The atmosphere in the guild remained tense, but the guildmaster quickly took charge. After finishing his formalities, he turned to Alaric with a serious expression.
"Alaric," the guildmaster said, his voice low and commanding, "I need to speak with you privately. Follow me."
Alicia and Jake exchanged puzzled looks but didn't protest. Alaric nodded silently and followed the guildmaster into his office. The room was small but well-furnished, with a sturdy wooden desk and shelves filled with books and scrolls. The guildmaster gestured for Alaric to sit.
"Alaric," he began, folding his hands together, "your recent achievements are extraordinary, to say the least. Defeating a Fenrir at your age and rank… it's unheard of."
Alaric shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I just did what I had to do."
The guildmaster leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Don't downplay this. Most adventurers would run for their lives at the sight of a Fenrir, let alone fight one. You're something special, Alaric. I don't know how you did it, but I can see there's a power within you that goes beyond normal understanding."
Alaric stayed silent. He wasn't ready to share the full truth about his abilities or the system that guided him.
After a moment of silence, the guildmaster sighed. "Be careful, Alaric. Power like yours will attract attention—both good and bad. Don't let it overwhelm you."
Alaric nodded, appreciating the advice. Once the conversation ended, he rejoined Alicia and Jake, who were waiting by the quest board.
"What did the guildmaster want to talk about?" Alicia asked, tilting her head curiously.
"Nothing important," Alaric said, brushing it off. "Let's pick a quest."
Jake grunted. "Well, we're not exactly swimming in options. Most of these quests are way above our level."
Alicia's finger landed on a quest pinned near the middle of the board. "How about this one? 'Eliminate 20 goblins and retrieve their cores.' It's simple, and the goblins are in the nearby forest."
Alaric nodded. "Sounds good. Let's take it."
The trio signed up for the quest and set out toward the forest. The path was quiet, the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves the only sounds accompanying them. Despite the simplicity of the mission, Alaric couldn't shake the guildmaster's words from his mind.
When they reached the goblin village, they crouched behind some bushes to assess the situation. The crude huts of the goblins were scattered around a clearing, with several goblins moving about. They were armed with rusted weapons, their guttural growls echoing in the air.
"This should be manageable," Jake whispered, gripping his sword tightly. "We can take them in small groups."
Alicia nodded, her staff glowing faintly as she prepared her magic. "Let's do this."
But just as they were about to attack, Alaric's sharp eyes caught something unusual. At the center of the village, tied to a wooden pole, was a young girl. Her white hair shimmered in the sunlight, and her clothes—though dirty and torn—were unmistakably aristocratic.
"Wait," Alaric hissed, holding up a hand to stop his friends. "Look over there."
Alicia and Jake followed his gaze, their eyes widening when they saw the girl. "What is she doing here?" Alicia whispered.
Jake frowned. "She's clearly not from around here. An aristocrat? What's she doing in a goblin village?"
"We need to save her," Alaric said firmly.
"But we're here for the quest!" Jake protested. "We can't handle this and protect her at the same time."
"We'll figure it out," Alaric said, his tone brooking no argument. "We can't leave her like this."
The three adventurers watched as a group of goblins surrounded the girl, cackling and poking at her with their crude weapons. The girl's head hung low, but there was a defiant look in her silver eyes.
"Let's move," Alaric said, determination flashing in his crimson eyes. Together, they prepared to engage, knowing this mission was about to get far more dangerous than they had anticipated.