How to Survive in a Good Small Guild - Chapter 47

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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
Episode 47
“I understand for now.”
Tucking away my suspicions about the Hartfield Barony, I decided to take on the request Rakal had brought.
Now that I understood the situation, our course of action was clear.
“Alright then, let’s head out and track down Orion’s last movements.”
At that, Rakal’s expression grew troubled.
“I attempted to track him myself, but I couldn’t find any trace. If word of a failed request reaches the noble house, it would be problematic, so it’s difficult to mobilize other guild members without good reason.”
“Hmm, I think we could manage it if we pool our efforts.”
Rakal said it wasn’t possible, but I had a nagging sense that if we investigated together, it might not be impossible after all. I signaled to Cedric to prepare.
“Let’s have Susanna and Morian come with us too. I think we all need to get involved in this. It looks like we’ll be working a bit late today.”
***
“…….”
“This is where Orion started tracking, correct?”
We had arrived in District 17, on the outskirts of the Capital. According to what Rakal told us, Orion had heard from the Hartfield Barony that a traitor had fled to District 17.
“Ugh, field work…”
“As long as my shift runs late, I get paid more anyway, so it’s fine. Besides, even if I went home, the noise between floors is serious business.”
“…….”
While Susanna and Morian each showed different reactions, I surveyed District 17. As an undeveloped outer fringe of the Capital, it was aptly called a slum.
“So why hasn’t anyone mentioned why they’re looking for that music box?”
“I’m not entirely sure myself…”
“The Hartfield Barony seems to be hiding something.”
As I suspected, Cedric shared my thoughts.
“It’s rare for someone to commission a mercenary company just to find a single music box. There must be more to it than that.”
As always, Cedric showed sound judgment—except for the fact that he’d joined our guild.
The problem was that his judgment only faltered when it came to guild matters.
“I agree. That music box has a secret. But for now, finding Orion takes priority. Hmm, should we start by asking people…?”
Dressed in relatively respectable clothing, we stood out conspicuously among the residents of District 17. Would we actually be able to conduct an investigation naturally?
Just as I was worrying about this, Susanna spoke up.
“Alright, I want to get home quickly anyway, so let’s cooperate! Guild Master, we’d look pretty suspicious as a group, right? I know a way to blend in!”
“And what would that be?”
“With different genders and age ranges, the only way to look natural is to pretend we’re fans on a pilgrimage!”
“F-fans?”
“I happen to know a musical that features District 17!”
With those words, Susanna suddenly began gazing around District 17 like a tourist taking in the sights.
“Wow, this looks exactly like the setting from the musical !”
At that, the stares people had been casting our way vanished instantly.
“Ah, must be another pilgrimage group.”
“There’s nothing to see here, so why do these people keep showing up?”
“Sigh, middle-class folk these days…”
Remarkably, Susanna’s method had worked. We exchanged bewildered glances before falling in beside her, half-heartedly pretending to be fans ourselves.
“Truly an amazing sight.”
“It’s nice to experience it firsthand.”
As we walked, Susanna tapped my arm.
“Guild Master, give me some operational funds.”
“Pardon?”
“Right now!”
Overwhelmed by her force of personality, I found myself handing over a purse without quite realizing it. Taking it naturally, Susanna approached two children sitting on the pavement, playing with dirt and stones.
“Hey kids, is there anything worth seeing around here? I’m looking for where the musical was filmed…”
“We can give you a tour if you pay us.”
“Oh, great!”
After handing over a few coins, the children led us to various locations they claimed were filming spots from the musical. Behind them, Susanna chattered away.
“But does this place really have so few tourists? Our musical should be more popular than that!”
“To be honest, it was kind of a flop…”
“Shh, everyone gets mad if you say stuff like that!”
“…So really, hasn’t anyone from out of town come by recently?”
“Oh, there was that guy. A suspicious one.”
“But he was clearly here for work, not as a fan.”
“Good timing—I’m bored. Tell me something fun. Who was that guy anyway?”
As Susanna asked, using casual speech like the young people around us did, one of the children answered in an offhand manner.
“Well, not long ago, some knight or mercenary—some guy like that—was poking around the village looking for someone, or so the story goes.”
“Then he disappeared again. Maybe he left on his own?”
“Really? What was he searching for so hard? Wait, was he a knight hunting down wanted criminals?”
“Oh, I don’t think so. He just seemed like someone who’d heard a false rumor from somewhere and showed up by mistake.”
“Hmm? Why?”
Susanna noticed something odd in the children’s answer and pressed further. The child shrugged and replied.
“That man kept asking if anyone had recently hidden in the village. But there’s no way anyone could hide here!”
“Why not?”
“Haven’t you seen the state of our village? Only poor people live here, so the construction is completely shoddy.”
“Huh?”
“The walls are thin as paper. You can hear everything from the next house—what time the neighbors wake up, when they brush their teeth, how many times they use the outhouse, what sounds they make when they yawn—all of it!”
“What’s that thing called… right, privacy! There’s no such thing as privacy in this village! It’s terrible construction!”
“The walls are so thin that sometimes houses actually collapse. Ha ha.”
“Since there’s no structural integrity at all, we call them Bare-bones Housing!”
…….
“What kind of construction company would allow such travesty?”
I quietly agreed with Cedric. This world’s contractors have their problems too.
While thinking that, I suddenly grasped something.
“So District 17 is structurally impossible for anyone to hide in….”
“That’s right.”
Rakal’s expression shifted into one of realization.
“From the start, the claim that a traitor fled to District 17 must have been a lie.”
“Then….”
“The culprit is the Hartfield Barony.”
After touring District 17’s attractions with the children for a while, we left the district and returned to the Guild Office.
“Orion came to District 17 and likely discovered the same fact—that no one could hide here. After that, either he fell into a trap set by the Hartfield Barony, or he sought them out himself and encountered them directly.”
Cedric said this, and we all agreed with his assessment.
“We’ll have to confront the Hartfield Barony directly.”
As I reached that conclusion, Morian’s expression grew slightly anxious.
“There’s a possibility we may have to fight a noble house. Will you be able to handle that?”
“Even if we don’t fight directly, we need to extract information about Orion’s whereabouts from the Hartfield Barony. It’s a commission from our client, after all.”
At that, Rakal looked at me with eyes full of admiration.
Hmm, but how do we even get inside the Hartfield Barony? If we show up and announce ourselves, they’ll obviously turn us away.
“Isn’t that what the Information Guild normally does in situations like this—disguise themselves as mail carriers or servants? I think I read about it in a book!”
“That’s true, but if you slip in alone and make a mistake, they could turn the tables on you.”
After a moment’s thought, I decided to go with a direct approach.
“Sending just one person is too risky. Let’s choose a method where we can all go in together.”
“How?”
“I told you before—I’m a junior priest at the Temple.”
I smiled confidently at my fellow Guild members.
“If we say we’ve come to conduct Proselytization, it’ll seem perfectly natural.”
…….

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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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