A new day and a new adventure to be had. As I woke up I tried to keep a good mood despite my sore body. That stupid curse has been causing a lot of problems within my body, moreover, because I spent so much mana yesterday I still feel drained today. Here I was thinking and saying I would be careful with my mana consumption only to go ahead and burn a bunch of it in a whim. Well, no use crying over spilt milk, right now I need to get some income, raise my rank in the guild and find clues on how to deal with the curse.

After I cleaned my body with a bucket of cold water and a piece of cloth I went downstairs and had breakfast. This inn is really cheap, the rooms are small, the bed is rigid and the food tastes like cardboard. I had a far comfier life inside the stupid forest, alas I need to get money if I want comfort, there is nothing to be earned by complaining. It took me a while but I was finally able to finish my horrible meal, I didn’t know you could cook meat in such a way it became tougher than leather.

Trying my best to forget about the horrors of the food I had fought just now I made my way towards the guild. The more quests I finish the more money I will get not to mention the faster my rank will go up. I shall do at least five quests today! Trying to improve my mood I finally reached the guild, however, as I walked towards the notice board someone called my name. Turning around I saw the young receptionist gentlemen calling my name with slight concern in his expression.

I’m not that scary you know, I am a gentle and compassionate soul. Well, I didn’t actually voice my thoughts, I bet there are a bunch of idiots that would like to disagree. Taking my time I walked towards the counter with a calm and relaxed expression wondering what might be the reason this young man called to me. Now that I think about it I never bothered to ask for his name, might as well ask now, better late than never, am I right?

“Hello erm, what was your name again I can’t seem to remember”

“Ah! right, how rude of me, I didn’t give my name yesterday. Ahem, my name is Cameron. I called you because the guild master wishes to see you”

Yup, his extremely nervous, I can tell despite his best attempt at hiding it. The way his eyes twitch from time to time looking at my every move gives it away. Whatever it’s not like I care, what is important now is that for some reason that guy wants to see me.

“Sure, lead the way”

Cameron gave a respectful nod before asking another employee to cover for him while he guides me to the guild master’s office. You know, you could have asked that employee to guide me instead since you are busy and all that. I sighed internally, this guy is truly scared shitless of me. It didn’t take long to reach the door to the office but I bet it felt like an eternity to poor Cameron over here. After knocking and announcing my presence Cameron guided me inside before leaving, his pace while leaving was much faster than before. Come on I won’t bite you, no need to be so wary sheesh.

“Amelia Bellevie, with a strength to combat rock-golems with absolute ease alongside facing off a Goliath-King to tell the tale, not to mention being cursed by it with the withering curse. You claim you are an adventurer from ingracia that got here due to a desperate attempt of a mage you were fighting. However, there is no information about you in Ingracia’s branch. Moreover, you registered here as a new adventurer instead of requesting an information check of your previous accomplishments to keep your rank. I will go to the point, you are suspicious, what do you have to say for yourself”

Wow, this guy did a thorough background check on me, I feel honoured. To think that cutting and incinerating an idiots arm would get me this kind of attention. Well, it doesn’t matter, I expected to have my info back in ingracia deleted after not showing my face for more than a year. As for the rest of the info, I bet Isa and her merry group were the ones to spill the beans. It’s not like a told them to keep it a secret so I can’t hold it against them, not that I have a reason to do so anyway.

“I see, I guess Isa reported about my strength. Well, the reason there is no info about me is that I got lost in the maze forest for eight years. There is no reason for Ingracia’s branch to keep the info of a miserable rank D after such a long time is there?”

I gave him a slight grin. Search as you may but my background is something you will never get your hands on. Why? simple I am not from this world sucker! Even if my info from Ingracia still existed you wouldn’t find much about me.

“That may be the case, but there is no way a D ranker can survive for eight years in such a place. Even A rankers would have trouble surviving for a single month”

His eyes narrow as if trying to see through me. Well if they can’t it is because they are weak! Don’t go comparing me with such people. Moreover, who are you to be questioning me! yea, yea you are the guild master of this branch, arguably one could say you are my boss, but do I look like I give the slightest of f*cks? Because trust me I don’t. While complaining endlessly inside my mind I decided to contain myself a little.

“Well, it’s not my problem if you want to believe me or not. I am lying, then what of it? is lying a crime? If you are curious about my background go ahead and search as much as you want. There is nothing you will find out either way”

I shrug my shoulders to drive my point home that I didn’t care about his snooping around my past.

“And what makes you so confident about the fact I won’t be able to dig it out. Remember this is the Liberty Association with branches in the entire human, beast-kin, elven, and dwarven alliance”

“Even with all that, nothing will come out and you would be wasting resources. If that’s all you want to talk about I will be taking my leave, I still need to earn my income don’t I?”

I began walking towards the door disregarding any formalities with the guy. If we are talking about first impressions that hulking beast of a woman called Diana gave me a better first impression than this man. Such a bother, I could have used this time to look for a good request.

“Amelia, despite the fact that I don’t trust you in the slightest I will be asking for your cooperation. There have been a few incidents occurring lately and we believe they might be connected. For that reason, we sent Miss Bulwark party to investigate. However, as you could see, they weren’t enough for such a task. Most of our highly ranked adventurers are already in high difficulty missions and it is because of this that I can’t ask for their cooperation. Miss bulwark party has been doing their utmost to find the reason for these incidents, however, their strength is not enough. It is because of this that I-”

“Let me get this straight. First, you look at my background and confront me for the lack of info you were able to dig up, and now you want my help?”

I couldn’t help but burst in laughter after he nodded with a solemn atmosphere. Your social skills are worse than mine! If you want someone help at least try to appeal to them not make them your enemy you dumb piece of an idiot with a lack of brainpower. It took me some time, a really long time, to get my composure back. I hadn’t had such a good laugh in a long time.

“How much?”

His expression was filled with confusion at my words. How dumb can a human being be! I believe my tone was calm, and my intonation proper, how come you can’t comprehend my words! are you sure you are a human and not some dumb ape!?

“I am asking how much will you be paying me? It's simple isn’t it? work for money or privileges that’s how this work, you are the guild master of this branch and can’t comprehend even this much? Just tell me your offer and I will see if I feel like it”

“This incident involves peoples safety and-”

“I don’t f*cking care about people's safety. For all, I care this town can be wiped off the map and I would just move to another one as if nothing happened. If you want my help you will have to buy it, simple as that”

Really how hard is it to understand that I want M.O.N.E.Y do I have to spell it? do I have to send a well-written letter to his address? Do I have to get an economist to teach this dumb nut the meaning of hired help? I am starting to get angry, and in the words of that green character from comics, you won’t like me when I am angry.

“How can you say such a thing? To begin with-”

“Are you paying me or not? just answer with a yes or no, that way I can know if talking with you is worth it or not”

Silence. The guild master stood there with a dumbfounded expression. I don’t know what was going through his mind at the moment or if it was blank from shock and to tell the truth I didn’t care either. Just give me your answer and let’s get this over with.

“You said you were a D ranker back in ingracia right? How about I race your rank to C here?”

“Now we are talking business but that’s too low of a price for me, how about you add ten gold coins and we can start negotiating”

I bet this guy is cursing my entire bloodline right now. I can see anger in his eyes like no other but that is not my problem, from the info he has given me, this issue seems to be big, complicated and involves the lives of quite a number of people. Let’s see how much he values those lives.