Coye 5.19 (Patreon)

Might split the next one in two again just so we have the pre battle chapter and then the battle chapter. We'll see.

Those who read the draft for this one ages ago might notice the core things are the same, but it's very different. Mainly because Dorothy has received so much development this volume that she needed a LOT more agency in this scene than she had in the old one. Coye doesn't just randomly save her, she moves pasts her issues and asks him for help.

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Chapter 19 - Talking to a Brick Wall

"What part of 'she's not in the mood for this' do you not understand?" Tammy appeared behind Auguris, walking through the ruined doorway to join the scene of devastation.

She'd missed most of the entertaining drama because this asshole showed up right in the middle of Coye's grandstanding and went to check his room. Tammy knew what would happen if he saw what Dorothy had done to it while he was gone, and like a good friend, she rushed off to try and explain the situation. All it did was infuriate the Gold-ranked adventurer. Auguris didn't respond to her even now, causing the receptionist to sigh.

Two things stood out to Tammy as she inspected the room. One was the look of defeat on Dorothy's face. The other was the smug smile on Britni's.

Regarding Dorothy, her thoughts were to be expected. She didn't understand why this had to happen now of all days. Not after they barely managed to escape Britni's wrath. It felt as if the Goddesses Above and Below were throwing every last test they could feasibly think of at her today. Right after she saw a ray of hope on the horizon, too. How much longer could she be expected to hang in there? She didn't want to deal with Auguris, yet here he was...

Britni's thoughts were of a more devious nature. Contrary to Dorothy, she couldn't help appreciating the irate Geomancer's perfect timing. If Coye wanted to be that annoying nag's knight in shining armor, now was the time to prove himself. He did say if anyone caused her trouble, he would deal with it, didn't he? So what if that meant standing up to the man who many agreed was Cransmere's strongest adventurer? Now was the time to put his money where his mouth was.

And then there was Coye- who'd witnessed Auguris's rude behavior many times in the last two years. Irascible over the stupidest things, Coye had never quite forgiven him for the time he'd ruined a wandering bard's performance because their singing produced 'bad vibrations in the air'. There was also the fact that he was a frequent thorn in Dorothy's side- his experiments often stunk up the third floor or resulted in explosions, fires, or worse.

Nobody liked the guy- but no one could successfully talk him down or make him listen to reason by force, either. It wasn't that Coye was backing down on his pledge to stand up for Dorothy's honor, but he did take a step to the sidelines to better size up the situation.

Shayla appreciated him for that. As a being of magic and mana, the Pixie could instantly get a read on this man's power. Auguris scared her more than the aberration did. She didn't even know humans could have that much mana- it was mind-boggling.

After a lengthy pause, Auguris removed his glasses and wiped them off with a small handkerchief before sliding them back onto his sharp nose. "You approached me roughly a week and a half ago, Dorothy Whittle, with a problem. An aberration, you said. Something that couldn't be left unchecked. I agreed, if only for the sake of my research. All those days, I chased the shambling horror, stalking it through the woods only for it to slip, slip, slip away every time it was within my grasp... until this very morning when at last, it could no longer elude me. One decisive wave of my wand later and the deed was done. Imagine how eager I was to return home and resume my experiments with the gratuitous funding that monster was set to earn me, Dorothy Whittle. Now imagine how that eagerness crumbled into dust in the wind upon realizing the colossal disrespect you've shown me upon my arrival! I've only ever asked one thing of you- and one thing only! Do not reorganize or attempt to clean my dwelling. Would you care to hazard a guess regarding what I found?"

Dorothy spoke through the beginning of the worst stress headache she'd had in recent memory, "A clean, well-ventilated room that doesn't smell like sulfur?"

"Ruinous misfortune, Dorothy Whittle! What I found was ruinous misfortune! Containers reorganized and closed without my permission. Important documents shuffled around in a haphazard attempt to arrange them. The scent of disinfectants lingering despite the fresh air blowing in through the open windows- indeed! You have no idea what you've just done, do you?!"

Auguris's dramatic voice hung in the cafeteria as everyone watched him lay into Dorothy with theatrical menace. Even those who generally disliked Dorothy were pressed into feeling sympathetic for her now, if only because Auguris came off as that big of a jerk. A notable exception was Tiph, who could relate to the man's woes. Her skin crawled at the thought of her lab being messed with by someone else, and she counted herself lucky that there was little chance her sanctuary would ever meet the same fate. Should've invested in some magical locks, dumbass.

Coye clenched his fist but remained calm, which was more than could be said of Byng. Suzette held the girl's wrist, forcing her to stay out of it.

"Come on," Byng begged. "I just want to go grab my knife!"

"No, dear. If I let you go, you'll try and stab him..." Suzette sighed. Truthfully, she was also suffering from that same temptation.

"Ruin the surprise, why don't you...?" She grumbled, ceasing her struggles for the moment.

