Aria moved her hands to scribble down information about the 2 new monsters that ambushed the group of adventurers in the Cloudy Jungle. Inside the office, more papers were pilled up on the desk, obscuring the guild master. He was busy reading and writing reports on the recent expeditions; one ended in a success while the other, a disastrous failure.
"How many Steel, Silver, Gold and Platinum ranked adventurers were lost respectively?" Aria broke the silence.
"Most lost were from Steel ranked." Granzial responded while simultaneously working on the reports. "From the beginning, most adventurers in Group 2 were Steel ranked while there are only 8 Silver ranked. There is only 1 Gold ranked adventurer is in the fray, the leader of the party 'Starlight' that led the entire group, Oswald Loc Hartress. He is an illegitimate child that came from a branch house of Baron Horass whose territory lies in the north, or rather, north east, up above the plateau where the 3 provinces were always ravaged with icy winter except for 1 or 2 months of the year. He was quite prideful, but his skills in weaponry, magic and resourcefulness backed his words. It was tragic that he lost his life in this expedition."
"Why are there no more Gold ranked adventurers participating? And the Platinum ranked? Is the rewards too small for them?"
"You can put it that way. Adventurers are, in general, money grubbers. They will side with those who offer more rewards and flock to places that are lucrative; no matter what dangerous or immoral things they have to do, as long as the compensation are enough, they will do it. Even though this domain is wealthy, it pales in comparison to the City of Gold located in the Southern continent."
"The City of Gold... I am curious about its appearance. What does it look-." Before Aria could finished her sentence, a knock was heard.
"Pardon me sir." A male staff member entered and approached the guild master. He whispered something that Aria could not hear, but something told her that it was not a piece of news that Aria would dread. After hearing the news, Granzial told the staff to be polite before changing his coat into a fancier one and fixing his appearance to look more presentable.
"Aria, you need to be ready." Granzial left those words to Aria before leaving his office. Aria made a deduction that she hoped was wrong.
***
Granzial walked down the stairs and was greeted by 2 rows of knights in metal armours and in the center, a man in his thirties stood tall with his ornate cane. He had a rare silver hair that was neatly swept back, his eyes were sharp and cold, but many would be enamoured with their crimson glow. Despite his age, he had a youthful look that warrant envy with his well-proportioned face and his stance displayed a sense of authority. He wore black long-sleeved shirt with a red vest over it and similarly black long pants with its leg holes resting on a pair of caramel-coloured leather shoes. Topping it all off, he had a long cream-coloured overcoat donned over and a pair of black gloves snugly wrapping his hands.
"Warmest of pleasure to meet you my Lord. I sincerely bow in the awe of your glorious presence." Granzial bowed as he made his flattered greeting. "May I indulge you in some of our finest of beverages in our finest of room?"
"That would not be necessary. I am here to witness the beasts that you have subjugated and to recruit any potential talents into our Knights' Order. Though it seems, one of the beast was not taken down."
"My humblest apologies. From the report, it was stated that they were ambushed by 2 other unknown creatures and many lives were lost. However, it is in my upmost pleasure to inform you that the other successful expedition have yielded tremendous results by bringing down 2 large beasts and a large quantities of the smaller ones."
"That information came to me few hours ago. Do not look down on my information network, for those adventurers tend to be loose-lipped and rumours spread like fire. That is why I descended into this place to claim the heads of the bounties I had placed yesterday."
"Sincerest apologies, I meant not to undermine your worth my Lord. Now, I will present to you the materials harvested from the beasts." As Granzial finished his sentence, he motioned the guild staffs to bring in the monsters' materials.
As the staffs scurried out of the guild hall to collect the materials from the neighbouring building where carcasses and collectibles brought in by adventurers were processed and assessed, the guild master offered the Lord a seat. Lord Elrion Saffrius von Sultier took the seat while his knights surrounded him. The back doors of the guild hall opened and several carts were wheeled in. Elrion immediately focused on the heads of the 2 beasts.
"They are intriguing to say the least. I have never witness such creatures, and their size, how were they able to stay hidden all this time? I must commend the adventurers who fought against these. Where are they?"
"Some were wounded and are resting in the nearby room. Should I call upon them my Lord?"
