53 Back in Verin

Erik's powerful voice echoed throughout the guild hall which was as filled as it would get since it was at the peak of noon when every guild member chose to eat lunch or hang out.

Even with all the people packing the guildhall, one voice had managed to suck the sound of the place like a black hole with light.

This awkward silence lasted for an unforgettable few seconds until every member especially the older ones shouted from the top of their lungs.

"GUILDMASTER!"

With that the previously loud guild hall turned even louder, it sounded like a bomb of noise had been set off in the place.

Suddenly, Erik stepped forward more into the dining hall and a bunch of people went up to greet him. At first all of the veteran adventurers who had been with The Chosen since its founding went up to greet Erik and make small talk.

Then a bunch of aspiring adventurers who were young and full of ambition went up to try to flex their accomplishments

Leon decided he would leave Erik to do his duties as Guild Master and went off in search of someone to tease. But before he could find the target, a huge fist suddenly approached from nowhere, and instead of hitting his head. Leon reacted fast enough that the blow hit his shoulder blades.

Leon winced at the hard punch.

"Ow, ow ow."

Without even taking a peek behind him, Leon knew exactly who it was.

"Do you really have to hit me that hard?"

The owner of the fist that kept hitting Leon was no other than the guild's receptionist Lucia, who looked angry.

"Hmph, you are lucky enough that my fist wasn't my hammer. What were you thinking, getting yourself caught up in all that danger! Even though most of it was kept under wraps, as Erik's assistant I was briefed on everything!"

Since Lucia was looking for an answer, Leon pretended to think for a little bit as he slowly maneuvered himself closer to the door.

Without warning, he leaped forward and give Lucia's cheeks a teasing pinch with both of his hands, and started to run as fast as his legs would take him.

"RUUUUUUN!!"

Lucia on the other hand looked like she couldn't believe what had happened.

She suddenly turned all red from embarrassment to rage and jumped over a table and the receptionist desk at the front to take out a huge hammer.

"LEON YOU COME BACK HERE!!!"

This time Lucia actually held the huge hammer which weighed more than a man over her head as she ran out of the guildhall.

While everyone was talking to Erik, they had all noticed Lucia approach Leon and all smiled as they watched the interaction between the two.

One of the old-timers looked towards the front door as he stood next to Erik.

"Youth, eh?"

Erik gave a hearty laugh.

"Haha, just like normal. Anyways enough about that who wants to celebrate my return with booze!"

Everyone cheered and thus an afternoon of drinking contests and arm-wrestling matches started.

Meanwhile, Leon was panting as quietly as he could as he stood in the shadow of an alley with his back and profile leaned against the cobbled wall.

Suddenly an enraged Lucia popped up from nowhere with a hammer in hand, she looked around trying to gather any clues that might lead to Leon's location.

Like a scene straight out of a horror movie, Leon had to put a hand to his mouth to prevent any sound from coming out and could only look in horror at Lucia who was slowly walking towards the alley. A sound rang out from further up the street and Lucia turned around and starting running at full speed towards the sound.

Leon sneakily tip-toed his way to a tavern that was known for many members of various guilds to hang out and drink happily. Fit for its name, it was called the Drunk for Life Tavern.

While Leon made his way to the tavern with a certain goal in mind, he thought to himself.

'Whew that was a close one, I don't want to get hit by Lucia this time. She looked pretty mad this time.'

Although Lucia might not look like it, she was a retired B-Tier adventurer, who was officially somewhere in the upper parts of the lower ranks of B-Tier. A serious hit from her would literally kill Leon.

Even though it was in the middle of the afternoon, the moment Leon got closer, he heard an abundant amount of sounds ranging from clinking glasses to drunk adventurers who were arguing.

When he opened the swinging door of the place, everyone that was visible within him turned towards him, but once they found out he was neither a tourist nor a famous adventurer. They paid no attention and went back to their own things.

However, not everyone had the same reaction, out of nowhere a pink-haired girl with a half-full glass of beer stumbled around until she leaned up against Leon.

"Leeeeeon! Your… Your baaack! Comeeee join us."

Leon not only smiled because Tecia was as drunk as a drunkard at midnight, but because his guess was correct in the fact that the friends he made at the E-Tier test would be here.

Looking at where Tecia was facing to, Leon could see Tomoe who calmly sat with her blade on her lap and what looked like tea from home in her small ceramic cup.

Across from her was Arwin who had his bow next to him, he situated himself with water instead of alcohol and saw Tecia drunk with Leon and motioned for him to come to sit down.

Leon happily obliged as he was happy to see some of his only friends and sat down.

The moment he was about to speak, Tecia looked like she was going to speak but fell down on her face, fortunately for her her friends were thinking the same thing and Tomoe spoke up with a soft voice.

"So Leon, if you don't mind us asking, we were simply wondering what happened over the past couple of days?"

With that, Tecia picked her head off the table and nodded even though her nose was slightly bleeding and red, while Arwin also agreed as he shook his head slightly.