Getting my bandages redone and some salves applied to me, the blue haired woman looks at me with an approving look.

  “It seems like you’re good to go now.”

  “So I can go on quests again?”

  “Yes, but your skin will still be easily xxx try to avoid things that make your skin itch because it will be xxx tenfold as you are now.”

  “Okay thank you ma’am! By the way, what is your name?”

  “Maria but my adventuring name is Landmaid.”

  “Landmaid?”

  Rolling her eyes as she packs up her medical equipment, she answers, “Yeah…It’s a pun about me being like a mermaid stranded on land. You don’t really choose your adventuring names, people just call you something one day and then it sticks.”

  “I see. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me Maria!”

  “You’re welcome. Just try not to get hurt like this anymore, okay? I’ll be moving south soon. In fact, I was about to say my goodbyes to the guild the day you got injured, that’s the only reason I was there in the first place.”

  “Sorry, did I delay your trip?”

  she gives me a reassuring smile, “Yes, but it’s fine. It’s only been half a week. Also make sure to check in at the guildmaster’s office soon. She said she wanted to speak to you and your party leader.”

  “Alright, thank you Maria!”

  “You’re welcome, I’m going to tell her you’re ready. Goodbye, Thoma Ahad.”

  “See ya!”

  I then get my things together and head out. It seems like I’ve been staying in a small side building for sick people next to the training grounds. When I enter the main guild hall there seem to be a lot of people there giving me the side eye as I walk upstairs to see Uli. I then walk into the office to the sight of a depressed looking Rayla fiddling with her bone necklace and the guildmaster just sitting there silently.

  Giving them a wide grin, I announce, “Good evening, Uli and Rayla. There is no need to be worried anymore! Maria said I’m all good again!”

  The guildmaster smiles and points at an empty seat, “It does seem like you have recovered well. Please sit down.”

  “Okay.”

  “So, Miss Rayla, Thoma Ahad. Since both of you are here now I’m going to discuss your performance on your first quest as a team. Frankly, Miss Rayla, I’m considering removing you from your position as team leader and demoting you to G-Rank. Despite being given xxx warning about the danger of this quest you still decided to bring a first time adventurer with no experience on this quest and would have gotten him killed if it weren’t for the lucky appearance of Miss Maria.”

  Fiddling with my clothes, I say, “B-but I didn’t die though! So that means Rayla shouldn’t get demoted right? It was my lack of knowledge that put me in danger and I could have refused to go on the quest with her if I wanted to, so if anything it’s my fault.”

  Giving me a serious look, she answers bluntly, “No, as party leader it is her responsibility to make up for the lack of training or knowledge of her companions. She should have known that a quest like this was too dangerous. So, what is your answer Miss Rayla?”

  Rayla stands up from her chair, goes down on her knees and puts her hands and head to the ground.

  “It is as you say. I failed as a party leader and led a new adventurer to their death. Blinded by pride and ambition I misjudged both the danger of the quest as well as the capabilities of Thoma Ahad. I was of the impression that he was secretly a xxx of yours that was more capable than he seemed. When I found out that this was not the case I should have returned to the guild and picked out an easier quest. I also mistakenly thought he had knowledge on how to handle himself while in the field that I arrogantly considered common knowledge. I have failed on all fronts as a leader and will take full responsibility for my actions.”

  Softening her gaze a little, Uli looks to me next, “Hmm…Thoma Ahad, what is your view on this issue?”

  “I want to keep adventuring with Rayla. She’s a nice person and she took care of me after I got hurt. She didn’t just give up on me and leave me there she brought me back herself and then went on to help by looking for pain killing herbs. She also seems very strong and knows a lot more than I do. I want to keep working and learning with her and help her dream come true.”

  Intrigued, her gaze wanders over to Rayla again, “Oh? What is your dream Miss Rayla?”

  “I…Uhm…It’s a bit embarrassing to say ma’am.”

  “If you can’t even voice your dream, how is it going to come to pass? Go on, tell me.”

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  “I…Uhm…M-My dream is…”

  A bit annoyed, she quips, “Come on, speak up, I might be old but I don’t have all day.”

  Rayla then blushes and yells, “My dream is to become rich and famous! I want to travel the world, marry lots of cute and handsome men and have people look up to me!”

  The guildmaster raises an eyebrow, with an exasperated facial expression, “Eh~ That is…Certainly a dream one can hold.”

  “Yeah and I’m going to help her achieve it!”

  Getting serious again, she looks back to me and answers calmly, “Thoma Ahad, you’re not mature enough to get married.”

  “I don’t want to marry her anyways.”

  "Good," Looking down on her desk, she fills out a document sign it and puts a stamp on it before she answers, "Miss Rayla, as for my final ruling, I'm demoting you to F-Rank, but you will be able to keep your position as party leader. I will also be crediting the E-Rank quest to both of you as a success but if anything like this happens again any time soon I’ll personally make sure that you will be banned from adventuring in all branches of our guild. Understood?”

  Rayla, with a wide toothy smile, salutes and says, “Yes ma’am! Thank you very much guildmaster! I won’t disappoint you again.”

  “I trust that you won’t, I won’t show leniency for a second time. Now then, onto a different topic, Thoma Ahad, could you give me that box beneath your chair?”

  Lookin under my chair, I give her the box, “Sure, here you go, auntie.”

