After Ezekiel departed, Viola took a moment to steel herself, standing still for a brief moment as she gathered her thoughts and steadied her breathing. She then began her own preparations, moving with quiet determination, because she was heading to the Palladium Guild to enlist.
The moment she arrived at the guild hall, the atmosphere changed. People stared openly as she walked through the lobby, their conversations fading mid-sentence as her presence cut through the usual noise.
She submitted her application, and the staff members attending to her were nauseatingly positive. They practically tripped over themselves to please her, their forced smiles and overly eager tone making the interaction feel insincere and almost performative. Their sycophancy was so transparent that it almost made her laugh, though she kept her expression composed. Within minutes, she received an invitation to see the guild leader for a private talk.
