"You are in deep trouble young lady..." a slightly beaten man raised on his feet.

Despite the fact that a griffon hit his body when Tristan sent one flying earlier, his wounds were not too serious. By the way, the griffon in question was still struggling in the wall trying to free itself. It now reminded a mounted wall trophy... only it was the griffon's rear sticking outside the wall instead of the head.

The other griffon, one I personally saw crashing into a wall, has ended in way less embarrassing position... but judging from the body swaying back and forth, probably wasn't even able to tell north from the south. Only the third griffon still in front of Tristan has not suffered any damage - mostly thanks to my timely intervention... and the barrier he used... she.

According to the books, only females should have this ability... something nature has granted to compensate for a weakened body state when they incubate an egg. But as it happens only once a century most of the time it is used to attack instead... Very few can survive the impact when a griffon dives from the skies at full speed and then activates the said barrier at the last moment. Which says a lot about its sturdiness... and yet Tristan almost shattered it with just a few light pats of his claws. It's no wonder this white griffon now looked at Tristan as if he was a monster.

Wait. Young lady? I looked back at the man who said that... a bit unexpected manner of speech considering what just happened. In my old world, half of the words used would be... different.

Judging from the armor the human was a member of the council's elite troops. I think their official name is Exalts of Imperial Legion, but even in the books they are more often called just by the name Exalts.

His armor was a mix of bone and metal weaved into a complex structure, where it looked more like it was grown than crafted by a smith. Mostly it was gray in color, but the rune at the chest and every single gap at the joints were producing a bright blue glow. Without a doubt, some sort of enchantment, although I suspect that usually it was inert. Probably activates only when in danger... or let's say when a dragon hurls a fully grown griffon right into your face.

I looked around but saw no sign of his colleagues. There should have been at least a few more to match the number of griffons... although if this was the same bunch I saw this morning on the way to the guild then one more griffon was now missing.

The Exalt was right of course, this time I was really in deep trouble. I slowly glanced at the crowd of adventurers watching us with great interest and...

Yeah... with so many witnesses knocking the other party or using some drugs to tamper with the memories was not an option... especially when space-time mages with 'peek into the past' could render it all useless... not to mention it would be a very bad example for Tristan's education...

"But I did nothing wrong," I then replied to the guy - the very picture of an innocent girl.

To be honest, if we were still back in my old world, I would be already making a call... even with all evidence against me, few could rival my father's ability to turn black into white... one way or another.

"Nothing wrong?" the Exalt wiped the blood from the corner of his lips, "First of all, you have used teleportation right in front of me and..." He shifted his gaze to Tristan, "and... as its owner, you are responsible for his actions."

"Hey!" I quickly objected with my hands on the hips, "What do you mean as its owner? My Tristan is not a pet."

"~YES~" Tristan nodded his head with a serious expression, "~I AM BIG BROTHER~"

"Brother?" many of adventurers in the vicinity reacted to his words immediately.

Big brother? I widened my eyes as well. Is this because he is bigger?

"Does it mean that she is..." someone started to talk while looking at me with wide eyes.

"I am NOT a dragon!" I shouted in a hurry, my rumor senses tingling, "Please don't say such words carelessly... you have no idea how hard it's to deal with the rumors that follow..."

"Hey, what happened?"

"What's is going on there?!"

Almost at the same time, two different voices reached from behind.

When I looked, the source of first was Tia who finally caught up with me, although soon half of our party members reached as well. The other party was... Rei Era'dor, guild master here at the Capital... no, not just guild master, the head of an entire organization.

I never saw him in person, but I was sure it was him. As for why...

Unlike dryads, who have an inborn ability of nature magic, or beastmen who can control the sands, fox beaskin as a race doesn't have any unique traits... save for heightened senses common among beastkin races, and slightly longer lifespan... but even then, the elves surpass them in longevity by a large margin.

After all, the skill Spring of Life was a lesser version of Eternal and only when it reaches maximum level evolves into the later.

So why is then the most expensive slave ever sold in the history was a fox beaskin? The answer is simple. The birth ratio of their males is so rare that it's almost nonexistent. And this Rei Era'dor... just so happened to be one of them.

Judging from his white hair the fox was quite old, although one would never be able to say that just by looking at his face... because even with all accomplishments, our world has in plastic surgery... facial features of this particular fox could put to shame any woman I ever saw.

