章節 21: Adventurer's Registration pt2
PH1RE'S P.O.V
The sound of Edmund's axe crashing into the floor echoed throughout the registration center, drawing gasps from onlookers.
The stone tiles splintered under the weight of the weapon, scattering shards across the ground. I scrambled to my feet, my heart pounding as the situation escalated far beyond a simple misunderstanding.
"Are you insane?" I shouted, taking a few steps back, trying to put some distance between us.
Edmund, however, was unfazed. His eyes burned with fury as he raised the axe again, his muscles tensing for another swing. "You're making a mistake siding with those Red Ravens. You want to act tough? Fine. Let's see how tough you really are!"
"Loid, this guy's serious!" Maya warned, her voice tight with tension as she moved into a defensive stance beside me.
I swallowed hard, already feeling the adrenaline coursing through my veins. What was this guys deal, even if he was mad why did he have to get down right muderous. The onlookers watched in silence, some even stepping back, clearly not intending to step in.
"Last chance, kid," Edmund growled, leveling the axe at me. "Walk away from the Red Ravens, or I'll make sure you regret it."
"Sorry, but we're not interested," I replied, smiling wryly.
He smirked, his eyes narrowing as he stepped forward. "Fine. I'll break your legs. Shouldn't be too hard."
[Plus Step]
Before I could even respond, Edmund swung the axe again. I barely had time to jump to the side, the blade whistling through the air inches from where I had just been standing. I hit the ground hard, but I forced myself to roll back to my feet.
Maya, quick on her feet, dodged in the opposite direction, keeping her distance. Her eyes flashed with slight anger as she glared at Edmund.
"Hey! This is an adventurer's registration center! You can't just attack people like this!" Maya shouted, but Edmund just laughed.
"Out here, nobody cares about rules if you're too weak to enforce them," Edmund taunted, hefting his axe again.
"This is the world of adventurers. You either fight or get stepped on."
"This guys getting on my nerves!" she growled.
[Plus Step]
Edmund dashed in our direction once more, his axe coming down in full force, splitting the air in two. Just as we prepared to evade, a blur suddenly passed in front of us and connected with something.
The next moment, Edmund was sent flying in the opposite direction, crashing into a pile of debris. "Getting stepped on sounds fun—why don't you try it with me?" a playful voice said.
A girl, who looked no older than us, landed in front of us with her leg still outstretched from the kick that had sent Edmund flying. She had dark skin, wild silver hair, and wore a mix of black fur and leather. A grin spread across her face, revealing a notable fang. Her attire had a wild look to it, with mittens shaped like animal paws.
"You little…!" Edmund growled, struggling to his feet. His voice was raw with anger.
He raised the axe again, about to charge once more; "You've caused enough trouble, Edmund," a calm voice said from behind him.
Edmund froze, his eyes widening in shock.
"Sir Tristan..." Edmund muttered, his earlier bravado suddenly gone.
I turned to see who had intervened. Standing behind us was a man dressed in elegant robes, his demeanor calm but commanding. His blonde hair and sharp eyes radiated an air of authority, and a sword hung at his side, though he seemed to be missing his left hand.
The room went silent, tension thick in the air as everyone seemed to recognize him. Whispered gasps spread throughout the crowd.
"Attacking fellow adventurers inside the registration center? I expected better from the Boar Battalion," Tristan said, his voice firm.
Once again, Maya stiffed a laugh but held it in as quickly as possible. Although it didn't go unoticed no one acknowledged it.
Edmund gritted his teeth, his hands shaking as he lowered his axe. "I—I was just—"
"Leave," Tristan commanded, his voice steady but laced with authority. "Now, before I report this incident. Or worse," he finished narrowing his eyes.
Edmund's face flushed with anger, but he didn't argue. He threw one last glare at Maya and I before turning on his heel and storming out of the building, his lackey following closely behind.
The room was still for a moment as everyone processed what had just happened. Tristan turned to us, a smile on his face.
"Are you both alright?" he asked.
Maya nodded, though her eyes were still wide with surprise. "Yeah, we're fine. Thanks to you."
I took a deep breath and followed after her actions, "Thank you for stepping in"
He smiled faintly before responding, "There's no need to thank me, you'll have to forgive Edmund's behavior. He's not usually like that from what I understand"
He glanced down at the adventure's license still clutched in my hand. "The Red Ravens, huh? You'll need to be careful, people don't forgive or forget easily in this world."
