Chapter 86 - Quest In The Burning Dungeon, Part 4

Marcilla's guild was lively, as always. High-ranked and low-ranked adventurers bustled about, drifting in and out, sharing boisterous conversations over breakfast, or pulling quest parchments from the well-worn board by the entrance."Good morning..." Amoria greeted with a weary sigh as she stepped into the guild hall alongside Liz, her exhaustion clear in the slight droop of her shoulders."Oh, good morning. Sorry for calling you in, figured I should open the guild today when I saw Anne walk in here. It's not like people would dare try something while I'm here." Marcy called, her eyes darting to Amoria. She balanced a tray of saucers retrieved from the kitchen window, the Guild's maid passing along plates laden with steaming, savory meals. The meaty aroma wafted into the air as Marcy set the dishes down near a group of hungry adventurers."It's alright... I guess I needed some distraction myself," Amoria admitted, patting her daughter on the shoulder with a tired smile. "Thank you for coming with me, Lizzy."'So, Anne wanted to work today too...? I wonder if she wants to hang out afterwards?' Liz smiled contently."You look awfully tired." Marcy quipped, throwing another sideways glance; noticing Amoria's slumped shoulders and half-lidded eyes.Amoria raised a brow but deflected, her gaze sharpening as she noticed the dark circles under Marcy's eyes. "... You look tired yourself.""A-ah, yeah," Marcy stammered, her smirk faltering. "Demons on the upper floor. Had to stay up all night keeping things in order. If I didn't work today, I'd fall asleep standing."A brief, awkward silence settled between them, their shared fatigue reflected in their expressions.Liz glanced up, her brows knitting in thought. 'Does it have to do with... Van? And the reason he came to our house last night?' A shadow of worry flickered in her eyes as she recalled Van's presence in their house last night. 'He didn't do something to her, did he?'"LIZ! What are you doing? If you came to work, start working the tables and get some orders!" Marcy barked suddenly, her sharp voice startling a few nearby B and A-ranked adventurers."A-AH, RIGHT AWAY!" Liz yelped, snapping out of her thoughts. She darted away from her mother's side, grabbing a cloth as she quickly tied back her smooth blonde hair and rolled up her sleeves, ready to dive into her duties.She was slender, yet blessed with the same striking figure as her mother, her eyes a deep, piercing blue like the endless sky."May I take your order?" she asked lightly, her voice carrying the practiced ease of someone accustomed to the bustling guild hall. She stood by a table of five hulking adventurers, each one twice—if not three times—her size. Their broad frames dwarfed the modest space, their expressions unreadable as they sat with arms folded."...Sirs?" she questioned again, leaning in slightly when their silence persisted.Not only was she popular, but undeniably beautiful—a source of admiration and envy. Most of her female friends, while encircling her with forced smiles, secretly resented her. Her male friends, unable to see her as just a friend, always harbored feelings for her, and by default, despised Michael, who seemed to hold a privileged place in her life due to their shared history.Even some of the adults at the guild had, on occasion, spoken about her inappropriately—though never in her presence.But only once.Just once.After that, no one dared to so much as glance at her for more than two seconds.Yes.She and Anne inspired fear whenever they served customers.Patrons vividly remembered what happened to those caught staring too long or whispering the wrong words. They had felt it—the predatory, devil-like gaze of their mothers. Eyes that promised retribution without mercy.And that's exactly what those five burly men—and even the Dragonkin among them, all warriors bearing scars as proof of their battles—were thinking about. Even the muscular Dwarf among them. Dwarves, known for their blunt and often crude personalities, wield tongues as sharp as the weapons they forge.But Marcy had made sure the Dwarves residing in the capital understood one thing: foul language was not to be used around certain people. Or else.... A rule she has trouble following herself, however.These hardened warriors were all carefully picking their words, each syllable weighed with caution, all to avoid invoking the fury of her all-seeing mother."A-ah... Brandst, w-what will you have?" The big Dragonkin, his frame almost too big for the chair stammered, his voice gruff but wavering. He shifted awkwardly, sweat trickling down the scars crisscrossing his hardened, scaly face."Oh, dear Bernholdt, I'll have... a roast. And... Ah.. A beer. Yes, indeed. C-come on, Mikalson, choose something... Miss E- uh, Miss Veil has other customers to attend to. Be mindful..." The Dwarf chimed in, his tone hurried, eyes darting as if she might vanish at any moment.They talked meekly amongst themselves, voices low and deferential, unintentionally dragging out the moment as they scrambled to decide.'All the adventurers... I appreciate they're being nice, but I wish they'd just tell me what they want. This makes it harder to tend to everyone,' she thought with a small pout, her frustration barely visible beneath her polite smile."Haah... I'm shorthanded today, too," Marcy sighed as