Cless spent several days buried in her books, alternating between states of contemplation and self-pity. She put up a brave front but after returning home reality hit her. She was raped. The fact that he just inserted his cock in her and didn't go all the way mattered not. And by now the women in the midwife's office should've spread the news. Cless only left her room to do her job at the inn. That was cleaning up the bathing room before the first light of morning and helping with the kitchen. Karen left her out of the tap room for a good reason.
Differently, from other inns, no patron dared harass the barmaids. Karen's wrath was well known and due to her Skill, she was as powerful as an empress inside her inn. Cless suspected that Karen was also a strong and high level. Maybe there was a past behind that sturdy innkeeper.
Eventually, she cheered up. Days returned to normal and finally the day to meet her 'contracted boys' came.
Cless reached the north gate and was glad to see all the remaining nineteen boys there, talking to each other. When one of them noticed her and communicated the others, all of them froze. She didn't notice but the main reason for that was the change in her demeanor.
"Good morning, crew," She greeted the boys. She couldn't even check if the entire crew was there, but given that it was the appointed time and no notifications of disobedience to the rules came, all nineteen should be here. The twentieth surviving boy... well, she vowed to not mind him.
"Good morning, Cless," Lyle answered. The other boys only nodded. Cless thought that maybe the boys elected Lyle as their spokesperson.
The mass of people parted and revealed some girls in the middle of the boys. Classmates. Or maybe Clessmates?
"Look who had the guts to show up, girls!" Vanessa the ringleader for the girls sneered. The other girls chuckled and also sneered in derision. It hurt Cless but she had a good buffer of self-confidence remaining.
"My thoughts exactly. Didn't you know that feisty women should stay home and out of men's business? Now stop bothering the boys, Vanessa. They are here to listen to a business proposal I have. And if you bother me too much, I am going to get annoyed, and I bet none of the boys want to see me annoyed."
Internally, Cless couldn't believe her own words. Who was this girl that was speaking out loud like that? Facing Vanessa? That was crazy. She fought hard to keep her face under control.
"That is right, 'Nessa," Said Martin. If Cless memory served, he was Vanessa's current boyfriend. "None of us want to see Cless annoyed."
The other boys nodded. Vanessa did something, her stance shifted and Cless' eyes were drawn to her breasts and hips. The other boys looked troubled and maybe constipated? Vanessa pouted and stomped her feet.
"What is wrong with you, Martin? Our friends died and you are here entertaining this frumpy waif."
Vanessa's words hurt less than expected, Cless noted. But there was one problem. The boys were all worried about stealing glances at Vanessa.
"Vanessa, did you use a Skill to make people look at you?" Cless asked in an accusatory tone. "Let it be known that nobody shall be punished for being forced to look at her."
Some of the boys sighed in relief. Vanessa and the other girls didn't miss that.
"Something is strange here, 'Nessa. The boys are not normal. Are they bewitched by that monster harlot?" Petra, one of Vanessa's groupies commented.
"Well, well. That would surely explain a lot!" Vanessa strutted in Cless' direction. "Did you do something to the boys?"
"Didn't you hear? Cless visited the midwife today first thing in the morning!" Another girl quipped.
"Oh, really? Are you humping our boys, you hideous whore?" Vanessa was invading her personal space, less than a meter in front of Cless now.
Cless looked away, her pool of confidence exhausted. Vanessa raised a hand and drove it down to slap Cless. A slap was heard and a female voice issued a cry of pain. Vanessa's. Cless looked up and saw Collin holding her wrist.
"Do not try to hurt Cless. Really don't. We do not want to hurt you."
Cless was exasperated by the development. These morons were about to talk too much.
"Nobody will hurt nobody. Me and the boys we are going right now to a stroll in the woods to talk about a business proposition, you girls stay here and go sew some gowns or gossip about who visited the midwife and the church in the same day. There is no time to dawdle, I got a job at the inn and have to go back soon.
"Boys, line up and get ready for departing. Do not let any of the girls follow us. Onward."
Cless took the lead and walked to the gates to find two gate guards with puzzled looks. Behind her the boys started to walk without rhythm, ignoring the shouts of Vanessa and company.
"Halt, Cless. Going into the woods is dangerous for a girl such as you," One of the guards lowered his spear to block her way.
"Good morning, guard Clark. How are you doing? I know that, but I have nineteen able escorts that won't let harm reach a single strand of my hair. Isn't it right, boys?" They answered with affirmative words. "So I am going to be totally safe. However, none of the boys will look after Vanessa and her friends, so you might want to block them from getting out. Bye bye!"
