Chapter 35: Invitation & Dinner Party

Rin stood in front of the heavy iron door leading to the basement training facility of her new home. The cold metal panel gleamed under the dim lighting as she pondered over the best passcode. After a moment of reflection, she keyed in 220420XX, the date of her arrival in this world—the day she had stepped into her first dungeon and met her first companion, Onyx. A quiet beep followed, and the door unlocked with a soft click, allowing her entry.

Descending the stone steps, she marveled at the spacious underground facility. It was equipped with everything necessary for rigorous training: reinforced walls, combat dummies, weapons, and even a magical energy field to simulate real battle conditions. This was the perfect place to sharpen her skills.

With a gentle motion, she summoned her two companions.

"Onyx! Aurelis! Come out."

In a flash of dark mist, Onyx appeared—a magnificent shadow wolf with sleek black fur that shimmered under the dim light, his amber eyes glowing with quiet intensity. Beside him, Aurelis materialized in a soft golden glow, the tiny shapeshifter fox tilting its head, blue eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Rin smiled, stretching her arms wide. "Welcome, guys. This is your new home! What do you think?"

Onyx sniffed the air, his tail flicking as he padded around, inspecting the place. Aurelis, on the other hand, darted excitedly around the space, playfully leaping onto a training dummy. Rin chuckled as they both seemed to approve of their new home.

"Alright, since we now have a proper space, let's get serious. We have another dungeon expedition coming up, and I need to improve my long-range combat. So, what do you say? Shall we practice?"

Onyx let out a low growl of approval, while Aurelis gave an excited yip.

Rin smirked. "Then let's play."

Two Days Later – S-Class Training Hall, Silver Phoenix Guild

The afternoon sun filtered through the tall windows of the training hall as Rin and Celine took a well-earned break. Sweat dripped down their foreheads, the result of an intense session.

Celine exhaled deeply, then turned to Rin with a thoughtful expression. "I think we should end your lessons today, Aria."

Rin blinked in surprise. "Wait… what? Did I do something wrong?"

Celine chuckled, shaking her head. "No, not at all. In fact, it's the opposite. You've improved so much in such a short time—both in theory and combat. There's nothing more for me to teach you. What you need now is real field experience."

A sigh of relief escaped Rin's lips. "Oh, I thought I somehow offended you." She paused before tilting her head. "But are you sure about this?"

Celine nodded firmly. "Absolutely. It's been an honor to teach someone as hardworking and talented as you. And honestly, compared to when I first got assigned to train you, I never expected things to go this smoothly."

Rin smiled. "Well, if you say so. But stay in touch, alright? I'll miss our training sessions."

Before Celine could respond, her wristwatch buzzed with an incoming message. She quickly glanced at it, then turned back to Rin with an almost hesitant expression.

"Aria, are you free this evening?" she asked, her voice carrying a mix of excitement and nervousness. "I want to take you somewhere."

Rin raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Where to?" A teasing smirk crept onto her lips. "You're not asking me out on a date, are you? Seeing how nervous you look; it sure seems like it."

Celine's face immediately turned crimson. "W-What are you talking about?! That's not it at all!" she sputtered.

Rin burst into laughter. "Relax, I was just kidding. No need to get so flustered."

Celine pouted, crossing her arms. "You're impossible."

Still grinning, Rin nudged her lightly. "Alright, alright. Jokes aside, where are we going? No need to be so tense about asking a friend out."

Celine sighed but couldn't help smiling. "Fine. Actually, my teammates and I are celebrating our successful mission tonight, and I wanted to invite you along. It's a good opportunity for you to meet the rest of my team… and, well, since you're technically 'graduating' from my lessons, we could treat it as a small celebration for you, too. What do you think?"

Rin considered it for a moment. It was a good opportunity to get to know other guild members and strengthen her network. Plus, after all the training, a little social time wouldn't hurt.

"Why not? I'm in," she said with a nod. Then, as a thought struck her, she added, "Oh, before I forget—would it be alright if one more person joined?"

Celine tilted her head. "Sure, no problem. Who is it?"

"Evelyn."

Celine's expression twitched slightly at the mention of Evelyn's name, but she simply nodded. "Alright, I'll send you the location."

Rin grinned. "Thanks. Looking forward to it."

As they parted ways, Rin sent a message to Evelyn, informing her about her plans for the evening and asking her to pick her up from the location later. With everything set, she couldn't help but wonder—what kind of people were in Celine's team? And what kind of night awaited her?

One thing was for sure—it was bound to be interesting.

Evening at the Restaurant

The sun had long since set, casting a warm amber glow over the city streets. The neon lights flickered to life, illuminating the bustling roads as cars weaved through traffic. The air was crisp, carrying the distant aroma of street food and the subtle hum of nightlife. Rin sat in the backseat of the car beside Celine, watching the scenery blur past. The restaurant they were heading to was about thirty minutes away from the guild—a place her team had chosen to celebrate their latest mission success.

She hadn't expected an invitation, but she had accepted without hesitation. It was an opportunity to bond with fellow guild members, and more importantly, to learn more about the guild's inner workings.

Upon arrival, Rin stepped out of the car and gazed at the restaurant's entrance. A warm, welcoming ambiance radiated from within, its soft glow contrasting against the dark streets. The structure was elegant yet cozy, adorned with lights that gave it an inviting charm. As soon as they stepped inside, the lively hum of conversation, clinking glasses, and occasional bursts of laughter surrounded them. The air smelled of grilled meats, warm spices, and freshly baked bread.

