Alex walked toward the northern gate and as usual, there were numerous guards at the entrance checking everybody that going in and coming out from the town.
''Welcome back, Alex boy." said one of the guards with a smile. It was the Captain of the northern gate guards.
A robust man that looked like he was in his middle forties, brown hair, and green eyes like mine. He had a large scar on his left cheek. He could have healed it by using a high-grade potion or asking for a priest, but he chose not to. When Alex asked why he left it like that, he simply responded by saying "Scars are man pride. There are there to recount a story. Hence, I'll never erase them. Alex boy, a man with scars is a true man. Don't worry you'll understand one day.''
Alex just laughed shrugging his shoulders in response.
Back to the present.
''Hello, old Gus. How is Marly and the twins?'' Alex responded after greeting the other guards.
The captain northern guard was called Gustav, Alex shortened it to Old Gus in retaliation against him for calling him Alex boy. Old Gus has a wife named Marly and two children. Twins to be exact, Lisa and Elsa, they are seven years old.
''Everyone's fine, but these little devils are too mischievous. Lately, they have been saying that once they became adults they would become Adventurers. Hell no, the Gods above know that I will not allow it. How can I allow my lovely babies to become a brute who run after riches and fame? Never.''
Say a former A-rank Adventurer. By the way, to be considered adult you must be fifteen.
Alex just laughed when he heard what Old Gus said, he did not offer any comments because if he did it, Alex knew that he would not leave soon.
Suddenly, Old Gus looked at Alex fixedly, his eyes were burning. Alex felt goosebumps so unconsciously he stepped back.
Old Gus disappeared and reappears in front of him in the blink of an eye, as expected of a former A-rank Adventurer nicknamed 'Fierce Gale'. He held Alex's face, looked at his left cheek. More precisely at the scar which was there. Alex wound was not fully healed.
''Good, extremely good. Your first scar is not bad, Keep it, don't try to heal it. It-''
Without waiting for him to continue, Alex cut him and said ''I'm not you, there is no way I'll follow your advice. I do not want to be a scarred man.''
Old Gus was flabbergast by Alex's sudden refusal, he looks like he has been betrayed. Using this chance Alex quickly entered the town disappearing with the speed that astounded even himself. He could not let him come back to himself and start nagging him after he refused him and he even called him a scarred man. Alex's back was drenched in sweat just by imagining all the preaching he would suffer if he caught him.
....
Soon after Alex left, Old Gus sighed and said with lamentation.
''Nowadays, the young un's doesn't know what is good, they refuse to listen to their elders. Don't worry Alex, I'll show you the way.''
The other guards were suppressing their laughter because they knew that Old Gus was a little furious when Alex refused his offer. As expected Old Gus couldn't maintain his image of a dignified elder who wanted to teach his junior any longer as he started cursing ''Fuck, that little punk he fled after calling me scarred man. Little punk, you better not let me catch or else humph.''
The other guards could not contain their laughter any longer, therefore they started laughing, they laughed hard, it has been a long time since they saw him eat a loss like this. They immediately stopped after Old Gus glared at them. They felt a chill running down their spines being stared at by the famous 'Fierce Gale', their former leader. This little squad of guards and Old Gus was in the same Adventurer group back when they were still active.
Now they are simply guards. Guarding this town and its inhabitants they loved so much.
.....
After fleeing and leaving the stupefied Old Gus behind, Alex sprinted toward the Adventurer guild.
On the way, he stopped because he saw a familiar face. It was Smith's daughter.
''Good evening Sera. How have you been?"
Sera who was not expecting to encounter Alex was surprised at first before responding to his question.
''Oh, it's you, Alex. I was surprised. I'm fine. However, it seems that you got an injury today.''
Alex smiled and explained that it was not a big deal. Sera was out shopping. After exchanging a few words with her, Alex left.
Soon, he saw the Adventurer guild. Pushing the door open he entered and like usual, in an evening like this, the first floor is full of Adventurers. Some came back from missions and delivered the proof of subjugation before sitting at the bar to have a drink. Some were already there for a long time drinking, while a few others were simply chatting. And when they saw somebody enter, they all turned their attention toward the newcomer.
