Welcome to the Café of the Dark Guild’s Successor - Chapter 17

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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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It’s a café run by the Dark Guild’s successor.
Chapter 17
If Bidler truly did stage a rebellion, Seniel would naturally get drawn into it.
A rebellion demands risking one’s life. I couldn’t let Seniel get swept up in something like that.
“What about the Great Sword Map?”
“We’re still keeping it safe.”
“Never hand it over to the Second Prince. It’ll become the seed of war.”
“For now, let’s watch how things unfold before making a move.”
After finishing the serious conversation, Raily gently tucked my hair behind my ear as it fluttered in the breeze, then asked softly.
“How are you holding up? Have you sorted things out? The situation being what it is, waiting will be difficult.”
I gazed into Raily’s deep green eyes, which always steadied my heart, and spoke my mind slowly.
“I’m sorry about the timing, but… you take over the guild. I’m going to retire and run a shop instead.”
“Wait. Setting aside the guild matter for now — a shop? What kind of shop?”
Just as I’d expected, Raily’s eyes widened in surprise.
“The old lady left me some land. The place where I stayed when I was young.”
Since Raily was the only one who knew about my childhood, I had nothing to hide.
“You mentioned it before, didn’t you? That your parents ran a shop there.”
“You’re going to inherit it?”
“I wouldn’t call it inheriting, exactly. I just think it might be nice to spend some quiet time there.”
When I visited that place a few days ago, I’d thought about it. I wanted to spend time again in the place where my heart felt most at ease, where I’d been happy.
“That works out perfectly. Why don’t we make it the new Branch Office for Raven?”
“Huh?”
“Sophia suggested it last time, remember? She asked if you’d take over a branch. You can run your shop as you please while still staying connected with us. Doesn’t that sound good?”
I stiffened my lips, having had no such intention, and Raily laughed and pulled up the corners of my mouth with his fingers.
“I figured you’d turn down the Guild Master position. But you’ll always be part of Raven.”
My chest throbbed with a sharp ache.
“The old lady told me to either become Guild Master or leave altogether.”
“Queen is gone now. You can do what your heart desires. You don’t have to be bound by her words anymore, do you?”
“…You’re right.”
Honestly, thinking of the comrades I’d lived alongside for over a decade, sharing life and death, I didn’t want to sever my connection to the guild completely.
They were like family to me after all.
I thought that if my leaving would leave a gap, at least this way I could be of help.
“We’ll talk more about the branch office later. I’ll come by next time with Sophia.”
Raily smiled gently and patted my shoulder.
“It’s a shame I can’t be with you, but honestly, I like this too. I can see you in the light now.”
“…I’m sorry, Raily.”
The position of Guild Master that I’d turned down would fall to Raily.
It felt heavy, dumping everything on him just for my sake.
“What’s there to be sorry about? I’m actually looking forward to being Guild Master. You know, I’ve always had my eye on Queen’s seat since I was young.”
“Right. Don’t worry. You’ll lead Raven better than anyone else.”
“When I retire later, I’ll have to come work at your shop. You’ll take me, right?”
“I don’t know. I only hire capable people. I’ll think about it after testing you.”
“That’s cold of you.”
I snorted out a laugh and pushed Raily’s back.
“Go on. You’ll be spotted.”
“Keep in touch.”
Raily had said he was glad to see my face in the light, but daylight suited Raily well too.
I wondered when I’d see him looking so ordinary beneath the bright sky again, and my heart grew complicated.
At least Raily enjoyed guild work, but becoming Guild Master was a different kind of burden.
I watched Raily’s retreating figure, which bore heavier shoulders now, until he completely disappeared, then sighed.
I was sitting blankly in the garden when I heard a horse neighing from the front entrance.
And shortly after,
the sound of hoofbeats led behind the Mansion where I was. The figure that emerged was Bidler.
He stopped upon spotting me.
“Still here?”
“I was just about to leave. Fortunately, I got to say goodbye.”
Upon hearing my words, Bidler’s eyebrows twitched sharply.
“That wasn’t meant to drive you out. If you have nowhere to go, you can stay longer.”
“No. I’ve decided where I’m going.”
I cocked my head slightly at his somewhat gentler tone.
“You’re really leaving? Where to?”
Bidler, whom I’d expected to be delighted, looked surprisingly flustered instead.
Hadn’t he been the one hoping at every meeting that I’d leave Seniel’s side as soon as possible?
As I wondered, Bidler took a small Bottle from his breast pocket.
