{Tessia Eralith}
Walking down the long, busy main street of Xyrus city I could both see the usual excitement of the city with people walking all around while loudly chattering and the underlying tension in the city.
Despite the general liveliness that seemed to be intrinsic to the floating city, it was clear that people were more anxious than usual, especially merchants and noblemen.
It had become a common occurrence to see them walking around surrounded by a dozen armored guards while constantly looking over their shoulders to make sure that no one was following them.
Not that it mattered that much since I could have easily trailed them from a safe distance or disposed of the entire group in about a minute if I wanted to. Which was exactly why those people were so worried in the first place, despite the fact that I never attacked them in such a fashion.
I had mostly limited myself to sending out threats or playing bully to force them into doing what I wanted. Which was mostly about being at least somewhat decent people and abiding by the law.
In fact, most of my work should really be considered of public utility judging from how many scammers, outright thieves and rights abusers I had caught red handed and revealed to the public. Now I understand why the popular classes of Dicathen were so passive during the war.
If the guy who's spent his entire life stealing my incomes, stepping on my basic rights and looking down on me for being of "higher blood" suddenly came to beg me for my assistance, I'd probably raise my middle finger to his face.
The only kingdom that was exempt from this rule and where the citizens immediately started the war effort was in Elenoir. This was probably thanks to the fact that we weren't being complete jerks to each other and didn't see nobility as a primary factor of your identity.
Not that some didn't have their own over inflated egos, but we were elves first, nobles or commoners second.
Either way, to get back to the main topic, I had been slowly making my way toward the Xyrus city adventurer hall where I would take my ranking test to get attributed a corresponding adventurer level.
I obviously couldn't reveal my full strength, even if seeing the instructor's face turn pale in disbelief might be a bit fun. I would have to downplay my skills quite a bit, but getting something around A or B rank would be a good start.
Walking through the large, opened reinforced double doors that were mostly for show, I arrived in the guild hall. The room had a rather welcoming architecture with plain oak wood and simple designs for its wall and furniture. Between the two large rows of benches on either side, the counter on the left side, the double staircase at the end of the room leading to the second floor, neither felt imposing. It was rather refreshing to see a building of this size not used as a place to flex the owner's wealth, but to actually fulfill its purpose.
Moving to the back of the small queue in front of the counter I waited for my turn while eyeing the entrance, waiting for Arthur to show up with Jasmine.
-I'd like to take the adventurer rank test." I started as I arrived at the counter with a firm but not confrontational tone.
-Are you already registered with the guild?" Asked the ginger woman wearing a pair of small glasses and the formal, yet rather bright adventurer guild staff outfit.
-Not yet." I answered with a confident half smile.
Visibly not amused by my response, the woman simply took out a piece of paper from a draw and handed it to me.
-Pleaser fill this form and give it to me once it's done." She said with a business smile.
-Very well, thank you." I answered as I grabbed the piece of paper and sat down on a nearby table before taking out a pen from my dimensional ring, which had a few adventurers give me a weirded outlook.
Ignoring them I started to fill up the question and immediately almost made a mistake as I stopped myself from writing down that I was an elf. It would have been rather bad if I had to ask for another one since elves and dwarves were still forbidden from being adventurers.
The reason why no one had pointed out that issue yet was simply because I had casted an illusion on myself to make myself look like a human girl with short pristine black hair, deep black pupils and skin tone slightly darker than average just to throw off any suspicion.
Continuing to fill the form I knew pretty much what I wanted to put in. I was an augmenter with a dark orange core, a single specialization in earth magic and a deviance in gravity who had multiple years of training in swordsmanship and no beast will. I was a bit surprised that this last question was even included in the test, but I guess that it was better to be sure.
Arriving at the last bottom of the page I was asked to input my name or alias. I couldn't really write my real name to not raise suspicions about my identity, but I couldn't write "Unity" either, unless I wanted the entire military of the country to come in a rush.
No, I would have to find yet another name, which was starting to get rather annoying. Just having two was bothering, but I couldn't imagine someone having three different names. That's why I decided to make it simple and name myself Aisset, which is my name in reverse.
