Chapter 8 (1/2)

-Cold Heart-

They laughed up a storm. What was with these people? It was awkward. I ignored them and headed for the ‘Registration’ counter. But then one of the drunkards got up and blocked my path.

“What is it?”

I attempted to handle it with my ‘customer service smile’, but had my collar pulled in return.

“Rather impudent to ignore us just now. Just who are you, Black Rabbit?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m just an applicant here?”

My customer service face does not crumble. I was becoming increasingly annoyed at this exchange, but it seemed too foolish to become angry at these kinds of people.

The adventurer continued to glare at me. I looked back with a pleasant expression. Then two thick arms cleaved their way between us.

“Now-now-now, what’re you doing? You can’t start a fight inside the guild house.”

“Mr. Gardo…this runt was acting insolent, in spite of being new here and…”

“I don’t care if he was insulting you or blowing you. This is the guild. Just keep it civil.”

Gardo’s thick, hard arms grabbed the arm that had me by the collar. The man’s expression contorted with pain. His face looked quite ugly as he finally released me. And with a silent glare, he returned back to his seat at the bar.

“Sorry ’bout that. The man seemed to be quite drunk.”

“It’s because you two started talking about this Black Rabbit. Give me a break…”

“You can blame Ness for that one. He does get carried away sometimes… Anything amusing happens, and he’ll let everyone know as soon as he can.”

“Well, it’s not too amusing to me.”

I sighed as I saw Gardo awkwardly scratching his head. Were adventurers perhaps starved of good entertainment here? I’d appreciate people not making such rumors about me as a joke…

“Well, um…right. I’ll give Ness a good scolding about this. I hope you forgive him.”

“If you can make sure the other adventurers know too…I think they’re about to terrorize me.”

“I’ll ensure that don’t happen.”