However, after seeing that it was Alex, the newcomer they resumed their activities. There were few among them that invited him to join them, however, Alex politely declined before moving toward the receptionist counter, toward Leena's counter. She was like Alex's personal receptionist. Alex rarely went towards another receptionist since he started taking a quest here.
Suddenly, Alex spotted a group of five men sitting in a corner drinking and chatting happily, however when they saw him, the atmosphere changed and now they are glaring at him.
'Seriously, what with those eyes that looked at me as if I had slept with their mothers?' Alex thought.
Alex know this group a little, it's a group of novice adventurers, their leader is an E rank Adventurer while the remaining three men are only F rank Adventurer like him. Well, that will change soon. Alex inwardly thought.
Alex had never interacted with them, nor he offended them before, yet they are glaring at him as though he was their nemesis.
'Well, I do not like trouble, however, if trouble comes looking for me, wanting to trample on me? Then, I'll not take a beating without fighting back.' Alex muttered before ignoring the five looks.
Being ignored being by this cocky bastard newcomer. Diaz and his men vowed to teach him a lesson later.
Not knowing that Diaz and his men have planned to teach him a lesson because they were displeased with him, Alex went toward Leena's counter. She was explaining something to some adventurers, all of them were male, they ogling at her mature body not hiding their desire, yet she didn't lose her smile and continued to perfectly explain things to them.
''Sigh! As expected of a professional. I bet if I were in her shoes being stared lecherously like that, no matter how much I'll try to maintain my smile, I'm sure that I couldn't do it so perfectly.'' Alex murmured his arms behind his head.
〖You are right, Master. However, you can not feel anything if you are being stared by an ant. No matter how lecherously he looked at you, you'll not care.〗Silveria spat out.
''Oi, don't you think that analogy is a bit too much? There are humans, not an ant.'' Alex admonished her.
〖 Say the man who is smiling as though you had won a gamble. Do not lecture me when you are grinning. You're clearly enjoying it.〗Silveria retorts.
Indeed, as she said, Alex was happy when she compared them to an ant. Alex did not have any romantic feelings towards Leena, however when he saw some mobs staring at her like that, somehow he felt uncomfortable.
Leena is the most popular receptionist here, the most sought after. Numerous adventurers had courted her, yet she turned down all of them.
Leena was a former Adventurer, nobody knows her true rank except for few individuals in the guild. When Alex asked her she put one of the fingers on his mouth and muttered 'It's a secret.' before leaving.
Alex chose not to ask any further because he was sure that she will not tell me, on the contrary, she would tease me.
It seemed that when Alex was lost in his thoughts, those adventurers had left. He heard Leena let out a small sigh. She smiled at Alex, Alex did the same before speaking.
''It's hard isn't it?"
Leena tilted her head to one side before responding ''Not really, it's fun to watch them tried to dream about something they could never possess. Fufufu it's really fun.''
Seeing Leena laugh like that Alex couldn't help but felt pity for those poor souls.
Suddenly, Leena who was on the other side of the counter appeared in front of me, she directs one her fingers toward his injured cheek and a green light comes out from it.
When the green light touched his cheek, it felt warm, soon his wound was fully healed. Not leaving any scar behind.
As expected of Leena, she is talented to be able to use magic without saying anything.
Alex had a sudden impulse to check on her status. However, when he recalled that he had tried something similar in the past and didn't work Alex decided not to.
''Thank you, Leena.''
''You welcome. How was your harvest today?" Leena asked him.
Alex did not reply right away, he stayed silent for a few seconds before asking with a serious expression.
''Leena can I talk to you in private?"
Having seen Alex's serious expression, Leena was startled first before gesturing him to follow her to the second floor. There is a private room there, used to discuss something you don't want others to know.
Diaz and his men's eyes were red from jealousy, if gazes alone could kill, Alex was sure that by now he would be dead. Alex paid no head to them as they went upstairs, entering the second floor.
After they entered the room on the second floor. Alex and Leena sat across each other. This room was simple, without any decoration, it's plain apart from a table and chairs. There was a barrier protecting the room from being spied on.
Leena gestures, indicating that Alex could talk.
Alex let out a small sigh before taking out the thirty goblins ears and magic stones.
''Eh?"
Leena mumbled, she was surprised seeing so many goblins ears and magic stones.
There was a temporary silence before she opened her mouth and inquired.
''Care to explain?"