Auguris was waiting for her to say something, Dorothy realized. She didn't want to talk to him. Dorothy wanted to go and talk with Coye or maybe crawl back into bed if that ship hadn't sailed. She looked over her shoulder at the boy for strength. After Coye nodded at her, Dorothy took a deep breath and decided to at least put a token effort into navigating this tricky situation.

"Auguris," Dorothy started, brushing some messy bangs from her face to look more professional. "We've been over this multiple times, if you, um... if you don't remember. You don't order things from me. I'm the Guild Mistress. The boss-" there were a couple of scattered laughs at that, which Coye put down by glaring at the offenders. "You make more than enough gold to buy your own place if that really bothers you as much as it does."

"I live here to save every scrap of gold I can, need I remind you. How foolish."

"Okay, so we're really doing this..." Dorothy rubbed her forehead. "Can we at least talk in my office?"

"Why?" Auguris didn't even blink. "I'm present, as are you. I fail to see why this discussion needs to be taken elsewhere."

'Is this guy... uh... how do I say this tastefully...?' Shayla pondered.

"Auguris is even denser than I am," Coye mumbled.

'Fucking gods, that's saying a lot...'

"Hey...!"

"You would think a graduate of Mithimere's esteemed Magicademy would recognize the difference between a one-person bedroom and a proper, sealed-off, ventilated laboratory, but here we are..." Dorothy sighed and shook her head. "You leave open vats of chemicals completely unattended, Auguris. They make the entire third floor reek! I couldn't sleep in my own bedroom for weeks, you know, and I'm far from the only one who complains about your bad habits. If you've forgotten, your fellow Gold-ranked adventurers have to live on that floor, too."

"The sulfury smell gives me weird fart dreams..." Leah awoke long enough to chime in, yawn, and then return to rest.

"Hear, hear!" Burkhart slammed his meaty fist on his table, breaking it with his strength. "If the great Burkhart wished to bask in the scent of freshly dropped logs, I'd simply await my next visit to the shitter!! Bwarharhar!" None of the rookies at his now-broken table laughed at his joke.

"Right. Excellent. Thank you, Burkhart..." Dorothy's brain felt like it was splitting in two from the stress, but she'd take whatever backup she could get.

"I fail to see why any of this would be my concern. I told you not to do anything, yet you did it anyway. Is there something you're misunderstanding? I know I can't be counted among the greatest orators and conversationalists in the Realm, but if you lack the intellect required to parse my meaning-"

"I parse your meaning, Gods," Dorothy's eyes started to rapidly blink. It was like talking to a, well... he was a Geomancer, so a brick wall sort of checked out. "But you're not parsing mine. I'm the boss."

"And?"

"You are not the boss."

"Noted?"

"As an adventurer in my Guild, you have to do with what I, the boss, say."

"I'm afraid you've entirely lost me," Auguris adjusted his glasses with his middle finger.

"Agh!" Dorothy pulled her hair in front of the Guild, letting them watch as she grew red-faced and ashamed. She needed to make him understand somehow. If Dorothy didn't stand her ground against Auguris, especially after Coye went and stood up for the way he did, no one would take her seriously ever again.

Dorothy wouldn't back down. She looked the mage in the eyes and opened her mouth to speak, but words wouldn't come out. Strange. She tried again and again, but it was starting to draw more of her strength with every attempt. Dorothy could feel her knees beginning to weaken, and her eyes widened, knowing what had happened the last time this occurred.

People were talking behind Dorothy's back, and there was even more subtle laughter. She was failing and failing hard. Everything all at once became too much for Dorothy, and she struggled to fight back her tears- but even then, she wouldn't give up. She sucked in a deep breath through her teeth and forced herself to confront Auguris, taking a step forward and shoving her pointer finger into the collar of his fancy black suit.

"I'm... I'm going to put this in a way you'll understand...!" Dorothy growled. "Get over yourself and start listening to my rules, or... or I'll evict you from the Guild and take back your room! Free lodging is a privilege for an adventurer- not a right! It's a sign of respect from me to you, and... and if you don't show me the same courtesy, I won't meet you halfway!"

The murmuring changed its tone. Marlie raised an eyebrow. Coco opened her mouth wide in surprise to see desk lady standing up to rock wizard. Tiph scoffed. Britni watched in silence. All around them, there were little chimes of intrigue. No one had ever seen Dorothy pop off like that, not even the folks who'd been here as long as she had. Especially not at someone so vital to her bottom line.

Coye smiled to see her trying her best, and even Shayla was moved to see her passionate display of authority. Byng flashed a broad smile of her own, but Suzette and Tammy knew what it was like to work with difficult people because of their careers. They were aware this was far from over.

Auguris didn't so much as flinch. He tilted his head and swatted away Dorothy's finger. "No," he said flatly. "I'm afraid you must understand I simply can't have that."

"Then you'll shut up and let the fucking maids clean your room every now and then!"

"I can't have that, either!"

"Then LEAVE, you stone-hearted jackass!!"

"Dorothy Whittle, a question. How exactly is it that you're proposing to remove me? The maids won't do it. They rarely listen to your commands. Were you going to personally pack up my things and toss them out the window? I'm not much for humor, chiefly because I'm incapable of registering most attempts at it, but even I would find that particular sight amusing... I think. If I wanted to, I could fortify that room until it was more secure than Castle Lundreame."