Amoria settled beside her behind the counter."That leech won't be showing up today—I didn't call him in.""Oh, Michael?" Amoria replied without hesitation, already busying herself with her tasks."Yeah... Honestly, I feel like smacking his ass straight out of the walls. Do you know anyone else who can help?" Marcy asked, her tone edged with frustration as she glanced at Amoria."Well... I..." Amoria hesitated, scrambling for an answer. Van's name sat on the tip of her tongue, but she stopped herself before saying it.Marcy noticed the pause. She had somewhat expected Amoria to mention Van, and when she didn't, a subtle tension filled the space between them. Marcy's gaze turned contemplative, her silence reflecting a quiet realization. Something must have happened between Amoria and Van... just as it had between her and him."L-look," Marcy stuttered, "Why don't you hold the fort for a bit, and I'll go to his place and call hi—""G-GOOD MORNING, AUNT MARCY! AUNT AMORIA!" Michael's voice rang out as he walked into the guild, startling both women and earning curious glances from nearby patrons."Oh... Lookie here, it's that brave young man from yesterday," some adventurers murmured amongst themselves, recalling how Michael had boldly stood up to the evil armored man who had kidnapped Anne."Tsche," Marcy clicked her tongue sharply, while Amoria sighed deeply, a light; yet resigned smile tugging at her lips as she turned away.Even Liz's heart skipped a beat—not out of affection, but something closer to dread. It felt as though a 20kg weight had suddenly been dropped onto her chest. An exasperated grimace slipped across her face as she continued serving customers.'He doesn't have to work here... We could just meet outside of work, or at the Academy... I get that he likes me, but why can't he just leave me al— I mean, meet me after work?' she thought, immediately shaking her head to clear her conflicted feelings.Michael held both of his hands behind his back as he walked in. His fingers clutching around the seal Bernard gave him.The adorned Slave Mark.Michael hesitated near the reception desk, glancing nervously at Lizzy, who was bustling around the tables. Normally, he'd be helping her with orders and cleaning, but this time, his focus was elsewhere—on Anne, who he could just glimpse in the back, quietly working by herself.Marcy leaned against the counter, flipping through a small ledger, her patience visibly thinning with every second. "Well? What are you standing there for, Leech? Get to work!" She snapped, not even lifting her gaze from a ledger she looked at.Michael swallowed hard and shifted on his feet. Was about to do as Marcy asked, as he constantly feared her; a natural response in the guild. But this time, he held his ground. "A-Aunt Marcy, can I... uh, work in the back today? With Anne?"'Please be here today...!' Michael prayed internally.That got her attention. She lowered the ledger and gave him a sharp, questioning stare. "With Anne? Why?" she asked bluntly. "Don't you usually stick to helping Lizzy? What's with the sudden change?"'Yes! She's here!' He sighed in relief internally."I just... I think she could use some help back there," Michael said, his voice wavering slightly but holding firm. "It looks like a lot for her to handle on her own."'... Oh?' Amoria thought as she glanced at Michael, 'He's not going to bother Lizzy today?' She thought, as Liz also turned her head, noticing MIchael talking to Marcy.'What's he doing now...?' She asked internally, almost rolling her eyes as she moved between the patrons.Marcy raised a brow, unimpressed. "Oh, save it; you twerp. Last time I let you help in the back, you cracked under the pressure in about five minutes.""I—" Michael started to protest but stopped when Marcy folded her arms, leaning forward with a look that could pierce steel."My daughter isn't a babysitter," she said bluntly. "If you think you're gonna get some cozy little chat time with Anne back there, you've got another thing coming. She's a hard worker, and doesn't have time for to play around.""I'm serious!" Michael insisted, surprising her by not backing down. His voice, though shaky, carried a determination she hadn't expected. "I really want to help her. Please."'Aunt Marcy... You don't see it! You don't know when your own daughter is being swayed, manipulated, and used...!' Michael's thoughts churned, his teeth grinding as frustration built within him.'That time when that... guy took her away after just one hour... Something definitely happened. Something vile... That brute, that bastard...!!' His fists clenched, trembling with suppressed anger. 'And Anne... He carried Anne away too... This BASTARD...!!! JUST WHAT DID HE DO TO HER? TO AUNT that protect him so much?!'His chest heaved, heart pounding as his mind spiraled further. 'I won't let you have your way with two of the most important women in my life...!!' he resolved, shaking his head, trying to hold on to the flicker of courage in his chest.But then his imagination betrayed him. Images of Anne and Van together flashed unbidden in his mind—intimate, close, her trusting him in ways she never trusted Michael. He squeezed his eyes shut, but the vision only morphed into something worse.'If I don't stop this now... He... he might...!!' Anxiety constricted his heart like a vice as he pictured Van's arm draped around Lizzy's neck, his smug grin cutting into Michael's resolve.'NO...!!! NO! I REFUSE TO LET YOU TAKE THEM!!!' His teeth clenched so hard his jaw ached, but it wasn't enough to block out the next horrifying thought—Van and Lizzy laughing together, mocking him, their intimacy shutting him out completely.He shook his head violently, forcing the image away, his breathing ragged. 