Long hair that reached all the way to the knees only strengthened that image. There was only one reason I even dared to think the fox was a man.

A beard.

It was a half foot long, with a few knots tied near the end, white, just like the rest of his hair... and... boy, with a face like that, it looked completely out of place. Somehow he reminded Averon, Guild Master from Endorod City... but that's only because both were in possession of a beard that couldn't look more fake.

But where one looked like a young man cosplaying as Santa, the other looked like a world class beauty that tried to hide her gender... and failed miserably.

I have to admit that even I felt a tinge of envy when looked at that smooth as silk face.

When adventurers in the hall and exalt looked in his direction, everyone held their breath and shortly I realized that I did the same. Especially when my gaze landed on his deep indigo color eyes.

Those were the eyes of a warrior... a warrior that hasn't met his equal for a very long time.

As it was a norm for adults of his race, the fox had tree tails, but long white robe dragging on the floor hid them most of the time. Hmm, probably not a warrior... a mage. I can't imagine myself moving in that without tripping every few steps.

"I am still waiting for the answer," the fox spoke again... and his voice did nothing to redeem his image as a man.

While it wasn't at the point where it had a clear feminine vibe like Sei's, it was still at the edge where it could belong to either side.

When his gaze landed on the wall where griffon finally managed to free itself his face grimaced in pain, "... and whoever did this to my property... will pay dearly."

"I was ordered by the Council to escort adventurer Melissa, also known as Red Beast, and..." the exalt who just spoke then slightly hesitated when looked at Tristan, "and her brother... The Council wants to meet with them as soon as possible. The confrontation was... not something I have anticipated."

So teleportation wasn't even the real issue there? Was he just waiting there in case I return?

My gaze then wandered over the group that followed the fox, or more precisely two exalts among them. I have already guessed their presence based on the number of griffons so it was hardly a surprise. Probably kept a company to Guild Master all this time and when heard the commotion followed him there. One of them I even recognized as the guy I saw this morning on the way to the Guild.

"Well, the Council will have to wait," the fox spoke as his gaze landed on me, "It seems that we have much to discuss... I will now ask everyone involved to follow me."

He then turned around and faced a woman from a group following him, " Liriala, my dear, would you be so kind and call one of the priests we hired for the Tournament? We would be very poor hosts if let our guests bleed while we talk."

"Yes, Guild Master." the woman replied and then rushed away.

"But the Council..." the exalt from earlier started to object.

The fox turned his head over the shoulder and suddenly temperature in the hall dropped nearly to zero, "Do I have to repeat myself?"

One of exalts that was next to the fox shook his head, warning his colleague to stop and all of us started to follow as asked.

For a moment I followed with my eyes the woman that left earlier, then slowly looked around. I have not paid it attention earlier, but... that fox at the podium, who probably even now announces the names of next participants. Or that woman who suggested me to use the Arena for my Sacred Battle a few days ago... or that receptionists I asked for a new guild badge when entered the city... or even this assistant who just left to fetch a priest... nearly one-third of the staff working there at the Guild had a certain trait common with Guild Master.

The race of a fox.

I slowly turned my head to Rei... probably the only male representative of the race in the city. Was this just preferential treatment or... some master plan for creating a harem? If it was the later then the fox was much more successful than a certain Champion I know...

"Hey, what did I miss?" head of a dwarf suddenly popped up from the side.

Ah, speak of the devil... well, it was not exactly the guy I had in mind, but Michael WAS a Champion.

Apparently, all this time he stayed to watch the battles in Arena... even when he was supposed to join other Champions to ambush the Harbingers through the portals when I left to meet with the enemy. The plan was, of course, a failure, but it seems that he hasn't even bothered to attend.

Very unreliable ally.

And speaking of allies this fox was the head of Adventurers Guild... probably even a friend of Guild Master at Endorod city. In that case, shouldn't the contract I signed regarding the dungeon make him my ally as well? The way exalts just now obeyed his commands... a smile slowly found its way on my face. Perhaps this incident will be not so hard to deal with as I thought.

*

"One thousand three hundred and twenty gold coins for the damage and... *whistle* at least half of the sum has to be paid within a month..." a certain dwarf champion shook his head with his gaze on the document, a copy I was given at the end of my meeting with guild master, "Man, you have a talent for getting into trouble."

