WHFIO11

Episode 11

2. What the—Give Me Back My Sweet Kids (1)

Elsez looked up at Cassian, her eyes trembling.

Just moments earlier, Jack and Purse’s conversation echoed in her head—something about the guild master being a friend of Rasiel’s… though not a close one.

Don’t tell me… the not-so-close guild master friend Rasiel mentioned was you?!

While Elsez was frozen by the unexpected turn of events, Jack stepped up and lightly tapped her shoulder, introducing her.

“This one’s a newbie I recruited today. Future ace of our guild.”

Cassian stared intently at the woman standing before him.

Elsez forced an awkward smile back, sweat prickling at the thought he might sense the demonic power lurking behind her.

Thankfully, Cassian seemed oblivious, only replying with a dismissive scowl.

“She looks like she couldn’t squash a fly.”

“Ha! There you go, doubting my eye again.”

Jack, unaware of her inner turmoil, grabbed Cassian’s solid arm and presented him proudly.

“This rude bastard is our boss.”

“What’s wrong with my personality?”

“Oh, come off it. Pretend you don’t know? You go and crush the spirit of a new recruit the moment they walk in.”

Though Elsez had stiffened at Cassian’s sudden appearance, she couldn’t help but chuckle at the two bickering men.

Jack thought she was dispirited by Cassian’s cold words, but Elsez knew better.

Cassian’s way of protecting the weak… was to weed them out early.

The familiarity of that trait brought her an unexpected wave of relief. At least among the four of them, there was still someone who resembled the man Luel had once known.

Cassian finally turned back to Elsez.

“So, rookie. What’s your name?”

Whatever his real intentions, he had at least asked. That was just like him.

“Elsez… It’s Elsez. I’ll be in your care.”

The casual banmal she used to speak to him in almost slipped out, but she managed to tack on the polite ending.

Cassian reached out and laid a large hand lightly atop her head.

“I’m Cassian. Welcome.”

It was careless in appearance, yet that touch carried its own measure of sincerity—just as it always had.

As his hand brushed away, his familiar voice carried across the guild hall.

“Didn’t drink a drop running over here. Thirsty. No booze?”

“Ha! As if we’d ever run out of booze!”

The guild members scrambled to offer him drinks.

“No trouble while I was gone, right?”

Cassian began drinking and chatting with them, laughter rising around him. As always, he was at the center of a loud, bustling crowd.

Seeing his guildmates sling arms around his shoulders and grin at him, Elsez could tell their relationship was easy, unrestrained.

Still… it’s good to see he’s doing well.

Relieved, she watched him a while longer, until Jack leaned close and whispered.

“See? Told ya.”

“…Told me what?”

“That he’s a bit of a bastard—but damn good-looking.”

He thought she’d been staring to admire Cassian’s face.

Only then did Elsez really look him over. The handsome features hadn’t changed, but his jawline had sharpened, making him look even better. His back and shoulders, broader than before, spoke for themselves.

“Well… he’s nice enough to look at.”

Her cool answer made Jack burst into boisterous laughter.

Calling Cassian’s face nothing more than eye candy? This new recruit was something else.

“Damn, my cup’s empty. You sit tight. I’ll grab us some more.”

Elsez, who had been ready to leave, found herself dragged back into her seat by Jack’s insistence.

As she watched his retreating figure head off for drinks, her expression hardened.

Should I… quit the guild?

She couldn’t very well blurt it out right after seeing Cassian, so she’d politely introduced herself. But once her demonic powers returned, staying here would become dangerous.

Jack’s taking forever.

Peering around, she spotted him stuck in conversation with another guild member.

Taking the chance, Elsez quietly rose to her feet.

I’ll think it over at home. It’s not like I’ve officially signed a guild contract yet.

But just as she was about to slip away, a rough hand yanked her wrist.

“Hey, rookie. Where you think you’re going?”

The man’s face was flushed red with drink.

“A newbie walking off first? Kinda kills the mood, don’t you think?”

Great. A drunk bastard.

Pain bit into her wrist, but Elsez forced a pleasant smile.

