After Ezekiel departed, Viola took a moment to steel herself. She began her own preparations because she was heading to the Palladium Guild to enlist.
The moment she arrived at the guild hall, the atmosphere changed. People stared openly as she walked through the lobby. She submitted her application, and the staff members attending to her were nauseatingly positive. They practically tripped over themselves to please her. Their sycophancy was so transparent that it almost made her laugh. Within minutes, she received an invitation to see the guild leader for a private talk.
Viola stepped into the office and locked eyes with the man in charge.
So, this is him
she thought.
Just another person who exploits others for his own gain.
She maintained a polite smile on her face, but her internal monologue was the complete opposite of her outward expression. She found him repulsive.
"On behalf of the Palladium Guild, we thank you for joining our ranks, Miss Viola," the leader said with a practiced charm. "I can assure you that you will not regret this."
As they continued their conversation, the door suddenly swung open without a knock. It was Clyde.
"I am so sorry for intruding like this," Clyde announced. "I simply could not stop myself once I heard Viola was here. I am a huge fan, as you can see."
Viola remained still.
Viola? He is not even using formalities? How shameless can one person be?
As he stood there, Viola's mind filled with dark thoughts. She imagined breaking his neck down and making him suffer for his arrogance. Clyde approached her to introduce himself properly, but Viola did not even spare him a glance. The blatant dismissal caused a flicker of irritation to cross his face.
Viola eventually left the office to escape the stifling environment, but Clyde refused to take the hint. He continued to pester her as she walked down the corridor.
"Mr. Zonic, as a hunter yourself, are you not busy today?" Viola asked, her voice cold. "You should probably be heading to your own duties."
"I am not really busy right now," Clyde replied, stepping closer. "More importantly, is there something you need to do after this? I thought perhaps we could grab some food. I know a very expensive place nearby."
"I do not think that is necessary, Mr. Zonic," Viola said firmly. She established a clear wall between them with her tone. "I have to film a scene after this, so I am heading there directly."
"That is too bad," Clyde said, though he didn't look discouraged. "I hope you won't be so busy the next time I ask you out."
Viola felt a wave of genuine nausea. Mentally, she was retching at the thought of spending more time with him. On the outside, she simply offered another hollow smile.
Go out with you? she thought. You should be worried about me poisoning your food if I ever actually agreed to that.
While Viola and Clyde stood near each other, another figure watched from the shadows. Charlotte stood off to the side, gritting her teeth in silence. She couldn't hear their conversation, but the sight of them together made her blood boil.
That white lotus woman, Charlotte thought. What is she doing here and why is she flirting with Clyde? Do not tell me she actually joined Palladium.
Charlotte looked as though she were drowning in her own jealousy.
---
The news of Viola joining the Palladium Guild spread faster than a pandemic. Over the next few days, Viola found herself constantly moving between her two jobs. She managed to get the hang of the guild's inner workings and began befriending other hunters to gather intel. Even though she disliked it, she continued to speak with Clyde to snoop for information, though she remained firm on her refusal to eat with him.
She also frequently noticed Charlotte glaring at her with pure contempt. Rather than being bothered by the hostility, Viola found it amusing.
Maybe I should start my plans with her, Viola mused, a dark glint in her eyes.
Viola was initially assigned to low-level dungeons to assist the lower-ranking hunters. The guild administration operated under the assumption that she was completely inexperienced, believing she knew nothing about dungeon mechanics or combat. They assigned the assignment as a way for her to gain necessary field experience before moving on to more dangerous tasks. Well, that is what they showed the public so they could appear to be treating her right in their guild..
However, after only two weeks of showing her competence, she was abruptly transferred. Her new assignment placed her directly into Clyde's elite party.
A cold sense of satisfaction settled over her as she walked toward the briefing room. This was exactly what she had been waiting for.
At last, she would be in the same room as the people she despised. She could finally look into the faces of every person she intended to meticulously dismantle.
Having them all in one place made her task much easier, and she savored the thought of the psychological torment she was about to do to them.
its alright if it's slow, I'm not in a hurry to rip their bodies to pieces anyways because where is the fun in that.