The four Adventurers stared down at the freshly stamped “B/C”s on their licenses next to the word RANK.
Dahlia and Felix exchanged looks.
“Is this for real?” The half-fae asked.
Evalyn’s face remained composed but amusement flickered in her eyes.
“We gave you an Assessment that would be fitting of a B Rank group and you completed it,” She said. “That’s a major accomplishment for a C Rank group. However…”
She glanced at Alice briefly.
“It took you a lot longer than the others. In addition, you had someone in your party with no background in the Guild. Even with her incredible contributions, if she was in a party of all beginners they wouldn’t have been ranked higher than C starting out. Experience is a requirement for the higher ranks.”
“So this is a compromise,” Orbahn said as he stared at his license. “In exchange for only going up half a rank we get to have Alice in our party.”
“Essentially, yes,” Evalyn nodded. “Officially you’re still C Rank, but you will be allowed special permission to take on B Rank missions. If no B rank or higher parties take them first.”
“I get it.” He slid the license into his worn handbook and tucked it into his uniform’s vest pocket. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” Evalyn nodded. She glanced at Alice again and the party leader hovering over Alice’s shoulder turned stiff. His reaction did not escape Evalyn’s notice.
What’s up with you? She thought, but held her tongue. Instead she sighed and sat back in her chair.
“I’m sorry I held you three back so long,” she said.
The adventurers exchanged surprised looks.
Alice grinned.
“I did have reservations after your healer left, but instead of telling you to wait until Daryl turned eighteen I just became stubborn. I didn’t want you to pick just anyone to fill out your roster, and I didn’t want to let you go up a rank as a trio because… I was scared of the danger you’d face.”
“Makes sense,” Orbahn said. “Any mission that involves going up against noble houses like the Godwins won’t be ranked lower than a B.” His dark eyes bore into her as he said it, watching for the smallest reaction.
Evalyn simply nodded.
“Yes. I didn’t want you to potentially face them if I could help it,” she said. Her gaze met Orbahn’s. “I didn’t want you all to get hurt again.”
It was Orbahn who flinched.
“Anyway, I realized I was being selfish and I’m not going to stop you anymore so long as we all follow the laws of the Guild.” She smiled, though just barely.
And Alice’s stomach somersaulted around her heart.
“Is that acceptable?” Evalyn asked. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
Orbahn rubbed the back of his neck and looked away. For someone who finally got his way, Alice thought he looked awfully conflicted.
“It is,” he replied.
“Great. Then starting tomorrow Alice can begin gaining experience with you all,” she said. “I would prefer you took commissions nearby for awhile as Felix recovers, but that’s just me being selfish again.”
“Right…”
The group turned to go, but Alice hung back next to the desk. Evalyn remained composed as Alice leaned her arms on the desk and watched Evalyn with a grin.
“Am I truly so amusing?” She asked after a moment.
“Maybe a little,” Alice replied. She glanced at the piles of paperwork still on the desk.
“Do you think you’ll be finished with your work by tonight?”
“My work is never finished,” Evalyn replied with a heavy sigh.
Alice laughed.
Evalyn relished hearing such a lovely sound. The tips of her ears reddened.
“If that’s the case then would you be fine putting it off for a few hours tonight?”
Evalyn’s pen slowed at Alice’s question and she glanced across her desk to the sunny woman watching her. Alice reached across the desk and gripped Eve’s sleeve with two fingers.
“I…want to drink with you,” she said. “Just you.”
During working hours, in the reception hall where anyone passing by might see, Evalyn’s professional mask appeared impossible to break.
But Alice was watching closely.
She saw the brief moment Eve’s eyes widened. She noticed how Eve turned her head away to maintain her composure. Her face remained calm as ever besides these little movements.
Her fingers flushed instead of her cheeks.
“That sounds nice,” Eve replied in a barely audible voice. “I’ll be ready at seven.”
“I’ll be waiting,” Alice smiled and let go of her sleeve.
Then, so as to no longer be a distraction, she slipped away to find her friends.
______
“I see. So that’s what happened on the course.”
Eve sipped on her wine as she listened to Alice recount what sparked her Gift into action. The two of them sat in a secluded booth at one of the nicer bars in the city. It was a popular spot for merchants and traveling lords who liked to make private deals and trade goods that were better left from prying eyes.
At seven on the dot, Alice found Eve waiting for her outside the Guild hall.
Now that she was off work, Eve had shed her uniform for a long sleeved shirt and a long skirt. She’d even taken a moment to comb out her shaggy hair and pin back her bangs.
Alice’s chest grew tight seeing the effort Eve put in on such short notice and a certain anticipation hummed inside. Eve was excited too it seemed.
Still, not everything about their date was as Alice imagined it.
They walked through the streets with the hoods of their cloaks pulled over their faces to avoid drawing attention, and Eve often glanced around as they drew closer to the bar she’d suggested they go to.
“I think it gets stronger when there is some kind of affection involved,” Alice said. “I wanted to protect Dahlia ‘cuz she’s my friend. And when she hugged me as thanks the power got a little stronger.”
“So you hugged…” Eve mumbled and twirled the stem of her glass.
Alice chuckled and nudged Eve’s shoulder with her elbow.
In the privacy of their booth, away from familiar faces or prying eyes, Eve smiled.
Alice’s heart fluttered.
“I’m glad my fears were unfounded,” Eve said. “And that they seem fine with your circumstances.”
“They even said I could get my lessons from them now,” Alice said.
Eve looked down and nodded.
Yes. Of course they did. That makes the most sense for you as well…
“But if I take them up on that when am I going to spend time with you?”
Eve nearly choked on her wine. She wiped her mouth and turned to Alice who watched her with an amused grin.
Like earlier, Alice reached across the table and gripped Eve’s sleeve. Eve watched her but didn’t pull her arm away so Alice unfurled her whole hand and covered Eve’s.
“It’s crazy…” she whispered, as her fingers fiddled with Eve’s hand. “I’ve only been in the world two and a half weeks. Everything is so different from the world I used to know. But you…”
Her golden eyes, slightly unfocused from the wine, fixated on Eve’s face.
Immediately Eve’s heart started to race. The giantess leaned forward and the fingers playing with Eve’s hand gripped it tight.
“I feel like I’ve known you forever…”
But you haven’t- Eve wanted to argue, but before the thought had even finished forming in her mind, Alice’s lips sealed off that thought’s only means of escape.