The Calling of Wrath - Book 2 - Chapter 1 - Way to Silver (Patreon)

Published:

2022-08-24 06:22:15

Imported:

2023-04

Content

                                                           Cassandra
                                         Year 820 | Month 2 | Day 28
                           One week after signing up as an Adventurer

“You’re back already, Scarlet?” one of the invader soldiers standing guard at the entrance to the city of Acre says with a faint smile on his face.

I nod back to him, my face still covered by the Rot Mask that I got from my Tier 2 Tier Breach Mission.

The other soldier at the entrance just shakes his head and mutters, “Still not talking?”

Without looking at the man, I continue staring through my mask straight at the first soldier as the man continues writing on the paper in his hands.

Several seconds pass before the man raises his head and says, “Alright, that was the last of the checks, so you’re free to pass through.”

I nod my head at him and begin walking through the gate with my cloak billowing in the wind behind me. However, as I’m walking, I notice the soldier who had muttered the quiet complaint frowning at my back just like he has done every day for the past two days. Ever since I started taking Dark Forest monster elimination missions here in Acre.

“I really wish she would talk,” I hear him mutter through my aura after I’m too far to hear him naturally with my ears.

Why the hell is that guy so obsessed with hearing my voice and seeing my face? It’s bizarre.

Although at least he’s not trying to force it or anything like that…

I continue walking into the city towards the Adventurers Assembly while carrying a sack of monster ears over my back and ignoring the looks being sent my way by the other adventurers and citizens.

“That’s Scarlet isn’t it?” one of the passing adventurers quietly mutters to another one. “The unidentifiable adventurer that appeared a few days ago and began rapidly completing elimination jobs?”

My lips purse at the idle gossip before I simply shake my head and continue walking.

I hope I can become a silver ranked adventurer and meet the other requirements for passing through the blockade between the Duchy of Viette and the other duchies as soon as possible.

After walking for a while through the crowded streets of the city, I eventually reach the Adventurers Assembly and pass through the entrance. My entrance almost immediately draws the eye of a large portion of the adventurers in the entrance hall, but most of them return their attention back to their conversations just as quickly.

I ignore the few gazes still locked on me to approach the receptionist’s desk. Once I get there, Vahla – the keeper of this branch of the Adventurers Assembly – immediately smiles and says, “Welcome back! I guess you already finished the jobs?”

With a brief nod of my head, I pull the sack from around my shoulder and set it on the counter, spilling out the ears over various different monsters.

Unlike with the first time I showed off my haul here, most of the adventurers simply ignore the large haul and continue their conversations. Meanwhile, Vahla herself immediately hurries to count the ears while saying, “You’ve been doing a really good job these past few days.”

I simply nod my head in response despite her attention not being on me.

A few seconds pass and she raises her head from the pile of monster ears – which probably smells bad considering the scrunching of Vahla’s nose – to complain with a pout that doesn’t befit her age, “Why haven’t you said anything since returning from the border?”

My eye twitches at the question.

Is she ever going to stop asking that?

I stare at her for a few seconds before shaking my head.

It’s better to not draw attention to my voice since some nobles might recognize it. Especially the higher up ones.

Besides. I don’t really like talking much anyways and this gives me an excuse not to.

That along with the fact that it still feels a little odd to speak with fangs in my mouth. Even if I somehow automatically adjusted to it with the change.

The keeper just sighs again and continues counting the ears as if this interaction never happened.

I watch her for a few seconds before glancing at the other adventurers spread throughout the room. By this point, they’ve all turned their attention back to their own conversations, with the exception-

My thoughts cut off as soon as my eyes land on a familiar face within the crowd of adventurers.

Shit, the noble is back again?!

And she’s staring directly at me!

Or… she’s staring at my cloak?

I hold myself back from tilting my head at the odd gaze, only to turn to look at Vahla again as she says, “Alright, that should be all. You’ve now completed a total of fifteen jobs. Which just makes a total of thirty-five more remaining for you to reach silver rank.”

A smile crosses my face at the thought, and I reach my hand out for the reward that she quickly places in my hand in the form of a large pouch. I then place the pouch in the pocket of my cloak before carefully putting it in the spatial pouch in a way that no one can see it.

“Do you want to take any more jobs?” she asks with a slight nod towards the job request board, but I shake my head no and begin to make my way out of the Adventurers Assembly so as to get away from the noble woman.

I can always just come back in the morning for more jobs.

Right now, it’s more important to not attract her attention to me.

With that thought in mind, I make my way through the entrance hall and out the entrance, only to feel a faint sprinkling of rain coming down from the sky once I do.

My brows furrow slightly at the feeling of the water droplets hitting my cloak before I continue my way towards the inn I’ve been spending every night in since arriving back at the city from the border.

Which also happens to be a much nicer inn than the one I was staying in during my first night in this city, immediately after first leaving the Dark Forest.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning strikes a hill further away from the city, followed shortly by the sound of thunder, bringing my thoughts back to the incredibly powerful invader that I could sense standing guard at the border post of the duchy. Despite the invader being so far away, too far for me to normally be able to sense someone or something, I could easily feel his Tier 3 strength from entire kilometers away from them.

I grimace at the thought before shaking my head and focusing on making my way towards the inn.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Discord Invite:

https://discord.gg/R7M6QNRm7y