“Fourth-tier beasts are truly terrifying.”
After witnessing the destructive power of a fourth-tier beast firsthand, Celia and her two companions gained a clearer understanding of their own abilities.
Second-tier heroes were pure novices.
“Terrifying? Not at all. As long as you know their weaknesses, defeating them isn’t particularly difficult.”
Dorothy had no desire to see such creatures dampen their confidence.
Upon returning to the guild with them, she coincidentally encountered Roland, who had just emerged from the Guildmaster’s office.
Pulling her hat brim lower, she brushed past Roland.
After Dorothy passed, Roland paused, her gaze fixed intently on Dorothy’s retreating figure. The emotions mixed within her expression were devoid of her previous aversion, replaced instead by a hint of investigative curiosity.
“What’s wrong?”
The brown-haired girl was somewhat puzzled by her captain’s actions. Roland merely offered a faint “Nothing,” before withdrawing her gaze from Dorothy and heading out of the hall.
“Isn’t that Roland? Her attitude seems to have changed quite a bit.”
Meanwhile, Celia had naturally noticed Roland’s actions. She had fully expected Roland to challenge their instructor within the guild, but to her surprise, all she did was give the instructor another glance.
This unexpected shift left Celia feeling rather astonished. Had Instructor Dorothy done something they weren’t aware of?
Celia couldn’t fathom it.
“Who knows?” Dorothy replied dismissively.
Aurora took all of this in. Her fingers unconsciously tapped her lips, as if she had come to some realization.
On their way to the second-floor classroom, an unexpected visitor, whom no one could have anticipated, blocked their path, leaning on a cane.
The moment she saw him, Celia’s pupils contracted slightly, and she instinctively hid half her body behind Dorothy.
“Orl…”
She now detested this butler, even though he had been by her side since childhood.
“Young Lady, with the monster attacks, instead of staying safely within the guild, you chose to wander about with your instructor. It truly worries me.”
The white-haired Orl chuckled, ostensibly scolding Celia, but in reality, his words were aimed squarely at Dorothy.
He had come specifically to see Dorothy today. However, upon arriving at the guild, he hadn’t found the hero, and only later learned she had been wandering the city with the Young Lady.
Had he not known this hero was formidable, he would have personally intervened and brought the Young Lady back himself.
‘What an arrogant hero.’
“This isn’t wandering! The instructor has taught me so much, knowledge that will be incredibly useful in future battles. And with her protecting me, I’ll be fine!”
“Battles? As the heir to the family, you will not need to fight in the future. Your guards will ensure your safety.”
At this point, Orl’s tone shifted abruptly.
“Furthermore, Young Lady, you claim she can protect you. So, Instructor, what tier is your strength? What gives you the confidence to protect Young Lady Celia during a fifth-tier beast attack?”
Using Celia’s words as an opening, he questioned Dorothy’s strength, his expression laced with profound disdain.
A hot-blooded young person would easily be provoked by such contempt, revealing their tier in a fit of anger.
Dorothy, however, merely let out a soft chuckle before responding:
“One’s tier is a private matter, Mr. Orl, and not something I’m obliged to disclose. However, as the butler of the Fiona family, to immediately inquire about a hero’s tier—have you perhaps forgotten all noble etiquette?”
Though she smiled, her eyes held no warmth, giving off an intensely dangerous aura.
The sharp exchange between the two left Celia and her companions speechless, and time passed in silent dread.
Ultimately, Orl was the one to concede.
“Instructor Dorothy, I have something I wish to discuss with you privately. Do you happen to be free at the moment?”
Donning pristine white gloves, he made an inviting gesture. Dorothy did not refuse, stepping forward to the empty room Orl indicated.
“Instructor…”
Celia was visibly worried. Dorothy, however, turned back and offered her a reassuring look, comforting her with, “I’ll be back soon.”
Following that, she entered the room with Orl.
Watching her depart, Celia and her two companions had no choice but to find a spot on the second floor near the balcony, settling onto a sofa to quietly await her return from the room.
Recalling their previous instructor, a sense of unease gradually crept into Celia’s heart. She clutched her skirt hem tightly, asking hesitantly, “Do you think Senior Dorothy will leave us?”
Isha lay sprawled carelessly on the sofa, snoring inelegantly, completely unconcerned. Aurora, meanwhile, brushed a strand of hair from her face, took Celia’s hand, and offered comfort:
“Of course not. If she’s come to be our instructor, she’s surely considered all of this. You must trust Senior Dorothy.”
Then, as if knowing Celia’s worries wouldn’t be so easily dispelled, Aurora leaned closer to the girl’s ear, covering her mouth as she whispered mysteriously:
“I’ll tell you a secret: the reason Lord Roland was able to defeat that fifth-tier beast was because Senior Dorothy secretly assisted her.”
“Otherwise, how could Lord Roland have possibly changed her attitude so drastically?”
Being observant, Aurora had long noticed the unusual dynamic between Roland and Dorothy. Connecting this to their battle with the fifth-tier beast, the conclusion was naturally not difficult to reach.
From being in a desperate state to suppressing the beast, Aurora didn’t believe Roland and the other heroes could have managed it without Senior Dorothy’s covert assistance.
“Really?”
“Of course, it’s true.”
Aurora rested her hands on her thighs, gently smoothing down her white skirt. Then, as if recalling something, she continued:
“In my opinion, Senior Dorothy is at least a hero with her own title. She won’t leave us so easily.”
“A title?”
“Indeed. She might even be a Sage-level hero. Otherwise, why would your butler be so cautious? And why would he personally come to seek out Senior Dorothy?”
“A Sage? That… that might be a bit too exaggerated…”
“Heh heh, perhaps just a little.”
Celia rested her chin in her hands. While she didn’t entirely believe Aurora’s speculation, she certainly credited most of it.
It was the first time she had ever seen Orl, the butler, personally come to the Hero’s Guild to find an instructor.
Even within the Fiona family, she had rarely encountered a sixth-tier hero.
However, a crucial question soon occurred to her.
“Tell me, if Senior Dorothy truly is a sixth-tier hero, what would her title be?”
“I don’t know.”
“Even you don’t know?”
“Please, I’m not omniscient. If you really want to know, why don’t you just ask her directly when she comes out?”
As if she had seen through Dorothy’s personality, a mischievous smile inexplicably appeared on Aurora’s small face.
“Senior Dorothy is so gentle; she’ll surely tell you.”