I Stopped Simping and the Heroines Lost Their Minds

Arthur had four days left before classes resumed.

The academy was already noticeably louder than when he had first returned. Carriages blocked the main avenues, students dragged heavy trunks across the grass, and the supply shops near the gates were packed with people buying gear for the new term.

He had free time today, so he grabbed his jacket and headed into the city.

He walked into his guild without announcing himself. The main floor was loud and crowded. A party of four stood near the contract boards arguing about how to split their bounty, while an adventurer leaned against the counter covered in dried monster blood, waiting for a clerk to finish some paperwork.

A few people recognized Arthur and offered a nod as he passed. He didn’t involve himself in running the place, but most of the regulars knew who he was.

Arthur leaned on the counter next to one of the clerks. "Place hasn’t burned down yet?"

The clerk kept her eyes on her ledger. "Sylvia won’t let it."

Arthur took the stairs to the office. Sylvia was exactly where he expected, sitting behind her desk surrounded by stacks of parchment and open ledgers.

She looked up when he walked in. "Look who remembered we exist."

"I remembered the money," Arthur said.

He pulled a chair over and sat backward in it, resting his arms over the backrest.

Sylvia rolled her eyes and went back to writing.

Arthur watched her work. She wore a tailored vest that hugged her chest perfectly when she leaned over the desk.

Sylvia caught him looking without raising her head. "Keep staring and I’ll charge you rent for taking up space in my office."

"Take it out of my cut," Arthur said. "Speaking of. How much did I make while I was gone?"

Sylvia pulled a ledger from the stack, flipped it open, and read off a number.

Arthur grinned. It had been a highly profitable month. "Best job I’ve ever had."

Sylvia reached into a drawer and tossed a small leather pouch across the desk.

Arthur caught it one-handed. The weight made his grin widen.

"That’s just what was sitting here," Sylvia said. "The rest is already in your account."

Arthur loosened the drawstring and glanced inside. "I should disappear more often."

Sylvia snorted and went back to her paperwork.

Arthur pocketed the pouch and watched her stamp another form. "Anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

"Busy," Sylvia said, picking up another sheet. "Mostly clearing work. Problem is some of the easy jobs haven’t been staying easy."

"Meaning?"

"Two parties backed out of places they’ve cleared before. Another came back short a wagon because a pack followed them a lot farther than it should’ve." Sylvia dipped her pen again. "Nothing spectacular. It’s just happening often enough to be annoying."

"How long?"

"A couple of weeks. Maybe a month. It wasn’t obvious at first." Sylvia tapped her pen against the desk. "Different zones, different monsters. No obvious pattern."

"Let me know if anything genuinely strange comes up."

Sylvia nodded and went back to the sheet in front of her.

He left her office and went back downstairs, stopping near the contract board.

Someone coming through the front doors nearly walked straight into him, dragging a sack that leaked dark green blood onto the floor.

The clerk behind the counter stared at the trail.

The adventurer looked down.

"Ah, shit."

"Outside," the clerk said.

"But the bounty—"

"Outside first."

Arthur stepped aside as the man reluctantly hauled the dripping sack back through the doors.

One of the older guild members spotted Arthur near the counter and raised a hand in greeting. He was one of the regulars Arthur recognized from around the place.

"Been a while."

"Had things to do."

"Clearly." The man glanced toward the stairs. "Sylvia’s been enjoying the peace."

Arthur looked back toward her office. "She’s devastated I’m back."

The adventurer laughed and went to collect his payment.

Arthur looked over the board. There were a few high-paying bounties he could easily take, but Morwenna owned his schedule again in four days. He ignored the board and turned toward the door.

Sylvia came down the stairs to hand a stack of bounties to one of the clerks. She saw Arthur still standing there.

"You’re still here," she noted.

Arthur stepped closer. "Missed me?"

Sylvia looked at his crooked collar, reached up and tugged it straight.

"Try not to disappear for another month."

Arthur smiled. "Knew it."

Sylvia rolled her eyes and headed back upstairs.

The traffic around the academy gates was much heavier when Arthur returned.

He spotted Cedric near the entrance, carrying two heavy leather bags. He looked tired from the road.

"Cedric."

Cedric turned and let out a breath. "Arthur. When did you get back?"

"Couple days ago," Arthur said. He fell into step beside Cedric as they headed toward the dormitories. "How was the break?"

"Fine. Trained, slept, wasted some time. The usual." Cedric shifted one of the bags to his other shoulder. "Is anyone else back yet?"

"Chloe’s been around."

"Felix sent a message saying he’ll be here tomorrow," Cedric said. "Leon shouldn’t be far behind."

"Everyone waited until the last few days."

"Why come back early if you don’t have to?" Cedric shifted one of the bags higher on his shoulder. "Four days is already generous."

Arthur couldn’t really argue with that.

They moved aside as three students came struggling past with a mattress between them, one walking backward and swearing every time they clipped somebody.

They walked through the crowded courtyard outside the dorms. Students were shouting to each other across the grass, hauling gear up the stairs, and catching up after weeks apart.

Cedric nodded toward his building. "I need to dump these. Catch up later."

"Yeah."

Cedric disappeared into the dorm with his bags. Arthur had barely turned away when his phone buzzed.

Emily.

Back tonight. You better not be asleep.

Arthur checked the time and pocketed his phone. She wouldn’t reach Lornfell for a few more hours.

Another carriage rolled through the academy gates behind him, forcing a group of students carrying boxes to move out of the way.

Arthur headed toward his dorm.