How to Survive in a Good Small Guild - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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How to Survive at a Good Small Guild
Chapter 10
“The restroom is behind the building. It’s state-of-the-art with excellent facilities. And most notably, we have separate restrooms for men and women. It’s the finest benefit our guild offers.”
“Ah, that restroom….”
Heh, a company with separate men’s and women’s restrooms—that was genuinely one of our treasures. I’d fought tooth and nail to secure it through the Crown Prince’s commission.
“Cedric, you’ll mainly assist Susanna with her infidelity investigations, guide visitors when they arrive, and think about what we should have for lunch. That’s your job.”
“I’m sorry—lunch menu, you said?”
“That’s the most important task, so pay close attention to it. Study what the Guild Master enjoys.”
“…….”
Cedric fell silent for a moment, then asked in a hollow voice.
“I was wondering… do we have annual leave?”
“What? Where would that come from? We’re a business with fewer than five employees.”
“Then what about weekly holiday allowance or overtime pay?”
“Ha ha, how could we possibly have those?”
“…So the labor conditions at a business with fewer than five employees are indeed the Evil of the Empire.”
The Evil of the Empire, no less? Hearing him go on about justice like that, it was clear he saw the world from quite a grand perspective.
“Is there anything else you’d like to know?”
“…By any chance, what sort of work does Odret do?”
“Oh, me?”
Whenever I made a mistake, I’d be summoned to the Temple and beaten. But I couldn’t mention that, so I boasted about my only real achievement.
“Occasionally when a major commission comes in, I handle it. Just recently I successfully completed two large projects and brought in a substantial sum.”
“When you bring in a large sum, is there an incentive?”
“Have you been joking this whole time?”
“…That was a slip of the tongue.”
Cedric studied my face, then asked again.
“How do you manage to take on such large projects? The guild doesn’t seem to have a well-developed information network….”
“Well, naturally it’s thanks to my seasoned skills. A true Information Guild member can uncover information even in a resource-starved environment.”
“I see….”
“Then may I ask you a question too?”
“Yes?”
“Why did you decide to apply to this Information Guild?”
“Ah, well….”
He fumbled for words before answering.
“I’ve always had considerable interest in the Information Guild. But without relevant experience, I had no choice but to apply even to a small place like this….”
“I see. Starting at our guild isn’t the best introduction to the field, but….”
Ah, no. I shouldn’t say that to a new hire.
“But let’s work well together going forward! This guild will grow bigger over time!”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Oh, and there’s one more thing I’m curious about. You mentioned working at a family-run company before—what kind of place was it?”
“A, a family-run company.”
He suddenly looked visibly flustered.
“That family-run company… had a great many employees, but the hierarchy was extremely rigid.”
“I see.”
“And, and the internal politics were severe…. Whenever the CEO arrived, everyone would stand from their desks and greet them with proper etiquette….”
Clearly an ordinary company steeped in needless formality. Cedric must have suffered quite a bit there. Sympathetic to his past troubles, I simply patted his shoulder.
“Oh, it’s almost time. Cedric, your most important task is about to begin!”
“You mean….”
“Deciding on lunch!”
“……!”
His face tensed. A moment later, he whispered to me.
“Would you be able to review my idea first?”
“Of course. I’ll help you out for now.”
I couldn’t have the new hire running away, after all.
“How about a nice pan-seared steak?”
“You’re joking, right? Who eats something that expensive for lunch?”
“…Then truffle potato gnocchi?”
“Truffle? At that point, we might as well just boil potatoes.”
“What about salmon ceviche?”
“Sigh, Cedric….”
I let out a long, weary breath.
We’re in trouble. This new hire seems willing to listen to what I say, but they lack a certain level of judgment. Though, I suppose anyone who walks through the door of a dump like this, negotiating their salary downward no less, can’t possibly be ordinary.
***
After finishing lunch at a restaurant I’d helped choose, we had just returned to the office.
Once we’d each finished our personal upkeep—brushing teeth and the like—I spoke to Cedric.
“Cedric, I’ll give you some money. Would you mind picking up some coffee from outside?”
“Coffee? But during the handover, the Guild Master said he dislikes—”
“If you buy his out of your own pocket, he’ll actually like it.”
“…I see.”
“Here, take this.”
I handed him my wallet. It was like giving blood—but I had to endure it for the bigger picture.
A short while later, Cedric appeared carrying four cups of coffee. I scrutinized what he’d brought with a hawk’s eye.
Wait, hold on. I’d only meant to find fault, but this was genuinely wrong!
“Cedric! What is this?”
“Yes? Is there some kind of problem—”
He checked the coffee he’d bought, looking anxious.
“An Americano for you, a signature latte for Susanna, a chocolate latte for the Guild Master, and the cheapest option for myself—”
Up to that point, the selection was perfectly fine, but the problem lay elsewhere.
“You were supposed to get a stamp! It’s that place that stamps cups!”
“A… stamp?”
“Collect ten stamps and you get a free Americano!”
“Is that really so important?”
“Of course it is.”
I, now exasperated, launched into a lengthy lecture.
“Every penny on a cup of coffee is worth saving. Do you know how expensive coffee is these days?”
“Ah, I understand. I’ll be more careful next time.”
“Sigh, there’s clearly a lot I need to teach you. Anyway, let’s get down to the real work now.”
I shook my head side to side and gestured for him to take a seat.
“The Guild Master asked us to organize this quarter’s commissions and prepare a report. Twenty pages’ worth.”
“Understood. When is the deadline?”
“Obviously before you leave work today.”
“What? There’s only five hours left—”
“Exactly.”
…….
This had originally been Susanna’s work, but I’d decided to dump it on Cedric instead.
Handsome or not, Susanna cared more about her own skin, which is why she’d winked at me so lightly. She wasn’t foolish enough to work overtime just to look good to a pretty face.
“But are there really that many commissions to fill twenty pages?”
“No, there are only five commissions this quarter. I handled four of them.”
“…Is it possible that two of those are from the same client?”
“Yes, that’s right. Looks like you studied a bit earlier?”
Having someone write a twenty-page report by hand in five hours was brutal. It was time to offer him a carrot.
“Don’t worry—I know a trick I can teach you.”
“There’s a trick?”
“Make the font size bigger, and throw in some illustrations. Just roughly color them in black and white.”
……?!
Cedric’s face went rigid with shock, but then he nodded with determination.
“I understand.”
I was still worried, though. As I worked, I snuck glances at what he was doing.
“Wait, Cedric!”
“Yes? Is the font too large? I used sixteen points by the Imperial standard typeface—”
“Sixteen points is too small. Use thirty-two!”
“That’s… not a report, that’s just a children’s picture book.”
“The Guild Master has presbyopia, so we need at least that much.”
“…Understood.”
He started writing with large, clumsy strokes, his face now wearing an expression of existential despair. Good, now we’re getting somewhere. At this rate he should finish in time—wait!
“Cedric! What are these illustrations?”
“My apologies. It seems my artistic skills are rather poor—”
“No, draw even rougher! When drawing people, just use stick figures!”
“…? I’m pretty sure I drew better than that even as a child—”
“This is the standard of our guild.”
Cedric clamped his mouth shut. Now his face bore the look of someone denying reality itself as he began sketching stick figures hastily. Oh, the kid can draw a straight line nicely.
“If you need anything going forward, just say the word. I’ll be happy to help however I can!”
“Yes, thank you, Odret….”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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