Chapter 368 - Headaches After Parties
Elliot stood at the roof of the inn. It was his last night to stay in Solaguer. The king sent a messenger and told them that the East wanted the diplomats to start their journey right away.
When he got back from the castle, both Katarina and Jameson weren't in his room where he left them. He said he'll be back, but the two didn't seem to have waited for him to return.
With a glass of beer in his hand, the boy felt the gentle breeze of the cold wind air. A clearing of the throat behind him made him snap out from his thoughts, but his eyes were still focused on the city lights.
"Have you decided on your plan?" Lance asked. "You said you want to create a guild, right? I'll give you my blessing in your new ordeal. In fact, I volunteer to become vice guild master."
Elliot looked at his friend in surprise, "Will you reall? But the guild needs you too. You can't just leave them."
"Ah," Lance nodded. "I already abandoned the throne, and now I'm abandoning them. That's what you think. But no, I'm just freeing myself and taking on new ventures in life. Azure Scorch helped me grow my own feathers, but it's time to leave the nest."
"B-But what will Frederick say?" Elliot asked, still hesitating. "What if he doesn't accept?"
"I think it's about time that I have a new right hand," Frederick's voice sounded from the corner. Elliot turned to look at the man with Luck and Midnight trailing behind him. "I think Aquarius wants to take the job. He said he'll stop with the Campaigns from now on."
When he couldn't believe it, Elliot gulped down the entire content of his glass. His face scrunched in regret after feeling how strong it was, "That was a terrible idea."
"Elliot, this is your chance," Lance said. "Fulfill what you said to me and don't make me regret for leaving the guild."
"I will," Elliot grinned and nodded. He raised his glass and sighed, "To our future endeavors of creating a guild."
"You better toast with them." Frederick stepped to the side, revealing Connor, Hope, and Ed behind him. He waved his hand before walking away with Luck and Midnight still behind him.
"You knew?" Elliot asked. "Lance, did you tell them?"
"I thought you were dying!" Lance defended. "I didn't have a choice but to tell them about your plan. You wanted to leave a legacy, I actually thought you croaked and was just pretending to sleep."
"Elliot, Elliot, Elliot," Connor walked close to Elliot and rolled his eyes. "We've been friends for so long– like a couple of months or so, but I'm pretty sure I'll always be by your side to help you. I owe you everything I have right now."
"Me too," Hope said with determined eyes. "And I'm sure Ed does too, wherever he is right now– oww."
Ed smacked the back of Hope's head. "I'm right here, you mutt."
This made Elliot chuckle. His friends heard this and all raised their glasses to toast. "To our future endeavors!"
–
"Wake up!"
Elliot felt someone shaking his shoulder. His eyes fluttered open and Florencia met his gaze. The girl had her hands on her waist and was pouting as she watched the boys sleeping on the roof, bodies strangling each other like a ball of yarn.
"Your position doesn't feel good," Florencia said. "I'm just watching you, and I could feel how uncomfortable that is."
Elliot raised his head to try and sit up, but he was binded on the ceiling by someone's leg. He groaned and pushed Ed's leg off, the boy rolling to the side where Viper had to ran and catch him before he falls.
"Mr. Elliot, please be careful," Viper said. He was gritting his teeth while using full force to pull the larger man's body up.
The roof wasn't flat, but it wasn't too steep either. It had just the right angle to stand on, but when someone would roll down, they will surely fall.
"I hate headaches in the morning," Elliot grunted.
Florencia shook her head, "And that is why Miss Iris is with us."
The woman in white robes walked to the group of boys and casted her magic. She said the chant under he breath while letting he tip of her staff glow with the white light.
The skill looked like it was a small sun that shone its rays over the boys. It didn't take long for them to finally sober up and one by one, sat up.
"It's almost noon already. How could you be so careless? All of you," Florencia scolded. "Especially you, Mr. Lance. I am so disappointed in you."
"Mind telling me why a midget is scolding us?" Ed rubbed his eyes while ruffling the angry girl's hair. She scoffed and tried to scratch him but the older man held her head to prevent her from reaching him. "Is this a girl or a cat?"
"Let her be, Ed," Elliot moaned, raising his arms and stretched it. "Oh, my god. Did you say it's almost noon?!"
"Yep," Florencia flattened her lips. "And everyone is waiting downstairs, including your envoy."
Elliot gulped, looking at Lance who had the same shocked look. "We're dead."
–
"Where are they?!"
The inn's living room was filled with the guild members. In the lobby's seat were four men with narrow eyes and pale skin. Their hair was black as the night and matched with the dark brown orbs of their eyes.
The four men wore similar clothing of an Eastern warrior outfit. It wad composed of a dark gray robe and with a red outlines, cuffs, and buttons. In the back of their robes were large symbols that were the only difference between them.
One had a sword, the other has an arrow, another one had a shield, while the final man had a staff in his back. The symbols were parted in the middle with different colors on each side, with black in the left and white on the right side.
"We're here!" Elliot rushed down the stairs. "I am very sorry for the delay. I am Elliot Max, Adventurer name APRIL."
"We don't have time for this," the man with the staff symbol said. He stood from the seat, with the others following him. "Let us go before the ship leaves us behind. I want to see my wife already."
"Ship?" Elliot quirked his brow up. "But we're too far from the shore. A ship couldn't possibly–"
"They're here," the man with the arrow symbol said to a small device. It was like a rectangular box with a small round bump in the middle. There was a small red orb that lit up at the upper left of the device. It lit up when the man spoke, and died down right after.
The entire inn shook, alarming the ones inside. Elliot and the others wanted to brandish their swords but the man with the staff symbol stopped them by raising his hand.
"It's just our ship," he said. "Let's go to the roof."
They got to the roof and Elliot stared at the gigantic floating ship above them. It was made of metal and had small rings on the bottom that lit up. The rings were embedded with magic and was the one making the ship fly.
"Oh, my god," Elliot gasped.