'No... Stop. Focus. This isn't real... It won't be real if I act now.' The tremor in his hands steadied, if only slightly, as he fought to suppress the storm raging in his mind.Lizzy glanced at the distress etched across Michael's face. She was used to seeing him uneasy, but this time, something felt different.'Is something wrong with him?' she wondered, a flicker of concern stirring within her as she noted the tension in his features—and the uncharacteristic determination with which he stood up to Marcy.Marcy frowned, clearly skeptical, but before she could say anything, one of the nearby adventurers chimed in meekly, "Aw, come on, Marcy. Give the kid a shot. He's not bad.""Yeah," another added, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "He did, uh, stand up to that armored guy before, didn't he?"Marcy clicked her tongue, visibly annoyed. Her eyes flicked between Michael and the adventurers for a long, tense moment before she groaned, rubbing her temples. "Fine. Fine! But if I hear a single tweet out of you, you're dead. Got it?"'She actually let him work with Anne...?' Lizzy thought, her brows knitting together with a mix of suspicion and concern as her gaze lingered on him.'Something must have happened to him.' Her expression softened slightly.'During the break, I'll try to talk to him.'"Y-Yes, Aunt Marcy!" Michael said quickly, relief washing over him as he hurried toward the guild's storage house."I swear, I just feel like beating him more and more..." Marcy muttered under her breath, watching him disappear through the door."Well, I do sometimes too... If I'm being honest." Amoria admitted with a light chuckle, pausing briefly before adding, "But I think that boy's been through enough. Him doing this... I guess he just wants to feel important in people's eyes." Her gaze lingered on Michael's retreating figure, her tone softening with a somber note.Marcy scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, I know, I know... Spare me the pity talk. So his mommy and sister walked out on him and his old man a few years ago—big deal. I had both my parents ditch me when I was four," she said, shaking her head as she turned back to her work.Amoria's eyes flicked toward Marcy briefly, her expression unreadable, but she didn't press further. The silence stretched for a moment before the bustling sounds of the guild hall filled the air again, the conversation slipping away as both women returned to their duties.Michael stood behind Anne, the metal seal tight in his hand, the engraved symbols pressing into his palm like jagged thorns.'I'm doing this for you... Just for you,' he repeated in his mind, as if the thought alone could absolve him. But the words felt hollow, growing louder and more frantic with every step. His heartbeat thundered in his ears, his clenched teeth aching under the pressure.Yet no matter how tightly he clung to the thought, his memories betrayed him. He saw his mother's cold, detached expression as she turned her back on him and his father. His sister's compliance—silent, unquestioning—cut even deeper. Their words replayed endlessly in his head: "It's better this way. You'll be fine without us."Anne's figure blurred into theirs. Michael's grip on the seal tightened until the engravings carved into his flesh. He couldn't stop now."Huh? Who—" Anne muttered, sensing his presence, turning just as he slapped the seal onto her back. She gasped, spinning around, her eyes narrowing like twin daggers."YOU BASTARD!" she screamed, her fist connecting with his face before he could react. Michael crumpled to the ground, blood trickling from his nose as the seal slipped from his grasp.Anne didn't hesitate. She leapt on him, her fists flying in blind rage. "You think you can mess with me?!" Each strike landed with a sickening thud, the crowd in the guild hall freezing in stunned silence.Michael shielded his face, his voice breaking as he chanted, "Sifuruah, Malovus, Anne Veil Re Michael Evenbrown!""What did you just fucking say!!? Trying to excuse yourself!?!" She cried out in anger—until she felt the mark ignite on her back. The searing pain stole her breath as her body betrayed her will, her limbs locking in place. She collapsed onto Michael, her fists trembling in mid-air."W-What... did you..." she whispered, her voice weak, her scream strangled before it could form.Far from the chaos, Bernard stood in his backyard, a ruined boulder smoldering at his feet. He flexed his hand, his eyes narrowing at the faint, glowing mark that materialized on his skin."Oh," he murmured, a cruel smirk curling his lips. "That crazy bastard actually did it."He stared at the glowing symbol, twisting his hand to admire its beauty. "Good. Let him have his fun for now; as reward. Soon, I'll take her for myself."He glanced at the boulder, fragments smoldering from the spell he'd just cast. His sneer deepened. "I'm getting stronger. Soon, even Amu-Rah will kneel. You hear that, fire spirit? I'm going to own you...""... And then kill that armored bastard..."