Looking for Trouble (Rewritten March 2025)

"Not every day you see dozens leaving through the front door," a female voice said, snapping Alan back to reality.

He opened his eyes to a familiar ceiling. As his senses returned, he realized he was lying on a bed, with Tamara sitting beside him.

"How are you feeling? An NPC checked you over. He said you just had Battle Fatigue. That's why you fainted."

"I fainted?" he asked weakly, trying to sit up. That's when he noticed another woman in the room, perched on the windowsill.

"You dropped like a rock." She smirked. She looked around the same age as any other Tandem, with black hair in a sleek bob that framed her youthful features in an inverted triangle shape. What caught Alan's attention, however, was her outfit—similar to what Marissa had worn last night. A navy-blue, low-neck catsuit adorned with golden embellishments on the boots, hips, and arms. "My name is Helen Reed. Nice to meet you, Mr. Warden."

The name rang a bell, though it took him a moment to place it. "You're Astrid's best friend."

Helen's eyes widened slightly before she sneered. "Did she say that?"

"Well, she told me you were her very first friend here in the Novus."

"After you, I suppose," she quipped, crossing her legs and resting her chin in her hand. "But yes, you could say that. I've known Astrid since before I joined her as the 'third' official Shooting Star. She wouldn't stop bugging me about it for an entire week." She studied Alan, her gaze seemed to scan him inch by inch. "Tell me, what else did she say about me?"

"I could ask the same! And, um, sorry, we haven't really had the time to catch up properly. But she mentioned you, so that means she holds you in high regard, right?"

"Alan?" Tamara suddenly spoke, her delicate hand brushing against his left shoulder. "Did she--did she mention me too?"

Oh, crap. Me and my big mouth.

"Uh… Yes, of course!"

"She only mentioned my name, didn't she?" Tamara's gaze turned gloomy.

"Y-Yes, b-but like I said, we barely talked last night. She just gave me a summary of the last three years here in the Novus."

Actually, she talked non-stop for like four hours.

"It's okay…" Tamara whispered, looking away. "My time with the guild has been short, so it's understandable that I'd be nothing but a footnote in her story. Heh-heh…"

Ouch… What have I done?

"Don't feel like that, Tammie!" Helen said. "If it makes you feel better, Astrid barely mentioned this guy over the past three years too, ha-ha!"

As Helen laughed cackling, both Alan and Tamara gazed at her with narrowed eyes.

Alan then locked his eyes on the sheet and asked quietly, "Tamara, I'm ready to hear it. How many people quit?"

"Thirty two," Helen interjected, making Tamara gasp.

"Helen!"

"Why are you asking anyway? Do you feel responsible?"

"Isn't that obvious?"

Tamara placed her hand over his. "Alan, it's not that simple. The majority of the people that left were already extremely loyal to Marco from the start. They'd have followed him anywhere anyway, no matter what happened today."

"And others were convinced by his words," Alan let out with a broken voice, withdrawing his hand.

Helen jumped down from her seat. "Are you saying he's right about everything he said about you? That you're nothing but a fraud?"

"I-I never presented myself as a great warrior."

"Could you explain the recording then? The one where you treated Marco as trash."

"I don't know what that was all about, but that wasn't me, I swear!"

"What about the part where Astrid recognized you as the new First Officer. That didn't look like a fake to me."

"If what Astrid said it's true, she didn't consult me about it! I… I can't take that role!"

"So Marco was right about being mad with you for losing his job, huh. Is that what you're trying to say?"

Alan grunted and held the side of his head, exasperated by Helen's barrage of venomous questions. Tamara was quick to reproach Helen, but her voice sounded distant as Alan's head started pulsating, threatening to overheat and shut down at any second. Just like a boiling engine. And yet, he found his heart rate in peace and his thoughts as clear as crystal. All of that in tandem was perfect for thinking about Marco's actions.

He orchestrated that whole scenario just to punish me by Amelia, insult me by their constant berating, and humiliate me in front of everyone. But why?! I've just arrived here. I bet that aside from my name in the member's guild list, he knew nothing about me. He even received me at the Trophy Room, curious about my sudden presence and genuinely intrigued by my existence… And then… All of this happened. The whole charade about me stealing his guild position, his salary, and this false recording of 'another me' defame him. It's--It's as if…!

"I shouldn't have gotten involved in this shit!" Alan suddenly cried out, glaring at Helen. "For what I'm concerned, I was nothing but an excuse to vent Marco's growing dissatisfaction with this guild and leave under his own terms!"

Having said that, Alan found himself silent, wondering how he came to that conclusion? But it's what I truly believe.

He then crossed eyes with Helen who was smirking, satisfied with the outcome.

"What are you going to do now, Founder?"

Alan forced himself to return to his previous state of mind before it was gone forever, and after another metal rapid debate with himself, he found his answer. "Where is he now?"

"He?" Tamara asked, frowning. "You're not talking about Marco, are you?"

"He said to be waiting for anyone that'd like to join him at the Drinking Banshee, remember?" Helen giggled. "Why?"

"Where is that though?"

"Alan Warden, what are you thinking?!" Tamara cried out, jumping from her seat. "You're not thinking about doing something as stupid as going there!"

"Why? Because it'll be brimming with people that despise me?"

"Worse! The Snow Diamond might be there! Do you have any idea what kind of woman she is?!"

"Why would you willingly walk into a lion's den?" Helen asked, arms crossed, and tilting her head. "If you're looking for a way to get back at him, I don't think that…"

"That's not it. This has nothing to do with what he did to me or this guild," Alan said gazing at the window and the world beyond it. "It's something I have to do."

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Tamara yelled, grabbing Alan by the shoulders. "Listen! Astrid would never--!" Tamara suddenly got silent and lost control of her body. Unconscious, her head fell into Alan's lap as he looked in astonishment at Helen, her open palm raised aloft.

"I'm sorry, but she was starting to get on my nerves!"

"H-Helen! What did you--!"

"Don't worry! Despite her cute appearance, she's quite tough, so she'll wake up in a couple of hours. That'll give us plenty of time to pay Marco a last visit, yes?"

With no other explanation of her actions, she helped get Tamara in bed. She then got one leg out of the window before turning to him. "Are you coming or what? We can't leave through the front entrance, you know."