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Chapter 22

3. The villain you just dealt with is merely the weakest in our company

"Hello, Guild Master!"

"You're here."

Looking at the two employees greeting me as I arrived, I felt a wave of emotion once again.

It felt like just yesterday I was lamenting having to work at another trash company with fewer than five employees—and now I was the CEO of that company...

"Alright, I have a major announcement."

As soon as I arrived, I gathered the attention of my two employees. I'd made a decision at home last night.

"From now on, Senior Staff Susanna is promoted to Assistant Manager."

"Wow!"

Susanna, who'd been eyeing the assistant manager position for a while, cheered.

"Cedric, you're promoted to Senior Staff."

"Thank you. So does that mean my salary goes up as well?"

"No? It stays the same."

"...Then what's improved?"

He looked confused for a moment, but seeing Susanna's joy, he seemed to accept that it was better than nothing.

"A higher title is good. You can introduce yourself with a higher rank when talking to other companies."

"Indeed..."

"Oh, and I've drafted the recruitment poster for experienced workers."

I wrote down the text on paper.

[Global Information Network Guild – Experienced Worker Recruitment Notice]

Position:

· Information Analysis & Field Response Guild Member (0 positions)

Responsibilities:

· Finding people / Location tracking / Gathering various evidence

· Consulting with clients on their concerns

Requirements:

· Minimum 2 years of relevant work experience

Salary & Benefits:

· Base salary + Hazard pay + Commission performance bonuses

· Snacks provided

· Clean restrooms

· Desks with partitions

· 1 paid leave day per month

Selection Process:

1st round: Document screening

2nd round: Interview with Guild Master

A probationary period may be required depending on circumstances.

Application Method:

· Submit documents in person at the guild

For inquiries, contact Assistant Manager Susanna.

Note: This guild is a workplace with fewer than five employees and may assign applicants "slightly more work" than a typical guild. However, this also means a very fast growth rate and the opportunity to build rich experience.

"What do you think?"

"...It seems better than the notice the previous Guild Master posted."

"That one made you want to run away just from reading it."

I still couldn't understand what Cedric had been thinking when he applied after seeing that notice.

"Now, Cedric, please transcribe this notice with your masterful calligraphy again."

"...Yes."

He quietly wrote it down with excellent handwriting, now accustomed to the task. He'd become our guild's official designer. See, this is why you shouldn't show off what you can do at work.

After posting the recruitment notice prominently in front of the building, Susanna tilted her head and asked.

"Do you think a truly good experienced worker will apply? Experienced workers would probably go to better guilds..."

"Assistant Manager Susanna, we're in an era of job scarcity. Even experienced workers are applying as newbies elsewhere."

From what I'd observed, this world was supposed to be a romance-fantasy world overflowing with love, yet the employment situation was no different from my previous world.

With job hunting being so difficult these days, applicants would likely appear before long.

---

As expected, about three days later, we'd already received about four applications.

"This person looks decent."

Applicant: Garrick Crona

"Let's interview this one."

"Yes, I'll contact him."

In the meantime, I read through Garrick's application carefully again. He hadn't spent two years at a single guild, but his combined experience added up to two years.

Education & Experience:

· Roden University, Department of Information Studies (dropped out)

· Light Detective Agency – Assistant Staff (6 months, resigned due to health issues)

· Information Records Guild – Intern (6 months, resigned due to health issues)

· Ash Gray Information Guild – Full-time Employee (1 year)

Motivation for Applying:

I have lived a life lacking in confidence.

I tried my best, but due to poor communication skills, I was often misunderstood by others.

As a result, I had poor relationships with colleagues and received much criticism from superiors.

But now I want to change.

I want to utilize my strengths and be reborn as a new person in a new guild.

"Hmm, he carries some pain?"

Reading this application, it seemed like he'd been bullied at his previous guilds and was now applying with his last hope.

Wait—isn't this a common character type in romance fantasies? Someone with great abilities but a painful past, and when I nurture that wound, they'll become loyal and unleash their potential.

Great, this looks promising! This was my chance to use the romance-fantasy tropes I knew to discover talent!

Just as I was harboring that hope, Susanna had come over and was chattering.

"To be honest, the application isn't that great, is it? Why would he admit to having poor relationships?"

"Maybe he's just honest?"

"Hmm, from my perspective, he probably ruined his reputation at his previous guilds and is trying to get ahead of the rumors reaching here..."

"Assistant Manager Susanna, let's judge him after meeting him."

Susanna's point was valid. We'd need to conduct a thorough interview.

A moment later, I was seated across from a man in the reception room. He had a frail and pitiful appearance—the kind of face that evoked sympathy.

"Hello, Guild Master. My name is Garrick Crona."

"Hello, Mr. Garrick Crona. Thank you for coming to the interview."

I offered him a cup of tea. His pupils shook as he looked at it.

"Tea..."

"Yes?"

"Nothing, sniff! It's just... no one's ever treated me like this before...!"

He was so moved by something so small that he teared up? It seemed he'd really been through workplace bullying.

Seriously, the other trash guilds in this world are problematic too.

In this world, workplace bullying probably wasn't clearly recognized yet. My gaze toward Garrick grew even more sympathetic.

"What do you consider your strengths?"

"I'm confident in writing reports. I'm also good at reading others' emotions and empathizing with them..."

"Then what are your weaknesses? Why did you leave your previous guilds?"

"I lacked the skills to navigate office life... I didn't understand basic etiquette. For example, if I worked too hard, I'd become a burden to my colleagues... things like that."

He seemed like a genuine victim of workplace harassment.

At my previous company, Park Geo-seong's tyranny was so severe that we employees generally stuck together, but there were also companies where internal power struggles and politics were intense.

"But now, I'll learn anything if you teach me. I really want to work somewhere long-term this time..."

"I understand."

"Please, give me one last chance..."

Watching Garrick clasp his hands together pleadingly, I nodded.

This was indeed an opportunity. He'd heal his wounds at our guild and unleash his abilities.

"Alright, Mr. Garrick. You can start tomorrow."

"Really? Thank you, thank you!"

Garrick jumped for joy as if he'd been hired by a major corporation. Watching him, I felt proud as Guild Master.

Great, from now on our guild would be back to four members again.

After observing him for a few days, I'd report him to the Temple when he converted to full-time status. All new hires at our guild had to be reported to the Temple.

But at that time, I didn't know.

What kind of villains join ordinary companies when there isn't a mega-villain like Park Geo-seong around...

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