Chapter 17- Insult?

"Aren't we ultimately doomed, now?" Those were the words that came out of the raven-haired woman, once she returned home from work.

Celeria was on the verge of pulling her hair in frustration and agony after she heard the declaration of punishment from the King regarding their decision to disown Alex.

Brendon heaved a sigh as he sat down, "Not only did we not get a reward, but we have to now compensate."

The lady yelled, "We are going to get killed here and all you are thinking about is money!" Her voice terrified the man as he stopped sulking and looked up at her.

Celeria had a crazed look as she went through the possible options they had.

"It's all his fault. If only that shit face didn't entice us, we wouldn't have ever gotten ourselves mixed in this mess!" She roared and threw away the flower vase nearby in frustration.

Brendon also gritted his teeth, and seethingly added, "Abeth promised us...that Alex won't make it alive. That's why we brainwashed him all for the whole last year. But now, the person himself is dead and Alex is roaming free!"

Celeria was huffing violently with her eyes bloodshot. She couldn't believe that the perfect plan of getting rid of that burden was stolen away from them because a stupid human failed. And on top of it, she got convinced by her dear husband, that to retain their jobs, they should disown Alex as soon as they could before trials.

In desperation and panic, she followed his words after getting the word that Alex survived, from Abeth. They spent two hundred gold coins on that piece of parchment that reached Vermillion instantly, and before trials, the Professor had the proof that Celeria and Brendon had to do nothing with that brat anymore.

However, now not only did Abeth fail to wipe Alex out of existence, but they also got punished by the King because they abandoned their son.

"We have to leave." Celeria finally spoke, her voice sounding dead serious.

Brendon panicked, "But Cel, where will we go? I don't-"

"Are you fucking nuts?! Don't you know what will happen when that white witch comes to see Alex near the end of this month?! What will you tell her? That we abandoned him? Or are you willing to let her find out about the little plot we conspired?"

Brendon's face became pale hearing that.

He hurried, got up, and said, "I will pack the bags."

Once Brendon walked out, Celeria looked at the picture frame, which contained the three of them. The picture was hand drawn by Alex and something they have kept for the past five years.

Taking the picture, she coldly stared at the boy who changed their lives, for the good and the worst.

However, all Celeria could feel right now was hatred for the pipsqueak who had tarnished their reputation in the King's eyes and also forced them to run away.

Tearing the picture from the middle, she uttered under her breath, "For this favour, I sure will repay you."

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The role of Hunter's guild surrounds raiding and trading. They assign labyrinths to hunters in exchange for small fees and after signing a contract that whatever comes out of the labyrinth, the guild would take ten per cent of it. Along with it, the contract also states that for the loss of things or people inside the labyrinth, the hunter's guild wouldn't be responsible.

The rules of participating in raids also include being in a group of at least five members, and this rule has been brought down since the time the settlement was established.

Now, inside the hub, a party of three young people were already waiting when Edric arrived. They knew him and had already signed up for a labyrinth for the raid.

Alex looked at the trio and found himself completely unable to discern their power level. He still hasn't understood how one discovers others' power level just by a look. However, from their physique, scars and stance Alex could tell that they aren't newbies.

"Woah, you got an intense look there." Suddenly, the red, spiky-haired man exclaimed with his hands risen, "We aren't rogue hunters, y'know."

Rogue hunters are those who loot from other hunters and usually enter a labyrinth without any permission.

For a hunter to be called rogue is like one of the biggest cusses.

Edric chuckled, "He mostly remains silent, Vlad. Anyway, let me introduce you three to my classmate, Alex. He is a sword user and has quite sharp senses."

Gesturing toward his other classmate, Edric added, "You must know her already, she is Valarie Hornblade. A flame user and uses an axe as her weapon."

Being aware of your raiding partners is very necessary since inside a labyrinth you have no other support than your partners. And in many cases, there can be no worse enemies than them as well.

"Alex....Alex...wait! Are you the same Alex who got involved in the Soulless case recently?" The blond healer asked with her round and innocent eyes sparkling in curiosity.

Alex nodded, "Yeah."

The girl, who goes by the name Maria, gasped, "Then you defeated an S-rank Soulless on your own?"

The other two members of the party also seemed excited at the thought of having someone so strong by their side, however, "No, I nearly died. A professor saved me."

Alex casually stated and found the blond girl's shoulders slumping in disappointment.

Alex raised his brows; he had a feeling that the girl was already aware of the fact that he was rescued....yet she asked.

'She wanted to insult me? Well, whatever.' These childish tricks are something he has long gotten over. Getting triggered by such small things was never a part of his habits.

"O-Okay then, shall we go?" The second girl with short blue hair awkwardly asked. She was wielding a pair of daggers, and her lean build suggested that she was, most probably, an assassin.

....but well, those massive juggs must be a hindrance for her job.

"Yes, let's go." Edric nodded; however, his voice suggested that he wasn't in the same mood as before.

He was very well aware of Maria's personality, and as Alex assumed, she indeed wanted to insult Alex for no reason.

The team of six left the guild side by side and advanced towards the labyrinth they were supposed to raid tonight.

Alex was feeling the excitement which he hadn't felt in a long time.

'I hope it doesn't turns out to be disappointing...'

But at that time, little did he think that his first labyrinth experience would be so disastrous.

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A/N:- Thanks for reading.