Chapter 30

Roland woke up to the soft sunlight seeping through the curtains.

From the intensity and warmth of the sunlight, he knew the sun had already risen high.

(It must be noon already.)

When Roland looked beside him, Lilianna was sleeping soundly, completely naked.

"Mmm... Roland... Mnya..."

She was sleeping with a peaceful expression, like a newborn baby.

At this rate, she didn’t seem like she would wake up anytime soon.

Roland thought it was understandable.

Last night, she had loved him passionately.

Thanks to that, Roland had fallen into a deep sleep, utterly exhausted.

And it seemed that she was just as exhausted.

Now, she was finally getting some proper rest, freed from the intense work and tension of recent days.

Her face was bathed in bliss.

Looking at her sleeping face, Roland felt a warm sense of happiness fill his heart.

At the headquarters of the 'Golden Eagle,' Lucius was being grilled by the investors.

The investors demanded an explanation from Lucius for losing the 'Guardians of the Magic Tree' two more dungeons.

They harshly questioned his mistakes.

"What do you mean, Lucius?"

"Why, with so many Class A adventurers, did you fall behind the 'Guardians of the Magic Tree'?"

"Why are there new Class A candidates in the 'Guardians of the Magic Tree,' but none from the 'Golden Eagle'?"

"What exactly is this special budget for this special unit?"

They criticized Lucius's mistakes based on the accounts, but they were essentially laymen when it came to dungeon exploration.

When it came to detailed topics like unit formation, personnel allocation, item and equipment procurement, and adventurer training, Lucius could talk his way out of it, and they couldn’t pursue it deeply.

However, no matter how good Lucius was at talking, the fact that they had lost two dungeons and the resulting decline in revenue was undeniable, and Lucius had to admit his mistake.

"This is a matter of your responsibility. How do you plan to make up for this loss?"

To protect the investors' interests, Lucius promised to cut the guild members' salaries and lay off some of them.

While the 'Guardians of the Magic Tree' were enjoying the spring of their success, the 'Golden Eagle' was shrouded in a funeral-like atmosphere.

Rumors of layoffs were already circulating among the lower-level members.

From veterans to newcomers, everyone was trembling with fear, worried that they might be next.

It felt as if the ground they thought was solid was suddenly shaking and crumbling.

In the midst of this, Jill was venting her frustration to Dowin.

"I told you, didn’t I? That expelling Roland would be a bad move."

Dowin looked at her with a weary expression.

"Now, the 'Golden Eagle's' advantage is wavering. We used to take all three dungeons, but now we only have one, and the 'Guardians of the Magic Tree' have taken two. It’s not just that. If Roland continues to strengthen the 'Guardians of the Magic Tree,' the 'Golden Eagle' won’t be able to take any dungeons, and we’ll end up as a small, insignificant guild."

Dowin placed a broken sword on the anvil and started to work on it.

Jill grabbed his shoulder and shook him.

"Hey, are you listening? Dowin, Dowin!"

"Be quiet!"

"There’s nothing to be quiet about! To begin with, what the hell is Lucius trying to do? He keeps giving orders that hold the unit back. If he hadn’t given those strange orders, the outcome might have been different. What is he thinking?"

"I think Lucius doesn’t even know what he wants to do."

"Huh? What do you mean, he doesn’t know what he wants to do?"

Dowin sighed.

"The 'Golden Eagle' has become too big. There are too many people, departments, units, and budgets, and it’s impossible to keep track of everything. Plus, Lucius has to deal with investors and clients. He can’t keep up with the internal relationships and situations. Ideally, the leader should focus on external work and leave the internal matters to others. But Lucius wants to be involved in everything. He doesn’t trust anyone else..."

"So, Roland is even more necessary, right? Roland can efficiently allocate personnel and come up with strategies for unit formation."

"Exactly, but bringing back someone who has been expelled is a matter of the guild's face. Besides, Lucius hates Roland. How many times do I have to tell you this?"

"Is this the time to be saying that? If we don’t act soon, Roland will keep training the people in the 'Guardians of the Magic Tree,' and he’ll forget about us. Dowin, don’t you care? Dowin, Dowin!"

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Go to Lucius directly. Ask him to bring Roland back immediately. If we all bow and offer a large sum of money, showing our sincerity, Roland will surely remember the old friendship. We have to bring him back no matter what. If we don’t act soon, it will be too late. The 'Guardians of the Magic Tree' will become bigger, and the 'Golden Eagle's' financial advantage will be lost."

Dowin sighed again.

"Lucius won’t bow to Roland. If you want Roland’s guidance so badly, why don’t you just leave the 'Golden Eagle' and join the 'Guardians of the Magic Tree'? Why are you so attached to the 'Golden Eagle'?"

"Why should I pay Lucius to leave?"

Jill said this with a biting tone.

Senior members like Jill had contracts with the guild for about five years, and if they left, they had to pay a penalty equal to one year’s salary.