"There is no need. The others?"
Several adventurers walked up towards Elrion before stopping 2 meters in front of him and knelt down.
"I shall reward you for your endeavours. I shall put in additional 5 Golds for every adventurers who participate in this hunt." The adventurers were ecstatic and smiled before bowing down in gratitude.
"So, who contributed the most in taking down these beasts?" Silence suddenly echoed through the adventurers' mouth who were, just seconds ago, mumbling in happiness. Elrion noticed the oddness and asked the guild master for the reports. Reluctantly, Granzial handed over the reports to the knight before reaching Elrion's hands.
After a brief moment of silence, Elrion stood up and walked towards the stairs. His knights were bewildered, but followed their master with the upmost discipline to keep him safe. Granzial followed them up onto the second level.
Elrion stood in front of the guild master's office and causally opened the door. Inside, as what he had expected, he found Aria sitting and writing on a scroll. Aria noticed him as well, but continued her task. This action angered some of the knights who viewed this as a form of insult to their master, but before they could take action, Elrion raised his right hand to stop them. His gaze fixed upon Aria as he walked and sat on the couch across from her.
Silence would dominate the space for a while, raising the uneasiness of the the knights and Granzial who entered after them. Aria, having finished writing on the 2 scrolls, informed Granzial that she had finished her task and was about to walk out when Elrion stopped her.
"You are going to leave without greeting your own father?"
Aria remained mute, but Granzial pitched in. "Aria, talk to your father. Please."
Reluctantly, Aria returned to her seat and stared at her father with a rebellious gaze. Granzial turned and left the room to allow the father and his daughter to opened up their feelings.
"I see that you found your way to be an adventurer; you seem to be doing well. You just started few days ago, but you have accomplished more than what most adventurers above your rank could have done."
"Please stop with the bland flatteries. Why do you want to see me? Even though you have neglected me for more than 5 years, you come in here and demand me to greet you like how a daughter should do to her loving father."
"Quite the mouth you have developed in the past few years. I did what a father should do to his daughters and families. I allow you to stay in the mansion until you are 11, fed you properly, provided clothes, equipment and even allow Mona to be your personal servant. You have the freedom to do what you want in your free time within the space allocated to you."
"You casted me aside. For years, I have not had the freedom to enter the main mansion, all the other servants mocked me, my step-mother and step-sister took everything that were supposed to be mine while you sat atop your self-made throne, ignoring my struggles. Should I still assume that you are my beloved father?"
"I told you did I not? I did what I deemed as necessary. Ever since that ceremony, you became a source of disappointment not just for the Sultier, but for many other nobles including the royal family who expect a lot from a militaristic House. I protected you from those condescending eyes and insults."
"If you are there by my side, I am sure it would have been bearable."
"You are much more similar to me than you think. Ever since your mother died, a part of me died with her, and so do yours. Mona could never replace Eleanora for you. You will break down eventually."
Aria hung her head in frustration. She lost her mother a few days before she turn 5 and that affected her mental state, not knowing that her father too was hurt; maybe it was because Elrion always wore an emotionless expression. She had never been able to fully cope and hung onto Mona as a familial figure. "So, how about you? How do you cope with mother's passing?"
"I don't."
The reply was curt. Aria was shocked as she looked up to her father with a different expression for the first time in years. Elrion delved himself into work as a form of addiction while neglecting the household affairs, giving his second wife, who despised Aria, full authority of the domestics.
"When you were born and as you were growing up, I was a little disappointed. You looked just like me; silver hair, crimson eyes, sharp gazes, well-build physique, cautious and have strategic mind. However, you embodied her freedom, you inherited her kindness and you adopted her outlook on life. I believed that you will bring the Sultier to a greater height than I ever could have."
"You believed that I was suitable to be the heir?"
"Yes, I did. You learn fast and take in everything without much complain. However, when Eleanora fell sick, everything crumbled. She spent more time with you, lost her bright energy to explore and stayed in the mansion all the time. She could not even spar with a sword without collapsing out of exhaustions, and I had to carry her back. The doctors could do nothing either. Within a year, she was confined to her bed and we could not even have dinner together. Our conversation diminished even though I tried to visit her as much as I could."
"But... mother was very bright when she was talking to me."
