How to Survive in a Good Small Guild - Chapter 51
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
How to Survive in a Small Guild
Chapter 51
I decided to call the Crown Prince separately. Since it involved the Temple, I had a feeling he would help me.
“Yes, hello—”
-Right, what’s the matter?
The moment I dialed the number he’d given me, a swift response came through. It was the kind of quick reply that made me wonder if he’d been waiting by the phone.
“Um… did you happen to check on the report that was filed? About the Hatfield Count Family secretly researching military equipment and even consulting the Temple about it?”
-Of course I did. It’s all thanks to you. I’ll make sure to handle it personally.
“But I’m worried because my guild members were detained there and forced to sign documents. And I had them press their fingerprints on the sword hilt as if they’d killed someone, so I’m afraid we might get implicated….”
-How dare they threaten the safety of the Empire’s people and undermine justice! Don’t worry. I’ll make sure this is resolved properly.
“Yes, yes….”
The Crown Prince really did handle things well.
The next day, news about the Hatfield Count Family appeared in the newspapers. According to the reports, they were found guilty not only of violating the Military Equipment Management Law, but also of murder, kidnapping, and evidence tampering—the whole range of charges.
Fortunately, our guild members only gave simple testimony and weren’t called back again.
“It got resolved way faster than I expected, you know?”
Susanna, who had come in after the case was settled, tilted her head curiously.
“I thought we’d be investigated for ages, but they didn’t suspect us at all!”
“That’s right, I was very surprised as well.”
“Haha, the Imperial Court really does do good work.”
My praise seemed to sit well with Sedrick too, who always pursued justice and nodded in satisfaction.
“Thank you… I’m grateful. Justice still lives.”
Just then, the office door opened and a familiar face appeared.
Racal, whom we’d saved, and… standing pale beside him—was that Orion?
“Thank you. I owe you my life. I’m Orion of the Platinum Mercenary Corps.”
Orion held out something to us. That was….
“Weapons?”
When I made a baffled face at the sight of all those weapons, Orion explained sheepishly.
“I thought it might be helpful to keep them here in the office as emergency supplies.”
“Ah, yes… thank you….”
Well, maybe they’ll come in handy someday.
After receiving the gift, Racal offered us his gratitude.
“It’s all thanks to the Aclite Guild.”
Oh, I finally remembered the guild name correctly! That’s a real achievement!
“Through this incident, I realized that I still lack experience and might hit a wall running the Platinum Mercenary Corps. So we’ve decided to have Bain take on the role of new corps commander.”
“Wow, that’s great.”
“Yes, but who the new corps commander is must remain a secret, so please keep it confidential from the Aclite Guild as well.”
“Don’t worry. We always keep secrets!”
The Platinum Mercenary Corps now seemed to be fully on our side.
After they left, I fell into thought.
“Hmm, the Aclite Guild has gotten good publicity, built a strong network of connections, and has talented members… so what should we do next?”
Rumors spread that the Aclite Guild had been involved in resolving the Hatfield Count Family incident, so the guild’s reputation grew even higher.
Still, rather than standing shoulder-to-shoulder with other information guilds, we felt more like a rising guild showing off our recent capabilities.
“What’s different about other guilds and ours….”
As I muttered like that, Morian was the first to answer.
“We’d have less work if we had more guild members.”
“You just want to do less work. And it’s awkward to expand the membership yet anyway. Rejected.”
“Let’s listen to small phonographs at work!”
“I told you no workplace like that exists. Rejected.”
As I shot down their requests one by one, this time Sedrick spoke.
“Wouldn’t it be better if the guild were a more secretive place?”
“Ah.”
That kind of novel-style guild I’d thought of when I first possessed this body.
-One martini with an olive, please.
-…One moment, please.
Something like that. But then wouldn’t customers rarely visit? Should I create a subsidiary….
“Guild Master, your scheduled client is arriving now.”
“Ah, yes.”
Right, let me think about that later for now. For the moment, let’s build up more achievements!
***
“Found it!”
In the dark of night, Charles—a junior priest at the Temple—smiled to himself as he bent over the documents, having volunteered to work late alone.
Ever since Odret had stepped into the office, nothing had gone right.
He’d intended to drive out that presumptuous woman, but instead the other junior priests had followed her, praising her competence, and had come to see him as a traitor to the Temple—casting him aside.
And yet he’d risen to the rank of intermediate priest; wasn’t this treatment too much to bear?
So Charles had made it his habit to dig for Odret’s weaknesses, and lately, he’d uncovered a grave error in her guild report documents.
“How dare one who works at the great Temple aid the Imperial Court?”
Though it hadn’t been revealed that the Hatfield Count Family had any connection to the Temple, Odret had still contributed to the family’s exposure to the Imperial Court.
This amounted to aiding their greatest enemy—the Imperial Court—which was surely a grave sin in the Temple’s eyes.
“Just you wait, Odret Lavendel.”
Charles laughed shrilly, his voice vile. Soon enough, Odret Lavendel would face the Temple’s discipline.
***
“Son, it seems you’ve built up quite the track record this time.”
Sedrian fixed his father with a lukewarm stare. As if he didn’t have enough on his plate already—what was he trying to say?
“Illegal weapons development, no less. The Hatfield Count Family was a grave threat to national security. Whatever your guild uncovered this time, in the end that’s your accomplishment, isn’t it? Haha.”
“No, sir. That’s not my accomplishment.”
“What?”
“It’s all thanks to our Guild Master.”
“Our Guild Master? What are you saying?”
“Without her sacrifice and resolve, we would all have been in grave danger. For this matter, I should respect her, not myself.”
“…I see. In any case.”
The Emperor studied his son with an odd expression before broaching his real purpose.
“I’d like you to meet a certain young lady. What do you think? She’s the daughter of the Dolce Marquis Family—her conduct is upright and she’s known for kindness to all. Though not from a particularly wealthy house, she’s actually better suited for the position of Crown Princess precisely because she has prestige but little political power….”
“I don’t wish to do that.”
“What? Last time you said you’d comply without complaint.”
“Now I have someone in my heart. I cannot do this.”
The Emperor’s expression shifted. He’d already heard from Eric that his son’s behavior lately resembled that of a man in love. But to admit it from his own lips!
“So, what family’s daughter is it? Perhaps a client who visited while you were working at the guild? She’s not from a family with much power, surely?”
Never imagining his son had fallen in love with a commoner guild master, the Emperor rambled on, and Sedrian’s brow furrowed.
“I’ll handle this myself, so please leave. I have work to do.”
“Work to do? Surely…!”
As the Emperor gazed at his son—the heir to a nation who’d shown no interest in women his whole life—with hopeful eyes, Sedrian offered an answer that didn’t disappoint those hopes.
“From now on, I must make every effort to win that person’s heart.”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————