After walking for about thirty minutes, passing by wooden buildings... We reached an area in the outer district where stone buildings replaced wooden ones.
Right now, my eyes are wide open and I'm staring at the mercenary guild building.
"Whoa."
I exclaim, my voice tinged with excitement that I barely contain.
Jennette beside me chuckles.
The building is like a towered fortress made of stones. There are heads of slain beasts hung on its outer walls.
Shit, they smell rotten.
"Come on in. You won't become a mercenary by standing there and admiring the building."
Jennette says as she walks in, past the wide courtyard and toward the front entrance.
Yeah, she's right.
I told Jennette that I didn't want the both of us to be together. If we're together, what would be the use of my mask?
They'll know, I mean she showed up in the city with a seven-year-old child who looks like he's sixteen or so. And now she's with a masked individual that coincidentally has the same name as the kid 'Ed' and the same body stature trying to become a mercenary?
But this woman is stubborn... She refused to let me go alone, insisting that she must assist me, even if it's from afar.
I sigh, "Well, no problem."
In the wide courtyard, I see dozens of warriors milled about. Some sharpening blades, some laughing and discussing while the others are glaring at me like I'm a major world threat.
I'm sure if I stick around long enough, someone would approach me to murder me right here. I'll keep moving.
I quicken my pace and reach the front entrance where Jennette had already passed through.
It's a large wooden door. Probably about eight feet tall.
Creak!
I push the door open slowly and I walk inside.
It's a wide hall filled with various people that I assume are mercenaries. The number of people here should surpass four hundred.
It smells like sweat, Ugh.
The hall is bright because there are bright candlelights hung on the stone ceiling with a chandelier-like structure.
The hall is noisy, and people are chatting here and there.
I wonder if they're used to it or they're just ignoring it– the smell of this place, it smells like sweat mixed with body odor and I'm pretty sure that some of these people have mouth odor too.
About a hundred people are standing near a particular area where a board is hung on the wall. They're viewing the board.
While the rest of the people here are either walking left and right, in and out or just sitting down on wooden chairs.
"But where's Jennette? She just came in."
I ask as I turn my glance left and right, in a bid to locate the position of Jennette, but I can't.
She ditched me or what? Oh, I did say she shouldn't follow me, but this isn't what I meant.
I sigh.
"Whatever," I mutter to myself as I head to the direction of a wooden counter where I see a young woman standing, she should be the receptionist or something.
I can feel the glares of the people piercing my skull from all angles.
Haha. It's to be expected though, seeing a masked kid walking into a mercenary guild.
I reach the wooden counter where the receptionist is and I'm about to speak when–
"Are you lost kid?"
I hear a deep masculine voice, it's hoarse and filled with pseudo-masked spite.
Ah, here we go.
I turn back to see the 'responsible adult' who's concerned about a kid.
Just at my back, I see a towering figure staring down at me with disdain in his eyes but a fake smile stretching his lips.
He's even trying to close his eyes while smiling, pfft, he's trying hard to make his smile look genuine.
He's burly, has a large and heavy sword hanging at his back, his arms are crossed, his hair is brown and long, cascading over his back, and– like all the non-mages I've seen in this guild today; his two rings are elementless and the mana in his body is lingering from his forehead.
Oh, I'm gonna ignore him.
After assessing him, I've figured he's some kinda brute tank that fights with a great sword. He probably relies on strength instead of speed and judging by his size, it looks like it'll be hard– no matter how fast he is, for him to keep up with me if I'm running. So, if things escalate, I can run away without being caught. Solid plan. I can't defeat someone with two rings yet, that's plain madness.
I turn to face the receptionist and ignore him.
"Good day. Do you know how I can sign up to beco–"
I feel a heavy hand on my shoulder.
"Hey, kid. Didn't you hear me ask you a question? Are you ignoring me?"
What's this now?
I sigh and I turn back to lock my eyes with his.
And I take his hands off my shoulder aggressively.
"Don't touch me again."
I declare coldly, my voice layered with hostility.
I'm officially crazy, this guy can kill me... Nah, I've survived Klaus, so I won't lose in a fight... I think... I'm at least confident in running away.
He put his hand back on my shoulder and his grip on my shoulder tightens. His fake smile shatters immediately and he sighs.
"Haa, even a kid... Today's been a bad day for me kid. I barely got a decent commission and I've got kids at home to feed, a couple of bronze coins won't solve that. Now I'd give you two choices, you either walk out of this building quietly or I use you as a punching bag and emotional relief and also destroy that little black mask of yours."
His words are... Stupid.
I admit that a kid walking up to a workplace of adults is bad but... Threatening me?
I smirk, my grin growing wider and wider.
He's talking about stress? Do you have Eldritch horrors appearing in your dreams and manipulating your wife?
I grip the hand on my shoulder tightly too, showcasing my strength and his face contorts.
Have you been reincarnated into a world you know nothing about and your only way back is to become something nigh impossible?
I hear the jeers of the people and some loud Snickers. Even the receptionist is watching us with wide eyes and an 'entertained' grin.
I coat my grip with fire, my heart beating quickly with anger that I don't even know the cause of. But one thing is certain, I'm about to snap to a man that can probably flatten me with his sword. But to hell with that.
"Do you know the feeling of death?"