"*Groaaaan*..." - Garami

"GM, you are scaring away the fish. If you want to sink into the swamp known as 'depression', do it somewhere else." - Alf

"Have mercy..." - Garami

It's been three days since we "split up" to wait for Blot to deliver the "goods" from our contract. And in this short amount of time...I came to regret ever forming a Guild... To vent my feelings, I found Alf in a designated fishing area for the town people. Not that many other people are using it, other than the retired old folks.

"Man..., I mean, demon up. So what if people think our Guild's name is cool? And don't forget, you were the one to name it." - Alf

"That's the probleeeem..." - Garami

When I first obtained the Guild Certificate, it asked me to input the Guild's name. And in my rush, I decided on a too-edgy name...

"Nightmare Voyagers". I came up with it because it's said that Alvatria, my "patron", is said to be a goddess of not only Darkness but also fortune and evil. If that's the case, I'm bound to end up suffering nightmarish trials, but we may find some treasures. Meaning, we're going on a "voyage" through "nightmares" in search of the "gold". That's where "Nightmare Voyagers" comes from.

But...hearing people referring to me as "Guild Master of the Nightmare Voyagers" all the time... is too embarrassing...!

"Keep your chin up. People will get tired of teasing you as long as you keep your poker face up and do not react to them calling you that." - Alf

"I guess..." - Garami

"Here," said Alf as he handed me his fishing rod. "Fishing helps calm your mind. Trust me, I speak of experience."

Maybe he's right. And did he say "I speak of experience"??? But before I could ask him, Alf went on to get his spare rod back at his place. I guess I'll have to wait for him to return......

This is quite boring. How nice~...

---

Alf's PoV:

Poor Guild Master. People are picking on her due to her "flower at the peak" nature. Those people, are they mistaking their awe of her beauty and talent for love? I can't say that having her partner with Mira, another "unreachable flower", helped in any way. People treat them as either vicious demons or goddesses, even if neither the people in question nor their fans realize it.

I have to be honest, it is amusing to watch. Alas, I do not think acquiring new members for the Guild will be easy if this continues. Garami seems not to wish to recruit any random guy from the street, but the truth is that we need SOME people if we want to operate as a proper Guild. The selection of our members will be "tough", to put it lightly...

After I fetched my rod, on the way out of my apartment, I was discovered by someone I did not wish to meet again so soon.

"Hello, Mr. Loxley." - Blot

"Blot... Why are you here? And what is the deal with the unfriendly greeting?" - Alf

"Excuse me. I wished to stay professional for this meeting." - Blot

Blot. I do not know much about this guy except what is written on his business cards. And those do not even include his family name.

While I am indebted to him for solving some hardships I experienced in my hometown, I find him too suspicious to work for. His boss is a different story. I can even sympathize with them, as they and I both are experienced with what is commonly known as "misfortune", even if mine does not reach theirs even to its ankle. But still...

"If you wish to speak with Garami..., then I will not tell you where she is." - Alf

"How hostile! But is it not thanks to our contribution that you finally managed to fulfill your dream of leaving your old town?" - Blot

My hometown was stuck in the past before the Nequitas company arrived. Us younger people earned for the outside world, but the older generations were too scared of something to allow us to do so. That is until Blot's group dismantled every little urban rumor that had kept the older generations scared shitless, one by one.

"Why should I thank you for being used as bait at least once during your conquest of the Seven Myths?" - Alf

"Hmm, that is a good question. Now, to change the subject, I wish for you to deliver this request to Ms. Garami." - Blot

"You sneaky little... What is this about a request?" - Alf

"A little something I am too preoccupied with to do myself. It's all written here," replied Blot as he handed over an envelope.

"Preoccupied? With what?" - Alf

"Let's just say, knowledge about warfare will turn quite useful sooner rather than later." - Blot

---

Name: Alfred Loxloy | [Fish Slayer] Race: Human Gender: Male Level: 19/50 Traits: 1 Karma Value: 11 Main Class: Spearman Lv.42 Sub Class: Angler Lv.48 Sub Class: Ice Protector Lv.21 Skills: 39 Titles: 7 Blessings: 1 Aether Points: 11.2 HP: 177/177 MP: 135/135 SP: 268/268 STR: 248 VIT: 228 MAG: 133 RES: 159 SPD: 163 DEX: 292 INT: 112 LUC: 105 LP: 15

Skill List:

