Chapter 58: Toast to Ardin’s Cock—Wait What?
Finn stood there. Dead inside.
Everyone in the guild muttered horrendous things about him—some out loud, some just loud enough to be painful. It was like being slowly shredded by passive-aggressive gossip.
He had survived demons. Delivered a cursed talking head. Got drop-kicked by a chicken. And for what?
Absolutely nothing.
A part of him wanted to just walk out. Walk into the sunset and never look back.
But he couldn’t exactly do that now—not with three girls following him around like emotionally damaged Dokémonenes.
The other half of him? Yeah, that part wanted to trip Ardin and beat the smug off his stupid, punchable face. But that wouldn’t exactly help the whole "not being hated by everyone" situation.
And then—because of course—Ardin turned dramatically to the receptionist and declared, "Now, where is my compensation for the trauma brought upon me and my noble name?"
The receptionist blinked, then plastered on the fakest smile in all of fake-smile history. "O-of course!" She ducked behind the counter and returned with five gold coins. "Here you go, for your... great works."
Ardin grinned. "Thank you. Glad you came to your senses. You wouldn’t want to lose your job over him." He gestured at Finn like he was pointing at a clump of hair in the drain.
"Haha, no! Of course not!" the receptionist laughed through clenched regret.
"Excellent," Ardin said, turning to the crowd and lifting the five coins above his head like a toddler showing off a macaroni art trophy. "You all saw it, right? This lying thief tried to rob me blind!"