#028. The Adventurer’s Guild is Too Nice (1)

#028. The Adventurer’s Guild is Too Nice (1)

The anomaly that occurred in Sodom Village sent shockwaves through the capital’s Aristocratic Assembly.

“Gomora, that one, greedy as she was, certainly knew how to make proper…expressions of goodwill.”

“One who draws a blade against one aristocrat may draw a blade against any.”

“Furthermore, if the Sodom Guildmaster and the Sodom Village Headman are backing her, she possesses the administrative capabilities to support her force.”

The aristocrat skilled in trade.

The aristocrat skilled in martial arts.

The aristocrat skilled in governance.

All three factions of aristocrats expressed concern.

It meant they all acknowledged that the armed uprising instigated by Teresa wasn’t a self-destructive incident bound to a single locale.

“By the authority vested in me as Chairman of the Aristocratic Assembly, I ask all of you: Do you agree that this matter warrants the consequences of the grave crime of aristocide?”

The aristocrats of the three factions answered in succession.

“I agree.”

“Agreed.”

“I concur.”

The aristocrats gathered behind their faction leaders nodded in agreement.

“Very well. Then the focal point of this matter becomes the fate of the aristocide, Teresa. A statement was made that Teresa declared herself a member of the House of Starsephia. Witness Pinky, is this statement factual?”

“It’s true!”

Pinky, the combatant from the second-string hero party brought in to confirm the facts, cheerfully answered.

“We shall convene a hearing to determine if this is the intent of House Starsephia, if she is truly a member of House Starsephia, and if said House is willing to accept responsibility.”

The Starsephia County, known for Count Orha Starsephia, the Sword Demon of the Frontier, and the Seven Star Knights, a force comprised of seven powerful knights, possesses an independent strength.

The emergence of a power capable of staging a coup without relying on the authority of the Aristocratic Assembly is a burden too great to bear through individual pressure from aristocrats.

But it is for the purpose of restraining, dismantling, and crushing such exceptional houses with the power of the collective that the Aristocratic Assembly exists.

The aristocrats did not fear the martial strength of the Starsephia County.

What meaning has a blade that cannot be drawn from its scabbard?

The summoning of the hearing did not take long.

Every aristocratic house has at least one member, the head of house’s representative, stationed in the capital to handle the house’s affairs.

This is not only for administrative convenience but also a form of pressure from the royal family, to pressure the respective houses in times of emergency and to seize members of each house as hostages.

“Even if the royal family’s foolery grates on the nerves, it’s good to see some benefit from it at times like these.”

The hostage Starsephia House had dispatched to the capital, and acting head of the family, appeared before the inquiry.

Like Theresa’s faded blonde hair, her own was unkempt and dull, yet the same baleful light burned in her eyes. A middle-aged woman ascended the stand with unwavering poise.

“Quite the high nose she has.”

“An almost laughable amount of confidence.”

“One does wonder at the source of her self-assurance.”

The inquiry progressed swiftly.

“The witness will please identify herself.”

“Nurha Starsephia, sister to Orha Starsephia, head of the Starsephia Barony. I attend this inquiry as acting head of House.”

“Identity confirmed. Without further ado, let us proceed. Several days ago, in Sodom Village, the noble Gomora, of the Noble Council, met her end at the hands of the adventurer Theresa, who claims to be a member of the Starsephia House. Was this action taken with the knowledge and approval of the Starsephia House?”

“It was not.”

“Then is Theresa indeed a member of the Starsephia House? Answer truthfully.”

“She was.”

“’Was,’ you say?”

“Theresa has been disowned by the family.”

A murmur rippled through the hall.

The sound of the gavel, striking the wooden block, quieted the unrest.

“Theresa is currently exterminating the Gomora forces in Sodom Village, commencing the delayed duties of the frontier town, and raising its developmental achievements, even threatening those of other cities. Is it the truth that the Starsephia House is in no way involved in this matter?”