"Well, that’s the way it is. No matter how much you cry or complain, you have to work for this guild until your contract is up. You’ll have to endure without Roland’s guidance."

Dowin said this and turned away, starting to hammer the sword.

Jill glared at Dowin for a while, then suddenly looked down.

"I see. I understand. So, no matter what, even if the guild is on the verge of collapse, Lucius has no intention of bringing Roland back. That’s what you’re saying, right?"

"Exactly."

Jill nodded as if she understood, then suddenly smiled.

"So, the root of all the problems is Lucius. Because of him, the unit gets strange orders, and Roland can’t come back to the guild."

"Pretty much, yeah."

"So, if we just get rid of Lucius, all the problems will be solved. Is that what you’re saying?"

"Wh-What!?"

Dowin looked at Jill in surprise.

He was taken aback by the cruel smile on her face.

"I see. I understand now. Thanks, Dowin. Thanks for listening."

Jill stood up and started to leave the room.

"Hey, what are you going to do?"

"You’ll see."

Jill closed the door and left the room.

While everyone at the 'Golden Eagle' was hanging their heads, fearing an uncertain future, one person was unusually optimistic.

It was the Class A adventurer, Sebastian.

While many people were working in fear of their uncertain futures (even though they had to meet the guild’s quotas regardless of their unstable status), he was whistling as he walked down the headquarters’ hallway.

"Hey, what’s up? Looking so gloomy."

"Ah, Sebastian."

Sebastian patted the shoulder of one of the dejected members.

"Looking so gloomy won’t bring you any luck. Hahaha."

Sebastian laughed heartily and walked away.

The member who was patted on the shoulder watched Sebastian’s back.

"Sebastian is in a good mood. Even though the guild is in this situation."

"He’s a Class A adventurer. Unlike us regular members, he doesn’t have to worry about layoffs."

They said this and walked down the hallway with even more drooping shoulders.

In fact, Sebastian was optimistic about his future.

He was confident that his contract would be renewed without any problems next year, and he even thought there might be a raise.

"Sebastian, the legal department is calling for you."

"Oh, they’re here."

Sebastian, who was sitting in the lobby, got up with a heavy, slightly overweight body.

He entered the legal department with a hopeful heart.

(Well, how much does the guild plan to increase my salary? If they want to continue my contract, they’ll have to increase it by at least 1 million gold per month.)

Sebastian thought about the new luxuries he could afford with the increased salary as he sat down for the negotiation.

However, when he saw the new contract, his large face turned red, and he started to fume, then stormed out of the room.

"Lucius!"

Sebastian burst into the guild leader’s office, slamming the door open and standing with his shoulders squared.

Lucius, who was holding his head while looking at the accounts, was startled.

He quickly hid the accounts under the desk.

"What is it, Sebastian? You can’t just barge in like that. Can’t you knock?"

"I don’t care about that! What’s this contract? Explain this to me!"

"What? What’s the problem?"

"Cutting my salary by 500,000 gold, what the hell is this!"

Sebastian slammed the contract on Lucius’s desk.

"Is that all?"

Lucius sat back in his chair with a tired expression.

"Didn’t you hear about the efficiency measures? Because of your mistakes in the dungeon, I’m struggling with finances. The stable income we used to get every month has been cut off."

"You can just cut the salaries of the lower-level staff or lay them off to make up for it!"

"It’s not enough, so I’m cutting your salary."

Lucius said this with a bored tone.

"If that’s all, you can leave now. As I said, I’m busy."

But Sebastian wasn’t satisfied and continued to protest.

Finally, Lucius, fed up, decided to threaten him.

"If you keep throwing a tantrum, I’ll consider it insubordination and apply penalties!"

But Sebastian continued to argue, insisting on how much he had worked for the guild, so Lucius actually applied the penalties.

Sebastian was ordered to pay a fine of 200,000 gold and to stay at home.

"Get him out of here."

Sebastian was forcibly removed from the room by Lucius’s aides.

"You’ll regret this, Lucius. I have my own plans."

Sebastian stormed back into the guild leader’s office and slammed his resignation letter on Lucius’s desk.

"Again, what’s this about?"

"Exactly what it looks like."

Sebastian smiled maliciously.

"If you don’t offer a new contract, I’m leaving this guild."

"Is that so? Then I’ll accept your resignation."

Lucius took the resignation letter with a firm attitude and put it in a drawer.

"What?"

Sebastian trembled.

"What’s the matter? Now you’re no longer associated with the 'Golden Eagle.' You can go wherever you want. However, you’ll have to pay the penalty for breaking your contract."

Sebastian’s contract still had one year left, so if he left now, he would have to pay a penalty.

Sebastian’s face turned red, but he quickly suppressed his anger and smiled maliciously.

"Hmph. Don’t come crying to me later."

Sebastian left the 'Golden Eagle.'

In fact, both of them were thinking the same thing at that moment.

(He’ll come crawling back soon enough.)

