Rise of the Eromancer

Chapter 102 Rhys, The Guild Master

"What in the… why are you back here again!?"

Perhaps more than any other newbie Explorers, Rhys has once again found himself inside the Explorer Association building. Explorers do not really return to the association unless they truly need to — sometimes not even a year, as that is how long it usually takes when someone wants to try their luck again and retake the test to increase their level.

"Wait… don't tell me you keep coming here because you want to see me?" And as Hannah was once again the receptionist who received him, she confidently leaned back on her chair and looked at Rhys from head to waist, as that was all she could see from the other side of the counter, "Hm…

…since everyone is practically inferior to me, I guess you'll do. But on one condition, you have to show your face whenever we're together."

"I'm… not here to ask you out on a date, Ma'am," Rhys could not help but just sigh as he saw Hannah eyeing him. It was weird — even with her clearly showing interest in him, the 5 Floating Hearts that were present in almost all women, and even present to men who were interested in him, were nowhere to be seen above her head.

It made it harder to read what's on her mind because he literally couldn't hear her desires — and she was hard to read in the first place.

"Then why are you wasting both our time again?" Hannah groaned.

"You… said to come back if I have already gathered enough members to create a guild," Rhys said as he handed several files to Hannah, "We have already filled out the necessary forms."

"...You already gathered people?" Hannah could not help but blink a couple of times in bewilderment as she looked at the papers Rhys placed on the counter.

"Yes," Rhys then stepped to the side, letting Hannah finally see the three women who were standing behind him.

"What the f…" Hannah quickly stood up, almost slamming her palms on the counter as she stared at the three women, looking back and forth at them and their names on the paper, "...Are you registering for an Explorer guild or an entertainment agency? And you even got the psycho to sign?"

"The… psycho?" Rhys squinted his eyes as he looked to where Hannah was looking, only to see Katarina practically glaring at Hannah, "You two… know each other?"

"Oh, yes. We—"

"We're old friends," Katarina did not let Hannah speak.

"We're old friends," Hannah just repeated Katarina's words with a slightly mischievous chuckle escaping her lips after. She then turned to look at Ayesha, who just seemed uncomfortable being there, "...Aren't you the Commander of the Underworld Corps?"

"Was," Ayesha crossed her arms as she looked around, "Just stamp the files, woman. Stop asking so many questions."

"And you…" Hannah stared at Lina, who just returned her stare, "You're…

…I have absolutely no idea who you are."

"I'm Rhys's official girlfriend," Lina slightly raised her chin and stepped forward.

"Don't care, didn't ask," Hannah just waved her hand as she sat back down, "Give me all your licenses, I need to update it with your guild name which is…

…The Dregs of Society. What the fuck is this shit? Dreggerman, and now this? You want me to be canceled, Rhys? Is that it?"

"That's—"

"I'm changing it," Hannah then started typing on her computer, "Just give me your licenses."

"Wait, you can't do that…" Rhys could not help but hesitate as he gave their licenses, "...That's the name I chose and—"

"Don't care," Hannah rolled her eyes as she just forcefully grabbed the licenses in Rhys's hand, "You're not even using your Dreggerman name, you just went with Rhys Wilder on all your socials. Let me see…"

"Who is this lovely load of cum?" Ayesha let out a small giggle as she looked at Hannah, "I like her. We should add her to the harem."

"Ah, that's good," Hannah pointed at Ayesha and nodded. She then started sliding all of their licenses into her machine before just proudly giving them back to Rhys, "Congratulations, you're a guild master now, Rhys. It was almost just yesterday that you were a measly Level 1 Explorer. Oh, wait — you were."

"..." Rhys did not really say anything and just sighed as he took their license back. And there, on the back of his license, was written;

[Wilder's Harem - Guild Master]

"This… people would think I'm some—"

"Oh, I like it," Lina breathed out.

"Well, well," Ayesha only shrugged.

"This…" As for Katarina, she just quickly placed her license back in her purse.

"You can't change your guild name, by the way," Hannah signed an 'okay' with her hand as she looked at Rhys, "Catchy, right? We—"

"This can't be!"

And all of a sudden, a loud scream reverberated throughout the entire floor, causing both Ayesha and Rhys to slightly tilt their heads. Everyone then turned to look at the owner of the voice, only to see someone standing up from a sofa in the waiting lobby; holding a newspaper with his face covered in sunglasses and a cap.

