Chapter 2, Private Guild

Translator: Kazumi

Editor: Silavin

 

The city of Seichun bustled with Adventurers, a place where they held more power than merchants. This was true not only in terms of influence but also in economic reality. The supply of goods simply could not keep pace with demand.

 

Even when requests were submitted to official guilds, many were left unfulfilled due to the shortage of qualified Adventurers. This was especially true for materials that could only be obtained from higher Floors of Gazenran Tower.

 

Gazenran Tower used a unique classification system for Adventurers:

 

• Floors 1 to 5 were designated for novices
• Floors 6 to 20 was marked for beginners
• Floors 21 to 40 were for intermediate, where the most requested materials were found
• Floor 41 and beyond was considered experts

 

Only upon reaching the Intermediate Floors would an Adventurer truly move beyond beginner status. The most common requests involved materials from these Intermediate Floors. However, those who ventured beyond the 40th floor rarely received requests through official guilds.

 

Instead, high-level requests were typically made directly to specific guilds with Adventurers capable of navigating those dangerous depths. For Intermediate Class materials, one needed connections to major merchant guilds with clients seeking these resources.

 

This system naturally bred competition among merchant guilds and the Adventurer’s guild. If there had been more Adventurer guilds in Seichun, the position of the official Adventurer’s guild wouldn’t have been as dominant. But the shortage of qualified Adventurers meant those guilds with access to skilled Adventurers inevitably ranked higher in the city’s hierarchy.

 

Beyond economics, there was also historical precedent for Adventurers’ elevated status in the city.

 

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The day after Kousuke and his group arrived in Seichun, they visited an official guild to update their cards. These were not Crown cards, which could not be used on the Western Continent where no Crown branch existed, but rather guild cards specific to this region.

 

While updating their cards that morning, Kouhi and Mitsuki drew considerable attention from other Adventurers in the guild. Some were clearly envious, but Kousuke chose to ignore them.

 

As they waited, the receptionist shared information about private guilds in Seichun. Kousuke suspected she was trying to keep them occupied to prevent other Adventurers from approaching. Her manner suggested she viewed Kousuke, despite his C-rank status, as merely an escort for the impressive women accompanying him—probably assuming he could not handle confrontation if challenged by multiple Adventurers.

 

Sensing her thoughts, Kousuke accepted his updated card with a smile. “Thank you for teaching me so much.”

 

“It’s part of my job,” she replied. “Won’t you take a request today?”

 

“Not at the moment. We just arrived yesterday, so we’ll be exploring the city today.”

 

The receptionist smiled. “I see.”

 

Kousuke was about to leave when he paused, as if suddenly remembering something. “By the way, do you know of any good food stalls around here?”

 

“Food stalls?”

 

“Yes. Since I’ve come to Seichun, where food from everywhere gathers, I was thinking of sampling what’s available.”

 

The receptionist laughed. “In that case, the food stall on that corner over there is excellent.”

 

After getting this recommendation, Kousuke’s group departed from the official guild.

 

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“What’s our plan now?” Kouhi asked while enjoying skewered Ill Boar meat from the recommended stall.

 

Kousuke had mentioned updating their cards but nothing about their subsequent activities.

 

“I don’t have anything specific in mind,” Kousuke replied. “I thought we might browse the weapon shops, armor dealers, and magic tool merchants, but…”

 

“You told that receptionist we weren’t taking any requests,” Mitsuki noted, having already finished her skewer. “Are we really not going to do anything?”

 

Her tone implied she would not mind visiting the Tower here.

 

“Going to the Tower is fine,” Kousuke answered thoughtfully. “But there’s no rush. It’s not like the Tower is going anywhere.”

 

Kouhi and Mitsuki chuckled at his small joke.

 

“That’s true,” Kouhi agreed.

 

“You’re right,” Mitsuki added. “No need to rush like we did with Amamiya Tower.”

 

The comment brought back memories of their previous conquest. Back then, they had hurried to establish a base as quickly as possible. This time, with no intention of conquering the entire Tower, they could afford a more relaxed approach.

 

While Kousuke looked around for a place to dispose of his skewer, Kouhi simply stored her meatless stick in her item box.

 

“After hearing what the receptionist said,” Kousuke continued, watching them from the corner of his eye, “I’ve been thinking we should establish our own Adventurer’s guild. What do you think?”

 

Though the suggestion came suddenly, Kouhi and Mitsuki—accustomed to Kousuke’s spontaneous ideas—responded without hesitation. Information from the receptionist had clearly sparked something in all of them.

 

Kouhi nodded while Mitsuki tilted her head thoughtfully.

 

“The question is how much it should develop,” Mitsuki mused. “What’s your vision? Are you considering establishing a Crown Branch here?”

 

She suggested that if they could cultivate it enough, they might as well create an official Crown Branch.

 

Kousuke had naturally considered this possibility. “I’ll need to think it through, but first I should speak with Gazeran. If we proceed, we’d need to establish the Adventurer’s department first.”

 

“Wouldn’t it be better to involve Schmidt as well?” Kouhi suggested.

 

Kousuke folded his arms, considering. “I’m not so sure. The merchant guilds here seem overcrowded. It might be better not to add new members yet.”

 

“I see.”

 

“We should discuss it further, but for now, let’s start as a private guild.”

 

If they attempted to launch immediately as a Crown-affiliated guild, they would certainly face resistance. Better to begin as a small, unremarkable guild that would not attract undue attention.

 

Kouhi and Mitsuki nodded in agreement with Kousuke’s approach. By establishing themselves as a modest guild first and building strength gradually, they could avoid opposition when eventually transitioning to a Crown branch.

 

More precisely, they needed to prevent complaints before they arose. Based on what they had learned about Seichun’s situation, this approach would minimize problems.

 

Of course, as their guild grew, various challenges would emerge. Since they ultimately planned to involve Crown, consulting with Gazeran was essential. Moreover, they would likely need to engage Doll, who headed the Adventurer department.

 

What had begun as a simple sightseeing excursion to Gazenran Tower now appeared likely to involve Crown affairs. Though this was a typical outcome for their ventures, Kouhi and Mitsuki couldn’t help but smile wryly at Kousuke’s industrious nature.