Confronting the Guild's Secrets

I wake up tired because when I sleep, the sun has already begun to rise. I'm not one to play any type of prank, and I am still thinking about what I will dress up in because, unlike clothes, it is dresses and one piece, and I don't have any training clothes. So, while everyone is asleep, I sneak into Ethan's room to browse through his clothes.

He's the only one with many T-shirts and different types of clothing that are good for training. I find a good white shirt and plan to get pants because I have a really small waist. After quietly taking them, I head to the bathroom to change. Once dressed, I tie my hair into a ponytail using some ribbons, thinking I'm in good shape for training.

However, I don't want to see Eric. I know he is the Guild Master, but I am still not comfortable because he always makes jokes. His jokes always make me feel so low and weak, and all my effort feels wasted. I have to adapt somehow, but I feel so shameless, like I have no pride.

I will say all this effort and acceptance are for my people, and these small lies just make me a little more accepting of whatever will come next. Feeling bored because no one else is awake, I decide to walk around inside the guild building. I go to the administration office, and she was so happy. No one else is around, and thankfully, she's not the grumpy redhead; she is the youngest one in this Guild and a nice person.

"Good morning! I hope you have a good day. I have some questions. Where is the place of training? I don't know the name yet," I ask her. She looks at me confused because no one else is in the building, and most of them are sleeping. Nonetheless, she begins to tell me that this place is called the arena.

All the adventurers go there to train in different areas for different statuses. She gives me directions, which is easier for me because I'm starting to understand directions in this place. When I walk to the arena, there's no one. I look around, and all types of weapons are displayed for training purposes.

I look at different types of swords, but they all look heavy to me. I clench my fist, realizing I'm just walking around without a purpose. But then I see a little boy running toward the weapons display, holding a wooden sword. I begin to think if I should pick one of these wooden swords because at least I have to see how to hold it.

When I go to the little boy, he looks at me so angrily as if he despises me. He's rude, but I don't let my pride get to me because I have to destroy my pride; the enemy is myself.

I get one of the wooden swords and begin to swing it around, trying to figure out what I have to do with it. When I glance at the kid, he begins to laugh at me as if I am a joke. I don't blame him because it's my first time using a sword. He gets close to me and points at me, saying, "How did the guild master let you in this place? You can't even use a wooden sword. I am better than you; he always praises me and tells me I am the best one among all the kids."

He looks at me so proudly, and his face looks so cute, like a little bear who catches the first fish in his life. I put my hand on my face, wanting to go back to my childhood, but nothing worked. Oh, with the pain, I think I need a daughter; children are so cute, anyway.

I go to this kid and ask, "Little Bear, can you tell me what the Guild Master's training is and how? Just give me what you do to get that strong." I praise him in the best possible way, like I give him the highest type of praise, just to get information. He looks at me with his eyes sparkling and begins to explain everything to me.

This explanation is killing me, eh... He continues, speaking with his eyes, "So, we first begin running around the arena. It looks a little big, but we get faster every time. We have to walk or run around 10 to 100 times every day, 100 push-ups, 50 sit-ups, and we can hold some weight. But he won't let us do so much training, just once a week. Do you want to train with me? Because all my friends don't like to do that type of training; they say it is painful."

Sadly, I agree with his friend. He's still a baby; you have to understand how to care for himself. I am happy about how Eric cares for the children. I will train with this kid as a companion, even if I need the tiny small boy, who is stronger than me.

So, I begin to run with him, but the sound of a man yelling the name John, as if someone is missing, interrupts. The little boy ran out of the arena, and I think he is the person named John. I didn't stop running because I'm still on my fourth loop. After some time, my legs begin to hurt from running fast. It's a little reckless; I don't know if I have to ignore it or not. But I sit on the ground to catch my breath.

The man who was yelling enters the arena. He is muscular and handsome; my heart is weak to handle some people. But I couldn't identify who he is because I was at the end of the arena, and he was at the beginning, far away. So, after waiting, he begins to get closer.

As he comes nearer, I am shocked to my core; he was the Guild Master. I didn't expect that he would come to me at this time; it was too early, and I didn't like it that much. I took my word for it; he is not handsome. But after he gets so close to me, he looks at me, sitting on the ground, "What are you doing? Because I see you with that little kid, doing some type of training."

