With the message both recieved, and his own passed along, as well as their ussual banter concluded, Rex left both Ivan and Jake to their devices, quite in the mood for some hearty meal and some proper rest. It was a damn travesty he could not utilize Drain as he would like to, refreshing his own physical and mental stamina indefinetly, though he supposed beggars could not be chosers, and as such, he had to play with the cards he was dealt. Not to mention, he still wanted to find a decent party , soemthing that would now be a much simpler, and a much more difficult task at the same time. He was quite sure that as soon as he reaches the adventurers guild, there will be a personal request from the branch manager to have a short talk, a part of its contents also obviously clear. And it was precisely the reason Rex refused to go there right now. No sir, he would stuff his stomach fool first and have a well deserved rest afterwards, only considering the guild after the two tasks set in stone. If, he could avoid any of the flies buzzing around, well, that would be an extra bonus.
And so, well aware of the snooping fools, and quite interested to track their mobement, he used mana sonar every ten or so seconds, registering the movement of a couple dozen people, scurrying towards the sky gondola, frantically doing their best to return to the main islands and inform their respective bosses of Rex's emergence, leaving the otehr person fof their two man cells to track his movements. They needed to know where Rex was headed to after all. How else could their masters reach him in a timely manner, lest some other, faster nobles manage to sway him to their cause. What if one of their rivals managed to do so? A tragedy, trully.
Not one bit sympathetic towards the plight of the poor and desperate noble families, Rex sticked to his plan, reaching the sky gondola in a timely manner, not rushing, nor intentionally slowing himself down. Due to his constant mana pulses, he was well aware that the guys staying behind were already on the main island, having taken the gondola before him, waiting for his ascent to the same place. Smart move, then again, not like Rex had a choice in the matter, only a single line of gondolas connecting this gate location with the main island only. As such no genius action had been demanded from the trackers, or whatever they were supposed to be. Then again, Rex's path was not obstructed in any way and as such, taking the gondola up, he simply continiued on his merry way, soon enough reaching Beth's Hearth.
As he entered, and noticing Beth handling small tasks, a few of the regular adventurer ladies relaxing and having a drink after their own, succesfull dives in some other dungeon part, he jovially exclaimed, his gaze locked on Beth "HONEY, I'M HOME!" promptly dodging a mug that was in Bethš hand just moment ago, flunk towards his head.
"I will show ya Honey!" she scoffed, a smirk of her own adorning her face "Had fun in the dungeon, ya rascal?"
"You bet." Rex replied, a grind on his face, followed by a large yawn."Got anything ready? Would love something to eat before I get some well deserved sleep." Rex added, out of teh corner of teh eye noticing a face he had not yet seen in the inn, though he gave it no heed. While quite young, and rather scrawny, the girl he noticed seemed grown up enough. If he was asked to describe her, he would classify her as an average looking young peasant girl, just having reached adulthud, hoping to find her fortunes in the capital, or as an adventurer, or perhaps both. There were plenty such hopefulls, their dreams eventually mercilesy crushed by reality.
He found an empty table, nicely located in a corner, decorated with a small sign 'Reserved', courtesy of Beth, as he had dirrected Rex towadrs it with her thumb, ordering her young helpers at the same time. And, nearly as soon as he sat down, plate after plate of roasted meat, a few bowls of salad and some other side dishes were placed on his table, the young girls of Beth doing it all with smiles on their faces, eachand every one wearing a new and rather cute dress, likely the small gifts they earned from Rex's generous payments.
As Rex was enjoying his meal, the scrawny girl he had noticed earlier, quietly rose from her seat in the corner, moved closer to his table, and then, to his suprise, kneeled, and took a dogeza postion, her forehead touching the floor. She said nothing else in the meantime, allowing Rex to continiue to eat his meal. And while he noticed the odd behaviour, he had no reference point to base the action in this world, as such, he happily coniniued with is meal, slightly interested in whatever the girl was trying to achieve. And, while he was slightly interested, it did not mean he would be swayed by the result. Though, he would, at thevery least listen to the girl, should she herself had something to say. As far as he was concerned, teh girl was doing something rather humiliating to herself, all to earn his attention, while maintaining some dignity at the same time.
The action was humiliating, since to prostrate one self in such a manner would indeed be shamefull, yet at teh same time, it maintained ones dignity, showing she was not willing to stoop so low as to whore herself out, at the very least at the given moment. A somewhat of a paradox, at least in Rex's opinion, but he did not have to make sense to others with his own musings. The girl remainded there for some thirty minutes, thetime it took Rex to finish his meal, look to Beth and ask her to explain at least soemthing regarding the situation he found himself in. Luckaly, she was both willing and able to at least somewhat explain.
