Aria moved her hands across the parchment, scribbling down information about the two new monsters that had ambushed Group Two in the Cloudy Jungle. Inside the office, more papers were piled high on the desk, partially obscuring the guild master. He was busy reading and writing reports on the recent expeditions - one of which had ended in success, while the other had ended in disastrous failure.
"How many Steel-, Silver-, Gold-, and Platinum-ranked adventurers were lost, respectively?" Aria broke the silence.
"Most of the casualties were Steel-ranked," Granzial responded while continuing to work through the reports. "From the beginning, most adventurers in Group Two were Steel-ranked, while there were only eight Silver-ranked adventurers. There was only one Gold-ranked adventurer in the fray - the leader of the party 'Starlight,' Oswald Loc Hartress, who led the entire group."
Granzial moved a stack of papers down from his table and onto the floor. "He was an illegitimate child from a branch house of Baron Horass, whose territory lies in the north, or rather, the northeast; located above the plateau where the three provinces are constantly ravaged by icy winters, save for one or two months of the year. He was quite prideful, but his skills in weaponry, magic, and resourcefulness backed up his words. It was tragic that he lost his life in this expedition."
"Why are there no more Gold-ranked adventurers participating? And what about the Platinum-ranked? Are the rewards too small for them?"
"You could put it that way. Adventurers are, in general, money grubbers. They side with those who offer greater rewards and flock to places that are lucrative. No matter how dangerous or immoral the task may be, as long as the compensation is sufficient, they will do it. Even though this domain is wealthy, it pales in comparison to the City of Gold located on the Southern Continent."
"The City of Gold... I am curious about its appearance. What does it look-"
Before Aria could finish her sentence, a knock was heard.
"Pardon me, sir." A male staff member entered and approached the guild master. He whispered something that Aria could not hear, but something told her that it was news she would dread.
After hearing it, Granzial instructed the staff member to be polite before changing into a more formal coat and fixing his appearance to look presentable.
"Aria, you need to be ready." Granzial left those words with Aria before leaving his office.
Aria could only make a deduction that she hoped was wrong.
***
Granzial walked down the stairs and was greeted by two rows of knights clad in metal armor. In the center stood a man in his thirties, holding an ornate cane.
He possessed rare silver hair that was neatly swept back. His eyes were sharp and cold, yet many would be enamored by their crimson glow. Despite his age, he possessed a youthful appearance that would warrant envy, with a well-proportioned face and a stance that displayed an unmistakable sense of authority.
The man wore a black long-sleeved shirt with a red vest over it, paired with similarly black trousers. The legs of his trousers rested neatly over a pair of caramel-colored leather shoes. Completing his attire was a long, cream-colored overcoat draped over his shoulders and a pair of black gloves snugly wrapped around his hands.
"Warmest of pleasures to meet you, my Lord. I sincerely bow in awe of your glorious presence." Granzial bowed deeply as he delivered his flattering greeting. "May I indulge you in some of our finest beverages in one of our finest rooms?"
"That will not be necessary. I am here to witness the beasts that you have subjugated and to recruit any potential talents into our Knights' Order. Though it seems one of the beasts was not taken down."
"My humblest apologies. According to the report, they were ambushed by two other unknown creatures, and many lives were lost. However, it is my utmost pleasure to inform you that the other successful expedition yielded tremendous results, bringing down two large beasts and a large quantity of smaller ones."
"That information came to me a few hours ago. Do not look down on my information network, for those adventurers tend to be loose-lipped, and rumors spread like wildfire. That is why I descended into this place - to claim the heads of the bounties I placed yesterday."
"Sincerest apologies. I meant not to undermine your worth, my Lord. Now, I shall present to you the materials harvested from the beasts." As Granzial finished his sentence, he motioned for the guild staff to bring in the monsters' materials.
As the staff scurried out of the guild hall to collect the materials from the neighboring building, where carcasses and other collectibles brought in by adventurers were processed and assessed, the guild master offered the Earl a seat, which the latter accepted.
The back doors of the guild hall opened, and several carts were wheeled inside.
"They are intriguing, to say the least. I have never witnessed such creatures. And their size... how were they able to remain hidden all this time? I must commend the adventurers who fought against them. Where are they?"
"Some were wounded and are currently resting in the nearby room. Should I call upon them, my Lord?"
"There is no need. The others?"
Several adventurers walked toward the Earl before stopping approximately two meters in front of him and kneeling.
"I shall reward you for your endeavors. I shall add five Gold to the reward of every adventurer who participated in this hunt."
The adventurers were ecstatic. They smiled before bowing their heads in gratitude.
"So, who contributed the most to taking down these beasts?"
Silence suddenly fell over the adventurers who, only moments ago, had been murmuring happily among themselves.
