”Hmm… Things are looking good.”
Sitting at her table, the girl with chestnut hair mumbled to herself. Everything seemed to be falling into place – her grades were on the rise, and her family’s guild was navigating through smoother waters.
“Who is this? Isn’t it my lovely daughter?” ᴡ ᴏᴠʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛʀs ᴀʀ ᴘᴜʙʟsʜᴅ ᴏ NovlFre.nt
At that moment, a lively but curt voice echoed from the doorway – a voice she had grown accustomed to, one that never failed to bring warmth to her heart.
“Father.”
She mumbled softly, her gaze fixed on the robust figure standing before her. Her father looked healthier than ever, and the sight brought a subtle comfort to her soul.
“Don’t look at me like that, Emily. You know, I had far long healed.”
Her father spoke with a reassuring tone, but memories lingered in Emily’s mind – memories of times when life had been unrelenting. The days when they had to tighten their belts, cutting expenses from clothes and various necessities. The time when her father, once formidable, was crippled and unable to move, and the doctors’ steep demands for Valer just to cure him.
She could never erase those memories from her mind. The struggles and sacrifices were etched into her being.
‘I shouldn’t think like that. Thanks to Mister Ethan and his help, those days are far gone.’
As Emily gazed at her father, a flood of thoughts swirled within her. The tough times seemed like a distant past, as if they had overcome insurmountable challenges.
With a hopeful smile, she met her father’s gaze and softly mumbled, “Okay.”
‘When the time comes, I will repay him with everything.’
Normally, she was already planning to pay Ethan back; however, recently, one of their biggest shareholders decided to sell their shares. Therefore, the guild’s management underwent a slight change with newly appearing faces.
And, since it happened right after the Phantom’s Land exploration, she was free to deal with her guild matters.
Initially, she thought it would be smooth sailing, but dealing with new faces proved more challenging than anticipated. Over the past two weeks, she and her father had been engrossed in procedural matters, legalities, and documentation. Unlike their previous mysterious investor, the newcomers were eager to be part of their guild.
Her father, sensing her contemplation, spoke up, “Emily, don’t dwell on these matters too long. Focus on your grades; that’s what matters most.”
Her father always emphasized her grades in the academy and her progress as an Awakened. He said she shouldn’t make the same mistake as him and shouldn’t set her growth aside to manage the guild.
In this field, without sufficient strength, they could never do as they planned after all.
He gently patted her head, a familiar gesture that brought comfort. “I’m heading to a meeting soon. I need to go.”
As her father prepared to leave, Emily nodded, understanding the responsibilities that awaited him.
The dynamics of the guild were changing, and the burden of managing the transition fell on their shoulders, yet she also needed to deal with the new curriculum.
‘Well, we had already recovered enough, and our economic growth is almost tenfold. We are even in a better state compared to our start.’
Just as she thought about that past Azure Crest Guild, suddenly, she was reminded of that bastard who had destroyed everything.
‘Tch. If not for him, we would probably be in a better condition, and we could even be promoted to the next rank.’
She couldn’t help but glare at the wall as she remembered what happened in the past. If not for that traitor bastard, her father wouldn’t be crippled, and their guild wouldn’t lose their ranks this fast.
‘But, just you wait. The moment I see you, I will make sure you die in my hands.’
She clenched her fists, yet then she relaxed herself.
‘No. I shouldn’t pressure myself. I need to keep my calm.’
Shaking off the unsettling thoughts, Emily refocused on the stack of formal documents before her. There was much to address in the guild’s administrative affairs.
As she delved into her responsibilities, Emily’s attention shifted to the upcoming dungeon explorations.
Glancing at the schedule, she noticed that Team-1, led by Sister Anya, was currently exploring a Rank-5 dungeon.
‘Hmm….Noting important would happen there probably.’
A smile tugged at the corners of her lips, recognizing the progress Sister Anya had made and the successful recruitments made after the guild stabilized. After all, when they were at rock bottom, this team led by Anya somehow managed to defeat one of the most important dungeons underneath their control.
And once the news was spread, they were easily able to recruit many members.
While she was focusing on her own training, she also didn’t forget to observe the newcomers, and they were quite promising.
They may not be on the level of Arcadia Hunter Academy’s cadets, but they were above the average mark in general industry.
She herself realized that the monsters in the Academy could never be compared to general people, even the lower-ranking ones.
‘Yeah, I wonder what he is doing.’
At the mention of lower-ranking ones, she remembered Astron’s name. Many had overlooked it when the second period of the semester started since Ethan’s rank increased, but Emily still remembered the improvement Astron showed at the start.
The reason she paid attention to it was because they went into a dungeon exploration together, and she saw his talents. He may have looked weak, but Anya’s and Hari’s assessment of him in terms of combat was quite good.
‘Well, what he does is not important. I have nothing to do with him.’
