Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey

After coming out of the shower room, I changed my clothes and was about to head towards the bed when my AI bracelet rang.

It was a message from an unfamiliar number, Frowning slightly, I opened the message.

[Um, cadet Lucas? This is Maria, you saw me during the day. Can we talk?]

Would you if you were me?

That's what I wanted to write back, but she immediately called me. I didn't pick up. Then, I immediately received another message.

[Ah, right, you're coming to the guild tomorrow anyways. Let's talk then.]

No, a day was enough to see how a guild operated. I had things to do, like reparing for the next arc in the story...

And I'm kind of petty person, because of Maria behaviour today towards me I also got an excuse to not go to the Grace guild.

Immediately I typed the message to Sia.

[Miss Sia, I don't think that I would come to your guild tomorrow. I'll be quitting the Guild Experience Program.]

[Huh? Why?]

Sia sent an immediate reply.

I was about to tell her it was for a personal problem, but I got a better idea and changed my mind. Like I said I could be petty if I wanted.

[You saw by your own eyes don't you Miss Sia? I think that memebers of your guild think so highly of themselves and doesn't respect to a new individual, An cadet in particular.]

I was talking about Maria.

In front of Sia she was being goody good shoes but her expression changed as she soon as she started to talking to me.

And also the only reason I go there because I owe Sia and with this she has only one more favour that she could asked.

After sending the message I leaned back against the bed, feeling a mix of satisfaction and unease. On one hand, I had stood up for myself and asserted my boundaries in the face of disrespectful behavior. On the other hand, I couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that I might have burned a bridge with the Grace guild and potentially jeopardized my future opportunities.

But then again, if the guild couldn't respect a new member like me, did I really want to be a part of it?

***

Late night.

Sia was sitting in front of her computer, completely focused on finishing her work. She had organized the Guild Experience Program matter from earlier in the day, and was getting for tomorrow.

She is happy mood because the cadets she has eyes for so long started to show an intrest in her guild.

Now all she has to do just take her time and Lucas will naturally join the guild after the academy is over.

That's what she was thinking but...

[You saw by your own eyes don't you Miss Sia? I think that memebers of your guild think so highly of themselves and doesn't respect to a new individual, An cadet in particular.]

Her mood instantly worsened as soon as she receives this message from Lucas.

Lucas didn't say the name of the person who was rude to him but Sia knows who's Lucas talking about.

It's Maria...

Sia bit down on her lips. She was fuming.

'That damned woman must have finally gone mad. We should be sweet talking him to get him to join us, but this is what she does?'

Sia felt enraged for the first time in a long time.

Sia was an important asset to Grace guild that's why she didn't say anything to Maria despite her por behaviour towards the cadets.

But this has gone so far...

Because of her the talent that Sia wanted to come Grace guild won't be coming.

"I didn't want to resort to this...."

Sia took a deep breath.

She needed to prepare her heart to maximize the effectiveness of this method. Just thinking about it made her face redden, but now was the time to put on a thick skin.

Huuuu—

After taking three more breaths, Sia made a call.

The receiver picked up almost instantly.

"Hello? Guild Master. It's me, Sia the Vice guild master."

Sia's voice was steady, masking the turmoil swirling within her. She needed to maintain her composure, especially when addressing the Guild Master.

"Ah, Sia. What's the matter?" The Guild Master's voice sounded calm but curious.

Sia took a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking. "I... I have some concerning news regarding our Guild Experience Program."

"Oh? Go on."

"It's about one of our cadets, Lucas. He... he messaged me tonight, saying that he's considering quitting the program because of a negative experience he had with one of our members."

The Guild Master's tone shifted, now tinged with concern. "I see. And which member is this?"

Sia hesitated, knowing that implicating Maria could have serious repercussions. But she couldn't hide the truth. "It's Maria, Guild Master. Lucas mentioned feeling disrespected by her behavior."

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line, and Sia held her breath, waiting for the Guild Master's response.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the Guild Master spoke. "I understand, Sia. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I'll handle it from here."

Sia let out a sigh of relief, grateful that the Guild Master had taken her concerns seriously. "Thank you, Guild Master. I... I just hope we can resolve this issue without causing too much disruption."

"I'll do my best to address it delicately. You've done well, Sia. Now, get some rest. We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow."

With that, the call ended, leaving Sia feeling a mix of emotions. She was relieved that she had spoken up, but also anxious about the potential fallout from her actions.

But deep down, she knew that she had done the right thing. No one deserved to be treated disrespectfully, especially not someone as promising as Lucas.

With a determined nod, Sia resolved to face whatever challenges lay ahead, knowing that she had taken a stand for what was right. And with that thought, she returned her focus to her work, determined to ensure that tomorrow would be a better day for everyone involved.

***

The next morning, In the office of the Carlo.

Maria stood with her back straight in front of the Carlo. Looking wronged and upset, she gave an explanation of what happened the day before.

"Well, no, you see, Carlo, I did message him after he left, but..."

"So it's true that you messaged him privately. How did you even get his number?"

"Well, I have a friend who works in Nova academy as a vice-instructor...."

Carlo let out a sigh.

"What a mess."

"No, Carlo, I swear I didn't mean to threaten him in any way."

Maria was about to explode from frustration.

"I didn't explain in detail, so I understand how he might have misunderstood, but..."

—Um, Cadet Lucas? This is Maria, you saw me during the day. Can we talk?

—Ah, right, you're coming to the guild tomorrow anyways. Let's talk then.

Thinking back to her message, Maria really didn't know what to do. It seemed that the cadet misunderstood her intention.

"Then why were you trying to talk to him privately?"

Maria muttered hesitantly.

"...It was to talk about a scholarship."

"Shut it. The guild leader is going to have a private meeting with you."

At that moment, Maria expression broke down.

A private meeting with the guild leader.

For moment, She thought that she could have meeting with Vice guild leader, Si, instead.

Because...

An outsider could think that it was a better punishment than being demoted or getting a reduced salary. Although it didn't even come close to the serious punishments, in Grace guild, there was no other non-serious punishment more fearsome than a private meeting with the guild leader.

Maria swallowed hard.

"S-Spare me just this once."

"I'd love to, but I have no choice. It's an order from the guild leader."

"No, please...."

"It's already decided. Go back."

However, There was nothing Carlo could do, It's not in his hand anymore.

In the end, Maria made her final ditch effort.

"B-But come on! That kid really isn't up to our guild's standards! He's just a cadet, and he dares to insult me like this?"

Carlo raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by Maria's plea. "Regardless of his status, every member of our guild deserves respect. If he felt disrespected by your actions, then it's something that needs to be addressed."

Maria bit her lip, realizing that she had dug herself into a deeper hole with her outburst. She lowered her gaze, feeling a mix of embarrassment and frustration.

Carlo sighed, his expression softening slightly. "Look, Maria, I understand that you might have had good intentions, but your approach was clearly misguided. We'll have to let the guild leader handle this matter from now on."

Feeling defeated, Maria nodded silently, her mind racing with thoughts of the impending meeting with the guild leader.

As she left Carlo's office, Maria couldn't shake off the sinking feeling in her chest. She had let her emotions get the best of her, and now she would have to face the consequences of her actions.

But amidst the turmoil, Maria couldn't help but feel a glimmer of regret for the way things had turned out. She had always prided herself on being a valuable member of the Grace guild, but now, she had tarnished her reputation with a single misstep.

As she made her way to the guild leader's office, Maria resolved to do whatever it took to make amends for her behavior and regain the trust of her guildmates. It wouldn't be easy, but she was determined to prove that she was worthy of being a member of the Grace guild, no matter what obstacles stood in her way.

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