The man then hastily approached the counter while pointing at Rhys.

"...What the, aren't you the guild master of the Laughing Bronze?" Hannah also quickly pointed at Kenneth, who seemed completely out of it, "I thought we told you to stop idling here!?"

"You created your own guild!?" Kenneth removed his cap and sunglasses as he looked at Rhys with pleading eyes, "That… that wasn't part of the plan. Do you know how much I've spent trying to recruit you, Rhys… do you know how much!?"

"Who's the clown?" Ayesha looked at Lina and Katarina, who only shrugged their shoulders, "Can we just leave? The people are starting to stare at us and I'm not used to civvies looking at me."

"People will be staring at us from everywhere. Have you seen us?" Lina sighed as she looked at Ayesha from head to toe, who looked like some sort of niche high fashion model, "...You're like Native Amerkan, right? I thought you guys were extinct."

"Lina?" Katarina's eyes widened from Lina's question.

"We're too tough for that," Ayesha did not even seem to mind the question, however, as she even smiled and flexed her muscles, "But do you know who is even tougher?"

No one really needed to answer Ayesha's question as they all just looked at Rhys, who did not seem to know what to do as Kenneth was practically sprawling on the floor like a worm in tantrums.

"So, who's gonna save the recruit?"

"Let me," Lina could really only sigh as she approached Kenneth and crouched on the floor, "They said you're the guild master of the Laughing Bronze, right?"

"Yes," Kenneth quickly stopped squirming as he looked Lina in the eyes.

"Let me guess, you were trying to scout Rhys because he would bring all sorts of attention to your guild," Lina smirked, "Your guild is also famous for just primarily focusing on celebrity Explorers. And Rhys? How much money would that bring your guild if he was there?"

"Finally, someone with vision," Kenneth's eyes brightened up as he suddenly stood up while spinning in place, almost causing Lina to fall on her butt if it wasn't for Rhys catching her,

"Imagine it, the rise of the strongest Lowborn. Dregs to riches — how much revenue we would get just from the ads alone," Kenneth started hugging himself as he danced.

"...You Surface people are weird," Ayesha took a step back, "Can we just kill him?"

"No," Katarina whispered as she glanced at Ayesha, before glaring back at Kenneth, "Not here."

"How about a partnership?" Lina interrupted Kenneth's glee, "Our guild is just newly established and we don't have access to Holes yet."

"Oh," Rhys blinked a couple of times as he looked at Lina — as expected of a veteran.

"I'm listening," Kenneth squinted.

"You know that the number of Rhys's followers and subscribers are increasing even as we speak," Lina showed the abnormal statistics of Rhys's socials, causing his entire body to shiver, "We will do a collab."

"Hm…"

"But you get to go live and we won't be uploading any videos about the Exploration for a week."

"!!!" Kenneth almost bit his lips; his legs weakening to the point he had to lift himself up using the counter.

"On one condition," Lina raised her finger, "We get to keep everything we farm from the Hole."

"Deal," Kenneth quickly shook Lina's hand as a grin crawled onto his face. Whatever they get from the Hole is irrelevant — add to the fact there were only four of them and Kenneth did not even know them, whatever they get would be minimal,

"You will not regret this deal, Mr. Wilder. You have a very fine Vice Guildmaster here."

And without even waiting for anyone to say anything, Kenneth quickly left the building.

"You guys hear that?" A confident smirk grew on Lina's face as she looked at Ayesha and Katarina, "I'm the Vice Guildmaster. And I already secured us a Hole."

"You're still the weakest," Ayesha just shrugged.

"W—I'm strong!" Lina's eyebrows instantly lowered as she rushed back toward the two, "At… at least stronger than her!"

"Woman…" Ayesha just let out a chuckle as Lina pointed at Katarina, "...This titty monster will kill you in your sleep. You think she's a Healer? Just from the curvature of her muscles alone, she's obviously an as—"

"Why don't we just start preparing what we need!?" Katarina raised her voice and quickly pulled Rhys away, "We don't know when that weird guy will call us."

"Did you just say…" Lina's eyes glistened as she looked at Katarina,

"...Shopping?"