The Earl noticed the oddity and asked the guild master to provide him with the reports. With some hesitation, Granzial handed the reports to one of the knights, who inspected the bundle of papers before passing them to his Lord.
After a brief moment of silence, the Earl stood and walked toward the stairs. His knights were bewildered by his sudden departure, but they followed their master with utmost discipline to ensure his safety. Granzial followed them up to the second level.
The Lord stopped in front of the guild master's office and casually opened the door. Inside, as expected, he found Aria sitting and writing on a scroll.
Aria noticed the well-dressed man entering, but she ignored him and continued with her task. This action angered some of the knights, who viewed it as an insult to their master. Before they could take action, however, the Earl raised his right hand, stopping them.
His gaze remained fixed upon Aria as he sat on the couch across from her.
Silence dominated the room for a while, increasing the uneasiness of the knights and Granzial, who had entered behind them.
Aria finished writing on the two scrolls and informed Granzial that she had completed her task. She was about to walk out when the Earl stopped her.
"You are going to leave without even greeting your own father?" The current Earl of Sultier, Elrion Saffrius von Sultier, uttered the words without looking at Aria, who stood by the door.
Aria remained silent, but Granzial intervened. "Aria, talk to your father. Please."
Reluctantly, Aria returned to her seat and stared at her father with a rebellious gaze.
Granzial turned and left the room, allowing the father and daughter to speak openly about their feelings.
"I see that you have found your way to becoming an adventurer, and you seem to be doing well. You only started a few days ago, yet you have accomplished more than most adventurers above your rank could have done."
"Please stop with the bland flatteries. Why do you want to see me? Even though you have neglected me for more than five years, you come here and demand that I greet you as a daughter should greet her loving father."
"Quite the mouth you have developed over the past few years. I did what a father should do for his daughters and family. I allowed you to stay in the mansion until you were eleven, fed you properly, provided you with clothes, equipment, and coins, and even allowed Mona to tend to your personal needs. You had the freedom to do what you wanted in your free time within the space allocated to you."
"You cast me aside. For years, I have not had the freedom to enter the main mansion. All the other servants mocked me. My stepmother and stepsister took everything that was supposed to be mine while you sat atop your self-made throne, ignoring my struggles. Should I still consider you my beloved father?"
"I told you, did I not? I did what I deemed necessary." Elrion fixed his gaze upon his daughter. "Ever since that ceremony, you became a source of disappointment - not just for the Sultier family, but for many other nobles, including the royal family, who expect a great deal from a militaristic family. I protected you from those condescending eyes and insults."
"If you had been there by my side, I am sure it would have been bearable."
"You are much more similar to me than you think. Ever since your mother died, a part of me died with her, and so did yours. Mona could never replace Eleanora for you. Eventually, you will break down."
Aria hung her head in frustration. She had lost her mother a few days before she turned five, and the loss had deeply affected her. She had been unaware that her father was also deeply hurt, perhaps even more so, because Elrion always wore an emotionless expression. She had never been able to fully cope with her mother's death and had instead clung to Mona as a familial figure.
"So, how about you? How do you cope with Mother's passing?"
"I don't." The reply was curt.
Aria was shocked. For the first time in years, she looked up at her father with a different expression.
Elrion had buried himself in work as a form of addiction while neglecting the internal affairs of the household, giving his second wife, who despised Aria, full authority over the domestic affairs of the estate.
"When you were born... and as you were growing up, I was a little disappointed. You looked just like me, with silver hair, crimson eyes, a sharp gaze, a well-built physique, caution, and a strategic mind. However, you embodied her freedom. You inherited her kindness and adopted her outlook on life. I believed that you would bring the Sultier name to greater heights than I ever could."
"You believed that I was suitable to be the heir?"
"Yes, I did. You learn quickly and take in everything without much complaint. You have the qualities of a leader, and a rather kind leader, if I must add. After all, Eleanora taught you to be kind to others... too kind. In fact, she secretly funneled a portion of the household funds to several orphanages, but she was rather bad at keeping it a secret. I have no doubt you are the same."
"... I am not my mother."
"Correct. You are the best of both me and Eleanora. The world was looking forward to your future." Meeting his daughter's eyes, Elrion found himself reminiscing about his late wife. "Although, you and her are equally bad at hiding secrets; just like the funding to the orphanages, you had occasionally been sneaking out of your cabin late at night."
Aria was a little surprised and embarrassed.
Elrion paused for a moment, shifting his gaze slightly downward. "However, when Eleanora fell ill, everything crumbled."
Elrion raised his head and stared at the ceiling. "She lost her usual liveliness and stayed in the mansion all the time. It was heartbreaking, seeing the usually active girl collapsing from exhaustion. Within a year, she was confined to her bed, and we could not even have dinner together. Our conversations diminished, and even though I tried to visit her as much as I could, she would rather spend her time with you."
"... Mother was still very bright despite being bedridden."
