After pressing the ‘confirm’ button, Ascalon stared intently at the screen that materialized before him. As he scanned the contents, his eye settled on the very top, where the Guild’s name was prominently displayed. He smiled with joy at the sight, happy about finally seeing the creation of the Guild, and to have helped fulfill one of Lilithra’s goals.

image [https://i.imgur.com/GeSEO4e.png]

But the elation was brief, as he soon felt overwhelmed by the amount of text boxes and layers of information below—though, fortunately, there was a ‘tutorial’ to help him navigate the options! The network explained in detail what each thing meant, ranging from the basics like the Guild’s rank and ‘members list’, to the more advanced ‘moderator’ privileges.

It seemed like being a founding member gave him the right to ‘kick’ members off the Guild, though Ascalon was pretty certain he wasn’t going to be using that option anytime soon—or ever, actually, as he believed that kind of decision should be made by the leader!

The most interesting points were the Guild rank, listed as C instead of D as Kain had originally let them know, and the members list, which showed his friends and himself with little icons that seemed to represent their status. Lilithra had a crown, fitting for a leader, while both Selorien and him had small swords. He would’ve preferred a spear, but that was just him being picky.

There were other intriguing options to explore, like Guild territory, Guild vault, Guild notices, and Guild ranks—but Ascalon kind of zoned out while the network explained their meanings, as he needed a pause from the information overload. Perhaps he could ask Lilithra about it later! Just as he thought about her, she raised her voice.

“Uhm, Mr. Kain, why does it say Rank C?” Lilithra asked with curiosity, her yellow eyes fixed on the Canidae. She seemed to be suspicious of the sudden rank increase, but Ascalon could notice she was actually quite excited about it, fidgeting in her seat.

“Apparently, the network rewarded your efforts.” Kain replied as he nodded thoughtfully. “It happens sometimes, when applicants show utmost dedication and go above and beyond to complete the tests.” He continued, his long lips curling into a small smile. “If you ask me, I would’ve boosted you to at least rank B due to your choice of companions.” Kain revealed as he glanced at the others, chuckling to himself.

It made sense that the Guild should be ranked higher, considering both Selorien and Ascalon were higher level than Lilithra. But even if they were there to support her, it was her Guild, and he found it fitting that the rank was aligned to her. Also, he was looking forward to witnessing what kind of leader she would become, and how she would strive to increase their rank.

“Awesome! Thank you, Mr. Kain!” Lilithra responded, beaming cheerfully. Her whole body was shaking with excitement, prompting both her friends to smile warmly at her. Kain, on the other hand, let out a small sigh.

“I must say, you were a true headache.” He began in a serious tone, causing Lilithra’s excitement to falter. “But I’m glad you made it. Congratulations!” Kain commended them, crossing his arms in satisfaction. His words made Lilithra clench her fists tight, clearly proud to have earned the man’s recognition.

“Now then, let’s finish up some formalities so you can go home and celebrate.” The Canidae continued, and Lilithra nodded resolutely. Afterward, they went over some agreements over the network—supposedly about their ‘deals’ with headquarters. Things like accepting to aid the city when in need, completing quests, trading for artifacts—mostly details that had been already talked about.

Ascalon fiddled with his interface clunkily as he waited for Lilithra to finish, while Selorien approached him, leaning in to whisper.

“Hey, I’m gonna bounce after this… gotta get Lil’s you-know-what.” The elf smiled mischievously at his own words, and Ascalon quickly realized what he meant.

“Oh! Very well, I shall keep her distracted.” Ascalon replied in a low voice, a similar playful grin spreading across his face. Both friends nodded in understanding, just as Lilithra came into view with a satisfied look.

“It’s done!” She proclaimed cheerfully, causing both Selorien and Ascalon to nod in confirmation.

“Take care, everyone, and don’t go too wild when celebrating.” Kain suddenly spoke, walking past them and gesturing for them to leave. Right to the end, he was really eager to get rid of them! Selorien smirked as he left, while Lilithra and Ascalon bowed slightly at the man.

“Thank you for everything.” They said in unison, exchanging glances and chuckling. Then, they followed after Selorien, and soon found themselves outside headquarters. Lilithra looked tired yet radiated energy, while Selorien yawned and stretched his arms high.

“Whew… I’m beat.” The elf complained as he slouched and narrowed his eyes, causing Lilithra to look at him with a concerned expression.

“We could use some sleep, haha… but first!” She raised her fist in the air triumphantly. “Let’s celebrate!” Lilithra exclaimed with pure elation in her voice, her cheerfulness palpable in the air. To her dismay, Selorien shook his head.

