CHAPTER 70: UNASHAMED

Everyone turned their eyes toward the man in glasses.

"Beltimore?" William muttered, recognizing him. I did not know why, but I suddenly felt cold, not the kind of cold from fear, but the literal kind. Like a refrigerator had just opened beside me.

"Looks like your bet paid off," Beltimore said, adjusting his square-framed glasses with his index finger.

"Yes. Thank you for doing this for me," William replied.

"I did it for the guild. Don’t misunderstand." Beltimore turned to Bob. "And you...follow me. The Guildmaster is waiting."

"I want to bring Alan too," Bob said without hesitation. That caught me off guard.

"Who’s Alan?" Beltimore asked flatly.

"This guy. My best friend. We always go together," Bob said, walking over and slinging his heavy arm around my neck like usual, dragging me down a little.

"Whatever. Just hurry up and come," Beltimore said, already turning around.

"Why are you bringing me too, Bob?" I muttered as I pushed his arm off. "The Guildmaster probably doesn’t want to see me."

"Just come already. I told you, we share the same skill, so basically we’re the same. Let’s go."

"See you guys later!" Bob waved to Evelyn, Yui, and William as he started walking.

I nodded to them and followed close behind.

When we reached a pair of large double doors, crafted from deep redwood with beautiful carvings, a woman with glasses stepped in front of us and knocked.

"Excuse me," she said, before quietly opening the doors and slipping inside.

Beltimore turned to us. "Come in."

Bob entered first, and I followed right after.

The room felt like an executive office straight out of a corporate building. A massive window behind the central desk offered a stunning view of Rose City. There was a luxurious long sofa with a small ornate table in front of it. Art hung from the walls, and fresh flowers in vases lined the cupboards. Each bouquet was a burst of color, bright, alive, and carefully arranged.

On one of the sofas sat a woman with long orange hair. She wore a tightly-fitted button-up shirt that, frankly, did nothing to hide her generous bust. She must be the Guildmaster, I guessed.

She looked up as we entered, standing with a poised air. Her eyes lingered on me for a moment, strangely. Probably because I wasn’t the one invited here.

"Hi, I’m Mirinda, the Guildmaster of Dawnbloom Guild," she said, offering her hand.

Bob nodded and shook it. "Me, Bob. And this is Alan," he introduced casually, gesturing to me.

Mirinda turned her gaze to me and, after a brief hesitation, extended her hand. I smiled awkwardly, the kind of smile that would make a donkey proud, and shook it.

She then motioned for us to sit. I took a seat with perfect posture, hips squeezed together, hands clasped politely over my lap, spine straight like I was interviewied.

Mirinda leaned slightly toward Beltimore, whispering behind her hand. But I could hear them very clearly.

"Who’s this guy? Why did you bring him along?"

"Bob insisted," Beltimore replied calmly.

"Is he a new recruit too? What’s his rank?"

"He’s classless. They said the orb didn’t react to him," Ida added in a quiet voice.

"What!? A classless?! Such a useless human actually exists?" Mirinda blurted out, her tone sharp.

"Shhh! Guildmaster! He can hear you!" Ida hissed urgently, nudging her.

It’s okay, everyone. I already heard it. Very clearly.

They all turned back toward us, awkwardly forcing polite smiles.

"This man here is Beltimore, our Vice Guildmaster," Mirinda said, gesturing toward him. "And this lady is my assistant, Ida."

Both of them nodded.

Bob and I nodded in return.

"I heard that you, Bob, were confirmed as an S-rank by the orb," Mirinda continued, smiling warmly now. "And not just that, but a Prime Hybrid. To think someone like you would come to us, especially with the tournament approaching... it’s truly a blessing. You’ll be a great boost to our forces."

She leaned forward slightly, her eyes shining with excitement. "You just need to sign the contract, and everything will be official. You’ll be a registered member of Dawnbloom Guild and eligible to represent us in the tournament. You’ll be one of our greatest assets!"

She spoke like an old friend trying to sell life insurance after bumping into you at the market.

Well... I guess from this moment on, we were officially adventurers. Time to start the daily grind of gold coins and monster guts. At least it was better than being chained to an office desk...

But then, Bob opened his mouth. "I don’t think I ever said I agreed to become your guild member."

What?

Everyone in the room, including me, was flabbergasted.

Is this guy drunk?!

I leaned closer and whispered urgently into his ear, "What are you doing?"

"Just keep quiet," Bob said without turning to me, his voice serious. He had that face on, the same one he wore when he was about to negotiate the price of a rare figurine with a clueless cashier.

He turned back to the room. "Both of us agreed to join the initiation ceremony only because Evelyn and her friends invited us. At first, I thought joining a capital guild was a great idea. But after gathering some info..." His voice was calm but sharp. "I noticed the red flags."

Mirinda stiffened. Ida looked confused. Beltimore raised an eyebrow.

