Quest of Automata King

At the Adventurers Guild

“Robert!?” Mui shout surprised as he sees one of his roommate is standing at the counter table right beside him. Hearing that his name is being called, the Human turn his head, and notice the familiar face beside him. His pupil are widening in surprise either.

“M-Mui!” call Robert. He is leaning forward in front of the table, looks like waiting for one of the attendant to come and serve him information.

“What a surprise seeing you here! I thought you went to the library to doing your homework with your study group!” said Mui a little bit surprised. Robert is the kind of person that does not really talk much. He read lots of book, and at night Mui and the other usually find out that he is in the middle of reviewing today’s lesson.

Even Mui himself thinking that Robert himself putting far more effort than what he gives on the school.

“Well, at first that was what I wanted, but after that i decide to go to the city. There is something that intrigues me,” reply Robert. Little bit of sweat rolling down his forehead. Mui think that it was not very strange, since these amount of people must have make the temperature inside the room risen.

“What about you Mui? I don’t guess that you’re going to give up and turn to be adventurer aren’t you?” said Robert with a glimpse of smile on his face.

Mui response with a giggle, although those words are little but hurt for him.

“What are you talking about? I’m just here for something that related to the assignment given by Miss Chiro,” said Mui.

Robert’s eyebrow lifted. “Is that so?” said him as he looking back to the front, apparently waiting for receptionist who haven’t came after some minutes. “Anyway, what tasks do you need that makes you come to the adventurer’s guild all along?” asked Robert.

“Haha, the task is simple, but the meant to achieve it is difficult,” Mui scratching the back of his head with the topic that they are talking about.

“How come?”

“Well, Miss Chiro wanted us to make certain potion,” Mui started to tell the whole ordeal of their problem in the first place. He also tell him about the teamup with Emmellia and Betty, but not about the problem that they are facing yesterday.

“I see... So, where are Karas and Raul?” asked him, which Mui answer by shaking his head.

“Looks like they are too tired after walking all day yesterday. On the other hand, Emmellia is tending our approval if the task demand us to go outside of the schools for a little bit longer time,” explain Mui, which Robert answer with a nod.

“Ah... This potion that you’re talking about, could it be The Caitsih?” he asked.

“That’s... Right! But how did you know?” Mui is a little bit surprised that Robert also know about it.

He put his finger on his chin, as if thinking about something. “Well, i’ve heard it for some time, but Caitsih are not the kind of potions that are made by novice mages, let alone appreantice that haven’t finished the school’s education,” he explain.

“Huh?” slight voice escaped Mui’s mouth as he hear about the information.

“Well, one of most important ingredients are Feline’s Eyes, especially the one owned by big monster species such as Byakkos, or Manticore. Without proper battle abilites and preparations, or strong teammate, going to this feat will only lead to suicide,” explain Robert.

“Well, it’s makes sense when you put it that way...” Mui smiled awkwardly. Indeed, Chiro said that she aims for every team to create highest quality Caitsih that they could make. But Betty and Emmellia said that to be able to do that, you need ingredients that coame form a very dangerous beast.

“B-but what about you Robert? I thought that we did aim for the same thing,” said Mui.

Robert looking slightly to the left. “To be honest, not very interesting. Chiro asked us to make medium grade Farsee with the available ingredients. That is too easy, that almost everyone in the class pass right away,” said Robert.

“Farsee?” Mui raises his eyebrow with words that sounds like question.

“Ah, well, Farsee have the ability to increase the ability of someone’s vision several kilometers away. The ingredients are available straight away, and their stocks are not stricted like Feline’s Eye.” Explain Robert.

Mui showed a surprised expression when he heard that. Why did his class got a very difficult assignment, while class B can finish their tasks right away? Beside, if Caitsih was highly demanded like Chiro said, isn’t it mean that the kingdom will take their ingredients in time of needs like this?

Then it doesn’t make sense when she said that she wanted a high-grade potion while the rest of the students can only make lesser one with available ingredients.

While Mui is thinking hard with difficult expression on his face, Robert starring at him with a blank expression. As if he thinks about something over his roommate, and the story that he just give.

“Hey Mui...” said Robert, those words suddenly making Mui get up from the daydream that he is wondering about.

“Oh? Sorry, what is wrong Robert?” replied Mui, but all he got is a blank starring from the Human.

