"Come on, use your strength."

In front of the adventurers' guild building, a group of people were carrying a person in armor to the front door. It was the same few people who had picked a fight with Janna at the Little Laguna. They were carry Sir Benoik on the back as he had been knocked unconscious by Janna.

"Wait, is that...?"

"Isn't that the guild's ace?"

"That's the D rank Benoik and his party, right?"

The other adventurers around were moving out of the way. Everyone knew of this party and their attitude on the daily basis, so they moved out of the way to avoid causing any problems with them. But everyone was curious of what happened to their leader for him to be knocked out.

Rushing through the door, the party found a healer inside. Every guild building must have at least one healer present in the building, for emergencies and stuff. So a healer quickly rushed and helped their leader.

"What happened here?"

A female walked up to the party. A dark skinned female with a fit body and short black hair. She was wearing a black buttoned female suit with a light blue colored shirt underneath. And long black pants that widened at the bottom.

It was Lexx Nylore, the guildmaster. The one who runs everything in the guild.

"We got in a fight with someone."

"I have eyes, okay? I can see that myself. I'm asking how did the best warrior in our guild come back with a broken jaw?"

"She was too fast for us. It was a bad fight."

"And who was this person?"

"I don't know. But she was with that blue haired owner of the orphanage."

"Thea?"

"Yeah, her."

"Tsk. Why the hell did you dumbasses pick a fight with her?"

Lexx was in a sour mood. Anger could easily been seen on her face. It was already a bad thing that the best adventurer of the guild was picking a fight with someone else. But it also had to be a VIP person.

"Get me a report on this."

Lexx ordered the staff to investigate and went to her office. Since it happened in a place full of people, which included many adventurers, a report was produced pretty quickly.

"So the one who defeated Benoik is called Janna Everlotte? Is she who I think she is?"

"Yes, she's the only daughter of the royal Everlotte family of the Ruwel kingdom."

It was Sophily that delivered the report to Lexx. She overheard Thea's name and took the opportunity to meddle in the situation. For some reason, Sophily found herself very interested in the things that go on around Thea.

"What are you going to do?"

Sophily asked.

"Isn't it so embarrassing? The Everlotte family is famous for being righteous people. And a member of our guild was abusing his power in front of one of them."

"Is it that big of an issue?"

"You don't know because you just started but if the people on top hear about this then we'll be in big trouble. More importantly, the people settling here will be in big trouble."

"The people will be in big trouble?"

"Yeah, think about it. Who will hunt down the monsters in the area? The guild exists to protect the people from monsters by exterminating them. And if the place is attacked by monsters or something else, then we can immediately respond and help."

"So the people will be doomed if the guild is in trouble itself."

"Exactly, we receive capital from the nearest guild branch. And if they think we don't need it then we can't pay anyone in the guild."

"Then no one will go out to hunt the monsters and the monster population will increase."

"And finally they'll attack the town after gathering, because that's what monsters do. Everyone will be left to die."

"Ah, a monster wave."

Sophily remembered the term from a lesson from her teacher. It was a common event in small cities and towns.

"We'll have to apologizes to Thea and this Everlotte family member. One complaint from them to the guild branch and we'll be under trouble."

"What do you plan to do?"

"I'll go myself to apologize. This is too important and I need to show my sincerity."

"Ok, I should try to limit the spread of this information, correct?"

"Yes, you understand quickly."

"I'll head out the-what's that?"

Before Sophily could leave, she wanted to more about something on the table. She had noticed it as soon as she came into the room because she was trained to always pay attention to her surroundings. It was a crucial skill of being an espionage expert.

"This?"

Lexx took up a piece of paper.

"This is from last week when I sent you to take pictures of our amazing hero defeating the lindworm."

It had been over a week since Thea had killed the lindworm and stolen the hero's sword. Around 10 days. And in that time, she fought and killed demons in another city.

"When they printed out the pictures, I found a few of these...weird pictures. I was going to ask you about them later since you took them."

On Lexx's desk were a bunch of pictures, some were of the hero, some of the lindworm, but the ones Lexx was pointing to were the ones in the middle. It was blurred pictures of someone. A person standing there with blue colored hair. And they were standing in front of the hero and casting magic of some kind.

Sophily was very nervous right now. She had taken pictures of the hero and accidently took some of Thea too.

"Do you know who this is?"

It seemed Lexx didn't know who the person in the pictures was. The photo was extremely blurred and the person's face couldn't be seen. Only feature that could be seen were the blue colored hair.

"I don't know. I didn't see their face."

"I see...this person didn't stick around?"

"No, I don't think so. I was far away from battle but I didn't see anyone after the lindworm was killed."

"And the hero was alone?"

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"No, he had a few people with him. They were already fighting when I got there."

"We need to find this person in the picture."

"Why's that? Weren't they in the hero's party?"

