How to Survive in a Good Small Guild - Chapter 24

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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 24
Cedric found himself staring at a grim expression in the mirror as he rewrote the recruitment notice yet again. A new line had been added to the posting.
Application Requirements
-At least 2 years of relevant work experience
-No disqualifying factors for government subsidy eligibility
We seek individuals to grow together with us as we build our guild anew.
The phrase “no disqualifying factors for government subsidy eligibility” was, in practice, a euphemism for people who hadn’t been reported for workplace harassment or similar misconduct.
Not long after, we received several more applications. Among the candidates we decided to interview, one stood out.
Applicant: Christine Billman
Education and Experience
-Graduated from Imperial Industrial High School
-Shadow Guild Intern, 1 year
-Century Guild Regular Staff, 1 year
Motivation for Application
I am confident in my ability to harmonize and mediate between different viewpoints.
I wish to help the members of this guild feel comfortable voicing their individual perspectives.
If accepted, I hope to leverage my strengths to take ownership of this guild’s growth and develop alongside all of you.
“Hmm, this person seems quite good at communication, doesn’t she?”
“Right? She looks perfectly competent.”
Susanna tilted her head, though her expression still seemed wary.
“But there’s no way a competent person would apply to this pathetic excuse for a guild….”
“Are you indirectly insulting us, Susanna?”
“Ha, of course not.”
To be fair, we were already braced for certain flaws. As Susanna said, an experienced hire in good standing wouldn’t typically bother applying to our guild.
Still, if those flaws were within tolerable bounds, I wanted to try working together and see how things went with proper coordination.
“Let’s move forward with interviewing this candidate.”
And so Christine, a woman in her early thirties, arrived at our guild for the interview.
Once she was seated across from me, I began.
“Hello, Ms. Billman. Shall we begin the interview?”
“Yes, thank you so much for calling me in!”
“First, I’m curious—your previous guilds were more prestigious than ours. What prompted you to apply here?”
“Do you want an honest answer?”
“Yes.”
“Honestly, I was considering changing jobs due to salary issues at my previous guild, and when I saw the conditions here, I decided to apply. I’ve also heard that this guild has been growing by successfully completing various commissions recently.”
“Ah, salary….”
My previous guild did have notoriously tight wages and poor work-life balance. I’d deliberately set our salary a bit higher specifically to attract experienced hires.
If that was her reason for switching, it made sense. I actually found Christine’s honesty rather refreshing.
“What would you say is your greatest strength?”
“I’m confident in my ability to build and maintain relationships between people. At my previous guild, I’m proud to say I helped create a better atmosphere despite the formal work environment!”
“You certainly have confidence.”
“Excessive humility rarely serves anyone well, after all!”
She doesn’t seem like a bad person, at least.
“You’re older than most of our guild members. Are you confident you’ll adapt well?”
“Absolutely. I’m often told I have natural rapport with people regardless of age or gender!”
As the interview continued, I found myself nodding. Christine seemed like a hire we could make work.
“Excellent, Ms. Billman. Please report for your first day tomorrow.”
“Thank you so much!”
After Christine left, Cedric approached me cautiously.
“Is she coming in as section chief as well?”
“Yes, given her experience.”
“I see….”
His disappointed expression tugged at me, but what could I do? Cedric had limited experience but I’d given him the chief position anyway.
“What do you think of Christine, Susanna?”
“From what I saw, she looked great! Except….”
Susanna’s face soured.
“Her impression is too similar to mine, and I don’t like that!”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“If we’re not careful, our character types might overlap. And someone with an impression like mine is the type to stab you in the back eventually, you know?”
“Are you criticizing yourself right now?”
“Well, in any case, I’m sure my point is correct, yes?”
It seemed Susanna simply didn’t like it when similarly cheerful employees came aboard.
Still, this new hire would surely be better than Garrick, who’d spent the whole time playing victim.
***
“Welcome, Christine. You’ll be working at this desk.”
