“This room looks better,” Alburet said announcing himself to the women.
Kim looked over with a smile. “Thank you. I thought it could use a little touch up. The other spare room has been converted into a small kitchen, making it easier for the guild members to grab a bite or a spot of tea. I’ve set up with the local provisioners to have regular deliveries made here. It will make it much easier for Erin to be living here, as well.”
“She arranged it all with the coin ya gave her originally, asthore,” Stacia put in. “Minus the provisions, but she was tellin’ me tha’ it will be fine once we have more guild members out huntin’.”
“I’m sure it will,” Alburet replied as he took a seat and pulled out the letters he’d gotten from Erin. “I’ll go ahead and reply to these, then we’ll be good to go.”
“Oh good, Erin gave them to you,” Kim said. “She is learning fast. She’s been like a sponge, taking in everything I tell her. Some of the nobles have given her attitude over her accent, but she’s learned how to deal with them properly.”
“As long as she doesn’t burn the place down,” Alburet chuckled.
“She could nay do tha’ due to…” Stacia cut off, remembering that Kim was in the room.
“She asked to go hunting,” Alburet added as he scanned the first letter. “I told her she should ask Wilbur first. If he refuses, then in a few days we’ll take her out to see the goblins.”
Stacia chewed her lip for a moment, “Da’ will nay be happy, but she is her own woman now. Why did ya tell her to ask Wilbur first?”
“I know that I would want to take the woman I cared for out hunting. Wilbur should have the chance, as well.” Alburet let a smile cross his face as he finished, recalling their first time out.
“Aye, an ya did at tha’,” Stacia replied with her own smile.
“When you’re done with the letters, just drop them off with me,” Kim told them as she headed out the door. “The crowds should be slow over the next couple of days.”
“Will do, and good to know,” Alburet said as he finished reading the first letter and started his reply. He sighed. “I don’t want to have to write a letter to every noble who wants attention.”
Kim laughed, “Which is why you have me and Erin to be gatekeepers. Those letters are from people with enough clout to make it a very good idea to reply to them. Most of them want to have tea. I’m sure it all revolves around you being granted a royal charter and the obvious approval of the crown.”
“I’m sure it does,” Alburet half commented as he focused on replying to the first letter.
Stacia followed Kim out so as not to distract him, so he could finish quicker. Alburet answered each letter almost identically, agreeing to appear at the noble’s manor at a particular day and time. He set the first appointment several days away, and assigned two meetings per day, one just before midday and the second just after sunset. He used another piece of paper to make a list, with each noble’s name and the date and time for his visit, wincing at the thought of spending six days dealing with them. Stretching, he noticed almost two hours had passed. Shaking his head he got to his feet and headed to the front.
“Here you go, Kim,” Alburet said as he put the dozen letters on the desk. “Here is the schedule I set up for my visits to each of them as well. If any more come in, do me a favor. Send a reply saying I will be delighted and then follow the pattern of this list, please.” He put the signet ring on top of the schedule, “So you can seal the letters as well.”
“That ring is yours, Alburet,” Kim told him, holding it out to him. “I have one for the desk. It is bound to the desk and can only be used by someone of rank in the guild. I would ask you set a rank of receptionist in the hierarchy somewhere. This way things like the account book and the signet ring can only be used by those of us with that specific rank.”
“Will do,” Alburet said, pulling up his guild interface. He added receptionist in right under officer, assigning Erin and Kim to the rank. “There you go.”
Kim picked up the ring from the desk and the account book, fiddling with her own interface then handed them to Alburet. “If you will lock these to the receptionist rank, please.”
It took him a few minutes of fiddling with the interface before he found the right spot. He locked both the rings and account book to himself, Stacia and the receptionists only. “I might add Gerald to that list in a few days. I’ll talk with him about it when he gets back from the other world.”
“It is going to be odd watching all of you come and go as often as you do,” Kim opined.
“Heh, not this guild. This guild is going to be unique. The first two-souled guild where the members are here for a month without leaving via the bridge back to the other world.” Alburet replied to her with a broad smile, “If things go well, that is.”
“That will be interesting, indeed,” Kim nodded.
Stacia took Alburet’s arm, “Be we ready to go?”
“Yes,” Alburet replied before turning back to Kim. “We’ll be out hunting for a bit. Get in touch via the Guildstone if need be. Oh,” he pulled out his Mindstone, “trade info with me. This way you can get in touch with just me if another member of the guild ever gives you issues.”
Kim and Erin both traded information with him by tapping Mindstones. “Have fun hunting,” Kim said while Erin pouted slightly as the duo left.
They arrived at the portal guild a few moments later. Walking up the stairs they met Rolland coming down. “Afternoon,” Alburet greeted Rolland.
“Going out for some hunting? Are the others going to be joining you?” Rolland asked as they paused on the stairs.
“No, they won’t be back for another day or two. The bridge between our worlds is going to be closed tomorrow. They’ll be back the day after that.”
“I’ve been a little curious how that works for you two-souled. We should have dinner some night so you can explain it to me. Maybe it will help me further understand the intricacies of the portals.”
Chuckling, Alburet shook his head, “I doubt it, but sure, we can set it up later.”
“Have a good hunt,” Rolland told them as he continued down the stairs.
“So, what do you want to hunt today, Kitten, orcs or gnolls?”
“Can we handle the gnolls, asthore?”
“The single ones, sure. We might even be able to handle the camps if we do it smartly.”
“The gnolls, then. They be more of a challenge which means ya level faster,” Stacia decided.
“Gnolls it is then, Kitten.” They went to the correct room and took the portal to the gnoll area.
They headed for the woods, pausing at the edge of them while Alburet summoned Tiny and Bob, then copied Stacia. “Morning, guys. We are solo hunting gnolls today.”
“No babes?” Bob mock cried, looking around for Fluff, Karen or Marysue.
“Master,” Tiny rumbled, “is it true you are going to infuse your blood with Infernal essence?”
Bob stopped hamming it up, his eyes locking onto Alburet, obviously interested in his answer. Alburet took a moment before he replied, “That is not for another six days. I have until then to decide.” Bob seemed to droop slightly as if in disappointment. Tiny just nodded. Alburet continued a second later, “Though at the moment I’m leaning towards yes.”
Tiny’s normally placid face stretched into a smile, while Bob let out a cheer and broke into a jig. Alburet looked at them a little oddly until Bob explained. “I asked around after I heard about the quest. It hasn’t been done in ages it seems, but that is the only way that Demon Lords are made. Demon Lords were mortals who gave up their past race to transform into a Demon Lord at the hand of the Dark Lord. Being a minion to one who is on that path gives us a little more reputation in the Infernal Lands. Added to that is the fact that you also took a half-blood succubus and bound her to you, which has made your name commonplace in gossip in our lands.”