Vol. 2 – Chapter 67 - First meeting between guild members

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Since the apparition of Red and the other two, they tried to contact Mathias using the guild chat, private message, but at that moment they tried to get to him, he was at Nelmon working on the Sewing Machine, testing its functionality, and discussing at some boiled wine about how one could work on the machine.

Their discussion was amicable, where Mathias opened about his desire to hire people, and certain difficulties he might encounter in the process, from the Tailors Guild and others who would look to pick on him.

"The Syndicates will probably trouble you. However, if they come to ask for protection fees, simply give them what they ask. It is not worth the trouble fighting them. Even if you go to notify the Red Knights or the Imperial Guards, they will not lift a finger to help you." remarked Nelmon, with a bitter tone, which made Mathias shake his head, declining such an offer.

"I'll not give those rats anything. If they want to find trouble with me and the Red Knights really don't want to bulge their fat asses, then I will solve this problem on my own."

"I really don't suggest you fight them. For what? You will put in danger the ones next to you. Is it worth your pride? Even I at first didn't want to be bothered with paying those bastards their protection fees, but then I saw with my own eyes how they treated the ones who tried to fight back. The outcome? A tragic ending."

"Sir Nelmon, your warning, I will keep it in mind, but then again, I will conduct my business on my own way."

"I mean, if you are really capable of dealing with those syndics, and their upper echelons, I will bow my head to you, since you would solve my problem too, and many others."

"Heh, if I do that, maybe I should take protection fees."

The two were laughing at wine, moving on with their discussion, and on the middle of their talk, Nelmon mentioned something which took him aback.

"Mathias, I did tell you about my wife who is passionate about sewing, in general making knitted toys for children. I told her about the sewing machine and about you, and she asked me to tell you she is interested in giving your shop a try."

"She is a housewife?"

"Pretty much, and got really excited when I told her about you and your Workshop."

"Sir Nelmon, I'll gladly hire your wife. However, my Workshop is still under construction. My machines also are nowhere to be seen."

"Haha, obviously, I will build them so don't worry about missing out on that part. If worse comes, I'll just close my shop to focus on the orders. Besides, is your Workshop by chance being built in the Inner City area? Is that building constructed there yours?"

"The gossip inside Titan is really spreading around far and wide."

Nelmon who downed his cup of boiled wine grinned at Mathias and told him in a joking tone.

"How couldn't the gossip spread out when someone hired the bankrupted Stonemasons? Being the only ones to construct a building regardless of the season. The Stonemason Guild of Cleef is a legend inside Titan, but as of late with them facing bankruptcy and taking loans from the Syndicates to still breathe, people didn't approach them for help."

"Indeed, those guys are really serious business partners. If I have the chance to expand, I will hire them again since I like such guys."

"Right. Then again about that job? Can I tell my wife that you would hire her? Not that I really mind if you do or not, but it will keep her quiet from nagging me to ask you."

"The madam is more than welcome to work in my Workshop. There will be news soon once the building is half-finished, with my Workshop making its presence known."

Then, while he was talking with Nelmon, he noticed that Fayrene wrote him something in the chatting box, which he opened and was surprised to hear the news about Red, Evan, and Lane's visit.

@Fayrene: Darling, the three guys you mentioned to me that might arrive on Titan have come to our home. Their names are as you said, Red, Evan, and Lane, and I've checked them using the Ranking Ledger and they are indeed from your organization. They suffer from the defrost debuff that the people were discussing in those Live Streams.

@Mathias: I will return home early. What is your first impression of them?

@Fayrene: They seem like fine people to me. Right now they are talking with the orphans we took in for the winter.

@Mathias: Good, how did they react when they saw you?

@Fayrene: They thought I am a player, so I play along with their approach. Don't worry darling, I've watched a lot of those Live Streams, and I am not acting differently than the girls there.

@Mathias: I know, still, be careful. Anyway, I'll be there soon.

Saying that to Fayrene, while keeping the tabs open with her, he still took a bit of his time to finish the last cup of wine he received from Nelmon, and only afterwards did he big his farewell, directing himself straight home.

Entering inside, he could see Red, Evan, and Lane along with the orphan kids he started picking up from the streets for the winter, chilling and talking with the young ones. Red especially took closer to him, in his blanket some boys that he was telling from the way he spoke stories about his adventurers.

Evan and Lane were gazing at the entrance door and got to see Mathias first, as he took out his chaperone hat, and winter coat, revealing his long crimson hair, which along with his ruby eyes, give off a unique feeling around himself.

"Yoo, Guild Master. Did we rush you to meet us?" asked Lane who waved at Mathias from where he was standing in a casual way.

