustrated. Commenting on what had just happened would be counterproductive, so I decided to cheer her up with something else.

“Hey, Karen,” I gently touched her head. “What do you think about throwing a party?”

Karen lifted her gaze and looked me in the eyes.

“A party?” she seemed a bit confused.

“Of course!” I raised my left hand to start counting. “To celebrate that Aewyn has joined the team, that we successfully completed our first group mission, that we survived a great danger twice, and that we’ve leveled up.” Karen looked thoughtful, but I could clearly see Nozomi starting to drool at the idea. “I think we deserve a good feast after such a tough day.”

Karen looked up and then nodded shyly.

“I’m in!” Nozomi exclaimed, and I gave her a light tap on the forehead.

“Nozomi, don’t speak so loudly now that we’re in public.”

The slime made a sad expression but nodded and fell silent. Suddenly, I received a strong thump on the head.

“Don’t hit the poor thing!” Karen pulled away from me and hurried down the guild stairs. I just laughed and followed her.

In the reception area, adventurers were animatedly chatting among themselves. Kharel and Aewyn had taken a seat at one of the tables. The wolf girl was curiously looking at her IE, turning it around and around. Upon seeing us, the redhead waved at us and gestured for Aewyn to join him. The blue-haired girl came running towards me.

“Look, I’m already an adventurer!” She held her IE up to my face, showing it off proudly.

I patted her head and smiled at her, like a proud father whose daughter has just made her first drawing.

“How did the meeting go?” the redhead asked.

I was about to say something, but Karen jumped in ahead of me.

“Everything went well,” she said, looking at me. “Ray proposed something.”

“Would you all be up for a little party?” I showed a sincere smile on my face. “To celebrate that Aewyn has joined and that we completed a complicated mission.”

Aewyn and Kharel exchanged glances, and then their eyes lit up. In unison, they shouted a loud “Yes!” After Karen smacked both of them on the head, the five of us exited the guild while Rosie waved goodbye to us with a smile. As we headed to the inn, I told Kharel and Aewyn that they would both be rank D, just like Karen, and that I was now rank C. The redhead was very excited about it, and although the blue-haired girl didn’t quite understand why, she also perked up quite a bit.

Upon arriving at the inn, I greeted Luna.

“Hello, Luna, do you have any rooms available?”

“No,” she said flatly, with an alarming lack of emotion. She didn’t even bother to check if there were any rooms left.

That was a problem; Aewyn had nowhere to spend the night.

“What if she stays with Ray?” Kharel suggested.

Both Karen and I looked at him. It didn’t seem like a bad idea, but I doubted Luna would agree.

“As long as he pays, there’s no problem,” she spoke again without any emotion, and on top of that, she wanted to charge us for someone sleeping in a room that was already paid for.

“Problem solved!” Kharel shouted, and immediately, Karen hit him on the head.

“Half,” the redhead faced Luna. “He’s not really paying for a room; it’s unnecessary for him to pay the full price.”

Luna stared at her expressionlessly, and after a moment, she sighed.

“Fine, but meals are to be paid in full.”

Karen nodded in satisfaction and then looked at me. If my calculations were correct, the price would be 45 grims—25 for the room and 20 more for dinner—so I took it out of the new pouch and placed it on the table. Luna looked at the money and quickly picked it up, then nodded. We bid her farewell and entered the dining area. It was quite crowded, but fortunately, there was a free table. We greeted the waitress and mentioned our celebration. She smiled pleasantly and told us we could order whatever we wanted, and she would note down the dishes and drinks that weren’t included in the dinner. I decided to order mead; I’ve always wanted to try it, and today is the perfect day. Kharel ordered dwarven beer, and Karen ordered juice; I imagine she doesn’t like alcohol. I don’t either, but I want to try the mead. Aewyn and Nozomi decided to order the same as me, and after ordering a variety of dishes, the robust waitress headed to the kitchen. Shortly after, she returned with our drinks.

“Shall we toast?” I suggested. Everyone nodded and picked up their respective mugs. I cleared my throat and said loudly, “Welcome, Aewyn!” We all clinked our mugs together and drank the contents.

And so began our first celebration. We ate and drank until we were full, spending the 500 grims from the reward for the quest. It felt like we had forgotten all the fatigue and worries that had been chasing us. I was really enjoying this new world, and I hoped it would stay this way. I had met good companions, and my new life was full of excitement. With that thought, I savored the little party we had thrown together.

