Chapter 55: Guild Master Matthew

Belle: “Here you are.”

Nathan: “Thanks.”

Belle offered Nathan a cup full of tea, a dark brown concoction, that smelled of wild berries invaded his nostrils as he took a sip.

Nathan: “It’s good.”

Matthew: “I’m glad you like it, Lym tea, with wildberry extract. It’s extraordinarily simple, yet that aroma gets me every time.”

Nathan: “Lim, that the herb the tea comes from?”

Matthew: “Why yes, not much other use then a brew of tea, still it a very rare herb, only known to grow in one or two places in the world.”

Nathan: “Where’s that?”

Matthew: “Even if I told you, it would be impossible to reach.”

Nathan: “Darn, I would mind having such an herb on my list.”

Matthew: “I must disagree, with your abilities such as yours, the herb would definitely lose it status.”

Matthew smiled wryly, as if he had said something meaningful, but NAthan had no doubt this man had looked his status over.

Nathan: “Indeed it would, but enough of this, what is it that you want from me. I’m pretty sure you didn’t call me just to talk about tea.”

Matthew: “I like to ask a few questions, if that’s okay with you?”

Nathan: “I’m find with it, as long as they don’t cross any lines.”

Matthew: “I’ll try not to.”

Matthew dismissed Belle, who retreated as quickly as possible, Nathan glancing over to her as she left the room.

Matthew: “Nice, aren’t they?”

Nathan: “What?”

Matthew: “You know, her chest.”

Nathan: “*Sputter*.”

Nathan did a glorious spit take, emptying his mouth of its contents.

Nathan “*cough**cough* W-What, are you saying!?”

Matthew: “Come on, we’re both men here, tell me you weren’t staring.”

Nathan: “Well-”

Nathan suddenly stop his sentence, for next to him, a dark murky aura had arisen. Iris drilled holes into the side of Nathan’s head with her eyes. He didn’t need hear her to speak, but the message was all too clear, “Don’t you dare answer that question wrong”.

Nathan: “I-I hadn’t even notice, i-it is inappropriate to stare or speak of such t-things.”

Matthew: “Bullshit, there isn’t a man alive who wouldn’t notice those things, in fact I’ve believe this branch is so popular with the males, because of her.

Nathan knew that, Matthew knew that, the entire male population knew that, but for the sake of his well-being, Nathan continued to deny his claims. Sweat poured down Nathan’s head, as Iris’s stares practically spilt his skull. Matthew wanted to talk more, but he could see that Nathan was uncomfortable with the topic.

Matthew: “Well, I guess we should talk about it another time.”

Matthew took another sip from his cup, a prolonged sip, as if trying to keep his composure. His posture and way of speaking was suggested he was a noble. From the clothes he wore to the way he presented himself, it was clear that he took care of how he seemed to other people. However, none of that meant anything, through Nathan’s abilities, he could tell that he was extremely nervous, but it was different from belle’s. It was as if he did not want to mess up anything he said and whatever he wanted he was praying he got it.

Matthew: “So let’s get to it. Are you the same Hero who defeated Demon Lord Elphina?”

Nathan: “Beats me.”

Matthew: “What?”

Nathan: “That what I was told by Iris.”

Matthew looked off to his left, looking through Nathan’s party members.

Matthew: “Iris………… the fairy, where is she now?”

Iris: “I right here, I been here the entire time.”

Matthew eyes widen, hearing a voice coming from nowhere, but somehow kept his composure.

Matthew: “I see, let me apologize for ignoring you.”

Iris: “No apologies needed, how were you supposed to know I was here?”

Matthew: “What you say is true, so miss Iris, how could you know that he was the Hero from then?”

Iris: “Someone very trustworthy, told me this fact.”

Matthew couldn’t see, but Iris was nodded her head a matter-of-factly. Matthew put a hand to his chin.

Matthew: “And you just believe this person, wholeheartedly?”

Iris: “Excuse me?”

Matthew: “Not to be rude, but believing something to be absolute truth, without any proof, sound rather foolhardy.”

Nathan quickly placed a hand on Iris’s shoulder, he could tell she had become irritated by the question. At this point Iris revealed herself, shocking him from her sudden emergence. He had never believed he would see a fairy in his entire life, it was rather enchanting, even with the rather displease expression she had currently.

Iris: Pardon me, but your line of questioning, make it seems you doubt Master is the Hero.”

