13.1 p͏a͏t͏r͏e͏o͏n͏.c͏o͏m͏/S͏t͏r͏a͏t͏o͏t͏h͏r͏a͏x͏A͏f͏t͏e͏r͏D͏a͏r͏k͏

Previously on Centaurus: The band complete their goblin slaying job and return to town. On the way there they find a bedraggled Kayla and Lily and after some discussion they are made apprentice adventurers to the band.

Now, Chapter 13:

Ellaria stepped into the Adventurers Guild and paused. An awful lot of people were looking at her, in fact, every adventurer who happened to be in the guild seemed to be looking her way. She narrowed her eyes.

"What are you looking at? Never seen an elf before?"

The adventurers hesitantly turned back to their drinks.

"Hmpph." She strode toward the main desk but paused partway. Glancing around to check she wasn't still being watched she surreptitiously pulled the job for the pack of royal slimes down from the job board then continued onward to the counter.

The clerk was there, that clerk. Ellaria pursed her lips as she stepped up in front of her.

"I'm here to turn in the goblin job."

"Oh? Are you the only survivor? How sad, the adventurer life is often so tragic," said the clerk, clearly faking sympathy.

Ellaria glared at her. "No, my band is perfectly fine thank you. We successfully beat the goblins with no loss of life."

"Ah, is that so. Hmm.'' The clerk seemed mildly disappointed, although that was difficult to tell with how inexpressive her face was. She pulled out a large book from under the counter and placed it onto the dark wood surface. The thick leather cover was flipped open and perused, the clerk wetting her finger as she turned each page. Ellaria had the vague suspicion that the clerk was doing it at the slowest possible speed that she could manage without being slow enough to cause comment.

"Goblins and hobgoblins threatening the town and waylaying inter-city caravans. A simple enough beginner or amateurs job, very well."

Ellaria furrowed her brow, she had a distinct memory of the clerk playing up the job as being above the band's skill level and now she was quite clearly playing it down. This clerk truly had a stick up her butt about Magic Mog.

The clerk fished below the counter and then bought up a green uncut crystal on a leather cord. The crystal refracted hypnotically in the soft light of the room.

"Did you, Band Captain, Ellaria De'loquint the Third of House Starry Oak, along with the registered band Magic Mog, eliminate the goblin and hobgoblin threat you were contracted for?"

Ellaria remained silent for a moment, then she looked directly into the crystal.

"Yes, we took care of the threat, there will be no more armed goblins or hobgoblins attacking the people of this town, or anyone travelling nearby."

The crystal remained as it was, and then after a moment it flashed blue.

The clerk looked at it suspiciously, obviously wondering why it had taken so long to change colour.

"If that is as all, I would like the reward please, I did not intend to spend my entire evening here in your ever so wonderful company."

"...fine."

The clerk ducked down and the sound of shuffling and clinking coins filled the air.

Ellaria put the paper for the royal slime job on the counter and casually slid it forward.

"I would also like to claim this job's reward."

The clerk glanced back up at it and snorted dismissively.

"You are not registered for that job, no one is. If you don't register the job you don't get the reward. Sorry." The clerk stood and dumped a brown leather purse on the counter that clanked with metal.

Ellaria held up a finger. "That is factually incorrect."

"No, it's not. It's an Adventurers Guild policy. If you unknowingly complete a job then that is your bad fortune and our good luck. The guild is not in the business of handing out money to every schmuck who stumbles on a monster and accidentally squashes it."

"That policy also has a sub clause that states that any officially designated job from the AG itself is culpable for fifty percent of the reward if done off the books. Third party jobs have their own rules, but this isn't a third party job, it is an officially sanctioned job from the AG itself, therefore we are eligible for half the reward."

"This is-

"You of course were perfectly aware of that, you simply chose to conveniently ignore it in the hopes of making life more difficult for unknowing amateur bands because it fulfills your inner desire to make people suffer out of a bitter sense of entitlement over your own failed career as an adventurer. What was it? A faulty Class? Trauma from losing your bandmates?"

For the first time genuine anger crossed the stoney faced clerk's vizage.

"My personal affairs are none of your concern elf and I suggest you take a step down from your elven high horse, not everyone takes kindly to be talked down to by a snotty knife ears."

"Nevertheless I want my reward."

The clerk glared at her but then held up the crystal.