187 - False Assumption

Encounter with a Gold-rank Architect squad. Ambushed by Platinum-rank Velvet Mask. Saved by target. Architect squad wiped. Cutlist alive. Now following target to Balrum. Four survivors.

Action report #3 – Captain Kyle Thunac

Something wasn’t right, and it had nothing to do with Alexandra going through the most awkward lunch of her existence.

Sure, the view from the fancy restaurant high up the cliff was spectacular, the entire city of Balrum and its surroundings sprawling in front of her as she had rarely seen before.

Yes, she could admit the food was delicious, fine cuts of lamb seasoned with salt elemental sources and spices from the other side of the continent.

She certainly wasn’t complaining about the setting, especially since she wasn’t the one paying.

But this damned quest isn’t fucking registering.

She’d checked her journal several times throughout their lunch. It said to talk with someone she disliked. Well, she did. Honestly, she had done so long before agreeing to the lunch with Torak. At this point, she was only lying to herself if she claimed the system was stretching the definition of talking.

In the uncomfortable silence, as Torak fiddled with his napkin, looking for something to say, she was forced to face an even more uncomfortable truth: she didn’t dislike him all that much.

It didn’t mean she liked him. Alexandra drew a sharp boundary here. But the mild annoyance caused by his weird courtship aside, Torak wasn’t all that bad. Their only conflict started because he tried to use her in a frankly half-assed political move against Emher. Alexandra couldn’t care less about that, especially after he made amends and helped her several times.

She sighed. “Alright, Torak. What’s going on? Get it out of your system.”

He cleared his throat. “I beg your pardon, Alexandra? Is the lamb not good? We can order something else—”

“Stop,” she interrupted, resting her chin on her hand and pinning him with a stare.

He straightened up. “Sorry. I was thinking about your guild. Cousin Zeynep recommended I join. I was wondering if you had a spot for me.”

Alexandra exhaled in relief. It’s just that.

“You trust Zeynep that much?” she asked.

“Well, she’s the only family I have in the basin.”

“Fair enough.” She paused. “And what would you do in the guild? You have to realize I’m not in a position to pay a Gold-rank, much less a councillor.”

Torak waved his hand. “Money is no concern. I want access to your quests. As for my role, it depends on what you need. To be honest, the prospect of obtaining skills as you described is too good to pass up. I expect many people in town will flock to your guild when it opens.”

Alexandra frowned. “They didn’t seem too enthusiastic when I tried giving out quests the first time.”

“Of course, they didn’t believe you. But now you have reputation from your beer splurge, the backing of the council, grandiose headquarters in one of the most beautiful buildings of Balrum, and…”

“And?”

“Pardon, but you have me,” Torak said, his face reddening. “I’ll make sure people know you’re legit. Cousin Zeynep also has a good reputation, and so does Medh if you can get him to put in a word for you.”

“It should be doable.” Alexandra nodded.

“It’d be best if you could reveal that Paladins are working for you,” Torak added.

Alexandra shook her head, bringing a piece of meat to her mouth. “I’m not doing that. They don’t really work for me, anyway. They’re here to keep an eye on me.”

“Keep an eye on you?”

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Shit, I said too much.

“My quests are a little too good, you see,” she lied. “I may have caught the attention of a few powerful figures.”

Torak frowned. “That’s not good.”

“Not ideal,” Alexandra agreed. “But that’s how it is. I should be fine in the basin.”

“You will be.” Torak’s face hardened. “I’ll make sure of it.”

Alexandra blinked, a little worried about what he was going to do.

“Speaking of which,” she said, trying to steer the conversation away. “Are you aware that the cult of rot and the cult of desire have dealings around here?”

“I’m aware of the Watchers,” he said. “Though not of the specifics. I’ve only heard whispers that they’re preparing something. It’s hard to find them. They’re so passive that their methods are not well documented. As for the Velvet Masks, I only know about the cultist you caught near Balrum.”