Dorothy lowered her head as his truth sank in. She clenched her fists and bit her lip, fighting back trembles. Damn it all. Gloria didn't know what the fuck she was talking about. Managing these people- these adventurers- was impossible. The worst of them acted like they were untouchable demigods. On top of that were the insufferable types like Auguris, Britni, Tiph, and so on- those not satisfied with merely being assholes unless they could remind others of that fact frequently and often.

Even when Dorothy tried to stand up for herself, no one listened... maybe this was it? Fuck Auguris and his stupid room. He could have it- Dorothy could be long gone before it would affect her...

It sounded great to not have to worry about this, but... no. This wasn't the end. Dorothy was falling into the same routine as ever. It wasn't the fact that she couldn't stand up for herself that was the problem. It's just like what Coye said...

"I take your stunned silence to mean you understand the futility of arguing with me, Dorothy Whittle?" Auguris adjusted his glasses again, somehow looking even more pompous this time. "Excellent- you have no true power here. You can play at authority as you like, but you've no bargaining chips, no one to help you apply pressure on me, and are generally without hope."

"You're wrong," Dorothy snapped back.

"...On what account?" Auguris appeared deeply confused like he couldn't comprehend the possibility of being wrong.

"The part where you said there's no one to help me. All my life, I've tried pulling myself up by my bootstraps and doing everything myself. Never asking others for more than necessary, never wanting to bother anyone else or to be a burden, and... I... I almost died because of it-"

"Aha. Did I miss something while I was gone, or-"

Dorothy paid no attention to Auguris inadvertently ruining her dramatic speech, continuing with, "But you know what? I'm fucking glad it happened! If it didn't, I would've never learned that I can't do this alone!"

"So you're saying you do have someone capable of making me conform to your demands?"

"Yes," Dorothy wiped the tears from her eyes and clenched her fists. She didn't need to look behind her to know he was waiting for her command. She could feel him there, as ready as ever and eager to please. Her following words spoke words echoed throughout the entire Guild.

"Coye? I have a quest for you."

Coye was a simple boy who didn't like to think for himself. He preferred being told what to do, where to go, and what to kill. Therefore, Dorothy's quest suited him just fine.

Everyone watched Coye gently guide Dorothy out of the way before strutting up to Auguris, who looked down at the little Half-Elf with confusion.

"And you are?" Auguris blinked, failing to recognize his peer.

"Grateful I made it through Dorothy's monologue," Coye coated his fist with energy, took a step forward, and slammed it into Auguris's face. The impact was so hard that everyone in the town could hear the sickening crunch of his nose shattering.

Gasps erupted as the most powerful adventurer in Cransmere flew straight out of the cafeteria, soared over the front desk, and broke down the door to the lounge on the other side of the room.

"N-No... Coco can't... I can't... feels... so hot...!" Coco's drool seeped out of her mouth, creating a large puddle on the table that dripped off the sides. Such power- such dominance!

"Oh. My. Gods. Are you, liiike, for fucking real right now?!" Tiph was pretty sure she wasn't high right now, but this threw that into doubt.

"More beautiful and pure than sweetest Baldr, as courageous and strong as Almighty Thor himself...! I knew it. I knew all along that this was the real him!! He's back!!" Britni whispered to herself, covering her mouth with both hands as her electric eyes twinkled with absolute adoration.

"Heh," beneath her mask, Marlie smiled sharper than anyone would ever know.

"I just asked that stupid boy not to scare me again, and look what he does-" Suzette was torn between frustration and feeling lovestruck over her Darling for his admittedly heroic actions.

"Fuuuuuuck. Just... fucking count yourself lucky your species doesn't get turned on the second your mate does something totally badass in front of you, nghahaha..." Byng awkwardly fidgeted around, miserably failing to keep her thighs from grinding against each other.

"Now I really wish I snuck away yesterday to eavesdrop," Tammy crossed her arms and joined the two of them, unable to recall a time she'd ever been this entertained. "What did he say to her yesterday to get the boss to act like this?"

'Okay,' Shayla sighed, closing her eyes as she pulled at her hair. She was quickly devolving into a neurotic mess. 'This is bad. But it was also cool as fuck. Really, really bad, but really, really fucking cool. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck... I don't know what to tell you, big guy. You got this. I believe in you. Believe in yourself, and so on and so forth. Of course, this guy did kill that creepy eyeball thing we couldn't even look at for more than a couple seconds, but no, yeah, just... go ahead and punch him because Dorothy told you to, why don't you? I... you know what? I'm just gonna stop talking now. You did good, kid.'

Auguris was momentarily stunned. This wasn't over, Coye knew that, but he couldn't help taking a quick look back at Dorothy and giving her a smile. She smiled back and played with her hair, blushing deep red but still meeting his gaze.

"Your quest isn't finished yet, my brave little hero..." Dorothy cooed to him in a gentle yet nervous tone.