Matthew: “Oh no, from what I see here, he is indeed a Hero, it just your very existence, brings about skepticism. I’m sure you heard by now, the Hero concept was created by humans for humans, the fact that a Therian is the Hero, any human would be shocked to hear this.”

Nathan: “Well be for I awoke I was a human.”

Matthew: “I see from your status, it says your both, which in itself odd.

Nathan explained to Matthew his situation, excluding anything he shouldn’t reveal.

Matthew: “I see, I didn’t know such a thing was possible, but if it is, why would she change your appearance so drastically?”

Nathan: “I don’t know, that one of the reasons I’m trying to find her. She didn’t leave any real clues to her whereabouts in her study.”

Matthew: “I can’t imagine, a five-thousand-year-old trail, would be easy to follow.”

Nathan: “Nor do we, but it’s all we have got as of now, but she seemed to have written numerous books, I figured a library would be our best bet.”

Matthew: “Where is this study, maybe there’s something you misse-”

Nathan: “Stop right there, I can’t tell you where it was, plus I’m not even sure how to get back there (Not that I want to go back.). There is a huge forest between here and there.”

Matthew: “(Huge forest) The center of this continent, is almost completely forested, perhaps you came from there?”

Nathan: “I don’t know, I was lost for a long time before I found my way out. But the people I met were surprise that I came out of the forest.”

Matthew: “Their reactions are not surprising to me at all.”

Matthew got up from his chair and walk to his desk. He moved his hand out of sight.

Belle could you bring me a map of the area south of Loegrey?”

Belle: “Right away, Mr. Rhyshere.”

A few moments and Belle promptly returned with large rolled up parchment. She handed to Matthew before making her self scarce once again. Matthew unrolled the parchment and spread it out across the table. Nathan eyed the map passionately, as did Iris. As he thought, he couldn’t read it, he could make out landmarks, but the words escaped him.

Iris’s eyes rolled across every inch of the map, sadly, it was lacking all the content they needed. Loegrey was settle towards the top, while the rest were roads, villages, forest, all south of the city.

Iris didn’t know what to make of this, she recognize the name Bourice, off to the west of Loegrey and Ream just southwest. However, there were a few other villages she didn’t know was there, or so she was told wasn’t there.

Matthew: “Could you point out the general area you emerge?”

Nathan: “Sorry, can’t make his or tails of what this says.”

Matthew: “Your illit-”

Nathan: “I am NOT illiterate.”

Iris: “He is not accustomed to this language.”

Nathan: “Oh but, I can tell you I was three days by carriage from a town called Ream.”

Matthew: “Ream is that farming town southwest of here.”

Nathan: “I was told it was the southernmost settlement and by carriage from where I was it would take three days to reach ream.”

Matthew: “What, there was be some mistake.”

Matthew pointed out several points on the map while he talked. Drea, Ream, Eam and Meard are all south of here. In fact, they are really close together, you might even call them one city.”

Nathan and Iris were surprise to hear this, why would Beatrice tell them that it was only one city down there?

Matthew: “Let’s see, three days from Ream, this must be the section you came from, Dyrek woods. The deeper you go, the taller the trees, but besides that surely you came across the Twelve Horns.”

Nathan: “Those giant deer things, yeah I saw them, but deer don’t usually attack if you don’t show any aggression.”

Matthew: “Is that true?”

Nathan: “Well, if there is any danger, I would know, I gotten pretty close to those Twelve Horns, even running underneath one, there was no aggression on their part what so ever.”

Matthew: “I see.”

Iris: (Master?)

Iris gave Nathan a glance, she didn’t understand why he had just done that.

Matthew: “Still, the forests towards the center map, are known for the high-level monsters, even the strongest adventurers avoid heading into its depths. The deeper you go the stronger the monsters and at some points you may also run into elves.”

Nathan: “Elves?”

Matthew: “Elves are very territorial, though you might see a few around here, they are mostly explorers and runaways. If by some chance you make past the high leveled monsters, elves will vigorously hunt down trespassers who head toward the center.”

Nathan: “Make sense, but why aren’t they attacking now?”

Matthew: “I’m not really sure of the reasons, but as long as we stick to the shores, we don’t have to worry about such dangers, rarely does anything exit the forest and if it does, there are forts and the such stationed to keep watch.”

Nathan: “Isn’t still risky to settle here?”

Iris: “Yes, I understand for the Therian, but your human, why would you all risk leaving here?”

Matthew: “Trade.”

Matthew set back in his seat.

Matthew: “As you probably all know, not all the races are on the best of terms.”

