How to Survive in a Good Small Guild - Chapter 96

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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-Scale Guild
96
Prince Dominic seemed to recall something.
“In any case, once Lucia holds her debutante ball, she’ll be dancing with men other than family….”
“Brother, how many times do I have to tell you that’s perfectly normal?”
“I was thinking about who might be safe. All things considered, it would be better if she danced with the Crown Prince instead.”
“Well, I suppose that’s true….”
Unable to follow their conversation, I asked a question.
“I understood you were very protective of your sister, Your Highness, but you’re comfortable with the Crown Prince?”
“These days it seems like the safer choice.”
I couldn’t say why, but it seemed the heroine’s family only approved of one male lead—and we were already heading in that direction? This fast?
Just then, Prince Dominic’s gaze turned toward me.
“But I don’t think the Crown Prince would welcome that particular arrangement…. Actually, I’ve had a good idea.”
“Yes?”
“Would you like to participate in Lucia’s debutante ball with us?”
“Me? In what capacity? Would I become Lady Lucia’s lady’s maid?”
“No, this ball is being held to commemorate Economy Day. The Imperial Palace will be inviting several distinguished guests. As the Guild Master of an increasingly prominent guild, I could arrange for you to receive an invitation to the ball. What do you think?”
“Not particularly interested?”
I answered in a lukewarm tone.
“I’m not especially interested in such affairs.”
Prince Dominic’s ulterior motive in helping me seemed suspicious. What did he want?
Noticing my skeptical gaze, Prince Dominic clarified.
“I suspect a situation will arise where I need you. You’re the Master of the Information Guild, after all.”
“Then you’ll need to pay me. I’m a laborer who works for wages.”
“Exactly right, brother. Don’t even think about putting a laborer to work without proper compensation!”
When even Lucia bristled at this, Prince Dominic let out a long sigh.
“My sister seems to be growing more radical by the day.”
I had to agree on that point. The heroine was clearly of noble birth, but could she get away with being this radical…?
“Fine, then. I’ll pay you. Will you come to the ball?”
“You’d really compensate me for this?”
I hesitated for a moment, then shook my head.
“Actually, it would help Lady Lucia more if I weren’t there. You’re already well-prepared for the intrigues of high society, and if I end up being a burden because you’re worried about me, it would only hold you back.”
“Is that so? That’s a shame.”
Yet Prince Dominic still wore an expression of deep thought.
“Odret, let me give you a hint.”
“A hint?”
“If you’re an Information Guild Master and there’s information close at hand that you haven’t yet discovered, how would that feel?”
“It would irritate me greatly. Just thinking about it makes me uncomfortable, and I’d want to uncover the truth immediately.”
“…Then think carefully.”
He whispered.
“Is there information hidden around you that you haven’t noticed?”
What? But I control all the information I know about….
In that moment, one suspicious person came to mind.
“Did you investigate my background?”
“What? What do you….”
Thinking about it, there was only one person in our guild whose past was unclear and suspicious.
That was me—Odret Lavandel.
Odret Lavandel had once participated in an experiment at the Temple when she needed quick money and earned a large sum, which might seem suspicious to investigate.
As I looked at Prince Dominic with cautious eyes, he spoke in an awkward tone.
“What are you talking about? Are you saying you yourself are suspicious?”
“Forget I said anything.”
It didn’t seem like he’d actually investigated my background, so I quickly smoothed over the situation.
“I thought perhaps you disapproved of me being friends with Lady Lucia and were trying to find fault with me. Ha ha.”
Prince Dominic seemed to treat it as merely a joke, his expression turning bewildered.
“A true Information Guild Master doesn’t even trust themselves, after all.”
“Yes… I suppose so.”
After smoothly changing the subject with a light jest, I looked toward Lady Lucia.
“Shall we continue our conversation?”
“Yes, brother. Now leave us so we can talk in peace.”
Lady Lucia narrowed her eyes sharply and ushered Prince Dominic away. He grumbled but obeyed her command and left.
Hmm, but what is this information supposedly hidden around me? I felt I needed to think about this more carefully.
“Now that it’s just the two of us, let me tell you something more interesting….”
Something interesting to discuss? As I tilted my head in confusion, the young lady pointed to a book on the table.
“This book changed my life. During my time at the Orphanage, it transformed how I saw myself—I used to accept unpaid labor as natural, you understand….”
My expression grew complicated as I read the title of that book.
How Elites Oppress Workers: Structural Violence and the Silence of Systems? Could a noble lady really be reading this…?
“No matter how noble one is, you cannot treat labor as something given! Workers deserve proper compensation for their work!”
As I listened to Lucia continue speaking, I came to a realization.
Normally, when you possess the body of a character in a Romance Fantasy Novel, the original work gets destroyed to some degree, but it seemed that in this world, the original heroine’s elitist consciousness had been dismantled.
Wait. If the original heroine’s elitist consciousness is destroyed, doesn’t that mean the entire second half of the story changes?
I’m sure there were scenes where Lucia would use her status to crush nobles who tried to bully her….
Anxiety washed over me at the thought that the knowledge I had of the original work would become useless, but like any proper possession story, I decided to humbly accept the fact that the original had been altered.
***
After finishing my conversation with Lucia, I returned to the Guild office.
It was already time to prepare for leaving work, so the Guild members’ eyes turned toward me.
“Wait, it’s still fifteen minutes before closing time—are you packing already? Were you planning to leave early while I was gone!”
“W-well, I suddenly felt like packing up.”
“I was merely organizing. I absolutely had no intention of leaving for the house early.”
Susanna and Morian made their excuses, but they were unconvincing. I glared at them and ordered them to keep working until the last minute, then I looked at Sedrick.
“As expected, our Guild’s only hope! Working diligently all by yourself!”
“Yes, that’s correct. I truly cherish this Guild.”
“Everyone should take a page from Sedrick’s book!”
After praising him, I told Sedrick in a light tone about what had happened today.
“The information was delivered safely to the young lady. The second son also came by, and we spoke together.”
“…The second son, or rather, the young lord came? Why?”
“He proposed that I participate in a banquet with him. He said he could help me get invited as a special guest for Economy Day.”
“Why…!”
“I suppose he thought I would be helpful to the young lady. But no matter how much money he offered, I’m utterly opposed to working night shifts, so I declined.”
“I, I see.”
Sedrick stammered.
“The second son proposed it, but fortunately the Guild Master refused….”
“Of course, if I participated in such a grand banquet and gained recognition, that would be fine for me. Our Guild’s reputation would rise too. But I sensed that many things will happen around Callyred, and I didn’t want to get caught up in all that.”
As befitting the original heroine, she would encounter all manner of incidents and troubles, and I had no desire to be entangled in their resolution.
“So you weren’t completely uninterested in attending the banquet.”
“That’s right. Though I declined in the end.”
At that moment, a cuckoo popped out from the clock to signal the end of the workday.
“Goodbye, everyone~.”
“I’ll go home now too!”
Susanna and Morian rushed out ahead of each other. I was about to tell them once more to follow Sedrick’s example, but to my surprise, Sedrick had already gotten up from his seat.
“S-Sedrick?”
“Forgive me! I’ll leave first!”

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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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