Dashing up the stairs Ray runs into the guildmaster’s office.

  “I said I wish to be alone!”

  “It’s Thoma! He has been kidnapped!!!”

  “What!? Tell me exactly what happened.”

  After Ray’s expnation the guildmaster runs down to the lounge for veteran adventurers.

  “Everyone, attention!”

  The adventurers who were mostly sitting there celebrating or eating then suddenly all stand up and salute, “Yes Ma’am!”

  “We have an active kidnapping situation, Thoma Ahad the newbie adventurer has been kidnapped by Cultists. The Guild is offering five Gold pieces to whoever can retrieve him first, eight if you can retrieve both him and his kidnappers. Miss Ray will be giving you further details. Anyone who thinks they can keep up with me may instead follow me straight away.”

  “Yes, Ma’am!”

  “Greater boost speed, Limit Break: Speed, greater boost speed, greater boost strength, greater boost endurance, greater boost senses, greater boost defense, moderate boost magic resistance, trap sense, magic sense, greater sky walking. Elqueenes, Spirit King of Water, hear my plea. Coat my steps in shoes of ice worthy of dancing in your ball room. Ice Walk!”

  After glowing in many different colors for a second each time she uses a boost her spell coats her feet in what looks like ice slippers.

  “Gaia, Spirit King of Earth, hear my plea. Coat me in the life that springs forth from your earthen womb, so that I may be dressed to be in your presence. Life Coat!”

  A coat made of leaves and flowers then covers her body.

  Afterwards she jumps out of the window and ice skates through the air. Leaving a small trail of snowfkes behind her every step. Behind her an assortment of B-Rank and above adventurers jumping over roofs, riding dragons made of ice magic, teleporting from roof to roof and more, barely able to keep up with the guildmaster’s Speed.

  Meanwhile on the other side of town, opening a little tch in the front of the carriage the middle aged cultist talks to his butler, who is currently driving the carriage.

  “Once we pass the gates I need you to work the horses tirelessly.”

  “Of course, Sir. But is this kid really worth the trouble? We could have found many ingredients his age in the streets without any witnesses.”

  “This isn’t just any ingredient Jasper, it is one of the highest grades. One of three parts that together will create a homunculus to house our God.”

  “So it is one of a kind?”

  “Not necessarily. There is no limit to the amount of them that can exist at any time but ever since sacrificial magic has been outwed the supply has decreased dramatically, so finding this one truly is a gift.”

  “Shouldn’t we have been extra careful in that case instead of making a scene? That beast girl was an adventurer after all.”

  “Pfft, what is the pup gonna do? Mobilize the guild? They’re just low ranked adventurers, if she’s lucky someone will send out a small search party.”

  “We’re coming up to the gate checkpoint, Sir. There seems to be a problem.”

  “Just smile nicely and they’ll let us through.”

  “B-but Sir, the guildmaster is present. She seems to be dressed for combat.”

  “So? She’s not going to check this carriage. If there is a threat big enough that she needs to be called then we could probably kill the kid in front of her and she wouldn’t care. Perhaps there is a Grimjilow on the loose.”

  “Sir, she seems to be approaching our wagon.”

  “We have nothing to be afraid of, she’s probably just trying to warn us that something is going on outside the gates. Just greet her nicely and act like we have nothing to hide.”

  “Greetings guildmaster, is there som- UGGGH.”

  “Jasper!? Are you alright!?”

  The door then gets kicked open and the middle aged cultist grabs the unconscious Thoma Ahad and holds a knife to his throat.

  “If you don’t want the kid to be hurt- AAAAAAGH.”

  At a speed so fast the untrained eye wouldn’t have even noticed her moving at all; the guildmaster cuts off the hands of the cultist with her ice shoes. The one holding the knife on the up movement and the one holding Thoma Ahad on the down movement of her axe kick. There isn’t even any blood as the stumps instantly freeze over. Then in one fell swoop she punches the cultists throat while putting Thoma Ahad over her shoulder. Shortly after, the adventurers that were following behind her arrive as well.

  “Did you already get him?”

  “Yes, you can take care of the cleanup now. The two cultists have already been taken care of, so make sure to transport them to the guild for questioning.”

  An adventurer wearing dark clothing with his face covered by a mask then asks, “So does that mean we get the gold?”

  “Huh? No, clearly I apprehended them first so I get the gold.”

  “But that’s unfair, you're the guildmaster!” the woman who was conjuring the ice dragon protests.

  “So? The reward conditions were simple, whoever retrieves them first gets the money.”

  “B-but! How are we supposed to win against you? That was rigged from the start, you're way faster than us!”

  “Are you really going to compin that you lost a race to a cripple? Do I have to keep reminding you youngsters that this thing is fake?”

  She takes off her right leg, revealing a wooden prosthesis.

  The adventurers then look a bit dejected.

  “Jeez I need to work out more”

  “To think I lost to a granny with a crippled leg.”

