Chapter 29 – Guild of the Setting Sun 7
As the guild master woke up, he felt the sensation of the hard, cold floor on his cheek. His wrists were throbbing with pain and he couldn’t move his legs properly. It seemed like he was bound like a mummy.
A man’s voice, which he had heard somewhere before, echoed.
“Are you awake?”
“Who are you?”
A sigh could be heard.
“You’re slow on the uptake. Well, that’s why you’re there, isn’t it?”
“You bastard!”
The guild master could see the polished tip of a shoe in his line of sight. When he rolled over and looked up, it was indeed the butler, Yesman.
“It seems like your attempt at escape means that the Viscount’s request has failed,” Yesman said with a smirk, looking at the Guildmaster’s twisted expression of hatred.
“You bastard! You framed me! Everything was in your control, wasn’t it, Yesman?”
Yesman chuckled.
“Well, well, how rude of you. The skilled Forest Ranger is indeed under the Viscount’s protection.”
“You damn it! Did you put up that new barrier?”
Yesman seemed pleased as he replied. The truth was that they weren’t aware that Aix, who was subcontracted by the Forest Ranger, had done all the odd jobs by himself.
“Well then, as for your punishment…let’s make you work in the mines that produce your beloved money.”
“…! N-No, I refuse.”
The Guildmaster’s face turned fearful.
“I’ll pay you back the advance I gave you–a gold coin–that’s about a year’s worth of labor, at best.”
“Please reconsider, Yesman! If it’s the money you’re demanding, I’ll give it back to you!”
Frantically searching his bag, he realized that everything he tried to steal had already been collected by the adventurer’s guild. He was only being treated as a regular criminal and thrown out without any penny.
All that remained was the Slavery Ring that emitted black mist. It was expensive, but it was not collected by the guild because it was an off-the-books item.
“You wonder where the gold went, huh? Fool, you should be questioning why you’re still alive right now.”
“You’re kidding me. They’re my severance pay!”
Although he had been saved and his life had been rescued, the Guildmaster had not shown any reflection or gratitude. Unfortunately, that was the kind of man he was.
When Yesman picked up the Slavery Ring, the Guildmaster’s face twisted with fear again, and he scurried away like a caterpillar.
“Well, you have something good. I’ll permit you to possess and use it. Don’t hesitate, feel free to use it. I’ll be sure to set you up. That’s also part of the duties of a butler.”
“Stop it! Stop it, please! That’s not something to be used by a human being!”
When it was worn on his thumb, the black mist began energetically consuming his mental energy. It seemed like he was going to have a long relationship with the parasitic ring.
“We’ll send you to the mine later. The transportation fee is free of charge.”
“Wait, listen to me! I was wrong. But please wait, Yesmaaaan!”
Yesman didn’t bother to look back.
The sound of the iron bars slamming shut was heard, and the sound of footsteps gradually faded away.
In a separate room, a man with an intimidating look unsuitable for a guest of a viscount’s household was waiting. He was a slave driver from the mines.
“I have requested your assistance.”
“Butler-sama, you look quite frightening.”
He hands over the key to the cell.
“I almost let him escape. I was foolish to be outsmarted by someone like him. I had him wear a slavery ring, so he will be easier to handle from now on.”
“I’m scared. You are not someone to be made an enemy of.”
The slave driver shrugs his shoulders and sees off Butler-Yesman.
Finally, Butler-Yesman moves on his own to acquire Aix.
When Aix goes down to the inn reception to eat lunch, Butler-Yesman is standing there waiting.
“Aix.”
“Butler-sama, it’s been a while.”
Aix’s face says he did not want to see him.
“Aix. I heard you quit being an adventurer. Rejoice. I will directly hire you for the viscount’s household.”
“Butler-sama, I don’t want to work… (under the viscount)”
“What? If it’s you, with a few years of hard work without slacking, you can become my successor and eventually become a butler. Even if you’re inexperienced, I will train you properly so please be at ease.”
“I don’t want to.”
Aix attacks, using his ace card which is the art of rejection taught by Luca!
Butler resists.
“I am the butler of the viscount! … What an honorable job this is.”
“I don’t want to.”
Aix attacks, using his ace card which is the art of rejection taught by Luca!
Butler fails to resist.
Butler-Yesman suffers 1 point of mental damage!
Butler-Yesman flinches.
Anxiety is apparent on his face. His eyes speak, “What’s happening to the youth these days?! How can they not find my work attractive?!”
“However, Aix, you can’t refuse after receiving the advance payment.”
“What is an advance payment?”
Finally, the butler realizes his mistake.
“…ten gold coins.”
“What are you talking about? That’s a huge sum of money. However, I don’t want to do the work of a viscount no matter how much money is offered.”
Aix looks ecstatic.
The butler understands he has been outsmarted by the guild master. That man had scammed not just one, but ten gold coins meant for Aix!! The butler suffers a mental damage of 10 and flees.
“Aix, I’ll pull out for today.”
“Wh- What? Thank you for your hard work.” Aix said, looking absent-mindedly as the butler left in a hurry. Aix, who knew nothing, relaxed and wondered what to eat today.
The blue sky with leisurely drifting white clouds. In the distance, the butler’s howl can be heard.
“Bastadaaard!!”
Passersby watch wide-eyed but quickly distance themselves from the frenzied butler.
Without any care, he scratches his head.
“That guild master has done it again!!! Seems like I have been getting senile. But, is it normal for someone to take advantage of everything? The viscount is already something else; is it possible for there to be such a villain in this world? Just as you wish, I’ll lengthen your prison time by ten gold coins. Oh, how am I going to explain this to the viscount? It can’t be helped.”
Meanwhile, the guild master is at the mine.
“Damn it, this ring won’t come off. This is bad. My heart is getting colder and colder.”
“Hey, newbie! Once your sentence is over, I’ll take it off. So hurry up and work!”
The slave-master yells.
The guild master, forcefully igniting his anger, tightly grips the pickaxe.
“Set your heart ablaze! Don’t be beaten by a stupid ring. I hate the butler. I hate Aix. I hate those adventurers–”
Bang, bang, the rock wall is chiseled away.
Sweat and fat that releases an unpleasant odor stream from his flabby body.
He inhales dust in the harsh environment into his lungs.
*Cough* “…It’s only been a year. I can endure this much. I won’t forgive them; my heart will never break!”
What he doesn’t know is that his sentence has been extended to ten years due to his crime being exposed to the butler, making it a total of eleven years.
Fight on, guild master!!
The forest spirits are waiting for your return!
The day may come soon when he will succumb to the ring’s power and regret his actions.
*Crash*
It was the voice of repentance that echoes in the mine.