“...No, nothing,” said him, and Robert back focused to the front of the counter, waiting for the receptionists. Mui lift his eyebrow again, curious about what his friend is going to say. But not long after that, a voice coming from the front of them.

“Sorry for waiting! Pardon us!”

A Human and a cat-Beastgirl quickly arrive to the reception desk. They are wearing neat office uniform that showing off the curves of their body, and the size of their chest. Accomodated by their face, it’s make sense that the adventurers guild are always full of people.

“Thank you for waiting! What we can do for you today?” asked them, almost at the same time.

Mui glancing slightly toward Robert, he and the human receptionist already started their conversation. While he still trying to guess what Robert is trying to ask.

“Um... Pardon me sir, may I help you?” asked the receptionist. She is a Beastgirl with dark-colored cat attribute that for some reason remind Mui to Aya.

“Ah, yes. I wanted to ask about the expedition matter that was posted outside of the guild,” said Mui, shifted his focus with the matter at hand.

“The expedition to Guarvangat right? Sure! What can I help?” asked her.

“Well, I wonder if me and my teams are possible to join in the expedition?” asked Mui.

For a moment, the girl showing some kind of difficult expression. She is glancing at Mui’s appearence that showing nothing that look like a adventurer. The girl flipping notebook in front of her, until she back to Mui.

“Apparently, to applying into this expedition, you needed to be a member of adventurers guild sir, May I ask you to show identification letter?” asked her. As if electricity shocking Mui, he answer the receptionist with a little bit stuter.

“I... haven’t applying for the guild yet,” answer Mui.

The receptionist looking at him with a slightly dissapointed face as if saying i told you so. She let out a little bit sigh, and then resume to her explanation.

“I’m very sorry sir, but the one who could apply for the expedition are members of adventurer guild and their company. Without it, you cannot join,” said the receptionist.

“I see, but are there anything else I can do?” asked Mui.

The receptionist shake her head. “Once more, i’m apologize. But following with the guilds regulation, and to avoid unecessary conflict in the future, we decide that the rule have to be uphold however it’s possible,” she said.

***

Mui started to panic, he asked every scenario possible to join the expedition, but the answers all the same. The receptionsit keep shaking her head, and said that without joining the guild, Mui have no way to go to Guarvangat. Therefore, there is almost no way that they could finish the good-quality caitsih.

“Sir? If you have no question left, then would you move? I afraid that you’re blocking the queue.”

When Mui looked behind, he realized that there are already huge buffy men with giant sword on his back. Mui almost jumped in surprise, and in turn, the man gazing at him sharply.

“Are you finished, boy?” asked him.

“Y-yeah. Thanks, i’m going now,” said Mui.

When Mui looked to the side, he notice that Robert is not there. He did not realized it, maybe he is already done when his receptionist say that the expedition require identification letter. Mui walked to the back of guild, heading to the entrance.

But when Mui going to touch the handle, a hand catches his shoulder.

“Hey, traitor.”

That voice is ringing throughout Mui’s ear. He notices it from yesterday, the heavy voice owned by the Devil that fairly young. The one that almost take his life with a blade.

“Har-!” Mui almost finished his voice, but not until he cut his words right away.

“Stay quiet, I just want to talk,” said Harvest.

Mui and Harvest moving from the entrance door to the corner of the room where they would not bother anyone’s way. Different from yesterday night, he is not wearing the suspicious attire of a thieves, instead he wear a leather armor on top his blue shirt, and a sword hanging on his hip.

Mui did not notice it previously, but Harvest have red spiky hair, with piercing on his mouth and ear. His eyes a little bit smaller than what Mui remember, and his red flamey pupil did not decrease the sense of danger that Mui receive when he face him.

Harvest also wearing a headgear with slight adjusment to his horn. The goat horn that he have is much smaller than Mui’s and it is far more  manageable to hide. Meanwhile, Mui have to make a hole on his hat, or wear hoodie, to just hide the fact that he is a Devil.

“What do you want?” asked Mui slightly suspicious to the man that have attacked him yesterday.

Harvest rolling his eye, he looked rather displeased to see the man that he almost kill yesterday acting cold toward him. But after that, he handed a pouch with metal sound inside of it.

“This is...?” mumble Mui.

“That is the money from one of your friend that I took yesterday,” said Harvest.