Nathan: “Yeah.”

Matthew: “From the eastern shore of this continent, you can get to [Umbrya] to the north, [Dreyd] to the east and both Trosan and Atoa to the south.

Nathan: “So Loegrey acts as sort of a hub for various region to receive goods from other’s regions, with little to no contact.”

Mathew: “Precisely, Midheim and Hyborne as well, even if the races are hostile towards one another, there are just resources one cannot do without and by some godly coincidence, each continent has a resource the others do not. This way, no one has to come into direct contact, the central continent is a neutral zone. All the under the control of both the Merchant guilds and Adventurers guild.”

Nathan listened and couldn’t believe how ridiculous he sounded. In a way that system work, but there were just so many things wrong with the situation. It was just a convenient way of keeping segregated while getting what you wanted. Nathan changed the subject, if they kept talking he would have said something that offended everyone.

Matthew: “I think it’s quite amazing you were able to make it through all of that.”

Nathan: “Yeah, I’m really lucky, anyway, we’ve talked long enough, I’ll take my leave.”

Matthew: Ah wait, how long you were planning to stay?”

Nathan: “Not sure, a friend suggested I do a few quests and I was planning on entering the dungeon, but I think will probably head north afterward. I know will be staying for at least a week or a couple days more.”

Matthew: “I see.”

Matthew thought for a moment, there were a few more things he needed to ask.

Matthew: “I know your keeping your hidden for now, but do you have any plans of revealing yourself?”

Nathan: “None what so ever, I come to realize nothing good would come of it.”

Matthew didn’t let it show, but he breath a sigh of relief. Having a Therian come out as the true Hero, would bring nothing but a headache.

Nathan: “Besides, it not like I’m needed, there no demon Lord as of now, right?”

Matthew: “Actually yes, several in fact.”

Nathan: “………..What, no way!?”

Matthew had answered the question so nonchalantly, it took him a minute to realize how stun Nathan was.

Matthew: “Well, even though they are called Demon Lords, they aren’t what I would call a threat.”

Nathan: “You don’t call a Demon Lord a threat?”

Matthew ushered Nathan too calm himself.

Matthew: “To be honest, Demon Lord is no more than a title. Their just individuals with extreme amounts of power, that could rival the churches appointed Heroes.”

Nathan: “There are Heroes too and what do you mean appointed by the church?”

Matthew: “I could explain it all to you, but it might take a while.”

Nathan didn’t care, he wanted to hear.

Matthew: “The disciples of Riga Morte, would scout individuals who they found to have a Legacy. Eveyrone who joined were named Heroes and given the highest esteem, while those who refuse were dubbed Demon Lords and ostracized by the people.”

Nathan: “What, just like that and they’re considered Demon Lords, that’s really messed up.”

Matthew: “I agree, but it would be foolhardy to challenge their declaration.”

Nathan: “Why?”

Matthew: “Just like the guilds, the Church is a separate power from the governments of the world. And unlike the segregated governments of the world, the church has influence, spanning the globe and a private army that dwarfs any one races army.”

Nathan: “So it’s okay to ruin people’s lives, just because they refuse to join their rank, that’s bullshit.”

Matthew continued talking about the churches influence. He also told him of another church, The house of Valenus and their worship of the Goddess Xana. They were originally the only church that existed, until about a thousand or so years.

Nathan: “The Riga Morte church, caught up to them and only a few thousand years?”

Matthew: “Well, with their ability to locate Legacy owners, it wasn’t difficult for them to gain favor with certain individuals. And since the Valenus, refuses to appoint Heroes and instead just give blessings and healings, the adventure guild hold them in high esteem.”

Nathan: “So you are all protecting Valenus?”

Matthew: “Not officially, but there are a lo of adventurer, who owe the church their lives, myself included. I don’t they will just sit around and watch the church come under attack.”

Nathan got the gift of the situation, the Adventurer Guild won’t up right say they’re protecting the church, but if push comes to shove, they would act to defend it. Nathan also wonder about that ability the Disciples had, the ability to locate Legacy owners didn’t sound to good, the minute he was done here, he was invoking both Anais and Iris’s abilities on Everyone in his party with a Legacy.

As they spoke more about the church, Matthew ran, through Nathans stats over in over, they were ridiculous, in fact, three others were incredible as well. However, his eyes kept coming back to one in particular, not only a fairy, but a nymph as well. For such a thing to even be possible for him, he would have had come from the deepest parts of the continent.

