After we hunted two more Boreagard, I now had a day off.
My guild seal got updated once more and I was now bronze rank 5.
According to Irelia, it would take at least a few days until every bit of the Boreagard materials was harvested from their carcasses and Dana watched over the process.
Silvia explained to me at length how this would give more materials than in field harvesting and it was logical.
Even if Frontier Hunter never had a feature like this at all.
I couldn’t imagine anything better than not having to delve into monster innards and all that stuff myself.
Today I was taking my second walk through Marx though, and with the earned Zenny and my rank up reward I hadn’t touched yet, I felt pretty rich.
Marx was bustling again and I struggled to move between all the stalls and shops I wanted to visit.
I stopped at a particular looking one and bought myself a mouth watering good looking crepe with wild fruits.
In the distance I noticed a sign with a symbol I’ve never seen before embossed on it.
My feet carried me towards this unknown shop without even thinking.
It was a small shop and at least a few decades old, but I went inside anyway.
A small bell above the door rang.
Inside of the shop was similarly old looking and there were rows of monster leather and furs around.
A voice from further in came, “one moment please.
I’m coming!” And a small old lady came through an open door at the back.
She was maybe 150 centimeters tall, maybe she was even a bit smaller and even if I thought Silvia was old with her around 50 years, this woman had to be ancient.
Her eyes mustered me and she showed me a crinkled smile, “hello dearest, do you want to trade some materials?” I shook my head, “no, I was simply curious.
Haven’t been to a materials trader yet.” When I saw the prices for every material, I gulped.
Everything was 4 times the price of what the guild paid for them.
“I see.
So you were just wasting my time,” she turned and began to walk away.
“Wait, umm,” I stopped the old woman and scratched my head nervously, “I’m sorry, but do you know a good bowyer’s?” Before moving through the door she said, “there’s a decent one when you go down the right alley after the armorer’s shops.” And gone she was.
The traders shop silent again.
Since I only wanted to window shop today, I left and went down another road.
I explored a few more shops, including a book store and bought a book about proper inventory management, called, “How to make the best out of your chest.” Yes, it was a stupid name, but as I browsed along the pages, it had very good tips on saving space.
The author was a bit weird though with how lovingly they described guild chests.
I bumped into someone while reading and looked up, an excuse already on my lips.
Yet I stopped the moment I saw this face.
Barde.
He now wore Myzura drake armor looking like a hakama and his brown hair was tied in a bun.
Barde’s eyes fell down on me and he had to grin, “hey Aria, fancy meeting you here.” “Oh..
Hey Barde, sorry for bumping into you.” I rubbed my nose.
Barde’s eyes darted around nervously, “where’s your guard dog, Rune?” “Not here,” I dryly said and looked away with a frown, “She’s gone…” Barde stared at me for a second, truly dumbfounded.
Then slapped me on the back, “let’s grab something to drink and you tell me what happened.” He led me to a nearby bar where we sat down.
I ordered myself a juice, it was too thin and more water than anything else and told him what happened.
He nodded thoughtfully, sometimes shaking his head, but letting me finish.
A moment of silence hung before he started, “are you serious?” I nodded and he continued on, “to me it sounds like the guild was just looking for an excuse.
But why even take Rune with them?” A sigh escaped me, “I have no idea, but I overheard my party leader talking to someone weird who threatened her.” “Aria,” his eyes bore right into mine.
“Maybe you should forget it?
This sounds really dangerous.
There aren’t that many people who can threaten gold ranks and higher.” I hung my head again and looked utterly dejected, “so you want me to forget my childhood friend?” “If she were your childhood friend she would’ve given you an explanation, so, forget it.” He said in a resigned voice, “you’re overthinking it.” A pause, “and you don’t even know if the person threatening your party leader and what happened with Rune correlates.
Bet it’s all just a misunderstanding.” I stood up and slammed some Zenny into the counter, staring down at Barde with truly cold eyes,” if it was, then why did they talk about Hans and Tide?” And stormed off.
With my mood now fully soured, I went back to my party’s guild rooms.
I knocked at Silvia’s door and after a moment she replied, “come in.” Her room was bigger than mine and she sat at a table and was filling out a guild form.
I closed the door behind me, “hey Silvia.” My voice was tense.
“A few nights ago I overheard you talking with someone about Tide.” She looked up and said with a serious, but still warm tone, “would you tell me what you’ve overheard?” I did and she fell into thought for a minute before answering, “well…
It’s complicated.
How much has your father told you?” “He hasn’t told me anything.” Even her emotionless mask couldn’t hide the astonishment as she murmured, “Norlan, how could you not…” Then she started to explain, “the hunters guild is not a monolith and sometimes when promising hunters show up, they tend to be interested.” “And if the guild is interested, they look for ways to take promising hunters on a leash to train them for the expeditions,” she almost spat.
“It’s an open secret a lot of us older hunters know.
I really thought your father told you, especially after he was part of the expeditions once himself.” My mouth opened and closed for a moment, “and the guild was interested in Rune for the expedition?
But she’s just a bronze rank!” I felt a bit closer to the truth, but a lump formed in my throat, “but isn’t joining the expeditions the goal of every hunter?.
Silvia shook her head, “almost no hunter is stupid enough to join the expedition, Aria.” She said my name for the first time since joining her team, “the further you go into the continent, the worse it gets.” Her voice went quieter, “there are multiple elder drakes in that region.
You really don’t want to be there..” The pain in her voice was palpable.
“And why was that person threatening you?” I finally asked her, nauseated, “and why hasn’t she at least said goodbye to me?
“Because I might’ve tried to reason with guild master Shen,” Silvia said, anger rising on her face, “but the worthless piece of shit didn’t do anything.” She shook her head, “and if she hasn’t written you a letter, you should really forget her.
Sure, the guild was sketchy with how they recruited her, but there’s no rule forbidding her to write letters.” “Then…” I gulped nervously, my voice trembling, “then she simply didn’t want me to know?” Silvia shrugged, “she’s your friend.
Do you really want to cry about a woman who just left without a word?” Anger flared up inside of me, “then I’ll follow her to Blanche and ask her myself!
I’ll just go….” My voice died in my throat.
“And die for the expeditions?” She doused cold water over my determination.
“You’re a good hunter, for a rookie, but if you go there it’s your death.” She stood, “don’t throw away your life.
At least stay with our group until you reach silver rank 4.
Before you’re not allowed into Blanche’s guild central or Draken Academia anyways.” “I could hunt and rank up solo,” I countered her, pouting, “bet if I don’t take any time off, I’ll rank up faster!” It was unrealistic and downright unreasonable, but I didn’t notice.
Tears ran down my face.
Silvia slapped my face, “don’t be a fool.
You’ll learn more with us as a group and we barely need any of the silver rank materials.” I touched my burning cheek, it was swollen immediately thanks to Silvia being too powerful, “what?” “You heard me right.” She waved her hand as if this was annoying her now, but her palm was similarly swollen as my cheek.
“Stonard didn’t want his share of materials and neither did Irelia, so as a group decision we’ll give it to the rookie.” She explained further, “both were really impressed with how quickly you handled the Waspoids and Borearade.