Chapter 18

“G-Gilne-sama, how was the taste?”

I timidly asked Gilne-sama, who had just finished the meal.

Since Gilne-sama was the guild master, he must have tasted a lot of delicious dishes and had a very refined palate.

Perhaps he wasn’t satisfied.

“Tim, don’t worry. The moment you started kneading the hamburger, it became the best dish in the world!”

“Oh, you’re exaggerating, I can knead a hamburger!”

I felt relieved by Gilne-sama’s praise.

But I couldn’t help thinking that he might have set the bar a bit too low for me...

After finishing the meal, I "stored" the table and other items.

Then I made a suggestion to Gilne-sama.

“Then, Gilne-sama! Shall we set off on our adventure right away!?”

“No, let’s take it easy. Tim, it’s not like we’re out for revenge. There’s no need to be so tense.”

“But... Gilne-sama, you did lose many things to that guild—”

“Tim, that’s not it. I didn’t ‘lose’ them; I ‘abandoned’ them. I chose what I truly wanted to do, just like your dream of becoming an adventurer.”

Gilne-sama said this with a calm expression and sat down on the bed.

He patted the spot next to him with one hand.

I realized what he meant and said, “Excuse me,” before sitting down next to him.

“Tim, the guild’s name is the same as mine, ‘Gilne.’ It’s rare for a guild to be named after its master.”

“Y-Yes, I rarely see it in other guilds.”

“Indeed, let me tell you a little story. At first, it was just that my magical talent, which bloomed at a young age, attracted adventurers.”

“Gilne-sama is still very young. And... it’s understandable that you stand out.”

I suddenly felt shy and couldn’t bring myself to say, “You’re beautiful.”

“Before I knew it, the number of people increased, and it became a guild. I was made the guild master, and the guild’s name became my name.”

“So, that’s how it happened.”

“But, one day I realized that the guild members were only interested in my abilities, not me. I kept taking on various quests and collecting rare items to see them happy.”

Gilne-sama began to speak with a slightly sad tone.

“I had to cancel a dinner with the executives to go on a quest with you. That dinner was meant to guide me to use my power as they wished. I never had the chance to enjoy a meal like this with anyone, as I did with you.”

I couldn’t say anything.

It was ironic that Gilne-sama, who had managed a guild of a thousand members, felt lonely.

And he had been working hard to make the guild members happy...

“Gradually, the guild members’ views aligned with the country’s values. Strength and treasure became everything. Compassion disappeared.”

“I... I felt that too.”

“You were treated badly, Tim.”

A mindset that prioritized combat ability.

Any cruel act was acceptable toward guild members who couldn’t fight.

I had experienced this firsthand.

“Around that time, I decided to disguise myself and observe the guild. With so many members, I wasn’t recognized.”

“You... did that!?”

“Yes, that’s when I saw you being bullied in the cafeteria. Even though you were treated badly, you showed compassion and did the chores for each adventurer.”

“Being seen... I’m so embarrassed...”

“I was embarrassed too, to see how my guild treated such a sincere and compassionate person.”

Gilne-sama shuddered as if recalling the emotions of that time.

“Later, as I walked around the guild, I realized how much your work supported it. You might be modest, but from what I’ve seen today, you have many more abilities that I didn’t know about.”

Gilne-sama sighed with a slightly exasperated expression.

“The next day, I called you in. If you had told me about the bullying, I could have helped you. Maybe you wanted to leave but couldn’t. I didn’t expect you to kowtow to me. I was taken aback and... said some strange things...”

Gilne-sama’s face turned slightly red.

Did I say something strange?

“Anyway, it was a good excuse for me to leave that place. Now, I can be free with you. Let me say it again. Tim... thank you.”

“Gilne-sama...”

I mustered the courage to ask Gilne-sama.

“D-Did you see me the day before you called me...”

“Yes, when you were forced to wear a maid’s uniform and serve the others. At first, I thought you were a really cute girl. When I called you in, I was surprised to see a cute boy.”

I felt my face turn red.

The worst first impression ever.

“No, you were really cute. I mean, Tim is always cute. It was a real shock for me—Tim! Hey, are you okay!?”

“P-Please don’t look at me...”

I covered my face with my hands, blushing furiously, and fell onto the bed.

Thank you for reading.