After I watched Cedric carefully explain the Shadow Guild to Christine, I decided to make sure the same situation with Garrick wouldn’t happen again.
I’d need to keep a close eye on her for a few days and figure out whether she had any fatal flaws.
“Hello, Susanna! You calculate by hand? That’s impressive—not relying on machines!”
“Is she… buttering me up?”
“Pardon?”
“Oh, no, never mind.”
Now that she finally had a junior to handle the trash bins and the break room, Susanna had moved on from those tasks—yet she still computed her numbers by hand. She shot me a resentful look, her eyes brimming with quiet grievance.
Fortunately, after half a day of work, I’d confirmed that Christine’s job performance was competent enough.
She’d drafted her paperwork properly and could converse with people at an average level. Of course, Garrick had seemed perfectly capable at his duties too, but…
‘This time, her interpersonal skills seem fine!’
From the way she’d cheerfully complimented Susanna on the Small Phonograph and praised Cedric’s fine penmanship, her personality seemed as good as her introduction had promised. Perhaps the atmosphere of this Guild would improve from here on?
“Christine, you did well today.”
“Thank you, Guild Master!”
“You can head home now. I live nearby anyway.”
“Then I’ll leave first! Thank you!”
I waved goodbye to Christine, but something felt off—unlike usual, neither Susanna nor Cedric had punched out. Both remained at their desks.
What was this? The moment the clock struck six, Susanna would vanish without so much as a farewell, and while I didn’t know what Cedric had planned, he’d hurried away saying he was running late. So why were they still here?
I looked at them in confusion, and Susanna and Cedric were glaring at each other.
“Is something wrong?”
“Well, Guild Master! How could this happen?”
“What’s the matter?”
Susanna spoke first.
“Listen, Christine told me everything! Cedric said I’m some weirdo who just calculates things by hand! Guild Master, you completely ruined my image, wahhh!”
“Excuse me?”
At that, Cedric’s face went blank.
“I’ve never spoken badly of you to Christine. I’ve never thought of you as some weirdo who just calculates by hand.”
“Really?”
“Though I did tell Christine that the Guild Master is ‘some weird person who makes people calculate by hand,’ I certainly said nothing of that sort about you!”
“…?”
Wait—so he actually did badmouth me?
While I was processing this, Susanna’s expression brightened as if the misunderstanding had cleared.
“So Christine was lying?”
“I have something I’d like to ask about that. Christine claimed you said I was the ‘only skilled at writing pretty letters’ type of manager.”
“I never said that! I only said the ‘Guild Master who makes me write with weird promotional phrases’ thing! I didn’t say anything about you!”
Wait, that’s also backbiting about me, isn’t it?
“So that was another misunderstanding.”
“Right! Christine was the one who turned us against each other!”
“I apologize for my misconception. I nearly fell for it.”
“Ugh, so Christine turned out to be weird too! We got tricked again!”
While I stood there bewildered, Susanna and Cedric turned to me in perfect agreement.
“Guild Master! This time she was a Villain too!”
“Christine should be terminated before she causes more serious problems.”
“…Yes, I understand. Sowing discord among the Guild members is indeed a serious issue.”
I’d heard of this type before—employees who spread negative gossip about their coworkers to create distance, all while maintaining their own pleasant façade and calling others strange.
I understood what kind of Villain Christine was, and firing her seemed the right call. But still…
“So you’re both claiming you didn’t badmouth each other—you just badmouthed me?”
“W-well, that’s…”
“The thing is…”
“Enough! Did you both lose your minds? Not badmouthing each other and then badmouthing me—is that something to be proud of? Susanna, no more writing calculations down for a while; do mental math instead. Cedric, you’re picking the lunch menu for the next week!”
As I vented my frustration at them both, a resolve crystallized within me.
The reason Villains kept slipping into our company was because we had no truly menacing Villain to scare them straight.
From now on, I would become that terrifying Villain myself.

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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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