“Well, there are more,” Alexandra said. “When I was looking for Zey, I found the Paladins entangled in a fight with a Platinum cultist. It was in the pass.”

Torak frowned. “You should have told me earlier.”

“I was afraid you’d refuse to host the Paladins.”

The councillor sighed. “Well, I would have. But this is done now. It’s unlikely the Platinum would venture into the basin to hunt Paladins. There’s no way he would be able to escape punishment. His subordinates, however…” He paused. “I assume they want to recover the girl, and perhaps your friend Kam as well.”

“How—”

“I take my job seriously, Alexandra,” Torak said, none of the awkwardness from earlier remaining. “I’ll see what I can find.” He paused. “You should keep an eye out too. Especially for the Watchers, all the cities of the basin are looking for answers, and nobody found anything.”

Alexandra didn’t feel too bad about her failed quest as she went down the stairs back to the main square. She had yet to complete her daily, but she’d clarified her stance regarding Torak. The man would be useful to her guild.

Now, where am I going to find someone I dislike?

She wanted nothing more than to return to the guild and start organizing. Still, she wasn’t going to ruin her streak for such a simple quest. Alexandra knew she wasn’t that nice. There were plenty of people she disliked.

First, she thought of Erik, but he’d been there during the visit, and she’d exchanged a few words with him.

I might be getting too generous.

She racked her brain, trying to remember someone in Balrum that she didn’t fancy. Nothing gave. There were people she liked, people she was indifferent about, but she couldn’t think of someone she genuinely disliked.

Her mind wandered off to the people of Oldwater. The atmosphere of that town was so bad that she did, in fact, dislike most of the people she met there. But she wouldn’t reach it today.

Unless…

She almost crossed the mud wastes in a day when she was looking for Zeynep. She could do it again. She just had to run a little faster.

“Dumb,” Speck chimed in.

“You barely talk nowadays, and only to insult me,” Alexandra answered.

“Busy. Many sources to eat.”

Speck still hadn’t gone through all the darkness elementals it had captured after the fight with Alren.

Anyway, even if she didn’t like being called out, Alexandra had to agree with her familiar. She didn’t need to cross the wastes to find someone she didn’t like. In fact, she already had someone in mind.

Councillor Kilec. He’d argued against giving her the old school for her guild during the council session yesterday. That was her only interaction with him, so she didn’t have the best impression.

Maybe he wasn’t that bad, like Torak. After all, she didn’t really know him.

Stop ruining it for yourself. Alexandra slapped her cheek and convinced herself the councillor was at fault for the burning pain.

She stomped her way to the council, walked up to the receptionist, and put her hands down on the desk.

“I need to see Councillor Kilec. Now.”

“Do you have an appointment?” the woman asked, her voice short.

“I don’t,” Alexandra answered. “But it will be quick.”

The receptionist clicked her tongue. “Councillor Kilec doesn’t meet people without appointments. Would you like to request one?”

Alexandra drummed her fingers against the wood of the reception desk, fighting a rising surge of irritation.

“Look,” she said, leaning in slightly. “I just need two minutes of Kilec’s time to tell him something. Just get me in.”

The receptionist didn’t even look up. “I can pass the message for you. Then you can go through the procedure of booking an appointment. The councillor has an open slot three days from now at dawn.”

“Three days?” Alexandra scoffed. “For a two-minute conversation? Are you serious?”

“Rules are rules,” the receptionist replied.

Alexandra stared at her and felt something shift inside her head. In a flash, she summoned her journal.

Talk with someone you don’t like (1/1) -> Quest Completed: +10 exp, +1 INT

Daily Quest Streak: 167 -> 168

Alexandra’s shoulders dropped. A wide smile spread across her face.

“You know what?” Alexandra said cheerfully. “You’re completely right. Keep up the great work.”

Before the bewildered receptionist could formulate a response, Alexandra turned on her heel and strode out of the council building. She headed straight to her brand-new guild hall.

Alone in the main hall, she looked at all the dust that had accumulated over the years.

First, she had some cleaning to do.