Bottles like that usually held strong liquor. Apparently thirsty, he drained it in long gulps.
“May I have some too?”
I deferred an answer and gestured to the Bottle.
“…Here.”
As I brought the Bottle to my lips, the sharp taste of strong alcohol hit my tongue. It was bitter enough to make my eyes squint.
Bidler fixed his gaze on me, staring intently while I wet my throat.
“It’s bitter.”
“It’s sweet to me.”
I couldn’t agree that it was sweet, but it certainly wasn’t just bitter.
Once the harsh burn faded, a rich woody scent emerged.
“I’m going to open a shop. Come visit. I can’t give you everything free, but I’ll make the portions generous.”
Perhaps because I liked the liquor more than expected, I smiled at Bidler with genuine warmth as I handed back the Bottle.
Bidler’s pupils dilated noticeably as he stared at me blankly.
“You’re not taking it?”
“Ah.”
Bidler, who had seemed momentarily frozen, reached out and took the Bottle. The fingertips that brushed mine were quite warm.
There’s much I want to ask Bidler.
Whether he truly intends to stage a rebellion. Why he’s gathering forces, and why he’s so fixated on what to use Seniel for.
I also want to confirm whether he’s really the Guild Master of Ade.
But since I can’t reveal my identity, I’ll have to find all these answers myself.
I swallowed every question and instead spoke the only thing I could tell him as Seniel’s sister.
“Please take good care of Seniel. If you let him get hurt, I won’t let it slide. Seniel is all I have.”
It was a warning disguised as a plea.
My warning probably seemed trifling to him.
Yet Bidler, whom I’d expected to scoff, nodded with a serious expression instead.
“I’ll treat him with the utmost care.”
I felt sincerity in his words and was somewhat reassured.
It seemed he wouldn’t use Seniel, whom he held dear, carelessly.
That evening, after Bidler, Seniel came by after a long time.
A few knights I’d never seen before came along — apparently there was a regular meeting that day.
I’d already finished preparing to leave and waited for the gathering to end. I planned to talk to Seniel tonight.
After a while, when I went down to the living room, Seniel’s face was flushed red and he and Orbis were still passing drinks back and forth.
“Where’s the Prince?”
“He left. Hic.”
“You two stop drinking too.”
“Hehe. Sister, sorry I haven’t been around. He said you were sad that I’ve been away so long.”
“It’s fine.”
Seniel was already drunk.
“I’ve been saving this. It’s expensive liquor, they say. Hic. Let’s drink together.”
Looking at the table, he didn’t seem to have drunk that much, yet here he was in this state.
“He’s exactly like Father when it comes to alcohol.”
“Sister! Here! Drink!”
I accepted the cup Seniel offered me, then nudged Orbis, who was dozing with his head on the table.
Orbis’s body slid smoothly from the chair and he tumbled to the floor, mumbling in his sleep.
I gestured to the servant watching from afar, received a blanket, and loosely draped it over Orbis before sitting in the chair he’d vacated.
I watched Seniel, who continued grinning despite his drunkenness, and couldn’t help but chuckle myself.
“What are you so happy about?”
“Being with you. I’m doing all the things I’ve been meaning to do.”
I stopped Seniel from drinking more and took the cup from his hand.
“Will you smile like that even after I leave?”
“Huh? Sister, you’re leaving?”
I thought he was completely drunk, but for a moment, Seniel’s eyes cleared.
I stroked his hair gently as he looked at me in shock and spoke softly.
“I have to. This is your space, after all.”
“So let’s stay together then. Hic. Or I’ll come with you.”
I know better than anyone that this wasn’t drunken rambling or a careless joke.
If I asked Seniel to come with me, he’d really come.
So it was impossible. Seniel, unlike me, was someone who belonged in the light.
“I need to find work. The old lady is gone, and I can’t just laze about forever.”
“You don’t need to work. I can support you. I’ll feed us both.”
Though he was old enough to drink now, the way Seniel looked at me still held the gaze from ten years ago.
“Seniel, I visited where we used to live.”
Seniel, who had been blinking slowly, refocused his eyes.
“What?”
“I wasn’t sure, so I went to check. It was the right place. The graves were still there.”
“How did you find it? I tried many times and couldn’t locate it.”
“You tried?”
“Of course. Our parents’ graves are there. But I couldn’t find any trace of it.”
I probably wouldn’t have found it easily either if the old lady hadn’t left me the Land Document.
But I couldn’t explain anything about the old lady or the Land Document to Seniel, so I let it lie.

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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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