Chapter Twenty-One: Monsters Behind the Name
The inspector could arrive tomorrow. Or the day after.
My anxiety had already unpacked its maleta and made itself a cup of 3-in-1 coffee, making my hands clumsy as I stacked a new shipment of lighters. Each metallic click sounded just a little off, like even the flame was nervous.
"Kuya Pepito!" Marikit called cheerfully after we'd closed up for the day, her voice like sunshine in human form. "The new brooms are almost all gone again!"
"That's great," I said with a forced grin, glancing at our increasingly empty shelves. In this world, smooth toothpicks were practically sorcery, and brooms that actually swept? Revolutionary. Every sale added a nice cha-ching to my head—a comforting melody of profit.
Running the shop had taught me two things. One: product display is a legit art form. Two: I was a disaster at it. Thank God for Marikit. The girl could make a mop look like a fashion statement.
"Hey, could you arrange these too?" I asked, pulling out more goods from my Imbakan. I'd already let her in on the secret—no reason to keep it hidden. She'd just nodded, eyes wide with wonder, and gave me the kind of solemn look usually reserved for anime protagonists receiving their first sword.
"No problem!" she chirped.
And right on cue: squeak—the front door opened. Tak and Mina strolled in. Tak had his usual chill confidence. Mina looked like she hadn't slept in three days but was holding it together out of sheer caffeine and sarcasm.
I raised an eyebrow. "Behold: Sarimanook's newest power couple."
"Hey, man. How's business?" Tak boomed, already halfway to the counter.
"Congrats," I grinned. "May you both be happy. And may you both step on Legos in your sleep."
Tak blinked, then cracked up. Mina, bless her, just sighed with the weariness of someone whose dating life now came with side quests.
"Oh," Tak said, switching gears. "Tina mentioned a big-shot inspector from another Adventurers' Guild is visiting. That true?"
"Yup. Mayor Susan wants me to dazzle them with modern goods and Pinoy charm," I explained.
"Let 'em see what your shop's got and make 'em want in," Tak nodded. "Smart play."
His eyes swept across the displays. "You've got the Alimpatak Seal of Approval."
"You should make that into a real stamp," I joked. "'Tested by drunk adventurers.'"
He laughed. "You joke, but we would use that."
Tak leaned over the counter, lowering his voice. "You know, most backwater towns still do barter. No coin. No system. Just vibes. But Sarimanook? Five hundred people, its own currency, and now, maybe, a guild branch? That's big."
"So you're saying...?"
"There's a solid chance a capital guild is trying to set up shop here," Mina added, suddenly sharp-eyed.
"Which means we can finally ditch the Whispering Seagulls," Tak groaned, throwing his head back dramatically. "If I have to file one more 'goblin relocation form,' I swear I'll snap."
"Wow. Ruthless," I said. "Is switching guilds really that common?"
"More than you'd think," Mina sighed. "But the paperwork is soul-crushing."
Tak nodded solemnly. "Still… we gotta hope a good guild shows up. Some of them?" He shuddered. "Disaster in armor."
I leaned in. "Wait, there are bad guilds?"
"Infamously bad," Mina replied. "Like Kulongkuntoy's Trident. Or the Crownbreaker Den."
"Those sound like off-brand energy drinks," I said.
"Worse," Mina muttered, deadpan. "And then there's the worst of them all…"
Tak dropped his voice to a whisper. "Maritime's Wharf."
That name hit me like a punch in the stomach. My hands paused mid-motion. My blood ran cold.
"Third biggest guild on the continent," Tak said grimly. "And third worst morally. Ruthless. Shady. Think 'hostile corporate takeover,' but with swords. They moved into a town up north last year—within six months, every artisan was either bankrupt or working for them at starvation wages. Local guilds? Gone. Poof. Absorbed. Disbanded."
I swallowed. "Miss Susan did mention the guild's name…"
From across the room, Marikit chimed in like a cheerful horror movie narrator: "Miss Susan said it was Maritime's Wharf!"
The fire crackled awkwardly. Even the shadows paused to cringe.
"Tak…" I said, voice low. "Does Susan know?"
"Doubt it," he replied, grim. "She's not an adventurer. And Sarimanook isn't exactly plugged into the grapevine. No scroll-mail. No crystal chat. Just good ol' snail gossip."
Right. No TikTok updates saying "Avoid Maritime's Wharf like a plague of goblins."
Just a desperate mayor, hoping to save her town with the first shiny guild that said "hello."
And the shiny one she picked? It had teeth.
I clenched my jaw. "She may've invited a monster in…"
I stepped toward the kitchen fire, feeling the heat on my face, and whispered:
"…but I won't let it stay for dinner."
They wanted a fight? I had rice cookers, shampoo sets, and a vending machine that dispenses revenge.
This was personal now.