In another place, in a dark room illuminated only by the moonlight coming through the large windows, four figures were seated around a round table. There was space for eight people, but four seats were empty. Of the figures, the smallest one broke the silence with a childlike laugh.

“Ki ki ki!” The other figures stared at her without saying anything. “Why have you gathered us here? I was busy!”

“That’s what I’m wondering,” one of the figures, slender with a feminine and refined voice, rolled a coin with her index finger. “Some of us are very busy.”

“I wanted to talk about what happened in Iltris,” another figure, tall and upright, spoke in a deep and serious voice. “I understand that one of our agents has been killed, and you had something to do with it, Gluttony.”

“Ki ki ki!” Gluttony giggled playfully. “That idiot was going to reveal our plans; receiving the greatest punishment was what he deserved.”

A loud bang echoed throughout the room as the last figure, huge and muscular, slammed his fist on the table, causing the coin to fly into the air. However, the slender figure caught it elegantly before it hit the ground.

“That doesn’t give you the right to kill one of our own!” Her voice, strong and filled with anger, resonated throughout the room.

“He was my subordinate; I can do whatever I please with them! Ki ki ki ki!” Gluttony’s playful tone only made the muscular figure angrier.

The muscular figure stood up from his seat, but before he could move, the tall figure shot him a glare. The muscular one clenched his fists and returned to his seat.

“I understand you wanted to protect our plans, but killing one of our own is too drastic a measure.”

Gluttony leaned back in her chair, placing her hands behind her head.

“I do what I want, but if you prefer, next time I’ll let him spill the beans, and then you’ll be the one to blame, Pride. Ki ki ki ki!”

Pride simply shook her head.

“If a situation like this happens again, make sure your subordinate kills the enemies before falling, but I think they lack discipline.”

“Or they’re out of their minds,” commented the slender figure.

“Don’t get involved, Greed; this doesn’t concern you,” Gluttony’s tone shifted to a more threatening one.

“We lost an operative today, and they are very limited. Every loss affects me directly, so yes, it does concern me,” Greed replied with a mocking tone.

“Do you want to make this more personal?” Gluttony stood up from her seat, showing her sharp teeth with a macabre smile.

“Are you tired of playing with Lust and now want to have fun with me?” Greed shot back with a mocking grin.

Gluttony’s expression took a 180-degree turn, and this time she showed her teeth, threatening Greed.

“Don’t you dare mention that whore in my presence!” Gluttony leaped onto the table and charged toward Greed at high speed.

Greed calmly observed as Gluttony approached and elegantly waved her right hand toward her. Suddenly, Gluttony froze just inches from Greed’s hand. Greed turned her head toward Pride.

“You didn’t need to get involved, Pride,” Greed sighed and relaxed her posture, resting her right arm on her lap.

“I don’t want any bloodshed in this assembly,” Pride said, still in her serious and calm tone. “You all know what happens if you don’t obey the rules.”

Gluttony’s neck began to twist until she locked eyes with Pride. Her face slowly contorted until she displayed a horrendous smile.

“Ki ki ki,” a distorted laugh escaped Gluttony’s mouth. “I’m sorry, Pride; I’ll be a good girl.”

Gluttony’s small body slumped over the table, then she composed herself, glared threateningly at Greed, and returned to her seat. Greed simply resumed playing with her coin, paying no special attention to Gluttony. The muscular figure looked at Gluttony with disapproval but said nothing.

“Alright, let’s get back to the topic,” Pride said. “The humans probably already know what we’re plotting because of Neumas, so we must alert the others to act with caution. We cannot afford to fail. If something similar happens again, I expect measures to be taken to eliminate any obstacles.”

“If they are the same ones who took down Neumas, I want to be informed immediately,” Gluttony’s childlike and playful tone had a sinister edge. “I want to devour them myself.”

“We’ll see about that when the time comes,” Pride said. “I’ll make sure to communicate what we’ve discussed to Sloth, Envy, and Lust. You all stay alert.”

“Yes, Pride!” The muscular figure stood up with enthusiasm and left the room.

Gluttony let out a childlike giggle and followed the muscular figure out, while Greed stopped playing with the coin and turned to Pride.

“You should stop trying to gather us for trivial matters like this, Pride,” Greed elegantly rose from her chair.

“If I don’t, you wouldn’t gather at all, and that’s not what the demon king wants,” Pride replied, her tone unwavering.

Greed turned for a moment to look Pride in the eyes.

“Some would kill each other if they gathered,” she said, and then Greed exited the room.

Pride remained, gazing at the high ceiling of the chamber, and sighed.

Arc of Awakening - THE END