  Leaning back while observing me, she asks, “Thoma Ahad, what language were we just speaking in?”

  “Huh? What a weird question. We were speaking in Uni of course, I don’t speak any other languages.”

  The guildmaster then reclines into her chair even further and looks deep in thought.

  “Thoma Ahad, could you take your shirt off for me? There’s something I’d like to check.”

  “Sure. The burns have mostly healed but I still have some black spots.”

  Getting really red in the face as I take my shirt off, Rayla looks away, “Wha-Wha-What!? Are you really just going to take your shirt off right here?”

  The guildmaster smirks and says, “You know for someone trying to build a xxx of multiple husbands you are quite green behind the ears.”

  Standing up from her desk, the guildmaster carefully inspects my body and when she gets to my back says, “I see, it is as I expected. Take a look at this Miss Rayla.”

  “A-Are you sure? I mean…I-If you insist guildmaster I will t-take a small…" shocked, she asks, "Is that a slave crest?”

  “No…Not quite. It’s a common misconception but slave crests aren’t a purposeful marking. All curses leave behind a mark on the victim, the bigger the mark the stronger the curse. If it’s a minor curse you are likely to confuse it for a mole or a scar but stronger curses like enslavement curses are quite visible.”

  “Most slave crests I’ve seen are only the size of my hand and they’re notoriously hard to get rid off…Guildmaster, what is the meaning behind a mark that’s half the size of his entire back?”

  “That a very powerful curse has been cast on him…There must have been something that you were not supposed to witness…But still valuable enough that it’s not worth killing you over it.”

  “So…Am I sick, Uli?”

  “Yes and no. It’s most likely nothing new, it seems to be the root for why you forgot everything two years ago.”

  “So, can I be healed?”

  “Most likely yes. But I am no expert. I’ll be having a talk with the Red Valkyrie about it in the future, she is well versed in light magic. The Five Winged Angel left two days ago for a quest, it will be a while until they return. So, until then just carry on as usual. Are you two hungry?”

  “I sure am.”

  “I could definitely go for a bite.”

  Handing me my shirt back, Uli walks to the door, “Good, let’s go downstairs and eat something.”

  As we leave her office together, the guildmaster yells down, “They’re both staying!”

  “What was that about, Uli?”

  “You’ll see. Let’s just give 'em a minute before we go down.”

  We wait a bit before going downstairs. I can hear shuffling noises and chatting while we do. When Uli gives us a sign we go downstairs together. It looks like they put together a small party with hastily spread decorations and a big cake in the middle.

  As we come into view they all start cheering, “Congratulations on surviving, Charcoal!”

  “Charcoal? Are they talking to me?”

  Rayla answers, while akwardly scratching her cheek and avoiding my eyes, “They came up with that one a few days ago. I think it’s a bit distasteful but it’s still an honor to get an adventuring name.”

  “Woah…So you guys threw a party for me!? Thank you so much! All of you!”

  Jared the guy with the red Mohawk then yells, “Come on, come down here already, you deaf or something? Don’t worry about the cash or nothing I’m buying for you two today.”

  I then smile wholeheartedly and take Rayla by the hand, “Come on, let’s get down there!”

  We sit down at the same table as Jared, Sarah the secretary and some other people with wild hairstyles each in a different color, wearing leather clothing. They look like they’re friends of Jared.

  “Yo! Guildmaster you coming? Or are ya gonna go off and do some work or something?”

  Uli gives him a piercing look and answers with a bit of sass, “Well, I do have a lot of work to do, unlike you guys. So I will go back to my office for the evening. Have a nice party.”

  “Oh come on, Uli! It’s not going to be a party without you! Please stay with us!”

  “Uli?” The crowd asks around in confusion.

  “Oy, bro. I get you want the whole guild to party together but once the guildmaster makes a decision she doesn’t go back on it. Never has.”

  Uli then looks at me, sighs and says, “Fine, a bit of relaxation from time to time is important as well,” she then takes a little box out of her pocket, puts something in her ears, walks downstairs and sits down next to me.

  The crowd starts whispering again.

  “D-Did the guildmaster just go back on a decision?”

  “Must be a celestial alignment today…”

  Maria speaks up from the crowd, “Guildmaster, what does ‘Uli’ mean?”

  “It’s Elvish and means auntie.”

  “Eeeeeeeeeeeeh!?” the crowd roars.

  Confused but intrigued Maria adds, “Wait a second guildmaster are you and Charcoal…Related?”

  “No we’re not.”

  “And you…Of all people, are okay with him calling you that? Why is that?”

  “He reminds me of my niece.”

  Visibly confused, she asks, “Are…Are you okay with us giving you nicknames too?”

  “Sure, once you leave this guild you can call me whatever you want, just don’t expect to be allowed back afterwards.”

  The crowd then suddenly grows cold as people whisper things like,

  “I guess she’s still the same after all.”

  “I thought for a second she was replaced by a body double.”

  “I guess you can’t warm a frozen heart in a few days after all.”

  Noticing this, the guildmaster picks up a pitcher of Ale and says, “What’s with this drab mood, this is a party after all! Start the music! A toast to Charcoal!”

  Seeing this as their cue the adventurers who brought instruments start playing and the other adventurers start relaxing again and yell, “A Toast to Charcoal!”

  We then have a wonderful party that goes long into the night with people dancing, playing cards, play fighting and more. Allowing me to get to know a lot of people.