Chapter 172: Guided Focus
"I have been waiting much time for this meeting," the Marquesa de Wolf said, smiling like her namesake. "It is an honour, Scholar."
Ealdhere, feeling about as much out of his depth as when he was dragged out of the dungeon with his party dead around him, shook her offered hand. "The honour is all mine."
Her palm was heavily calloused, written over and over in the scars of battles past. She looked like an adventurer, certainly; a type he'd grown more than used to. Her dark skin was lit from underneath with a mana-warm glow, golden eyes flashing, an untreated wood staff resting at her side. Her accent wasn't native Calaratan, coloured by a harmonic lilt, matched by the melody in her words. Ealdhere could feel how practiced they were, how organized; whatever she was here for, it was something she had prepared for a long time.
He just wished he didn't have to be a part of it.
The Marquesa de Wolf released him, still smiling, and walked to her side of the table; a long one, spread out in the central welcoming hall of the Adventuring Guild, timber magicked from the surrounding jungle and quartz-lights glowing overhead. Four chairs, two on each side, the rest stored for later.
On one side, the Guild. The other, the petitioners.
Ealdhere sat, prim and controlled, and did not look at the man sitting next to him. Lluc.
He looked lazy, or at least relaxed, resting his elbows on the table and letting mana spark over his nail beds in a variety of colours, but Ealdhere had spent an unfortunate amount of time around the man and knew otherwise. His eyes were sharp; cold iron, hidden blades. He did not like what was happening.
And it was more concerning, honestly, that he was here—Ealdhere had lived a remarkably peaceful life the last few weeks, only seeing Lluc in the quiet hours of the morning to welcome in the newest adventuring party. The Guildmaster he was, and every group had to obtain his approval before being brought in—alongside an over-healthy dose of threats to make sure they stayed the line—but past that, he was gone. He disappeared directly after, and only next morning did he collect information and pilfered parts from Ealdhere.