"Throwing a tantrum, just because you’re a Class A adventurer. Do you think you can gather people or form units without the guild’s support? Can you prepare items or equipment? You can’t even pay the penalty. Who do you think is providing the funds for you to survive as an adventurer? It’s ridiculous. You’re being ungrateful after all the help you’ve received."

Lucius said this to the resignation letter on his desk, then pulled out the accounts and started to worry about the finances again.

Sebastian, on the other hand, went straight to the 'Guardians of the Magic Tree.'

(Lucius, you’re being stubborn. But if that’s how you want it, I have my own plans. I’ll join the 'Guardians of the Magic Tree' and make the 'Golden Eagle' suffer. They can afford to pay my penalty.)

In fact, it was a common practice for guilds to pay the penalty for a recruit to transfer from another guild.

(The 'Guardians of the Magic Tree' will be grateful to have a Class A adventurer like me, even if it’s a second-rate guild. It’s unbearable, but I have no choice. I’ll endure the humiliation and wait for Lucius to apologize and offer better terms.)

Sebastian confidently rushed to the 'Guardians of the Magic Tree,' but the guild leader was shocked when he heard Sebastian’s story.

The guild leader thought Sebastian was a messenger from Lucius.

However, when he heard the details, Sebastian had already left the 'Golden Eagle' and was trying to make the 'Golden Eagle' suffer.

(I can’t afford to worsen our relationship with the 'Golden Eagle.')

The 'Guardians of the Magic Tree' had recently put a stop to the 'Golden Eagle's' rapid progress, but the guild leader was still wary of the 'Golden Eagle' and Lucius, so he politely declined Sebastian’s offer and sent him away.

"Damn! What’s with their attitude! A second-rate guild, treating my offer like this!"

But getting angry wouldn’t solve anything.

If he didn’t act soon, Lucius would sue him for the penalty, and he would be in a bind.

Frustrated, Sebastian decided to rebel against Lucius.

He sent a letter to his former comrades, criticizing Lucius’s tyranny and urging them to rise up.

They would all go on strike and demand better treatment and Sebastian’s return from Lucius.

However, no one responded to Sebastian’s call.

He only received the following reply from his former subordinates:

"As long as we are members of the 'Golden Eagle,' we must follow the guild’s orders. Sebastian, you are no longer a member of the 'Golden Eagle' or our superior. Therefore, we cannot follow your orders, and we cannot prioritize your instructions over the guild’s. Please understand."

"Grr, grr, grr..."

Sebastian was both furious and shocked that none of his former subordinates would follow him.

His subordinates had outwardly flattered him due to the guild’s hierarchy, but they were tired of calming him down every time he acted selfishly on missions.

Even when he took them out for drinks, they felt it was a form of harassment.

Sebastian’s inflated ego had become a nuisance to his subordinates.

(You bastards. After all the attention I gave you. I never thought you’d be so ungrateful.)

With no other options, Sebastian racked his brain and finally remembered a plan.

(Right, Roland. He owes me a favor. He might be able to help.)

In reality, Roland had given Sebastian the opportunity to advance when he was struggling, but in Sebastian’s mind, he had taken care of Roland.

Sebastian went to Roland’s house.

"Roland! Roland! It’s me, Sebastian. Remember me from the 'Golden Eagle'? I have something to talk about. Roland, are you there?"

But no matter how much he knocked on the door, Roland didn’t come out.

At that time, Roland was at Lilianna’s house, enjoying a sweet moment with his lover.

Lilianna, who had just woken up at noon, was clinging to Roland again.

"Lily, we should go to work soon."

"Come on, just today. Let’s enjoy ourselves while everyone else is in a panic."

"You’re impossible. Just today, then."

"Okay."

Lilianna wrapped her arms around Roland’s neck and kissed him.

Roland wrapped his arms around her porcelain-like back and held her close.

Her smooth and soft skin gave him a pleasant sensation.

"Damn it. Everyone is treating me like this."

"Sebastian? Are you the Class A adventurer, Sebastian?"

"Who are you? Who called my name?"

Sebastian turned around to see an unfamiliar man.

"Good, it is Sebastian. I’m from the court."

"The court! What does the court want with me?"

"The 'Golden Eagle' has filed a lawsuit for breach of contract. It states, 'Despite violating the contract with the guild and other adventurers, you have not responded or compensated. Therefore, we request that both parties appear in court for mediation and a fair judgment.' Therefore, the court requests that you appear with a lawyer if a settlement cannot be reached..."

"I have no reason to be sued!"

"Sebastian, what are you doing? Gah!"

Sebastian punched the court representative and fled the scene.

As a result, Sebastian was wanted for obstructing a public official.

Unable to pay the penalty to the guild and now wanted by the police, Sebastian left the city of adventurers that same day with only the clothes on his back.

The scandal of a Class A adventurer rebelling against the guild, committing a crime, and fleeing shocked the 'Golden Eagle.'