How to Survive in a Good Small Guild - Chapter 98

—————
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 Good Small Guild
Chapter 98
I hid my true thoughts and feigned friendliness toward John Kerdick. With his help in lightening the mood, I was able to exchange pleasantries with other guild masters and merchants.
Soon, the nobles began filing in one by one. Since the seating was assigned by table, they took their designated places. Fortunately, their section was completely separated from ours.
The economy officials’ table where I sat and the nobles’ table were entirely divided, each conducting their own conversations, when I heard a small voice from behind me.
“Odret!”
I turned my head to see Princess Lucia waving at me. Beside her were two of her brothers.
“Ah, Princess Lucia!”
“You look lovely today! Let’s chat later!”
Right, Princess Lucia was here at this gathering too. Since she had backing, somehow it made me feel a bit more at ease.
And today was the day. The day Sedrian and Princess Lucia would meet for the first time.
They would recognize each other, Sedrian would become obsessed with Princess Lucia according to the Salvation Narrative, and their romance would unfold.…
As I was eagerly recalling the original work’s plot, I heard an attendant’s proclamation.
“The Crown Prince enters!”
At those words, the nobles rose from their seats. I awkwardly followed suit, watching their movements carefully.
That familiar face I’d seen so many times before—Sedrian was just entering. For some reason, his gaze seemed to pierce directly toward us.
‘Has he already spotted Princess Lucia?’
The Economy Day event was divided into two parts. The first part had us seated around tables like this, making casual conversation. In the second part, the nobles would dance and enjoy their own banquet.
If I remembered correctly, the two of them met during their first dance together.…
“Now then, we shall present commendation certificates to those who have contributed to our empire’s economy.”
The Minister of Economy’s voice rang out, so I focused my attention there.
The Minister presented commendation certificates in turn to those seated at our table. As I went up to the platform to receive mine, I grew somewhat stiff. I’d thought myself fairly shameless, but this made me nervous.…
While I bowed to the Minister of Economy, Sedrian beside him was staring at me intently. I gave him a slight bow as well before stepping down from the platform.
Well, in any case, I had both the original’s male and female leads as backing. There’s no need to be so nervous.…
As I returned to my seat at the table, John Kerdick whispered to me.
“Are you acquainted with the Crown Prince?”
“What? No, I’m not.”
I quickly denied it, embarrassed. John Kerdick shrugged.
“He was staring at you for quite a while, so I thought I’d ask. I see it wasn’t that.”
“Ah.…”
Just then, servants began bringing food to our table.
As I ate slowly, I resumed conversation with the other guild masters. Building relationships with them would certainly prove useful.
One of the guild masters posed a question.
“Will you all be leaving for the second part? They said we’re allowed to stay.”
“What would we gain by staying?”
“That’s right. We wouldn’t fit in anyway, so I plan to leave.”
Most seemed inclined to depart when the second part began, but John Kerdick said he would stay.
“I thought I’d remain for the spectacle of it all.”
I quickly added my agreement.
“I’ll stay as well. I want to see more before I go.”
I’d rather spend a bit more time with John Kerdick if I could.
Soon, the main doors of the banquet hall opened, revealing a larger space beyond. It was the hall for dancing in the second part.
As the attendants announced the end of part one and most of the economy officials filed out, I looked around awkwardly at my surroundings.
In that moment, something extraordinary caught my eye.
‘Is it finally beginning?’
Princess Lucia was approaching Sedrian.
I became fascinated, watching their interaction unfold.
When Princess Lucia approached Sedrian first, his expression showed utter surprise. Soon, the two of them began to converse.
Then Sedrian’s gaze fell upon me. Feeling suddenly self-conscious, I took a step back.
Sedrian said something to Princess Lucia, and the two of them joined hands and headed toward the dancing hall together.
‘So it really is the scene from the original work!’
The moment they stepped into the dancing hall, every eye in the banquet hall fixed upon them.
“My goodness, the Crown Prince rarely appears at these gatherings. Whatever brings him here.…”
“Indeed, it’s not common for His Highness to dance with a noblewoman.”
“But his partner is Princess Calierd.”
“Well, if it’s a princess of Calierd’s stature, it’s worth the occasion.”
“What a brilliant debut it is.”
“But why do Princess Calierd’s brothers look so tense?”
As the two young lords from the original work’s household clenched their teeth, music began to play. They commenced their graceful first dance.
I too found myself swept up in the realization that the original work was unfolding before my eyes, and I felt a curious emotion wash over me. A sense of history turning, indeed.
I was watching them with keen interest when I noticed John Kerdick moving toward somewhere in the crowd.
‘Where is he going?’
Now that I thought about it, it was odd for someone invited as a guest of honor for Economy Day to remain at a nobles’ banquet. John Kerdick must have had a specific reason to stay.
Since he might have already defected to the Temple’s side, he was someone I needed to watch closely. I slipped out to the Garden and followed him.
John Kerdick ventured deep into the Garden. I crept forward soundlessly, and soon I heard him speaking with someone.
“Oh, my love! You came!”
“……?”
A secret meeting in the middle of the Banquet Hall?
But if his partner was someone from the nobles’ circle….
“It’s been such a long time, darling.”
“I couldn’t help it. A friend of mine grew suspicious of our relationship not long ago….”
Crouching behind the shrubbery with only my head peeking out, I saw a noblewoman standing before John Kerdick.
‘That face—I’ve seen it during my investigation for Lucia! The Marquess Jansen’s Widow!’
A woman without children, long widowed. She’d been practically sold into marriage with an elderly husband, and they’d never been close, or so I’d heard.
So John Kerdick was meeting the Marquess Jansen’s Widow in secret. Given his position as owner of the Golden Balance—a place that dealt in expensive goods—it would have been easy enough for him to meet with noblewomen.
The reason for secrecy was probably due to others’ watchful eyes, wasn’t it?
In truth, as the owner of the Golden Balance, John Kerdick possessed wealth that would make most nobles hesitate to introduce themselves. There shouldn’t be any financial obstacle to his meetings with a noblewoman.
The real barrier was almost certainly one of social standing.
I recalled the laws of the Empire.
If the Marquess Jansen’s Widow were to marry John Kerdick, she would be barred from noble society entirely.
Because the marquessate didn’t belong to her—it belonged to her deceased husband.
In other words, the Marquess Jansen’s Widow was trapped between two impossible choices: her status as a noblewoman, or her love for John Kerdick. She couldn’t have both.
Then a brilliant idea struck me.
‘If I play this right, I could help John Kerdick and earn his favor.’
There was a bill currently under discussion that hadn’t yet passed—one stipulating that if a husband died without children, his title would be inherited by his widow.
If I could push that bill through by way of Sedrian, the Marquess Jansen’s Widow could retain her noble status and marry John Kerdick.
Then John Kerdick would align with the Imperial Palace instead of the Temple.
Only Crown Prince Sedrian could force such a bill through, after all!
‘Good. I need to tell him about this.’

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————