CHAPTER 17: GRIMMAW GUILD

Elara hummed softly as she set the tray on the low dining table.

Her hands were delicate, but her heart was anything but steady.

Every thump resounded like a drum in her chest, as though reminding her that life had shifted forever.

Her master — her beloved Lucius had accepted her.

The thought made her cheeks burn all over again.

She touched her lips unconsciously, feeling the ghost of his kiss linger there.

Her first kiss.

A treasure she had guarded all her life, stolen not by chance or whim, but given to the man she had always belonged to.

’Master said I was his... that no man should ever touch me.’

Her body shivered as warmth spiraled through her belly.

It was more than joy — it was purpose.

She could dedicate her life to him now without hesitation, without fear of being rejected.

’I’ll stay with him forever. I’ll bear his child. I’ll make sure no one can ever take my place by his side.’

The bathroom door slid open.

Lucius stepped out, his tall frame draped in a simple black wool robe, beads of water still glistening on his hair.

The robe was plain, utilitarian, yet he wore it like a noble mantle.

His sharp eyes swept over her with casual familiarity before softening with a smile.

"Thanks, Elara," he said, drying his hands with a towel. "The water was refreshing."

She bowed her head, hiding her flushed face. "I am glad, young master."

"Can I eat now?"

"Yes!" she said quickly, moving to serve him before he even sat down.

Her movements were quick and efficient, but inside, her nerves were bubbling like a shaken soda bottle.

Lucius settled into the chair and began to eat, each bite taken with quiet vigor.

He ate like a man starved, though not rudely.

Elara watched with pride, happy that her cooking could fill him after all the strain of his awakening.

’The only downside of using space so much is that I get a bigger appetite,’ Lucius mused as he reached for the next bite.

When their eyes met, Elara blushed and looked down, biting her lip.

Lucius chuckled inwardly.

’Cute. Way too cute. You don’t see girls from 2030 acting like this anymore.’

His mind drifted for a moment, recalling one of his past life’s "dates."

The girl hadn’t cared for small talk, hadn’t even reacted when he tried complimenting her.

She just ordered food worth more than a regular guy’s wages and, halfway through, answered a call from her boyfriend right in front of him.

Lucius scowled and shoved the memory aside.

’No point comparing. Elara’s nothing like them.’

"Young master?" Elara’s soft voice broke him from his thoughts. "Is something wrong? You sighed just now."

"No, nothing’s wrong." He waved his hand and leaned back. "Actually, there’s something I need your help with."

Her eyes brightened. "As long as I can help Master."

"I’m an Awakened now. That means I need to sign up with a guild if I want access to resources, benefits, and higher missions. I already had one in mind, The Grimmaw Guild—"

"Young master." Elara cut in gently, surprising him with her tone of confidence. "I already prepared a list of suitable guilds. I assumed you wouldn’t want to join one of the larger conglomerates, so I filtered for mid-tier guilds with potential. If you join any of them, their popularity and standing will rise immediately."

Lucius blinked, then grinned.

’This girl... she’s priceless.’

He reached over, pulled her to sit on his lap, and hugged her tightly around the waist.

"Feed me."

The words tumbled from his mouth before he could reconsider.

It was corny, yes.

Embarrassing.

Old-man levels of cringe.

But when Elara turned bright red and trembled before lifting the spoon to his lips, Lucius couldn’t bring himself to care.

"Master~" she whispered.

He opened his mouth and swallowed the bite, watching her smile nervously like a newlywed.

Yeah, cringe or not — he wasn’t letting her go.

...

Later that afternoon, Lucius sat at his desk with his phone in hand.

A notification blinked at the top

[File Sent — From Elara.]

He opened it. A neatly compiled dossier filled the screen.

[Guild Report — Prepared by: Elara]

[Guild Name: Grimmaw Guild]

[Year Established: 2015 (10 years ago)]

[Current Global Ranking: 152]

[Headquarters: Northcrest City, Western Federation]

[Guild Leader]

[Name: Vanessa von Edelhardt]

[Alias: The Blood Reaper]

[Rank: A-Class Awakener]

[Primary Element: Blood/Iron hybrid affinity]

[Known for her ruthless combat style and exceptional leadership]

[Background: The guild was originally founded by her older brother, Cedric von Edelhardt, an S-Class Awakener with a reputation for tactical brilliance. Cedric perished during the Red Marsh Disaster (2019), leaving Vanessa to inherit the guild at the age of 21]

[Description]

[Grimmaw Guild was initially founded as a rising-star organization aimed at competing with upper-mid tier guilds]

[Its strength lay in Cedric’s military discipline, ironclad defense formations, and recruitment of promising young talents overlooked by larger guilds]

[After Cedric’s death, leadership passed to Vanessa. Despite her strength as an individual Awakener, she has struggled to maintain the same organizational stability]

[Over the last five years, Grimmaw’s membership has declined by 30%, with several promising elites defecting to more stable guilds]

[Current State]

[Rank Decline: Dropped from Rank 87 (five years ago) to Rank 152]

[Financial Standing: Stable but stagnant, relies heavily on state contracts and dungeon-clearing commissions]

[Reputation: Known for their iron discipline, but also for Vanessa’s increasingly volatile temper in public incidents]

[Opportunities]

[The guild remains respected for its name and history]

[Vanessa is rumored to be actively seeking a breakthrough to S-Class. If successful, this could revive the guild’s fortunes]

[The guild is vulnerable to external partnerships. An association with a rising Awakener of Master’s caliber would greatly stabilize its reputation and attract new members]

[Risks]

[Leadership style is polarizing. Vanessa is rumored to clash frequently with her officers]

[Current roster lacks depth. Only 2 A-Rank Awakeners (including Vanessa) and 14 B-Ranks]

[Survival depends heavily on whether Vanessa can hold the line alone]

[Conclusion]

[Grimmaw Guild is a declining but salvageable mid-tier guild. With external influence, it could recover its lost position and potentially rise higher]

[Report compiled by: Elara]

Lucius closed the file, tapping the edge of the phone against his chin.

"Jesus Elara... this shit is detailed as fuck."

[Author’s Note]

I want to specify that they are currently in 2025 in their world as well, the Author of To Be The Extra based it off Earth after all so the dates are the same.