"What's with the hair, Red told us you were black-haired in his descriptions about you." asked Evan who noticed Mathias's appearance too.

Red turned his head from the fireplace and glanced at Mathias who looked calmly in their direction, and he kept on observing him quietly until he told him.

"You changed from the Beta."

"I am still the same "lazy" guy who doesn't want to level up. Regardless, how was your journey to Titan?"

"Cold and slow."

"Because you picked the wrong time to depart from Dewars. You should have waited the winter there instead of journeying out."

"Who would have thought that winter would come out of nowhere, and that will affect us so badly? Unlike you, the rest of us don't care about such premises that are cold and winter, it wouldn't affect us? But, unfortunately, we were miserly wrong. Next winter I will be prepared with everything." replied Red, who turned his head back to watch the fire, while Mathias went to handshake Evan and Lane's hands.

"This is the first time we meet, right? Welcome to Titan and in my home."

"Thanks, guild leader. I don't know but there's another feeling when talking with you in person compared to chatting in the guild chat." affirmed Evan, the Gunslinger, who shook Mathias hands placing some strength in the gesture, trying to see the crimson-haired man's reaction.

Nevertheless, Mathias didn't switch his friendly expression at all, not caring about such tests and balancing his strength to match Evan, while responding casually.

"Ohh, how so?"

"I don't know, but you would usually sound detached in the chat. While in person, I can see your expression when talking, so could you say this is the difference?"

"Heh, Fay, what do you think? Is he right about this difference?" inquired Mathias, while looking at Fayrene sitting beside Jeanne working on some clothes.

"Half-right, the problem with you Mat is that you think too much about your words, and what you would say in the box would be pretty direct to the smallest point?"

"Yes, yes, that's a better wording for what I thought. Thanks, Fayrene." agreed Evan with what Fayrene declared, later seeing Mathias give a small smile, while chuckling.

Finishing greeting Evan, he turned toward Lane, shaking his hand, and later asking him.

"Do you still want to fight me now that you've met me face to face?"

Lane felt an energy pass by his hands, a red aura that enveloped his hand while Mathias was asking that, before disappearing when ending his question. Checking Mathias's appearance, and level, Lane grinned a bit, and responded in a confident tone.

"I'll spar with you at any time, Guild Leader. You've been out leveled by a lot, so don't get angry if you lose."

"Hehe, sure. I look forward to seeing your class in action." replied Mathias, turning toward Red as he tapped the heads of the orphans, who greeted him respectfully.

"Boss, I will not stay in your care for too long since I will take my boys to a tavern to settle down and take on quests from thereon. I am a member of the Adventurer Guild, meaning it would be easier to integrate with Titan landscape. I can't laze around like you do, since I have to dethrone that Kraugel guy."

"I see, it is good to see you got your strategy done, James."

"Obviously, I will team us with those ladies you took care in the past, Vivian and Paula and start taking on the hardest quests now that I got a healer."

"Will they agree to your invitation?" asked Mathias standing beside Red, while holding in his arms an orphan that he cuddled a bit making the boy laugh in a happy way, trying to stop Mathias with all his strength, but without much success, which made both Fayrene and Jeanne to giggle seeing this scene.

"They already agreed since I kept in touch with Paula. Thanks for linking me up with her."

"No problem."

"Man, you really get along with those little ones. It took me a lot of sweets to have them play with me."

"Did they say thanks? How about you little David, did you say 'Thank you' to mister?" asked Mathias the boy he was holding.

"I did big brother. You said we should thank people for the kind gestures." responded the boy in Mathias lap, while the other orphans from girl to boy responded affirmatively.

"Yea don't worry, they are good kids. You really are made to be a teacher since you show a lot of patience, even with us morons." shared Red an observation of his with Mathias, which made Mathias remain quiet for a brief moment before responding.

"I doubt it since I dislike spoiled brats. A teacher should be tolerant of any child stepping in his inner circle, something I still lack."

"Meh, how old are you? Twenty-two? Twenty-three? Something around that? You still have a long time to adapt."

"A teacher, hah? It is good to know I have such inclinations."

Slowly the two guys who reunited since their time in Beta Phase, just as in the past began talking about all sorts of random things, things unrelated to the game which made Evan and Lane look at each other as they listened to the two.

In the blur of the moment, Red who took out a glass bottle filled with some crystal clear liquid, passing it to Mathias, asked in an excited way.

"Have you seen Cain's performance at the Olympics? That guy is brutal. I heard from some guys that he is already level 50 since getting back into the fray."

"What do I do if I can't beat him?" asked later Red, looking at Mathias slightly worried.

"Haha, if you can't beat him, you run."

