The next few days became rather hectic.
By now, news of the incident had made waves throughout the entire island. Reporters swarmed the front of the Guild like a pack of hyenas, news articles popping out one after another.
It became especially hard for me since I was one of the main targets of the reporters.
In the end, the only way for me to get into the building was by sneaking into the parking area and then entering the main building.
"...This is why I don’t want to be famous."
Leaning against the elevator mirror, I wiped my sweaty forehead. I shivered just thinking about the eyes of the reporters as they looked at me.
The past couple of days had been tough for me.
Really hard...
Especially when reels and clips of me kicking Ariel started to trend all over the internet. I wasn’t one to use social media much, but I could practically see my face plastered everywhere.
’I’ve become some sort of meme.’
The Lunatic with the Sunglasses. The Maniac with the Sunglasses...
I groaned just thinking about all of the titles that were passing around.
’It’ll pass. Yeah, this is just a phase.’
Despite telling myself this over and over again, my stomach churned. This was a lot more than I had bargained for.
Ding—!
But things weren’t just bad outside.
They were rather bad inside as well.
The moment I stepped out of the elevator and the other guild members took a look at me, they paused, whispers starting to fill the place.
"....."
I could only take in the scene with a poker face while trying my best to move towards my office without getting stopped.
’Let me be. I don’t want to talk with anyone. Please don’t approach me.’
This was just my introversion.
I hated humans. More specifically, people whom I didn’t know.
’Please let me. Please—’
"Seth."
"Fuck."
"Huh...?"
"Eh?"
I blinked my eyes slowly, turning my head to stare at a pair of green eyes. She stared at me with her mouth agape, pointing her finger at herself, "Did you just..."
"No, it wasn’t meant for you."
"But it sure d—"
"No."
I cut Zoey off before she continued.
"I bit my tongue."
"...."
I pursed my lips and changed the conversation.
"What is it?" At the same time I spoke, I looked around. I was standing in the middle of the department, and with the fact that I was standing with Zoey, the eyes that were drawn in my direction were even more than before.
’Please kill me.’
"No, it’s nothing much."
Zoey brushed her blonde hair behind her ear, exposing the nape of her neck. For a moment, I found myself staring at it. However, I quickly took my gaze away as she handed me a drink.
"Here."
"This is...?"
I looked at the drink in confusion. It looked like coffee. It was... coffee?
"I heard about what happened with your team member. I just wanted to... ehm, well, I just wanted to say cheer up. I watched the clip, and I think you did well. So... yeah." Zoey nodded, handing me the drink. "Cheer up."
"....."
Dazed, I grabbed the drink.
This...
She was cheering me up? The Zoey who could barely stay in the same room as me for more than five minutes...? My eyes narrowed, staring at the drink in my hand with deep apprehension.
’It can’t be that she pois—’
"Oh."
Zoey’s voice echoed from behind. Turning my head, I saw her snap her fingers a couple of times.
"Uh, wait. I think there was something else."
Snap!
"Errr... What was it again?"
Snap! Snap!
"That’s..."
Snap! Snap—!
"What was it again? Umm. I’ve got it at the tip of my tongue..."
Snap! Snap! Snap!
"Ah!"
Snap!
"Right... Myles! He’s looking for you."
Those were a lot of snaps... Huh, wait. What did she just say?
"Did you say Myles was looking for me.... Ah." By the time I realized what she had said, she was already gone. I could only stand in place, holding onto the drink in my hand. I stared at it for a good moment before shaking my head.
’Whatever.’
I was curious about what the rat would want from me, but before that, I needed to get to my office. The stares were starting to get to me.
Clank—!
"Haa."
I only sighed in relief once I entered, feeling a massive weight fall away from my shoulders.
This was one of the only places where I felt safe.
Dropping my bag onto the table, I turned my attention towards the painting opposite me. I really wanted to put the painting away, but for whatever reason, whenever I put it away, it would just return to the same spot.
’...It’s pretty troublesome.’
Thankfully, I usually held a veil on top to keep it hidden.
But—
Swooosh!
A certain someone didn’t like the veil.
A small head popped out right after. I didn’t wait for her to say anything and opened the drawer next to me before tossing a pack of chips in her direction.
"Good."
Pleased, Mirelle began to eat her chips while I maintained my gaze on her.
"What...?"
As if unsettled by my stare, Mirelle’s eyes narrowed. Her gaze flicked between the chips and me before she shifted them behind her, her posture turning guarded.
"I don’t want your chip."
"Really...?"
Mirelle’s eyes narrowed further, her hand carefully entering the bag of chips before shoving a handful into her mouth.
Crunch. Crunch. CRUNCH.
She kept her gaze on me the entire time, her small body tense, ready to defend her prized possession at all costs.
CRUNCH!
This girl...
Shaking my head, I turned my attention away from her.
The reason why I had been staring at her was because of the gate incident from before and the vision that I had seen. The one where I had seen her with her family. I had tried asking her about it, but all she said was, ’I don’t remember. I’m not sure.’
It made me start to question the entire situation.
I knew that her parents were involved with the cult, but was the hotel the reason why they had joined the cult?
In that case...
’Was that past that I saw the moment they became trapped by the cult and forced them to do the things that they did to Mirelle?’
I really wanted to use my third node on her, but just barely held myself back. I needed to ask her permission before doing that. I could just imag—
To Tok!
A sudden knocking sound brought me away from my thoughts.
Turning my attention towards the door, I saw it open before my very eyes as an all too familiar bowl cut entered my vision.
My mood immediately soured as the rat entered, quietly scanning the room before closing the door behind him. He wore a black turtleneck beneath a gray coat, paired with brown pants that balanced the look.
’He seems to have just arrived at the Guild.’
My eyes narrowed as I looked at him, but I managed to retain my cool as he pointed at the seat opposite me.
"Is it okay if I sit?"
No, get out.
"...Do as you please."
The rat smiled and pulled the chair back, sitting down comfortably before scanning the room and turning his attention towards the painting behind me.
For a moment, I felt something within his gaze flicker.
I started to have a terrible feeling.
"Do you have anything to say to me? I’m sure you didn’t come here for no reason."
I quickly diverted his attention back towards me. Thankfully, it seemed to work as he turned his head to face me. As he did, the sinking feeling grew.
And then—
"You’re the Jester."
The temperature dropped.
A pair of dimples appeared.
"I’m right, aren’t I?"