Celine led the way through the restaurant, weaving between tables until they reached a large one at the back. A group of adventurers was already gathered there, loud and full of energy. As soon as they spotted them, the conversation came to a halt.

"Guys, this is Aria," Celine introduced, her voice soft but clear. "She's the new S-Class Guide."

For a brief moment, silence hung over the table as all eyes locked onto Rin. Then, all at once, the group erupted into chaos.

"Whoa, so she's the famous guide?!"

"She's so pretty—nothing like Captain Ardane, who's super scary!"

"Celine, we were worried for you, but damn, you're lucky!"

Celine sighed, already regretting her decision. "Guys. I told you not to be like this."

Rin, however, chuckled as she watched their antics. She had expected more formality, but this rowdy energy was refreshing. "I don't mind," she said, amused. "They're all so cheerful. Not what I expected compared to your personality, Celine."

Celine's teammates grinned.

"Of course! Celine's the quiet and serious one," a young man with short brown hair smirked. "Oh, right—introductions! I'm Arren, an A-Rank warrior. This loudmouth over here—" he gestured at the man beside him "—is Jonas, our C-Rank tank."

"Hey!" Jonas protested but grinned anyway.

"The one hiding behind her drink is Mia, our B-Rank water mage," Arren continued, motioning toward a petite girl with deep purple hair and bright blue eyes. She offered Rin a small wave.

"And this guy over here is Felix, B-Rank Guide," Arren finished, nodding toward a silver-haired boy with sharp golden eyes. Felix returned the greeting with a polite nod but remained mostly silent.

"Nice to meet you all," Rin said, taking a seat.

"We were worried for you, Celine! But now I get it—you just didn't want us to scare her off!" Jonas teased, nudging Celine.

Celine let out a tired sigh, rubbing her temples. "Aria, don't mind them. I told them to behave, but clearly, that was wishful thinking."

Rin laughed. "No worries."

Arren grinned. "Yeah, we keep things lively, unlike Celine, who's all serious and mysterious!"

"But don't forget, she's our leader," Mia reminded them with a playful smirk.

Rin blinked in surprise. "Wait… Celine is your team leader?"

Celine sighed, as if she had heard this reaction far too many times. "I know what you're thinking, but it's all their fault." She gestured toward her team.

Felix finally spoke up, his voice calm and measured. "We all unanimously decided that Celine should be our leader. She's responsible, diligent, and actually cares about us a lot."

"She's also cute," Arren added with a teasing smirk. "Who else would be better suited?"

"Not me," Jonas said quickly.

"Not me either," Mia chimed in.

"Nope, definitely not me," Arren said dramatically.

Immediately, they all pointed at Celine in unison, grinning.

Celine huffed. "Enough nonsense! You're embarrassing me in front of Aria."

As the laughter settled, the waiter arrived to take their orders. They selected a variety of dishes, and soon, the table was filled with sizzling plates of grilled meats, fresh salads, and warm bread.

As they clinked their glasses together in a celebratory toast, Celine turned to Rin. "Aria, can you drink?"

"Sure," Rin replied casually. She thought to herself, I have no idea what Aria's alcohol tolerance is, but I used to drink a lot in my old world. Well, since Elyn is picking me up later, it shouldn't be a problem even if I overdo it.

As drinks flowed, so did the conversation. The team was loud and lively, the complete opposite of Celine's reserved nature.

At one point, Rin casually asked, "By the way, why were you all saying that Captain Ardane is scary? It's not like she eats people."

The group exchanged glances before bursting into laughter.

"Oh, you don't know? Must be because you're new," Jonas said, swaying slightly as he drank. "There are a lot of rumors about her, and her cold personality just makes them feel true."

Rin raised an eyebrow. "What rumors?"

The group looked around before leaning in closer. Jonas spoke in a hushed voice. "Okay, but you can't tell anyone. I'm telling you because you're so nice. And pretty. You should stay away from Captain Ardane, too."

Rin narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"You don't know? Two years ago, Captain Ardane had a different team."

Rin's mind immediately flashed to what Vera had told her before about Elyn's past team. But before she could ask, Arren continued.

"During a dungeon expedition, she attacked her own team and left them for dead. But somehow, they survived and made it back."

"The guild council had to step in," Mia added. "They removed her from the team, made her compensate them, and issued a warning. But because she's the only S-Class Esper, they couldn't just kick her out."

"That's why she formed a new team later, bringing in more Espers from outside the guild." Felix said. "But… there was no guide. Even now, her team borrows guides from other guild squads or uses reserve guides."

"Honestly, who in their right mind would willingly join the team of an S-Class Esper who nearly killed her previous guide and team members?" Arren added.

Everyone agreed. But Rin clenched her hand under the table, fury boiling within her.

How dare they. Those cunning bastards. They slandered Elyn's name. She was the victim, yet they made her out to be the villain. The entire guild believed she had betrayed her team, when the truth was the complete opposite. It wasn't enough that they had driven her near to death—they had twisted the narrative against her. The council… they would pay for this.

Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself. No need to get riled up. First, I need to track down the source of the rumors and prove Elyn's innocence. For that, my first step will be, System, come out now.

A soft chime resonated in her mind, and a faint projection of the System's interface shimmered into view. A small, animated face appeared—a simple design, but expressive.

[User inquiry detected. State your question or request.]

Rin's eyes darkened. It was time to uncover the truth.