Ch.29Adventurer’s Guild

In this world, the profession of adventurer was not much different from the adventurers in fantasy novels.

Hunting monsters, gathering herbs, completing requests. And dying meaninglessly—people who should more appropriately be called mercenaries or fixers rather than adventurers had formed a power group.

That was the Adventurers’ Guild, and they maintained their vested interests by establishing branches in every major city.

And now, an employee of that guild was paying me respectful courtesy.

“It is an honor to meet with my own eyes Your Majesty Tiberius, renowned as both a wise and benevolent ruler. I am a messenger from the Adventurers’ Guild. Please call me ‘Allen’ for short.”

The pin fastening the robe of the man who introduced himself as Allen bore the symbol of the Adventurers’ Guild.

The symbol was a sword placed upon parchment, which according to them, represented the pioneering spirit of adventurers illuminating maps with their swords.

“Raise your head.”

At my command, Allen lifted his head.

He had quite a handsome face even to me, another man, with remarkably intense eyes.

His skin was unusually clean for an adventurer, and his jaw, shaved completely free of any stubble, showed only a slight bluish mark.

It was an appearance that could only come from someone with strict self-discipline ingrained in their body.

From his appearance alone, I could easily discern the Adventurers’ Guild’s serious intention to establish a branch here in Amurtat.

“Allen. You’ve come because the Adventurers’ Guild wishes to establish a branch here, correct?”

“Indeed, that is so, Your Majesty.

We are those who walk this earth with our two feet and help those in need with our two arms.

If a home for adventurers were to be established here in Amurtat, many adventurers would surely set foot on Your Majesty’s land.”

Allen said this and bowed again.

Honestly, I had no intention of refusing.

In fact, it doesn’t make sense for a proper city not to have a guild.

Now that the population has increased by 100,000, there are more and more idle young men who dislike simple labor but lack the education for intellectual work. I needed a way to deal with them.

“The lord of Amurtat speaks to the messenger of the Adventurers’ Guild. Allen, who has identified himself thus, convey my words to your master.”

“My ears are open, ready to receive your noble words at any time.”

Allen said this, and I spoke again.

“As the ruler of Amurtat, I guarantee that the Adventurers’ Guild has the authority to represent and command all adventurers within the domain of Amurtat.

At the same time, I grant the right to establish a branch in Amurtat to train armed individuals called adventurers, the right to collect a portion of the profits gained through their use,

The right to conduct collective military action under their own judgment, permission for the disposition of offenders according to internal discipline, and the right that those punished by the guild shall not be punished again by the state.

This is the decree of Tiberius von Adler, and whoever attempts to infringe upon these rights shall incur my wrath.”

“As a messenger of the Adventurers’ Guild, Your Majesty’s decree will be conveyed to the guild councilors.

Just as Your Majesty has tolerated our existence, the Adventurers’ Guild is ready to step forward at any time for the safety and prosperity of Amurtat.”

Adventurers, fundamentally, referred to those who were trained and armed but were neither military nor police.

And the Adventurers’ Guild was an entity with the authority to lead and command them. An entity that could issue orders to hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of adventurers through mandatory requests that carried force.

If you replace the word “adventurer” with “armed able-bodied men” and “Adventurers’ Guild” with “a group of armed men beyond the reach of state authority,” you would immediately grasp the danger.

For this reason, the Adventurers’ Guild made every effort to secure the privileges I mentioned through lobbying and flattery to rulers in advance, and they were stubborn enough to give up these privileges if it proved impossible.

Ironically, what these stubborn people wanted was just one thing: the formation of an information network spanning the entire continent through adventurers, and the enormous profits that came with it.

Since they were basically armed individuals, they could conduct armed reconnaissance, and having secured privileges from each city-state that essentially amounted to those of a “mini-state,” they could also punish deserters, reducing the risk of information leaks.

While they might seem familiar to the public, there was no intelligence agency that could match the Adventurers’ Guild when you thought about it.

Even though the Thieves’ Guild and Assassins’ Guild had excellent intelligence capabilities, they had completely lost in competition with the Adventurers’ Guild, which operated openly in the light, due to the fatal disadvantage of working in the shadows.

“I am deeply moved by Your Majesty’s boundless grace.

I must now return to convey Your Majesty’s considerate words, but other messengers will soon arrive.”

“I am aware of that. They will be looking for suitable land to establish the guild branch.

The site will need to be quite large, with training grounds, taverns, medical facilities, a smithy, and even a bookstore.

Do not worry. I already have suitable land.”

When I said this, Allen stared at me with wide eyes for a few seconds, as if he hadn’t expected this.

Though it could be considered disrespectful enough to lose his head, the knights and aides who should have pointed out his rudeness were smiling meaningfully, giving him looks that seemed to say, “First time?”

“W-well… is that so? Your Majesty truly sees several moves ahead. I, Allen, must honestly admit I’m a bit surprised.”

“Whether you are surprised or not, what concern is that to me?

Our conversation is now over, so hurry back to your guild and deliver my message.”

“Yes… then I shall take my leave now. May Your Majesty enjoy good health and prosperity.”

Maintaining perfect courtesy until the end, Allen departed.

However, even the world’s finest messenger couldn’t completely steady his trembling voice, which was one of the small pleasures I enjoyed.

*

The Adventurers’ Guild branch in Fahrenheit, closest to Amurtat.

Befitting a metropolis boasting a population of 10 million, the building housing the Adventurers’ branch was enormous and splendid.

It was so magnificent that those unfamiliar might mistake the Adventurers’ Guild building for a palace or royal villa.

And now, inside that building, ten guild councilors had gathered to discuss the establishment of an Adventurers’ branch in Amurtat.

The councilors were all former adventurers who, though physically aged, each possessed an extraordinary spirit.

“He’s already designated the site?”

“Yes. He has recognized all the privileges we desired, so we could establish a branch in Amurtat right away!”

However, even these councilors were considerably perplexed by Lord Tiberius’s erratic behavior.

Typically, rulers want to somehow shackle the Adventurers’ Guild, which could physically threaten them, but Tiberius alone, for whatever reason, was particularly enthusiastic about attracting the Adventurers’ Guild, which felt strange.

“I don’t know why the lord of Amurtat said such things, but from the information I’ve gathered, this ruler Tiberius is a trustworthy man. Rare among rulers, indeed.”

“Hmm. Judging from the information we have so far, the lord of Amurtat has shown a tendency to be fanatically focused on the development of his city. He might be trying to use our Adventurers’ Guild as fertilizer for growth.”

“A development dictator… an interesting ruler.”

Fortunately, the guild councilors were generally favorable toward Tiberius.

Rulers who were in their right mind were few, capable rulers were few, and rulers supported by favorable circumstances were also few.

Naturally, one could guess what kind of evaluation Tiberius, who was essentially the intersection of these three sets, would receive.

“In any case, since all the privileges we wanted have been granted, is there any need for further discussion?

The ruler has already designated the site, and if we back out now, the Adventurers’ Guild might be branded an enemy for the crime of contempt against the sovereign.”

“Hmm… so our only option is to move forward?”

Hesitating after receiving a definitive answer was not a good choice.

Rulers disliked those who tested their patience in their presence, and Tiberius was one of those rulers.

“Very well. Our Adventurers’ Guild will establish a branch in Amurtat. We will send messengers as soon as possible to inspect the site and discuss the details with the lord of Amurtat. Is there anyone who objects to this?”

“I have no objection.”

“Neither do I.”

Thus, the matter of establishing a branch in Amurtat was unanimously settled, and the meeting, which was expected to last several days, ended in just a few dozen minutes.