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Chapter : 08
I truly can’t believe this.
Cedrian sat in his office, unable to shake the thought.
The Temple approached me first.
He had spent a long time trying to win over people inside the Temple, but he had failed every time. Their faith ran far too deep.
The High Priest of the Temple possessed the supernatural ability known as “Miracle,” and those who witnessed it firsthand were invariably devoted to him.
After failing to win over anyone within the Temple itself, Cedrian had turned his attention to people working beneath it.
Even that had proven difficult.
The Temple kept the organizations it outsourced work to carefully hidden.
It was an incredible coincidence that the small information guild he’d visited for another request—some place with the absurdly long name Global Something-or-Other—had turned out to be one of the Temple’s subcontracted information guilds.
Everything is going almost too smoothly.
Could they be trying to use me too?
Even after confirming her sincerity through the ability of the Oath, Cedrian still couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in his gut.
His entire life had been one long succession of situations where trusting others meant death.
By now, he trusted no one.
Isn’t there some way I can learn more about that guild?
Determined to find out whatever he could, Cedrian changed his appearance using an item and headed toward the guild office.
That’s when he noticed a piece of paper posted outside.
[Global Information Network Guild — New Employee Recruitment Notice]
—Your Passion Is Our Greatest Asset.
The world’s premier information guild, leading innovation and globalization, is seeking the next generation of talented individuals.
Qualifications
- No restrictions on age, gender, or background
- Responsible individuals who love a “family-like atmosphere”
- A positive attitude capable of handling anything with a smile
Working Conditions
- Six-day workweek
(Days off negotiable, but requesting one will negatively affect your evaluation.) - Salary: Negotiable
(Negotiation may only go downward.)
※ This guild qualifies as a “workplace with fewer than five employees” and is therefore not subject to the Empire’s labor laws.
“……!”
Who on earth would apply after reading an advertisement like that?
After posting the recruitment notice according to the Guild Master’s orders, I grumbled inwardly.
Anyone with a functioning brain probably wouldn’t apply after seeing that.
Unless, of course, they were some desperate, unfortunate fresh graduate who needed a first job more than anything.
“Team Lead Audrette, have we received any applications yet?”
“Ah, yes…”
Before he could start complaining, I quickly added,
“Wouldn’t it be better to have one genuinely qualified person apply rather than a bunch of random people? I’m sure someone who recognizes the true value of our guild will eventually appear.”
“Hm. That’s true.”
Fortunately, the Guild Master nodded as though my reasoning made sense.
Then he stood up and looked between Susanna and me.
“But if we hire someone new, doesn’t it look a little strange for our guild to have only one Team Lead?”
“……!”
This is my chance!
The moment I sensed an opportunity, my eyes lit up.
People who don’t know much about terrible workplaces sometimes try to mock you by saying things like,
“You work at such a lousy company and still haven’t been promoted?”
But that doesn’t work on me.
Because the defining characteristic of the awful company I’d worked at was—
“Boss! I’ve been working here for years. Can’t you promote me?”
“Sure! I’m in a good mood today! Starting tomorrow, you’re an Assistant Manager!”
“Really?!”
“Instead, this Assistant Manager is getting promoted to Manager! And Manager Kim is becoming Deputy Director!”
“…Doesn’t that mean nothing actually changed?”
That was how promotions worked.
In any case, with only the Guild Master above me right now, this was the perfect opportunity for a promotion.
There was no way I could let Susanna become an Assistant Manager while I remained a Team Lead.
And if a new employee joined, it would also be much easier to bring them onto my side if I held the position of Assistant Manager.
“That’s a good point, Guild Master. Wouldn’t it be better to have at least one Assistant Manager?”
“Exactly! But I’m not sure who I should promote…”
At those words, Susanna—who had been unusually subdued lately—began carefully watching the Guild Master.
She’d only been quiet because I had leverage over her.
Normally, Susanna had been working hard to flatter the Guild Master and get herself into his good graces.
“I used to think Susanna was a good worker, but why have you seemed so low-energy lately? Hm? You should be showing more enthusiasm at work!”
“Hahaha…”
Susanna glanced at me.
But apparently she couldn’t bear to let the opportunity slip away.
“If I were promoted to Assistant Manager, I think I’d be able to work even harder from now on…”
She switched into her trademark cutesy tone.
But you don’t understand.
At a terrible workplace, getting promoted isn’t about promoting yourself.
