Chapter 121 - Olivia's concerns

Kana didn’t have much more to tell me about Vye, no matter what question I hit her with it always ended up being the same result.

“Sorry, but I’m not entirely sure myself.”

She questioned me on why I wanted to see her so badly and to be honest, I didn’t have a proper response. Not at first.

Near the end of our conversation, I surprised Kana by suddenly bursting out of my seat and leaning over the desk. I got right in front of her face and delivered my plea with every spec of emotion that ran through me.

I begged her to let me see her again, no, to fight her again.

Kana could have denied my request, I wouldn’t have blamed her for calling me an idiot and dismissing it straight out. The look in my eyes must have resonated with her somehow because, after a moment of me hovering in front of hers, she gave a slight grimace and agreed.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

Those words led to the end of our meeting. Well after a few minutes of discussing the details of my Rank-up ceremony, we came to an end but that didn’t take much time. There wasn’t anything specific that she could tell me since it would violate the rules but Kana left me with some useful knowledge nonetheless.

***

Inside the Titans Helm's main chambers, a woman in loose, flowing clothing paced from end to end of the common room. The traditional-styled veil over her hair fluttered roughly as she turned back and forth in quick succession.

Olivia walked in after hearing the nervous words that flowed from her guildmate's mouth in inaudible tones. As if the thoughts in her head were flowing out of her mouth without realising it, the nervous woman continued speaking.

“What if we never get a big job again? Won’t the leader get mad again if they give us another low-ranked job? We hadn’t gotten any better jobs in so long that we might never get an important job again. We’re having to pick up all the slack since Heaven's Gate lost its leader. Not that it’s their fault it just kind of happened and now we’re all picking up the pieces. Leader is furious though, he might explode.”

Olivia raised her hand near the woman's shoulder, second-guessing whether or not it was a good idea to grab her attention. She ultimately never got the chance to decide as she turned around with a snap motion and burst into the air in fright.

“GAAHHHHHHH!!!!”

“EEEEKK!!”

Both of them jumped back back Olivia was less startled and more surprised than anything that her friend didn’t know she was in the room with her.

“Oh…it’s just you Olivie…Sigh…Don’t scare me like that, okay?” She addressed her with one hand on her panting chest.

The large shape of her supple chest caved in and expanded out with rapid beats as her heart raced from the scare. Olivia’s eyes followed her chest like they were a pocket watch being used to hypnotise her. Completely engaged with it, it took her friend's words to bring her out of it.

“Uhm…Olivie?”

She shook her head and returned to normal. “Oh–yeah, sorry about that. Are you okay Lily, you seemed kinda…out of it?”

“Oh no, was I speaking to myself again?” Her dazzling green eyes grew twice their size as she pressed her face in front of Olivia’s.

“Uhm…not really…that much.” She felt embarrassed with her friend so close to her face but tried her best to answer without hurting her feelings.

“Dang it! It only happens when things get crazy around here, I swear, this guild is giving me wrinkles!” Lily pressed Olivia into her bosom, smothering her under the sheer weight of what could be compared to two moons attached to her body. “You’re the only thing keeping me sane in this guild of weirdos, Olivie~”

“He-he…I’m glad I can help…”

“Oi, women!”

A beast voice entered the room and demanded the attention of both girls locked together.

A large man bent under the frame of the door to enter, his size put other humans to shame just at a glance. The large size of his muscles only further emphasised how inhuman he looked.

He was covered in large cuts and faded scars that ran over most of his oak-coloured skin, like paintings on a very large canvas. They were around his arms and legs, considered reminders of his past for everyone to bear witness to.

His hair hung around his shoulders with dark split ends and unkempt tufts sticking out in every direction. The only thing as wild as his hair was the rugged clothing he wore. The half-torn pants and wrapped bandages over his wrists weren't casual wear that he chose for that day, they were the very same clothing he often wore inside of the Tower.

He was Herien, another member of the guild and one that seemed much more serious than the two standing together.

“Little Leaders waiting in the planning room. Everyone’s gotta be there. So get movin' already.” His tone grew scarier with every word as if the mere sight of them enraged him.

Without waiting for a response, the hulking figure left with a casual stride and disappeared down the hall.

Olivia and Lily looked at each other, concerned, not by their guildmate's tone though. No, they were all too familiar with that side of him. In fact, it was one of the only sides he had, so they didn’t take it personally.

Their concern was with the context of his message, the leader wanting to see them.

Lily was the first to voice her angst as she took the leading step out of the room and spoke to her friend who followed behind her.

“I don’t like this…Leader only ever gets angry at these meetings.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you think it’s going to be another low-tier quest that ASH is shoving onto us?”

Olivia didn’t give it much thought, she already knew the answer having visited the building earlier that morning in her spare time. Her mouth curled downward as she answered.

“I’m afraid so.”

***

I spent most of the day being as productive as I could, trying to put her out of my mind. At that point I felt obsessed, utterly fixated on Vye like some lowkey stalker. It wasn't anything as petty as love or anything creepy like that.

It was her words and the way she fought. She overpowered me easily, if anything it made me feel small. I had been beaten a few times in the last month, by Ilinore’s power which made me feel like an ant, or even the battle with that black dragon…none of those compared to the feeling of emptiness I felt when Vye pointed her dagger at me. I never had a chance to fight back, she stole that from me and made it a point to show me.

She was strong and I wanted to prove myself against her.

Kana had sent mail to my Inn that told me she had news on the Vye situation. Having finished all my shopping and checking in on Arga for my armour, I had nothing left but to find out what she found.

I sat opposite her with an anxious expression, literally sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the words to come out her mouth.

“Rei, let me preface this by saying that Vye isn't like other adventurers. I’ve only known her a couple of days now and whenever we spoke, I got the impression that she only acts on something when there’s something in return to benefit her.”

Kana spoke cautiously. Her words were to the point, however, there was an ulterior motive behind them. I sensed something important about to follow that warning of hers.

“Kana I’m not following, what does this have to do with me? Are you saying what happened in the alley was something she needed?”

Kana’s eyes turned sharp.

“I’m not sure why she attacked you, I doubt I’d be able to even guess what her real motives are. The reason I’m telling you this is because she agreed to meet with you.”

My eyelids rose and I felt my butt lift from the seat, about to jump up with excitement when suddenly a hand straightened out in front of me.

“Before you get excited, let me finish my thought.”

Kana’s wary tone brought down the excitement in me, enough for common sense to rush back into my head.

“If Vye of all people wants to see you again, then it means you have something she wants. I’ll be upfront about it, I don’t like this at all. That being said, I can’t imagine you dropping this so I’ll tell you the details she left with me if you make me a promise.”

“What’s that…?”

“You won’t do anything stupid!”

Her words cut my chest like one of Vye’s daggers. I nearly fell out of my chair from that outburst of hers but I locked eyes with her again and felt the sincerity in her words.

She was concerned. If Kana was that nervous about me meeting her, I couldn't have brushed it off like it was nothing. I met her gaze and nodded eagerly.

“I give you my word!”

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