Chapter 79 – Aftermath of the Crisis

Chapter 79

Aftermath of the Crisis

Date : Day 6 of Grimleaf 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.

Hyoren woke to the soft light of early morning. His eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the dim room. He turned his head to the side. On his shoulder, a woman slept peacefully—Elise, his lover. Her silver hair fanned across his skin. Her rhythmic breathing tickled his neck with each exhale.

He patted her head gently. His fingers traced through her hair. Memories of last night surfaced. Their relationship had been tested. The misunderstanding, the accusations, the tears. But they had resolved it. He had apologized. Their bond had grown stronger.

The whole experience felt like walking on thin ice. He had no desire to repeat that mistake. He would keep being honest with his lover. No lies. No betrayal.

He turned toward the window. The sky outside was still dark—tinged with the faintest hint of day. They had decided yesterday to wake earlier than usual. A quest waited for them.

Not long after, she stirred against him. Her pointed ears twitched first, then her eyelids fluttered.

Hyoren smiled down at her.

"Good morning, Elise..."

Elise blinked. Her eyes focused slowly. Then she leaned up and pressed her lips to his. Their morning kiss was quick but full of warmth—a stark contrast to the icy atmosphere of last night's crisis.

Afterwards, she pulled back and rubbed her eyes. Sleep still clung to her features.

"Morning, Hyoren… Yawn…"

A yawn escaped her lips.

Both of them sat up. They stretched their bodies—arms reaching upward, joints popping softly. The morning routine began.

They reached for their discarded clothes. Tunics and undergarments lay sprawled across the bed and floor—scattered evidence of what had happened after their reconciliation. Hyoren retrieved his clothes from the edge of the mattress. Elise gathered hers from a small pile near the chair.

Afterward, they moved to the bathroom together. They stood side by side in front of the washnasin. Cold water splashed against their faces. Hyoren dragged a razor across his jaw, shaving away the stubble that had accumulated. Elise combed through her silver hair with her comb, then tied it into a neat ponytail.

Hyoren pulled on his tunic. He secured his ramtauro armor over it—the familiar weight settling against his chest. Elise slipped into her green leather tunic, adjusting the fit around her body.

The crisis from yesterday had not been forgotten. But in its place something deepened. And now they focused on practicality. 

Two lover affirmed each other's trust.

After they finished preparing, they made sure nothing was left behind. Their belongings disappeared into the storage bag. The room looked as it had when they arrived—empty.

Elise locked the door with the ornate brass key. They descended the stairs together.

The communal room stretched before them, sparse and quiet. Not many guests were awake yet. But Ronald sat at the counter, chatting with Martha. His deep voice rumbled through the empty space.

Martha looked up. Her motherly smile spread across her face.

"You two are early."

She gestured toward the window.

"Sol and Luna aren't even rising yet."

Hyoren smiled at them both.

"Morning, Martha. Morning, Ronald."

He approached the counter.

"Yeah, we planned to take another quest. So we're departing early—before the good ones get taken."

Ronald nodded. His voice was gruff but approving.

"Good thinking, lad. I like your discipline already."

Hyoren smiled. Grateful for the honest compliment.

Elise and Hyoren settled onto stools at the counter. Martha turned to the kitchen and returned shortly after. She set down their breakfast—simple bread and a bowl of rich soup. The broth was thick with vegetables and chunks of meat. Steam rose from the surface, carrying a savory scent.

They ate quickly. The food warmed their stomachs. After finishing, they thanked Martha and placed their inn key on the counter.

Elise looked at the innkeeper.

"Martha, we don't know when we'll be back."

Her voice was steady.

"We plan to do monster subjugation quests to level up. So we might spend weeks in the wild."

She paused.

"You don't need to keep our room reserved like last time."

Martha's smile turned resigned. She understood.

"Okay then—if that's the case."

She reached across the counter to take the key.

"But promise me you two will come back, alright?"

Ronald lifted his mug. A salute.

"Good luck to you two on your quest!"

Hyoren bowed to Martha and Ronald. Elise gave a small wave. Then they turned and walked toward the exit. The door opened to the cool morning air. The Wanderer's Rest faded behind them.

They stepped outside. Ready to start their new journey.

***

Hyoren and Elise stood outside the Wanderer's Rest. The sky had begun to shift—painted in soft hues of dawn. Golden Sol, the smaller of the two suns, had not yet peeked over the horizon. Nor had the larger silver Luna. But their light had started to bleed upward, casting the clouds in pale amber and silver.

Hyoren glanced at his side.

"Elise, let's head to the guild. Time to look for a good quest for us."

