After traveling non-stop for a day, Lux finally reached Aeston Town, where he would attempt to get his second Recommendation Letter from its local Adventurers Guildmaster.
Although tired from his journey, the Half-Elf still headed straight to the Adventurer's Guild and asked for an audience with its Guildmaster.
It took several minutes before the Guild Receptionist brought Lux to the Headmaster's office, where its Guildmaster, Guthram, waited for him.
"You must be Lux," said Guthram as soon as the Half-Elf took a seat in front of his table. "I've heard many things about you."
"I pray that they were all good things," Lux replied with a smile.
"Hahaha. Well, it's mixed, so there are good things and bad things. Even so, I'm glad I was finally able to see the Half-Elf who has been making a lot of trouble for the Vahan Empire."
Guthram was a middle-aged man, who wore a monocle over his right eye. He had this calm presence in him that made others feel at ease around him.
But this was why Lux raised his guard to its fullest. Vera had warned him that this kind of people was the hardest to deal with because one never knew if they were scheming something behind your back.
"Good," Guthram commented after sensing that Lux was being wary of him. "Only those who have passed a certain threshold in life experience would be cautious around me. It seems like you have your fair share of life and death battles."
Lux didn't comment, since Vera had also warned him that these sly foxes would flatter people as well in order to make them lower their guard.
"Sir Guthram, I am here for a Recommendation Letter," Lux stated.
Guthram nodded his head and opened the drawer at the side of his table. He then took out a scroll with a seal attached in it and passed it over to Lux.
"Here is the Recommendation Letter," Guthram said.
Lux blinked in confusion because he didn't expect that the recommendation letter would be handed to him in such a casual manner.
He thought that he would be given a quest, just like what Cobie had given him before he received the recommendation letter with the Guildmaster's seal in it.
"What's wrong?" Guthram asked. "You don't want it?"
"Of course I want it," Lux said as he carefully took the scroll from Guthram's hand.
Guthram smiled as he eyed the Half-Elf who carefully stored his letter of recommendation inside his storage ring. He found the red-headed teenager's reaction quite funny, making him want to tease him.
"The Skystead Alliance and the Xynnar War Pact has always been at odds with each other," Guthram stated. "However, the Adventurer's Guild is a neutral party, which allows us to have branches all over the world.
"But, this is what only the common folks believe. In truth, even an organization as big as ours isn't free from corruption. We still need to protect our own interests, so if we have to blacklist a handful of people in order to continue serving millions of them, this choice is one that we will easily take.
"You are a good example of this improper procedure. In order to create a guild, you have no choice but to travel to the rival empire of your faction just to secure Recommendation Letters and take the Trial of Leadership. Do you know why this happened?"
Lux nodded. "To prevent a war from taking place."
Guthram smiled. "You're only half right. It's all about politics and keeping the interest of each kingdom. No one wants to see a war start, or at least, most of the rulers don't. But, Emperor Andreas is an exception.
"What puzzles me is that he didn't use what happened in the Domain of the Fallen, as well as the attack on the Ashina Kingdom, as a righteous cause to declare war on the Xynnar War Pact."
Lux offered his own opinion on the matter. "Isn't it just because the Xynnar War Pact has two more Saints on their side, making Emperor Andreas reconsider declaring war?"
Guthram smirked. "While Saints are indeed beings that have a deterrence effect, you have to understand that Emperor Andreas also has aces up his sleeve. It has been five years since the Emperor, who likes to expand his territory, stopped sending his army across his Empire's borders to wage war on his neighbors. The only reason I can think of is that he is busy with other things."
Lux frowned because this talk about conspiracy theories was something he wasn't fond of. For him, they were just conjectures, and worrying about something that had no solid evidence backing it up was just a waste of time.
"Oh, forgive me, it seems like my tale has bored you," Guthram chuckled. "Well then, since your purpose for coming here is over, you will head to Bradford Town next, right?"
"Actually, I haven't decided where to go yet," Lux replied. "There are a couple of other towns that I can visit before going to a major city to use their teleportation gate to reach the Capital City of Dainsleif."
Guthram pressed his hands together and eyed the Half-Elf with a solemn expression on his face.
"You're going to Bradford Town next, right?"
"I still haven't decided..."
"Understood. You're going to Bradford Town. Since that is the case, can you pass this letter to my colleague there?" Guthram stuffed a letter into Lux's hands without even asking for his opinion. "Since you will be visiting Bradford Town to get a Recommendation Letter, you might as well deliver this letter to my friend, who also happens to be the Branch Guildmaster of the Adventurer's Guild. His name is Boris and we go way back."
"...Okay." Lux could only accept the letter from Guthram because the latter was insisting that he go to Bradford Town next.
"Excellent. I knew that you were an amazing person the moment you walked through the door. Now, if you will excuse me, I still have many things to do," Guthram stood from his chair and shook hands with Lux, before firmly escorting him outside of his office. "Safe travels and may you arrive in Bradford Town before it is too late."
Without another word, the Guildmaster closed the door leaving a dumbstruck Half-Elf who still couldn't understand what just happened.
'I guess I'll know when I arrive in Bradford Town.' Lux scratched his head as he looked at the letter in his hands. 'Also, what did he mean when he said before it's too late?'
The Half-Elf had a feeling that this matter wasn't so simple, so he decided to rest for a few hours. When the clock struck midnight, he would then travel to Bradford Town.
