Lien, receptionist at the Royal Capital's Adventurers' Guild and daughter of the Dark Guild's leader, was thoroughly humiliated after letting the White King Tiger Wolf slip right through her fingers to the Commerce Guild.
I mean, there was no way some kid would bring in something that only showed up once in ten or twenty years.
And besides, when I used Appraisal to check, that brat's skill was [???] — not some worthless skill abandoned by God or anything like that.
I figured it was probably something like [Swindler] or thereabouts, and I don't think I should be blamed for thinking that.
And then when the Commerce Guild's receptionist came to verify it, it ended up making me look like the one with no eye for talent — me, who had even pitied her, going "You don't even have [Appraisal]?"
On top of that, the fact that the Commerce Guild was steadily preparing a large-scale auction for major nobles and wealthy merchants made it obvious to everyone around that I'd pulled something.
The Guild Master chewed me out something fierce, saying stuff like "You've shattered the Guild's credibility!" and whatnot, while all the other receptionists gave me cold looks, saying things like "Because of you, we're all being suspected too."
Ugh, it's so infuriating.
I could wipe the floor with every single one of these people if the Dark Guild got involved, but Father told me "Absolutely do not do anything that could expose the Dark Guild," so there's nothing I can do. It's so frustrating.
I even have the [Seduction] skill, but it doesn't work on the Guild Master — how annoying.
Fine, then. I'll just have the Sub-Master, who's already become my puppet, humiliate the Commerce Guild for me.
And so, the Sub-Master succeeded in stealing the prey, and had it placed inside the most secure storage spot in the entire royal capital — a top Dark Guild executive's Magic Bag.
After a while, I'll fabricate a story about some item I "stole," claim I took it back from them, and then sell it right back to the Commerce Guild.
Yeah, and I could pin the whole thing on that receptionist at the front desk who's always making snide remarks at me — that'd be nice too.
Or better yet, as a condition for returning the item, I could demand that the Commerce Guild fire that receptionist of theirs.
She's the one who got the evidence out of me in the first place, so it's only fair that I got exposed because of it.
But things were already taking an unexpected turn.
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The Sub-Master, or Lien.
Which side should I approach first?
The direct culprit seems to be the Sub-Master, so I'd better start there.
I entered the Adventurer's Guild and headed to the reception desk.
This time, the one standing there wasn't Lien.
I told the receptionist that I had business with the Sub-Master.
"I'd like to see the Sub-Master."
"Your rank is... Bronze? Sorry, kiddo, but there's a lot you're lacking to meet with a Sub-Master who used to be Orichalcum rank."
"What if I told you it's about the 'White King Tiger Wolf'? Would that get me in? I think she'd understand if you just mentioned it."
"!! (Could this kid be—? The one Lien let slip away? Oh no, if I turn him away here, I might end up like Lien... Besides, if he's lying, I can just hit him with a punishment and demote his rank.) Sure, I got it. Come with me to the waiting room. I'll put in a word with the Sub-Master."
And so, I waited in the separate room for about ten minutes.
This time, I was escorted to the Sub-Master's room.
Everyone was quickly ushered out, leaving only the Sub-Master and me alone in the room.
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Skills: [Reverse] [Divine Eye] [Sword God] [Gentleman Thief] [Dark Magic] [Stone-Iron Magic] [Holy Magic] [Spacetime Magic] [Scorching Magic] [Frost Ice Magic]
Rank: Bronze
Thank you for always reading.😊