Sacrifice: Time of Mine

The Riskers were all stunned as they saw a big man came out of nowhere and was about to hit Miss Mettany's head when another man also came out of nowhere and defended that smack, making a pak.

None caught up to what happened. The big man, the Guild Master did not literally come out of nowhere, it was just a figure of speech. But still, he was undeniably fast. Meanwhile, the other person was the one that literally came out of nowhere.

Feeling that the smack was just light, Avion sighed in relief. However, the Guild Master's face paled.

"Ah..." he was about to call Avion but swallowed back his words before continuing, "Sorry, I just want to shut her up." he composedly put back his arm.

With a fierce glance, the guild members averted their eyes. Afterwhich, the Guild Master whispered, "Actually, we came here to talk to you about something serious." he depressingly sighed.

Avion nodded and waved at the three that entered with him. However, Naron just pointed at the mission approval paper while he shook his head.

Avion understood and nodded back.

"Follow me." the Guild Master then led the way. Mettany shuddered, feeling the Guild Master's anger towards her. However, looking at Avion, her face was becoming red. Not wanting to get enchanted again, she pinched herself and tried not to look at Avion.

She was permitted to come back there to see Avion again with the condition that she had to control herself. However, at the very first second, she already broke that condition.

Silently, Mettany stayed there while the two entered into a hallway behind the counter.

Moments later, in the lobby room.

The Guild Master had a grave expression.

"What is it, Guild Master?" Avion asked. He had been seeing the Guild Master every day, trying to get appraised. However, every time, it was the same. It "failed"

Thinking about what he was about to explain, Guild Master sighed again, "Avion, listen carefully. This is an important matter.." he then began, "The Crown Council forced the guild to have a bounty system."

"Bounty system?" Avion thought and recalled, "Is it the system that put bounties on wanted criminals?"

The Guild Master nodded, "The guild usually don't have that system, only the military force has. However, the military force in Trading-Hills Capital is limited. The capital is, after all, guarded by the three gigantic forces, the three kingdoms. Also, I am here, if there is actually a dangerous person within the capital, I can easily deal with them. But if it's just petty criminals, the limited military force is enough."

"So the point is?" Avion asked.

"The point is, we don't need it. The crime rate here is low, only having thieves and robbers. There are rarely any Elementalists who becomes a criminal. Meaning, most of the criminals are just weak commoners. If a portion of the Guild's fighting force was placed into catching small criminals, there would be a lesser force to fend off the real threat, the Elemental beasts outside the walls. Meanwhile, the military force that doesn't stand a chance against those beasts would have no job to do. Even as a guild master, I don't have the right to force the Riskers not to become bounty hunters. And where will the reward come from? From the people's tax! However, after all this, the Crown Council wants it back."

Guild Master Gon explained everything with one breath but Avion could only shake his head, slowly, "I still don't understand."

The dirt on his face made him looked dumb now due to his confused expression. 

Before Guild Master Gon continued, he whispered, "Stay still" and water was condensed from the air. Those strings of water cleaned Avion's snow white face before evaporating.

"The point is, you already have a bounty on your head the moment this system would be established tomorrow." the Guild Master sighed again, shocking Avion.

"Huh!?" Avion exclaimed, "How did I become a criminal?"

"That is my question yesterday too. It seemed like they've already heard of the news about a handsome man appearing and causing a ruckus. So Princess Alisera issued the bounty."

"Ah... but... isn't that against the law?" although still lacking a lot of knowledge, Avion at least knew that forcing a bounty on an innocent man is illegal. Also, his face twitched, hearing that Alisera was the cause of this.

"Avion, you should know that power is the law in this world. Since it was Princess Alisera who said it. King Isero demanded it. Through the Power Circle... a network of Rank Bih Elementalists and above in Arcansas, the other two kings learned about you and deemed you as too dangerous. With three kings demanding this, I can't do anything about it. Also, they have created proper reasoning to appease the public."

Seeing that Avion was speechless, the Guild Master then stated, wanting to clear his name, "That is why I got impulsive earlier, wanting to shut Mettany up. I already permitted her to come but then she shouted your name. The more people who know about you, the worse the situation is."

Avion nodded. He knew the Guild Master doesn't wantonly hurt women. However, the problem didn't disappear.

"So what do I do?"

"You could change your appearance." the Guild Master answered without a pause. He had already thought over this over the course of the night.

To this, Avion's eyes glimmered, "You can do that?"

But Guild Master Gon replied, "I don't" instantly pouring cold water onto Avion's expectations, "I am not an Earth Elementalist and I don't have yet to get a Spell Book for it."

"Then..."

"But I already got my hands on it. I already contacted a Rank Ey Bookmaster last night and asked her to create one for me. It should arrive the next week or so."

"Do you mean this Spell Book is Rank Bih?" Avion knew that a Bookmaster could create a Spell Book below their level. For the Guild Master to specifically contact a Rank Ey Bookmaster, that Spell Book should be Rank Bih.

"Yes"

"How..." Avion felt his heart heavy "How did you pay for it?".

The knowledge about the Bookmaster and the Spell Book didn't come from the history books he read. But after being in that world for almost six days already, he learned some information.

Avion was interested in becoming an Elementalist. However, the appraisal always doesn't work and that made him agitated. He was forced to visit Spell Shops in his free time and there, he learned some things.

"I asked the Romen Family to pay for it."