“It is the truth.”

“Therefore, would it be accurate to say that the Starsephia House has no intention to intervene, even should the Noble Council choose to punish, or even execute, the adventurer Theresa?”

Nurha Starsephia recalled the visage of the once-promising swordswoman.

A talent that bloomed far too early allowed for no humility, only arrogance and self-will.

As a result of not trusting the judgment of the family elders, she was exploited by a mage and met a miserable downfall.

Nurha would not face such an end.

She knew if she were to wash her hands of this, the nobles of the council would not hesitate to strike.

“The Starsephia House will not intervene.”

It was all already decided.

The house’s intentions had been confirmed through magical communication; they would not be moved.

“It is hereby confirmed that the Starsephia House bears no responsibility for the tragedy in Sodom Village, nor will they demand recompense for any harsh response from the Noble Council. This concludes the inquiry.”

Theresa had been abandoned by the house, twice over.

No matter how troubled Nurha’s heart might be, that fact remained unchanged.

“Firstly, let’s mobilize the Beastkin Alliance and exert pressure on the beastkin camps near Sodom Village that have seceded from the alliance. They are allied forces that have participated in the armed uprising in support of Theresa. Spare no expense in funding this endeavor.”

“We will increase the progress of our city’s achievements. We cannot allow our national funding to be seized by a mere village that does not belong to the nobility.”

The Financial Faction.

The Martial Faction.

The two factions had determined their course of action.

Only one thing remained.

The Administrative Faction.

The decision of the boss of the largest faction, which produced a large number of high-ranking officials or forged kinship relationships and exerted direct influence on the political world.

“There’s a rumor circulating in Sodom Village. That there are monsters there that do not attack people.”

The administrative faction of nobles responded with a severity that surpassed the expectations of other factions.

“Rumors bordering on superstition, transcending the realms of common sense, law, and order, stem from misguided belief. Therefore, we, the administrative faction of nobles, hereby declare a thorough inquiry into the heresy accusations leveled against Sodom Village, including a stringent search for and investigation of heretical elements.”

The most potent political tool of the Noble Council, used to deliver judgment on any challenge to the established order that dared to exist.

The dispatch of Inquisitors was a calculated move: to unearth and investigate heresy, and ultimately, to frame Teresa with charges of heresy.

“If she’s handed over to the Inquisition…”

“She’ll be branded a witch, and there’ll be no escape from execution.”

“They’re determined to kill Teresa, no holding back.”

Teresa was finished.

Sodom Village was doomed.

They would be utterly destroyed.

The nobles were certain.

Having concluded the Noble Council meeting, the Chairman was pleased by the proactive response of the faction leaders.

“No matter what power anyone may wield, the Noble Council is the strongest force in this capital. Our authority is the restraint, the scabbard, for all other powers. This unruly blade named Teresa will never escape our sheath.”

Leaving behind the nobles’ triumphant laughter, Nurha Stacepia departed the Noble Council.

‘The family has abandoned you. But if you are resolved to walk the path of the sword again, I will not leave you alone as a teacher of the blade.’

On the day Inquisitors were dispatched from the royal capital towards Sodom Village, the disciples of Nurha Stacepia, former Chief Swordsmanship Instructor of the Stacepia family, set out for Sodom Village one step ahead.

* * *

━━━

Title: Let’s Manage an Adventurer’s Guild!

Genre: Raising, Management, Revenge, Politics

━━━

Thanks to Mom’s efforts, I almost forgot, but this is a game world where the goal is to cultivate skilled adventurers, resolve various requests, clear the main quest, and save the village, region, and kingdom.

The game features periodic events, depending on the progression, which usually go something like this:

━━━

Event: Holy Land of Swordsmen

Content: Swordsmen, drawn by its reputation, have begun flocking to Sodom Village, known for producing outstanding swordsmen. For the next three months, the probability of middle-rank or higher swordsmen visiting the Adventurer’s Guild will increase drastically.