"No, there's no mention of this person. This person stole the monster's core and needs to be found. Our guild can't have a stain like this. We'll be laughed at by the other guild branches."

"I'm really sorry, I can't help at all."

"No, no. It's fine. I didn't expect you to know anything anyways. Don't worry about it."

"I'll tell you first thing if I learn any more information. I'll be leaving now."

Sophily left the room. At which point, Lexx took out a letter from her desk.

"'Find this person immediately. Share every information, no matter how small.' Argh, how am I supposed to find someone when I don't even know a single detail about them."

Lexx read a few sentences in the letter and complained.

"All I know is that they have blue hair, that's all."

It seemed Lexx didn't think the culprit was Thea.

Three days later.

"Why?!"

Lexx was on her desk, fuming. Sophily and a few others were standing in front of her.

"Why won't they meet me?!"

Lexx had gone to Thea's orphanage for the past three days. And every single time, no one answered her at the door.

"Are you sure they are at home?"

"Yes. I'm sure they are living there. I heard them in the garden at the back."

Lexx answered in anger.

"Guild master, did you do something to make them hate you?"

"What the hell do you think I did?"

"Sorry for asking."

The guild employee felt embarrassed for asking that question.

"Maybe they just don't want to see people right now?"

Sophily, the culprit behind why Lexx couldn't meet with Thea and Janna, spoke up.

"Your report said that Thea was carried out of the restaurant by the Everlotte, correct?"

"Yes, something happened and Thea fainted in the restaurant. I believe the mood right now at the orphanage is not good."

"If we offer some healing items, do you think they'll meet us at least?"

Lexx came up with a plan.

At the orphanage, Leaf was in the garden practicing mana control. She had been diligently training her ability to control mana. And she was slowly increasing her mana levels.

But she had trouble focusing for the past three days since Thea suddenly fainted.

"When are you waking up, Unnie?"

She was talking to herself while feeling sad.

"Hey!"

Suddenly, she heard a faint whisper. Turning towards the small tree spouting in the middle of the garden, she spotted a faint light.

"Temtem!"

It was the little fairy Leaf saw last time.

"How have you been?"

"What would happen to me?"

"No, I mean like have you been happy?"

"Happy? That's what I should be asking you. You looked so sad like you're about to cry."

"That's because I am sad. Thea Unnie fainted and isn't waking up."

"Are you really sad?"

"Yes, of course I am. Why do you ask?"

"Well, it's just....I saw her bullying you last time...and then she took you away..."

"What are you saying? Who bullied me?"

"That blue hair woman! I saw her shouting at you and then made you stand her all alone for the whole day."

Temtem suddenly became furious and was shouting.

"Oh, that....you got it wrong, Temtem. Thea Unnie was helping me."

"Whaa?"

Temtem was confused.

"She was helping you by bullying you?"

"First of all, she didn't bully me. And I chose to stand there myself. Thea Unnie was only helping me. Okay?"

"Then why did she take you away for so many days?"

"We went on a trip to help someone."

"So she didn't take you away because she's bad?"

"No, she didn't. Did you come here to tell me you think Thea Unnie is evil?"

"No, I didn't say that."

"Then why did you come here? I thought you didn't want to talk to any humans?"

"It's...just...."

"Yes?"

"I saw you being sad! And I started to feel sad!"

Temtem said with her face turning red.

"So Temtem cares about me?!"

"No-no I don't."

Temtem was shy about revealing her feelings.

"I just came to give you this."

Temtem took out a flower from her back. And gave it Leaf. It was a small green petal flower. It had five swirling petals. It was beautiful.

"Thank you, Temtem. It's lovely."

"Eat it."

"Do what now?"

"Eat it now."

"Why would I eat a flower that's so beautiful? Why would you want me to?"

"Stop asking questions and eat it!"

Temtem flew to Leaf's hand and took the flower. She then flew to Leaf's face and shoved the flower in her mouth.

"Ahh!"

Leaf chewed on the flower in her mouth and it released sweet liquid.

"Mmn. This is so delicious!"

Leaf found the taste to be amazingly good.

"It's like it melted in my mouth. Wow, I'm amazed by the taste. What did you feed you?"

"I think you humans call it a mystic flower?"

Temtem said while not really understanding herself.

"Never heard of it."

Leaf hadn't learned of it yet from Thea. If Thea had been here, or basically any mage, they would be shouting and screaming. A mystic flower is one of the rarest things in the world. It's a plant that's been modified by mana.

It's so rare that even if someone searches for it for a hundred years, they might not find it. It's a mythical object to mages as the consumption of it does amazing things for mages. It clears the mana channels in the body, enhances the quality and quantity of mana, increases affinity with the elements and basically just overall improves all abilities related to mana massively.

"Anyways, you're a fairy so you must know everything happening in the forest. Is there any healing herb that's really good for humans in the forest?"

"Of course, I know every little thing that happens in the forest."

