"Who gave you permission to open this establishment in Riverdale?" he demanded. "Did you send a notice to my father's office? Did you seek approval? Or did you simply wake up one day and decide to stake your claim in my father's city because of your newfound popularity?"
Mira, Selene, and the other receptionists kept their smiles intact, but their eyes sharpened with concern. Adventurers in the hall observed quietly; no one appreciated hearing their city referred to as if it were someone else's plaything.
Boren nodded slowly, as if acknowledging the reasonableness of the question. "Our Guild operates throughout the Evergreen Region," he replied evenly.
"We adhere to regional charters. We register Adventurers, regulate missions, and provide lawful contracts for citizens. We are neither a private army nor a political faction; we are a service."
The young man let out a short, cold laugh. "A service," he repeated mockingly.