That sly fox! My left eye slightly twitched and I hastened my steps through the city. Help with the incident my ass! More like hit while I am down.

Have I ever mention that I am rich?

Well... I think that the word 'was' should be more appropriate now. Yes, there were countless ways I could get the necessary sum of gold, even this big, but few of them could do so in a short span of time... and flooding the market with diamonds was definitely a poor choice.

While on the global scale it's completely impossible for my transmutation to compete with the mines that excavate them naturally... at least when it comes to the tiny ones. Diamonds are valuable because they are rare, and the very fact that someone can create them at will and of any size has the potential to crash the market.

It's one thing if I sell a bit of them here and there, maybe I found a hidden stash on the corpse of that assassin... or it was a gift from Endorod City Lord for my help in the battle. But if all of sudden an adventurer, that normally should have absolutely nothing to do with the particular sphere of trade, starts to sell them left and right... it wouldn't take long before the truth is revealed.

Especially with all those spies keeping an eye on me.

Yes, I would still be able to get the necessary amount of gold before anyone managed to connect the dots, and it's not like they could do anything to stop me even if they do, but... it would hurt me much more in the long run. I kind of like the idea of making quick cash practically from thin air, and it would make me very sad if the option was suddenly gone because of my actions... not to mention I would create lots of enemies if ruined this trade.

"Well, this certainly looks like someone is taking advantage of my Kitty," Phoenix joined the conversation, "The building is headquarters of the guild, and there is no way a few holes in the wall is enough to disrupt the network of enchantments. It would be a huge oversight from their part if it was possible to accomplish that with so little effort..."

"Ha!" the dwarf laughed, "With such a perfect excuse I would charge at least double if I was in his place."

"You are a terrible ally, you know that?" Miriel who walked nearby shook her head.

"Well, at least you will now know how it feels like when you charge us for every little toy..." Jack who walked ahead of us turned back with a grin.

"Who cares about some stupid money," Tia grumbled from the side, "It's not fair. I was really waiting for our trip outside after this..."

"Well, no one forces you to buy those... toys," I replied while completely ignoring Tia's remark, "and just so you know, even inferior versions of what you have could be sold for at least four times the price."

"Ten times," the dwarf champion joined again, "You are terrible at this, girl... should have left it in the hands of professionals."

"Someone like you you mean?" I asked with mirth in the voice.

"Exactly!" the dwarf exclaimed with a wide grin, "By the way the offer still stands..."

Our journey back to the Temple was mostly uneventful, one of exalts silently followed our group, Michael continued pestering me with various schemes, Tia was pissed our trip outside the city was canceled, the one where she was supposed to prepare a barbecue... and then fly on Tristan's back as a reward. But other than that it was really no different from how we reached the Guild this morning.

The real problem was my meeting with the Council.

Thanks to a certain fox it was delayed for tomorrow as it was quite late by the time the fox was done with us, and the Council wasn't exactly working 24/7. Hmm, more like 26/7 with the day cycle in this world, but yeah... saved by working hours. Anyway, depending on how long the meeting will last it was very likely that I will be disqualified from the Tournament if fail to show up on time when called to the stage.

Hmm, maybe that was one of the goals? I can't deny that the Council seeking me now of all times was a bit suspicious.

After Dahaal has sent me back to this world the Council had plenty of time to invite me for a chat... and to do so right after my meeting with that Harbinger... Mmm, I probably just look for an excuse to blame someone else... Most likely it's related to the village Tristan leveled to the ground. The orc and fox beastkin I saved back then were adventurers on the mission and I wouldn't be surprised if the word about what happened has reached the Council before I even started playing a doctor at that other village.

Well, regardless of the reasons this will be quite a problem to deal with... especially when this was probably not something a bit of violence can solve. I couldn't help but chuckle when was reminded of a phrase from a movie: 'if violence isn't enough to solve all your problems, that's only because you don't use enough violence'.

Even I know that it's complete bullshit, but damn if it doesn't sound cool...

"~I AM SORRY~" the voice of Tristan suddenly brought me back from my inner thoughts and I realized that some of them must have leaked through our bond.

He probably could tell that whatever troubled me was somehow related to what he did.

"Oh, don't you worry," I playfully hit his scales within my reach, "Everything will be alright."

If not... well, it's never too late to test that violence thing, I am a demon after all...