'Obviously, he wants to suggest you start leveling up, you lazy Guild Master.' thought Evan who eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Kek, I'll hit him in the nuts and dash off. If they capture me, I will tell him to pick a fight with you."

"Ohoo, aren't you too smart for throwing all the responsibility on my shoulder? Just like with the fight you had with Fuseblade? Even right now if you go to search for our guild, it's on the first search feed."

"Well, we have had quite some quality players since then. Our guild should be the first one to level up since we got 12 members working hard."

"I doubt, the Chinese probably are spamming around characters to farm points to level up."

"We can always buy their bots, and farm too. It is easy."

Mathias stared at Red with a condemning gaze, which made the latter cough in a guilty way, while mentioning.

"In the end, it worked out nicely. I fought some weak guilds who thought they were worth something and gained free pocket money. The new guys in the guild are also top-notch. The chick little Louis added is strong, a wizard girl to our arsenal."

"That girl Rose, I don't know how Louis meet her since he evaded my questions, but she is weird. I have this feeling when I talk with her that I can't explain." mentioned Red, scratching his chin a bit.

"I have no idea what you smelled on her, but we still got time to see if she approached little Louis for different reasons or wants something from the guild. Usually this is the biggest challenge to a popular guild, you get such players who join for diverse reasons." replied Mathias, calmly watching the fire along with Red, and the orphan in his lap.

"Sigh, sometimes you stumble on unpolished gems, such as Johan who had such a story to tell about himself, or the two Indian brothers. Even PageUp or Astro, give me a good vibe when they talk and behave."

"Probably you might be able to tell them apart once you see them face to face. There's certain things, people can't hide when conversing in person, while from the chat, you are veiled, undisturbed by facades."

Continue on their talk, until Mathias cut short his talk to retreat to Fayrene and Jeanne, taking a peek at what they were doing. It was Jeanne sewing some patterns while Fayrene was telling her what to do next. Slowly he entered the circle and watched Jeanne learn to sew with a big smile, with all the good and bad sides the learning process ensued.

She lacked patience compared to Mathias and Fayrene who were alright taking things slowly, and in a calm way, he told Jeanne.

"Don't get angry, dear. If you want to learn how to sew, I will teach you how to use the Sewing Machine."

"Don't tell me, the reason you walked outside, was to check on Sir Nelmon? Does the machine work as you told me it should?" inquired Fayrene, holding on her thrill.

"It moves so smooth that anyone who has an idea how to operate the machine will be able to control."

"This is marvelous news, darling. When you visit sir Nelmon take me along, I want to see how the machine feels compared to doing hand work."

"Darling, you want to say I can also be like Fayrene, and not struggle sewing clothes?" asked Jeanne who took a pause from her training.

"Pretty much, Jeanne. Anyone will be able to use it. No, better rephrased, anyone who has such passion for sewing will be able to make it work."

"Stop lazing around sister. You'll not be able to sew Mat's socks at this rate. Wouldn't you be laughed at by the other girls who might enter the circle? You need to assert yourself as the second boss."

"What are you two talking about?"

"Something that doesn't concern you. Now, sister, try again, let me see if you understood what I taught you."

"Yes madam. I'll not let them take my spot."

Seeing them like this, all fired-up for no reason, he saw Fayrene stick her tongue at him, which made him roll his eyes, and retreat to his place, the main salon counter, where he took his sheets of paper, resuming writing on his book, while later on in the night before returning to his bed he was in the process of copying the early stage of his novel for a certain someone.

Afterward, the call of the bedsheets called him, where two beauties waited for him, to which when Fayrene and Jeanne saw him get close to the bed, they chuckled as if something was planned out.

"No, not again." called out Mathias in a defeated way, when he noticed Jeanne and Fayrene made a small gap in the centerline of the bed.

"Come on Mat, your arms are the best pillows."

"You two have decided to work together against me?"

"I don't know what you are talking about. Do you know, sister?" inquired Fayrene, with a confused stare as she looked at Jeanne.

Jeanne gave a small smile and agreed with Fayrene, which made Mathias silently get inside the bed, where both girls captured one of his arms.

"Next time I visit Nelmon, I'll ask him to make a bed."

"Stop complaining you Imp. This is actually comfortable, especially in the wintertime. I heard it is called Thermoregulation, from one of those old books."

"Then get closer to see if you can get some heat from me." joked Mathias, as he brought the two girls closer to him, touching his chest, and using the two-person bed space, as efficiently as possible.

Before sleeping they got a bit freaky with their teasing, as Mathias' lips took a break from comforting both of his succubuses who took on their dream space journey, leaving him alone with Haycien in his mind, conversing, since he had more available time that the bed could cut from him.