How to Survive in a Good Small Guild - Chapter 74

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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 Good Small Guild
Chapter 74
“To this end, the Aclrite Guild has partnered with the Tower of Stars to employ Statistics. If you look here….”
Our presentation proceeded smoothly. The Darkness Lion Guild listening from outside would undoubtedly think it a flawless, unremarkable pitch. And they’d try to copy our content and do it better.
But from this point forward, the content diverged subtly from what we’d prepared beforehand.
“What many call ‘Early Detection’—responding quickly after an incident occurs—is actually not early detection at all. It’s rapid Post-Response Management. These two concepts are entirely different.”
There had to be a reason they titled theirs Next Signal. They’d wanted to claim not just our Early Detection business, but Post-Response Management as well.
“Early Detection and Post-Response Management are both crucial concepts in public safety, but Post-Response Management doesn’t align with the current Imperial Palace’s policy direction.”
I explained the Imperial Palace’s policy objectives that Sedrick had prepared in advance. The interviewers nodded as they listened.
“Therefore, the Aclrite Guild has no intention whatsoever of targeting Post-Response Management. We will direct all our personnel and information toward Early Detection, efficiently preventing danger before it strikes. Should our workforce be dispersed into Post-Response Management, we would be certain to bungle everything.”
Following my words, Sedrick once again elaborated on the Imperial Palace’s policy direction.
“His Imperial Majesty places emphasis not on Post-Response Management, but on Early Detection. Let us examine that content now.”
The material was analyzed with such remarkable precision regarding the Emperor’s policy goals that I’d been startled myself at first. Watching it, the interviewers’ eyes widened.
“So that’s what it meant!”
“Good heavens, such a sophisticated interpretation!”
“Now that you mention it, that makes perfect sense.”
“If we’re to follow His Majesty’s will….”
When the presentation finally ended, all three interviewers wore unmistakable satisfaction on their faces.
They were all murmuring the same thing.
“Right, we mustn’t pursue Post-Response Management—that goes against His Majesty’s will.”
“Ah, we nearly failed to grasp His Majesty’s true intent.”
They peppered me with questions, but those were already prepared through intensive drills with Sedrick. And they seemed less like attacks than genuine inquiries driven by interest in our business.
“Thank you.”
After the presentation ended, I met Sedrick’s eyes. He too wore the pride of our performance on his face.
Unable to contain my joy, I grasped Sedrick’s hand like shaking hands. He spoke with flushed excitement.
“You… you did wonderfully.”
“It went well, didn’t it?”
“It always does.”
Meanwhile, Leon, who had been waiting outside the interview room, wore a deeply flustered expression.
Of course. His “Post-Response Management” had just become something the Emperor despised.
If his guild copied ours and presented afterward, they would pay the price for it.
This was precisely the system of striking before being struck.
“Number ten.”
“Y-yes!”
Leon entered the interview room, trying not to show his panic. Annamaria, following behind him, looked equally anxious.
“Therefore, we will conduct both Early Detection and Post-Response Management together—oh! But we’ll ensure the workforce is never dispersed!”
Leon seemed acutely conscious of my presentation, but it backfired. Having hastily altered his content on the spot, anyone could see the awkwardness in it.
When his presentation ended, the interviewers’ questions proved exactly as predicted.
“Isn’t this Post-Response Management…?”
Listening to their harsh assessment, I wore a satisfied smile.
“As long as no impropriety occurs during the process, we’ll be selected.”
“Yes, and the current Imperial Palace operates its selection process transparently, so we should be fine.”
There was one thing that troubled me, however.
I’d hoped they’d merely copied our title and run with it, but their presentation content was remarkably similar to what we’d prepared earlier.
In other words, our initial written submission had been completely leaked.
‘Were they civil servants? Even if caught, they face strict punishment—did someone with connections obtain the information?’
As I naturally began suspecting the civil servants, Leon emerged from the interview room with a flushed face.
“Y-you….”
Seeing him seething with rage, I flashed a bright smile at him.
“I’d say the Darkness Lion Guild should probably rebrand itself as the Red Leon Guild now.”
At my quip about his face, Leon suddenly exchanged glances with Annamaria.
Then, in Leon’s stead, Annamaria stepped forward toward me.
“Um, I’ve been keeping quiet because it felt like bullying a weak guild, but there’s something I have to tell you. Oh, but this is so pitiful, what do I do?”
“Stop the nonsense and just speak.”
“…W-well, the Aclrite Guild is going to collapse soon anyway!”
“What?”
“There’s a Spy inside the Aclrite Guild.”
“Our guild only has four members including me.”
“That’s exactly why one of them is a Spy. We’ve received sufficient information, and the Aclrite Guild will collapse soon! There’s nothing you can do about it anyway. Just… prepare yourself mentally, since it’s so pitiful.”
Was I really going to fall for that? A tale about a Spy in our guild?
When I looked at Annamaria as if to say I wasn’t serious, she and Leon quickly got to their feet and left.
Only Sedrick, who remained at my side, wore an anxious expression.
“A s-spy…? No, how could that….”
“There’s no need to worry, Sedrick. We won’t have any spies in our guild.”
“What’s the definition of a spy?”
“Well, someone who enters our guild with malicious intent while concealing their identity, then leaks information to outsiders?”
“Then I’m not one.”
“…that’s obvious, isn’t it?”
Was he worried about being suspected? But that was certainly just nonsense that the Shadow Leon Guild had spat out to sow discord among us.
Besides, there are only three people besides me—where would a spy even come from?
All right, let me think this through.
Spy candidate number one: myself, Odret Lavendel. But I’ve never heard of a guild master being a spy. Unless I’ve been hypnotized, I’m not a spy.
Spy candidate number two: Susanna Herb. She’s been with me since the previous guild master’s time, and now she obeys my orders because I have leverage over her. She even seems satisfied after I raised her salary.
Perhaps someone could have turned Susanna against me midway, but… if she were a spy, she’d have to juggle two jobs. Susanna’s already too busy writing essays the moment she leaves work to have time for spy activities.
Spy candidate number three: Morian Krauser. I know well enough that he has no background connections. When he first joined, I was cautious and looked into him, which is how I learned about his house.
If he were a spy, he’d be making good money—there’s no way he’d be living in such a place. Not long ago, he was genuinely delighted when he moved to a decent house thanks to me.
Spy candidate number four: Sedrick Alte. Unlike his initial impression, Sedrick is quite competent. With his abilities, he might even be capable of managing dual responsibilities.
But of all my guild members, he’s the most loyal to me, and he was the one who led this venture to success—so I had no reason to suspect him whatsoever.
‘…come to think of it, I don’t really know much about Sedrick.’
I wasn’t suspecting him of being a spy—not at all—but I was curious about his past.
I only knew that he’d worked at a company like a family business, but I knew almost nothing about him otherwise.
Why not investigate Sedrick just in case? Having settled on this thought, I opened my mouth.
“Sedrick, would you like to meet me separately this weekend?”
“Y-yes?”
His ears flushed red. Of course, no one in their right mind would meet their superior separately on a weekend.
“Well, if you’d rather not….”
“No, I do enjoy meeting my superior separately on weekends.”
Oh, so he’s not in his right mind. Suddenly he seemed suspicious. With a mind like that, there’s no telling what he might do.

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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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