Skill List: Ability Skills: [Health Lv.50 (Max)] [Health Auto-Recovery Lv.50 (Max)] [Stamina Lv.50 (Max)] [Strength Lv.38] [Vitality Lv.50 (Max)] [Dexterity Lv.44] Attack Skills: [Spear Arts Lv.37] [Defense Arts (Ice) Lv.22] [Guard Lv.29] [Parry Lv.23] [Ice Ball Lv.31] [Ice Wall Lv.41] [Shadow Spear Lv.26] Crafting Skills: [Create Bait Lv.44] Active Skills: [Frost Coat (Ice) Lv.26] [Shadow Decoy Lv.35] [Shadow Snare Lv.33] [Element Spear Lv.37] [Cover Lv.22] [Cover Move Lv.23] [Taunting Lv.14] [Quick Step Lv.18] [Energy Warfare Lv.4] [Hate Lure Lv.18] [Fish Storage Lv.23] Passive Skills: [Spear Proficiency Lv.50 (Max)] [Hammer Proficiency Lv.24] [Close Quarters Combat Lv.26] [Evasion Lv.27] [Battle Continuation Lv.14] [Fishing Lv.50 (Max)] [Gutting Lv.33] [Helmsmanship Lv.3] [Sleep Lv.50 (Max)] [Pierce Reinforcement Lv.6] [Weapon Reinforcement Lv.24] Resistance Skills: [Cooperation Lv.3] [Party Lv.4] Resistance Skills: [Ice Resistance Lv.12] [Shadow Resistance Lv.6] [Pain Resistance Lv.50 (Max)] Elements: [Ice Element Lv.3] [Lesser Shadow Element Lv.44]

Title List:

Title List: Achievement Titles: [Daredevil] [Pinch Breaker] [Ice Technique User] [Shadow Technique User] Hunting Titles: [Fish Slayer] [Monster Slayer] [Beast Slayer]

---

Garami's PoV:

Come, fishy, fishy... They're not coming. This "sport" sucks. And Alf is taking too long. Is there even fish in these waters?

"You have to be joking!" - ???

Is there a commotion going on? Prolly better than watering the fishing bait for no purpose.

I looked over and saw a girl... ANOTHER Flugel!? We already had Firis the half-angel (but 100% angel regarding her personality) and that grunt I "vined" up with the rest of Blot's crew back at Plain Island. This new entry is very fancy though. She's got waist-long silver hair and fashionable clothes with a purple motif. Even her halo is more impressive than the simple circle above the grunt Flugel's head. This one looks more like a "divine magic circle" if I need to call it something.

"Sorry, Miss. We don't have that item in store. Come back later." - Store clerk

"Oh, for the love of-!" - Flugel

"What's up?" - Garami

This seems interesting, so I decided to stick my nose into the problem.

"Huh. Who are...!!" - Flugel

"Go away. This ain't a sideshow." - Clerk

The (un)friendly clerk is selling rocks and gems. According to the sign, it's a material shop, specializing in accessories... Now I get it.

"So it's just simple, pretty rocks." - Garami

"Hey, I break my back every time I go to pick up those rocks! Show some respect! Unlike this lady, I mean. I said we don't have any more black-purple stones left, so get lost before you destroy my business!" - Clerk

"What business?" I asked in honest confusion, seeing as there are only old-time fishers here when you exclude us.

"...Alright, fine. You can stay. But I don't have any accessory stones of that particular coloring. Multi-colored stones always get sucked up by the tourists, so the rock fields have been plucked free from them." - Clerk

"Rock fields? You're kiddin'." - Garami

"I'm not talking about literal fields! I'm talking about the safe areas at Little Wasteland or Mayhem Island!" - Clerk

"Mayhem? Aren't there any safer places to pick up rocks?" - Garami

"Don’t push the blame on me. They only call it 'Mayhem' because of those weird shrines dedicated to monsters and the two Dungeons there on the island. It's still safer than the goblin-infested Iron Isle Mines or the volcanic Isla de Mina!" - Clerk

Wow. The value of the word "mayhem" is dirt cheap in this neighborhood. It's still fairly valuable in my book though. Quite interesting~.

"And what? You need black and purple rocks for something?" - Garami

"Eeeehh..." - Flugel

Hmm? What's up with her?

"These so-called artists are always so difficult! I've been trying to tell her I'm out of stock, but she doesn't listen!" - Clerk

"Hmm... Give me one of those and those." - Garami

"Huh? Thanks for your purchase?" said the clerk as he handed over a black and purple rock each. Wow, the stones in this world are quite colorful. I'd never expected it.

With the two rocks in hand, I took out the mini-Alchemic Circle from my storage and borrowed a bit of space on the clerk's stand. I placed the two rocks onto it and activated [Synthesis Cirlce]. If I'm right...

