I look around the bustling guild hall, observing the adventurers engaged in various activities—some busy with work, others chatting and eating.

(It's been a day since my talk with Dyrk, and things have been pretty normal. Dyrk is still swamped with work and hasn't had the time to do anything besides being in his office.)

(He is surprisingly diligent when it comes to his work, which is quite a surprise considering our first meeting was him forcing me into becoming a vigilante.)

I release a sigh and take a sip of my tea. (This tea that Ms. Eldez gave me is quite good. The way it just makes me relax feels almost supernatural. Then again, maybe it is,) I muse, not particularly worried.

(Ms. Eldez is... odd but not bad. She seems to just be a nice lady with a bad memory. She always seems to just appear out of thin air in random situations, but now that I think about it, she has appeared every time I've needed help with something.) I smile as I think about Ms. Eldez and our many odd encounters.

(It's a shame she can't teach me magic or whatever it is that she does. She seems quite talented. If not for her bad memory, she probably could do way more than she already does.)

(Though there is one thing about her that I still can't put my finger on. Every time we meet, every time we talk or interact, I get this weird feeling. Maybe it's her odd way of speaking or her eyes. While beautiful, they seem almost like those of a dead person.)

As I ponder this, Ms. Eldez herself appears, seemingly out of nowhere, carrying a tray of freshly baked pastries. "Hello, dear. Would you like a treat?" she asks, her usual warm smile on her face.

I blink in surprise but nod. "Sure, thank you."

She sets the tray down on the table, and I take a pastry. As I bite into it, the rich, buttery flavor fills my mouth, making me momentarily forget my worries.

"You seem deep in thought," Ms. Eldez comments, taking a seat across from me.

"I was just thinking about you, actually," I admit. "You've been a great help to me, and I appreciate it."

She chuckles softly. "Oh, it's nothing, really. I just like to help where I can."

"Still, it means a lot," I say sincerely. "You've always been there when I needed you."

Her smile widens, but there's a flicker of something in her eyes—sadness? Regret? I can't quite place it.

"Well, if you ever need anything, you know where to find me," she says, standing up. "Enjoy the pastries."

As she walks away, I can't shake the feeling that there's more to Ms. Eldez than meets the eye. And while she may not be able to teach me magic, I know that her support and kindness are invaluable. For now, that's enough.

As I finish the last of the pastries Ms. Eldez brought, my thoughts drift to the urgency of my situation. (Today is the last day the translation spell will work. After this, I'll be unable to communicate with anyone besides Ms. Eldez, and with her memory issues, that's not much of a guarantee.) I chew on a piece of pastry, trying to form a plan. (I need to figure something out soon, or surviving in this world will become much harder.)

Just then, the sound of the guild door opening catches my attention. A massive figure barely manages to squeeze through the door frame, drawing the eyes of everyone in the guild. The large man finally gets inside and makes his way over to the receptionist desk. The entire guild falls silent, making me feel uneasy. I look around and see that many adventurers are subtly reaching for their weapons.

(What's happening? Who is this person, and why is everyone so on edge?) I wonder, not daring to voice my thoughts aloud.

The man places his left hand on the desk. It's made of metal and has a sleek, almost futuristic look. "Hello, young lady. I'd like to make a request," he says to Varin, his voice rough and deep.

Varin, clearly intimidated, stammers, "And what request would that be... uh, sir?"

The man laughs, a booming sound that makes the tension in the room palpable. "I'd like to know who killed my men! Who among you is brave enough to take what's mine? Who among you is fearless enough to try and take my stock of merchandise?!" He slams his metallic hand on the desk, his voice rising with each word.

"I... don't understand, sir. What are you asking?" Varin replies, looking as if she's about to pass out from fear.

The man takes a deep breath and says calmly, "I would like to know which one of your adventurers beheaded my right-hand man, crushed the head of my most loyal servant, and killed over twelve of my workers in the span of a few days." His tone is almost comical despite the serious content of his words.

Before Varin can respond, a hand touches her shoulder from behind. "Dear, could you go and get Dyrk? I'll deal with this gentleman," Ms. Eldez says, her usual calm tone unshaken by the man's imposing presence.

"Ms. Eldez, I..." Varin begins, but the hand on her shoulder tightens slightly, prompting her to stop speaking and make her way to the stairs leading to Dyrk's office.

Ms. Eldez turns her attention to the large man. "How can I help you, sir?" she asks, her usual calm demeanor unwavering.

"I think you already heard what I said. I won't be repeating anything," the man replies, leaning uncomfortably close to Ms. Eldez's face. She doesn't flinch.

The man straightens up and raises his voice so everyone can hear. "You have three days to bring me the head of the man who killed my people. If you don't, you will face me, Blackclaw!"

