"Kaela, let's turn left on this street."
Donkey was carrying Dorian and Seraphine.
"The guild isn't this way."
"I know."
He stopped. . .
"I'm going to ask King Asterium for a royal bed so I can rest after such an exhausting day."
"We're already close to the guild."
Every shop was open, but no one was buying anything.
"Warning: Updating system. Receiving new updates."
Scroll began flying.
"Are you finally going to become useful to us?"
"Negative."
"Then why are you updating the system?"
BUZZ!
Something seemed to be happening inside the guild.
I could hear countless people shouting.
MURMUR!
"The Demon King's army has taken over the guild!"
"Whoa! Lyra. . . Are you trying to scare me to death?"
So she had managed to climb down?
CREEEAK!
I opened the guild door.
"Registration for the annual Novellius Contest is now open! Don't miss this opportunity!"
Was this. . .?
"This year, the winner will have the opportunity to display their work on the Official System."
These people. . .
"Ah, I want my work to be chosen so badly!"
"What are you writing?"
So this was what the King had warned me about?
FOOOOM!
"What was that noise?"
"Kaela, look up there!"
"What is it, Lyra?"
"It's the trumpet announcing the end of the world."
An enormous trumpet appeared in the sky.
"Novel lovers! I, King Asterium, have come to inform you that all the shops are open. Despite the recent setback, everything has been resolved."
"YEAH!"
The crowd erupted in celebration.
"Come and buy your novels!"
The shopkeepers shouted.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
"Hey, are they running toward us?"
"Everyone, get inside!"
"AHHH!"
We rushed into the guild.
What kind of madness was this?
The guild was packed with adventurers who were also writers.
"Hey, little girl, you're back! So you managed to defeat the Demon King."
The old man who had spoken with Lyra earlier called out to her.
"Ha ha ha!"
She walked over to him. . .
"I buried many bodies today."
"Impressive! I never doubted your abilities. I'm even going to include that in my story."
"I'll tell you how I did it."
She pulled over a chair, climbed onto it, and squatted.
I hoped Lyra didn't get beaten up.
"Edward, what's happening here?"
"Hmm? You didn't know?"
He pulled a small notebook and a quill from his pocket.
"We're all novelists."
"I already noticed that."
"Man, I need to buy this novel. The harem sounds interesting."
SMACK!
"Hey, you animals! Can't you see me standing here?"
"Did you say harem?"
"Yes. . ."
Dorian and Donkey grabbed Edward by the neck and dragged him away.
Ah, those lunatics.
Were all the adventurers who had been here this morning writers?
"Kaela, what's happening here?"
"I don't know, Seraphine."
We would find out soon.
". . ."
We approached the guild's reception desk to speak with Aiko.
"We're back from the mission!"
I handed her the report.
"Oh, you managed to survive—I mean, complete the job."
Hmm.
I had heard that somewhere before.
"Who could've imagined that we would survive? Ha ha!"
"Ha ha ha!"
When Aiko turned around to escape. . .
"Where do you think you're going?"
"I. . . was only going to get some water."
Right.
Water.
"Spit out the truth."
I blocked the exit so she couldn't get past me.
"Fine, I'll explain. But I thought you already knew before entering the guild."