Welcome to the Café of the Dark Guild’s Successor - Chapter 76

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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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A café run by the heir to the Dark Guild.
Chapter 76
***
Upon entering Headquarters, I gazed at the portraits of former Guild Masters displayed in the first-floor corridor.
“It’s been a while.”
I nodded toward the woman occupying the final space.
After a brief look, I walked toward the second floor, where the Master’s office was located.
As I climbed the stairs, I felt an enormous tremor from above.
There was only one person in Headquarters who moved like that, and the corner of my mouth lifted.
“Prince!”
Sophia came rushing over and embraced me when she heard I’d arrived.
“What happened? The Guild Competition is today. Is it over?”
“Yeah. I came straight here after it ended.”
“Did you win?”
“Of course.”
“Eek! I knew it!”
Sophia bounced up and down with childlike delight.
“What’s all over your face?”
“Oh, I was working on next year’s budget. Must be pen marks. Ha-ha.”
I pulled at her sleeve and wiped her face thoroughly with it.
“How did it go with the new recruits Andrew took on?”
I tilted my head slightly, recalling Chen’s body trembling with rigidity.
“Well, I saved him from nearly dying. Still… if we push him hard enough, he might be useful?”
“That’s a surprisingly generous assessment. Did someone catch your eye? Tell me!”
“Not quite.”
I shrugged and walked down the corridor with Sophia.
Upon arriving at the office used by Masters through the generations, I reached for the doorknob and paused.
Every time I opened this door, she had been there. I’d opened it countless times, but—
…….
“Let’s go in.”
Sophia, understanding what I felt, wrapped her hand around mine and turned the doorknob firmly.
The office had changed completely.
The room that always reeked of cigarette smoke with bottles strewn about had been tidied immaculately, and the floor gleamed.
“That’s Raily for you.”
“Right? Who would have thought the place could change this much?”
Sophia and I sat across from each other at the guest table.
While waiting for Raily to arrive, I heard updates on Raven’s recent movements.
After a moment,
“Rosia.”
Raily entered the office, calling my name warmly.
I smiled seeing her brown hair, which seemed to have grown shorter.
“Since it’s just us, I’ll take off my mask.”
“I will too.”
Sophia, who usually worked with numbers and information and spent almost all her time locked in her room, didn’t wear a mask separately.
However, for ordinary Guild Members like Raily and me, wearing a mask while moving through Headquarters was customary.
Once we removed our masks, we could see each other’s expressions, which was much better.
“It feels strange to be gathered like this in the office, just the three of us.”
“Right. The Queen was always scolding us.”
“Get it straight. You’re the only one who got scolded, Sophia. Raily and I were too busy receiving mission assignments.”
Memories built up over nearly ten years of coming and going, whether we liked it or not.
I found the corner of my mouth rising as I recalled times spent crying and laughing here.
“I heard on the way in. You won the Guild Competition?”
“That’s why you called me here. A congratulatory gift for the Master.”
I answered matter-of-factly as if it were obvious, and Raily thrust her clenched fist toward me.
“Thanks. It’s the gift I like best from everything I’ve received.”
“I knew you would be.”
I curled my fingers and lightly bumped my fist against hers.
Knock, knock.
The sound of knocking made me look toward the door.
Obelia entered with tea, set down a cup in front of me with a reluctant expression, and left.
I murmured absently while catching the rich herbal scent rising from the teacup.
“Wonder if it’s safe to drink this. There’s no poison in it, right?”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“Nothing. Did you make Obelia your executive secretary?”
“She seemed most suitable.”
Sophia added with a sly smile from beside me, following up on Raily’s brief assessment.
“Not only is her skill impressive, but she knows the Master better than anyone.”
“I suppose that’s true.”
Obelia, a year younger than us, joined the Guild when I was in my third year.
She followed after Raily like a mother bird and intensely disliked how I stayed by Raily’s side, but I always overwhelmed her with skill and she couldn’t say a word.
“But what brings you here?”
I set the teacup on the table and looked between Sophia and Raily.
“The organizer of this Guild Competition was Ade. They deliberately lured us in. They want to form an alliance with us.”
“…I didn’t know that. We were completely fooled.”
“It seems the Guild Master of Ade is the Second Prince. Once we meet, verify it one more time.”
“What’s the purpose of the alliance?”
“They want to bring down the Empress. That would mean confronting the Sloephane Family, and it might even lead to rebellion.”
A brief silence fell.
I waited quietly, my legs crossed.
I’d already expressed a desire to join hands with Ade before, but it wasn’t a decision to be made lightly.