  The guildmaster sighs, “Alright, now you’re just getting disrespectful…”

  “Sorry ma’am!”

  “Sigh It’s fine. But to think that I’m going to mobilize you guys and not give you a reward…You really don’t think highly of me do you?”

  “We’re getting a reward!?”

  “Of course, I’m going to pay the meal expenses for the next two weeks for everyone that participated.”

  “And we can eat however much we want!?”

  “Sure, but only if you get these two inside the guild and make them talk. I want information.”

  “Yes Ma’am!!!” the adventurers yell in unison as they pick up the cultists. The one with the ice dragon then casts a wall of ice around the carriage which her ice dragon picks up in its mouth and flies away.

  “So, what about Charcoal? Is he okay?”

  “I don’t detect any magic being cast on him so I assume they just drugged him. He should be fine in a few hours, he might even wake up earlier. I’m bringing him to my office, you report to me once you have the intel. I expect to hear why he was kidnapped, what they were trying to achieve and if they have any knowledge of the markings on his back.”

  “Markings on his back? You mean from the fire?”

  “No, he’s cursed.”

  “Eeeeh!? Charcoal was cursed? By those two!?”

  “No, even earlier than that. I’ll give you the details ter.”

  Meanwhile in the Guild, the Five Winged Angel enter through the front door.

  “So, who’s up for some good old frog meat?” The blonde guy in thick armor jokes.

  “Oh shut up Thane. If I even see something that looks like an amphibian I think I’m going to vomit.” Prudence the Red Valkyrie answers.

  “Uhm, you do know I am an amphibian, right?” The Losta says.

  “Ugh, don't remind me, Pharynx.”

  “You guys are so unappreciative. You’re lucky that so many frogs were living in that swamp in the first pce or else we would have had to cancel the mission after Thane dropped our supplies.” Mira, a young woman with gsses and short brown hair says, fiddling with her magic staff.

  “Hey it’s not my fault! I keep telling you that a cultist shot a hole in the pouch!”

  “Can you guys just stoooop arguuuuing. You’ll get nothing out of just repeating the same argument over and over again…I just want to go upstairs, have some nice rexing talks with Siril and get something different to eat.” Chastity, a woman in her early twenties with pink hair and a golden staff covered in holy symbols groans. She seems to be dressed simir to a nun.

  They then trudge upstairs and look confused at the completely empty veterans lounge.

  “Are they having a party without us?” Thane asks.

  “No, something must have happened.” Prudence answers.

  It is then that a female bunny beatskin appears with a bucket of soapy water in hand.

  “Siril! I missed you!”

  “Oh, hi Chastity. I wasn’t expecting you guys for another day or two.”

  “What’s going on here Siril? Where is everyone?” Prudence asks.

  “Oh, that’s right you wouldn’t know. That new kid, Charcoal. Some cultists kidnapped him so the guildmaster has mobilized the veterans lounge to get him back before they leave town.”

  “She mobilized the entire veterans lounge for that kid? Is she in her office right now?”

  “No, she went out personally to help out.”

  “She what!?” the Five Winged Angel yell in unison.

  “Yeah, she went out about an hour ago, so I’m guessing she should be back soon. If you want to know the details I have his party leader here with me in the back. If you want I’ll bring you the usual and have her sit down with you.”

  “That would be great, thank you Siril.”

  “You really are an angel, Siril! If I were a man I’d marry you!” Chastity says prompting Prudence to hit her in the back of the head.

  “Don’t go around saying stuff like that, it's bsphemous.”

  Siril then smiles, brushes away one of Chastity’s pink locks and says, “I wouldn’t want to marry you if you did manage to turn into a man. You’re perfect the way you are,” and goes behind the counter.

  “Damn you two are as flirty as ever…” Thane scoffs, leaning back and putting his muddy boots on a chair.

  “Shut up Thane, don’t put any weird things into my sister's head. She isn’t a filthy degenerate sinner and neither is Siril. They’re just good friends.”

  “Look…All I’m saying is that some sins aren’t as bad as others. We all sin from time to time. I don't see why that sin is seen so differently.”

  “That’s because we’re not talking about small sins, that sorta stuff is about disgusting sexual deviants spitting in the faces of the Gods day after day. It’s fine to commit a sin as long as you repent and don't do it again afterwards. It’s something else when you live that lifestyle every day and knowingly sin.”

  “I just don’t see why we can’t leave those people alone. They’re just in love. What’s so bad about that? It’s not like they’re hurting anyone.”

  “Of course they are. It’s impossible for two men or two women to love each other.What they’re feeling is lust not love. If we turn a blind eye to them they’ll just go around and spread their degeneracy to others. They’re already touching children and converting them into their ways.”

  “Oh please, do you have any evidence for that?”

  “Of course I do, how else do you think they spread? It’s not like they can have kids!”

  “Can we please not have this discussion right now!? We get it, you disagree.” Mira the mage says burying her head in her arms.