SVWK | Ch 14

Episode 14

“Hey, Andel — you know who the Master calls his ‘pretty,’ right?”

Andel, who ran the little bar on Bellot Street (also Branch No.3 of the Night’s Eye guild), sighed as the young guy standing in front of him looked glum. This was the umpteenth time someone had asked him that question.

Lately, a lot more guild members were whispering about who the new branch manager might be. They couldn’t ask Enoch directly — nobody had the guts to bother him — so they all came to Andel. He was known as the kindest branch leader, and people figured he’d be more likely to spill something.

Word had already spread around that “the pretty” the Master kept talking about had visited Andel’s bar. Folks were curious: what kind of woman would suddenly become a branch manager? How pretty could she be that Enoch called her “pretty” like that? A lot of the questions Andel had been hearing were versions of that.

Kanel — the branch manager from No.5 — was one of those curious ones. He complained to Andel, “The rumors are huge. They say she’s prettier than the Master, and just meeting her eyes makes you fall for her. You actually saw her, right? Is she really that pretty? Pretty enough to make the Master fall?”

As Andel wiped a glass, he thought about Rania. Her hair was close to silver-blonde — not rare in the empire — but her violet eyes were uncommon. Her features were delicate and pretty, but beauty is subjective. Kanel, though, expected something earth-shattering — anything less wouldn’t satisfy him.

When Andel didn’t answer, Kanel got sulky. “I’m dying to know. Sasser said he saw her and blushed, saying she was beyond what you could imagine. He’s that wild guy who never stops for anyone!”

“And?” Andel said calmly.

“And you sent Yurion as her assistant. That’s favoritism, right? When I started, I had to struggle and learn — no one helped me!”

Andel smiled wryly. It wasn’t favoritism — most branch leaders, including him, had been tossed into the job and had to learn by themselves. What made Rania special was that her support and information had been tightly managed. She was the exception, not Kanel’s being neglected.

Andel set the glass down gently. “Kanel, I’m busy. Stop whining so you can go back. If you keep leaving your post, it looks bad to the other guild members.”

Kanel pouted and complained that it was unfair — no customers today, and Andel was shooing people. “You only like women and kids!” he accused. “And today’s your day off, too!”

“Don’t say stuff people will misinterpret,” Andel said dryly. “I don’t particularly like women and kids — I just don’t care about anyone else.”

Kanel, sour, plopped himself down in front of the counter and kept grumbling. He’d joined the guild at eighteen because he was infatuated with Enoch, who’d accepted him right away when Kanel boldly approached. Old guildmates joked Kanel’s head was full of noodles, but Kanel believed Enoch favored him especially. Sort of, he did — relatively speaking.

Kanel turned pouty: “Master goes to see ‘the pretty’ all the time and doesn’t even meet with me. Boohoo…” Andel sighed.

Just then, the door creaked open. A thin voice called, “Is anyone here?” It was a woman — a rare sight this time of day. While Kanel blinked, Andel brightened. Rania stepped in awkwardly and smiled.

“Ah, hello. Do you remember me?” she asked.

“Of course. It’s only been ten days. Don’t just stand there — sit here,” Andel replied with a warm expression. Rania hesitated, then walked inside slowly. Her eyes flicked to Kanel, who stared wide-eyed. Seeing another guild member there made her tense, understandably.

Rania gave a little bow and sat. Andel set a teacup in front of her. Kanel noticed he hadn’t been offered anything and glared, but Andel ignored it and asked Rania kindly, “Have you eaten? If not, I can make a sandwich — I was about to have breakfast anyway, mind if you join?”

“Oh, thanks,” Rania replied. “Anything I don’t eat? Bacon, tomato, lettuce, egg?”

“Nope — I eat everything,” she said.

“That’s good. Have some tea and wait a bit,” Andel said, his calm manner soothing Rania’s nerves.

Kanel, still sulking, nudged Andel: “What about mine?”

Andel looked up, amused. “Kanel, are you still here?”

“Ah, come on, this is so unfair!”

“You’ve got a guest — go back now.”

“But tell me who the pretty is and I’ll leave!”

Rania froze mid-sip; the question made her blush and feel awkward. She fought to stay composed. Andel didn’t talk — the Master had ordered silence, so he wouldn’t announce to everyone that the woman beside Kanel was the Master’s “pretty.” He wouldn’t say anything until Rania herself wanted to speak.

Kanel sighed long and hard — Andel really was tight-lipped. He’d expected it.

Enoch, who had a habit of propping his chin on a hand just like Andel did now, looked at Rania. Her bright, braided blonde hair, rare violet eyes, and fine features made her look like someone from a well-off family — hardly someone who’d fit in a dive bar. When their eyes met, she quickly bowed her head; it was kind of cute.

But then Rania felt a prick of disapproval when Andel looked at her with a sharp, mildly scornful expression. Kanel grinned, wiggled his pinky, and said, “Is this the one, Andel?” Andel’s face twisted into an expression of contempt.