Chapter 24: Wanting to Hear Her Voice in the Wind

Nara was so shocked that she couldn’t say a word.

Ordinary people might not recognize Elise, but the guild staff clearly knew who she was.

After all, she was an outstanding adventurer once personally approved by the guild’s top leader.

It was only because she had disappeared for a while that people talked about her less.

Thinking back to what Peiya said earlier… could it be that the “friend” she mentioned was Elise!?

What kind of powerful combination is this?

Nara froze on the spot.

One was a scholar with countless patents, and the other was the most talented young sword adventurer.

She couldn’t even imagine how many miracles this pair could create.

It felt like the whole kingdom would soon become their stage…

Guild Leader Maya quietly observed the situation. Seeing the right moment, she stood up respectfully and said,

“I didn’t expect to meet you in person, Lady Elise. I’m sorry, we didn’t know you were coming, so our reception was not proper. Please forgive us.”

“S-sorry, Lady Elise, we really didn’t expect you to be back.”

Nara quickly came back to her senses and followed Maya’s words.

If they offended her, both of them might lose their positions today.

Elise calmly nodded. She still had the same distant and cold presence as before. But strangely, it didn’t make people feel like she was arrogant.

Maybe it was because all her attention was on Peiya, so her expression seemed much softer than before.

Was she just smiling?

Nara wondered, but didn’t dare think too much about it.

Better not mess with her…

Elise withdrew her gaze from Peiya and exchanged a few polite words with the two officials.

She didn’t really care about them. She had only heard some unclear parts of their conversation outside the door and was worried about Peiya, so she decided to come in.

At least with her here, nothing would go wrong.

In simple terms, she was here to keep things under control.

In fact, the moment Elise entered, her goal was already achieved.

Maya no longer brought up anything about the witch. Instead, she started talking about some light and unrelated topics.

“Lady Elise, are you planning to stay for a few days this time?”

“I’ll rest for a while. Most of the kingdom’s matters have already been handled. Even if something comes up, it can wait. Guild Leader Maya, what was that about the witch you mentioned earlier? Has a new witch awakened recently?”

“Yes. It seems this time the disturbance is very strong. It might even be the legendary Calamity Witch. Of course, these are all distant concerns. For now, it’s better to focus on the upcoming festival. That’s the real celebration for adventurers.”

Nara looked at Maya in surprise. The guild leader usually wasn’t like this.

She was even talking about gossip now.

Nara suddenly understood why she couldn’t become the best guild manager. She just wasn’t good with words.

Elise nodded slightly and raised her right hand.

“If you need anything, you can tell me. Miss Peiya has been busy recently, so it’s better to let her rest for a while.”

Here it comes.

The main point finally arrived.

Maya took a deep breath.

She knew Elise’s status very well. She was an adventurer personally recognized by the guild’s top leader, and also the first person in guild history to be allowed to form a one-person team.

She had many other titles too, too many to count.

Asking someone like her for help? That would be too much.

So this sentence wasn’t just casual talk.

The real meaning was… Peiya is just as important as her. If they continued to test or push her without knowing their limits, it wouldn’t end with just a verbal warning.

As expected, even the way Lady Elise gave hints was refined and elegant.

Looking at Elise smiling slightly at Peiya, Maya finally understood everything.

“I was careless. Miss Peiya, I’m sorry for causing you trouble.”

Maya said sincerely.

Seeing the guild leader apologize, Nara quickly followed,

“I’m sorry too. I didn’t know about your condition. I was so careless, I almost messed things up again. Um, Miss Peiya, aren’t you moving? How about we help you carry your things now?”

Nara shifted a bit and lightly kicked Maya.

“Just in time, I don’t have much to do this afternoon. Let’s go together.”

“Ah… that many people? Actually, I don’t have much at home. Guild Leader Maya, you should deal with the cult matters first. Elise and I can handle the moving ourselves. We won’t trouble you any further.”

Maya nodded with a guilty expression.

“In that case, since you already have a plan, I won’t keep you any longer. These are some recent reports about nearby monsters. You can read them when you have time. If you want more detailed information, feel free to ask me anytime.”

“Okay~”

Peiya took the documents and left the Adventurers’ Guild first.

Maya looked at Elise, who hadn’t stood up yet, and took out another document.

“Lady Elise, this is the latest guild application form. If you need it, you can take one.”

Maya didn’t dare delay. She thought this powerful person might be planning to recruit teammates.

If these two really teamed up, they would be unstoppable.

“No, I don’t plan to recruit anyone.”

Elise shook her head. Maya looked surprised.

“Huh?”

Elise stared in the direction where Peiya had left and spoke calmly.

“Shouldn’t this kind of matter be decided by Miss Peiya? I’m sorry, but I can’t make decisions for others. Even if she wants to join another guild in the future, I won’t stop her.”

Maya’s hand froze in midair, her heart filled with shock.

Watching Elise leave, she felt like looking at a mountain she could never climb.

Maya collapsed back into her chair, her clothes damp with sweat.

“Nara, what do you think about this?”

“I think it’s great. Isn’t it good that Miss Peiya has such a strong friend? Boss, you don’t need to be so nervous about this. You’ve seen too many complicated social situations, so you’re overthinking. They’re just normal friends. Why worry so much? Think about it, what kind of person is Elise? And what kind of person can be her friend?”

“You’re right… I was thinking too much. Nara, I suddenly feel like you actually speak quite nicely.”

“Really? Haven’t I always spoken nicely? Don’t accuse me like that. And also, I see hope in them. So I’ve decided, I’m going to run again for this year’s Best Guild Manager. If possible, please vote for me!”

“……”

……………………………

Outside the Adventurers’ Guild.

Peiya followed Elise outside, and the air suddenly felt fresher.

Around them were loud calls of merchants. Shops lined the streets from one end to the other. Adventurers in all kinds of armor were bargaining with vendors by the roadside.

The streets around the guild were one of the busiest areas.

Many adventurers gathered here to shop and share old, cheesy tavern jokes.

Walking on such a lively street, Peiya felt her whole body become lighter and more energetic. Ever since she left her old environment, her body had slowly been recovering, and even her mood had improved.

Elise was also in a good mood. She felt that Peiya kept surprising her every day.

At the same time, Maya’s words reminded Elise that the outside world was becoming more dangerous.

Peiya’s past achievements showed that she couldn’t have gained so much knowledge just by staying in a room and thinking.

She must have gone through a lot of real battles.

Thinking about it now, those two monster corpses they submitted before were probably defeated by Peiya.

In that case, a noble lady’s lifestyle definitely wouldn’t suit her.

Also, last night before sleeping, Elise stared at the doll Peiya gave her and thought for a long time.

She liked dolls, but that didn’t mean she wanted to turn Peiya into one.

That would be too selfish, she couldn’t do that.

However, she did like talking to her dolls quietly at night.

If that’s the case… maybe she could try listening to Peiya’s voice instead?

Listen to what she plans to do next, or ask for her thoughts?