The change wasn't sudden, but it became impossible to ignore once I started paying attention. The looks continued, only now they were accompanied by small gestures, interrupted conversations, and expressions that tried to mask judgment. The city carried on as usual, but the way I was being perceived had changed, and that was beginning to affect the environment around us.
We left the guild without hurry, maintaining our normal routine, but the atmosphere was different. Lyannis walked beside me with a faint smile, as if all of this had some kind of hidden amusement, while Liriel kept her arms crossed, clearly bothered. Elara observed everything with quiet attention, Vespera seemed more alert than usual, and Rai'kanna maintained that firm posture, almost indifferent, as if nothing there was truly worth concern. Scarlett walked a bit behind, and it wasn't hard to notice that she was affected, even while trying not to show it.
"They don't stop," Liriel said, her voice low but firm enough to show she was already losing patience.
"They will," I replied, without slowing my pace. "They just don't understand when yet."
Lyannis let out a soft laugh. "I find it amazing how you treat this like it's inevitable, like it's a stage they need to go through."
"Because it is," I answered. "People like that always need to test how far they can go."
"And when they find out?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
"They stop."
Rai'kanna agreed with a small nod. "Or they break in the process."
Elara shifted her gaze toward a group ahead, where two adventurers were whispering while watching us. "It's more widespread than yesterday. It's not just isolated comments anymore."
"It became a narrative," Vespera added calmly. "And narratives spread fast."
Scarlett finally spoke, though with hesitation. "This… could affect how people work with us."
I looked at her for a moment. "It only affects those who weren't worth anything to begin with."
She held my gaze for a second, then nodded, but the discomfort didn't fully disappear. It was different for her. For someone who had just joined the group, this kind of exposure wasn't easy to ignore.
We continued along one of the main streets, where the movement was heavier. The noise helped hide the conversations, but it also made everything more scattered, harder to control. Still, some voices stood out, especially when they thought they were far enough away.
"That's him."
"Doesn't look like much."
"Look at how many women…"
"There must be some kind of trick."
This time, Lyannis laughed openly. "A trick. That one was good."
Liriel turned her head toward the voices, but I simply kept walking. It wasn't the moment. Not yet.
"You're really going to let this continue?" she asked, clearly irritated.
"For now."
"This is crossing the line."
"No. It's still below it."
She let out a sharp breath, visibly dissatisfied, but didn't insist. She knew I wasn't ignoring it. I was just waiting.
Rai'kanna glanced at me. "You're measuring them."
"Yes."
"And have you decided?"
"Some."
Vespera nodded slightly. "The ones who speak too loudly… and the ones who observe in silence."
"Natural elimination," Lyannis commented, still with a faint smile.
Elara looked around again. "The problem isn't the ones who speak. It's the ones who listen and agree."
Scarlett remained silent, absorbing it. It was a new process for her, but she was beginning to understand how I handled this kind of situation.
We turned into a quieter street, moving a bit away from the center. The noise decreased, and with it, the number of looks. Still, the feeling didn't completely disappear. It was as if something had already been set in motion, something that no longer depended on people's direct presence to continue.
"This isn't going to disappear on its own," Scarlett said, more firmly this time.
"It doesn't need to disappear," I replied.
She frowned slightly. "Then what needs to happen?"
"It needs to reach the right point."
Lyannis crossed her arms, thoughtful. "You're waiting for them to cross the line."
"Yes."
"And when they do…"
"I handle it."
Rai'kanna smiled faintly. "Simple."
Liriel shook her head. "I still think you're being too patient."
"And I think you're being too fast," I replied, without looking directly at her.
She didn't answer, but the silence said enough. It wasn't complete disagreement, but it wasn't full acceptance either. Just a difference in approach.
We kept walking until the mansion appeared at the end of the street, imposing and silent as always. Its presence always brought a sense of stability, a clear contrast to the environment outside.
As soon as we passed through the gate, the atmosphere changed. There were no looks, no whispers, no disguised judgments. Only the space we had built ourselves.
Scarlett let out a small sigh, almost imperceptible. "Here… it's different."
"Because useless opinions don't get in here," Rai'kanna replied.
Lyannis walked ahead, opening the door. "Simple and efficient definition."
We entered, and the silence of the mansion enveloped everything. It was a comfortable kind of silence, one that didn't pressure, didn't demand. It just existed.
Liriel still seemed bothered, but less than before. Elara already seemed more relaxed, Vespera maintained her natural awareness, and Rai'kanna remained as always. Scarlett, little by little, seemed to adjust better, as if she were finding balance within that environment.
I paused for a moment in the center of the hall, letting my gaze move across the space. Everything there was the result of decisions, choices, and paths I had followed up to now. None of it had been built by chance.
"This doesn't change anything," I said.
All six of them looked at me.
"Out there, they can say whatever they want. It can grow, it can spread. It doesn't matter."
Scarlett stepped forward, closer now. "And when the moment comes?"
I held my gaze steady.
"They'll ask for it to stop themselves."
The silence that followed wasn't one of doubt. It was understanding.
Because deep down, they all already knew.
This still wasn't the problem.
It was only the beginning of it.