Elise nodded. A soft laugh escaped her lips.

"Fufu. Let's go, Hyoren."

They began walking. Their footsteps echoed on the nearly empty side roads. This part of the city had not yet awakened. Only a handful of housewives moved about—preparing to shop for groceries, their baskets tucked under their arms as they hurried past.

They continued their walk and emerged onto the main street. The busy Adventurer's District stretched before them—already packed even though the suns had not yet fully risen. It was as if this side of the city never slept.

Drunkards stumbled home from taverns, their faces flushed and their steps uneven. Merchants arranged their wares on wooden stalls, calling out prices in hoarse voices. Adventurers walked in small groups toward the guild or the city gates, eager to begin their quests. An escort woman stood near a gaudy building, adjusting her clothing and preparing to head home after a long night.

Their steps remained steady. They wove through the crowd, sidestepping a drunk man who mumbled something incoherent. They ducked past a merchant rolling a cart of vegetables. They skirted around a group of adventurers arguing about quest directions.

Finally, they arrived in front of the Adventurer's Guild HQ.

Both stopped. A familiar figure stood on the stairs ahead.

Short brown hair. Perked cat ears. A tail that swished left and right in lazy arcs.

Ina.

She noticed them just as she was climbing the stairs to the guild's entrance. It seemed she had also just arrived. Unlike yesterday, she wore her uniform today—formal attire, not casual clothes. A Vice Guild Master ready for work.

She waved at them. Her smile stretched wide. Her excitement was palpable—practically radiating from her entire being.

Hyoren started to raise his hand to wave back. But before he could complete the gesture, his instinct flared. Something was about to happen.

He quickly turned his face toward Elise.

On his side, she had already shifted her stance. Her eyebrows furrowed. Her eyes sharpened—locked onto Ina with predatory focus. Her muscles tensed. She was ready to jump. Ready to pounce. Ready to strangle.

Hyoren's hand shot out reflexively. He caught her arm and held her back.

Realizing she had been stopped, she turned her face toward Hyoren. A hiss escaped through her teeth.

"Don't stop me, Hyoren! I want to strangle that thieving cat! I swear to Sylvana I'll strangle her today!"

She struggled against his grip. Her arm jerked. Her body twisted. It took everything Hyoren had to hold her in place.

Seeing Elise's reaction, Ina laughed. The sound rang through the morning air—sharp and mischievous.

"Kyahahaha! Did my prank go well?"

Her prank. Her intentional rubbing. The makeup and scent she had deliberately left on Hyoren's sleeve. The trigger that had caused yesterday's crisis—a test of their relationship, their honesty, their bond.

"Elise, you're too easy to guess and prank! Kyahaha!"

Ina kept laughing. Elise kept struggling against Hyoren's grip. Her teeth were bared. Her pointed ears had flattened against her head.

All of this happened in front of the guild. It was still early morning, but a crowd had begun to gather. People stopped to watch. Whispers spread. Some pointed. Others snickered.

"Elise, please—don't make a ruckus here. Everyone is watching!"

The mention of spectators finally made Elise stop struggling. She stiffened. Her face flushed. Her pointed ears turned red at the tips.

But her hostility toward Ina remained palpable. Her eyes stayed locked on the cat Beastkin. She still wanted to strangle the thieving cat.

Hyoren slowly released his hold. She stood rigid—her body still tense—but she no longer tried to pounce on Ina.

He exhaled a relieved sigh. The tension in his chest loosened, if only slightly. He placed a hand on Elise's back and guided her forward. Together, they approached Ina on the stairs.

"Ina."

His voice carried a note of weariness.

"Your prank almost did it..."

He let the complaint hang in the air. The crisis from last night had nearly fractured their relationship. The memory of Elise's tears, her accusations, the weight of her hurt—it all surfaced briefly in his mind.

Ina tilted her head. A playful glint sparkled in her eyes.

"Kyahaha! What if that was my intention?"

She placed a finger against her cheek.

"So I can get you for myself, Hyoren. Fufufu."

She was still teasing them. Hyoren sighed. Ina would never change.

"At least apologize to Elise."

Ina stuck her tongue out. Her gesture was childish.

"Wee! Why should I apologize?"

Her tail swished behind her.

"Everything is permitted in love and war!"

Elise flared again. Her body tensed. She took a step forward, ready to launch herself at Ina. Hyoren's hands shot to her shoulders. He held her firmly, feeling the tremor of anger beneath his palms.

"Ina..."

Hyoren was at a loss. The cat Beastkin defied every attempt at seriousness, or maybe she actually was serious. He did not know how to handle her.

