As a new day came around Rivel was finally able to get up and move once again, as he rolled his shoulders, and stretched out his neck.
"God, I feel like I got folded in half and left in storage." Rivel groaned.
Wonder if they're going to force me to pay for being healed
He ran his hand through his hair until he touched the headband and froze like a deer staring at headlights.
"Of all things the slimes didn't destroy… it had to be this!?" Rivel shouted.
He sighed.
Although I guess without it, I probably would've been killed after being mistaken as a demon. He thought, imaging being attacked by the two guards from earlier.
He then stepped out into the hallway mere moments away from being crushed by a speeding adventurer covered in bruises and blood carrying a passed out man who looked to be on the brink of death.
"STAY WITH ME! DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME!" Shouted the rushing adventure.
Rivel stared at the retreating figure with a curious look.
Did the mini slimes claim more victims?
Shouts from downstairs in the reception area of the guild erupted full of fear and panic.
Hearing the noise Rivel walked down, but stopped halfway in shock at the view laid out before him.
Tons of adventurers were bleeding, covered in cuts and bruises, while others were yelling and shouting at the reception staff in anger about receiving terrible info about the quest they took, which nearly cost them their lives.
"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!! ALL YOU CAN DO IS APOLOGIZE!! I NEARLY LOST MY LIFE BECAUSE OF YOU PEOPLE!!" Shouted a middle aged man covered in bandages.
The young guild receptionist behind the reception counter whimpered as another stepped up in front of her to defend her. "Look sir, as we told every other adventurer so far, we are sorry," Announced Amora, the receptionist with pink twindrills. "We thought the scouts had properly given us the correct intel for the quest."
Another adventurer who was more burly and muscular slammed his hands down onto the counter in fury. "ISN'T IT YOUR JOB TO CHECK IF THEIR INTEL IS RIGHT?!!"
Amora flinched, but continued to try her best to remain calm despite the rising tension. "I-It is sir, but—"
"THEN WHY THE HELL WERE "BASIC GOBLINS" ON THE SAME LEVEL AS HOB GOBLINS!!?" The man shouted in protest.
"YEA! THE DIRE WOLVES WERE WAY STRONGER THAN WHAT THE QUEST STATED AS WELL!!" An injured adventurer, blurted out.
"AND THERE WAS A LOT MORE GIANT RATS THAN STATED AS WELL!!" Another vented.
Amora remained stunned. She couldn't possibly think of anything else to say and the other receptionists looked just as stunned as she was, and with the furious adventures causing tension to rise, calming down the adventurers started to look more like a hopeful dream.
This situation is starting to get too out of hand, thought the twindrill receptionist.
As the shouting from the raging adventurers continued to rise the receptionist voices started to become drowned out until a freezing pressure swept through the guild hall, smothering every voice at once.
"What did I say about yelling?" Erna asked flatly, with a tone cold enough to freeze over a volcano.
All the shouting adventurers fell silent Erna stepped through the entrance doors allowing for her aura to flow freely, as she made her way behind the receptionist counter.
One man tried to cough.
Then stopped halfway because Erna's eyes flicked toward him.
He apologized to the air itself.
Rivel eyes narrowed.
Just how strong is she for all these adventurers to freeze up like this?
Amora rushed over to Erna in a panic. "Erna? Where is the Guild Master?" She whispered.
"He and Adalhide have set out already to search for the source of the problem. And I was recruiting more healers around town for the injured, She answered, in a more deadpan tone. "We're short on healers these days due the dungeon races."
"Have they found any results so far?" Amora asked, for any sign of hope.
"Unfortunatly, none so far. As we know there aren't any noticeable causes." Erna stated.
Amora felt her soul fading away as the news started to wash over her.
"...Besides that? What have you told them so far?"
"Nothing much, but apologies and an excuse that I was hoping was enough to gain forgiveness… they didn't care for it." Amora responded in defeat.
"...I see… well considering things weren't destroyed as I got here— I think you did enough. You did well Amora. Better than yesterday."
Amora's face lit up, "Thank you Erna!" She gasped, lunging for a hug, only to be sidestepped face planting onto the floor.
Erna stepped forward to the crowd of adventurers who were either pacing, shaking, or grumbling under their breaths in frustration.
"Well Erna… is there an explanation you can give us?" The burly adventurer spoke out.
Erna shook her head, "Unfortunately not."
The adventurers were about to let out cries of fury, but the coldness of Erna's eyes put their actions to a stop.
"We're still yet to determine the true issue of the monster situation. As for now we will be chalking the case up to a wide spread of a monster mutation."
This got the adventurers to start murmuring in worry.
"A monster mutation?"
"Wasn't the last monster mutation a year ago?
"Yea, and I heard that the demonic cult was behind it too."
Then suddenly an adventurer blurted out, "Just a few days ago, didn't a demonic cult member walk in here?"
All the adventurers gasp in realization remembering the events of a demonic cult member entering the Adventurers Guild.
Meanwhile Rivel, who was still standing on the stairs, started to sweat in nervousness.
Guess they didn't realize that I was that "Supposed demonic cult member" from that day.
Erna raised her hand and everyone fell into a quick hush.
"I assure you all 'that cult member' was just a pathetic man pretending to be one." Erna stated deadpan.
Rivel felt an invisible tear drip down his face.
"And in order to protect everyone from any more major causes of harm we are not demanding that everyone form parties. If you're unable to form a party then we will find another source of work for you within the guild or in town, until we find or see a way of resolving this situation." Erna announced.
Rivel stared in silence.
What am I meant to do!? I'm still only F-rank! And I can't even use magic! There's no way anyone would want to join me! And there's no chance in hell I am working for the ice queen!
"Any questions?" Erna asked.
A couple of adventurers raised their hands hesitantly.
Erna glared at them.
Every hand shot down in an instant.
"Then you're all dismissed, and if you need healing please make your way upstairs. And try not to cause too much trouble for our healers." She announced.
With that everyone dispersed immediately around the guild.
Rivel however rushed down stairs and slammed his hands onto the counter in front of Erna.
"Erna!"
She tilted her head.
"Oh. The pathetic man can stand again." She said blankly.
"... Is this how you treat all F-rankers?" he asked, annoyed.
"...If you're here for your reward for the mini slimes quest then I humbly request you wait. We're using the cores you collected as research in order to find out the source of the monster mutations."
"...I guess that makes sense, but how did this all happen so fast?"
"Well shortly after you passed out, an influx of adventurers started to enter the guild reporting about weak monsters suddenly achieving feats they weren't capable of before. That's when the Guild Master and Adalhide went to search for themselves." Erna explained.
Monster mutations… not something I'm that familiar with when it comes to the fantasy media. Rivel reflected.
"Back to the original topic, seeing how you did complete the quest I will return your pouch, but only under the promise that you won't use it for gambling of any kind."
"I promise that I won't use it for gambling of any kind." Rivel said, with a grin.
Heh, there's no chance that I'll be keeping—
The crystal ball glowed red.
A beat of silence.
"You realize I'm not giving this back, right?"
"... Yeah. I figured."