The room remains silent, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air.

"Excuse me, sir, but threatening the adventurers is against the rules. Please make your way out of the guild, or else we will have to throw you out," Ms. Eldez says, her voice unwavering and without a hint of fear.

The man's face contorts with surprise at her words. "I see, so you all have forgotten who I am!" he exclaims before reaching out with his metallic hand and clasping Ms. Eldez's face between his fingers. "Maybe I should make an example out of you?" he threatens. Ms. Eldez remains unfazed, simply repeating her words.

"Ah, so you've lost your mind. Don't worry, I'll just put you out of your misery," the man says, tightening his grip around her face. But Ms. Eldez remains unmoved, seemingly oblivious to the danger she faces.

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Before the situation can escalate further, a hand grabs the man's metallic arm, and a familiar voice speaks. "I recommend you let go of her, friend," Dyrk says, ready to defend his colleague.

"And what if I don't?" the man asks, almost jokingly. In response, Dyrk tightens his grip and pulls the man closer, forcing him to almost kneel until they are face to face.

"Then I'll just have to make you pay for any damage she receives," Dyrk says with a smile. The man finally lets go of Ms. Eldez and grabs Dyrk's hand that is holding him.

"Oh ho? So you want to play, little man? Fine, I'll play," the man says, putting all his strength into crushing Dyrk's hand. Dyrk does the same, and the room grows tense as the two men engage in a test of strength.

The tension in the guild hall is palpable, with adventurers on edge, ready to intervene if necessary. The metallic creak of the man's prosthetic hand is audible as Dyrk's grip tightens.

"You're strong," the man grunts, his voice strained. "But strength alone won't save you."

"Maybe not," Dyrk replies, his voice calm but firm. "But protecting my guild and my people will."

Ms. Eldez steps back, her face calm and composed. She watches the struggle, confident in Dyrk's abilities. The man, realizing he's at a disadvantage, finally releases his grip and steps back, a look of frustration on his face.

"You've made a mistake, Dyrk," the man growls. "This isn't over."

"You're right," Dyrk replies, his eyes never leaving the man's. "It's far from over. But for now, you're leaving."

With a final glare, the man turns and makes his way out of the guild, the door slamming shut behind him. The adventurers slowly relax, weapons still at the ready, but the immediate threat has passed.

Dyrk looks around the room, his gaze meeting each adventurer's. "Stay vigilant," he says. "This isn't the last we'll see of him."

As the tension begins to dissipate, I reflect on the events.

______________________

(Who the hell was that? What the hell was any of that? Was that man talking about me and Dyrk's "walks"?)

I look over at Dyrk as he's talking with Ms. Eldez, trying to get his attention with eyes filled with worry. Finally, he notices me and starts laughing so hard he nearly falls over.

Then he says, "Listen up, ladies and gentlemen, if any of you decides to out our little adventurer, you have to face me, understand?" He motions over to me.

I make my way over and ask, "Who was that?!"

Dyrk smirks, the familiar smirk he gave me when we were hunting down those criminals. "That was Mr. Demond Berdin, also known as Blackclaw, the most wanted man on this side of the world with a bounty of over 150 gold," Dyrk says, prompting me to look over to the wanted board and see that at the top is the face of the man who just threatened the entire guild.

"Oh no, no, no, no, nonononononn! This can't be happening, Dyrk this is your fault! Do something!" I say as fear and dread slowly make their way into my heart.

Dyrk laughs again and says, "Yep, you're in pretty deep there, little adventurer! Good luck."

I stare at him in disbelief. "That's it? You're just going to leave me to deal with this?"

He shrugs, still grinning. "It's a part of the job, kid. You've got to learn to handle these things. Besides, you're the one who made a mess of his operations."

"But I didn't know! I was just following your orders!" I protest, my panic rising.

"Calm down," Dyrk says, his tone shifting to something slightly more serious. "Look, Blackclaw is dangerous, no doubt about it. But you've proven you can handle yourself. We'll come up with a plan."

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "What kind of plan?"

"For now, keep a low profile," he advises. "Stick around the guild and stay out of sight. We'll figure out how to deal with Blackclaw together. But remember, you've got allies here."

I nod, feeling a little reassured but still anxious. "Okay, I'll stay close. But you better not leave me hanging."

Dyrk chuckles. "Wouldn't dream of it, kid. Now, go get some rest. We've got a lot to think about."

I walk away, trying to process everything. (So Blackclaw is after me because of what I did during our "hunts." Great. Just great. But at least I'm not alone in this. We'll find a way to handle him.)