"Raise your head girl." Beth started, slightly wincing as she looked at the girl. Beth was the one most knowledgable about just how uncomfortable kneeling on her hard wood floors was, but the girl did not move, at least not untill Rex spoke as well. "Do as you are told." And, at his command, she rose, wincing, clearly in pain from the action. With the girl, moments later seated across from Rex, BEth continued.
"The girl is a daughter of a village chief a week travel from here. Been in the city for aproximately a week as well. Came here to place a quest in the guild. Bandits apparently are raiding their area, but the local lord des not seem to care. Unfortunately, there seems to be an ex adventurer among the bandit ranks, C ranker at that, or so they talk."
"I am guessing the reward was too low for anyone of teh apropriate rank to even consider taking it on?" Rex asked, quite sure of the fact.
"Straight on the nose. So, the girlš been looing for someone, anyone who would take the job on."
"No luck so far I bet." Rex added as well, earning a weak 'no' and a sad, near desperate shake of her head. "So, she overheard of an A ranker, and so, she is here?"
"Well, thats about it, yes." Beth finalized "Shes been here for two days, not leaving the inn, offering to wash dishes or anything else she can to be allowed to say here. All to beg your assistance."
"Out of curiosity, how did you plan to request my services, if even the guild deemed the reward too meager for the quest to be posted, based on the danger level of it. Sure, this little action was impressive enough to earn the right to speak, but then what? Seeing you, I doubt there would not be an adventurer or two, willing to do the job, were you to offer to entertain them. And yet, you have not done so."
"I was promised as a sister to one of the churches and my three years of service starts next season. I must remain pure untill said service ends." the girl spoke in a weak voice "And, while I would gladly offer my body, if it meant the salvation of my home, family and friends, I cannot do so, for I have been promised into said service. I cannot make my parents, sinners in the eyes of our lord, as much as it pains me."
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"That explains that question. So, the other?" Rex asked, and seeing the girl hesitate, added "Go on. Speak. It cannot get any worse for you."
"I, I.." she hesitated for a moment, and then spoke, her voice quiet and unsure still "I though someone as powerfull as you would care little for the meager money we could offer , and might be willing to assist out of boredom, or compasion for the little people, struggling for their lives."
Rex just stared at her for a moment, using mana pulses every ten seconds or so still, sensing several groups of people aproaching. The flies had finally arrived, but that was of little matter right now.
"Ha, ha. HA ha ha ha." he started laughing loudly, quite amused by the rather simple and foolish, yet brilliant reasoning of the girl, startling her in the process and earning a raised brow from Beth, who failed to understand his reason for laughing. Rex stopped just moment before the flies entered the building, not interested in listening in either pompous fools, assuming they mattered, or slimy snakes, whispering sweet nothings into his ear, trying their best to milk him for all he is worth, white giving nothing of substance in return.
"Give the girl a room. My treat." Rex spoke to Beth, his tone light, a request of his, yawning in the process. "We set out tommorow, might be forced to deal with a few flies before departure unfortunately. Not now though. I need the rest first, and visit the guild after." He finished, rising to his feet and rubbing his neck. As he did so, the procession of annoyances, each group led by incredibly well dressed ladies, or elder gentlemen, or so the men no doubt dubbed themselves, too acompanied by an eye candy or two, each trying their best to catch Rex attention. And yetm no matter how nicely and revealing the women were dressed, not one of them had the fair skin of a true lady, no doubt servants or courtesans raised for similar purposes, to use their bodies to please existant or possible future assets of their lording house. And sure, none of them were slaves, but they had families, either indebted or under the noble houses thumb, making them barely better than actual slaves.
There was a single woman though, flanked by a knight one either side, who did not fit in with the rest, clearly her leather armour indicated military training and the way she carried herself doubled down on Rex's assumption. Beth, teh crafty woman that she was, noticed Rex's locked gaze, iven if it was for only a few moments and whispered in his ear, standing close enough to him. "She came with quite the complimentary portrait of you. Much better than any other I had seen."
"Mhm." Rex hummed, notifying he had heard and noted down the fact, yawning afterward yet another time. them covered his eyes with his palm and massaged his temples. 'Now, how should I get rid of them as soon as possible.' he thought as the bunvh of bootlickers reached him, clearly the only male and person present who had absolutely no regard for their attires, or teh heralds they carried. Only those with A rank might could ever be so unphased or rude for that matter. No other A ranker, they could employ would be willing to risk their own health, fighting with an unknown monster after all, most likely emboldening the man before them even more.
