How to Survive in a Good Small Guild - Chapter 13

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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 13
That was when Susanna’s face lit up with sudden understanding.
“That’s the place!”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“We’ll need to post them all over the place!”
“Mm-hmm.”
Noticing that only Susanna had caught on, Sedrick asked with visible confusion.
“That place… where exactly is it?”
The answer tumbled from both Susanna’s mouth and mine at once.
“The company restroom!”
“……!”
“Our Guild’s restroom, built recently, is really quite comfortable! When I don’t feel like working, I just lock myself in there.”
“Same here.”
“…….”
Sedrick looked as though he’d suffered some kind of cultural shock. Well, at his previous company—that “family-like” place that was apparently even more of a sweatshop than us—he probably had to think twice before using the restroom.
“Anyway, we’ll be infiltrating various company restrooms and posting these posters.”
“Most restrooms aren’t locked, after all.”
***
A few days later, Sedrick and I were walking down the street carrying stacks of photocopied posters.
“We’ll each slip into the men’s and women’s restrooms to put them up.”
The Guild Master had left at lunchtime for an appointment and wouldn’t be back for quite some time. Just in case, Susanna had stayed at the office to cover for us if he happened to return early.
“Ah, this is one of those famous merchant company buildings. Let’s start here.”
“Yes….”
Sedrick seemed to be experiencing a powerful wave of disillusionment about his work lately, making promotional posters like this. But what could we do? He was a young professional with nowhere else to go….
As we walked along, posting posters for quite some time, Sedrick finally spoke up.
“May I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“I heard from Susanna earlier that this Guild is a subcontractor for somewhere.”
“Ah, yes, that’s right.”
“But she said it’s not a typical subcontracting arrangement—there are financial complications involved, and the hierarchical relationship is very distinct.”
“That’s correct.”
“Where exactly is this principal contractor?”
At that question, I studied Sedrick carefully.
In truth, Sedrick was the kind of talent I wanted to keep around even after I took control of this Guild.
He was competent enough at his work, but his judgment was poor—which meant he’d adapt well to this absurd Guild.
‘Come to think of it, when the Guild hires new talent, we’re supposed to report it to the Temple.’
The previous deputy’s dismissal probably triggered a report as well. Not that it mattered—he knew nothing about the Temple anyway, so there was no need to silence him.
In any case, the fact that Sedrick continued working at this Guild meant the Temple had approved him.
“Sedrick, didn’t you have a meeting with the Guild Master when you were hired?”
“Yes, once.”
“The Guild Master probably mentioned your weak point during that meeting, didn’t he?”
“That was….”
Sedrick hesitated before answering.
“Since it doesn’t matter anyway, I’ll tell you. I have a problem with my birth registration, so I wasn’t able to attend compulsory education institutions.”
“My goodness.”
“Because of that, it’s difficult for me to find employment elsewhere. The Guild Master mentioned my situation and told me that if I wanted to stay at this Guild for long, I should behave properly.”
“Without compulsory education credentials, employment would certainly be challenging. But your previous company….”
“…They didn’t care about that.”
“It sounds like that place was quite the operation itself.”
After nodding, I decided it was safe to tell Sedrick about our “principal contractor.”
“You’ll meet them soon anyway. We’re a subcontractor Guild for the Temple.”
“Really? Then is Odette a believer of the Temple?”
“What are you talking about? She just works here because she needs employment.”
“…I see.”
Even so, he continued watching my face carefully.
“What kind of work do we receive from the Temple?”
“Information gathering, since we’re an information Guild. But the important assignments are rare. It’s more like they dump trivial work on us.”
“Do you mean we have no way to access important information from the Temple?”
“It’s not that we have absolutely no way….”
I found myself muttering as I recalled that time I’d been dragged to the Temple and forced to work late. Come to think of it, that overtime had also been an opportunity to gather information about the Temple.
“Well, there’s barely anything to share.”
Sedrick seemed quite interested in the Temple.
“I’ve heard that the Temple is an extremely conservative and closed-off organization that rarely hires people, so I never expected I’d end up joining one of its subcontractor guilds.”
“Same here. I never imagined my life would take this particular turn….”
A sigh escaped my lips unbidden.
“Do you happen to revere the Prophet as well, Sedrick?”
Unlike other fantasy novels, this world’s Temple uniquely revered not some supreme deity or the like, but rather a Prophet.
The fact that they worshipped a human who came before us, rather than a god—that gave it a refreshingly different quality.
“Absolutely not.”
Sedrick’s face hardened with such firmness that his expression became rigid.
“Ah, young people these days tend not to believe in religion. I understand. I’m not particularly interested in it myself….”
Even in the original work, the way they revered the Prophet was rather peculiar.
Supposedly, one day a Scripture containing doctrine fell from the heavens, and following its teachings allowed the Temple to grow stronger.
The High Priest of the Temple inherited a Special Ability, and that Scripture supposedly contained the most effective method of wielding that power.
Which meant the High Priest’s Special Ability was….
“A Miracle?”
“Pardon?”
“The High Priest’s Special Ability is a Miracle, isn’t it? I’ve never seen it myself, so I wouldn’t know, but everyone who’s witnessed it apparently worships the Temple.”
“Ha.”
Sedrick let out what sounded almost like a scoff.
“Even if I were to see such a thing, I doubt I’d come to believe in the Temple.”
“Oh, how very typical of young people today….”
“That’s not—”
Sedrick started to protest, but I ignored his words and headed into the restroom to post the Poster.
Whether a low-ranking employee believes in religion or not hardly matters—I need to focus on saving my own skin.
***
“Still suspicious.”
Back at the Crown Prince’s Palace, Sedrick removed his Disguise Item. As he did, ashen eyes appeared beneath the black hair.
“From what I’ve experienced working there, it’s nearly impossible to access information about the Temple through that Guild. So how did Odette Lavandel manage to steal information?”
While he burned with determination to uncover Odette Lavandel’s secrets by any means, Eric beside him asked in a disinterested tone.
“Your Highness, so how has the dual employment arrangement been treating you?”
“Absolutely dreadful. Now I finally understand the hardships of common folk. Earning money through labor—it’s a noble and extraordinary endeavor.”
“Had I known it would change you like this, I’d have recommended dual employment long ago. Are you suddenly sympathizing with my circumstances?”
“Still, I’d rather be in my position than Odette Lavandel’s or that Guild Master’s.”
“Indeed….”
“What?”
“I said nothing, Your Highness.”
As they exchanged such words, Eric seemed to remember something and spoke up.
“By the way, Your Highness. For reasons I’m unclear on, it appears Marquess Heindel is coming to the Capital.”
“Marquess Heindel? Why?”
“I’m not entirely certain myself. However, there are rumors that some problem has arisen between the Marquess and his wife.”
“What sort of problem? It was a political marriage anyway, and the Marquess never treated her with any particular care, did he?”
“Yet lately he’s been obsessed with nothing but work—eating nothing, sleeping nothing—and those who’ve seen him describe him as if he’s been abandoned by love. Moreover, no one has seen the Marquess’s wife recently, so there are whispers that she’s left him and driven the Marquess half mad.”
“Hardly worth my concern. As if such a Marquess could ever love anyone? And frankly, my own troubles take precedence over the affairs of some elite noble.”
“But Your Highness is elite nobility yourself….”
“You’ve grown rather talkative lately.”
“My apologies.”
After dismissing Eric’s report with a wave, Sedrick resolved to focus on his own agenda. He wanted nothing more than to extract information about the Temple and leave this Guild as soon as possible….

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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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