Ina noticed Elise shuddering beneath Hyoren's grip. Her tail stopped swishing. The playful energy dimmed—just slightly.

"Oh well."

She shrugged.

"Maybe my prank went too far. I'll stop for now."

But then she stuck her tongue out again. A final defiant gesture.

"I won't apologize though. And I will not stop chasing you, Hyoren. Kyahaha."

Ina remained relentless. Elise finally resigned. Her shoulders dropped. The fight drained out of her posture.

"Whatever, Ina..."

Her voice carried exhaustion.

"Just don't think Hyoren is an easy guy to seduce."

She turned toward Hyoren. Her emerald eyes darkened. A stern warning flickered within them—serious and unyielding.

"You're not an easy guy, right, Hyoren?"

Her words came slow and deliberate.

"You won't fall for this thieving cat's seduction, right?"

Hyoren’s head bobbed up and down. He had no desire to trigger Elise's wrath any further.

“Yes Elise. I won’t fall for her seduction.”

Ina laughed in front of them. The sound rang bright and unapologetic.

"Kyahaha! Let's see. Let's see."

She licked her lips. Her eyes gleamed with mischief.

"Challenge accepted, Elise. Kyahaha."

Ina turned and entered the guild building. She had decided her teasing and prank were over—for now. Her laughter echoed from the doorway, then faded as the heavy wooden doors swung shut behind her.

***

Elise sighed again. Resignation weighed heavily on her shoulders. She massaged her temples with her fingers.

"Let's get over with this quickly, Hyoren."

Hyoren nodded. He reached for the heavy ironwood door and pushed it open. Elise entered first. He followed close behind.

The main hall greeted them, sparse and quiet. The morning rush had not yet begun.

But all the counters were already manned. Clerks stood ready behind polished wood. Even Ina—who they had just spoken to outside—was already stationed at her own counter. She smiled and waved at them. Her expression radiated innocence. No trace of remorse.

Hyoren smiled wryly. Elise ignored Ina completely and walked straight toward the quest board.

"Let's look for a good quest, Hyoren."

Hyoren followed her. He stood at her side.

"What kind of quest is good?"

Elise began browsing the board. Her eyes scanned the posted papers—some new, some weathered from days of hanging.

"Basically anything about monster subjugation. But we should consider our capabilities. Ramtauro quests should not be taken… they require more than just two of us."

She tapped her finger against her chin.

"I guess around Akela, our choices are only goblins and green wolves. Unless new kind of monster immigrated here."

Hyoren nodded.

"So we take another quest to the Forest of no Return?"

He still saw plenty of quests for scouting the Forest of no Return. Baron Akela had not yet lowered his guard. The forest teemed with goblins, and he need every report about their movement. He didn’t want to be caught off guard.

"We take one of these scouting quests, camp at the forest edge, then grind through the goblins, Elise?"

The prospect made his heart sink. He had enough of the Forest of no Return. The thought of returning there—after everything he had endured to escape—felt disheartening.

Elise shared his sentiment. Her eyes furrowed as she stared at the numerous Forest of no Return scouting quests. It was also the place where she had gotten careless. Where she had been captured by goblins.

That moment had arranged their meeting. Without Elise getting captured, she never would have met Hyoren. But the place itself still carried distress.

"If we have no other choice, then maybe yes, Hyoren."

She turned away from the board.

"But let's look for another place first. Goblins exist not only in the Forest of no Return. There are stray goblins, not under the Shadowden Collective, scattered around the world too."

Hyoren nodded. He continued scanning the quest board. His eyes moved from paper to paper. Until one caught his attention.

"Elise, how about this quest?"

Elise turned. She stepped toward him and looked at the quest he pointed to.

Quest : Scouting Old Quarry.

Description : Report of goblins started to make settlement in Old Quarry from villages nearby. Early reports suggest 50 to 100 goblins. 

Quest Goal: Scout the real number and state of settlement. Subjugation if possible.

Quest Reward : 200K Kres and 3 CP for scouting. Subjugation will be calculated separately based on the scope of the settlement.

Quest Issuer : Adventurer’s Guild

Requirement : Copper-rank or higher.

She smiled. Then she turned to Hyoren.

"This is perfect, Hyoren."

Her voice carried genuine approval.

"You found a really good quest. Good job!"

She took the paper from the board. The gesture marked the job as theirs.

"The number is manageable for us—as long as we are careful."

She tapped the paper.

"And we can help the villagers too by taking care of the monsters. Plus reducing the burden on Baron Akela."

Hyoren nodded.

