CHAPTER 444: HANDFUL

The next morning, Coco woke up before anyone else and left the house before the sun had the chance to rise in the sky.

Coco had been feeling increasingly distraught and the night had brought little rest to her troubled mind.

She made the decision to seek comfort by sleeping in Heiren’s room for the night and didn’t ask for more, and she was quite thankful that the second husband was understanding.

As the first light of day crept over the city, Coco quietly snuck out into the cool, sleepy streets, her thoughts still weighed down by the completion of Quizen’s quest.

Coco wrapped her arms around herself, trying to shield herself from the chilly morning air as she walked through the quiet streets and because the sun had not yet fully risen along with the city being still steeped in the shadows of the pre-dawn hours, the air was cold against her skin.

The streets were eerily quiet and she found herself walking alone, her footsteps the only sound breaking the silence as she trudged forward, her breath visible in the crisp, cold air.

Coco’s hand involuntarily raised to her front as her fingers closed around the handle of her unbreakable hoe, clutching it tightly, gripping it like her life depended on it.

The feel of the trusty tool in her hand brought a small sense of comfort, grounding her in the familiarity of its solidity.

She continued her lonely walk through the chilly morning streets, her grip on the unbreakable hoe tightening and loosening depending on how she felt by the thoughts that ran through her head.

When Coco arrived at the guild, a couple of hunters stepped out of the building, their departure filling the quiet morning with the soft sound of their boots on the ground.

The door to the guild house swung open and the hunters walked past her, their gazes briefly meeting Coco’s before they continued on their way.

Coco paused for a moment outside of the guild, her grip on her unbreakable hoe still tight, and took a deep breath, the sight of the early-rising hunters adding a small sense of relief to her body.

That means, it won’t be unusual for a hunter to be up and about in this ungodly hour in the morning.

Coco stepped into the guild, her movements slugging and filled with reluctance, but with a swift motion, she swung the unbreakable hoe over her shoulders, its weight familiar and comforting.

Her footsteps echoed softly through the empty guild hall as she made her way towards the front desk.

The air was still and silent, the early hour leaving the place eerily devoid of any activity that should be normal due to the environment of the hunter guild.

Coco quickly spotted someone behind the front desk, her hair damp.

The woman looked up as the sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears and when her gaze fell upon Coco, a look of shock crossed her face, her eyes widening in surprise.

She had not expected to see someone so early in the morning, particularly not Coco, whose reluctant strides and stoic expression were a large difference to the usual sleepy and disoriented faces that usually graced the early mornings.

The woman behind the desk quickly composed herself, clearing her throat and offering Coco a warm smile.

"Mrs. Hughes." She said, her tone light and amused. "Haha, good morning. It’s rather early for you, isn’t it? Any particular reason you’re here so early today?"

Coco stared at her for a moment and observed the way her eyebrow rose in curiosity.

Then, Coco glanced around the front desk area, casually taking in her surroundings before her gaze turned towards the door behind the desk attendant.

Her mind was already focused on the missions she intended to take, the finality showing in her eyes.

"I just thought I would start the day early." Coco replied, her tone matter-of-fact before she got straight to the point, asking about Neo’s presence, her intention clear.

"I’ll be taking a couple of missions today." Coco stated and looked the woman straight in the eye. "Is Neo around?"

The woman behind the desk blinked in surprise at Coco’s request, her nervousness showing as she quickly turned to the door behind her.

She knew that Neo was just starting his shift, but the unexpected request from the strongest hunter in the guild can’t be ignored.

"Ah, he just clocked in." She explained, before quickly adding, "I’ll call him! Please stay here."

Without further delay, she hurried through the door behind her and swung it open before disappearing from Coco’s sight as she went to fetch him.

Coco turned away from the front desk, her gaze immediately drawn to the billboard against the wall.

It was adorned with the remaining missions that had yet to be claimed and there were still a few so she made her way over to the billboard, her eyes scanning over the various options available.

Each mission had a brief description, detailing its difficulty level and potential rewards.

Coco stood before the board, considering her options before she decided to just grab whatever, not having any concern for the possibility of finishing them all before nightfall.

She felt almost stubborn as she collected the missions, her mind set on taking on the tasks regardless of the consequences— the pile of tasks in her hand grew, the only thought in her mind was how the task would keep her busy.

If she’s busy, then she wouldn’t have to think of anything.

Coco made her way back to the front desk, the pile of missions held tightly in her hands.

As if on cue, the door behind the desk opened and Neo appeared, his expression slightly puzzled with a tinge of annoyance.

Without waiting for Neo to ask, Coco held up the chosen handful of missions, her tone brisk.

"Clip these, then we’ll go." She stated bluntly, clearly wanting to get moving on the tasks as quickly as possible, not letting Neo speak.