Raily would need time to think as well.
Raily, who had been lost in thought, opened her mouth carefully.
“The First Prince recently became Crown Prince. Is it right for us to stand on the Second Prince’s side in this situation? Especially since we’re a neutral guild that doesn’t express political opinions.”
“Master, there’s something to consider. We’re the only ones who know that Ade is connected to the Second Prince.”
Sophia was right.
Even if we formed an alliance with Ade immediately, it would appear to outsiders as merely a pact between Dark Guilds.
“It will be exposed eventually.”
“By then, the alliance might not hold, right? Alliances fall apart when things go wrong—it’s everyday business.”
The logic was airtight, and Raily nodded in agreement while touching her chin.
“What do you think, Rosia?”
“I agree with Sophia. I’d like us to form an alliance, even if temporary.”
“Why?”
“The Great Sword Map. To unseal it, the Second Prince is essential.”
“Not Ade, but the Second Prince? Why?”
I explained in detail the method I’d discovered for unlocking the Great Sword Map.
Both of them were greatly surprised to learn that the Sloephane Family was involved again.
“So… the original owner of the map is Empress Clione?”
“That’s right.”
“To unseal it, direct bloodline is required. That’s really not easy.”
“Yeah. Rather than taking unnecessary risks, I think it’s better to join hands with Ade and proceed with the matter together.”
“That map must be real. Looking at how both the Sloephane Family and a prince are involved… how many Magic Stones could there be?”
Sophia trembled with excitement beside me, speaking in a delighted voice.
“All right. Then let’s start with a temporary alliance.”
Even if we made a decision here, we’d still have to go through a separate meeting of high-ranking officers.
Since that was Raily’s responsibility as Master, I left it to her and took out the Great Sword Map, setting it on the table.
Then, staring directly at Raily, I brought up the last matter I’d come to discuss.
“Is there any way to investigate the Sloephane Family Residence?”
“Their security is too thorough to infiltrate easily. We’ve tried several times and failed every time.”
“…I see. I’ll think about it too.”
When I tried to stand, Raily and Sophia urgently grabbed me.
“You must be tired from being up all night. Sleep here.”
“That’s right. Why rush like that? Let’s go to my room!”
“No. I should sleep at home.”
“Since when has that been home… you’re terrible.”
Sophia pouted her lip and looked at me with sad eyes, but I couldn’t leave the shop for too long when we had so many customers these days.
I waved lightly to both of them and left the office.
Obelia was standing in the hallway.
I tried to ignore her and pass, but she called out to me first.
“Prince.”
When I turned my head, I saw hostile yellow eyes.
“How much longer are you planning to occupy that position?”
“You’re one to talk.”
I turned my body fully and approached Obelia, asking slowly.
“Do I really bother you that much?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re the only person clouding the Master’s judgment.”
I didn’t deny her words and simply nodded.
Raily was sociable enough to be close to everyone, but her work was sharp as a blade.
I knew that I was the one weakness in Raily’s armor, and that’s why she still lets me stay.
I grabbed Obelia’s shoulders and pressed down firmly.
“No matter how much you hate me, hide your hostility. Concealing emotion is part of our work too.”
“Do you know how critical this time is for the Guild? You represent us, Prince!”
“I just came back after winning the Guild Competition. That’s hard to hear.”
“……That probably could have happened without you.”
I stared harder into Obelia’s venomous eyes and brought my face closer.
“You know what? Strange as it is, I don’t dislike you. With you by the Master’s side, I feel reassured.”
I gave Obelia a grin as her eyes widened in surprise, then walked out of the building.
The ground was white with frost from the early morning. Winter was palpable in the cold morning air that stung the tip of my nose.
“I need to get back quickly. Cayden will worry.”
I’d left without saying anything, not realizing my outing would take so long.
Even apart from Cayden, the shop opening time was approaching and I felt anxious.
I climbed into the carriage that the Guild had prepared, rubbing my tired eyes which felt gritty.
***
A few days later, in the drowsy afternoon.
Since Seniel and Bidler both visited at the same time last time, there were more female customers.
Now that the regulars had become familiar with each other, young noblewomen who came alone sat together and chatted.
While I felt impressed by their determination to make the journey this far into the mountains, I thought of Hestanya, who had been scarce lately.
“Something wrong?”
Then I felt someone approaching. Thinking it might be a customer, I looked toward the door, but the sound came from the window.
“Owner, are you here?”
“Mandu Shop Auntie?”
The woman from the village who’d sold us the dumplings came to the window and smiled brightly.
“What brings you by?”

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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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