“I’ve got a quest to clear tomorrow. Wanted to rest early and save up my stamina. Excuse me for tonight.”

“A girl doing quests? Don’t make me laugh. Just sit here, pour me a drink, and I’ll do your quest for you tomorrow.”

He shoved a massive mug of beer in front of her, foam sloshing over the rim.

“See? Can’t waste it when the cup’s still full.”

Elsez cast a glance at Cassian, still surrounded by guildmates and oblivious. Fury stirred, but she swallowed it down.

I don’t want a scene…

After a moment’s thought, she chose not to argue. Instead, she picked up the mug and downed it in one go.

The towering pint vanished in the blink of an eye.

With a loud clack! she set the empty mug on the table and gave him a dazzling smile.

“There. Now it’s empty.”

The man blinked at her in stunned silence.

First, because she had polished off in seconds what most men struggled to finish.
Second, because she hadn’t given in and sat meekly down, but had emptied the cup out of sheer defiance.

While he gaped, Elsez slipped out of the guild unnoticed.

No sooner had she left than a small creature poked out of her coat pocket.

“That guy was bad, wasn’t he?” Ruti chirped.

“How’d you figure?”

“I snuck a taste of that yellow stuff. Disgusting! Forcing you to drink something that awful—definitely bad!”

“Well, that’s… surprisingly sound logic. Very bad indeed. But you—keep sneaking bites without asking, don’t you?”

When she pressed, Ruti hurriedly dodged the subject.

“A-and besides! He dared to insult the one who bears my power! As if you’d need the help of a fool like him to take down a couple of monsters.”

He puffed himself up indignantly, as though he himself had been slighted.

“And another thing! He stank—an awful smell…”

Ruti suddenly paused, then hastily retreated back into her pocket.

“Ugh! Human, you stink too. Bad man smell.”

Elsez chuckled at the little creature’s whining over the alcohol fumes as she walked down the guild street.

Though it was late, the streets still bustled with adventurers chasing quests and locals drinking after a day’s work.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen this scene…

Back then, after completing their daily quests, the four heroes would wander this street together, debating dinner plans.

She was lost in nostalgia when a frightened boy’s voice pierced her reverie.

“P-please, let me go!”

The cry came from a side alley.

Turning, Elsez saw three burly men surrounding a boy no older than twelve or thirteen, who had fallen to the ground.

A small box lay toppled beside him, its lid open.

“P-please, step aside!”

The men mocked his stammering voice with cruel laughter.

“Kid, I can’t sleep at night when I’m curious. Just lemme take a peek inside, yeah?”

One reached toward the box.

Inside, something glimmered—Elsez caught sight of it for an instant.

A black shard…?

But before she could be sure, the boy snatched the box back, slammed the lid shut, and clutched it to his chest.

“I—I can’t! I don’t even know what’s inside! I was only ordered to deliver it…”

“Oh, relax. We don’t wanna take it. We just wanna look, since you’re hugging it so tight.”

The wind carried the stench of alcohol from them.

Elsez frowned.

Some men, when drunk, delighted in tormenting the weak. Not for money. Not for gain. Just because they were bored.

During her first life, living on this guild street, she’d seen their type plenty.

“They smell bad too,” Ruti muttered, wrinkling his nose.

Elsez sighed and stepped into the alley.

All eyes turned toward her.

“Well, well. Pretty lady just wandered right in.”

Their grins sharpened, like predators spotting new prey.

Elsez met their gaze, walked forward, and planted herself between them and the boy.

“You. Go on. I’ll handle this.”

“Eh…?”

“Not happening. We’re not finished yet.”

One of the men seized the boy’s arm roughly. Pain twisted the child’s face.

Elsez’s gaze lingered on that grip.

“…That’s dangerous.”

The drunks snickered, amused by what they took as drunken rambling.

“Dangerous, huh? You mean us? Sure, lady, we’re real dangerous. So before this gets ugly—”

Before he could finish, Elsez lifted her eyes to his.

Her pretty amber gaze curved briefly with a smile—then turned cold as ice.

“No. You’re the one in danger.”

Her fist smashed into his face before he could even blink.