“Sorry, Lil. I gotta head home… but I’ll go later, okay?” He reassured her before she could feel too dejected, and Lilithra nodded shyly, a bit disappointed.

“Alright, later!” Selorien bid them goodbye, and promptly left their sight. Ascalon glanced at Lilithra and placed a hand on her head to comfort her.

“Do not worry, he said he will come later!” Ascalon smiled, ruffling her hair. Lilithra looked up at him with flushed cheeks and a shy smile.

“Yeah… alright, let’s go back!” She replied with newfound energy, and both set out to the good old tavern. On the way, they talked about various things, like the researchers, the Guild creation, and some other mundane things, and it helped them remain cheerful amidst their tiredness.

When they reached The Chalice, Lilithra led the way inside, and surprisingly, a loud sound and a shower of colorful sparkles greeted them. It was a confetti popper, in the hands of an older gentleman.

“Congratulations, Lil!” Raphael exclaimed in a loud and cheerful voice, startling Lilithra and causing Ascalon to stare curiously at the sight. The inside of the establishment was decorated very slightly with ribbons and flowers, and Raphael had a huge smile on his face. It was evident he had no doubt in his mind that Lilithra would prevail in all her tests.

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“Uncle!” She chirped enthusiastically, throwing herself onto his arms. Raphael hugged her tightly, and chuckled without further need for words. The sight was incredibly heartwarming, and Ascalon smiled in pure satisfaction. Just then, his eye caught a glimpse of golden hair moving about.

It was Athanya’el, who waddled to them cutely with a sweet pastry on her hand. “Here, for your efforts.” She declared smugly as she offered the treat to Lilithra, presumably as a reward. Lilithra beamed in excitement as she let go of her uncle and boldly hugged the tiny Goddess instead, catching her off guard.

“Huh?” Athanya’el muttered, but didn’t complain nor show any discomfort. It seemed she was growing fond of being doted on, which was actually quite curious for Ascalon. He wondered just what kind of ‘life’ Gods had that they would relish simple things such as a hug.

“Alright! Let’s celebrate! But… where’s Selly?” Raphael tilted his head as he glanced at the entrance over Ascalon’s shoulder, arching one of his brows with intrigue.

“Oh, he is coming later.” The knight replied, smiling reassuringly. Raphael sighed and shook his head.

“That boy is so whimsical.” He smiled fondly, and guided everyone toward the bar counter. There, a neatly arranged variety of dishes was waiting for them. Some already had missing pieces, and the small crumbs around Thany’s mouth hinted at the very culprit!

Everyone sat at their usual stools except Raphael, who took his place behind the counter. While Lilithra and her uncle chatted animatedly about the Guild’s creation and its challenges, Ascalon glanced over at his Goddess.

She seemed to be doing well, which was relieving. He had been neglecting her a bit, after all, so he felt somewhat guilty—though she looked at him with a suspicious stare as she ate cheerfully, causing Ascalon to think that maybe he was worrying too much.

As Lilithra showed Raphael her Guild interface, the older man let out a surprised ‘ooh’ and nodded thoughtfully while reading the contents. With a hand on his chin, he smiled proudly as he spoke up.

“Very nice! Good job, Lil, Ascalon… and Selly, too!” He exclaimed just as the elf opened the entrance door, catching everyone’s attention.

“Selly!” Lilithra waved at him cheerfully as he made his way to the counter with a carefree stride. Ascalon grinned with joy to see everyone reunited, while the tiny Goddess paid little attention to the newcomer, more preoccupied about filling her belly.

“Yo~.” Selorien responded as he sat with everyone, nodding at Raphael and stealing a glance at Athanya’el before giggling to himself. “So, what did I miss?” He asked, placing an elbow on the table as he yawned.

“I was just showing Uncle our Guild stuff!” Lilithra proclaimed with clear smugness, puffing out her chest and smiling boldly. Raphael nodded as he grinned, while Selorien let out a small chuckle.

Time passed as the group exchanged words and munched on the different snacks, with even Thany chiming in whenever her interest was piqued by their recounting. Eventually, Raphael brought up a quite interesting topic.

“So, you’ve established your Guild. What’s the next step?” The gentleman asked after sipping from a glass of beer, his inquisitive stare making Lilithra fidget in her seat.

“Well… getting new members would be cool! But I don’t really know anyone to invite, so… we’ll focus on completing quests!” Lilithra explained with a mix of shyness and enthusiasm, fiddling with her thumbs. Raphael nodded thoughtfully as he placed the now empty glass on the table before speaking up again.