She nudged the spear away and walked out with the boys, ignoring the angry shouts from the other girls. 'I am digging my own grave deeper and deeper,' thought Cless. But she had a plan and she was going for broke with it.
After crossing the crop gardens and fields, they reached the treeline and walked inside until all of them were in the shade. The town's palisade was still visible.
"Ok, boys. I'll try to be fast, so keep up with me. You can stop to ask questions, but let's save time, okay? Make yourselves comfortable around here but please stay in front of me so I can see all of you. The ones with good perception, keep on the lookout. There are wolves and goblins in these woods, I don't need to remind you of that and maybe we'll be attacked. That would be bad and oh God I am nervous and I am sorry but we started on the wrong foot and I want to make it right."
She stopped talking for a while to catch her breath. Some boys laughed. Cless also laughed. She exhaled deeply and steeled her wits.
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"First things first, we all know that seven of you broke the contract and died. I didn't do anything, I've even submitted myself to the Rite of Cleansing at the church this morning. They died because they broke the rules of our contract. That is bad. Please, I beg of you, don't do that. Agreed?"
The boys nodded, some of them even joked about it.
"Second, I realized that some of you had a really hard time-fighting Vanessa's Skill that made everyone look at her. Well, I will change the orders a little. Except the orders to keep your silence about our agreement and what you can and cannot do and the order to protect me from harm, you shall not be punished for being forced to disobey an order by a greater power. Like Vanessa's Skill. However, you are not to seek out such greater power to enable you to break the rules. Only when it happens spontaneously."
"Third, next month we are going to leave for Glauchester. The twenty of us are going to form a dungeon delving guild. We are going to live in Glauchester and delve the dungeon there. I won't be abusing you or forcing you to throw your lives away in the dungeon but all of us are going to go delving. We are going to look after each other and fight as a unit. With the money we earn delving, we are going to pay for food, lodging, equipment, healing, and repairs. I really hope we can cut down on costs using our own Skills, proficiencies, and professions."
Cless' speech earned a mixed reaction from the boys. Some were excited but others, the more realistic or pessimistic knew that the dungeon was a place of death. She noticed some of them fidgeting and decided to press forward.
"I am going to the dungeon with whoever wants to come. If any of you don't want to delve and grow in levels, please tell and I'll arrange another occupation for you. Hector is not coming, for example." She disliked threatening, but she really needed them for her delving guild plan. "Just keep in mind that maybe being in a delving guild with people you know you can trust might be better than some alternatives.
"Does anyone have questions?"
Lyle raised his hand. "How are Experience Points and Loot going to be divided?"
Cless tapped her chin. "I will think about it. But after all, expenses are covered, I intend to put some money in the bank for you guys based on performance. Maybe a few coins for pocket expenses. But I'll think about it in the coming month."
"Why are we waiting for a whole month?" Asked Joe, a notorious hothead.
"We are going to train hard this month. Hone our proficiencies, learn how to work as a team. You guys are going to form parties and hunt wolves and goblins in the woods around here during this month so you can gain some levels. I'd like to get everyone to level seven at least before the end of the month."
Another raised hand, "Please let us date girls, Cless."
"No!" She immediately answered, angered by the question. "Enjoy your punishment. Maybe later, but you won't date or anything else for the time being. In fact, you are to cut off any relationship you have with the girls here. Break up with them nicely. You now have a job and a boss and you won't have time to date in the next thirteen years. I won't force anyone to be in the guild. If you don't want to dungeon delve, I can surely find another occupation for your next thirteen years. Cleaning sewers, piling up cow dung, or even whoring yourselves like Hector. Keep that in mind. There are fates worse than an honest job with a guild that will take care of you."
"Not fair!" One of the boys shouted.
Cless couldn't see who it was but she didn't try to flush out the culprit. Maybe giving them a valve to show their displeasure could be beneficial. It would allow her to know trouble was brewing before things exploded.
"Those that have girlfriends, prep the terrain so you can depart at the end of the month. Due to our secrecy, we cannot take anyone with us, so nobody is marrying or anything. Break up with them on the last week at least. It is not fair to let them wait for over a decade."
"Cless, there are people approaching," One of the boys standing guard pointed in the direction of the town walls."
"Friendly or what?" She asked. "All of you stand by ready to defend me and yourselves if needed.
She moved to get a better view and saw four town guards with Vanessa. "Gather up, everyone. Our session is adjourned, keep a secret everything we discussed here between us. You can say that you signed up for my dungeon delving guild, I will make it official this afternoon. Let's get out of these woods before someone thinks we are doing something improper."
