How to Survive in a Good Small Guild - Chapter 17

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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 17
“Then I should go out from here and investigate the employees.”
“Yes, that’s right. But if you step forward too openly, it’ll look suspicious. Let’s just enjoy the Salon for a bit as cover.”
I took another sip of Champagne as I spoke.
“They’re playing Poker over there. What do you think about joining a round and then slipping away?”
“Do you know how to play Poker?”
“Yes, I do.”
“You know such a refined skill?”
“Is Poker a refined skill?”
No, but as always, Sedric seemed ignorant of how the world worked.
Was he secretly wealthy and only ended up working at this shabby guild by accident? From some rich family background?
“Well then, where did you learn Poker?”
Sedric rolled his eyes before answering.
“My previous employer taught me.”
“I’m sorry?”
“We used to gamble for money.”
“…So you won?”
“No, I always lost. My employer was exceptionally skilled at Poker.”
I suddenly felt a chill. Sedric’s knowledge of Poker wasn’t the mark of a wealthy upbringing—it was the mark of someone who’d fallen victim to corporate misconduct.
‘Damn it, of course he wasn’t supposed to win those gambling matches!’
If he’d been in his right mind, he could never have beaten his employer. The boss had used the Poker games as a pretext to extract money from Sedric.
“I see, yes… I understand.”
I looked at Sedric with pitying eyes, and he asked awkwardly.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“It’s nothing….”
…….
While Sedric played Poker after that, I watched him from behind with tears in my eyes.
As if settling the old grudge of losing every hand to his previous boss, Sedric won game after game at the Poker table. Well, if he can at least ease some of that resentment this way, that’s something.
***
“Did you find concrete evidence?”
“Yes, Marquis Heindel.”
I smiled confidently before him.
“It’s this person.”
Based on the investigation I’d conducted with Sedric afterward, I produced a Document and handed it to him.
“A maid belonging to Count Ashborn’s household—someone who was recently interviewed for a position at Marquis Heindel’s residence.”
Since there weren’t many lunatics who smiled constantly while working, we’d been able to gather information from the maids of the Ashborn estate.
“We don’t know the exact details, but it’s clear this person is the culprit who blackmailed the Marquise. It doesn’t seem to be connected to the Ashborn household itself—it looks like a solo operation.”
Marquis Heindel examined the Document with an expression tinged with anger.
Shortly after, he exclaimed as if something had clicked.
“I see now!”
“Sir?”
“During the recent employee interviews, I had some health issues. Of course, my poor health is a weakness, so she must have used that to blackmail my wife.”
Marquis Heindel let out a low growl.
…Though now that I think about it, how exactly does a person growl? In any case, he did growl.
“Poor health is a weakness?”
I asked, puzzled, and Sedric whispered softly from beside me.
“In noble families, suffering from hereditary diseases and such becomes a weakness. It seems Marquis Heindel had such issues.”
“Ah, I see….”
“My wife tried to sacrifice herself to protect me. I won’t let this slide.”
Marquis Heindel rose abruptly from his seat in anger.
“There are plenty of ways to silence this person. I wonder why my wife didn’t consult me sooner.”
“Well… she probably did it all out of love for you.”
Honestly, it looked like a typical romantic novel problem caused by the couple’s failure to communicate, but I smoothed it over tactfully.
These people really should just talk to each other….
“Good. I’ll have to visit the Ashborn household at once. They’ll be furious when they learn their employee caused trouble. If we combine forces….”
In any case, the request seemed to have resolved itself well, which was a relief.
“You’re truly a capable Guild. If I ever need help in the future, I’ll come looking for you.”
“Thank you very much.”
“With this much information-gathering ability, you’re practically a royal investigative agency… Wait! The Imperial Court!”
Suddenly, Marquis Heindel’s voice rose as though he’d grasped something.
“I was wondering where I’d seen that face before—I’m certain I saw something similar at the Imperial Court!”
“I beg your pardon?”
I tilted my head in confusion, but Heindel continued without offering an explanation.
“Yes, that’s right—when I visited the Capital five years ago… the Crown Prince? Your Highness the Crown Prince!”
The moment Marquis Heindel started up in alarm, Sedric also rose from his seat and spoke quickly.
“Yes, that’s correct. My cousin serves as a servant in the Crown Prince’s Palace. I’m told we resemble each other quite closely, are we not?”
“No, that’s not what I—”
“We resemble each other quite closely, do we not?”
“…Yes, it does seem that way.”
Marquis Heindel’s manner shifted, and he spoke in a measured tone.
“I have no connection whatsoever to His Highness the Crown Prince, but it’s possible I became confused upon seeing my cousin’s face.”
“Yes, I was the one who became confused.”
Wait—wasn’t Marquis Heindel originally the blunt type? Something feels off about this.
“…Thank you for your assistance. Should we require your services again in the future, we shall not hesitate to visit.”
Even after receiving the commission payment from him, I regarded Marquis Heindel with lingering suspicion. He’d suddenly seemed different somehow—was he simply the type to repay kindness well?
“Yes, should you encounter anyone in your circle who requires an Information guild, please do recommend us. If you visit again, we shall always repay you with excellent results.”
After wrapping up Marquis Heindel’s commission smoothly, I returned to the office and asked Sedric a question.
“Sedric, your cousin is a servant at the Crown Prince’s Palace?”
“Yes, he’s merely an ordinary servant. We’re not particularly close, so I’m not well informed about his circumstances.”
“I see.”
Come to think of it, plenty of cousins go without contacting each other. I’d half wondered if the Crown Prince had planted a spy on me.
When I returned to the office, I found Susanna pretending to focus intently on work instead of enjoying music on a small phonograph.
Sure enough, the Guild Master—arriving late again—was already seated.
“Guild Master, you’re here? I’ve just come back from resolving a commission.”
“A commission? Don’t tell me you’ve already resolved that Marquis Heindel commission I mentioned before?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
As I showed him the documents and payment, greed glinted in his eyes.
Tsk—the bonus the Marquis included definitely won’t be shared with the rest of us. Well, I hadn’t expected it anyway. Better not to skim anything and risk complications down the line.
True to form, the Guild Master began taking credit.
“You know this is all because I’ve built up our guild so well, right? Odlet, you were lacking before, but look how much you’ve improved under my tutelage.”
“Yes, it’s all thanks to you, Guild Master.”
“And my excellent promotion brought in the Marquis himself to our humble guild!”
No—that was thanks to us posting flyers in the restroom and Sedric’s exceptional calligraphy…
“And Odlet’s problem-solving ability—I taught you that too!”
No, I raised myself…
There were countless things I wanted to object to, but as always, I endured. I wasn’t yet in a position to stand against the Guild Master, so endurance was necessary.
However, in the next moment, something unexpected came from the Guild Master’s mouth.
“So from now on, I’ve made a crucial decision for our guild’s continued growth. We’re going to invite an outside instructor so our members can receive proper training to become excellent Information guild operatives.”
“Ah, training?”
These things happen from time to time—receiving instruction from an outside instructor. Usually, that instructor turns out to be the boss’s relative, and company funds get diverted that way.
While Susanna, who merely disliked training, wore a displeased expression and Sedric seemed not yet to understand the situation, a shocking announcement followed.
“Since you’ll be receiving training every month, the cost will be deducted from your monthly wages starting now.”

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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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