Savior! Redemption in Another World! - Chapter 49

“H-how do you know my name?” Ivy said, taking a small step back.

“Oh? Sorry, you wouldn’t recognize me like this huh. Let’s clear up a little misunderstanding.” I say, attempting to mirror what Teresa did in the union hall by lacing my voice with mana.

“You didn’t escape, you were freed,” I say, dropping Alter Ego and taking another step towards Ivy.

Without any warning or sound, Ivy drew a knife from her belt and dashed towards me at a blinding speed, taking a slice at my face.

Yet, she’s not even close to the speed of the Instructor, let alone Nonie.

Side-stepping the blade, I get ready to lock her feet in a dredge of earth magic, but just before my spell materializes, the bouncer is behind Ivy, grappling her in a full nelson.

“Easy there amazon, what’s your beef with the halfling?” The bouncer says, his voice strained as he continues to hold the thrashing Ivy. “You kill a random person in the middle of the street, how does it look for us or Midnight Rose?”

Ceasing resistance, Ivy drops her dagger and slumps her shoulders. Taking that as my queue, I drop my fighting stance and re-cast Alter Ego.

“There ya go, now why don’t you two talk inside. Leaking guild matters onto the street is bad for business.” The bouncer says, letting go of Ivy and opening the door.

Ivy and I are able to walk through fine, yet Teresa is held at the door.

“Not you lass, consider the guild register closed until further notice.” Before I’m able to hear Teresa shout something in reply, the door is slammed shut behind the bouncer. Sound-proofing? Nice.

Walking through the door, a large guildhall, filled with tables, chairs, archery/spell targets, and two walls filled with different job requests. Immediately, I can feel multiple sets of eyes fall upon me and Ivy.

“You’ve brought quite a looker back with you!” One guild member yells. I like that one, I ought to remember them.

“Pick up a straggler? They better be good!” Another yell, I like that one a lot less.

“Shut ya traps!” Ivy yells, gesturing me to follow her to sit down at a secluded table.

Once we’re sat, most eyes drift away from us and back to whatever they were doing, yet that leaves Ivy and I face to face, steeped in awkward silence.

“Weather’s nice this time of year,” I say with a small chuckle.

“What are you doing here?” Ivy says at the exact same time.

Damn, unlucky timing.

“Well, I should be asking you the same. I thought you belonged to a guild called ‘Midnight Rose’, not this one.” I say, my voice is cold as I add the air quotes.

“I do. There’s no rule stating you can’t belong to multiple guilds. I work here for most of my jobs, but when I’m strapped for soldi I’ll take a more, risky, job at Midnight.” Ivy replies, clearing her throat.

“Risky? Is that what they’re calling murder these days?” I say, the uncomfortable look on Ivy’s face growing ever stronger.

“Look, what do you want okay? You took all this effort to track me down, there must be something you want out of me right? And what’s with that look? What kind of magic allows you to conceal your true form? Or was the halfling body a fake?” Ivy said, either consciously or unconsciously covering herself with her arms.

Man, there must be some serious misunderstanding going on here. I’m not a damn pervert!

“I think you have the wrong idea here, I wasn’t tracking you, this is simply a wicked twist of fate. And, this body of mine is as real as the other, magic just allows me to switch between the two.” I say, both of those things being the truth. Truly, I never expected to run into that archer again, let alone find out her base of operations is right here in Sanmara.

“I have a question for you. How many ranged fighters were there in the group that attack us?” I say, slowly funneling mana into my staff. If she was the only archer, I’ll send an ice arrow directly into her heart and call us even. An eye for an eye and all that.

“Three including myself, there was the mage you froze and another person with a bow, who after taking a pot shot at the carriage drew his scimitar and charged with the others.” She answered quickly, yet I could tell she wouldn’t lie in this scenario.

“Now, you said outside you didn’t kill anybody on that job, right? Was that true?” I asked, only to be met with Ivy’s face filling with panic.

“Okay, I did kill two armored guards, that I can admit. But that freakish knight blocked the rest of my arrows, and Valrun’s magic is what ended up doing him in.” She said, her hands visibly shaking.

“So, what you’re saying is that you never shot into the ice dome atop the cart?” I say, lacing my voice with more and more mana.

“I shot the armored lookout up there but that’s all.” She said, as I can assume the mana in my voice must have some effect, that and I’ve stopped limiting my mana from leaking, so I should be somewhat intimidating.

However, with that said, I have no real grudge against this archer. She didn’t kill Surge, and the one who did I literally buried alive.

“Well then, I have no grudge against you,” I say, dispelling all the mana I had injected into the air and stopping my aura from flowing out.

“W-what? But I killed two of your comrades! And attacked you on a job!” Ivy said, with a voice more startled than anything else. Hmm, that double mana trick really did have an effect.

“Those guards weren’t my comrades, and I already killed the archer I had a grudge with. So, I have nothing against you. We were simply both doing our job.” I say, as a look of relief washes over Ivy’s face.

“But that doesn’t mean you don’t owe me your life,” I remark with a chuckle, as immediately her face drops again.

Whilst the iron is hot and all that.

“So, I’m calling in a favor,” I say, as Ivy looks at me quizzically.

“A favor? What could I possibly do for you?” She says, once again covering herself from me with her arms. Damn, is that really what it sounded like?

I gotta work on my negotiation tactics.

“It’s a simple favor really. I want to join Hunter’s Mark. Hunting monsters and delving into dungeons intrigues me, and also it’s a good way to make money and make a name for myself. But, from what I’ve heard from the bouncer, I need a party of at least three to take any jobs here. So, vouch for me in the guild and let me in your party once I’m in it.” I say, grinning like a shark about to devour its food. At least, that’s what I’m going for with it.

“What? You have to be joking! Are you not worried at all that I’ll kill you the first chance I get?!” Ivy said, slamming her hands on the table.

“You’re welcome to try, but we both know how that went last time. Also, to sweeten the pot, I’ll even have my employer heal up that leg of yours. She’s really good at healing magic.” I reply, as about eighteen different emotions come over Ivy’s face.

“You know you’re insane right? Also, is that woman out there your employer? I thought she was a party member.” Ivy says, giving me a deep sigh and sitting back down.

“So, do we have a deal? You get me in the guild and help me complete this job, and I join your party and heal that leg.” I say, sticking my hand out for a handshake.

With a reluctant sigh, Ivy takes my hand and shakes it.

“Don’t get the wrong idea, although it’s a bad rep for the guild if I kill you, that doesn’t mean I won’t let you die,” Ivy said, releasing my hand and standing up.. “Come on, we haven’t got all day to get you registered.”