Chapter 18

[Viewpoint of Guild Master Joseph]

After finishing the information exchange with the foreign girl, it was already past midnight by the time I returned to the Adventurer's Guild. The changes in the situation over the past week have been dizzying, and I haven't been able to keep up. However, if we don't act quickly, things will get much worse. Today, I won't get enough sleep and will have to prepare to sleep in the guild's makeshift room.

Although the Adventurer's Guild has already closed for the day, when I entered, Leonis was waiting for me.

"Raz. What happened to Crane!?"

"Alright, alright. I'll explain, so calm down. Guild Master, can I use your room?"

"Of course."

He asked about the girl with a worried look. Originally, he was supposed to participate with her, but he was sent back alone, so he must have been very anxious. However, the peaceful resolution he hoped for did not materialize.

Because she was more straightforward and intelligent than I expected, I believe things will go well in the future... but given the actions of other foreigners, I must be prepared for the possibility that the consequences will fall on me alone. When I explain this to Leonis, I doubt I'll get more than three hours of sleep tonight. It's a tough burden for an old body.

"Hmm... So, Lord Raz. Was it alright to do that?"

"Huh? I think it was fine. We got the information we wanted, and that girl won't cause any trouble."

The foreign girl I bound with a contract.

Knowing that she didn't understand the workings of this world, I made her sign a certain contract.

This contract restricts a certain degree of freedom. It doesn't bind her mind and body like a slave, but if she tries to break the contract, it will affect her in ways that others can't see. As long as she cooperates, it's fine, but if our opinions differ, it could lead to mental instability.

A special contract managed by the royal family, using blood as a medium. It's a lower-level servitude contract, but it's highly effective. It can only be used with the royal family's permission. In this case, I signed the contract as the guild master, following the orders of the prince and Lord Raz. If something happens, the Adventurer's Guild will be involved. However, it won't affect other branches.

The girl probably thinks the contract only prevents her from lying to us. Since we had already sealed her lies with an artifact, she might have thought it wouldn't change much, which is why she accepted the contract so easily. With the contract, if she tries to lie, I can immediately tell. This alone reduces confusion from unnecessary information, which is beneficial. Additionally, by keeping her as a collaborator, we can manage her to some extent.

The restrictions placed on her are greater than those on other foreigners who registered as adventurers. In return, we provide her with a guarantee of life. Whether this is a fair trade depends on the person.

I sigh, and Leonis glares at me.

"...So, Guild Master. What about Crane?"

"She accepted our conditions and signed the contract. As long as I am the guild master, she will be subject to certain restrictions and constraints within the Adventurer's Guild."

"......Was it really necessary?"

"Leonis, I made the final decision to keep her close. We had two options: treat her like the other foreigners or make her a collaborator. The current king will never welcome foreigners."

"That's true... The problem isn't just in this town. From the girl, I learned that other countries are also involved. ...Given the movements of other countries, foreigners will likely be managed by the state."

She has the potential to become a powerful force, yet her actions are childish and she doesn't see the bigger picture. She overestimates her own abilities. Because she doesn't know anything, she can be brainwashed and turned into a useful pawn. If she doesn't follow orders, she can be eliminated. She is an accidental creation, and no one will miss her if she disappears.

However, the Adventurer's Guild is not entirely aligned with the state. Sometimes, guilds from different countries cooperate. We can't just sit and watch as the state strengthens its forces. By incorporating some of them as collaborators, we can secure useful individuals, even if it means taking them from the state. In fact, our cooperation with the prince's faction could cause problems. As the guild master of this town, we are taking a risky path, but we cannot go against Lord Raz's wishes.

The girl will be an excellent pawn.

Her ability to sense danger, judge her situation, and determine the appropriate actions... She is invaluable to keep close. She is unconsciously practicing what is necessary to survive in this world. This ability is essential for adventurers and can be useful for the guild.

"Can't we just let her do as she pleases?"

"Do you know what the other foreigners have done? ...Considering their actions, although it's a bit underhanded, I think it's the best for her safety."

"......No, you're right......I'm sorry..."

Leonis is emotionally invested. Among the guild staff, he has the most conversations with foreigners. As a result, he has developed a sense of attachment, especially to that girl. He also thinks the other adventurers are not bad people. They might not be, but the foreigners who think they are special look down on us and continue to cause problems.

Their presence outside the town makes the residents uneasy. The foreigners registered as adventurers yesterday at noon.

32 foreigners have appeared in this town.

One of them left immediately and hasn't returned. We set up surveillance, but they returned after half a day. They hunt monsters but show no signs of returning to the town. They often mutter to themselves, but since they have left the area, it's outside our jurisdiction.

On the first day, a foreigner who entered the town alone demanded to bring his companions in and caused a disturbance, so we put him in jail. He attempted to escape, injuring four guards, and was executed on the spot. There are reports that he came back to life, but we confirmed his death by stabbing him in the chest again.

On the second day, three foreigners who entered the town caused problems and were also put in jail. Yesterday, another foreigner who had registered as an adventurer visited them. The three adventurers who requested a meeting killed the supervisor and freed the three prisoners, and all six escaped.

We sent a pursuit team and caught them outside the town. After extracting information, they were executed. There are reports that some of them recovered from injuries that should have been fatal.

However, some did die, so we are still investigating what is happening... This is likely the effect of <Heaven's Will> and <Heaven's Luck>. The idea that someone can come back to life after dying is like a fairy tale, and it's a headache to deal with.

Two foreigners caused a brawl within the guild, and one used magic in the town and was restrained. He was sent to jail but claims it was self-defense and shows no signs of remorse.

We placed surveillance on the party of four (three men and one woman) who delivered a large amount of sage leaves. After appraisal, we accepted the sage leaves. The receptionist, suspicious of the large quantity, believed their story that they had found them on the ground... As a result, we ended up with a large amount of unusable and unsellable inventory.

Based on the girl's report, we investigated and found that the trees from which the leaves were taken were not just one or two. We ended up with a large amount of unusable sage leaves. The only relief is that we didn't deliver them to the Alchemist's Guild... Delivering unusable leaves would have caused more problems. We will deal with this issue tomorrow, but it's a headache.

Furthermore, a girl who performed spontaneously in front of the church has the potential to be a valuable healer. She demands special treatment because she is a saint, which the Adventurer's Guild cannot handle. We have to leave it to Lord Raz.

We also need to deal with two young men who refused to register as adventurers... For now, we can only observe them.

Nearly half of the foreigners have caused problems, and the impact has been significant. We need to carefully analyze the information from the girl's perspective.

"I would like her to become an alchemist, following in Pamela's footsteps. Leonis, please keep an eye on her."

"...I will take responsibility for her. Guild Master, about that matter..."

"Yes. The household registration, right? I've also mentioned that we will prepare it through the contract. We haven't discussed the specifics yet, but it shouldn't be a problem."

"Huh? I can prepare the household registration."

"I need to be her guardian, so I will make her my child. If you prepare it, it will be a noble lineage."

"Hmm. That way, there will be less interference."

Household registration... If Leonis becomes her guardian, it would be better to register her as his child... Indeed, a noble lineage would prevent interference.

Hmm. I'll talk to an old acquaintance tomorrow night. He'll probably make a face, but... The girl's custody is... quite important. I'll have to take a risk.