"There better be a hell of a reward waiting for me at the end of this one," Coye smirked and cracked his knuckles, looking straight forward as Auguris started to stir.

Auguris stood from the ground, saying nothing while he brushed his metal coat and his suit off with his white-gloved hands. His leather shoes stomped against the floor step by step upon re-entering the cafeteria. Auguris took a spare pair of glasses from his jacket and discarded his old ones, tossing them to the ground with little regard.

His nose looked rough- or at least what was left of it did. Blood pooled down his face and onto his suit. Auguris wiped up a single trail from his chin and held the finger in front of his face.

"Iron," he mused. "Such a simple thing. Simple, yet fundamental to life itself. We depend on iron for so much both physiologically. Without it, our bodies can't properly transport oxygen, and our sovereigns can't play their little games of war. What a fascinating metal. I wonder... how long has it been since I've last tasted my own?"

Auguris licked his bloody finger in front of the whole Guild. Everyone was hoping he wouldn't, but he did. "Tangy," he observed. Then, he wiped up the rest of the blood with his handkerchief and disposed of it the same way he did his glasses. "I will rephrase my question since you misunderstood me and replied with a non-sequitur that had nothing to do with the present situation. Who might you be, and why are you inserting yourself into my polite discourse with Dorothy Whittle? I have no quarrel with you. I must understand why you struck me unprovoked."

The cluelessness of this mage pained Shayla on a spiritual level. 'I almost wanna tell you to hit him again...' she expressed after an exasperated sigh. Then, she sensed a similar type of frustration coming from Coye. 'Uh. You doing okay down there?'

Coye wasn't. It wasn't that he was scared of Auguris and the certainty of his defeat- it was more that Auguris Aureo may very well have been Coye's natural-born nemesis. The reason why was simple. Auguris spoke in long, convoluted sentences, continually using three or four words in situations where one would've sufficed like it were a personal rule. Coye was still struggling to understand what the fuck this guy was going on about with the whole iron tangent, only barely recognizing that Auguris asked him who he was again.

"Coye," he managed an introduction. "I'm the help Dorothy was referring to."

Auguris looked at Coye and then at Dorothy, whose face was resolute and not at all similar to the weak-willed woman he'd so often dealt with. "Again, might I remind you I am nearly incapable of recognizing most attempts at humor-"

"This isn't a joke," Coye's energy flared, fist radiating with power. "You just missed it, but there was this big thing a few minutes ago where I said I'd start standing up to everyone who makes Dorothy's life harder than it needs to be. That includes you."

Again, the minds of all the witnesses began to shift even further. Coye wasn't all talk. He wasn't backing down, not even in the face of Auguris Aureo... but... Coye wasn't the only one refusing to yield to the stubborn Geomancer. Dorothy wasn't taking his shit, either. She stood up to him, cracked yet refusing to shatter under pressure.

Though hard for some of the adventurers and employees to admit, that was oddly cool of Dorothy. The thought of dealing with her as she was now made some of them reevaluate their past treatment of the Guild Mistress, and it wasn't just because they were afraid of Coye punching them. Not everyone regretted what they'd said and done to her, but many did, and those who didn't were still reconsidering how they'd behave toward Dorothy in the future.

Everyone except for dense Auguris, who was more confused than anything else. He stared down at Coye, unsure what he'd done to earn this diminutive half-breed's scorn. "I see. And what precisely is the desired outcome of this altercation you've started with me if I might ask? Elaborate."

"Simple. Just do whatever Dorothy tells you to do from now on, and don't argue with her."

"But I don't understand why things have come to this-"

'Something tells me he'll never understand, either...' Shayla sighed.

That just meant Coye had to make it blunt for him. "You don't have to understand orders to follow them. Trust me, I would know."

A couple of scattered laughs echoed throughout the Guild, Britni's not among them. Sure, Coye still might have some submissive tendencies to iron out, but... he was obviously joking, Britni rationalized. She could ignore his faults as long as he made up for them- and Coye was damn well already doing so in spades.

"You ask me to submit myself to her service unquestioningly? To allow Dorothy Whittle unfettered access to my private abode at all hours of the day whether I'm currently at the Guild or not?"

"Yes."

"That's a tall ask..." Auguris stared at Coye in total quietude, regarding and analyzing him with his steely green eyes. The silence stretched to the point where it became uncomfortable and then to where it was unbearably so before finally settling at just being plain awkward.

"You have an excellent punch for someone so small," he finally declared.

"Did you want another one?" Coye poured even more energy into his fist, put off by Auguris's analytic mind at work and the uncomfortable silence.

"That was precisely what I was about to propose."

'Uh... what?' Shayla blinked.

"What rank are you, Coye?"

"...Silver?"

"Excellent. Just as I hoped. Your first punch caught me unawares. Not to embellish my strength and accomplishments, but I am far and away your superior in experience and power. Had I more time to recognize your intentions, there was no way your fist would have inflicted damage upon my personage-"

His brain seizing up from Auguris's monologue, Coye rubbed his forehead and raised his hand. "Could you hurry and get to wherever you're going with this?"

