Chapter 101: I Will Take Good Care of My Senior

Chapter 101: Chapter 101: I Will Take Good Care of My Senior

For an academy-trained novice who had led a sheltered life, this was a challenge that carried a heavy psychological burden.

If Cecilia could overcome this mental hurdle today and perform well enough in combat, then over the next few days, he could consider taking the girl to spend the night in Copper Creek Forest and attempting those larger, more distant, and more lucrative chain quests.

Having made up his mind, Lance took the request form and walked straight to Nia’s window.

"Morning, Nia."

Lance walked up to the counter and pushed the Goblin cleanup request form toward her.

At the same time, he slightly lifted the hood covering his head, revealing a familiar smile to the long, brown-haired girl inside.

"Morning, Lance!"

By this point, Nia had long since finished secretly sizing up Cecilia.

She immediately flashed a sweet smile, her natural demeanor giving Lance no hint that she had nearly lost sleep over the other girl last night.

She skillfully took the form, stamped it with the Guild’s seal, completed the registration, and handed it back to Lance.

After finishing, Nia’s gaze drifted naturally over Lance’s broad shoulders to land on the petite figure behind him.

Putting on a curious and completely unsuspecting act, she blinked playfully and asked:

"Oh? Lance, who’s this little follower you have with you? I don’t think I’ve seen her before."

Hearing Nia’s question, Lance stepped aside, generously revealing Cecilia, who was hiding behind him.

"This is a friend I met recently, and also my current intern, Cecilia."

Then, he turned to Cecilia and enthusiastically introduced the girl behind the counter.

"Cecilia, this is Nia. She’s the most reliable receptionist at the Gray Rock Town Adventurer’s Guild."

At this, Lance paused, his tone softening.

"She’s also a good friend who looks out for me the most here."

Hearing those words, the suffocating feeling that had been swirling in Nia’s chest instantly dissipated by more than half.

She reached her pale right hand directly across the wide counter, taking the initiative to greet Cecilia.

"Hello there, Cecilia. I’m Nia."

Cecilia lifted her head slightly. Looking at the tall, beautiful, and vibrantly mature girl before her, she felt a strange flicker of timidity.

She hesitated for a moment before extending her hand and gently shaking the other girl’s.

"H-Hello, Miss Nia."

"Oh, no need to be so formal."

Nia let out a light laugh, her voice brimming with warmth.

"Since you’re an intern Lance is personally training, we’re all on the same side now. If there are any rules you don’t understand, feel free to ask me."

She began giving meticulous advice, like an experienced elder.

"You took the Goblin quest today, right?"

"Those little green-skins are nasty. I hear they love to hide in the shadows and launch sneak attacks with arrows smeared in filth."

"Oh, and since you’re a newcomer, be careful of hidden tripwires on the ground when you’re in the forest, and keep an eye out for any unusual movements in the treetops."

Finally, Nia’s tone shifted.

"Make sure you stick close to Lance. Don’t wander too far from him, okay?"

Cecilia nodded obediently, quietly acknowledging the other girl’s kindness.

"I understand. Thank you, Miss Nia."

Satisfied with the response, Nia finally withdrew her hand and turned to Lance, who was standing to the side.

"Lance, I know you’re eager to make money lately."

"But Goblins are pack Demons. Over eighty of them is no small number."

She frowned, her tone taking on a stern concern.

"Don’t get cocky and overexert yourself just because you’re strong. Make sure to conserve your stamina and rest, you hear me?"

"And you have to take good care of Cecilia. Don’t you go bullying a newcomer out in the wild, okay?"

After lecturing Lance, she turned back to Cecilia and spoke in a tone as if entrusting her with a task:

"Cecilia, you have to help me keep an eye on Lance, too. Don’t let him take any unnecessary risks just to complete the mission, alright?"

This barrage of words, both an attack and a defense, was flawlessly executed.

Her every word was filled with the goodwill and care of an older sister, while also subtly positioning herself as someone extremely close to Lance.

Lance, standing nearby, had a strange expression on his face.

’Why does Nia seem a bit... manipulative today?’

But after hearing all this, an extremely subtle feeling arose in Cecilia’s heart.

She looked at the sweetly smiling Nia, listening to the advice that, on the surface, was all for her own good and for her mentor’s.

For some reason, her heart felt as if it were being gently constricted by a single, gossamer-thin spider’s thread, leaving her feeling stifled.

’It was as if every single word this "Miss Nia" had just spoken was hiding a long history between her and Sir Lance—a history Cecilia had no part in.’

’That tone she used, so naturally telling him to take care of me.’

’That condescending feeling...’

Cecilia felt her breathing grow a little ragged.

An extremely rare, instinctual emotion began to sprout from the depths of her heart.

She felt as though her own territory was being invaded by an outsider.

Every word from Nia seemed to send ripples through her very soul, making her feel like she was becoming a stranger to herself.

"I will..."

Cecilia’s head drooped even lower, hiding the expression under her hood.

Her voice was very, very low. Though she still tried to maintain a polite tone, her timbre had clearly become heavy.

"I will take good care of... my mentor."

...

[Current Quest: Goblin Stronghold Eradication]

[Reward: 4 Skill Experience for each adult Goblin killed]

Lance and Cecilia had already entered the gloomy Copper Creek Forest.

Towering trees blotted out most of the sunlight.

Lance was focused on observing the stability of their surroundings, picking a relatively safe route to advance steadily.

The forest terrain was rugged and difficult to traverse.

Lance soon noticed that Cecilia, who was behind him, was in very poor shape.

Especially when descending a steep dirt slope, the girl misstepped on loose stones several times, her body swaying precariously as she nearly fell onto the moss-covered tree roots.

"Cecilia, what’s wrong?"

Lance stopped and turned to look at the figure trudging along with her head down.

"Huh?!"

Hearing Lance’s call, Cecilia snapped her head up like a startled rabbit, her ruby-red eyes filled with obvious panic.

"I’m sorry, Sir Lance."

Her mind had completely wandered off, replaying the events at the Adventurer’s Guild over and over.