It was nothing groundbreaking, but it'd work just fine and hopefully sound familiar enough for me to quickly adapt to it.
Going back to the counter I barely had to wait in the queue to submit my answer sheet, which had the woman raise an eyebrow in suspicion before glaring at me.
-I would advise you to not lie in your form." She reminded me with a menacing look.
-I haven't, but I can do a showcase if you really want." I proposed in a half joking tone as she slowly glanced back and forth between me and the piece of paper.
Letting out a short sigh, the woman placed the form on a pile to the side before pressing down a button on her desk causing the door on my left to unlock in a loud *click*.
-Step through and make your way to the testing ground." She explained in a rather dismissive tone. "There are some changing rooms if you'd like to change gear, weapons will be provided on the testing ground, take note that you might have to wait for a bit before your turn." She added as I nodded.
-Very well then. Thank you and have a nice day." I told her before leaving through the door she had just opened for me.
Arriving in a long, fancy hallway with some kind of half-green-half-blue carpet on the ground and gold color beams on either side forming an arch with a rather low ceiling, my eyes quickly landed on a few arrow shaped signs.
Reading them all, I wasted no time and followed the path indicated by the one labeled: "Rank examination testing ground."
Walking down the hallway, I was slightly worried by how silent the whole building was as I only saw a couple of people on my way. I had heard from the twin horns that there had been less activity in the adventurer guild in those past few months because of the high running tension, but even then, the building felt really empty.
Maybe Xyrus was just more affected because it was both at the center of the ongoing events and had a high concentration of nobles?
Alternatively, I also knew from Art's birthday party that the day of his adventurer examination had been moved a bit later than what he first wanted. Although I couldn't get a clear answer to why I heard a few lines about this date, which is to say today, being a day where they expected less people to be present.
Either way I doubt it would matter much si- *baam*
-ouch." I let out after hitting something after taking a turn, making me buckle a few steps back before spotting someone's silhouette. 'I'm sorry, are you alright?" I asked in an apologetic tone as I took a better look at who I had just bumped into.
-No no, I'm fine." Answered the other person in a voice that sent shivers down my spine. Feeling my heart drop as I saw his pale skin, medium sized light blond hair, dull green eyes and pointy ears I was completely taken aback.
What was Lucas Wykes doing here? I asked myself in a mix of shock and disbelief as the images of him during the Xyrus academy attack flashed in my mind.
"He should have already received his rank, there are no reasons for him to be here" I told myself before coming to a sudden realization. If Art's examination date had changed because of the current events caused by my organization, nothing stopped other people from being affected the same way.
Not just that, but it would make sense for Lucas to show up on the day with the least people to attract as little attention on himself since he was a half elf with a specific derogation to become an adventurer.
Glancing up to meet his eyes I knew I couldn't let him bully me, but that I couldn't fight back against him if he tried to. The Wykes were a very powerful house who had a privileged relation with the king because of Bairon's statues as a soon to be lance.
Finding myself in an eye-to-eye with the man who had participated in a massacre, caused my friends to die, be traumatized for life or get cripple and almost killed me. I was completely thrown back by what I saw.
-Oh, I-I'm sorry, it's my fault for standing in that hallway, I-I apologize." He said in a frightened, shaking voice before bowing down to me.
Staying frozen in shock as I saw the once mighty boy that lived only for his pride and power acting like a pushover, I didn't know what to do, I was utterly dumbfounded.
-Uhm, you aren't hurt, are you?" He asked in a worried tone while hesitantly raising his upper body back up. "Geez, I-I'm really sorry." He apologized in a hectic and desperate tone. " I was only thinking about myself and didn't bother to ask how you were. I'm so sorry." He added once again before bowing a second time, even lower than the first.
Looking at him with my eyes wide open, I was so shocked and thrown off from what I had expected that I just stood there motionless as my brain tried to process what I had just seen and find an explanation.
But, no matter how much I thought, nothing I could have done after coming back in time could have caused such drastic change. The boy standing in front of me simply wasn't the Lucas Wykes I knew.