"Very well. You and I want something from each other. You wish me to no longer cause Dorothy Whittle trouble- even in cases such as this where I fail to understand what upsets her so. The likelihood of that ever happening is the same as you landing another punch on me- which is infinitesimal. Therefore, I will give you what you desire if you somehow manage to-"

Coye punched forward with all his strength, aiming straight at the asshole who expected him to know what 'infinitesimal' meant. Honestly, Coye doubted whether that one was even a real word. Whatever the case, his preemptive strike was met with an unexpected wall of the literal variety.

Auguris expected this and gave his wand the tiniest of flicks. His magical implement was fashioned out of a coarse, rocklike wood whose surface glowed with a powdery, mystical blue-green light whenever its wielder bent the world to his wishes. The pebble he'd used to burst open the cafeteria door enlarged again, taking on the shape of a barricade between Coye and himself.

"Coye!" Dorothy shrieked, expecting to hear another unsettling symphony of bone-crunching sounds.

Coye wasn't a weakling. Hand-to-hand combat was never his specialty, but he could easily break rocks using only his fist. Ordinary rocks, that is. Luckily, Coye coated his hand in Steel Soul the moment he let the punch fly this time, and it was good that he did.

His fist cracked the dense barricade but was nowhere near enough to smash it. This wasn't just typical rock- Auguris changed the pebble into something far more robust. Even with Steel Soul protecting him from broken bones, it hurt almost unspeakably.

"I applaud your underhanded efforts, but you only prove my point," Auguris walked around his wall and crossed his arms behind his back, taking an unflinching pose. "If you persist in this foolish endeavor, I will humor you. The two of us will go out behind the Guild, where I shall give you precisely thirty minutes to perform the miracle of inflicting bodily harm unto me. During this challenge, you will be permitted to use any means necessary. In other words, face me with your full strength or not at all."

The Guild erupted into excited murmurs, the Baddest Bitches continued their combined reactions of puppy lust, toxic disbelief, heart-pounding admiration, and unfettered intrigue, while Coye's lovers and especially Dorothy were now more concerned than anything else. Even Byng thought this was getting out of hand.

"A fight! Nay, a duel between men! Bwarharharhar!!" Burkhart stood from his stool and slapped his voluminous, rippling, regretfully exposed belly. "I've heard all I need to hear! Come, comrades in arms! Let us bear witness-"

Auguris flicked his wand yet again, the wall of stone shrinking and morphing into an orb cube roughly the shape of a man's fist. It flew across the room, nailing the rambunctious Gold-ranker in the forehead so hard that he passed out on the spot. Burkhart's massive weight broke the floor under him- but Dorothy didn't even have it in her to be anything other than relieved that someone finally shut that drunken, festering fool up for once in his life.

Auguris blinked, narrowed his eyes, and adjusted his glasses as he stared at Burkhart from across the room. "Aha. For a moment, I believed a fat troll somehow wandered in from the woods. I do now believe I was mistaken. My apologies."

"Trust me," Dorothy sighed. "You're fine. Moving right along, assuming I even allow this one-sided duel to take place-"

"I'm doing this with or without your permission," Coye interrupted. "You can't ask me for help and then change your mind later."

'I knew you'd say that...' Shayla groaned at the chance of a peaceful resolution slipping away.

Dorothy wiped some sweat from her brow and shook her head. "That's not what I'm saying. I... I just wanted to know what Auguris meant when he said he wants something from you, Coye."

"Did he say that?" The boy tilted his head. "I must've missed that part."

"Dorothy Whittle speaks true. There is indeed something I desire from you. Upon your imminent defeat, you will permit me to make use of your fist however I deem fit!" Auguris declared, sounding far too sincere for his own good. The Guild burst into the loudest laughter yet, leaving the Geomancer baffled. "...What? Why does everyone act as if I'd just made a joke?"

"Maybe you want to try rephrasing that?" Tammy suggested.

"Why would I do such a thing as rephrasing my previous statement, Tamina Rheingald? I believe my intentions were perfectly undeniable. Am I somehow wrong in this assumption?"

The receptionist shook her head, and Coye took pity on her, asking bluntly, "Assume that I'm stupid and explain it in the way a child would understand."

"Aha. Very well." Auguris nodded politely and cleared his throat. "When I say I wish to make use of your fist, I mean to point it against monsters who stand in the way of my research. For quite some time, I've been looking for a melee-oriented partner willing to 'party up' with me from time to time on certain quests. All prior attempts to arrange such a partnership have fallen flat, owing to my lack of social graces and my personality, which has occasionally been referred to as 'insufferable'. I personally don't see it, but I digress."

Shayla stared at Auguris out of mild wonder and a little pity. 'I'm starting to think this guy isn't really that bad of a person, baby. He's just... something else.'

As someone who also suffered from his own set of social hangups, Coye agreed. Auguris was weird and awkward, and Coye couldn't hold that entirely against him. Still, he needed to be made an example of.

