Rise of the Lustful Evil Monarch (Re)-Chapter 234: The GobStompers (1)

Third Person's POV

Noticing the tension creeping into the air, Ethan cleared his throat subtly and brought Aurae back to reality.

She blinked and seemed to realize her momentary lapse as she withdrew her hand so quickly it was almost as if she had been burned.

The motion was swift and precise and far too natural to be mere flustered instinct.

Yet, in that brief exchange, a peculiar glimmer of light flickered in Ethan's gaze as he noticed something which was undetected by everyone else.

The elf had unknowingly revealed a part of herself.

A small, fleeting moment that an ordinary person wouldn't think twice about.

But Ethan was far from ordinary.

Years of experience in combat, assassination tactics, ambushes, and evasive maneuvers had honed his perception to an extraordinary level.

He caught details that others would miss, and what he had just witnessed spoke volumes.

She is an assassin. And an experienced one at that.

The way she had instinctively disengaged from his grasp, the fluid motion, the complete lack of hesitation—it was too refined and too practiced.

The kind of reaction only someone well-versed in the art of combat and survival would have.

Interesting...

Not betraying any of his thoughts, he simply smiled as Aurae composed herself and gestured toward the guild once more.

"Let's go," she said calmly as her tone regained its professionalism.

"It won't take much time, I promise."

She seemed eager to shift the focus away from the awkward moment.

Noticing her subtle unease, Ethan simply smiled and followed her toward another section of the guild hall.

Upon arrival, Aurae swiftly retrieved a special parchment made of fine goatskin with silver edges and picked up an exquisite golden quill.

With practiced ease, she dipped it in a shimmering inkwell and began writing their names.

Ethan's keen senses immediately detected a faint yet noticeable magical fluctuation from the quill.

A peculiar tingling sensation pricked at his skin, and even looking at the glowing script left a slight sting in his eyes.

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As golden letters etched themselves onto the parchment and formed the names of the three along with their ranks, his curiosity only grew.

Aurae was quick to catch his intrigued expression and smiled knowingly and decided to explain.

"This," she said as she held up the quill slightly, "is a BrightThorn Quill, crafted from the primary thorn of the rare and elusive BrightThorn Quillback."

Ethan's brow furrowed in confusion at the strange name.

"What kind of creature is that?" he asked while not bothering to hide his doubt.

Aurae chuckled softly as if expecting the question, and reached beneath the desk.

She retrieved an old, black-bound tome with an intricate emblem etched on its cover.

The title read: Magical Creatures of the Central Dominance Lands.

Flipping through the pages with a familiar ease, she quickly found the one she was searching for and turned the book toward Ethan.

He leaned in to take a look, but as soon as his gaze landed on the illustration, his expression froze.

His face twitched as realization dawned upon him.

The creature in the drawing was unmistakably a porcupine—though this particular one looked far more majestic.

Its quills gleamed with an almost divine golden sheen as if the entire beast had been plated in precious metal.

Aurae smirked at his reaction and was clearly amused but she didn't know the reason behind his shocked reaction.

"This," she stated while she tapped the image, "is a BrightThorn Quillback.

They are very rare and are only found occasionally.

Their quills are highly sought after by magical artificers, as they can be refined into BrightThorn Quills like the one I'm using now."

Ethan nodded slowly while being still absorbed in the absurdity of the situation.

"So… a porcupine," he muttered under his breath, making the girls look at him with slight confusion.

"What's a porcupine?"

Virelle and Aurae asked simultaneously but Ethan replied in an absentminded tone as he looked at the description of the magical creature.

"It's nothing."

His tone was calm and soothing but they could sense the finality in them.

Aurae either didn't hear him or chose to ignore the remark as she continued,

"These quills are especially renowned for their longevity. Anything written with them remains intact for centuries without fading or eroding."

She glanced at him meaningfully before concluding,

"Since registering a team is a permanent process, it is essential to use a quill that ensures the records will last indefinitely."

Ethan marveled at her explanation as his mind once again circled back to the mention of magical artificers.

It was an intriguing thought he had shelved in some forgotten corner of his mind but now it resurfaced with renewed interest.

Maybe, I should pursue this profession.

If he became a magical artificer, he wouldn't have to rely on others for weapons, armor, or enchanted artifacts.

Not only could he craft and design powerful tools for himself, but he could also provide them for his family and those closest to him.

Then, such an important aspect of survival in this world would be entirely within my control.

A deeper thought flickered at the back of his mind.

If I master this craft, maybe… just maybe, I can even repair that broken saber one day.

His musings were suddenly interrupted as Aurae's voice cut through his thoughts.

"Also, what would you like your group's name to be?"

The unexpected question caught Ethan off guard for a moment.

He blinked in thought but soon a simple name formed in his mind.

Before he could voice it, Virelle and Velcy's eyes widened in horror.

They had already sensed the impending disaster, and their instincts screamed at them to stop him.

However, Ethan was faster than them.

"Hmm, how about GobStompers?" he said in a light and casual tone while being utterly unaware of the silent agony gripping the two girls beside him.

Aurae was ever efficient and swiftly wrote it down before they could even protest.

The moment the last letter was inscribed, the silver-edged goatskin parchment began to glow with an ethereal light.