After a long journey, I came back to the guild to receive my rewards. It was still morning, so there were only a few people coming in the establishment to fetch their daily quest. The calm and quiet atmosphere made me feel more relaxed than usual when talking to the guild staff.
Just as I got my coins, my eyes met with a person I know very well. He's one of my few acquaintances in the guild—the red-head adventurer, Gilbert.
Like a few adventurers, he and his party rent rooms in the guild. The guild doubles as an inn, but they only allow adventurers at a certain level to stay. Living in the guild is a dream for most adventurers, it's more convenient to live in the same place you're working at after all.
With heavy breaths, Gil seems to be coming back from training. He's not wearing his usual gear and his sword was missing as well. He's full of sweat, and it looks like he has a bit of scratches on his body.
Just what kind of training was he doing...?
With that being said, when he's like this, he does look like a male model you would see posing for magazines. His muscular chest and tight abs outlined on his soaked shirt were what women would crave to look at.
I'm impressed.
"You're early, Eria-san. Were you looking for a quest? No... You're back from doing one...?" he said as his eyes settled on the small pouch in my hand.
"I didn't do anything difficult, so I finished early," I explained.
"Hm..." he scratched his cheek, observing my appearance.
He must have gotten curious of the fact that I don't look like I went out on a quest at all. Most adventurers come back from a quest dirty and tired, so a fresh look on me, to say the least, was unusual.
"You really like to stay clean, huh?"
"Eh?" I wasn't expecting him to point it out, so I stutter, "Y-Yes, it bothers me when I get dirty..."
We've teamed up many times since I've met his party, so he should've already noticed how much I like to stay clean. I mean, he should've seen me cast my own creation spell "cleanse" in the times we're together. If I recall correctly, I even used it on him and the others in a few occasions...
"I understand. It's common for people with decent upbringing to hate being dirty, specially when they're women. As for men like us, we don't mind it that much."
"Heh... I figured as much..."
"Indeed, we don't mind being dirty. That being said..." as if he was thinking deeply, he tilted his head sideways and pinched his chin. "It's selfish of us to say, but we prefer when women don't follow on our lead. After all, a dirty woman is not attractive."
He's not wrong, but I feel like that is not something he's supposed to say out loud, specially in the guild.
"By the way, do you have any plans after this?"
"Mm? I don't..."
Actually, it's unlikely, but Julian might come waiting for me in the inn as usual. If that's the case, I might get swayed to get along with his shenanigans again. I'm getting tired of him...
"Well, I'm actually thinking of buying a new sword," I did a second take.
"What a coincidence! Then, if you're not tired, can you tag along with me? I'm going to the shopping district," Gil excitedly said.
So he's going to shop as well? I thought they leave this kind of job to Riget? I guess Gil can also contribute to their party outside of just killing monsters and appealing to the crowd.
"I'm not tired, but aren't you?" knowing he just came back from training, I worriedly ask.
"I'm fine. I just need to catch my breath for a moment," he replied, wiping the remaining sweat on his forehead. "How about it?" he asked again.
"Umu, I'll go."
"Great! Wait here."
In a rush, Gil went back to his room and changed clothes. When we met again, he was already wearing his gear. He also did not forget to bring his signature great sword. He can go outside in public on casual clothes, but that might ruin the strong image the people have on him. So even when not doing work as an adventurer, he's wearing his proper equipment.
"I'm going to buy supplies for our next quest. We're tackling a much harder quest this time, so our party needs to be prepared."
"Heh? Then I might as well buy some supplies for myself. This is a great chance to stack up."
With our goals in mind, we stopped at some alchemy shops and smithing shops.
Healing potions are the most important supply a party should have, other enchantment and utility potions are needed as well, so Gil bought many of them. He also bought a sack of arrow heads for Jessica. There were no better swords in the shopping district than Gil's sword, so he did not bother on looking for another weapon.
As I intended to do, I bought a single short sword. I chose the best one I could find. I also threw in a pair of throwable daggers.
"Daggers? You use those too?"
"Yes. They don't take too much space and they're easy to use."
I don't really use them that much, but they're there for when I get trapped in a close-quarter matchup or when I completely drain my mana. For the latter case, I can just throw them for effective range attacks.
Notably, in the fight we had against that wyvern, I intentionally didn't use them as a substitute for my broken sword. I knew they would immediately break—not when they're obviously less durable than any ordinary sword. Using them in those kind of scenarios might prove fatal for me.
"You're even more versatile than I thought..." Gil comments.
It was noon already when we finished shopping. Despite me protesting, Gil still took the time to see me off at my inn. Fortunately, Julian wasn't there to cause a scene.
"Thank you," I thanked Gil for the final time.
"Wait, Eria-san!"
"Mm?"
Just as I was about to enter my room, Gil suddenly stopped me.
"Eria-san—no, Eria! I'm telling you now, I'm the man who will become the hero!"
"Eh?"
Why is he saying that now...?
"I know I said before that I won't ask you to join my party ever again, so..."
All of a sudden, the look on Gil's eyes became intense as he slowly walked closer towards me. I was cornered to the wall, not having a clue on what's happening at all.
"G-Gil? What are you doing?"
My shoulders shook, startled by the loud sound of his hand hitting the solid wall right on the side of my ear. All of a sudden, he was all over me. His tall height completely engulfed my smaller stature.
"I won't ask you to join our party again. No, we don't deserved you yet. That's why, I'm asking you this time to come with me," he said, his tone sounding unusually stern.
"What are you saying...?"
What he's saying doesn't make sense at all...
"Eria!" calling my name again, he went in even closer. Then he took my hand and said, "Come with me, not as a party member, but as my woman."
"H-Huh...!?"
I-is he stupid...!?