I didn't expect someone so elegant. But I think the desperation he gave me yesterday was paying off. Anyway, about the little kid and his training, I will do the same but more intensely. He instructs me to eat with him at the table because the portion of the food will get bigger, and now, to finish a hundred loops in the arena.

I was so annoyed, but I got up and continued running in this loop. I got so exhausted at the end of that day; I finished most of the loops and did some setups, but more than that, I couldn't. My legs hurt so much, and my stomach begins to make noises, and I get hungry, so I stop for a second and talk to myself, "I am so hungry; I want to stop. Plus, I didn't see Sylvia or Ethan. I just want to return."

I didn't realize that he was a little bit close, so he could hear everything I said. I began to regret what I was saying because I didn't want them to hear me or even interact with me. But suddenly, he held me and lifted me between his hand. I didn't expect this. He looks at me directly in the eyes

"I am going to see his face, and I am shocked to my core. He was the Guild Master. I didn't expect him to come to me at this time because it was too early, and I didn't like it that much. I took my word that he is not handsome, but after he gets so close to me, he looks at me sitting on the ground and asks, 'What are you doing with that little kid? Training?'

I didn't expect someone so elegant, but I think the desperation he gave me yesterday was paying off. Anyway, about the little kid and his training, I will do the same but more intensely. He asks me to eat with him at the table because the portion of the food will get bigger, and he instructs me to finish a hundred loops in the arena.

I was annoyed, but I got up and continued running. At the end of that day, I finished most of the loops and did some setups, but my legs hurt so much, and my stomach began to make noises. I was so hungry, but I didn't see Sylvia or Ethan. I just wanted to return.

I didn't realize that he was close enough to hear everything I said. I began to regret speaking because I didn't want them to hear me or interact with me. Suddenly, he held me and lifted me as if I'm a burden. 'It's enough for today. Let's go; I'm getting hungry,' he said coldly.

He gave me chills. Why is he so cold to me? Okay, I hate him, but he doesn't have to be that mean. I don't want to make him an enemy because he is my best friend's friend. Nevertheless, he walked toward the cafeteria where every type of adventurer comes, and everyone saw us. I was so embarrassed, especially Ethan, who looked angry.

I tried to hit and pinch his hand, but it was no use. He let me down on the chair. But at that moment, he quickly moved toward my table and looked at Eric, smiling. 'So, how was Mia's training? She looks like she worked hard, right, my best friend?'

On the other hand, he was looking at me, smirking happily, and putting his hand on my shoulder as if he were my teacher. 'She is a hardworking girl, but she didn't do much muscle; it's her first day. Don't worry; she works so hard to catch up. Everything is going according to the plan.' Ethan seemed displeased, and I didn't know what plan they were discussing.

My heart didn't feel at ease because I felt like I'd been used. I think when people say kindness is like poison, it's because it's like giving them the perfect excuse to use you. Because I was so kind and desperate, Ethan or Eric might use me now because one of them is a little bit suspicious.

Even if I want to forget the way they treat each other, it's like we can be friends but also enemies. It's different from what I see. Anyway, the only thing I am thinking about now is a pile of food that Eric put on the table. I look at him nervously and point at them, 'Are you expecting me to eat all this food? You know that I can't.'

He smiles and looks at everyone. When I glance at some of the adventurers, they have more food than me. I was shocked and terrified. 'Look, girl, you have to eat to get stronger. Your arm doesn't even have meat, so if anyone wants to eat you, they'd just find some sticks and bones. You have to eat a lot of meat, do you understand?' I nod and try to eat as much as I can, but after a couple of plates, I feel so full, like a pregnant woman. 'I can't eat more; I'll stop here and go to my room. Bye, Eric.'

I go to my room without even looking at his face, get into bed, and sleep like a dead woman. Eventually, I wake up to a weird noise, rubbing my eyes. I look at the windows, and it's a little bird, the same one that brought me the letter from my mother. Now it has another letter that makes me excited. I get it, open it slowly, not wanting to make noise, and begin to read it. As I expected, for some reason, my mother knows everything. But the most interesting thing in this letter is it has six types of symbols. I don't know their purpose for now, but I will return to my sleep because I'm still tired. Mother, please wait just a month for me to be ready to see you again."