I look around the guild hall, seeing the familiar faces of adventurers. Some nod at me with encouragement, while others give sympathetic looks. (Yeah, we'll handle this. Somehow.)

I sigh deeply and make my way over to my seat to finish my pastries. (Well, I guess this is my last meal,) I think to myself, somewhat accepting my fate.

As I eat the food that Ms. Eldez brought me, I slowly remember the smirk that Dyrk gave me. "...DYRK, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE, YOU PLANNED THIS FROM THE START?" I slowly connect the dots and realize that our outings weren't just to hunt random criminals but were actually to provoke Blackclaw into action so we could fight him.

"YOU PSYCHOPATH, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

Dyrk looks up from his work, an amused grin spreading across his face. "Took you long enough to figure it out," he says, leaning back in his chair.

I slam my fist on the table, rattling the plates and cups. "You used me as bait! You put me in danger without telling me what was really going on!"

Dyrk shrugs nonchalantly. "Had to be done. Blackclaw's been a thorn in our side for too long. You were the perfect candidate to draw him out."

"Perfect candidate?" I repeat, my voice rising. "I'm not some pawn in your game, Dyrk! You could have gotten me killed!"

"But I didn't," he replies calmly. "And now we know Blackclaw is after us. We have the advantage."

I clench my fists, anger boiling inside me. "You could have warned me. You could have told me the truth."

"And risk you acting differently? Risk you tipping him off?" Dyrk shakes his head. "No, this way was cleaner. More effective."

I sit back down, fuming. "You manipulated me."

"I used the resources available to me," he says, his tone unrepentant. "And now we're in a position to take down one of the most dangerous men in the region. Think about the bigger picture."

"The bigger picture?" I scoff. "What about my life? My safety?"

Dyrk leans forward, his eyes serious. "You're an adventurer. Danger comes with the territory. If you want to survive, you need to learn to adapt. To think on your feet. This was a test, and you passed."

I glare at him, feeling a mix of anger and betrayal. "I didn't sign up for this."

"Maybe not," he says, standing up. "But you're in it now. So, what are you going to do? Run and hide? Or stand and fight?"

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. (He's right. As much as I hate to admit it, he's right. I can't run from this. I have to face it head-on.)

"Fine," I say, my voice steady. "I'll fight. But don't expect me to trust you again."

Dyrk smirks. "Trust is overrated. Just focus on staying alive. We'll deal with Blackclaw together."

I nod, feeling a new resolve. (I may not trust him, but I won't let Blackclaw win. I'll survive this, no matter what.)

Just as I'm contemplating the major issue Dyrk has put me in, I hear Ms. Eldez speak up.

"Actually, the little fella isn't an adventurer as he hasn't taken the test and hasn't added his name to our guild to get recorded."

Hearing this, a light shines in my eyes and I seize the opportunity. "Well, in that case... goodbye!" I shout, making a dash for the door, only to get caught by Dyrk.

"LET ME GO! I DON'T WANT THIS! I DON'T WANT TO DIE, YOU DICK!" I yell, struggling to free myself from Dyrk's grip.

Dyrk laughs and says, "Nah, too late. You can't back out of your word. You'll just have to take the test and become an official adventurer."

"NO, SCREW YOU! I DON'T WANT THIS!" I scream as loud as I can, struggling even harder to break free. "DAMN IT, DYRK! I ALMOST KILLED YOU ONCE, AND I'LL DO IT AGAIN IF YOU DON'T LET ME GO!"

Dyrk tightens his grip and gives me a stern look. "Calm down, you're not going to die. We'll handle Blackclaw together. You've already proven yourself capable. You just need to formalize it."

I glare at him, still furious. "Formalize it? By becoming an adventurer? You dragged me into this mess without even telling me what was going on!"

"You're right, I did," Dyrk admits, his tone serious. "But you've shown you've got the guts and the skills. The guild needs people like you, and trust me, you'll be safer as part of the guild than running off on your own."

"Safer?" I scoff. "You think dragging me into a fight with the most wanted man around makes me safer?"

"It's not just about safety," Dyrk says, his voice softening slightly. "It's about purpose. You've got potential, and you can make a difference. Plus, I'll be right there with you."

I stop struggling for a moment, thinking about his words. (As much as I hate to admit it, he's right. Running away won't solve anything. And maybe, just maybe, being part of something bigger might not be the worst thing.)

"Fine," I mutter reluctantly. "But if I die, I'm haunting you."

Dyrk laughs, finally releasing me. "Deal. Now, let's get you signed up and ready for the test."

I sigh deeply, feeling a mix of resignation and determination. (This might be the craziest thing I've ever done, but if I'm going to survive, I need to embrace it. Time to become an adventurer.)