Chapter 356: Alley

"Finally, you guys are back!" As the back office door creaked open, a sudden yell echoed, only to be muffled amidst the many cries and guffaws that filled the busy Main Hall of the Adventurer's Guild. 

As soon as he saw the door opening, Drake yelled out, tired of waiting. He didn't even need to wait, his honed senses could perceive the group at the other side with ease.

Sure enough, as the door finally opened, the now slightly smaller group of Aiden appeared on the other side. Next to him, his hooded sister, Lily appeared at the same time, revealing a kind, happy smile as her eyes met with Scarlet's. A step behind them, Granny and Sara appeared a step later, the latter once again hidden behind her magically enhanced hood.

"Hmmm?" Being called out the moment they appeared, surprised Aiden, he turned to look at the source of the sound and walked towards them.

Not too far away from them, Mary, who was currently busy processing a group's spoils and calculating the credits they would receive on their account, could only spare a single glance, and smile at the boy. A faint pink hue colored her supple cheeks, as their gazes met for a brief moment before Mary hastily averted her eyes and forcibly returned her attention to her work. 

Sadly, she couldn't always leave everything behind and rush to him, even if she wished nothing more at the moment. First and foremost she was an attendant of the guild and had to do her job.

After greeting the curly brown-haired girl with a smile and a nod, Aiden and her group walked to the royal siblings, sitting by the side at a table.

As they were about to leave, suddenly Aiden felt a tug on her sleeves. He halted his steps and looked at Sara, who whispered the words, so only he could hear them.

"Unfortunately I have to leave you guys for now. I need to tend to our 'brave' leader, and make sure he calms down." Her tone was meek, carrying a tint of unwillingness. She wanted to stay, but her duties, just like with the case of Mary, had to come first. After losing one of the examiners recently and her being away for a bit, work has begun to pile up.

"Sure, no problem, Sa…" Aiden responded with a smile, stopping midway through his sentence and giving a light fake cough to fix his wording. "… I mean, no problem, Examiner." Then he leaned closer and whispered the last words. "I will see you tonight at your mother's residence."

Having said that, he turned around and walked away with a calm, nonchalant look on his face, leaving behind a girl who could only thank the heavens for her luck that she had her hood covering her tomato-red face. 

She looked at Aiden's back for a while longer before turning around and walking back to the back office area.

"Hey Drake, Scarlet!" He greeted with a smile that turned into a troubled one a moment later as he donned an apologetic look. "Sorry for leaving you guys behind, Master wanted to talk to us…."

"About that…" Drake sat up, focusing his attention on the boy leading the small group. "Who was she? Although she was cold, I just can't shake this feeling that I have already met her…" He muttered with a thoughtful look.

"Well… You did meet her when you came to rescue your sister and me." Lily added, walking over to Scarlet's side and taking her place next to her.

"I meant before that… Oh, that's right!" As if remembering something Drake's face brightened up. He turned to Lily as he asked.

"He did have two artifacts right? You have the amulet and he had another one that was used to finding you!"

"What?! Aren't these items only available to the royal family?" Scarlet exclaimed with a shocked expression, swaying her gaze between her brother and her new friend, Lily madly.

"No, that is not true…" Granny suddenly spoke up, stepped closer, and continuing once all eyes were on her, with her usual gentle, kind smile. "The artifacts you are referring to are not exclusive to your family, dears. The other, big families also have some in their possession. It's just that your family has most of them, and considers them their own heirlooms, while in truth they aren't."

"B-but…"

"What do you mean, Granny? Could you explain more?" Seeing the surprised, stunned looks of the siblings, Aiden turned to Granny and asked the question that probably both of them wanted to, but couldn't.

"I don't know much dearie." Granny responded, her smiling expression turning to a thoughtful one, her right hand reached for her wrinkled chin as she continued. "I'm not sure about these past dealings as they were between the Big Noble families and the Royal Family. However, I know that, besides being able to sense each other, there's more to these trinkets…" She sighed, shaking her head and turned to match the eager-looking boy's golden gaze.

"You should ask your Master once things calm down, she probably knows more. The one Lily has is hers after all."

Then, she turned to look at the sitting group, fixed her smile, and asked, changing the topic. "Anyway, I still have stuff to do in the city. You kids still have the rest of the day before the agreed dinner in the Mansion." Looking in Lily's direction, she asked, pointing at the ground next to her. "Dearie, do you want me to take care of those two meanwhile?"

Acting like shadows, the two dogs were silently resting next to Lily, still following the order they were given by Aiden a while before. Still, what gave a small surprise to Aiden was the fact that since their reunion, they retained that lazy, calm attitude, always following behind her sister, silently. Others might not even realize they were there, despite their size, as they were like silent shadows. 

However, Aiden was sure that at the first sign of danger, both of them would instantly jump into action and do their best to protect the girl at all costs. He was actually quite interested to see their progress. From what Lily hinted at, he wanted to see how these canines could actually grow stronger…

His sudden reverie was put to an abrupt halt with Lily's happy exclamation.

"No, need Granny! Sam and Biggy want to stay and spend some more time with brother!" 

"I see…" Granny didn't question her words, she simply smiled. "In that case, this old woman will take her leave for now. Take care kids and if you meet any trouble you can't handle just use the crystal she gave to you and call for us. Okay?" She asked.

"Sure Granny, I will!"  Lily responded cheerily, reaching for the little brown pouch hanging on her left side before raising her hand in the air and waving.

After saying her goodbyes, Granny turned around and left their group, she slowly sauntered towards the exit, before leaving the Hall. Soon, her figure vanished, leaving only the siblings, Lily and Aiden behind.

As Granny left them, Aiden finally returned his attention to the silver-haired friend of his. Looking in his eyes, he asked with a curious glint in his eyes. He already spotted the rolled-up piece of paper in his hands. He didn't need the system to see that it was most likely a Quest he wanted to take on.

"So, what do you have there, Drake?"

Hearing the question, he was waiting for, a wide grin stretched over Drake and even Scarlet's face. Without saying anything, he rolled out the pergamen, presenting it on the table.

—

"Are you sure this is the place? Are you sure you know where they are?" A tall, lanky, short black-haired man asked as he and his partner stepped into a darker alleyway. 

"Just like I said the last three times, yes I am sure. Now stop asking the same question over and over again, you are annoying the crap out of me. If you are this scared, why the hell did you even come then? I could have come alone you know!" With a frustrated snort, the thin man's partner, a bald, broad-shouldered, stout man yelled back at his trembling partner. 

The lanky figure jumped in fright at the response, hastily shaking his head.

"N-no, I can't leave you alone with such a task! The B-boss would have my head if I would return without you!" He vehemently denied the idea of running away even though he wished for nothing deeper inside his heart. He couldn't do that, no, that would spell him a fate far worse than the potential death that could await for him where they were heading towards.

No, he needed to stay with this man and make sure that their task would be accomplished. The B-Boss placed great importance on this mission of theirs.

Suddenly, a faint noise coming from deeper in the alley reached her ears, causing him to jolt in his place and turn his gaze ahead.