Chapter 5, Doubt

Translator: Kazumi

Editor: Silavin

 

After leaving the Tower, Kousuke and his friends returned to the inn, stopping by the stalls as usual. They planned to complete the procedures for opening a guild the next day.

 

Unlike other places, the procedures for opening a guild in Seichun was tedious. First, they needed to update their card at the Tower Conquest Guild that managed the Tower and prove they had definitely passed the 21st Floor. Then, they would go to the official guild to actually open their own guild. This was necessary because breaking through to the 21st floor of Gazenran Tower was a prerequisite for creating a guild.

 

As expected, completing all this paperwork on the same day they had just returned from the Tower would be extremely tedious, so they decided to wait until the next day.

 

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The day after they left Gazenran Tower, as planned, Kousuke and his friends visited the Tower Conquest Guild at the base of the Tower to complete the procedures proving they had passed the 21st Floor.

 

Coincidentally, the person who checked them in was the same woman who had processed their initial registration.

 

“Yes? A Guild Operating Certificate?” She asked, not because she didn’t understand what Kousuke had said, but because she wanted to confirm his request was correct.

 

Kousuke nodded with a smile. “Yes. Since we’ve come this far, we’d like to start a guild.”

 

“Is that so?” The woman’s usual professional smile froze at Kousuke’s words as she stared at the card he had handed her. Kousuke checked it again—there was no doubt that the highest Floor recorded was the 21st, so there should not be any problems.

 

“I’ve cleared the Floors properly, so there shouldn’t be a problem, right?” Kousuke tilted his head in confusion.

 

The receptionist finally started moving again, though her smile remained fixed. “Eh, yes. There’s no problem… but… please wait a moment.”

 

She jogged off to the back of the room with the card in hand. Kousuke wondered if he had done something wrong but decided to wait quietly for her return.

 

A few minutes later, the receptionist returned accompanied by a woman who projected an air of authority.

 

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, but our representative says she has something to discuss. Would you mind coming with me?” the receptionist asked.

 

Kousuke tilted his head. “Is there something wrong? We don’t think there’s anything in particular that’s wrong.”

 

By now, Kousuke had a good idea of what the problem might be, but he had no intention of just going along without clarification.

 

The receptionist was about to answer, but the authoritative woman stopped her and spoke instead.

 

“We don’t think there’s a problem. We just want to ask you a few questions. However, some of them are personal, so…” She looked around, implying that it was difficult to ask in this crowded place.

 

That explanation was enough for Kousuke, but he had another concern. “Is that so? If so, then it would be best for the other two to follow, right?” He made it clear that if his companions were not invited, he would not go either.

 

The woman must have realized the meaning of his words. She glanced around briefly, then quickly nodded. “Yes. Of course. Please join us.”

 

She gestured for Kousuke and the others to follow her and started walking toward the back room.

 

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The room they were shown to was filled with high-end furnishings. Since Gazenran Tower occupied an important position on the Western Continent, it likely welcomed people of a certain rank or higher.

 

“Please sit here,” the woman said, gesturing to a sofa just big enough for three people. Kousuke sat in the middle, with Kouhi on his right and Mitsuki on his left.

 

Once they were settled in, the woman began to speak. “Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Alta. I am the vice president of this guild.”

 

Kousuke had been right to think she was a person of authority—she was the vice president of the Tower Conquest Guild. He started to introduce himself, but Alta stopped him with a raised hand.

 

“I already know your names, so it’s okay.”

 

“Is that so?” Kousuke replied, unsure how to respond to learning they had already been investigated.

 

He decided to address the main issue. “So? Can I ask why you went to the trouble of calling us to a room like this?”

 

Alta nodded. “Of course. That’s the purpose. But first, I would like to ask: are you sure you want to make a guild?”

 

“Is there a problem with that?”

 

“It certainly seems like you have passed the 21st Floor according to the cards, but when did you pass it?”

 

“Yesterday. The receptionist saw us coming out of the Tower, right?”

 

“Yes. I have heard of that as well.”

 

While talking to Alta, Kousuke wondered what exactly she wanted to know. Her questions so far seemed like information she could have obtained without bringing them to a private room.

 

“I heard from her that you came here and made your cards about two weeks ago?” she continued.

 

“Yes. That is correct.” Kousuke nodded frankly, seeing no reason to hide this fact.

 

“That means you have reached the 21st Floor in two weeks.” When Alta said this, Kousuke finally understood what had raised her suspicions.

 

“Oh, so that’s it. You’re suspecting that we counterfeited the cards/” Kousuke said with a laugh, carefully watching Alta’s expression.

 

Alta’s face barely changed, as if she understood that Kousuke was studying her reaction. She shook her head. “I don’t doubt you to that extent. The cards we make here are given to you are made in the Tower. They are like sacred objects, so to speak. I doubt such things can be counterfeited so easily.”

 

“Oh, is that so? Then why?”

 

“I simply wanted to ask how you got to the 21st Floor in such a short time.”

 

Alta said this matter-of-factly, but Kousuke still did not take her words at face value. It was the first time he had heard that the cards were considered sacred objects, but he did not necessarily believe it was true.

 

Still, he understood what Alta wanted to know, so he decided to tell her about the strategy they had used.

 

After hearing Kousuke and his friends’ approach, Alta nodded with a look of understanding. “I see that it’s not impossible depending on the party’s abilities.”

 

“Naturally.”

 

“But even if you’re C-rank, can you really deal with those monsters that easily?”

 

“You have a point… Ah, I see.”

 

Seeing Kousuke clap his hands as if remembering something important, Alta met his gaze. “What is it?”

 

“We are originally Adventurers from the Central Continent. This rank is also from the Central Continent.”

 

Hearing Kousuke’s words, Alta finally looked convinced. It seemed that news about the difference in rank standards between the Central Continent and other continents had reached here as well.

 

“Is that so? That makes sense then. I apologize for keeping you for so long.”

 

“No need. I’m happy as long as you understand,” Kousuke replied, pleased to learn that Central Continent Adventurers were more highly regarded than he had thought.

 

After that, they were issued their certificate without any further questions, and Kousuke and his friends left the Tower Conquest Guild, one step closer to forming their own guild.

 

Kazumi: in the current continent although there are adventurers guild, they are not a unified organization and still works separately per country, and in some cases like the situation in Gazenrar Tower, the official guild is recognized as the most powerful guild organization and although they may be separated based on function they are still collectively known as adventurers guilds. And a reason why a Crown branch was not established in Gazenran Tower is mainly because the more powerful guilds did not want to lose the privileges of being at the top and in control.