━━━

Events that greatly aid progress in the game are often categorized as blessed events, and Holy Land of Swordsmen is considered an S-tier event among them.

“It seems the number of intermediate swordsmen from the capital has suddenly increased. Teresa-nim’s fame must have spread all the way there because of this incident.”

The information brought by the messenger, Yuzu, was extremely welcome.

Since the Vice Guild Master’s faction was swept away,

Many skilled adventurers have left Sodom Village.

The Vice Guild Master, Komora, who bound them with large sums of money, was also dead, and their position within the village was at its worst.

Few skilled people decided to remain in the village amidst this ominous atmosphere.

Most of the adventurers who joined the Guild Master’s faction, following Mom, were lower- to mid-level adventurers.

The upper-middle adventurers who only accepted the requests they wanted and fostered all sorts of evils have left, so it’s a good thing that freedom in performing requests is guaranteed.

The problem was that there were few people who could take on the high-difficulty requests that needed to be dealt with immediately.

‘The influx of swordsmen solved the problem here.’

Thanks to the influx of skilled swordsmen, the immediate crisis was averted.

Of course, there are regrets.

If I were working as a staff member at the Adventurer’s Guild, I’d get things done far more proactively, more cleverly.

The vice guildmaster’s faction had infiltrated even the ranks of the Adventurer’s Guild staff.

Thanks to them, key personnel within the guild were caught up in internal investigations, suspended from duties, and interrogated for their transgressions, or else they fled in the dead of night, resignation letters in hand.

Because of this, quest assignment was inefficient, and the guild’s role in providing adventurers with information and administrative support was plagued by constant friction.

“This is a mess I created. I’ll clean it up myself.”

In this turbulent time, Mom took on all the unsolved quests from the troublesome vice guildmaster’s faction.

Her intention was to overcome the organization’s personnel vacuum with her own singular prowess.

Even I couldn’t keep up, shadowing Mom as she tackled quest after quest on a brutal schedule that left no time to spare, like in the old days.

So, worry began to creep in.

Even if I was still young, perhaps I could help Mom or the villagers.

Everyone at the guild.

Actually, there was a way.

That thing still flickering in the corner of my vision.

━━━

＜Tutorial Quest＞

Time to take the first steps in nurturing an adventurer.

Join the Adventurer’s Guild as a staff member and achieve your first accomplishment.

Reward: Enhanced Brainwashing Ability

━━━

The tutorial quest I had put off for so long.

To walk the path of an Adventurer’s Guild staff member.

“Mom. I want to get a job.”

“…Where?”

“At the Sodom Guild.”

Mom looked me up and down, as if to say, *Well, look at this one*, then reached out a hand.

“Still weak as ever.”

“It hurts. Let go.”

Like the claw of a prize crane, her hand clamped onto my head and lifted me off the ground.

Startled by her monstrous strength, I struggled, and Mom scoffed, putting me back down.

“The life of an adventurer is harsh.”

“I know. I’ll do clerical work.”

“Nobody listens to a weak and easily manipulated man like you.”

“I’m confident.”

“Is that so?”

After some deliberation, Mom helped me get a job.

“Any openings for a guild staff member?”

“Do you have someone you would like to introduce?”

“My son.”

The Sodom Guildmaster looked down at me, a head shorter than him, and let out a hearty laugh.

“If Teresa of Motherhood has made this decision for the safety of the children, then I have no choice but to help.”

Having missed my chance to join through the proper channels, I was inwardly worried about actually getting hired. But thanks to Mom’s rapidly growing influence in Sodom Village, I became an adventurer’s guild employee with surprising ease.

A so-called parachute hire.

And the first task given to me, having become a guild employee, was…

“Just sit here and drink some juice.”

“No work?”

“Heh heh. Ian-gun, you’re helping just by being here.”

Sitting at the reception table in the guildmaster’s office, demolishing juice and cookies.

A guildmaster-approved act of wage theft.