Home/How to Survive in a Good Small Guild/ch 19

Chapter 19

"Huh? No way..."

Soon, as we read through the accounting book, surprise appeared on each of our faces.

"What's this? Why does our guild have so much money?"

"That's impossible—this broke guild has this much money?"

"Even though we couldn't even stock the break room..."

Sure enough, according to the accounting book the Guild Master had been hiding, our guild's assets were quite substantial!

Where on earth was this money coming from?

"Let's analyze it later. First, let's make copies."

"Yes, we need to secure the evidence before the Guild Master returns."

"I'll keep watch, so you two go make copies?"

"...No, I'll keep watch."

After a moment's hesitation, I decided to stay and stand guard myself. If the Guild Master showed up, I was the one better equipped to handle it.

So Susanna and Cedric rushed off to the copy shop, and I guarded the guild, hoping the Guild Master wouldn't show up...

"What's this? Where did everyone go?"

Unfortunately, the Guild Master appeared right on time. He looked around the empty office with a displeased expression.

I casually glanced at the Guild Master's desk. The drawer was closed again, and I'd made sure the lock looked like it was still locked...

"They went to the copy shop to organize some documents."

"Tch, what are they doing during work hours!"

"We don't have a copier in our guild, so..."

"Assistant Manager Odrette, have you been getting a bit cheeky lately?"

"Ahaha..."

Laughing awkwardly, I kept watching the Guild Master. He was approaching his desk.

How could I distract the Guild Master? Yes, as expected...!

"G-guild Master!"

"What?"

"Your nephew from earlier... is he still unmarried?"

As soon as I asked that, interest flickered in the Guild Master's eyes. Since he'd brought him here, he seemed close to his nephew, so he'd probably be interested in his marriage prospects too.

"Yes, he's still not married. Why? Don't tell me you're interested, Assistant Manager Odrette?"

"No, of course not. Ahaha, just curious."

"Hmm, come to think of it, you're pretty and your personality isn't bad either. Though you don't make much money..."

That's because you pay so little...

"If you're going to get married and work from home anyway, it wouldn't be bad..."

"No, that's not what I meant!"

I had my pride—I couldn't pretend to be interested in the Guild Master's nephew.

"Have you considered joining a matchmaking agency? My aunt works at one, and I could get you a discount..."

"Tch! Why would he join a matchmaking agency? My nephew already has plenty of women without that!"

"Really?"

"...Shut up!"

Fortunately—or unfortunately—the Guild Master was just annoyed by my provocation and didn't think to go to his desk.

"Assistant Manager Odrette! Come to think of it, the break room is looking bare lately!"

"That's because you drank the instant coffee mix you said was for decoration last time..."

"What did you say?"

As I kept irritating the Guild Master to buy time, Susanna and Cedric appeared. They spotted the Guild Master and naturally hid the copied accounting book behind their backs.

"What took you so long?"

"Heheh, we were working!"

"What kind of work?"

"...We were copying the Guild Master's son's art homework."

Cedric quickly switched his hand to hold up a drawing. The Guild Master admired it.

"Wow, at this level, he could win an art competition!"

Taking advantage of the distraction, they managed to hide the copied accounting book. Now we just needed to return the original to the drawer without being caught. Since the Guild Master often left his seat, we could do it then.

"What's this? Something looks off..."

Just then, the Guild Master frowned at the lock. Had he noticed its subtly shifted position?

I prayed desperately, but the Guild Master began slowly turning the combination lock. No, if he opened it now, it would be empty!

Susanna, Cedric, and I exchanged glances in the air.

As we trembled in fear, the drawer was finally opened. Finding it empty, the Guild Master trembled with rage.

"What the hell!"

His roar echoed through the office.

"Who touched my drawer!"

"Huh? The drawer?"

Susanna, always quick in these situations, was the first to deny it.

"Who would dare touch the Guild Master's desk?"

"I don't know either."

I quickly followed Susanna's lead.

"I didn't even know there was a lock there."

Then the Guild Master's gaze turned to Cedric. It seemed he was about to take the fall, so I nudged the silent Cedric. Finally, an excuse came out of his mouth.

"I do not engage in such unjust acts."

At the shameless lie, the Guild Master trembled with fury. Soon, apparently imagining what would happen if the accounting book was exposed, he shouted.

"You're all in cahoots!"

"Huh? With what?"

"You must have conspired to eat me alive and stolen the book!"

"The book? What's in the book? I have the accounting book right here!"

"Hah, so this is how you want to play it?"

The Guild Master curled his lips. What was that ominous feeling...

"Anyway, this is a workplace with fewer than five employees, so once I take action, you can't do anything! I'm sorry to do this, but I have no choice."

Soon, thunderstruck words came out of the Guild Master's mouth.

"You're fired! All of you are fired!"

"......!"

"But we haven't received formal termination notices."

"Hey, you pretty-faced employee! This is a workplace with fewer than five employees, so that doesn't apply!"

"The Empire's laws, designed to protect its citizens, are clearly not achieving their purpose."

Cedric looked shocked, but Susanna and I exchanged glances as if to ask, "What do we do now?"

As he said, if he gave us termination notices, there was nothing we could do.

It would be far better to take over this guild and make me the new Guild Master than to leave and start a new one.

Because getting approval to establish a new guild required complicated procedures, and considering the guild's assets and reputation, inheriting it was the better option.

But if the Guild Master fired us before being removed, we'd have no way to return.

'What should I do?'

True, we'd copied the accounting book, but we hadn't yet uncovered anything suspicious. At this rate, we'd just get kicked out...

As we panicked, the Guild Master continued.

"You couldn't get hired anywhere without me anyway!"

Ah, the stories about each of our weaknesses that Susanna had mentioned earlier. As the Guild Master threatened, we truly couldn't find work anywhere else.

And if I got kicked out here, I wouldn't be able to extract Temple information either. Originally, my goal was to join forces with the Crown Prince, crush the Temple, and side with the original story's protagonists!

Was I really going to get kicked out without exposing any corruption? Just as I was losing hope, Cedric spoke.

"To fire us, you'll have to report it to the Guild Administration."

"Is that so? Hmph, not that you can do anything anyway..."

"Before that, we'll report you first."

With that, Cedric stood up and ran out of the guild.

Susanna and I exchanged bewildered looks, then followed him.

"......!"

"Stop right there!"

The Guild Master began chasing after us. But he was older and couldn't keep up with our pace.

"Tch!"

Soon, his voice faded into the distance. It seemed he was trying to catch a carriage...

"Cedric!"

"We have to get to the Guild Administration first!"

He kept running at the front without tiring. This guy was much more proactive than I'd thought! But even if we went to the Guild Administration, we still hadn't found proof of his wrongdoing!

"Pant, huff..."

Just as Susanna and I were running out of steam, a familiar voice came from beside us.

"Hahah, see you later!"

What the hell! The Guild Master's carriage was passing by. At this rate, he'd arrive first and fire us.

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