Chapter 145: Speaking with Vaelira
Vaelira pulled a small metal case from her coat, flicking it open with a practiced motion. A single cigarette rested between her lips. She plucked another one and held it out to him.
"Smoke?" she offered in a neutral tone.
"No, thanks."
"Suit yourself," she shrugged her shoulders and lit her cigarette, inhaling deeply. "Haaah... I needed this so badly..." she exhaled with utmost satisfaction. Then, the blonde woman looked at Kaiden once again. She sighed. "I’m sorry."
"For?" Kaiden asked with a raised eyebrow, trying to make sense of what was happening.
"For how I treated you. All four of you are doing better than my so-called ’guild mates’ who have been training for years, yet I gave you a great deal of trouble."
"No doubt about that. Why, though?"
"To make the stream more enjoyable. Watching us suffer in the desert heat gets boring quickly... I needed to provide them with some drama."
"I see."
"So I’m not getting your forgiveness?" Vaelira asked wryly.
"No. To hell with your stream numbers. We’re combatants first and entertainers second. By inciting drama in our group, you’ve alienated us from the rest of Nova Circuit. A D-rank dungeon is not your high school playground, Vaelira. You’re not only risking the lives of me and my lovers but also your fellow guild members. Instead of working together to clear this difficult dungeon, we have to watch our backs."
A second sigh escaped her lips. "I wish life was so simple... My parents went all-in on this opportunity; they took out loans to promote my stream. If I don’t make it big, it’ll all be for naught."