A few moments after Lily stormed off into the back Ethan said goodbye and made his way back out the front door. Though he hadn't been there very long, only for an hour or so, he felt exhausted from dealing with the two. Something about women really stressed him out and while it wasn't obvious to him at the moment the source was the various females of his past, especially the headmistress of the orphanage. Perhaps one day he would be able to address those underlying issues so that he wasn't such easy prey, though today wasn't that day.

He had walked approximately halfway back to the guild when he suddenly came to a stop, a slight sense of unease running down his spine, a feeling he would get when someone was staring intently at him. He wasn't sure when he developed the response, and had figured out after a while that it didn't distinguish between good or bad intent, simply the act of focused staring. It was actually from the... assistance of the headmistress that he had managed to find out so much about his ability. Once she noticed the fact he could feel the stares she regularly tormented him by randomly staring at him throughout the day. She always said she just happened to look his way but after a few dozen times Ethan could tell she was not only lying but greatly enjoyed the act.

When he first came to a stop he felt the sensation lessen and by the time he decided to start looking around it was nothing more than a faint touch upon his soft skin, reminiscent of a soft breeze that has lightly flustered the delicate hairs upon one's arm. At that particular moment he didn't remember that he felt the same thing just the day before when he left the guild hall. In truth he had sensed glances in his direction on and off since his arrival in the town, though he figured it was just because he was a new face in the area and didn't think much of them. Most of them quickly faded anyway so he didn't consider them to be of a threatening nature. Of course, he saw nothing when he looked around, the sensation now completely gone, though he did see various people walking about.

"Had one simply taken an interest in him and then looked away?" He thought to himself before continuing on.

He took his time on the way back to the guild hall, trying to make mental note of the various shops lining the side road. A small tailoring shop sparked his interest upon remembering his limited amount of clothing. Hopefully he would be accepted into the guild and could start working immediately. A sliver of doubt snuck into the boys thoughts as he considered what he would do if he wasn't accepted. He still had another couple of years at the orphanage available to him, but could he bring himself to return as a failure? The other kids had seen him off with such excitement and hope given his age and goal that he feared how they would view him if he failed. He considered any other skills he had and despite some knowledge of basic physical labor and sewing, which was a rudimentary ability at best, he frowned upon wondering how little they would help.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

It took some effort but he was finally able to banish the doubt, which had become much more than a simple sliver by the time he got it under control. It was then he realized he was standing across the square from the guild's entrance. Taking a deep breath he made his way around various people and finally entered the hall, moving off to the side just like before. He didn't see Cecelia anywhere, and since he wasn't accosted upon entering he figured he was safe. Much like his entry earlier in the day he simply kept his back against the wall and looked around for a moment.

Soon he noticed Lorelle wave him over from behind the receptionist desk with a gentle smile. Moving from the wall he made his way over to her with a small wave and smile.

"Hello Mr. Kipley."

"Hello Ms. Lorelle."

Lorelle giggled at his greeting before shaking her head and holding out a key.

"Take this to room four. Mr. Owen will be with you shortly. I'll bring some refreshments in a few minutes."

Ethan listened as he carefully took the key, his gaze shifting to the hallway that he was supposedly carried down the day before by the crazy lady Cecelia. Looking back he nodded with a smile before turning to make his way toward the end of the desk.

"Feel free to lock the door behind you, if it makes you feel better, as I have an extra key. Though remember, she is a stickler for the rules, even those that apply to her."

Lorelle did name anyone specific but they both knew, as did several other adventurer's in the area, exactly who she meant. Ethan offered a thankful smile back over his shoulder before rounding the end of the desk and making his way down the hall. Upon reaching room four he unlocked and opened the door before stepping in and looking around. As he closed the door behind him he reached for the lock but stopped before grasping it. So far Cecelia had in fact left him alone and he thought it may be rude to lock the door in such a situation. He was about to step away from the door when the memories related to Cecelia, from the day before, flashed through his mind and made his skin crawl. It was almost a reflex when he reached out and locked the door before quickly making his way to the safety of the couch across the room.

True to her word about 10 minutes later Lorelle arrived with refreshments, though this time it was simply cool water and a bowl of nuts and berries. It would seem she assumed he would lock the door because right after knocking he heard her slip her key into the lock to open the door. However, she said nothing of the fact after entering and fluidly placing the tray on the table between them.

"May I keep you company until Mr. Owen arrives?"

"Of... of course!"

The way she asked caught him off guard but that was only because he figured she had more important, or at least enjoyable, things to do then sit with him. He would find out shortly that she would have been present anyway, though it seemed she genuinely wanted to keep him company, if for no other reason then to ensure his safety, despite her earlier assertions that Cecelia would follow the rules.