“I see, I see. What else?” He urged with a grin, his genuine interest making Lilithra smile fondly.

“We also need a Guild base… I know we’re just a small bunch, but we don’t want to bother you more than needed, after all!” Lilithra remarked, prompting Raphael to narrow his eyes. He seemed to ponder over her words for a moment, and eventually showed a contented expression.

“Ah, I get it. I wouldn’t mind, really, but I appreciate you taking me into consideration.” The gentleman placed a hand on Lilithra’s head and ruffled her hair gently, under the warm stares of both Ascalon and Selorien. It seemed he had understood they didn’t want to be in the way of his work, or something along these lines at least. But that brought up another question.

“If we need a place for our base… how can we acquire a piece of land?” Ascalon questioned as he leaned into the counter, propping his elbows on it to rest his chin on his hands. The rest let out thoughtful ‘hmm’s as they thought about his question, and Raphael was the one to chime in first.

“Well, you can always buy it… but I believe there’s also some sort of competition for Guilds sometimes? I’m not entirely sure…” Raphael closed his eyes, deep in thought, while the rest exchanged glances. Both Selorien and Lilithra quickly produced their phones and began fiddling with them, likely investigating.

After a few moments, Lilithra jolted in her seat. “Aha!” She exclaimed in realization. “Here, look!” Lilithra showed the screen to everyone, where the words ‘Loraine’s Real Estate Monthly Competition’ were displayed. It was slightly awkward for them to appraise all of the information on her tiny device, so she started musing aloud.

“It looks like some kind of monthly event where Guilds can apply to participate in a competition for properties! I remember hearing about this somewhere before, perhaps from, ugh, Lucio…” She spat the words with disgust, clearly not fond of the name anymore. “Ehem, and, it seems there’s many locations for the prizes! Let’s see…” Lilithra murmured as she fiddled with her phone, while the rest waited patiently.

“Uhm… it’s happening in almost two weeks. Let me apply real quick, just in case!” She panicked slightly and quickly tapped on her phone, perhaps worried she would miss a deadline or something like that.

Ascalon nibbled on a potato chip as he watched over her, with Thany leaning onto him and yawning, seemingly running out of battery. He scooped her up and held her in his arms, deciding to let her sleep there for a bit before taking her to Lilithra’s room. Unsurprisingly, Selorien yawned at the sight, appearing to resist the urge to just plop his head onto the counter to nap. Just then, Lilithra’s voice drew their attention.

“Done! We’re registered, hehe!” She said animatedly, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “It says the theme changes every month, and some of the prior competitions were dungeon races, like in the test! Also fights, nothing too fancy, and… puzzle solving? How would that work? Haha!” She laughed heartily, visibly enjoying herself.

“Hmm, finding hidden items, searching for clues… wow they really put effort into the ‘event’ part, huh? Seems like it’s televised, too…” Lilithra narrowed her eyes as she recalled the colosseum, which was also a big show for an audience, and it brought back both good and unpleasant memories. Seeing her shoulders drop slightly, Ascalon decided to chime in.

“So we can acquire a location for free if we win the competition? Let us do our best, then!” The knight declared with enthusiasm, and Lilithra beamed with joy.

“Yes! But! There are various prizes, so we might have a chance even if we don’t win!” She added, though Ascalon quickly replied.

“But we shall win!” He assured, and everyone exchanged knowing glances. Raphael nodded resolutely, while Selorien chuckled, and Lilithra clenched her fists in determination.

“Alright, it’s decided! Our new goal is set!” Lilithra proclaimed with glee and a radiant smile, raising a glass of juice high before taking a few sips. Just then, Selorien cleared up his throat and spoke.

“Ehem… before we wrap things up… we got something for you, Lil.” Selorien said with a slightly tired but cheerful tone, causing Raphael and Lilithra to look at him with curiosity.

“I got Lyra and Ascalon’s permission to use the chimera materials.” He started, prompting Lilithra to perk up with utmost interest. “And we decided to make you a new weapon, to congratulate the start of your—our, new Guild!” Selorien revealed as he got up and started manipulating his interface.

“Huh? R-really?” Lilithra murmured as she fidgeted in her seat, taken aback by the sudden event. “Y-you guys shouldn’t have!” She added, perhaps feeling a bit conflicted. Acquiring these materials had been a group effort, after all—but there was no doubt in anyone’s minds that she deserved a reward!

“There!” Selorien remarked as something began taking form in the air—the weapon Lilithra would wield from now on!