I nodded, my mind racing with questions. What exactly had the Red Ravens done to earn such a reputation? What could justify trying to mame two people for being associated with them?
Before I could ask, the girl who had kicked Edmund interrupted. "Tristan, why'd you interrupt? Now I'm bored!" she complained, hopping onto Tristan's back like a playful child. Her energy was a sharp contrast to the tense situation we had just escaped.
"Because someone has to stop you from making things worse, Briar," Tristan replied with an exasperated sigh. Though his tone was light, he shifted slightly to balance her weight as if this was a regular occurrence.
Briar hopped off his back and stretched her arms. Her mischievous grin remained, clearly unbothered by what had just transpired. "But it was getting interesting! You know I love a good fight."
"Yes, and that's exactly why you need to be kept on a leash," Tristan muttered, shaking his head. He turned back to us. "Forgive her behavior. She's... overenthusiastic."
I couldn't help but chuckle, despite the lingering adrenaline. "It's fine. We're just grateful she stepped in when she did."
Maya nodded. "Yeah, thanks for that. Edmund was about to tear us apart."
Briar puffed out her chest proudly. "No problem! Always happy to kick some jerk's butt." She tilted her head, suddenly studying us more closely. "Wait, you're with the Red Ravens, right?"
I hesitated but nodded. "Yeah... is that going to be a problem?"
"Of course not!" Briar exclaimed. "How's Bryn doing?"
I blinked in surprise. "He's... fine."
"Great! I can't wait to fight him again," she said with a grin.
"You know Bryn?" Maya asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Yep! I used to be a member of the Red Ravens," Briar said smugly.
"Wait, seriously?" I asked, shocked.
"We both were," Tristan added.
"Now, back to what I was saying—would you both like an escort out of the city?" Tristan offered.
-------------------------------------------------
Due to this, we both found ourselves in a carriage with Tristan and Briar, heading out of town. The creaking of the wheels on the cobblestone and the rhythmic trot of the horses filled the awkward silence between us.
Although both Maya and I had refused Tristan's offer at first—partly because of how much I hated carriages—we eventually conceded after he explained that almost everyone would be out to get us now that word had spread about the Red Ravens.
"So, Red Ravens, huh?" Briar said, breaking the silence. She had her feet kicked up on the opposite seat, leaning back with her hands behind her head, looking completely at ease.
"Yeah, we joined recently," Maya responded, glancing between Briar and Tristan.
"Bold move," Briar grinned. "I respect it. Most people wouldn't touch that guild with a ten-foot pole after... well, after everything."
I frowned, feeling that same pit of curiosity churn in my stomach. "What did happen with the Red Ravens?" I asked, finally voicing the question that had been gnawing at me since the registration center.
Tristan remained silent, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside the carriage window. Briar, however, leaned forward, her grin fading slightly as she considered how to answer.
"It's not an easy story to tell," she began, her voice losing some of its playful tone. "The Red Ravens used to be one of the top guilds. Respected, powerful, and known for completing impossible quests. But... things went south when they took on a mission they weren't prepared for."
Tristan decided to pitch in; "The guildmaster at the time—Godfrey—was my mentor. He led us into a dungeon... one that was supposed to be a simple relic retrieval, but it turned into a nightmare. We weren't the only ones there. Another guild had taken on the same quest, and... things got ugly."
Briar's eyes darkened, her playful attitude now completely gone. "There were casualties. And people blamed Godfrey for it. Said the Red Ravens got greedy, took risks that shouldn't have been taken. The guild never recovered from the scandal. Most of the original members left... except for a few like Bryn."
Tristan finally spoke up, his voice measured. "It's not as black and white as people think. Godfrey made mistakes, but it wasn't entirely his fault. The other guild was reckless, too. But in the end, the Red Ravens bore the brunt of the blame."
"That explains most of it," said Maya, her voice thoughtful.
"Yeah," Briar nodded. "But, every guild has its rough patches. It doesn't mean you can't make a name for yourselves again."
Tristan remained quiet, his expression unreadable. It was clear that the topic wasn't something he enjoyed discussing, but Briar's optimism seemed to keep the mood from sinking too low.
Although, it made sense. Something still felt off, the reaction just didn't feel warranted. But I decided to keep quiet, I had already gotten enough information.
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