It’s about dragging someone else down.
I glanced at the latte sitting on Susanna’s desk.
Then I smiled triumphantly.
“Guild Master, I suppose lattes are really trendy these days?”
“Hm? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“I’ve been so busy preparing for meetings that I usually just drink instant coffee. But apparently Team Lead Susanna is very up-to-date with the latest trends—she’s drinking a latte. Thanks to her, I’ve learned about a new trend!”
“What? A latte?”
The old-fashioned Guild Master’s face immediately darkened.
“What is wrong with young people these days? A latte? In the workplace, you drink instant coffee, of course! Back in my day, we were grateful just to be handed a cup of instant coffee! Sometimes we drank nothing but plain water!”
“Guild Master, you’ve certainly worked hard throughout your life. I should learn from that attitude myself.”
“Hm…”
He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“I suppose I’ll have to think a little longer about who to promote to Assistant Manager. Both of you should work harder.”
“Yes, Guild Master!”
Susanna stared at the latte sitting on her desk and trembled.
Hmm.
The competition for Assistant Manager had only just begun.
“Where should we eat lunch today? Who wants to pick?”
“Ah! Guild Master! I’ll choose! I heard that Owl Restaurant up ahead is really popular!”
“Owl Restaurant?”
Before the Guild Master could be tempted by Susanna’s suggestion, I quickly jumped in.
“Oh, I’ve heard of it too. Apparently their flame-grilled rosé cream pasta is incredibly popular?”
“What? Flame-grilled rosé… what? What on earth is that?”
“Ah, but lately I’ve noticed that spicy, heavily seasoned food doesn’t sit well with me. Maybe I’m too old-fashioned for my generation…”
I pointed toward the restaurant behind us.
“The hearty stew at Mercenary Restaurant is so good, though.”
“Exactly! Young people these days are always going to expensive, flashy places! Let’s go to Mercenary Restaurant!”
Susanna shot me a resentful glare.
“Wow, Team Lead Susanna! What’s this receipt? You bought a phonograph? Are you going to listen to music at home?”
“What? A phonograph? Those expensive things?”
“W-Well, it wasn’t that expensive. I bought a cheaper one…”
“I heard it’s trendy among young employees to bring little phonographs to work. I guess Susanna wants to join the trend too!”
“No, I’ve never—!”
“Honestly, young people these days have no common sense! Tsk, tsk!”
Two hits.
Susanna shot me another murderous glare.
“Guild Master, how about we have a company dinner tonight? It’s been a while!”
“A company dinner? Didn’t you used to hate those?”
“Well, yes, but wouldn’t it be nice for the three of us to build some team spirit before the new employee arrives?”
“Hm. You’re right.”
Susanna, who had been dragged into the company dinner entirely because of me, glared at me with pure fury.
We couldn’t even dream of ordering expensive meat.
Instead, we went to the nearby, inexpensive Mercenary Restaurant and ordered a few simple skewers as drinking snacks.
“Young people these days don’t like being pressured to drink, right?”
“Oh, not at all!”
Apparently having figured out my strategy, Susanna beat me to it.
“I’ll happily drink anything the Guild Master pours for me!”
“Exactly, Guild Master. We used to raise our glasses together all the time, remember?”
“That’s right! Team spirit used to matter! Young people these days have no sense of solidarity!”
“In that case, let me make you a drink.”
I shot to my feet.
Putting to use the skills I’d honed at my old hellhole of a workplace, I began mixing the drinks with a dazzling display of technique.
“Wow! I didn’t know Team Lead Audrette could do that! You’re usually so quiet!”
“I thought it was important to learn how things worked while I was adapting to the company. But now that I’ve got some seniority, shouldn’t I start acting with a sense of ownership toward the guild?”
“Haha! That’s the spirit!”
The Guild Master took a drink I’d mixed for him.
His mood immediately improved.
And finally, he shouted the words I’d been waiting for.
“I had no idea Team Lead Audrette worked this hard! All right, I’m in a good mood today! You’re becoming an Assistant Manager!”
“Thank you, Guild Master!”
Three hits.
Susanna fired off a third glare filled with resentment.
“Team Lead Susanna, is something wrong?”
“Grrr… you… just… wait…”
Grinding her teeth, Susanna muttered something through clenched teeth.
I happily tipped my drink back and swallowed it all.
Victory tastes pretty good.
