“Forgive me, Emilia, I fear our actions were rather brusque in the presence of others. It didn’t hurt you, did it?”
Banning released his grip, subsequently securing the office door behind him.
The door latched with a soft ‘click’, a sound which sent Emilia’s heart fluttering, plunging her into a state of heightened confusion.
In the brief span of a few minutes, she had experienced, for the first time, the feel of Banning’s hand, followed by seclusion in their workplace.
Her sensitive heart was now pounding so fiercely, it felt as though it might burst from her chest.
“No… It didn’t hurt…”
Emilia’s response was barely more than a whisper, as soft as the buzz of a fly.
In their previous encounters, Emilia had always displayed boldness, yet now, with Banning asserting control, she was reduced to a shy, naive girl.
Lost in her thoughts, Emilia allowed her imagination to wander.
She had often fantasized about what could transpire between herself and Banning, but Oleg’s office was certainly beyond her wildest dreams.
Banning, he was just too daring, too avant-garde!
.
“Really? That’s a relief. I was worried we were seen, hence the haste,” Tyler dismissed Emilia’s rosy fantasies, moving towards the window to confirm the whereabouts of Avril and the rabbitkin granny.
Fortunately, they seemed to merely be passing the street and showed no signs of entering The Quest Guild.
Their scattered glances suggested they were likely searching for a restaurant or inn.
“Banning… why did you bring me to the Branch Chief’s office? What are we here for?”
Emilia’s voice echoed, forcing Tyler to explain his abrupt behavior.
(Should I mention the Divine Weapon?)
(No, that’s not urgent enough to justify my earlier actions. I need something more pressing…)
“Yes, there is something I need to tell you…”
Tyler stalled, scanning his surroundings.
Through the window, he spotted a familiar face loitering near The Quest Guild.
This was the perfect distraction!
“Emilia, come look at this,” Tyler beckoned Emilia over to the window, directing her attention to a middle-aged man on the street.
“Have you noticed this man around The Quest Guild recently?”
“Eh?”
Tyler’s question successfully jolted Emilia back to reality.
She appeared dumbfounded momentarily, a look of disappointment flashing across her face, before she began scrutinizing the man Tyler was pointing out.
“Now that you mention it, I think I have seen him these past few days. Is there a problem?”
Initially, Emilia was unaware of the gravity of the situation until Banning revealed, “He’s been sent by Mayor Gideon to spy on you, his name is Charles.” 𝒪𝐕𝗅xt.𝓬𝔬𝐦
“Spying on me?!”
Emilia was taken aback and hastily recollected her recent movements, relieved that she hadn’t revealed any confidential information about The Quest Guild.
“Why would the Mayor send someone to spy on me?…And how did you find out?”
Seeing Emilia’s serious demeanor, Tyler knew he had successfully diverted her attention.
All that remained was to bide time until Avril and the others had moved along.
“I overheard a conversation between Charles and a companion. It seems the Mayor is blaming The Quest Guild for his son’s disappearance.”
Tyler then assured Emilia that the Mayor was still in the evidence gathering phase, so there was no immediate cause for alarm.
As long as The Quest Guild continues its usual operations, all should be well.
“However, I recommend that The Quest Guild commissions some security patrols, employing bounty hunters to monitor the vicinity day and night. As for the reason, we can fabricate one, for example, a recent theft at The Quest Guild.”
Tyler detailed his plan meticulously, and Emilia listened attentively.
His timing was indeed well-suited for Emilia to be informed, and the appearance of Avril had indirectly expedited this.
After discussing the matter, Emilia expressed her agreement with Tyler’s plan and assured him that she would arrange the commission today.
“Thank you, Banning, you’ve done The Quest Guild a great help again. I really don’t know how to express my gratitude.”
Emilia gazed at Tyler with a flush in her cheeks and admiration in her eyes.
Tyler ruffled Emilia’s hair, patting her shoulder to ease her tension. “It’s all part of my duty, no thanks is necessary.”
.
When Tyler exited The Quest Guild, Avril and the rabbitkin granny had already wandered off.
Staying consistent with the line of thought he had presented to Emilia, he continued to deduce strategies for confronting the Mayor’s power,
Reflecting on the day of the incident, Tyler had struck the Mayor’s son with the intention to protect The Quest Guild and Emilia.
Regardless of his initial motives, his actions had now indisputably put The Quest Guild and Emilia in jeopardy.
To resolve this issue, Tyler’s initial consideration was to deal directly with Mayor Gideon. However, as the saying goes, “a lion at home is a mouse abroad”, and Tyler was not yet equipped to confront the Mayor’s power head-on.
Therefore, if a feasible plan was to be proposed, Tyler intended to first coax the serpent out of its hole before dealing a direct blow to its “vital point”.
Once the Mayor was out of the picture, irrespective of how many experts he had employed, they would disperse like monkeys when the tree falls.
For this, Tyler’s immediate task was to leak a bit of “information” to the Mayor’s informer.
·
It wasn’t long before Tyler located the tracker, Charles. First, he used the language effect of “The Deceiver” to control him, then he slipped a note into his hand.
When Charles regained his senses, he was only confused to find an additional piece of paper in his hand.
Upon opening it, he found written: “The black-clothed archer who killed Gideon will appear in the ‘Gateway of Trials’ control area in the western suburbs tomorrow afternoon.”
Charles, startled and then excited, immediately ran towards the Mayor’s mansion with the note.
·
Tyler, hiding in the shadows, was satisfied with Charles’s reaction.
Charles was indeed a brainless man, and he paid no mind to the strange origins of the note. However, the Mayor certainly wouldn’t be as naive as Charles. Even so, Tyler still believed that the Mayor would take action.
The reason was simple. In the current situation, devoid of any leads, the Mayor had suddenly received such news. Even if he knew it might be a trap, he couldn’t possibly ignore it.
Therefore, even if the Mayor didn’t personally visit the scene, he would definitely send someone to inspect the situation.
By that time, the defenses at the Mayor’s mansion would inevitably slacken, providing Tyler with an opportunity.
If the Mayor dared to take the risk of venturing out, that would be an even greater opportunity for Tyler.
Therefore, whether the Mayor himself moved or not, Tyler had a countermeasure for each scenario.
Now that this matter was settled, Tyler’s next move was to locate Avril before Emilia finished work, to get an update on her situation.
Only by knowing Avril’s whereabouts would Tyler be able to avoid a disastrous 3-person encounter…