Ultimate Level 1

“What do you mean James hasn’t checked in?” Trina shouted at the man who had handed her the paper. “It’s been a week! Have you done anything to find out why?!”

The man bent his head and shook it quickly, visibly shaking even though he was a foot taller and over a hundred pounds heavier than her.

“Not yet, Ma’am! I wanted to mak–”

Jumping to her feet, Trina slammed her hands on her desk, making the stone vibrate from the force. She had replaced the last wooden one with this one after it broke under her previous fit of anger.

“Get someone out there now!” she shouted, her face red as she pointed toward the door.

As the man darted towards safety and escaped from the woman every person in this building feared, her voice caused him to freeze mid-stride.

“Wait! Send a C-Rank!”

The man nodded and waited.

Seconds felt like years were passing as no sound came for a few moments.

“What are you waiting on? Go!”

Sprinting toward the door like it was a matter of life or death, the man ran out of the room, closing the only thing standing between him and the woman, who was now panting with frustration.

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A single swipe of her arm sent papers flying everywhere. Her desk frustrated her right now. Slamming her fist into it multiple times, it absorbed the beating she gave it, not once chipping or fracturing under her blows.

“What in the gods names have I gotten myself into?” she muttered, huffing as she looked at the mess she was making on the floor. The carpeted room, the bookshelves, and the couches all seemed out of place with her demeanor. It was meant to show she was calm, restrained, and well-informed of all the guild’s doings in the capital. Instead, the problem child Terrance had given her over a month ago still kept springing up and caused her problems.

Just when I thought it was done… when I could finally believe there was nothing to worry about…

Sitting down in her chair, Trina ignored everything in the room. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the problem at hand.

James was listed as a D-Rank adventurer and wasn’t weak, but for him to be missing wasn’t unheard of. Yet a week of no communication was abnormal.

What were the odds something had happened to him?

He wouldn’t go into any dungeons and could play his role as a nobody well. His only job was to watch Caleb and report if he thought the boy knew more.

That group would be safe with him if something happened.

The problem was, what could have happened?

Every scenario she ran through in her mind bothered her, but one left her truly afraid.

What if the boy is still alive and killed him?

Her order to send a C-Rank adventurer wouldn’t go unnoticed.

Choking down the lump in her throat that suddenly formed, for the first time in a while, Trina felt afraid.