"Sure. As long as you hold up your end of the bargain, I'll accept those terms." Coye nodded, causing Auguris to smile. "I need to stop by my house and pick up my weapons, though. I wasn't planning to get in a fight today."

"Naturally. I'll wait for you out back, Coye. As soon as you're ready-" Auguris raised his hand to give Coye a chance to shake it but was cut off by a surprising interruption.

"Wait, wait, wait..." Tammy called out as she got in between the two. "Before you shake on it, I want to have a word with Dorothy. You too, Suzette."

"Me...?" The shopkeeper looked around vacantly, still feeling dramatically out of her place.

"Yes. I have an idea, and you seem like the right person to float it by. C'mon, boss..." Tammy grew tired of waiting and took Dorothy by the wrist, leading her away as Suzette followed.

"Wait, I'm coming, I'm- ah-" Dorothy looked over her shoulder at Coye, who had no idea what was happening and could only wave and wish her well.

The three were gone for several minutes, chatting about something in the entrance hall. Coye sat at his table with Byng, who he couldn't help but notice had trouble keeping her hands to herself. She hugged him around his waist and pressed her torso against his upper arm while her clawed fingernail traced little patterns onto his thigh. It was embarrassing for Byng to do this in public, but it made her happy, so Coye didn't say a word.

It's not like he wasn't already the center of attention, anyway. The entire Guild, especially the Baddest Bitches, kept staring at him during these few minutes of silence.

The entire time they waited, Shayla couldn't help imagining whatever that crafty bitch came up with. Something told her it was going to be good. Really good.

When the three finally returned, Suzette was smiling nervously, Dorothy looked like she'd gotten in over her head, and Tammy was as hard to read as ever. Suzette joined Coye and Byng without a word while Tammy led Dorothy straight to Auguris.

"Go on," Tammy gestured for her to speak.

Dorothy closed her eyes, sighed, and looked straight at him. "You, ah... you need witnesses for this duel for it to really count, don't you?"

Auguris, who'd been standing in the same pose for minutes on end while awaiting their arrival, broke his statuesque posture to cup his chin between his fingers and think to himself.

"Yes, I believe that makes sense," he agreed.

"And the more, the better... right?"

"Indeed. That way, Coye won't be able to weasel out of our bargain upon my victory if he truly cares about honoring his words."

"I'm not gonna-"

Dorothy raised her hand at Coye, getting him to simmer down. Then, she took a piece of paper from her pocket and presented it to Auguris. "If you did this, you could have as many witnesses as he wanted. Assuming it wouldn't take too much mana, that is...?"

Auguris stared unmoving for several seconds before adjusting his glasses. "An interesting proposal..." His expression softened for the first time in the conversation, adopting a smirk and a flare of interest behind his steely eyes. "My mana capacity is of no concern, not in the slightest. I find this suggestion rather interesting, in all honesty. I'll grant you this favor, Dorothy Whittle- if only as an apology for my failure to understand the problems my behavior may have caused."

Dorothy sighed with relief and then smiled softly. Auguris might have been an asshole, but a lot of it genuinely wasn't his fault. He was born that way, and at least he had rare moments where he realized his shortcomings and tried to make good on them. Even if Auguris was one of the most annoying people to deal with, that alone elevated him beyond Britni and Tiph.

Then, Dorothy turned to Tammy. This was all her idea, and things could go very, very wrong if Coye didn't win. It wasn't fair to put so much pressure on him, but... in her heart of hearts, Dorothy knew Coye would do anything for him. If she expected him to win, he'd damn well find a way.

Even so, she had to at least reconfirm Tammy was good for what might happen in the worst-case scenario. "One last time, Tammy. You're sure about this?"

"Oh, yeah."

"And you really have the gold we'll need to cover things if he doesn't-"

"I said I would handle it, didn't I?"

"Yes," Dorothy gulped. "But 'I'll handle it' is very different from 'yes, I have the gold'..."

"I'll handle it," Tammy shrugged.

Dorothy knew Tammy was full of shit. Her father might've been one of the wealthiest Lords of Cransmere, but he didn't often extend his riches toward his daughter. Tammy's older brother was more amiable and kind, but his charity likely wouldn't count for much...

In short, this was a risk. A gamble. One that, if successful, would build that ladder Gloria suggested or keep her trapped in the hole forever upon failure. Besides... Gloria told her to be more creative about how she made a profit, didn't she? So long as the Association got its cut, they wouldn't mind Dorothy doing just that.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and made her announcement.

"Everyone," Dorothy yelled, remembering that trick they taught her in speech class to look straight ahead at no one in particular. "I know this has been a bit of a wild morning, but... why not make the most of it and keep the ball rolling? Let's, um... let's have some fun, why don't we? Some of you might scoff at me of all people suggesting we have a good time around here, but you know what? Screw it. Let's cut loose."

Dorothy paused her speech for only a moment to gauge the crowd's reaction. Her adventurers and staff weren't dismissive or laughing at her, no. She had them. They were listening intently, much of them expressing outright interest in wherever Dorothy was heading. All she had to do was complete the pitch, and now that she knew they were with her, her confidence surged.

