Dealing with the ladies was actually more tiring than dealing with Vulcan, and Ren didn't want to face another woman right now.
He had enough of them for one day.
He was about to cancel the call and silence his phone when the ringing stopped. There were numerous missed calls and messages from Saya when his screen went back to normal.
Ren looked over at the clock. It was still seven in the evening, but he felt like time had already moved faster.
It was just hours ago that they had their mini-reunion, but it felt like decades to Ren. It was one of the disadvantages of the huge time gap. He was disoriented with the actual time in the real world.
What could she be calling nonstop?
Curious, Ren checked the message that Saya left.
[Saya: Ren, when you read this. Call me. I need to talk with you. It's urgent]
Urgent?
I doubt it. Ren thought.
His and Saya's idea of urgent was entirely different.
His urgent involved accidents and death, while hers involved missed derma appointment or a broken nail, a sudden zit, and a bad hair day.
Nevertheless, Ren returned the call just for old times' sake. And he was curious and had nothing to do as of now, so he might as well.
"Ren! What took you so long to answer your phone? I have been calling since hours ago!"
Ren didn't know if it was brought about his feeling in the past, but Saya's tone sounded annoying in his ears. Like it was scrapping his eardrums raw.
"I've been busy. What's up?" Ren said with a dead voice colder than the freezing winds in winter.
Saya caught her tongue. She thought that Ren was just in a bad mood a while ago and that he would return to normal once a few hours passed.
"T-that . . ." Saya already had tons to say, but it all disappeared the moment she heard Ren's cold voice.
"If it's nothing, then I'll hang up."
"Wait!" Saya's heart raced while she felt hot and bothered that Ren was being mean and cold to her. She was not used to it, and she never will be.
"Leonel called Mike a while ago and said that he had found somebody to take up the role of being a classless Mage so we could enter Scar's group."
" . . ." Ren closed his eyes and sighed. Leonel . . .
Ren couldn't exactly fault Leonel since the latter still looked at Saya and Mike as friends and wanted to help them with everything he could. Four years of friendship was hard for Leonel to ignore, but Mike certainly could forget it in a couple of minutes.
"Is that so?" Ren said without a care. "That's good, isn't it? Mike should have hired somebody to take that role in the first place. We get to keep our class. You get to enter Black Lion. Everybody is happy."
". . ." Saya bit her bottom lip when Ren said it like he couldn't care less. He definitely changed. But overnight? Did he hit his head or something?
"If that's all then . . ."
"Ren . . . I'm calling if you and Leonel have changed your mind and would like to enter Black Lion together with us."
Ren deducted from what Saya said that they had managed to enter Scar's group because of Leonel's actions. In the past, it took years before they could enter, probably because Black Lion was still recruiting members nonstop right now.
And that Mike wasn't smart enough to think of hiring others to pose as a classless mage for him so they could enter Scar's group in the past.
This timeline definitely changed from the past, but Ren didn't care. The one thing that would never change was Mike and Saya's true characters.
"No. I don't want to enter a guild right now."
"Is that so . . . Leonel said that he would think about it. He might be going to ask for your opinion. And if you say that you will enter, I'm sure Leonel would also say yes."
Ren was about to open his mouth, but Saya didn't let him speak as she barraged him with words.
"Black Lion is among the crowd's favorite guild, you know. While they are still recruiting, you should join now, or it would be too late for you later. What's more, you get monthly allowance and other benefits if you enter the guild. You can earn in your sleep while still studying and doing other things. This opportunity is just once in a lifetime, Ren."
When she finished, Saya took a deep breath.
". . . Saya, did Mike put you into this?" Ren knew that Saya would never talk to him like this except maybe if she was pressed of options. Mike might have convinced her to speak to him, knowing he had a weak spot for her.
However, that weak spot was long gone, stitched, plastered, and healed.
Saya bit her bottom lip at Ren's harsh voice, and she croaked in a weak tone, "I just . . . I just thought that . . . we can play together in this game and be just like before, you know. Mike is stubborn. You are stubborn. So what am I going do for this friendship not to break apart?"
"And clearly what you decided is that I should give way? Is that it?"
"T-that's . . ."
"Saya, how many times do I have to tell you that a guild operates within rules and guidelines? Do you think that just because you managed a spot through a deal and Mike knew Scar, you'll be welcomed with open arms?
"Even if you don't have to go through the initiation like the others, you will still start at the very bottom and climb your way up to become a core member. And the only way for that to happen is through skills and a good amount of luck. But before that, you'll be nothing but errand players. Are you sure you're okay with that?"
"Mike knew Scar, surely . . ."
"Have it your way then," Ren cut in and was about to press end when Saya hurriedly said.
"Wait . . . Actually . . . the reason why I called you is . . ."
". . ." Ren checked his phone when he thought that Saya got disconnected from the long pause.
Ren was about to press end for who knew how many times now when Saya finally spoke on the other line.
"Actually Ren . . . I was hoping that you can convince Mike not to employ that kid . . . Roz. Mike only had fifty thousand allowance a month, and that kid asked for a ten thousand sum. Actually, his asking price is the cheapest among those who applied for the job . . . and Mike is desperate . . . And I . . . I think Mike got scammed and . . . If only you and . . ."
Ren's pupils constricted, it turned into a dot, and he no longer heard what Saya was talking about. He didn't even care to know on who the fuck was Roz.
So the real reason why Saya was calling him was made apparent. She was worried that Mike would no longer have the money to treat and buy her things.
If she convinced Ren to enter Scar's guild as a classless Mage, then Mike would no longer pay any amount saving his money for her.
Whereas if she didn't manage to convince Ren, then she would try to sweet talk the latter into convincing Mike not to spend his money on nothing but fancy dresses, bags, shoes and Michelin restaurants for her.
"Saya . . . ," cut in Ren, "how selfish can you be?"
"Wha–?"
Ren pressed the end button before Saya could reply. He then blocked her call and Mike's.
Those two were perfect for each other. The both of them were selfish and Ren had enough of them.