Temtem held her head high and put her hand on her chest. She felt proud of herself.

"Then can you get one for Unnie?"

"For that bully?"

"You call her a bully one more time and I'll never talk to you again."

Leaf was showing Temtem some seriously angry eyes.

"Okay, okay. I won't say it again. But the herbs won't help her."

"What do you mean by that?"

"There's nothing wrong with her body. From what I saw, her mana was all so...chaotic and swirling around inside her body."

"Isn't that bad?"

"Not really, I didn't feel anything bad from it. So she'll be fine."

"If something happens to Unnie, you have to tell me."

Temtem laughed it off. She gave Leaf some peace.

-----

In a building, somewhere, a fight had just taken place.

There were dead bodies lying all over the floor. The wooded floor was drenched blood. A man in white clothing walked out from the back. His hand held a long thin blade that was still dripping from blood.

But his clothes didn't have a single drop of blood. He had killed everyone in this place all by himself, and masterfully so.

As he walked out of the front door, he stopped. The evening sun revealed his face. A face full of white beard. A head full of white silver hair. But his skin wasn't that of an old man. He just had white hair.

Rennet was a blue rank swordmaster, the 5 star sword wielder equivalent to a mage.

"What do you want? I completed my mission and now I'm off-duty."

Rennet said to the empty air.

"You have a new mission."

But a voice came out from above Rennet. A man in a dark robe had appeared.

"I'm not taking a new mission. I said I'm off-duty."

"It's from the king, so you don't have a choice."

"What is it?"

Hearing that the mission was from the king himself, Rennet immediately knew that he couldn't refuse. So he asked for the details instead.

Rennet was a beast-person, specifically a bear type beastman. He had a lot of strength naturally and held the sword at a very young age. But he had hit his skill ceiling in the past decade and was stuck as a blue rank swordmaster.

He worked as a mercenary these days to earn money for his family. The pay was great as he occasionally got missions from high ups.

"The mission..."

The shadowy figure then explained the mission to Rennet.

---

On a bed, Thea was lying unconscious. This was her room. A very messy room with all kinds of materials thrown all over the place. There were flowers, herbs, rocks, minerals and anything else you could think of.

On the side of the bed, Janna had just walked in. She had been taking care of Thea for the past three days while she was passed out.

"Thea?!"

When she walked in, her footsteps made some noise. And Thea's eyes twitched in response.

"Thea?! Wake up!"

Janna held Thea's hand and urged her to wake up. And Thea opened her eyes slowly.

"...ugh...."

Thea made a low grumble noise.

"...Janna?"

"Thea! You're awake!"

"What?"

It seemed Thea still was not fully awake.

"Unnie?!"

Janna's shout a dozen seconds ago had been heard by Leaf. She rushed in and jumped to Thea.

"You're awake!"

She hugged Thea tight. But Janna pulled her arms away from Thea and picked her up.

"Stop it. She just woke up. Do you want to make her pass out again?"

"...sorry."

Janna put her down gently. Nem and Gwyn also came in but they didn't rush and hug Thea. Gwyn licked Thea's hand and Nem stood by quietly.

"What happened?"

Thea spoke up. Her voice was a bit raspy.

"You don't remember anything?"

Janna asked Thea.

"I....think I saw the moon at the end?"

"You saw the new moon and passed out."

"I was...in a dream..."

"What was the dream?"

"I was on the moon...with this giant lady. She was like a marble statue, only she was shining like the moon. I saw...she was lonely. And very very sad. It felt so real."

"I'm just glad you're awake now. No more dreaming for you today. I'm preparing so much food that you'll burst like a balloon."

Janna left them alone and went to make food.

"She's so shy, isn't she? She never shows herself being sad in front of other people."

"Not even you?"

Leaf asked Thea.

"Well, I've seen her cry a few times. You can't imagine this but she used to worry and sulk all the time. She's all grown up now but she still hides her sadness."

"Why do you sound like a granny that's talking about her daughter?"

"Haha. Maybe I'll talk about you like that too when you grow up."

Thea pinched Leaf's cheek playfully.

"Ow."

"Nem."

Thea turned towards Nem, who was quietly standing in the corner.

"Don't just stand there, come here."

Nem slowly moved, but only took a step or two forward.

"Come on."

He took a few more steps and stood in front of Thea. Thea put her arms around him and pulled him into her embrace.

Nem started to cry while hugging back Thea.

"There, there."

He too was hiding his emotions like Janna.

After a while, Nem stopped crying.

"No matter what happens. Until you're all grown up, I won't leave you guys here alone. You don't have to worry about me leaving you guys."

"Yes, Unnie!"

Leaf and Nem answered together. Gwyn also barked.

"Are you fine now?"

Suddenly from behind Leaf's head, a voice came out. It was Temtem.

"My my, who is your little cute and adorable friend here, Leaf?"