Cardinals of Auresia

Chapter 4 - My Pride

I wanted to look away but it seemed that my eyes had their own will. I couldn't get my eyes away from Nerios and he was looking at me too.

His eyes were telling me that I really made a huge mistake. Every time that our paths would cross, I could commemorate the first time we met. It was still fresh in my mind.

---

Congratulations! You passed the trial and would be directed to the picking hall. This is Eerika, you can call me any time in your menu bar for further questions or you can ask me for help. Thank you and once again, congratulations!

I smiled as I heard the system's voice. This is really awesome! Even a systematized staff also had a name! I vanished from the trial ground and was transported into the picking hall. It was like a museum. But there were no antiques, paintings, or artifacts. Instead, there were stalls with cardinals inside.

I could read the guild's name above the stall. My eyes were busy roaming around and I didn't notice that someone was in front of me. My attention was caught only when he talk. "Hi there, Reign."

I averted my eyes on the man in front of me. He was looking at my status bar. My eyes darted at the stall on his back.

The Blue Devils...

"You arrived in front of our guild because we're the ones who picked you first. It's an honour to have you in our guild," the man said and I read his status bar.

(NRY) Nerios

The Blue Devils

Silver Cardinal

Blue Devils? Sounded like hell to me.

"Ooppss!" Someone put his hand on my shoulder and pulled me away in front of that Nerios guy. I looked at him and read his status bar.

(NRY) Denro

The Conqueror

Charcoal Cardinal

Denro faced Nerios as if there were electricity flowing out from his eyes. "You picked him first? So funny that I think my stomach will burst!"

Were they fighting over me?

"Hey, back off, charcoals!" One of Nerios' companies got out from their stall.

"As if you're that high, silvers!" Denro fired back.

Nerios stepped forward and looked at my eyes intently not minding the deadly glare of Denro. "You have the potential and you can rank up fast if you'll our guild. Don't let yourself be surrounded by weaklings."

"Whose weak?" Denro asked with a hint of resentment in his voice and his eyes were now filled with annoyance.

"Will you stop this nonsense argument?" I blurted out that made them zip their mouths. I looked at Nerios and his eyes were filled with hope that I might choose their guild. "Being in the lowest rank is not bad and telling blurting it out loud is somehow rude."

I saw how Nerios' eyes became serious as if he predicted already what my decision was.

"Well, I'll just go with them," I continued and walk away with Denro.

---

Nerios was walking towards me with those annoying eyes. I was about to turn my back on him when he called out my name. I didn't know what he was up to this time. 

"What now?" I asked him immediately with a serious and blank expression.

"You can change your mind," he answered and it got me confused.

"What are you talking about?" I asked him stiffly.

"Oh, you don't know?" he asked me back which made me even more irritated. "The whole system of Cardinals of Auresia just got updated."

"And?" I asked without a hint of interest.

"You can now leave your guild and choose another guild. That will be possible if both guilds will consent you," he explained and that got my attention. "And our guild decided to welcome you."

I didn't know what to say or what to think. I couldn't even open my mouth.

"It was announced right after the monthly tournament," he added, like he saw that I was a bit confused.

Maybe it was the reason why Rayumi messaged me.

"Well, well, well..."

I and Nerios averted our eyes on the man that was approaching towards our direction. He was clapping like an idiot. I guessed he just got out of the portal.

Derus grinned and it was annoying. "So, you're being chosen again?"

Did he know? Not that I cared.

"So are you planning to leave your guild and rank up without a sweat?" Derus asked scoffing. I really wanted to pull away that smirk on his lips.

But what made me shut my mouth was the thing he said. Leave my guild and rank up without a sweat, that would be better.

But I was not born like that and never will be.

This time, it was my turn to smirk and it got wider when Derus fell serious. I stepped forward and lean closer to him. I whispered in his ears. "Are you that afraid?"

I stepped back to see his reaction. He was pissed, I thought.

"Don't talk nonsense, charcoal!" Derus shouted but controlled his anger. "Pretty confident, huh? You're not even ranking up, loser. So I am so sure that you're eager to grab the opportunity knocking on your fucking balls."

He left laughing. 

I averted my eyes on Nerios and he was now looking at me intently. 

"Tell me, why are you this eager to have me in your guild?" I asked him. It just hit me now. "You're now in Emerald and you are better than me, more than strong enough to be still in the place where you are right now. So tell me, why?"

"Not just him."

I looked at the man that was now beside me.

(Top 10) Grool

The Blue Devils

Emerald Cardinal

Oh, what was with these guys? Even the leader of The Blue Devils wanted me to be in their guild.

"I don't get you," I said timidly. "What it will benefit you if some cardinal on the charcoal rank like me will join you? You already had everything."

"Because you have the potential—"

"Fuck that potential!" I exclaimed and Grool didn't have the chance to finish what he was about to say. "Let me tell you something..."

I looked at them with seriousness and I didn't even blink. "I am not an asshole to leave my guild for my own benefit."

I turned my back to them but before I leave, I talked once again. "If you will give me the reason, a valid reason that is enough to pursue me, maybe I will change my mind."

I knew there was something else. I would find out that soon.

I entered another capsule-like cubicle and it was called transportation. Cardinals like me that couldn't afford to buy a teleportation item or wings had only one choice to use, it was the transportation. It would bring me to the place I wanted to go.

The Charcoal Cardinals were like the outcast of this game. We were given the place where we should be, The Slum. It was located in the farthest part of Auresia.

It goes like this.

The Centrum was the centre of Auresia. It was huge and was located in the middle. Maybe it occupied the largest part of Auresia. There were no limits of members inside a guild and Cardinals of Auresia had millions of users around the globe. The stores and other activities were placed under The Centrum, beneath the portals where I was in.

Next was the empires that the Emerald Cardinals owned. The place was called Emperium. They surrounded The Centrum. There were ten empires for there were ten guilds in Emerald Cardinals rank. Namely: Poisonous Cats, The Blue Devils, Bats in Hats, Red Dragons, The Warriors, Wolves, Dark Pigeons, Green Cannons, Knights in Night, and Black Soldiers. I memorized them all because they were famous.

Next was the kingdom that Ruby Cardinals owned which was called Venterral. There were one hundred and twenty-eight guilds in this rank. They surrounded the Emerald Cardinals. I guessed it took a week of walking between the ranks. Auresia was indeed enormous.

Next was the countries that Diamond Cardinals owned which were also called Tanzus. There were one hundred ninety-two guilds in this rank. They surrounded the Ruby Cardinals.

Next was the towns that Gold Cardinals owned also known as Brenduz and there were three hundred guilds in this rank. Each of the Gold Cardinals owned three countries. They surrounded the Diamond Cardinals.

Next was the towns that Silver Cardinals owned which were called Radrill, one town for each guild. There were two hundred and fifty guilds in this rank. They surrounded the Gold Cardinals.

Next was the Bronze Cardinals and each owned a house and was also called Crube. There were three hundred fifteen guilds in this rank. They surrounded the Silver Cardinals.

And last, the Charcoal Cardinals and we owned nothing, not even a hut and our place was called The Slum. We only gather under a tree. Others were under the mountains or inside the jungle. In this rank, there were five hundred guilds. Yeah, we're not that unfortunate.

I didn't accept Nerios' offer and turned him down for the second time around. As I heard what he said, I was tempted to accept his offer. I somehow regretted that I didn't. But after hearing Derus mocking me, my pride overwhelmed my being.

I wished I didn't make a mistake again.