Chapter 94: The Weight of Recognition
The receptionist gave them a polite smile before rising from her seat.
"I'll report your request for a rank promotion," she said, voice professional but with a trace of curiosity. "Please wait a moment."
She slipped into the back office, leaving Ethan and Lirael standing in the guild hall.
The usual bustle filled the space—boots scraping against the floor, mugs clattering as adventurers laughed or argued, the faint tang of ale and iron hanging in the air. Yet in that noise, Ethan felt it: a prickle at the back of his neck.
His eyes sharpened. Someone was watching.
He turned sharply toward the corner of the hall, but the space was empty save for a pair of low-ranked adventurers rolling dice.
"…Strange," he muttered under his breath.
Lirael tilted her head. "What is it?"
"Nothing," he lied with a small shake of his head. But his shoulders remained tense until the receptionist returned.
