We’re back at the guild mansion.

Upon entering a cat beast-woman in a maid uniform welcomed us.

She was coated in orange fur and had black stripes. Has cat-like features and her eyes were a bit rounder than most felines I’ve seen.

“Good nyafternoon, Mayer, Master Reiji. They’re waiting for meow at the Guild Master’s room.”

I got called master once again. But more importantly, has she been standing by there just to tell that?

Anyway, she must be Kata, the one the Guild Master had spoken to in the cotton ball.

Her tone and voice hinted at that.

Along the way where she led us, I leaned toward her and softly said.

“U-um, Kata?”

“May I help meow, Master Reiji?”

She heard me and adjusted her ear closer. She still maintained her posture. Hats off to that.

“Please call me Reiji and I’m grateful for the set of clothes. And please kindly tell that to the other maids as well.”

Kata’s ears twitched and her tail kept swaying back and forth slightly. She must be delighted by my appreciation.

“Yes, I’ll convey meow message to them, Reiji. I’m also pleased to be meow acquaintance.”

She was also at the picture frame in Mayer’s home. The other people there must also be working as a maid here.

We entered the room.

Kata bowed and left the premises.

I’m not expecting four people were already inside.

Mira, Ranju, Aeri, and the Guild Master. It looked like our party is complete.

But what are they here for? That’s the question I had in mind.

“Come here, Reiji. I have something to give you.”

In front of the Guild Master, there was a medium-sized box above her table.

Closing in, it seemed to be a present.

I looked at the Guild Master and she just nodded.

I turned to the others, they’re all smiling. Well, without further ado, I opened the mystery gift.

A circular object with the logo of Guild Limea in the center.

At first glance, I knew it was a pocket watch.

“Please take it.”

The Guild Master urged.

I grabbed it. Following that, a light emitted out of the pocket watch’s logo. It’s being transferred to me.

There’s a heat going inside me. It wasn’t pleasant nor displeasing, just like the sun in the morning.

And it was quickly cut off in only a matter of a second.

“Now the contract is complete. You are now officially part of Guild Limea, Reiji. I’m elated that you are now one of my children.”

The Guild Master really likes calling us that. But it’s not like I’m against it.

It’s actually a plus for me to have a strong parent like her.

“Thank you, Guild Master.”

I bowed with respect.

A warm reception not only here in Guild Limea but also Thehill as well.

The sentiments are too overwhelming suffice to say.

The Guild Master made her remarks and wished us a safe trip.

The meeting was immediately dismissed.

The reason Mayer had us leave earlier than what it should’ve was because of this.

I pulled the fabric of my attire. I had fought on the grasslands so I might’ve attained some unnecessary odor along with it.

Gladly, there wasn’t any.

“I’m good to go.”

I muttered.

“Mm-hmm, you’re still good, Reiji.”

I heard Mira behind me as we walk in the corridor.

When I turned to her, she was leaning towards my body, specifically near my armpits, taking a sniff of it.

“Hhk!”

I backed away from the shock, my head felt feverish in an instant. This resulted in Mira making a muddled expression.

“Is there a problem?”

I wanted to retort her with a “You’re the problem!” but she was too innocent that I just sighed.

“Nothing. I just got startled by you.”

As if there was something wrong with my reply, Mira’s expression became gloomy, lowering her gaze, feeling remorseful.

“S-sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

“I-it’s fine. But please refrain from doing that to someone, especially for guys like me.”

Before she could finish her sentence, I intervened.

Now I’m thinking if it was me who’s sensitive or Mira who’s insensitive.

“Eh? Why?”

With a curious face, I already know the answer to that abrupt thought of mine. I have no clue on how to respond to this though.

She’s too pure.

I regained a little composure, the curious maiden in front of me is making her expression tenser.

“It would definitely cause some misunderstandings.”

“H-how?”

Please at least get a clue of it.

“Sigh, just make sure to only do that to someone close to you.”

“But I considered you close to me.”

“…”

She bobbed her head with ‘hm-hm’ to reaffirm her words. I swallowed my tongue because of that.

It hit me on the good side and the bad side. Sadly, I knew what she really meant by that but I just can’t help it.

“Why are you smiling, Reiji?”

“Mira have you given the present you bought for Arue and Arua?”

Chiming in, Aeri reminded her.

Phew! I finally exhaled the breath that I was holding on to.

“Oh, I forgot. Thank you for reminding me, Aeri. Reiji, I’ll have to excuse myself for a bit before we leave.”