"You might've already heard that we'll be hosting an impromptu event behind the Guild, ahaha..." a few people chuckled along with her. "So here's how we're going to do it. In two hours, Coye, my humble hero, will battle Auguris Aureo in a special exhibition match where anything goes- permitting death, of course. All Coye needs is to land a single hit on his drastically superior foe to claim victory, the catch being he only has a half hour to do it. Isn't that exciting? No? Well, I hear you on that. That's why I'm proposing we make it even more exciting!"

Another pause, this one to promote intrigue. It worked like a charm- people were talking to themselves, and all eyes were on Dorothy.

"Auguris will be doing a little landscaping before the match. More than enough seating will be provided, so why not go to town and bring back some friends? Your blacksmith, your barber, that cute girl at the tavern you've always wanted to ask out, Lords with excessive gold purses, anyone you like! Furthermore, we have even more surprises in store. In the two hours leading up to the match, Tammy and our, ah... our apparent temporary part-timer Miss Lillis will be taking bets at the front desk. As for the odds, well... I'm not going to put it lightly; Coye is outclassed in every way by his opponent. Auguris is no mage, he's a monster-"

"That is factually untrue, I-"

"Shut up and let her talk!" Orlandis called out, Milse casually nodding by his side.

"...Very well," Auguris shrank back for the time being.

"Thank you," Dorothy smiled at the bastard knight, then continued. "I stand by what I said- Auguris is so far above your standard spellcaster that it isn't even funny. He can shape the very earth itself to his whims for offensive and defensive purposes, adapting to all circumstances with only a swish of his wand! Not only that, but in all his years of adventuring, Auguris has only ever suffered minor wounds and has never had to see a healer! Isn't that right?"

"Indeed," Auguris nodded, approving the factually correct statement. "I chose the word infinitesimal to describe Coye's chances at victory for a reason, I might add."

"Wow! You, ah, you heard it here first, folks! Coye's chances of winning are infinitesimal! Unfortunately, the Guild can't exactly cover those odds, so you'll all have to settle for ten to one in Auguris's favor. I hate to say it, but... it's basically free money. There's no way Coye's going to win-" Dorothy looked at Coye, letting her mask of showmanship slip long enough to show him how sorry she was for saying these things about him.

Of course, Coye didn't fully understand what was going on. "No, I'm gonna try my hardest to-"

'You need to make it sound like you have no chance of winning so that more people bet against you,' Shayla clarified, immediately in on the grift.

"Ohhhh," Coye nodded in understanding. "I mean- I have no idea what I was thinking, but I promise I'll see this through even though I'll probably lose..."

He wasn't a skillful actor, but most of the Guild fell for it simply because no one knew Coye very well. Those who did saw through it and approved, including Britni. Coco had to have it explained to her why Coye was contradicting his alpha behavior all of a sudden but similarly thought this was cool of him once she understood.

Dorothy mouthed 'thank you' and 'I'm sorry' to him before turning back to the crowd. "Well, regardless of who wins or loses... thank you all for hearing me out! I've got plenty of preparations to go and make since this all came out of nowhere, so any questions or bets should be directed to the front desk soon as it's ready!"

Stunned silence followed her speech, and then something Dorothy had only ever experienced twice. Once when she was a child and the second upon her graduation from the Academy- applause. Some of the adventurers whistled, and others pounded their tables with excitement. Pervasive cheering filled the room, and Dorothy could only smile. It felt beyond rewarding to get that kind of response, especially when giving a speech and purposefully lying about her hero had been so challenging.

"Don't sell your abilities short," Auguris stopped briefly by Coye's table on his way out through the door he'd destroyed. "I wouldn't be looking to make use of your power if you were just another random adventurer."

"It's all part of the show," Coye shrugged. Auguris didn't understand but nodded his head respectfully and then took off to make good on his word.

Now that things had calmed down a bit, Shayla had some choice words. 'I fucking knew it,' she laughed, shaking her head at Tammy. 'I knew that monotone bitch was up to something! And you let her put him on the chopping block like this, Suzette?'

"I'm sorry, but..." Suzette sighed. "You're already set on doing this, aren't you, Darling?"

"Damn right," Coye affirmed.

"Tammy thought as much. She figured you wouldn't mind if Dorothy stood something to gain from your victory other than Auguris's good behavior- especially not if it helped her pull herself out of financial instability."

"Again, correct," Coye nodded.

Byng took a deep breath and stood up before walking several feet away. "Okay, short-stuff. You're on a roll, and I'm gonna end up doing unspeakable things to you- right here, right now- if you don't knock it off. I gotta be smart here and put some distance between us, okay?"

"Probably for the best," he laughed at his blushing lover.

'I hate to point this out, big guy, but... this doesn't look good to me. Like, at all.'

Taking a page from Tammy's book, Coye shrugged and mumbled, "I'll handle it."

'Fucking hell...' Shayla cradled her forehead and groaned.