"Only to you. She loves you more than anything in the world. Knowing that she no longer had any more time, she spent the last ounce of her energy to be with you, to teach you to care for lives. I, however, seek comfort in Melinda and cracks began to form. I guess, I was influenced by her as well since she was cunning and, at that time, I was in the emotional abyss. A few months later, she could barely sat up from her bed and her speech slurred. A week later, when I was out of town, she died. I could not even see her in her final moment and like a coward, I escaped."
Aria remembered the heart-breaking day where her mother took her last breath. Confined to her bed, she had lost her vibrant glow from the chronic fever, headaches, nausea, sleepiness and lost of appetites. She was just skin and bones. Aria was crying on her bedside while Mona was comforting her despite spilling tears herself. Eleanora used her last remaining strength to pat Aria on her head and smile before slowly closing her eyes, never to re-open again.
Since her father was out of town, the funeral service was handled by her step-mother and it was disrespectful to say the least. Eleanora was not properly clothed as would a noble be expected to. Melinda purposely delayed her death announcement to her husband and parents in another province. As a results, when both Elrion and her parents arrived, the coffin had been lowered and soil were tossed; symbolising a form of mockery as someone who will rot in the earth in similar fashion to animals and monsters. Naturally Eleanora parents were furious, but being from a lower Baron house, they could not do anything to Melinda who was a beloved daughter of a Marquis.
Days after the funeral ceremonies, Elrion lost his warm emotion and had become cold to everyone, including Melinda which infuriated her. She took out her frustration on Aria, for her deep devotion to her beloved husband was rewarded with indifference. Her constant shrieks terrified those around her, and when Aria showed the disgraceful display during her Blooming Ceremony, Melinda convinced her husband and other nobles to disinherit her.
Tears began to fall along Aria's cheeks as she remembered her mother's last moment. She began hating her father due to the fact that he was not with Eleanora during the final days of her life and instead went out for work. She began contemplating on leaving the house.
"Up to this day, I am still unable to forgive myself for succumbing to Melinda's venom and missing Eleanora's funeral."
"And I hated you for that."
"I do not doubt that. I would hate myself too."
Silence, once again, dominated the entire room, but the atmosphere was solemn rather than tense. It remained until Elrion broke it.
"I am sorry."
Aria's and the knights' eyes widen in disbelief from the prideful Earl's apology. Afterwards, Elrion got up and bowed down to Aria, showing that even after falling into the abyss, he displayed sincerity in his words.
"I understand that you have suffered as well. However, I am still unable to forgive you. Maybe, one day, with time, I may be able to completely forgive you and openly accept you as a father." A small smile was carved onto Aria's mouth.
"I see. I think that is worth something. What are your plans after this? Do you have enough money to purchase new equipment?"
"I am thinking of getting new equipment from local blacksmith. It cost more, but it is tailored to my fit and even though I do not know how much, I am getting a large sum from the expedition. I am sure I have enough to continue living for a while."
"Those blacksmiths may recommend some cheap materials to you while lying about the price. How about asking Granzial to accompany you? That way, those steels movers will be kept in line."
"With the mountainous piles of papers in this room, I doubt the guild master has any time to spare. I may be more inclined to ask the leader of the expedition group I participated in to accompany me instead."
"Then, do what you will, but I doubt Granzial would disobey if I ask him to follow you."
"Please do not abuse your authority for something trivial. The guild master is not part of Sultier House nor is he under it."
"Do not assume that I am an unreasonable man. I have known him for almost my entire life. To me, he is like a book I have read hundreds of times and even his blatant flatteries are starting to sound boring. How do you think I know where you are just by reading the reports?"
"Make sense."
"The monsters' materials that were meant for me, you can have them."
"Eh!"
"This is the least I could do as your father." Elrion walked to the door and exited the premise with his knights following him.
Aria stayed in the room for a while before going out and down the flight of stairs. The Earl just got in his carriage and was about to depart when Aria ran out and exclaimed: "I will make good use of the materials! Thank you!"
Elrion looked at Aria from the carriage window, he nodded and ushered the driver to start moving. As the carriage left, his knights followed suit on their horses and Aria just kept on staring at them until they disappeared into the corner.