Chapter 22: Intervention

After hearing Kunan introduce himself, what instantly caught John's attention was that he seemed to have an accent. He couldn't place the dialect, it didn't sound like an Eastern Accent or from some tribe or group on the Western Continent, it was foreign to him. Regardless he could still understand the man.

Despite his slight surprise by the man's speech, he returned the shake, smiling as well.

"It's nice to meet you Kunan. I'm John, a B- Rank Adventurer."

Kunan's eyes widened at the mention of his ranking.

"Ah, well. I'm glad to run into fellow B Rank."

"Sure thing. We're definitely not on the same level though, seeing as I'm a minus class while you're a complete one." He then released his hand from his, turning to look back outside the Guild Hall. He spoke once more. "So about this woman, she's really the right hand of Larouge?"

"Indeed. Holds membership in her Adventuring Party as well."

John's stared silently at her as the statement stirred in his mind.

To think the woman appearing, random as it happened to be, was a member of who was widely considered the strongest human being's adventuring party was a shock, to say the least.

Now, Claire was walking straight towards John, who still stood at the top of the Guild Hall stairs.

The pair of Rox and Ashur were following from behind her. She had a smile on her face, her eyes closed as her hands were delicately held together in front of her.

The two A-Rankers behind her had an interesting dichotomy of emotions plastered on their faces.

Rox appeared indifferent, walking at a very slow and calm pace despite his party members following behind with scrutinizing gazes.

Ashur's nose wasn't bleeding anymore however it was still on his face, being dried now. He was biting his lip, looking down at the ground with a scowl.

John watched as they scaled the stairs. He instinctively moved back, out of Claire's path, as did all the other Adventurers who'd been crowded by the entrance.

Right as she started to pass him she stopped, turning toward him.

"Hmm. So you're a spirit user?"

"What?"

Now that he could see the woman up close he'd noticed, she was very beautiful. Having full lips and a very slender face. John had been so taken aback by her that it took a second to catch up to what she'd said. He perked up in realization.

Annerose was still on his shoulder, having an inquisitive look on her face as she gazed at the green-haired woman. Claire gazed back at Annerose, locking eyes with her briefly.

Just as he started to respond to her question, she smiled. "Well it was nice to meet you. Now, if you'll excuse me."

She then continued walking past him. Surprisingly all in the Guild Hall started resuming conversation once more.

Some still shot glances at the three highly Ranked Adventurers but the staring fest they'd been under previously was relatively over now.

Ashur and Rox trailed in after Claire, Rox having his party behind him. They surrounded him, inspecting his bruises, he simply swiped his hand at them lightly in dismissal.

Ashur stood right outside the entrance, unmoving. His gaze hadn't left the ground still. His lip started to bleed slightly from how hard he was biting it but he didn't seem to notice.

John watched as Claire made her way over to the Receptionist's desk. She started talking to the woman before reaching into a small sack on her waist and pulling out a golden bar. She placed it on the desk but the receptionist raised her hands, shaking them dismissively as if she couldn't take it.

Claire shook her head as well, her petite eyebrows curling into a frown. The receptionist seemed unable to deny her, so she grabbed the form of payment, lowering her head gratefully.

A tap on his shoulder took John away from the scene. Annerose was facing him, squinting intently. He backed up slightly.

"What is it? I do something?"

She stared at him in silence for a moment longer before breaking from his gaze and turning her head away from him,.

"Yes actually. Did you forget what I told you a while back?" Her tone was full of impatience. Not full-blown irritation but he had no doubt if he responded incorrectly it would soon be so.

"Could you remind me?"

She released a frustrated, but not completely unexpected sigh.

"There are two ways I can become tangible. One, is completely corporeal which is what I did when we first met, and the other which masks my presence to all except you, my master which is what I've been doing this whole time."

There was a brief silence for a moment before John whipped his head over toward Claire. At this point she was still at the Reception Desk, speaking to the lady about more matters.

He thought to himself. Then how did she know I was a spirit user? Also, she seemed to notice Annerose as well.

As if she read the young man's mind, Annerose spoke.

"There's one exception to others being able to see during my presence masking technique. Those with very good senses and other spirit users."

"Right but what she did seemed a bit beyond just having good senses. She made eye contact with you no?"

"Yep. But that's what makes things stranger. Typically as a spirit, I'd be able to sense when another is nearby or within another but I couldn't with her… Watch that one. Something else is going on with her."

John took a mental note of her comment, choosing to stay silent.

With all of the excitement of the situation winding down, he could address the elephant in the room.

He inched over to Ashur, a nervous look on his face. He slowly raised his hand, placing it on the man's shoulder. The instant he did so, a fist swung toward his face.

John couldn't even react, however, it stopped right as it would've landed.

"Oh, it's you. Sorry, about that. Just a little jumpy after that fight."

Ashur's eye was locked with John's. In their depths despite all the anger and emotion the man displayed earlier, they appeared hollow now.

Even though he was looking straight at John, it didn't feel as if he was focused on him. It was as if all his spirit had been stripped away. Ashur lowered his fist, letting it fall to his side weakly.

"Hey, John?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Is Annerose there right now?"

He nodded.

"Could she make herself visible to me?"

John turned to look at Annerose. Her face was downcast, as she wasn't looking up. However, Ashur's eye which was currently searching around John's body lit up ever so slightly.

"What is it?" The spirit questioned.

"Tell me. What should I do?"

A smile was on his face as the question left his lips.

Who was he kidding? There was no right answer. No matter what he did in this situation he would lose.

If he went against Claire, as well as Rox who both wanted him to stay, even if he escaped that would have dire consequences on his status as an Adventurer.

Those, especially within the A-Rank of the organization had access to information and other resources lower ranked members simply didn't.

On the flip side, if he stayed then he would most likely hear a rinse and repeat of Rox's words. That he had to wait, or couldn't do this, had to do that, and so much more.

He couldn't take it. So he searched. An answer no matter how useful or useless would mean everything to him.

Annerose raised her head, a glint of sorrow in her eye. "I don't know."

There was silence for a second after giving her answer. His eye, which had been lit up, if only for a moment became dim once more.

"I see."

John scratched the back of his head. "I know you didn't ask me but I have a suggestion. Maybe, just go with your heart?"

A chuckle escaped Ashur's lips. His expression, however, was straight-laced, with not a smirk, or even wrinkle underneath his eye to signify he thought the suggestion was humorous.

"That's the thing, John. I'm not sure I have one. My only goal in life, from the moment my father died, was revenge. Mary helped sure, by giving me hope in something after but now…"

His voice trailed off. He grasped his chest, looking down at the hand doing so with pure emptiness in his eye.

"Ashur. Over here. We need to discuss things."

He lifted his head to see Claire, standing at the top of the second floor of the Guild Hall. She was waving over to him. Rox walked past her, heading toward the meeting room the two had been in previously.

Ashur started to walk past John but as he did so, he heard him mutter under his breath. "Thanks, John."

The last thing he saw was Ashur's back. The same back that would normally be so upright and sturdy looking, being slouchy and appearing soft.

He watched as he made his way up the stairs, each step being slow and full of hesitancy. John wondered, even now was the man angry. Or had he given up on such emotions in this situation?

As the doors closed John found himself thinking one thing.

How could he help? Or could he at all?