How to Survive in a Good Small Guild - Chapter 11

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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 in a Small Guild
Chapter 11
By evening, Sedrian had walked into the Imperial Palace with the vacant expression of a man whose spirit had left his body. At least, being a contract employee meant he could leave earlier than most.
“Your Highness, why did you suddenly take a vacation?”
The moment he reached his office, Eric, his close friend and aide, began to grumble.
“Now that you’ve taken an official vacation, I’ve got a mountain of work piling up! And if you’re going to take time off, you should actually rest — what were you out doing?”
“I was working.”
“Working? What kind of work would you…?”
“Hourly wage of 10,530 pesos.”
“That’s the minimum wage, isn’t it? Your Highness, why would you possibly…?”
“Don’t ask me.”
Sedrian let out a heavy sigh. He stumbled forward and collapsed into his chair.
“The truth is, an opportunity came up to gather intelligence from the Temple, so I infiltrated the place myself.”
“Ah, you mean that Global something-or-other I looked into before. It had a name like a startup company that couldn’t even get investors.”
“That’s the one.”
“But why would you infiltrate it in person? Wasn’t the previous investigation supposed to be the end of it?”
Sedrian clutched his head as he continued.
“I didn’t mention this to you until now. Recently, I gave that guild a commission, and one of their members saw through my identity before I could act.”
“What? How could a member of such a small guild possibly…?”
“He was extremely capable, and he seemed to harbor a deep hatred for the Temple. I did confirm his loyalty — he even swore an Oath — but you know how I feel about people beyond my control.”
“Even after swearing an Oath?”
“The fact that he’s more capable than necessary is itself reason for suspicion. How he discovered my identity doesn’t sit right with me.”
“His paranoia strikes again….”
“So I went to investigate myself.”
“And?”
“He’s just a lunatic!”
He shouted in exasperation.
“He orders people to decide on lunch menus, demands they fetch Coffee Coupons, writes reports in 32-point font with crude stick-figure illustrations, proposes holding meetings while doing planks, and everything else under the sun!”
“That’s absolutely insane.”
“The guild brags about its benefits — they boast about having separate restrooms for men and women. That’s supposed to be a benefit?”
“Isn’t that legally required anyway?”
“Exactly my point! To think such absurdity still exists in the Empire!”
“If you’ve already placed a spy there, couldn’t you just trust that spy instead? From what you’ve said, it sounds like the person isn’t untrustworthy so much as simply unhinged. Why put yourself through such hardship?”
“No, that’s impossible! I must verify everything with my own eyes!”
“Good grief, such paranoia….”
Eric shook his head, but Sedrian clenched his fists tightly.
He could not entrust information about the Temple to a mere spy. Everything would be verified and controlled by his own hand. Without fail.
***
“Manager Odret, you have a visitor.”
“A visitor?”
Hmm, maybe someone’s come with an extramarital affair investigation? That’s what I’m thinking when Sedrick continues.
“They say they’re related to the person who commissioned us before.”
“What?”
Related to the Crown Prince? If that’s true, this must be an important job.
I immediately set aside my work and headed to the reception room. The man sitting there had brown hair and yellow eyes.
“Hello. I’m Eric, the Crown Prince’s aide.”
“Ah, how do you do.”
“You can communicate through me whenever necessary. He’s quite busy, you see. I came in person to make sure there are no misunderstandings in our communication.”
“I see.”
He smiled brightly for some reason I couldn’t fathom.
“Let’s work together to bring down the Temple. His Highness has decided to trust you completely.”
“Really? He trusts me?”
“Yes. His Highness trusts Odret Lavendel completely.”
Was Eric always this cheerful? He seems to be in a good mood.
“Let’s join forces and tear the Temple down together.”
“Yes, I’d like that.”
I stared at Eric with wide eyes.
“I’ll gladly gather any information you need about the Temple’s corruption!”
“That’s wonderful. He’ll be pleased to hear it.”
***
“Odret, has something good come up?”
I entered the office with a smile, and Sedrick asked the question.
He’d been looking hollow-eyed while drafting yet another report on the Guild Master’s orders, and clearly he was eager to talk about anything else. Well, I could oblige him.
“Yes, actually. I’ve taken on a commission that I’m quite pleased with.”
“Is that so? What sort of commission?”
“That’s confidential, naturally.”
“Even—even within our own Guild?”
“How am I to know that Sedrick isn’t a spy who’ll pilfer our Guild’s secrets and flee? For now, operational security must be maintained.”
I spoke in a cool voice.
“Someone might leak our Guild’s confidential matters and write an essay about them, after all.”
“Oh my, Odret~, what are you saying~?”
“Ha, just a little jest.”
“You do have a funny sense of humor!”
Susanna laughed with exaggerated innocence, as if struck by something.
“In any case, I’ll be quite busy with my new duties going forward. I’ll hand over the important matters I’ve been handling to you, Sedrick.”
“You’re handing them over to me? Then I’ll finally be doing important work—!”
“Yes, very important work indeed.”
I began listing the tasks that would now fall to Sedrick.
“First, you’ll take notes on the morning words of encouragement the Guild Master gives every day, summarize them, and distribute them. The Guild Master intends to collect these later and publish them as a book, so you’ll need to be thorough.”
“……?”
“For any remarks in the middle that wouldn’t be appropriate for a book, edit them to sound more dignified. Like this, for example.”
—Back in my day, I used to write a hundred pages of documents by hand every day. Kids these days have no patience—write ten pages and they start whining about how hard it is. They lack basic stamina.
—(Edited version) Perseverance and physical conditioning are the foundation of task execution, and represent the core competencies expected of our junior guild members.
“That’s how you do it.”
“…….”
“Second task: The Guild Master has a son, and occasionally we need to help him with his homework. Could you handle that?”
“What kind of homework? Mathematics? History? Literature?”
“No, art assignments.”
“…….”
“Third task: Always make three copies of reports and place them on the Guild Master’s desk, inside his drawer, and in his bag. That way nothing gets overlooked.”
“…….”
Sedrick’s face had grown considerably darker than before.
“So—so the reason I’m supposed to do these things is that you’re taking on more important work now, correct?”
“Yes, exactly. I’ll be doing truly important work.”
“I’ve dug my own grave….”
“Pardon?”
“It’s nothing…. I’ll do my best going forward….”
“That’s the spirit. Let’s do well together from now on.”
I gave his shoulder an encouraging pat before returning to my desk. Susanna shot me a meaningful look.
‘What if he can’t take it and quits?’
‘From what I heard last time, he used to work for a family-run company just as strange as this one. So it should be fine.’
After exchanging glances with her, I stole a glance at Sedrick.
”
Digging my own grave like this… extracting information just to do something like this feels… but opportunities to access the Temple are so rare… no, but this still feels unjust….
”
He was muttering to himself, and it seemed the weight of so many new duties had already begun to wear on his mind and body.
‘Hang in there, rookie!’
New blood really does need to be tempered with fire! My apologies!

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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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