And, while seemingly chaotic and unorganized, Rex could sense some unspoken order to the aproaching group. Six groups were slightly more ahead of the others, no doubt the power and hierarchy of the nobility at play, then further back, another six smaller groups, closing the proseesion wit hanother eight, two people pairs, either a man and a woman, or two women. Whatever the parir, or group for that matter, all exept for one had at least one eyes candy, rising in numbers the further to the front said group was. There was so much people, that only the first group, six noble families, could fit in the relatively empty inn's first floor.
And yet, as the first of the words could leave the dignitary mouths, a chilling presence settled in the room, clearly aimed towards the nobles and their entourages.
"I dont care.Three days hunting A rank monsters. I need sleep. Get lost and coem back in the morning and MAYBEE, JUST MAYBEE, I might listen. And dont bring your whores or possies with you, clogging Beth's inn for no reason." he grumbled, as his eyes pierced every noble in front of him, though his voice was loud enough tha teven those outside could hear his message, loud and clear. The fact that his piercing gaze locked on all, but the leather armor clad noble lady, as he said those words, was missed by everyone, but said woman, a slight, near imperceptable smile appearing on her lips. She was the firts one to act on Rex's words though, with a single gesture ordering her two knights to follow suit and left the inn's premises. The small, barely perceptible smile on her face widening as they walked further and further away, heading to the carriage awaiting their return.
And unlike the first time, when one of her knights complained, clearly offended oin her stead, the two were silent as a graveyard in the middle of the night. And only when they were inside the carriage, did one of them asked a question, seeing the large smile on her face. "Your highness, you seem in a particularily good mood. Why is that so?"
At the sudden question, her hand rose to her face, touching the clearly smiling lips of hers, only moments later for her to respond with a shuddering breath "I want him. I NEED him. He is a born warrior, and that presence." she shuddred, clearly recalling what they all felt "Its even more refined that grand uncles."
She did not speak any further, nor she needed to. The task that was entrusted to her two attendants was clear. One of them would visit the city's military as soon as they return, inquiring about their success, since both sides, at the end of the day, moved with the interest of the same entity- the royal family of the Monarchy of Sol. The other knight, would move on to report the details of the short meeting they had with Rex. Evelyandra, or Eve as her parents and older siblings would sometimes call her, ahd to prepeare for the meeting in teh morning. Her first gamble, of not bringing any eye candy had paid off, earning some recognition of the A ranker, and he was defiently that. The aura he exuded was a dead giveaway, but the silent might he radiated, something she was born with and could instinctively tell, screamed the fact as well.
With Evelyandra being the first to leave, and Rex rather persuasive aproach, the rest, not willing to either offend the royal family, or experience the wrath of an A ranker, quickly dispersed as well, leavign Beth's inn nice and quiet once again.
"I will need some extra renumeration for all the trouble you bring." Beth spoke moments before Rex ascended the stairs, earning a sligth groan, followed by a single "Tommorow after the guild" as he continiued his ascent, only the bed in his mind. And while Rex's groan might seem like some sort of sign of displeasure, the two of them kew better. Rex was quite pleased with the chill demeanor the dwarven woman maintained, even after learning he was an A ranker. Such an attitude was rare, and he would cherish it all the more precisely becasue of that. That was how it should be, Rex thought, reaching the bath, having a quick one and then dissapearing in hi sroom, for the first time in ages, foregoing the ritual he had been immersed himself every evening within civilised lads where he was not in danger of imminent combat, namely his space storage expansion.
Rex had set up plenty of safety measures within the room, ensuring he could both meditate, immersing himself deep in contemplating the concepts and shutting his mind off entirely whenever he rested, as such, it was no wonder he woke up naturaly, not a single fool havign tried their luck in pissing him royaly off. With an enourmous yawn, he slowly rose from the bed, stretching as he did so, movign towards the closed and covered window. Peeking through, he noticed slowly rising sun, indicating the coming new day. 'Some fourteen hours. As expected.' Rex calculated the lenght of his sleep, not at all suprised by the result. He had pushed himself quite hard, resulting in something akin to growth spurts, his passively drained improvements barely taking place during the delve itself, manifesting properly after a proper rest during which his body coudl adapt to the changes. Yet another, anourmous meal awaited him, all the calories he had burned during this metamorphosis in need of replacement.
"Rise and shine sleepyhead! The ussual?" Rex was greeted by a cheerfull Beth, as he descended the stairs, still stretching his arms as he smacked his mouth.
"You even have to ask?" he glanced at her with a knowing look. The had gotten rather familar over the last few weeks after all.'Right, might as well collect the money from the auction. That message arrived shortly before I departed for this delve as well.' Rex reminded himself. He was going to the guild anyways. Might as well do both, sicne he was quite sure that the branch guildmaster would want to have a few words with him as well, doubly so after he turns in his spoils for this delve. Actually, might even avoid yet another gasp of suprise from a stunned attendant.