Matthew was sure Nathan wouldn’t tell him and due to the non-disclosure contract, he couldn’t investigate to thoroughly without revealing some information. He didn’t quite understand why the Hero of all people would join the Adventurers guild instead of revealing himself as the Hero, not that he wanted that at this point.

Nathan: “Do you need anything else or did I meet your expectations.”

Matthew: “What?”

Nathan: “Please don’t question my intelligence, you weren’t really all that interested in what I had to say, you’re just trying to get a feel for my character. More than that, you seemed to care more about the Fae in my party, I notice how you reacted to Iris. So, let’s talk about what you really want to talk about.”

Matthew smiled wryly, he was seen through much easier then he anticipated.

Matthew: “From your status I can see that you are rather strong, ridiculously in fact. I have a proposition, thing of it as a quest.”

Nathan: “Oh?”

Matthew: “It pays extremely well, you have every right to refuse, but I really hope you will do this for me.”

Nathan: “And what’s that?”

Matthew: “Sorry, I won’t give you any details, unless you agree.”

Nathan: “I won’t agree to something I know nothing about. For all I know you could ask me to kill someone.”

Matthew: “I assure its nothing so sinister, how about this, if you return to me in eight days, I’ll tell you all the details. However, I can say it is a truly important person.”

Nathan Suspicion about Matthew were half correct, this was a test. He was definitely trying to figure out his character. Nathan didn’t hate this type of person, the Hero suddenly showing up, with no money, wanting to join, but keeping his status under lock and key, it sounded too sketchy. However, he without a doubt wanted his power for something.

Nathan: ‘Do you mind if I ask you a question?”

Matthew: “You realize, that was actually a question?”

Nathan: “………………….”

Nathan gave Matthew a look for his lame joke.

Matthew: “Couldn’t help myself, but in all seriousness please.”

Nathan: “What do you think of me, no what do you think of the Hero?”

Matthew looked taken aback by the question, he wasn’t expecting such thing to be asked.

Matthew: “I don’t think you will like what I had to say.”

Nathan: “Let me decide that.”

Matthew: “……………..In all honesty, its unneeded. The purpose of the Hero was someone strong enough to defeat the Demon Lord, which you did. Sure, there are Demon Lords now, but in name only. For hundreds of years, not one has made any malicious movement however, soon that may change, after your worldly emergence, some might take that as a threat. Nations on the brink of war, may now come to clash, all because you idiotically reveal yourself.

Nathan quickly grabbed Iris and held her small body to his chest, she hadn’t moved, but his reflexes activated anyway. Matthew was startled by the sudden reaction, more so Iris, who was now held firmly to Nathan’s chest.

The anger in her being replaced by embarrassment, as the warmth of his body, radiated onto her skin. She tried to pull away, but the more she pushed the more she was smushed to him. Nathan realizing Iris had calmed down, let her loose a bit, urging Matthew to continue, assuring everything was fine. As second longer and he was sure Iris would have blown him away.

Matthew: “I find it skeptical that you want to hide your identity, but at the same time, I wish you would have stayed hidden all together. In this peaceful day and age where war was only your existence is a hindrance.”

*Bzzzzzzt*

Nathan: “IRIS!!”

Matthew could no longer keep his composure, as a large ball of energy appeared in front of him, then just as quickly dissipated. The killing intent Iris just shot their direction was enough to make one pass out. Her rage was only sated, by the hands holding her down.

Nathan quickly jumped up, they had to leave.

Nathan: “Thank you for that, I think I might take you up on your offer, but we’ll leave for today.”

Matthew looked completely flustered for a moment and then smiled. It was better to end the conversation, whilst Nathan had Iris held down. He notice Nathan was carrying two swords on his back.

Matthew: “That sword, is that the Hero sword?”

Nathan: “Yes, it is.”

Matthew: “Is there a chance you could show it to me?”

Nathan: “Absolutely not, if I unsheathe it everyone will know I’m here.”

Matthew: “Ah I see (So that power from before was the blade.). You have my word, I will keep your record in the utmost of confidentiality.

Matthew snapped his fingers and moments later Belle arrived.

Nathan: “(Is she the only one working here?)”

Matthew: “Belle, would you be so kind as to finish telling him all the information he needs?”

Belle: “Yes Master, Ryshere.”

Matthew: “It been a pleasure meeting you.”

Nathan: “And you as well.”

Nathan stood to leave, following Belle out and down the hall. Matthew grab his cup and finished what was inside.

Matthew: “Nathan Lowell, interesting.”