New face 02

We quickly finished our breakfast and rushed out the door, mostly because Dad was already running late and I could sense he was worried Mom might change her mind about letting me go with him. As we neared the guild, we encountered several people who recognized us and stopped to chat. Dad's popularity meant we couldn't walk far without someone calling out or stopping us for a quick conversation. By the time we reached the guild, my hands were full of small treats people had given me along the way.

It felt like a parade of good-natured faces and cheerful greetings, but I knew deep down that Dad was eager to get to work—and perhaps even more eager to avoid giving Mom a reason to turn us back.

"Dad, before we go in, can we stop by the bakery for some chocolate cookies?" I asked, trying to sound as innocent as possible.

He glanced down at me, my hands already overflowing with treats from all the people we'd met on the way. With a helpless look, he sighed. "Finish what you're holding first," he said, shaking his head. "We'll stop by the bakery when we're heading back home."

I could tell he wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea, but I knew he wouldn't say no once we finished up at the guild. Cookies would have to wait—at least for now

As we entered the guild, the place was as messy as always—people sitting around, drinking, laughing, and talking loudly. The usual chaos. My dad led the way to the front desk to report his last mission, and the moment we got there, the receptionist's eyes lit up.

Without missing a beat, she swooped me up into her arms, hugging me tightly. "Finally, some sunshine!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with energy. "I need to charge my energy," she added, squeezing me like a good luck charm.

This had become a regular thing for me—most of the guild staff treated me like their little mascot. I was used to it by now, though it still made me smile.

My dad placed his report on the desk, glancing around with a curious look. "Ginny, why are all these people here this morning? I don't recognize them."

Ginny followed his gaze, looking at the unfamiliar faces scattered around the guild. "Oh, those? They're the escort for some noble."

"Noble? Who?" my dad pressed.

She shrugged. "We don't know. They just reported that they escorted someone, and they're leaving after lunch."

Before he could ask more questions, the guild leader descended the stairs, walking straight toward us. With his usual smiling but serious face, he reached out and took me from Ginny's arms. "Does our smallest adventurer want to go on a mission?" he teased.

"Me?" I blinked, caught off guard.

"Leader, what do you want?" my dad asked, his tone laced with suspicion.

"Well," the guild leader began, "Mac and the others are busy organizing last year's archives and updating files. How about you help them out, huh?" He put me down with a pat on the back and pointed to the second floor.

I glanced at my dad, who gave me an encouraging nod, and then hurried off with my small legs, making my way upstairs to assist with the paperwork.

Unbeknownst to me, my dad leaned closer to the guild leader and asked quietly, "What's going on?" He knew the leader well enough to sense when something serious was brewing, and it was clear this wasn't just about paperwork.

The guild leader, his expression tight with concern, answered in a low voice, "Some noble arrived in town."

Theo's eyes narrowed. The leader was his closest friend and one of the few who knew the truth about his origins. If he was worried, it meant this was serious. "Who is he?" Theo asked.

The guild leader shook his head. "We don't know. No one does." He gestured toward the group of unfamiliar men sitting in the hallway, drinking. "They were hired as an escort, but the noble left them when he entered the village. They don't know his identity or why he's here."

Theo's frown deepened. "No one's seen him?"

"No," the guild leader replied, his voice heavy with unease. "Not a soul."

After climbing to the second floor and reaching the last room on the left, I knocked on the door. From inside, I heard an exhausted voice, one so worn out it was barely recognizable as Mac's usual booming tone. "Who's there?"

"It's me, Eddy! I'm here to help!" I called back.

In an instant, the door swung open, and I was scooped up into a familiar hug. "Just what I needed to recharge!" Mac said, laughing as he held me. I giggled too—every adventurer seemed to say the same thing when they saw me.

Once he set me down, I took a good look around the room. It was a sea of papers, reports, and disorganized files. Clearly, they had been at this for a while. Noticing my gaze, Mac sighed and explained, "At the end of every year, we gather all the reports, missions, and every bit of information—deaths, achievements, everything—and compile them into simple summaries. Two copies: one for the archives here and one to send to the capital. It has to be done carefully, so... yeah, it's a bit overwhelming."

"Do you need some help?" I asked, noticing just how tired he and the others looked.

"Yup, that would be terrific," Mac replied gratefully, handing me a ledger. "Just compare this one with last year's report, will you? You've done this before, right?"

I nodded and got to work. It wasn't too difficult since I had helped them with this kind of thing in the past. As I worked, I could feel Mac's eyes on me. Finally, he muttered, half to himself, "How does that idiot manage to have such a great kid like you?"

I smiled, but kept focused on the ledgers.

Four hours later, my dad came in to pick me up, his usual cheerful demeanor slightly strained. As promised, he handed me a few coins for the cookies I'd been craving. I could already taste the chocolatey goodness as we headed out.

As I stood in front of the bakery counter, carefully choosing which flavors of cookies to buy, I felt a strange, heated gaze on me. Instinctively, I turned around, my heart skipping a beat when I saw the source. A tall man with striking green hair and a chiseled, handsome face was staring directly at me. His clothes were elegant—far too refined for a small town like this. The first thought that crossed my mind was noble.

"Well, well, well... what do we have here?" he said, his voice smooth and charismatic, yet laced with something that made my skin crawl. His eyes never left mine, and though his smile seemed charming, there was something unsettling behind it.

I froze, clutching my coins tightly, unsure how to respond.

Hello, sunshines!

I'm thrilled to announce that this story has now surpassed 2,000 reads, and I couldn't be prouder! I know that for some, hitting another "1K" milestone might seem routine, but for me, it's a significant achievement. As an author who still feels relatively unknown, seeing readers appreciate my work is incredibly gratifying.

Thank you all for your amazing support—whether you've added my stories to your library or cast your votes. I wanted to mention each of you individually, but I didn't want to intrude on your privacy. So, a special shout-out to: Niamio, Beya, Meitch,Arpita, Kiki, Ash, Shin, Frey,halp and M3o.

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