"Only to you. She loved you more than anything in the world, and knowing that she no longer had much time, she tried to give you the best memories she could. I think she wanted you to remember her as the kind and nurturing mother she was."
"She indeed was..."
"As a mother, no one would argue that she was great. However, as..."
"..."
"... I tried to seek comfort elsewhere, and Melinda found her way into my heart. I know I married her for political reasons, but there is no doubt that she is beautiful and capable."
"By capable, you mean conniving."
"Not exactly... but she has been managing the household affairs very well. Especially when I am not around, she handles everything well."
Aria made a difficult expression.
"... A few months after being bedridden, Eleanora could barely sit up from her bed, and her speech became slurred." Elrion took a sip of water from the cup provided to him. "It happened all of a sudden, when I was out of town... that she died. I was not there in her final moments."
Aria remembered the heartbreaking day when her mother took her last breath.
Confined to her bed, Eleanora had lost her vibrant glow. The chronic fever, headaches, nausea, sleepiness, and loss of appetite had reduced her to little more than skin and bones.
Aria was crying at her bedside while Mona comforted her, despite tears spilling from her own eyes.
Eleanora used the last of her remaining strength to gently pat Aria on the head. She smiled before slowly closing her eyes, never to open them again.
Since her father was out of town, the funeral service had to be handled by Melinda, and it was disrespectful, to say the least.
Eleanora was not properly clothed as a noble would have been expected to be, and Melinda purposely delayed informing her husband and Eleanora's parents of her death. As a result, when both Elrion and her parents arrived, the coffin had already been lowered, and soil had been tossed over it, symbolizing a form of mockery - as though Eleanora were nothing more than an animal or monster that belonged in the earth.
Naturally, Eleanora's parents were furious, but as a Baron family, they could do nothing against Melinda, who was the beloved daughter of a powerful Marquis family.
Days after the funeral ceremony, Elrion lost his warmth and became cold toward everyone, including Melinda, which infuriated her. She took out her frustration on Aria, for her deep devotion to her beloved husband had been rewarded with nothing but indifference.
Her constant shrieks terrified those around her, and when Aria displayed the disgraceful results of her Blooming Ceremony, Melinda convinced her husband and the other nobles to disinherit her.
Tears began to fall down Aria's cheeks as she remembered her mother's final moments. She began to hate her father because he had not been there during Eleanora's final days, choosing to leave for work instead.
She began contemplating leaving the household altogether.
"To this day, I am still unable to forgive myself for succumbing to Melinda's venom... and missing Eleanora's funeral."
"And I hated you for that."
"I do not doubt that. I would hate myself too."
Silence once again dominated the room, but the atmosphere was solemn rather than tense.
It remained so until Elrion finally broke the silence. "I am sorry."
Aria's and the knights' eyes widened in disbelief at the prideful Earl's apology.
Afterward, Elrion stood and bowed to Aria, showing that even after falling into the abyss, he was sincere in his words.
A small smile formed on Aria's lips. "I understand that you have suffered as well. However, I am still unable to forgive you. Maybe... one day, with time, I may be able to completely forgive you and openly accept you as my father."
"I see... I think that is worth something." Elrion sat back down and looked at his daughter, noticing the scars she had sustained.
"What is your plan after this? Do you have enough money to purchase new equipment?"
"... I am thinking of getting new equipment from the local blacksmith. It will cost more, but it will be tailored to fit me. Even though I do not know how much it will cost, I am getting a large sum from the expedition, so I am sure I have enough to continue living for a while."
"Those blacksmiths may recommend cheap materials while lying about their prices. How about asking Granzial to accompany you? That way, those steel movers will be kept in line."
"With the mountainous piles of papers in this room, I doubt the guild master has any time to spare. I may be more inclined to ask the leader of the expedition group I participated in to accompany me instead."
"Then do that. But I doubt Granzial would disobey if I asked him to follow you."
"Please do not abuse your authority for something trivial. The guild master is not part of House Sultier, nor is he under its authority."
"Do not assume that I am an unreasonable man. I have known him for almost my entire life. To me, he is like a book I have read hundreds of times, and even his blatant flatteries are starting to sound boring. How do you think I knew where you were just by reading the reports?"
"... Makes sense."
"The monsters' materials that were meant for me, you can have them."
"Eh!"
"This is the least I could do as your father." Elrion walked to the door and exited the premises, with his knights following him.
Aria remained in the room for a while, sitting in a daze, before eventually leaving and making her way down the flight of stairs.
The Earl had just entered his carriage and was about to depart when Aria burst through the guild's doors.
"I will make good use of the materials! Thank you!"
Elrion looked at Aria through the carriage window. He nodded before tapping the front window, signaling the driver to start moving.
As the carriage departed, his knights followed on horseback. Aria continued staring after them until they disappeared around the corner.