Lucien's eyes widened, genuinely startled.
Adrian nodded eagerly.
Lucien exhaled shakily, struggling to contain the surge of excitement coursing through him. The Guildmaster couldn't have chosen a better time to return.
He still had to leave the Federation—that was inevitable—but at least now he wouldn't be slinking away like some damn underdog.
Lucien fell silent, chasing a stray thought. When he caught Adrian peering over his shoulder, trying to glimpse something, he snapped back to reality and fixed the bartender with a humorless stare.
Adrian retreated instantly, chuckling nervously as he scratched his head.
"Ah, sorry! I thought I spotted something odd for a second."
He studied Lucien, then his expression brightened with belated recognition.
"Oh, right! Were you able to finish the request? Should've been a breeze for you." ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novｅlfire.net
The look in Lucien's eyes wasn't what Adrian had expected.
He paused, studying Lucien with growing concern.
"Something wrong, Lucien?"
Lucien met his gaze and released a heavy sigh.
"This night was a damn whirlwind. Can't even tell if I succeeded or failed. I took her to the academy, then carried her right back."
Adrian's brow furrowed in confusion.
"You carried her back? Why?"
Lucien's expression darkened as the memory resurfaced.
"Lady Varlyeth called me a dog. I wanted her to choke on the guilt of destroying her daughter's future."
He got swept up in the recollection for a moment, then caught Adrian's expression and his face soured.
"What? Why the hell are you staring at me like that?"
The bartender let out a dry chuckle that quickly died.
"It's just... I didn't realize you were that kind of person."
Lucien's frown deepened.
"What kind of person? You better not piss me off."
Adrian glanced away, his expression crumbling.
"It's just... regardless of everything else, it was a child's future. You shouldn't gamble with that because of wounded pride. Wasn't the cost too steep?"
Lucien studied him for a moment, his gaze steady. But his mind was busy.
'It's not like I wasn't planning to take her back eventually. I just wanted to charge her an outrageous amount and use her daughter's dreams to force an apology. But hearing myself think it now... damn, I sound like a bastard.'
Adrian offered a polite smile.
"I'm not lecturing you or anything. In this world, morality's all shades of grey, and everyone does whatever the hell they want. Power dictates everything. I just prefer showing a little restraint… doesn't mean you have to."
Lucien flashed a grin.
"Of course. I could already tell from the cave that you and I are going to butt heads constantly."
Adrian laughed nervously.
"Well... you're still an incredible person, Cien."
Lucien shot him a sharp glare that made the bartender flinch.
Adrian swallowed hard, his expression faltering.
"I'm fucking awesome!"
Lucien beamed, slapping the bartender's shoulder.
"Relax, boy! I'm not going to devour you!"
He nudged him toward the door.
"Wait here. I'll be right out."
He shut the door and spun around.
Lucien swept the room with his eyes, searching for the dragon, but found nothing. He dropped to his knees and checked under the bed, exhaling in relief when he spotted it sleeping.
He straightened and stepped outside to meet Adrian, locking his room behind him.
As they left the inn, Adrian spoke up.
"What about Lady Gaya? She always seems reluctant to let you wander off alone."
Lucien glanced back and sighed.
"She'll manage. She's busy anyway."
Adrian fell quiet as they walked the empty streets. After several minutes, he asked hesitantly.
"Cien, if you don't mind me asking... is everything really okay?"
Lucien studied his friend.
"Of course it's fine. I should be asking you the same thing. I mean, I get that the Guildmaster's back, but he couldn't even wait for dawn to see me?"
Adrian's shoulders sagged.
"How should I know? He never tells me anything. He just said it's for your own good that you come immediately. That's what has me worried."
Lucien went quiet for a moment.
'Are there chances he knows?'
What are the chances that he didn't?
He sighed and clapped Adrian's back.
"Thanks for the concern, buddy."
After that, they walked in silence toward the Guild hall and the Guildmaster's office.
After entering the Guildmaster's office, Adrian retreated and shut the door behind them, leaving only the Guildmaster and Lucien.
Lucien settled into his seat, studying the Guildmaster who was slicing a fruit that resembled an apple—except it was blue. Silvery moonlight filtered through the windows behind him.
Catching Lucien's lingering stare, the man smiled and lifted a slice with the tip of his small blade.
"Care for a Blueberry?"
Lucien eyed the fruit warily.
'Since when are blueberries blue?'
He shook his head cautiously.
"I'll pass. I don't like experimenting with food. Why are you slicing blue... berries at 5 AM?"
The Guildmaster popped a slice into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully before responding.
"The journey to Rodon was more grueling than expected. Apparently, word about the Player Cien has reached the Mirrors, and they've saddled me with a rather troubling burden. But first, I need to address the incident at Lady Varlyeth's mansion."
Lucien's throat tightened.
"Do you... know anything about it?"
Lucien hesitated, then sighed heavily.
"Nothing beyond the basics. I was on a mission when the mansion suddenly exploded, and some metal bird attacked us."
The Guildmaster leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"And you managed to kill it? How?"
Lucien hung his head, exhaustion etched across his features.
He lifted his eyes to meet the Guildmaster's gaze, pain flickering in their depths.
"If I told you I don't understand it myself, would you believe me?"
He straightened in his chair.
"Everything happened so fast I couldn't piece it together. Before I knew it, I was drowning in level-ups and item drops."
The Guildmaster stared at Lucien with disbelief written across his face.
"Gods, Lady Luck must be absolutely smitten with you."
Lucien shook his head grimly.
"I'm not smitten with her. Thanks to her, trouble stalks me wherever I go."