"WOW!!" - Clerk & Flugel

"There. What would you want for it?" - Garami

I showed the newly created black-and-purple stone to the Flugel, earning gasps of surprise from both her and the clerk. ...Actually, it came off pretty well. It looks more like a cheap gem now instead of a pebble.

"Hey, girlie! How did you-?" - Clerk

"Alchemy." - Garami

"Wow. For real? Maybe I should think about that..." - Clerk

"It's damn difficult to master, but I have the touch. Now, how much do you need?" - Garami

I returned my attention to the Flugel, who looked at the rock with eyes filled with admiration...or perhaps greed. It's a little confusing.

"...must be someone else..." - Flugel

"Say what?" - Garami

"Nothing! And, what are you suggesting?" - Flugel

"Give me the materials, and I'll make the rocks you need." - Garami

"For free!?" - Flugel

"I need to kill some time, and I get to earn alchemy experience as a bonus." - Garami

"...Clerk, give me as many fine stones as possible!" - Flugel

Yay~! Pastime activity acquired~.

---

A lot of alchemized rocks later, and Alf finally returned with his extra rod. Too bad he didn't need to go and fetch it, seeing as I haven't been using the rod I got at all. Alchemy is a much better time-killer for me. And way more effective.

"Garami, what are... Honestly, what are you doing?" - Alf

"Alchemy." - Garami

I'm sitting next to a literal heap of rainbow-colored rocks, and I'm still mass-producing them even now! I've even synthesized the color and/or durability of some materials into the webbing threads I can produce on my own, creating lots of colorful threads that can be used not only for weaving and tailoring but also for other types of crafts.

And just to mention it, the material shop clerk has closed his stall for the day. He was mumbling something about "having filled his quota" and "alchemy". He was nice to let me use the spot in front of his stall to mass-produce enhanced materials.

"Yes, I can see that. But what about this?" asked Alf as he pointed toward the second mountain of trash..., the second mountain of priceless items.

"Handcrafting." - Garami

The culprit behind the second mountain was too busy adoring her creations to pay notice to Alf. I am talking about the Flugel girl who used most of her wallet to buy materials that I could alchemize into fancier stuff. Then we sort of had a crafting marathon, resulting in the mess in front of the material stall. Whoops.

"What I wanna know is why you took so long." - Garami

"That is..., well, you can read for yourself." - Alf

Instead of answering me, Alf handed me a letter. It is sealed with a wax seal...with the emblem of the Nequitas organization. Now I get it. Blot is doing something again. Geez...

Dear Ms. Garami

I would like to once again apologize for the hardships our organization caused you and your comrades on Plain Island.

While it is not enough to be called an excuse, one of our operatives seems to have been responsible for an unexpected "hardship" from our side, and for this, we would like to further extend our apology.

The event I am talking about is the horde of wild cows you encountered on the first day you visited Plain Island. The culprit behind this incident can be traced back to us.

Originally, one of our operatives wished to test out your group's merit by launching a non-wounding attack. Due to complications, the arrow hit one of the Bluebulls grassing in the plain right beside your location at that time, causing them to go into a panic and almost harming Firis Ariens, the daughter of our business partner, Benjamin Ariens.

Due to this, we have decided to punish this individual. However, after the incident with the Badaboomb fruits, they managed to flee Plain Island and returned to Velantas city according to our intel.

Our assignment to you is to locate this individual and send her back to our office located in the city. Information regarding the individual and the location for the drop-off is included with this letter.

For your payment, we wish you to travel to the same location mentioned before and talk to an individual named "Armveil". Discuss your payment with him when you have spare time for it.

My deepest apologies and gratitude.

Blot Valvalgar

After reading the letter, I looked into the envelope and found some more pieces of paper there. They must be the documents the letter was talking about.

"So, what is your verdict?" - Alf

"About what? We'll just have to talk to this Arm-guy and ask if they got any clues..." - Garami

My words trailed off as I read the extra papers. It wasn't the one for the meeting place, even if that's what I was looking for at the start, but information regarding the idiotic subordinate who caused the rodeo back then. There are no pictures of them, but a warning that they have a special accessory that allows them to change their appearance. And that they are a Flugel, love crafting jewelry for themselves, and are quite well-taken by themselves...

I looked at the Flugel I'd been alchemizing items for now. She's too busy looking at her reflection in a hand mirror now while testing out the accessories she had made. And one of them, a pendant on her (quite pitiful) chest caught my eye. It looks almost the same as the "invisibility amulet" I had confiscated from Firis.

Can it be...? ......Now, where did I put that Web Bomb and the cloth for gagging people?