Spend Time With Anna

“Thanks for the drink, Mia. We should do this again sometime,” I said, standing up from our table. She nodded and waved a goodbye. I decided to head over to the bar, pulling out the stool next to Anna.

“Oh, hey Flynn,” she said.

“Glad you decided to join us after all, Anna. Nice to see you out from behind your desk for a change,” I joked.

“That’s fair. It isn’t every day I come out to drink with an adventurer, but you have me intrigued,” she said.

“That so?” I asked. I got the bartender’s attention, ordering two glasses of whiskey for us. “Do tell.”

“Well for starters, there’s the weirdness of how I met you. Splashing around in a fountain, then getting robbed and ‘reappropriating’ some women’s clothes...which you’re still wearing,” she laughed heartily.

“Dammit. I really need to find time to go clothes shopping,” I said, cringing at the memory of my first day in Gaia.

“That you do, my friend,” she laughed. “Then, you took a young mage who’s been through more parties than I’d care to remember and turned her into quite the asset somehow. You took another problem adventurer and did the same thing.”

“I wouldn’t say Sofia and Lucille were ‘problem adventurers’, they just were never given a fair shake. They’re both competent, and with a bit of leadership, they work well together. It’s a shame nobody ever gave them a chance to prove themselves, but it worked out in the end,” I said.

“True. Others missing out meant that you prosper. So, how exactly did you manage to get a recommendation from the Chancellor of all people?” she asked, taking a drink from her whiskey.

“We just took a request that looked easy and paid well. Turned out the requester was the Chancellor. We ended up having babysit his insufferable son for the whole request, and after it was finished, he gave us that recommendation. No clue why, musta just been lucky, I guess,” I said. I downed my entire mug, trying to repress the memory of Reinfast. I ordered another.

“I doubt it. My guess, he saw the same thing in you that I do,” she said.

“And what’s that?” I asked, staring into her amethyst eyes.

“A man full of potential, destined for greatness,” she said, completely serious. I snickered. “I mean it. I’ve seen plenty of adventurers in my time as the guild clerk, and none have gotten to advanced requests as fast as you all. And not only did you gather two new members, but you took out a gang of bandits even the guard couldn’t handle. You guys are capable of much more, I know it.”

“Thanks for the flattery, Anna, but I don’t know about all that. I’m just an adventurer because it’s fun and sustainable. I’m not really out here to change the world or anything. I wouldn’t put such stock in me like that if I were you,” I said, sipping my next drink.

“The greatest heroes were humble, Flynn. Say what you want, but if you keep succeeding as an adventurer long enough, you’re gonna end up changing the world at least a little bit,” she said.

“Gee, thanks for the added pressure,” I laughed, lightly punching her shoulder.

“I’m just saying, ya know,” she said, taking another sip from her drink. I did the same.

“So, what’s your story? How’d you land a job working for the guild? The only people I’ve seen working here are you, and the bar workers,” I said.

“Well, that’s only natural. Most of our workers are also active adventurers like yourself. Myself, the bar workers, and the guildmaster are some of the few exceptions to this. As the only clerk, I handle the guild’s interactions with our adventurers, from request assignments to equipment referrals to simple emotional support,” she said.

“You’re all alone doing all that? Sounds tough? Why don’t the other guild employees lend a hand?” I said.

“It can be a bit much at times, but I’m used to it. The other workers spend most of their time as adventurers, and when they are around, they just help maintain the guild’s connections to keep us up and running. The guildmaster is the one who really keeps us up though, they just do a bit of legwork,” she said.

“What exactly does this guildmaster guy do? I haven’t seen him either,” I said.

“The guildmaster is the man who manages the guild and our suppliers. He ensures we’re stocked with supplies such as guild cards, emergency supplies, as well as the bar’s necessities. He also makes and maintains our agreements with businesses across Regnica that allow for special adventurer discounts and the like. He can also issue guild directives, but those are super rare,” she said.

“You never did answer how you got your job,” I noted.

“Oh, yeah, guess I didn’t,” she sighed. “Well, I used to be an adventurer too. Made it to level 9 as a High Rogue, too. My partner and I were pretty big up and comers in the guild. At least, we were until I picked a request too hard for us. See, back then, there wasn’t a rating system for request difficulty. We were investigating a dungeon, when we got stuck inside of a trap room. My partner...she didn’t make it out. She sacrificed herself to get the door open so I could drag my wounded self out of the dungeon. I nearly bled out too. I got found by the entrance and was treated back in town.”

“I’m sorry...I didn’t know,” I said.

“Don’t worry about it. It was a long time ago. I’ve made my peace with it,” she said, a somber look in her eye. “Anyways, after that, I quit being an adventurer. Before I could leave the guild, the guildmaster offered me the job. I only took it so I could keep busy through my mourning. I was the one who came up with the idea for difficulty rating on requests, as well as a few things that made the guild what it is today.”

“I see. Sorry for prying. It must be a difficult memory for you,” I said.

“It’s alright. As I said, I’ve made my peace with it. Besides, it feels good to get it off my chest. I haven’t told many people about that, so consider yourself special,” she said, blushing slightly.

“Glad to see you weren’t lying about the top five thing,” I said.

“Of course not, why such a lie would tarnish my reputation,” she said, feigning indignance. “But hey, thanks for inviting me to drink with you. My job gets kinda stressful, so it’s nice to unwind a bit. Now if only I could get laid.” She laughed heartily, but it ended in a long sigh.

“I’m down,” I joked, laughing. She blushed profusely before laughing along.

“Heh, thanks for the offer, Flynn. While it’s true I haven’t been laid in...too long...” she shuddered. “I’m looking for more of a long term sorta deal.”

“I’m not adverse to that,” I said, gently holding her hand atop the bar. “I think it’d be nice to come back from a tough request to see you.”

She blushed, “Well, if you’re sure...then I’d like to give it a try.”

“Really?” I asked, kinda surprised.

“Yeah. A man is just what my life is missing, and lucky for you, you happen to be my type,” she said, grasping my hand firmly. I leaned in and kissed her. It was quick and simple, but the passion was there.

“So, what do you wanna do next?” I asked, finishing my drink.

“I’d say we should take it slow, but I’ve been waiting far too long for this,” she said, downing her drink. She tossed a few coins on the bar before getting up off of her stool. I did the same. “Let’s head back to my office.”

“You have an office? Cool,” I said, following Anna’s lead. She unlocked a door next to her desk and we went through into the hallway behind it. “What’s back here?”

“Aside from my office and that of the guildmaster, we have storage rooms, an infirmary, a meeting room, and a few multi purpose rooms,” she said, stopping in front of a door that had a plaque that read ‘Anna Leclerc: Guild Clerk’.

“Your last name is Leclerc? And you’re the guild’s clerk?” I asked, trying not to chuckle.

“Yes, yes, I know. The guildmaster has a strange sense of humor. He’s the one who named my position,” she sighed, opening the door and dragging me inside.