The guild hall smelled like burnt bread and spilled ale 🍺 when Aren returned.
But this time—
The noise bent around him.
Whispers followed his steps.
Not loud.
Not mocking.
Careful.
Heads tilted. Conversations died mid-sentence. A few adventurers pretended not to stare… while staring anyway.
No one stepped into his path.
No one challenged him.
Aren ignored all of it.
Attention was useless.
Results weren't.
He walked straight to the counter.
Mira was already there, leaning forward slightly, eyes bright… like she'd been waiting 😌.
"Congratulations, Aren," she said, sliding a thin wooden slip toward him.
"You passed."
He glanced at it once.
"Ready for your first job?"
Aren gave a single nod.
Mira placed a finger on the slip and read, almost cheerfully—
Mission: Collect Goblin Cap mushrooms
Reward: 30 copper
Location: Southern Forest (Outer Area Only)
Notes: Mushrooms grow on goblin heads. Harvest carefully.
Aren read it again.
Slower.
Then raised an eyebrow.
"…On goblin heads?"
Mira lifted both hands in surrender.
"We don't choose nature."
"Nature chooses chaos."
Aren folded the slip and tucked it away.
Thirty copper wasn't much.
But it was enough.
He turned and left 🚪.
The Forest Hunt
The southern forest wasn't dangerous.
It was irritating.
Goblins screamed at shadows.
Birds screeched like they were laughing 🐦.
The ground was damp, soft, and smelled like decay.
Even the trees looked exhausted.
Aren moved quietly.
Eyes scanning.
Steps measured.
He spotted the first goblin within minutes.
It wandered in circles, scratching its nose, muttering nonsense.
On its head—
A pale mushroom, faintly glowing.
Goblin Cap.
Aren moved.
Fast.
He grabbed the goblin by the skull—
THUD.
One clean slam into a tree.
No scream.
No struggle.
Unconscious.
He plucked the mushroom and tossed the body aside.
"...One."
From a ridge, he scanned again.
Another goblin.
Perched on a branch, legs swinging, humming off-key.
Aren pulled an arrow.
The tip glistened with mild poison. Not fatal. Just enough.
He drew.
Released.
Fwish.
THWIP.
The arrow struck the goblin's neck.
It twitched once… then fell.
Aren stepped forward—
🔥 Pain detonated through his back.
An arrow pierced him cleanly.
Not a graze.
Not a warning.
A direct hit.
His body reacted first.
He rolled, slid, and crashed behind a thick tree trunk.
Another arrow slammed into the bark where his head had been a second earlier.
Then—
A voice.
Cold. Sharp.
"Don't get between me and my target."
Aren peeked out.
An elf girl stood on a branch above.
Green cloak.
Bow drawn.
Silver hair catching the light ✨.
Her eyes were narrow.
Possessive.
The kind that didn't ask for the world—
Just assumed it was already hers.
Aren felt—
No fear.
No anger.
Only irritation 😒.
He snapped the arrow shaft lodged in him, pressed a hand to the wound, and stood.
Then—
He walked away.
No threats.
No insults.
No warning.
He didn't even look back.
Behind him—
The elf froze.
She stared at the boy she had just shot… calmly leaving as if she didn't exist.
For the first time—
She felt ignored.
Back to the Guild
Aren returned bleeding.
Steady.
Silent.
Mira nearly vaulted over the counter 😳.
"H–HEY! What happened?! Goblin stab? Wolf bite? Did you fall on something—"
"Elf."
She stopped.
"…Elf?"
"One shot me."
"WHY?!"
"She wanted the mushroom."
Silence.
"…You got shot… over a mushroom?"
Aren placed two Goblin Caps on the counter.
"Reward."
Mira counted out thirty copper coins.
Her hands trembled slightly.
Then she leaned closer, eyes sparkling with dangerous curiosity 😏.
"So, Aren…"
"…was she cute?"
Aren looked at her.
Flat.
Empty.
"I'm going to kill her."
The guild hall went silent.
A man with a broken nose leaned in.
"You mean the elf girl? Silver hair? Looks like she'd stab you for blinking wrong?"
"Yes."
The man winced.
"…You don't know, do you?"
Aren said nothing.
"She's from World Tree Branch Five. Rank Five guild. Big one."
Another voice added quickly—
"Guild Master's daughter. Strong. Spoiled. She's hurt plenty of people."
Mira swallowed.
Then called toward the back—
"Master…"
An old man stepped out.
Gray hair.
Calm eyes.
A presence that pressed down on the entire room 🧓.
The hall straightened instantly.
"What happened?" he asked.
Aren explained.
The shot.
The warning.
The walk away.
Then—
Without emotion.
"I will kill her."
The air tightened.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
A boy had just declared war on the daughter of a Rank Five Guild Master—
Like he was discussing the weather.
The old man studied him.
Not angry.
Not amused.
Interested.
Because Aren's eyes weren't reckless.
They were decided.
The guild held its breath.
And Aren stood there—
As if he had simply said:
"I need to buy bread." 🍞🔥