"I'm so sorry-" Dorothy and Tammy joined their table. "Tammy insisted, and I-I want you to know I only agreed to this because I know you can do it, Coye!"

"Yeah?" Byng smirked. "Does that guy's rock magic have a weakness or some shit, Dotty? Spill it!"

"No, I... um... it's just that you've never let me down before, so... okay, it sounds a lot less convincing when I say it like that, but... I believe in you, Coye." Dorothy was flustered and sweating, but she meant every word.

Coye blushed and got up to go prepare. "Thanks, Dorothy... that means a lot. I promise I'm gonna knock his teeth out."

"No pressure. If you lose, I'll take care of your medical bills." Tammy gave him a thumbs up that was anything but reassuring.

"I'm not gonna lose," Coye insisted even now. "I-" he stopped, noticing their table suddenly had several visitors.

Britni slammed her foot on the closest stool and crossed her arms, looking as powerful and overly dramatic as ever, while Coco squatted on the floor suspiciously close to Coye's knees. Tiph excused herself a second ago to light up a joint in the bathroom, but Marlie joined in as well, leaning against the nearest wall.

'For fuck's sake, what now?!' Shayla was exhausted at this point. Today really was just one thing after another, wasn't it?

"Really?" Byng growled. "Have you guys really not had enough for one-"

"Byng-" Coye raised his hand, getting her to realize there wasn't any negative vibes coming from the bullies at the present moment. She backed off, but wasn't happy about it. Dorothy was apprehensive, too, but if Coye wasn't threatened, she would trust his judgment.

"What's up?" He asked, meeting Britni's intense gaze.

"You're fucking crazy, you little shit..." she said.

"Maybe," Coye shrugged. "So what?

"Nothing," Britni smirked ever so subtly. "I like crazy. Don't fuck it up. You got that? If you lose, I'll..."

"Britni, if you want to wish me luck, you don't need to be so-"

"Fine, whatever!" Her anger flared, and she rolled her eyes, but there wasn't a trace of lightning to be fine. "...Do your best, alright?" Britni managed to say despite how much it seemingly pained her to act friendly.

'Well, I'll be damned,' Shayla exhaled, relieved that this wasn't the start of another incident.

All the girls around him were still apprehensive about Britni's presence, but Coye knew better. He gave the bully a soft smile and teased, "Will do. Better pay close attention, though. If you keep pressing Dorothy, you'll be the next one I fight."

"Coye, don't joke like that, I-" even after her surge in confidence, Dorothy didn't want to tempt fate. Not when Britni and her fragile temper were involved.

"Wouldn't worry about that," Marlie cut in. "Not so long as someone stays in a good mood."

"Oh, shut up-" Britni blushed brighter and removed her foot from the stool, moving toward the destroyed door. "You better hurry up and get going already, too! You need to plan out how the fuck you're gonna pull this off, Coye!"

Seeing Britni so supportive was odd, but the surprise was a welcome one. Even Shayla and Byng were more relaxed now that they'd shown they met no harm. Really, Britni was just as excited as anyone... save for Coco.

"Not yet!" Coco barked.

"Whoa-" Coye looked down at his knees, noticing her presence for the first time. "Sneaky. When did you get-"

"Not important! Pet Coco!" She looked up at him with demanding eyes and an angry expression. "For... uh... good luck! Yes!"

"Um...?" Coye's hand reflexively reached for Coco's forehead, only to draw it back when he looked at Britni.

"What are you looking at me for?" She scoffed. "Pet the dog already, or she won't shut up about it."

"Yes! Pet the dog!" Coco repeated, stomping her feet and paws on the ground. "Please! You need the good luck! Need it bad!"

"I'll say," Byng mumbled to Suzette, earning her a nudge of the elbow from the older woman.

Now that he had Britni's permission, Coye didn't hesitate. He reached down and started petting Coco's soft and fluffy head. It only took a few pets before she started making weird faces though and he forced himself to stop. If he didn't, Coye wouldn't have been able to hold back his own reaction.

"Why?!" Coco barked. "Why did you stop?! More!"

"Coco, I have to get ready to-"

"MORE!"

"Down, girl," Marlie sighed, bent over, and scratched behind her friend's ear. This guided Coco into a blissful, drooling, empty-headed state. "I'd take off now, if I were you. This'll only buy so much time."

"Ruuuuuu..." Coco started making the strangest purring sound from the back of her throat, her foot reflexively tapping against the floor.

Coye laughed at the adorable sight, then said, "Thanks, Marlie."

She nodded in recognition, and Coye turned to his little group to decide what would happen next. Suzette was already spoken for at the front desk, and Byng didn't think she could handle being alone with Coye, so she agreed to stay and help Dorothy as well. With the ladies of the Guild both about to busy themselves with prep work, Coye bid everyone goodbye after sharing one last determined smile with his Guild Mistress.

"You did the right thing, Dorothy. Thanks for asking for my help."

"I should be thanking you, Coye. I never would've done any of this if it weren't for you..."

"You can thank me after I win," he smiled and waved, departing for his house to prepare with only Shayla for company.