"First off," Bob continued, "your guild only posts low-tier quests. Like the one Evelyn’s team took in Lily Town, slaying goblins. That’s hardly guild-worthy for a place in the capital."

He raised a finger. "Second, most of the S-rankers have left Dawnbloom. And after some checking, it’s clear: the other guilds in the kingdom snatched them away with higher pay and better treatment."

Bob crossed his arms. "So, based on all of that, my conclusion is simple: this guild is unstable. And if things keep going the way they are... it’s only a matter of time before Dawnbloom is disbanded."

"What did you just say—" Ida began, her voice rising, but she was stopped when Mirinda calmly raised her hand, signaling her to stay quiet.

Bob smirked. "Luckily, I’m here, the ultimate S-rank of all time. You could say I’m the savior of this guild."

This guy... his shamelessness really knows no bounds. No wonder his trait is Unashamed.

Mirinda’s forced smile had already vanished, her expression now cold and unreadable.

"And what is your request?" she asked flatly.

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it sent chills down my spine. She looked absolutely terrifying. Is it just me, or do women in this world get really scary when they’re angry? First Maya, then that lady at the cemetery, and now this.

Bob crossed one leg over the other and casually examined his nails like he was lounging in a spa. "I want a fixed salary every month, not including quest rewards. Also, I want exclusive rights to all high-paying quests. No one else should be allowed to take them but me."

He sounds like a mafia boss demanding tribute.

"Anything else?" Mirinda asked. Her tone was sharper now. Her bangs fell over her eyes, shadowing them completely. I swear I could see an orange aura flickering around her like she was about to go Supernova.

I nudged Bob with my shoulder, bro, read the room, please! This woman was seconds from combusting.

"I’m not finished yet," he said.

Oh my god.

"I also want a loyalty bonus," Bob continued. "Other guilds will come knocking the moment word gets out about my ascension. This bonus will ensure I don’t jump ship."

Mirinda’s chest rose and fell more rapidly now. I was biting my nails without realizing it.

"Anything else?" she asked again, her voice low and deadly.

"Ermm... I think that’s all for now. I’ll let you know if anything comes to mind. So, where do I sign?" Bob said, flashing an innocent smile.

Ida’s face turned bright red, ready to explode. But before she could say anything—

Mirinda shot up from her seat and slammed her palms on the table.

"You think we’re that desperate!? That we’ll be treated like garbage by some arrogant upstart!?"

"W-what?!" Bob was actually shocked. For once, his composure cracked.

"B-but I’m an S-rank! An ultimate Prime Hybrid..." Bob stammered, completely caught off guard.

"S-rank? More like Ass-rank to me!" Mirinda snapped.

I can’t even disagree, Guildmaster. You speak the truth.

"If you want to leave, then go! We’re not that desperate! Even without you or any S-rank we’ve survived all these years, and we’ll keep surviving!" Her voice boomed across the room, her face flushed with rage.

"Now get out of my sight. Now!"

We didn’t need to be told twice.

The moment the door swung open, Bob and I bolted out like we’d been chased by a dragon. Once we were outside on the balcony walkway, I turned on him immediately.

"What the hell was that, Bob?! Why’d you go and make her angry? She was in a great mood until you opened your damn mouth with those ridiculous demands!"

"I didn’t know she’d get mad! I just wanted to negotiate..." Bob said, scratching his head.

"Negotiate? That wasn’t negotiation, that was extortion!" I groaned and shook my head. "Next time, just listen to me, will you?"

I stormed ahead, frustration bubbling inside me. So much for becoming official adventurers in this city...

"Hey, Alan..." Bob called from behind, his voice softer. "I’m really sorry."

I sighed, turning back toward him. "It’s okay. What’s done is done. But seriously, what now? We still need to eat, we’ve got rent to pay..."

Bob perked up a little. "How about Kim? Remember? He offered us work at his dad’s noodle stall. We could do that for now. At least until we figure something out."

Oh, right. Kim... the noodle guy.

To think I’d end up working a food stall in a fantasy world,my luck really sucks.

"Then let’s go..." I muttered as I started down the stairs. The guild hall was half-empty now. Evelyn and the others were nowhere in sight.

As we approached the exit door, a sudden voice echoed through the hall.

"Stop, both of you!"

We turned around.

Up on the second floor stood Guildmaster Mirinda, her arms crossed. Her voice was so powerful, she didn’t even need a magical amplifier.

"If you’re still interested in joining our guild," she said firmly, "then tomorrow, the two of you will hunt a Cave Beast to prove your worth. Beltimore and one senior adventurer will accompany you."

Without waiting for a reply, she turned and disappeared back into her office.

Beltimore lingered for a moment, silently watching us from the balcony. Then, without a word, he too went back inside.

I looked over at Bob. A slow smile spread across both our faces.

We were not finished yet. We still had a shot.

At least... we still have hope.

Hope to become real adventurers.