Novel Name:

 

chapter: 4

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Episode 4: My Place 

 

「Wow. I didn't sleep at all. ......」

 

Last night, after witnessing my fiancée's affair, I was rubbing my sleepy eyes and heading to the Adventurer's Guild.

 

In contrast to the crisp, sunny morning, my mind is a jumbled mess. A series of life-altering events had come together and I was not able to organize them properly.

 

How could I, a receptionist at an adventurer's guild invited to be an assistant to a court alchemist? I would still be more convinced if they said it was a joke but there is no reason for Mr. Caine to say such a thing, which makes it even more overwhelming.

Today will be my last day at work and I'm not excited about it.

 

「I think I'll let things run their course for a while. For now, let's just get through today somehow.」

 

I made up my mind to be careful not to show it on my face and as I proceeded in a calm manner, I arrived at the Adventurers' Guild.

 

When you step into the cursed place of work where your fiancé cheated on you, ......, you wonder what the hell is going on. My colleagues came running at a tremendous speed and surrounded me.

 

「Shall we talk about it?」

 

The person who spoke kind words to me was Alice, my closest friend and fellow receptionist at the Adventurers' Guild.

 

She was the first commoner friend that I, an aristocrat, ever opened up to and one of the few girls I could talk to without hesitation. Her companionable and open personality comforted me while living in an aristocratic society with strict hierarchical relationships.

 

Now it’s different. With Alice at the centre, colleagues have a strange aura around them making it difficult to speak to them properly.

 

「We have something to talk about, don't we?」

 

「Don't worry, I'll at least buy you dinner.」

 

「'Well, I guess I'll treat you to dessert.」

 

I wonder what happened. They are not supposed to know the cheating, but everyone treats them as if they realize everything.

 

「Ki, what's wrong all of a sudden?」

 

「「「It's fine, it's fine. Take it easy.」」」

 

What to do, they definitely know. ...... They always just greet everyone sleepily. It's absolutely unnatural to care so much.

 

「wait a minute. Isn’t it weird to know? It happened only yesterday! 」

 

The people who cheated would never talk about it and Mr. Caine is not the kind of person who would go around telling everyone about it. Of course, I didn't tell them either.

 

But it is a fact that it has been known.......

 

「It's already spread throughout the city.」

 

「Mia has a great reputation, all the more so because of it.」

 

「It's the son of a bong and a bitch, isn't it?」

 

Sudden confusion creates even more unpredictability.

 

Not only my fellow receptionists, but even the staff of the Adventurers' Guild, who were in different departments, rushed over to me, letting go of their morning preparations.

 

From the stubborn demolitionist who never talks much, to the accountant who is always angry-faced and strict about expenses, to the dietician lady who looks like a country mother. ......

 

「Throw the man with the mouth out there.」

 

「Shall I show you how to get alimony?」

 

「I'm so proud of you for coming to work, It was really good to see your face.」

 

As for my fiancée, I don't really think anything of it. I am even glad that we are about to break off the engagement.

 

But when I see so many other work colleagues approaching me and throwing kind words my way, it's kind of ...... no good. It makes me cry in another way to think that there are people who are so concerned about me.

 

「It's totally fine. Really, that ...... is fine.」

 

As I have been in tears since yesterday, everyone's kindness was more than I could bear.

 

「You're a bastard for making a woman cry.」

 

「I don't care if they are nobles or not.」

 

「I've seen so many things that make you cry I'm sorry I didn't notice before.」

 

No, I made you cry, guys~! Thank you so much already .......

 

Perhaps concerned about my loss of emotional control, Alice hugged me tightly and hid her face from me.

 

Her skin is even warmer, and I feel the wounds in my heart begin to heal.

 

I realized that it had been a huge emotional trauma that I didn't even know I was going through.

 

「What about work?」

 

「If you're ready to come back, we'll go to Guild master and ask him.」

 

「Without Mia, the nobleman's request would be insecure, after all.」

 

I would like to say that I don't want to think about it now ...... but the reality is harsh. I was supposed to leave my job today on a longevity leave.

 

If I ask the Guild master, he may be able to cancel the severance process and let me keep the job. But if Master Caine is serious about inviting me, I have a great desire to work as an assistant to a court alchemist.

 

Of course, it's not that I don't like working for the Adventurers' Guild and I'm blessed with a good group of friends. So, I think it would be good to get back to work.

 

However, it is just not a good omen where Master Zeal comes to deliver the alchemist's work, Katarina, a junior colleague with whom he is having an affair, and the site of a secret meeting.

It would also make everyone more concerned than they need to be.

 

Whenever possible, I want nothing to do with Master Zeal and Katarina as I was thinking ......, Alice's hand holding me in a hug, started gripping my hand.

 

「We'll talk about this later, I've got to get ready for the morning first.」

 

I am sure Katarina came to work at the Adventurer's Guild. They made sure that we didn't have to see each other.

 

「Thanks....... Everybody.」

 

 

 

I decided to follow Alice's instructions, thinking that what I had was a friend to have, regardless of my status.

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