Chapter 46: The Thirty-Minute Lie [ Bonus Chapter ]

Visited where?” one friend asked.

Pax exhaled slowly through his nose as if savoring the moment. “He went to a place called… the Adventurer Guild.”

The effect was immediate. Chairs scraped against floors as patrons leaned closer from several tables away.

“The what?”

“Adventurer… what is that?”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

Pax grinned wider; he had them right where he wanted them. “It’s a brand new establishment,” he said, infusing his voice with mystery.

“A place where people can post difficult, dangerous,tasks and have powerful Warriors complete them. A hub for missions, hunts, retrievals… anything you can’t manage yourself.”

Another voice piped up from nearby: “So like hiring mercenaries?”

Pax wagged a finger playfully. “Better! Much better! Unlike mercenaries, the Adventurer Guild regulates everything,fixed rates, fair payment, guaranteed completion. No scams or cheating; everything is recorded.”

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Someone whistled while another muttered, “This… this is quite interesting…”

But Pax wasn’t finished yet; he leaned in closer and lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “And do you know what Cassian Thaumas went there for?”

Five men shook their heads vigorously.

“Tell us!”

“Hurry up!”

“Stop dragging it out!”

With a swift motion, Pax slammed his palm onto the table, making drinks tremble. “He posted a mission!”

“What?!”

“No way!”

“Cassian Thaumas posted a mission? In some small unknown place?!”

People from two tables over were now openly staring.

Pax nodded gravely. “He needed rare ingredients,difficult ones of Silver-Grade quality, and said he trusted this new establishment might be the future of problem-solving in our region.”

Someone gasped so loudly it echoed across the room.

But Pax wasn’t done yet. “And get this…” he said, shaking his head with exaggerated flair, “the mission was completed in—hold on to your seats—less than thirty minutes!”

His first friend dropped his fork in shock.

The second friend almost spewed his drink.

The third looked at Pax as though he had just performed a miracle.

“That’s impossible!” one exclaimed.

“No way a mission involving rare ingredients could be that quick!” another countered.

“Isn’t Cassian Thaumas always complaining about how slow people are?” someone added.

Pax shrugged nonchalantly. “That’s precisely why he praised the Adventurer Guild. He said it was efficient and dependable, even hinted that he might list future missions there.”

Gasps erupted from the nearby tables.

“No way?!”

“Cassian Thaumas actually praised something?!”

“Where is this place?!”

“Tell us everything!”

“It must be pricey!”

“Oh, I bet the nobles are already flocking there.”

Pax raised his hand for quiet, his demeanor suddenly serious,as if he were about to share a profound secret.

“The Adventurer Guild,” he declared, “is on the eastern side of Gryphon District. It’s a small but well-kept building run by a fellow named Guildmaster Sage.”

Quiet whispers spread through the crowd as they exchanged glances. The name “Sage” floated among them like pollen in the breeze.

“What’s he like?” someone asked eagerly.

“Is he strong?” another questioned.

“Is he a noble?” came a third inquiry.

“Do we have to pay to post missions there?”

Pax breathed in, relishing the growing excitement.

“He’s neither a noble nor a mage, and definitely not some pompous jerk,” Pax explained. “He’s calm, strict, and efficient, and his place genuinely cares about helping people.”

Someone scoffed, clearly skeptical. “Sounds too good to be true.”

Pax grinned with confidence. “If Cassian Thaumas trusts it, who are we to doubt?”

A shiver of anticipation swept through every table close enough to hear.

Then Pax went even further, beyond what Sage himself might have envisioned.

“Word has it,” he whispered conspiratorially, lowering his voice to create a sense of suspense, “that Cassian Thaumas believes this place could become a cornerstone of service in the city. If the Adventurer Guild truly takes off… it might change how everyday folks tackle their problems forever.”

He paused dramatically before adding, “He also suggested that this establishment could shift the entire social structure of Greyvale City and…”

He glanced around cautiously and leaned in; everyone at the nearby tables mirrored his action, eyes wide with anticipation.

“It might even reshape the social structure of the whole kingdom.” Pax delivered this final line with a look of mock disbelief, as if he couldn’t quite believe it himself.

“Hissss!”

The crowd around Pax collectively gasped, their eyes wide with shock and mouths agape as if they could fit a fist inside.

One person clamped a hand over theirmouth in disbelief. Another muttered a quick prayer, while a third shot up from their seat, seemingly inspired by some divine spark.

Within moments, chatter erupted around Pax’s table about the Adventurer Guild.

Some debated whether the tale was exaggerated; others eagerly speculated on the types of missions they could undertake. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement and anticipation, exactly what Pax had hoped for.

As the rumor spread like wildfire,from table to table.

Pax leaned back in his chair, observing the lively discussions unfolding around him. He took a leisurely bite of his food, savoring the flavors with a satisfied smile.

“This kid really knows how to play his cards,” he mused, thinking about Sage’s cleverness.

He was taken aback by how Sage had managed to leverage a renowned alchemist to promote his business.

Alchemists are highly respected figures, and it’s quite unusual for anyone to use them as stepping stones; in fact, most wouldn’t dare treat an alchemist as a mere promotional tool.

Sage was truly breaking new ground with this approach. Pax shook his head at the audacity of it all and thought, “I just hope Cassian Thaumas isn’t the type to hold grudges. If things go south, I could lose my ten gold coins.”

With a sigh, he took another bite of his meal while glancing at the crowd still engaged in their animated conversations.

This was just the beginning. Greyvale City was already on edge.

———

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