Johannes could also see Roberta Hofmann, a beautiful woman who had come as far as rank #50. He also saw Hermann Hohenstaufer in the background, who achieved the #60th number. Last but not least, there was Jasper Engelshaar, who was ranked #69. An ensemble of great Divers stood right in front of the giant portal.
Siegfried carefully addressed the horde of reporters that swarmed around him and his group as if they were flies.
"My dear ladies and gentlemen. It is I, Siegfried, the founder of Goldlocke Guild. We, our strongest raid party consisting of the strongest of our guild, just cleared Arachno's Lair with a small group of five people."
Arachno's Lair? Ew. Sounds like it would have spiders.
A stream of comments flooded Johannes's screen. One particular comment stood out to him because it was scarce nowadays.
Anon 1812 wrote, "Goldlocke Guild? What's that kinda thing?"
How couldn't he know the guild if he's watching the stream?
Johannes was in disbelief. Have there really been people who had no idea what this rising guild was?
No, wait. He may be from a different part of the world. Not everybody has to be from Germany and know each guild.
SiegfriedFan2006 immediately replied, "Don't you know who those people are? Goldlocke Guild is one of the first attempts to self-administer an organisation of aspiring Divers in a world of rising dangers. You'd better be grateful they exist!!
What a jerk. It could have been worded nicer.
Carefully choosing his words, he continued his speech.
"Our team of five Divers cleared this SS-Rank dungeon in no time. It barely took us 72 hours. We will forfeit our rights to the dungeon's goods and let the government handle the rest. To provide for the citizens of our country, we will keep working hand in hand with governmental authorities to let as many groups enter the dungeon as possible."
A murmur started to heat up. Did Siegfried really give away his rights to the dungeon he had cleared? And not only that but also the rights for an SS-Rank dungeon?
That was unheard of, but to Johannes, it was a sign of his genuine character and wish to support the citizens. This would bring in a lot of money for the country and let local Divers earn some good money, too.
"With that, I would like to conclude my speech here. We will have a well-deserved rest if you excuse."
Siegfried and his party left the stage with these words and were guided to a huge black van with tinted windows.
The reporters started to ask questions and hesitantly followed the group after the sudden conclusion. However, they were not only faster, but their powers could also be intimidating. Thus, the reporters kept a safe distance.
Adrenaline pumped into Johannes' head. This felt like a historical moment. Nobody had ever given up the rights of an SS-Rank dungeon to support their government.
Not even in other countries. He clenched his fist as hard as he could and shook it joyfully. Siegfried was going to get even more famous today.
He may gain some international recognition.
A loud knock disrupted his thoughts. His stare wandered onto the door, where the handle slowly moved down with an eerie tone. He was full of anxiety due to his mother's earlier words. Was she going to come in?
If he could, Johannes would not have asked his mother to come in the first place. But his workout was too important not to talk with her. This could not hinder his workout - he would not do the penalty today.
Despite lingering concerns, a flicker of anticipation washed over him at the thought of seeing Naime again. His sister had been dedicating her time and energy to the success of her business, putting a lot of energy into each venture.
Although her earnings were modest, she managed to lead a comfortable life; with no living expenses to worry about while residing with their mother, she was free to focus on her aspirations without financial strain.
It was his sister who had knocked. Her mother asked her to come. Luckily, she had enough workers in her flower shop to be away for one or two hours.
That's the first time I'll see her, since… Dad died. Isn't that kinda sad?
Now that he had thought about it, he regretted not calling her, though he knew she could have done the same.
Naime was roughly 1,60 metres tall, a bit older than Johannes, and had brunette hair and brown eyes. The two had been compared only in terms of their similar, fragile-looking figures. They did not really look like siblings.
"Oh god, hi. I am sorry that I haven't come earlier." Naime's face looked full of sorrow. She stormed to Johannes' bed.
Itlooked as if the grief of her father's loss had just been refreshed. Seeing her brother must have unlocked something that she was repressing until now.
"You… really… You… You… Can breathe? No machines involved?"
Her eyes squinted. They looked into each other's eyes, and her mouth twitched
uncontrollably, leaving a temporary wrinkle on her chin.
Tears streamed from her eyes, and she hugged Johannes tightly.
Interrupting this heartfelt moment, their mother entered the room through the wooden oak door. Loud clicking sounds created by her ember high heels stomping over the vinyl flooring flooded the room step after step.
"There you are. You ran in so quickly, Naime." Their mother was slightly out of breath and increasingly gasped with every metre she walked.
Her step slowed down when she saw the two siblings hug. Her mouth opened slightly as she gazed upon them, producing a slight noise.