"Right. Baron Akela is busy focusing on his frontline, the Forest of no Return. And now in his backyard, goblins are starting to make new settlements."

He crossed his arms.

"We should curb the seeds of trouble."

Elise smiled. She agreed with his assessment.

They turned and walked toward the counter. Elise purposely avoided Ina's direction. She steered toward another clerk's station. But every time she changed direction, Ina changed her counter too—abusing her Vice Guild Master privilege just like before.

Not wanting to make the other clerk feel bad, Elise finally resigned. She finally walked toward Ina's counter.

Ina smiled at them. Her cat tail swished behind her. Left and right.

"Fufufu. Decided on your quest already, Hyoren?"

She purposely ignored Elise. Her eyes locked only onto Hyoren.

Elise huffed. She pushed the quest paper toward Hyoren and turned away. Angry. Refusing to engage.

Hyoren smiled wryly.

"Ina... please stop..."

Ina tilted her head. Her cat ears perked up. Anticipation flickered in her golden eyes.

"What do you mean, Hyoren?"

She blinked innocently.

"Did I do something wrong?"

She clapped her hands together. Acting as if she had just realized something.

"Oh—you mean me swapping places with another clerk."

She waved her hand dismissively.

"But that was your fault. I already said, as long as I'm available, your clerk is me, not another girl. I already notified the other clerks too."

She leaned forward on the counter. A giggle escaped her lips.

"I'm your personal clerk. Understand? Fufufu."

She smiled widely. Beaming.

Hyoren massaged his temples. She had addressed only one problem—completely ignoring the Elise situation. Though this swapping place with other clerk was actually bigger problem. She was truly abusing her privilege.

But he gave up. Ina was a force to be reckoned with. And he did not know how to handle her unreasonableness without creating a ruckus or truly shoving her aside with force.

"Oh well. I give up..."

He placed the quest paper on the counter.

"We are going to take this quest. Please process it."

Ina's professional face surfaced. Her tail movement slowed.

"Let's see..."

She read the quest. Making sure the requirements were met. Cross-checking with her documents.

"Okay, this quest looks good. And details are as written. You know where the Old Quarry is?"

Hyoren nodded.

"Yes, Ina. Thanks to your geography lesson yesterday—it's north of Akela, on Akela Mountain, right? Past Lake of Akela."

Ina licked her lips. Her eyes filled with predatory intent.

"That's right! You remembered."

She leaned slightly forward.

"I really love guys with brains like you..."

Hyoren scratched his cheek. He glanced at his side. Elise still had her back turned. But her ears twitched—taking note of every word spoken.

Hyoren decided not to comment. He urged Ina to process the quest.

"Please process it, Ina."

He handed over his Guild card. But Ina's hand remained outstretched. He tilted his head. Confused.

Ina smiled at him.

"Yes, yes… I received your card."

She wiggled her fingers.

"But where's that sulking elf's card? I need her card too… Fufu."

Elise's ears turned red. They twitched rapidly. In one quick motion, she retrieved her card from her storage bag and shoved it into Hyoren's hand—all without turning around.

Hyoren smiled wryly.

"Here, Ina."

He handed the card to Ina.

"Fufu. Okay, wait a bit..."

Ina processed their request quickly. Her fingers moved deftly across the documents. Not long after, she finished. She handed their cards back.

"Here, Hyoren."

Hyoren checked his card. A new line had already appeared.

Quest: Scouting Old Quarry

He nodded.

"Okay, Ina. Thanks. We'll depart straight away."

He felt Elise already moving away—before he even said goodbye.

He scratched his cheek.

"Bye, Ina..."

Ina giggled. Seeing Elise still sulking clearly amused her. But she waved her hand. Saying goodbye. Unbothered by Elise's reaction.

"Fufufu. Have a safe trip! I hope your quest succeeds! And come back safely, okay?"

Hyoren nodded. He waved back at her, then quickly turned and caught up with Elise—who had already walked past halfway across the hall.

He smiled wryly. He quickened his step. He reached Elise just as she was about to open the door. He opened it for her. Then both of them exited the guild together.

Ina watched them leave. Her eyes were warm. The predatory glint had vanished—replaced by something else entirely.

She mumbled. Her voice was almost inaudible, even in the empty guild.

"I'm sorry, Elise..."

She clutched her hands together.

"I'm not sure what this feeling is, myself. But maybe... it was really that..."

She sat down. Focusing back on her work as a clerk. Her Vice Guild Master persona returned. No one knew what kind of chaos was forming behind her professional mask. Not even she herself knew exactly. But a bud of something had taken root inside her—growing quietly in the shadows.