Chapter 226: The Structure of the Guild
“Yes. Therefore, the Assassins’ Guild we belong to has been nearly annihilated, with its leadership crushed and most of the key members killed.”
“Buha!”
Ivan bursts out laughing at Mesaria-san’s relentless pursuit of the topic.
“C-Crushed, you say…?”
It’s understandable that one might react this way upon waking up to find the Assassins’ Guild in ruins.
“This ‘Fairy Inn’ itself was the headquarters of the Assassins’ Guild. The owner was the Guild Master, so now it belongs to Lord Shu.”
“‘‘‘…Huh?’’’”
All three of us are left speechless by her words. How does taking down the Assassins’ Guild lead to acquiring a top-tier inn? Wait, this is the headquarters? Seriously? We’ve been eating, drinking, bathing, and sleeping in the very base of the Assassins’ Guild? I had zero sense of danger!
“…No, surely there are other members who can take over, right?”
I manage to squeeze out some words to keep the conversation going. There’s no point in interjecting with complaints here.
“No… The Assassins’ Guild operates on the principle that power is everything, including schemes. So, it can’t be helped.”
However, Mesaria-san and Laila-san tilt their heads at my words.
“I don’t remember joining the Assassins’ Guild.”
What kind of nonsense is this innkeeper spouting? I can’t help but respond with a serious expression. But as I speak, Mesaria-san seems to ponder something before continuing.
“In terms of succession, I, as the Submaster of the Guild, have taken over. However, both Laila and I have fully surrendered to Lord Shu. This means that we, along with our subordinate members, will follow Lord Shu’s decisions regarding the ownership of the inn that was once the headquarters.”
With that, both of them bow their heads in submission. Wait, you’re the Submaster?! And not just the inn, but the Guild members are coming along too?! This is getting more confusing by the second!
“Well, that’s nice. We have unlimited access to the hot springs here, right?”
“No, no, no, that’s not the point!”
“But we can’t use the bath in the room we were staying in anymore, can we?”
“Uh… Well, that’s true…”
Even if they say they’ll follow our orders, it doesn’t quite register, and I have no idea what to do next. Rio seems unfazed, but I can’t wrap my head around it. Ivan has turned into a silent statue, so I’ll leave him be. Even I’m struggling to keep my composure, and if they keep throwing questions at me, we’ll never get anywhere.
What do you usually do in situations like this? Since we were attacked, should we report it to the appropriate Guards or authorities? …Hmm, that sounds like a hassle with all the questioning and procedures involved. Besides, I don’t want to deal with any government agencies anymore.
“So, in other words, that means we’ve become the owners of this inn, right? Setting aside the business of the Assassins’ Guild, at least we’ve acquired the inn itself, haven’t we?”
“…Ah, yeah, I suppose that makes sense.”
That’s a surprisingly fitting expression. Owner of the inn, huh? In reality, we haven’t suffered any losses, and we’ve dealt with those who attacked us. Honestly, I don’t want to deal with any more complications.
Considering that, if being an owner means less hassle, then that might not be so bad.
“Yes. As you say, there’s no problem. We will manage the operations of the inn ourselves.”
“But can you still run the inn as usual? You just said that most of the executives are dead.”
Even though we’re the ones who killed them, it’s best not to mention that.
“That’s not a problem. The executives of the Assassins’ Guild had little to do with the inn’s operations. What was destroyed was the Assassins’ Guild itself.”
Hmm. So the Assassins’ Guild was using the inn as a front? But it turns out that the front was actually the headquarters.
“By the way, there were other subordinate organizations, right? Like the Thieves’ Guild. What will happen to them? And, more importantly, it was Phonia who witnessed the crime scene of the Thieves’ Guild that set all this in motion. It’s hard to believe it all led to this… So, what was the request that led to the assassination?”
“…First, regarding the subordinate organizations, they will continue to operate as they have been for a while. However, some may seek our help now that we won’t be providing them with jobs.”
I’ve thrown a barrage of questions at her, but it seems she’s willing to answer each one. As the Submaster and innkeeper, she certainly gives off a capable vibe.
“With the Assassins’ Guild gone, won’t there be those who come after this inn?”
“You needn’t worry about that. Very few know that this inn is the headquarters… Only the people present here and a handful of remaining executives, I suppose. At least, no one from the subordinate organizations is aware of it. Moreover—”
She pauses, then looks at me and Rio in turn before continuing.
“As I mentioned earlier, this world tends to follow the strong. It’s unlikely that anyone would dare to attack the two who have decisively taken down the Guild Master and the executives.”
“O-Oh…”
I can’t quite grasp what the innkeeper is thinking. Her voice is filled with fervor, and there’s a certain reverence in the way she looks at us.
…No, no, don’t be fooled. This could all be an act. I almost believed her during the exchange with the Guild Master. I need to stay sharp.