"A lot of lives would have been lost if it wasn't for you, Mr. Wilder."
"I just did what I had to, Sir."
The situation inside the mall has already started to calm down, with the security of the mall throwing all the monster corpses back into the Hole. After all, they were still mall property — but of course, the management had already told Rhys and the others who had helped in clearing out the monsters that they would be heavily compensated for what they did, heavily.
"No, you had no obligation to help us," the head guard has not left Rhys's side even once, making sure he was comfortable and that no one was bothering him. The two of them were seated on one of the benches, while the doors of the mall were still barred shut from the outside world.
"I was here, Sir. That is more than enough reason to help," Rhys did not seem to mind the company, however, as he just subtly glanced at his drone camera that was circling around him. He still has not stopped recording what was happening... making sure that everyone could hear what he was saying,
"And you will be compensating me for my troubles, so it all works out in the end."
"A lot of explorers are here, and most of them hid," the head guard forced out a chuckle before standing up, "We'll be opening the doors in a bit — and your ladies seem to be waiting for you already."
"Hm..." Rhys nodded as he also stood up. Before suddenly looking up and pretending to be slightly surprised as he saw the drone still recording. He then raised his hand to call the drone; letting out a small sigh as he caught it,
"...I forgot to turn this off," he whispered before stopping the stream and storing the drone camera back to his trusty utility belt.
"What? You finish having fun showing off, Recruit?"
"...Everyone," Rhys let out a sigh as the three women in his life approached him. He had actually known they were already looking at him since earlier, but were being forced by Katarina to help those who were wounded during the monster storm,
"Sorry, I went off on my own like that."
"Pft, you think we were worried, sugar?" Ayesha chuckled, "I've seen you fight monsters stronger than those fat black balls with feet and flying green scrotums, you think I'll be worried?"
"Sir... I promised myself I wouldn't ask, but..." Lina looked at Rhys from head to toe, "...Just how exactly did you suddenly get stronger like that? Or were you always? And that... you were using the same wind abilities that I have."
"I'll..." Rhys returned Lina's gaze, "...tell all of you when the time comes."
"Hm..." Lina squinted her eyes at Rhys, before just casually shrugging and wrapping her arms around his only remaining arm, "...Okay. In exchange for not telling us, how about we don't pay for the things we bought?"
"Oh, good idea," Ayesha pointed at Lina.
"Wait, why are you guys deciding that!?" Katarina, who was just keeping quiet on the side and observing Rhys, could not help but raise an eyebrow as she heard the two, "I'm the one paying for everything!"
"Psh, don't be too stressed, Doc. It's only money. If you worry too much, your face is going to look like an old man's balls from all your wrinkles."
"Katarina," and before the three could just start bickering and arguing with each other, Rhys let out a loud sigh and looked at Katarina, "I... don't really know how much I'm earning from the stream, but I will pay you back."
"Commander Ayesha! Is it true you were kicked out of the Underworld Corps because you got pregnant by Rhys?"
"Oh," Ayesha only let out an awkward chuckle as she slightly covered her face, "Being knocked up by the Recruit. Now, ain't that something?"
"Mr. Rhys Wilder, some people are claiming you're actually a Noble!? Is there any truth to that!?"
"Mr. Rhys Wilder, how much did you earn during your first stream!?"
"What do you think about the rumors that your sister and Sylas have started dating!?"
"Your sister seemed to be blaming you for what happened, what can you say about that!?"
"Rhys, is it true that—Hey, watch it!"
Try as they might to rile up Rhys with their increasingly personal and sensitive questions, he remained completely quiet. It came to the point that the media slightly became frustrated and started pushing each other — and soon, one of them was forcefully pushed to the front; his camera almost shattered if it wasn't for him using his own face to cushion the blow.
"You're... bleeding," Katarina quickly saw the blood profusely flowing from the man's nose, and almost instantly, even with him wearing a hat, Katarina realized that the man was the same as Rhys, a Lowborn. After all, a fall like that would be nothing to a Commoner, "Everyone, back up and—"
And before Katarina could finish her words, Rhys finally moved from his spot; very gently pushing her and Lina aside as he helped the reporter up.
"Everyone."
And as Rhys finally opened his mouth, all the reporters shut their mouths and pointed their cameras at him. Rhys, however, was only looking at the Lowborn reporter; even gesturing to him to start filming. Suffice it to say, the Lowborn reporter quickly raised his camera at Rhys.
"I would appreciate it if you don't ask me and my friends such personal questions," Rhys then said as he looked directly at the lens of the Lowborn reporter, "We are only here to shop... to prepare for our first Exploration as a guild."
"..A guild?"
"So, it's true that he already created a guild?"
"But... you just received your license not even a month ago, how are you able to create a guild?"
"I took the test again and was evaluated higher," Rhys quickly answered the Lowborn reporter's question, and only his, "I can't answer when or where our first Exploration would be, you would have to ask the Laughing Bronze for that as we are going on a shared Exploration with them. That's the only thing I can say on the matter."
"Why did you create your own guild!?" The Lowborn reporter asked.
"Because..." Rhys answered without any hesitation as he once again looked right at the camera, "...I can. And...
...all of you can join me too."
"...What?"