The moment Ren and Lyra stepped back into the Adventurer's Guild, a hush fell over the immediate area. The adventurers who had seen them leave, particularly Borin's crew who were nursing their bruised egos at a nearby table, watched with keen interest. They were expecting to see the F-Rank kid carried back on a stretcher, not walking in with the confident stride of a man who owned the place.
They approached the quest counter, where the same bored-looking receptionist, Tess, was filing her nails. She looked up, her expression shifting to one of mild annoyance. "Back already? Did you get scared and run away? Don't worry, it happens."
Ren beamed at her, his angelic smile in full force. He heaved a heavy, clinking sack onto the counter with a loud thump. "Good afternoon! We're here to report the successful completion of the Goblin Infestation quest."
Tess stared at the sack, then at Ren. "You're joking, right?" She gestured dismissively. "Let's see the one or two ears you managed to grab before Lyra here saved you."
"Oh, it's a bit more than one or two," Ren said cheerfully. He untied the sack and tilted it.
A grotesque avalanche of pointed, grimy goblin ears cascaded across the wooden counter, piling up in a small mountain. A few even spilled over the edge and flopped onto the floor.
The guild went silent.
Tess's jaw was on the floor. Her nail file clattered from her limp fingers. Borin and his friends, who had been laughing moments before, were now choking on their ale. Every adventurer within earshot was staring, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Lyra, seeing her cue, quickly stepped forward, trying to look as casual as possible. "He's... surprisingly good at creating distractions," she said, her voice a little too loud. "While they were all focused on him, I took them out from behind. Teamwork."
It was a flimsy excuse, especially given the sheer volume of proof on the counter, but it was better than nothing.
Ren nodded enthusiastically. "I am an excellent distraction. They get mesmerized by my dashing looks and charming personality, and then—BAM—a sword appears. It's a classic strategy."
Tess slowly got to her feet, her eyes still locked on the mountain of ears. She swallowed hard and began the slow process of counting them, her professional boredom completely shattered. "...twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty..." The final count was thirty-two. An entire nest.
"This... this is..." she stammered.
"A completed quest, I believe," Ren finished for her, tapping the counter politely. "The reward was 50 silver, if I recall correctly."
Upstairs, in a private office overlooking the guild hall, an old, stern-faced man with a magnificent grey beard watched the scene unfold. Guild Master Valerius grunted, stroking his beard. "An F-Rank... how very interesting."
Down below, a shaken Tess pushed a small pouch of 50 silver coins across the counter. Ren accepted it with the dramatic flair of a king receiving his tribute. "My very first earnings!" he declared to Lyra. "Tonight, we shall dine on more than just watery stew! We shall have... slightly less watery stew!"
He turned to Lyra as they walked away from the gawking crowd. "Thank you for that," he said, his voice quieter, the playful act dropping for a moment. "For having my back." He offered her the pouch. "Half of this is yours."
Lyra shook her head, pushing his hand away gently. "Keep it. I didn't do anything." She looked at him, her curiosity warring with her caution. "Ren... that story about being a distraction... no one believed that."
"They don't have to believe it," Ren replied with a shrug. "They just have to be confused enough not to ask too many questions. Secrets are safer when wrapped in a joke."
"And what is your secret?" she pressed.
Ren met her gaze, his blue eyes holding a depth that seemed far older than his sixteen years. "My secret is that I plan on becoming strong enough that no one will ever look down on me again. And I wouldn't mind having a friend to watch it happen." He gave her a small, genuine smile. "For now, is that enough?"
Lyra found herself nodding, a faint blush on her cheeks. There was something magnetic about his confidence. "Okay, Ren. For now, that's enough."
"Excellent!" his bright persona snapped back into place instantly. "Now then! As a newly rich and successful professional adventurer, I must look the part! This cheap sword simply won't do." He slung an arm over her shoulder in a friendly gesture. "You, my knowledgeable C-Rank guide, are going to take me shopping!"