-Younger master!" Angrily screamed a butler from the end of the hallway as the boy jumped up in a panic. "How many times must I tell you not to bow down or apologize!"
-I know, I'm sorry." Answered Lucas as he spun around to face his servant before bowing in apology.
-YOUNG MASTER!" Screamed the butler in a fury as took hold of Lucas' arm.
-Gosh, I'm sorry! Please don't tell my father!" He begged in a trembling voice.
-Just stop talking and come to the examination ground, it's almost your turn!" Shouted the butler as he began to drag the boy to the end of the hallway.
Staying frozen in place as the scene played out, I didn't know what to say, think or how to react. This was just so beyond anything I had ever expected to see that I just blacked out for a few minutes.
-What in the world..." I asked aloud as my eyes stayed locked on the spot where Lucas had just been before being immediately pulled back to reality by the sound of approaching footsteps.
Glancing to the back of the hallway I had just come from I spotted Arthur in his adventurer outfit taking a turn to arrive in the hallway I was standing in.
Still in shock from the situation with Lucas, it took me a second to turn my brain back on and tell me how to act, giving enough time for the Jasmine following Arthur to step in the hallway an-
-Adam?" I let out in utter dumbfoundedness as I saw his bright red hairs, long spear and characteristic facial scar.
Immediately fixing his posture to take a proper stance while proudly busting his chest and replacing his hair back in place with a swift motion before answering with a charming smile and a confident: "Indeed my fair lady."
Going into a complete panic my mind ran at ten thousand times its regular speed to try and figure out anything that could get me out of this situation until landing on the first thing that came to my mind.
-From the twin horn party? I'm such a fan!" I explained in a loud, excited tone.
-I mean, we have our reputation." He said in the humblest tone he could provide while his attitude shouted: "Yeah, I know, we're the best."
-Can I get an autograph?!" I asked while rapidly walking toward him playing out my character to the maximum.
-Of course, anything for our fans." Answered Adam in a weirdly fancy tone while giving me a proud smirk before being hit on the head from behind.
-Ouch!" He shouted after jumping to the side. "That hurts you know!" He loudly complained as I saw Jasmin walk in after him.
-Stop embarrassing Note on his first day." She told him in her usual flat tone.
-I was just speaking with our fans." He explained while pointing at me.
Walking up to her as she turned to me I extended the notepad I had just taken out of my dimensional ring to her and, with the best acting performance I had ever managed, asked her to sign it.
Looking deep in my excited eyes full of stars and shining with admiration it only took her half a second to grab the pen and sign the page.
-Whoa!" I let out in an excited tone before rushing to Adam and extending the notebook to him.
Giving me a proud grin despite having just been ridiculed, Adam signed the paper with all his energy before handing it back to me with a large smile.
-Thank you so much!" I answered while excitedly jumping in place.
-It's nothing." He answered with a smirk as Jasmin silently agreed with what might be the world's smallest node.
-Are the others here?" I asked with genuine curiosity as I glanced back and forth between the two like an overjoyed toddler.
-Yeah, we're all here for mister Note's rank examination." Answered Adam as he gestured to Arthur who had been awkwardly standing to the side. "Once that's done, he'll become the newest member of the Twin Horns."
#A/N: Hello again, it is I: Retsag99!
I am now going to avoid talking about the potentially contentious topics in this chapter and discreetly change the topic to last chapter's vote, and, whoa. It was a landslide.
I mean, I expected Arthur to win, but not to dominate with 89% of the votes! That's a USSR style vote, not even remotely close to the expected outcome.
Either way, the result is what it is, and I'll give you what I promised.
Just a heads-up warning that I do NOT own any of the songs I'm going to show you and encourage you all to check out and support the source material from which it is taken from.
(It also technically contains spoilers, but it's only in my sick mind which draws to many links and comparisons between this song, my story, and the other unrelated songs.)
So, if you haven't yet, go check out Overlord! It's one of my favorite Anime and novel series! Also go check out Studio Yuraki the english cover artist, he so of the cleanest covers I know of!
Now, enjoy Arthur's enterlude and exitlude :]