She sprinted or more like hurriedly sprinted towards the back door.

“““Eh…?!”””

Ranju, Aeri, and I exclaimed in unison.

At that moment, Mira tripped on herself. It was bound to happen if she ran in a long dress. Or it’s just that she’s has a clumsy personality.

Either way, Aeri approached her and lent Mira a hand.

“You’re clumsy as ever, Mira. Here, I’ll come with you.”

Mira kneaded her temples. I also think that she’s about to cry, probably.

“Ow, ouch.”

Aeri keeping her grip smiled at us while assisting Mira.

Like a parent and a child, they got out of the back door.

We’ve waited for them in the lobby. It seemed Ranju is a man of few words.

It’s not awkward to be with him in the same space but he had this stern attitude.

He’s probably the kind of person who’ll not talk unless you engaged with him.

That was what I thought but he suddenly spoke up.

“You’ll eventually get used to Mira’s antics, Reiji. She always does those kinds of things with no second thoughts whatsoever. Even I had the same reaction the first time she did something similar.”

Agreeable, no one can deny that Mira’s a caring person. It’s just that she doesn’t know that personal boundaries existed.

Maybe that was the effect of playing too much with Arue and Arua…

“Are Arue and Arua, someone children in the guild?”

There’s no way their Mira kids, right? The Guild Master also rejected my assumption during breakfast.

Their parents must be super busy that the Guild Master and everyone here takes care of them.

“Yes. However their mother and father.”

And like that, from Ranju’s solemn tone, I understood what it was.

I see.

“I am not only to talk but please, don’t say any of these to Mira. She’ll be devastated.”

“Yeah.”

The world really is a strange place. Or rather life itself can be quite cruel.

The two came back. Mira had a cheery attitude plastered all over her.

It looked like her gift was well-received.

“How’s Arue and Arua?”

Ranju asked.

“They’re doing great, Rina’s playing with them right now.”

I was just listening to them when Aeri pulled out two of her fingers in my line of sight.

“You haven’t seen them yet, right?”

As if in a manner of teasing, she snipped it like scissors and beamed at me.

It’s true that I haven’t seen them. Whether the mansion is just too big or they don’t like to loaf around.

Anyway.

“Yeah. It’s only been my second day after all. I’ll have plenty of chances.”

“They’ll come and play with you someday. It’s just that they’re extremely shy especially Arue.”

Mira assured and stepped closer to us.

“It’s okay, Reiji. They’re not even used to me too.”

Sympathy is what I felt when Ranju consoled me. It’s because I know the reason why children wouldn’t like him at all. It’s his natural personality itself.

“It’s because you’re creepy.”

“I’m not creepy, I’m normal!”

Mira let out a chuckle before interrupting the two by making an announcement.

“Before we go. Let’s formally introduce ourselves first.”

“Introduce?”

They did that yesterday already. Is it something different?

“Yes. It’s a tradition in this guild to formally introduce one another as a sign of trust and long companionship.”

“And with that, let me present myself first.”

Energetic, as Mira finished her statement, Aeri was the first one to raise her hand.

“My name is Aerinya Elwood, but you can call me Aeri. I live in the largest elf village Amberwood. I’m a D Rank. Nice to meet you, Reiji.”

She saluted with a grin. Just to go with the flow with her, I mimicked her as my response.

Ranju was the next and pointed a thumb on his chest mightily.

“Then, I’m next. I am Ranju Augese, you can call me Ranju. I’m from a small town called Wilsche and also a D Rank. Pleased to meet you, Reiji.”

Ranju lifted his hand and offered a fist bump, I replied to his gesture.

“Let me introduce myself.”

Lastly, Mira smiled and had her hand on her chest.

“I am Mira Latreia, people call me Mira. I came from a city called Elumia and I’m a Rank B adventurer. Welcome to Guild Limea, Reiji.”

Rank B…? Well, whatever.

Mira proposed a handshake.

I went for it. It’s warm and soft.

Before I realized it, I found myself scratching my cheek.

Therefore, I took a deep breath.

“Since technically, I’ve known you guys for the longest.”

And then, I bowed exaggeratingly.

“I’m Reiji Tatemiya, my nickname is Reiji. Allegedly, I don’t know where I’m from as of now and a Rank F adventurer. But here, I’ll be in your care tomorrow onwards—my seniors.”

I cocked my head to view their faces and smiled.

“Hahaha!”

The three of them also smiled back and it turned to laughter.