Home/How to Survive in a Good Small Guild/ch 35

Chapter 35

The Crown Prince also seemed to recall someone, looking slightly flustered.

"Above me...?"

"Yes, the only woman who can give you orders, sir."

"......"

"There may be various events along the way, but in any case, your love luck is very strong and favorable!"

"Congratulations, Mr. Rian."

When I said that, the Crown Prince flinched. He seemed completely unaware of it himself.

"No, I know who but it's not like that..."

"Next, please!"

The Crown Prince tried to protest, but the priest called for the next person, so he had to get up.

"That's just how things go, Mr. Rian. They flow in unexpected directions."

"No, that can't be right..."

I decided to leave the Crown Prince alone, as he seemed to be going through a phase of denial. Just then, he seemed to gather his thoughts and spoke.

"Still, I did notice something suspicious about that priest."

"Huh? Something suspicious?"

"That man was gathering information while telling fortunes."

As he said, the priest had asked us for names, birthdates, and all sorts of other trivial details. We'd given false information, but most people would have given real information, trusting the Temple for accurate fortunes.

"So they disguised information gathering as fortune-telling? But what would they use people's information for? Ah, wait!"

Something occurred to me and my eyes widened.

"To steal identities and take out loans...!"

"No, that's unlikely..."

"I was just imagining the worst-case scenario."

"That's certainly a worst-case scenario. But it's probably not that."

The Crown Prince, looking a bit dumbfounded, explained to me.

"I can't access Temple information in detail either, but wouldn't it be used for the High Priest's ability?"

"Miracle?"

I recalled the 'Miracle' I'd seen in the original story.

"That's right. I heard it's an ability that requires a price to use..."

"Information including a name is an excellent price. Perhaps they offer that information as a sacrifice when performing miracles."

"Ah... I'll find out next time I visit the Temple."

Even though I was still only an intern priest.

If I made good use of the fact that Park Geo-seong's essay was the scripture, I might be able to get promoted...

"...Don't push yourself too hard."

"You're being so kind! Thank you, Mr. Rian!"

"Yes..."

After that, we wandered through various parts of the festival, but there was no real gain. We decided to head back.

"Oh, have there been any changes at the guild since my last visit?"

As we rode along, the Crown Prince asked, and I answered.

"Two new people joined."

"How are they?"

"One is kind, and one is sharp."

"The kind one, by any chance..."

"There's Senior Staff Cedric. He works hard and is kind."

"...You didn't say he was capable."

"You're quick to catch on."

"......"

Truly capable people wouldn't join our guild in the first place.

The Crown Prince looked somehow disheartened. Had he been disappointed in our guild?

"Ahem, where do you live?"

"Ah, you can drop me off in front of the guild."

"It's already evening—walking alone might be dangerous."

"Thank you."

His words made sense, so I decided not to refuse his kindness. He rode with me all the way to my house, a little ways from the guild.

"Thank you for helping with the commission today. I'll count on you going forward."

"Yes, I'll do my best."

He'd even given me a ride—the Crown Prince seemed kinder than I'd thought. Unexpectedly, he knew how to treat those beneath him with kindness.

Just then, the Crown Prince's gaze fixed on the street. The area in front of my house was rather messy.

I'd inherited the house from my parents, so it was in my name, but it wasn't a particularly nice house. There was trash lying around and cracks in the walls.

"Is it... safe here?"

"Ah, yes. It's still the capital. It's not bad."

"It seems a bit dangerous if you get home late at night."

"Come to think of it, I've heard rumors of occasional pickpockets! But where isn't there pickpockets?"

"...I suppose."

"Thank you for worrying about me."

"It's not worrying... Never mind."

He started to make an excuse, then closed his mouth and left again.

After seeing him off, I entered my comfortable home. It had only been a short time since I'd possessed this body, yet it already felt like my own house.

Anyway, why did I possess this body...

I'd died after being hit by a car, so that explained it. Why had Odrette Lavendel disappeared? Ah, original stories don't usually go into that detail...

Amid the creeping intrusive thoughts, I fell asleep.

---

After seeing Odrette off and returning to the palace, Cedrian recalled something from their earlier conversation.

She didn't say he was handsome either.

When speaking about Senior Staff Cedric, Odrette's attitude was purely that of a superior evaluating a subordinate.

He looked in the mirror with troubled thoughts.

...Are brown eyes really that unattractive?

He'd chosen brown to be less noticeable, and the magical item's effect made his features somewhat blurry and different from his original face—but still, 'Cedric's' face couldn't be considered bad-looking...

"Your Highness, what's wrong? You've never cared about your appearance before."

"...Is it strange for a person to look in the mirror?"

Cedrian snapped at Eric's words, suddenly recalling how Odrette and the Star Tower scholar Latelle had both said brown eyes were ordinary.

"That's not it, but you have been acting strange lately. Just as His Majesty the Emperor predicted the 'symptoms' would appear."

"What? What did Father predict?"

"Soon you'll look in the mirror, fuss over your attire, try different hairstyles, spray perfume, stare blankly into space, have trouble falling asleep at night, suddenly laugh or look pained to yourself... Anyway, he said these are natural symptoms. I don't know what it means either."

"Father has strange ideas. Don't pay it any mind."

Just as he was about to wave Eric away, something occurred to Cedrian and he spoke.

"Oh, by the way, are there still pickpockets in the capital?"

"Huh? Of course."

"How can security be so bad? The Empire's foundations are shaking."

"No, Your Highness. His Majesty has worked hard to lock up all the robbers, sex offenders, assaulters, murderers, thieves, and so on—isn't it fortunate that pickpockets are all that remain compared to before?"

"I can't be satisfied with that. I think we need to eliminate even pickpockets for the safety of all Imperial citizens."

"Sigh... did you see a pickpocket somewhere?"

Cedrian hesitated before continuing.

"It would be especially good to crack down on pickpockets near the Global Information Network Guild. Have the guards patrol more frequently. It could become a threat to me as well. This is for our guild."

"'Our' guild?"

"......"

Cedrian pretended not to hear Eric's question and looked at the mirror. If his Guild Master got pickpocketed, the entire guild could be in danger.

---

"Huh?"

As I arrived at the guild and tilted my head, Cedric, who was already seated, asked.

"What's the matter?"

"Oh, nothing. Has there been a crime wave in the capital or something? The guards have been patrolling near my house way too often lately."

"Then isn't it a good thing that security is improving?"

"Well, I suppose so... Wait, could it be?"

Recalling my conversation with the Crown Prince not long ago, my eyes widened. I wasn't so oblivious as to miss this!

"Come to think of it, I've heard rumors of occasional pickpockets! But where isn't there pickpockets?"

"...I suppose."

This was definitely because of the Crown Prince's orders! And the reason he'd ordered them to crack down on pickpockets was...

"As expected, he's looking out for the safety of the Empire's citizens!"

"Thank you."

"What? Why are you thanking me, Cedric?"

"I misspoke."

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