She thought as she remembered that the one that helped the most was Ethan, and if not for him, she wouldn’t be here.
‘I will be grateful forever.’
After reviewing the progress of Team-1, led by Sister Anya, Emily shifted her attention to the newly formed Team-2 under Hari’s charge.
Anya’s experience made her the ideal mentor for newcomers, but with the guild’s rapid rise in ranks, the influx of new members necessitated the formation of additional teams. Hari, with her formidable combat prowess, was chosen to lead Team-2.
As Emily delved into the details of the results, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of optimism.
‘Sister Anya’s nurturing had yielded positive results, evidenced by the influx of capable newcomers. But, Sister Hari’s team, though newly formed, are flourishing under her leadership, given her exceptional combat skills.’
Hari was quite talented at combat, and she was in charge of educating newcomers in combat.
Those who had the brains but were inexperienced in combat were under her guidance.
Just as Emily was immersed in these thoughts, her smartwatch began to ring. Glancing at the caller ID, she saw ‘Jacob,’ one of their newly recruited members.
‘Hmm? Why is he calling me?’
A slight frown creased her forehead as she wondered why he would be calling her, especially considering that Team-1, including Jacob, was currently supposed to be in the dungeon according to the schedule planned.
After all, clearing a Rank-5 dungeon wasn’t easy, and it took days to prepare and days to explore.
‘What could happen?’
Her mind raced with possibilities.
‘Did something unexpected happen that forced them to exit the dungeon before completing it?’
An ominous feeling wrapped around her heart as she answered the call, anticipation and concern evident in her voice. For some reason, her heart was telling her that something happened, yet her brain said she shouldn’t jump to conclusions without any evidence.
With a mixture of anticipation and concern, Emily accepted the call from Jacob. The moment the connection was established, her ears were assaulted by a cacophony of screams, urgent talk, and the unmistakable sound of panting.
–Get the first aid kit! We need to stop the bleeding!”
–Where the hell is the Association? We can’t hold out much longer!”
–Has anyone contacted the Guild master? We need reinforcements!”
The chaotic exchange of urgent voices flooded Emily’s ears, each plea and command heightening her sense of dread. She strained to discern the specific details amidst the turmoil.
“Jacob, what’s happening? Are you all right?” Emily’s voice cut through the chaos, trying to anchor Jacob’s attention.
–We— we encountered unexpected resistance in the dungeon. There are injuries, and we’re trying to stabilize everyone,” Jacob replied, his voice strained.
In the background, a woman’s panicked voice broke through, –We need help! The bleeding won’t stop! Someone, get the Guild master!”
At the mention of the Guild master, Jacob hurriedly interjected, –Miss Emily, I called you. We need assistance, and we’re trying to contact the Guild master, but the situation is dire.”
Fear gripped Emily’s heart as she listened to the unfolding crisis.
‘Father is in the meeting, so he probably locked his smartwatch. He has the habit of closing it, and he never listens no matter how many times I say.’
She remembered what her father said and realized that things were not in a good situation. Without a moment’s hesitation, Emily instantly rose from her seat, her mind racing with the urgency of the situation.
“I’ll head to where Father is staying. I’ll also contact the Association for immediate support. Hold on, Jacob, help is on the way,” she reassured, her voice resolute.
With determined steps, Emily rushed towards the location where her Father was engaged in the meeting. She knew every second counted. As she approached the meeting room, she steeled herself to barge in and inform her father of the dire situation unfolding in the dungeon.
The meeting room door swung open abruptly, and Emily stepped in, her eyes determined and her expression urgent. Her father, Tom, glanced at her with narrowed eyes, a frown forming on his face.
“Emily, I’ve told you not to interrupt our meetings,” he scolded, his tone firm.
“I know, Father, but it’s urgent. Please come for a second.” Saying that she called her father out.
“Sorry, gentlemen. Give me a minute.” With that, her father stepped out of the room and closed the door. “You better give me a good reason Emily, this meeting is quite important.”
“There’s a crisis in the dungeon. Team-1 is facing unexpected resistance, and there are injuries. We need your immediate assistance,” Emily explained hastily, her voice conveying the gravity of the situation.
Tom’s stern expression softened as he absorbed the urgency in Emily’s words. Without hesitation, Emily continued to inform him of the details. As Tom listened, the color drained from his face, and concern etched lines on his forehead.
“Cancel the meeting,” he declared abruptly, entering the room once again and grabbing his coat.
One of the individuals inside the meeting room questioned, “For what reason, Mister Tom? Why are you canceling the meeting?”
Tom met their gaze with a serious expression. “Something urgent has come up, and I need to be there. We’ll reschedule this meeting for later.”
He offered no further explanation, leaving the room with Emily in tow, the urgency of the situation evident in his determined stride. The weight of responsibility hung in the air as they made their way towards the guild’s command center, ready to address the crisis unfolding in the dungeon.
Yet, little did they know that this would only be the start.