"Like enslaving people?" Once again that unknown voice from their middle. Some boys laughed at the thought of fooling their taskmaster.
"None of you is a slave. I can't force people to do what they don't want. You all agreed to the servitude by just gawking at Hector raping me. So sheesh. And whoever is making these jokes with a fake voice, I order you to punch yourself in the face now."
The sound of a punch and a cry of pain were the next things that everyone heard after Cless finished speaking.
She rolled her eyes, "So yes, be a jackass at your own risk. Work with me and I will try to make your life bearable."
They left the woods before the guards and Vanessa reached the treeline. Cless walked in front of the boys, trusting her Skill to keep them from either turning on her or failing to defend her.
"Halt there! Who goes there!" One of the guards, with a targe shield and a sheathed longsword called out. This one was a senior guardsman. Was Tony his name?"
Cless stopped and looked behind her. All the nineteen boys were there. "Stand tall, members of my guild. Be proud of what we are going to build. And defend me if something goes wrong."
"What are you doing out there in the woods? Explain yourselves!"
"We are just talking, senior guardsmen Tony," Cless answered dismissively.
"It is Toby, miss Cless," Senior guardsmen Toby corrected her.
Before anyone else could say anything Vanessa burst from between two guards and pointed out a finger. "That wretched monster witch has brainwashed these man with her evil Skill, guard Toby. Arrest her immediately!"
Bigotry apart, Cless was amazed at how close to the truth Vanessa got. No time to wallow. She saw Toby take a step forward but noticed that he was unsure of what to do. After all, they outnumbered the guards five to one.
"Nothing like that. I am making a dungeon delving guild, and I hired these fine men to be a part of it. I am sure these boys would like very much to be in my guild rather than in less savory lines of employment. I am sure that I can get a good and pleasant occupation for any of them that don't want to be with my guild." She turned her back to the guards and addressed the boys. "Does any of you want to get out of my guild and be assigned to another job?"
"No!" They all confirmed the wish to be in the guild.
Cless turned around to stare triumphant at Vanessa. "And there you go, senior guardsmen Toby. All these brave men want glory in the dungeon and they will find it in my guild. I still have paperwork to fill with the Adventurer Association to make the guild official, but all twenty of us will be part of it. None of them are being forced to join and we are not doing anything illegal or immoral here."
"She is lying! That conniving monstrosity is lying, Toby!" Vanessa was starting to lose her temper. She was red with hatred and hissing. "Do as we agreed to and arrest her!"
"I did nothing wrong. What is that, senior guardsmen Toby? You had a previous agreement with Vanessa? What did she promise you? Did she use her enticing Skill to make you work for her?"
Worry flashed in Toby's face and Vanessa got even angrier. Cless felt like she hit the bullseye.
"That monster murdered seven this morning! Kill her!" Vanessa screamed. Toby went for the pommel of her sword.
"Senior guardsmen Toby, I am a noncombatant and unarmed. I didn't offend you and I already talked to constable George about our seven classmates. He cleared me, you can check with him. In fact, I can go see him with you. All of us will go there. I am sure constable George will be very happy to make time for us. Don't make anything harsh, senior guardsmen Toby."
"Constable George?"
"Yes, he was investigating the deaths, wasn't he? We met this morning an hour before I started my business meeting. And I also did the Rite of Cleansing at the church before going to meet the constable. I don't think God would let a murder undergo the rites unscathed. Do you think there is a chance it happened?"
"No, no. I believe that God would've punished a murderer."
"Kill her!" Vanessa took a dagger from another guard and charged Cless.
"Martin, stop Vanessa without hurting her too much!" Cless ordered Vanessa's boyfriend and took a couple steps backward.
"Vanessa, stop!" Martin stood in front of Vanessa and tried to hold her. In her blind rush to get to Cless, Vanessa unwittingly stabbed her own boyfriend in the belly and screamed.
> Name: Cless (no surname)
>
> Race: Human.
>
> Level: 10 ( 48,633 / 55,000 Exp)
>
> Class: None
>
> Profession: None, None
>
> Base Stats: Strength: 6 — Agility: 6 — Health: 14 — Intellect: 20
>
> Available Status Points: 0
>
> Skills: [Absolute Contract (S)]
>
> Proficiencies: Prayer: 3 — Scribe: 2 — Houseworking: 2 — Math: 2 — Reading: 4 — Leadership: 2 (+1) — Intimidation: 2 (+1) — Negotiation: 2 (+1)