Early TBAGM Vol. 1 Chapter 4 Part 5

Full title: The Banished Advisor’s Guild Management

Note: If you found any typos/mistakes, pls write them in the comment. Thanks.

Translator: Canon

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A few minutes later, he returned and handed me a lump of metal.

“This is the only one left. The rest’s gone.”

“I prepared ten pieces, didn’t I? Why do I only see one?”

Even though I already knew the answer, I feigned ignorance.

Nick looked ashamed as he spoke.

“I tried a bunch of things when I was down to just scrap. I thought maybe I could make something out of the remains.”

“And this is what you’re calling reusable? This doesn’t amount to anything, does it?”

Standing nearby, Elna gave me a sharp look as though I was the villain in the scene. I took that as my cue to drop the act.

“Tell me yourself—why did you make it, what did you hope to achieve, what was the idea behind it? You’re a natural at management, aren’t you? You should understand.”

“…I wanted to combine the best parts of each piece of scrap metal into something new. But in the end, it was a failure.”

I activated 【Appraisal】 on the metal he held in his hands.

.

【Name】 Composite Metal

【Attributes】 Weight: E   Durability: B   Power: A

.

The durability and power ratings were remarkable. But the weight was far too high. With a rank of E in weight, it was utterly impractical for human use.

“So what?”

“Huh? No, I mean—that just proves I don’t have any talent—”

“Elna, can you tell how impressive this metal is?”

“Yeah! The weight’s a bit off, but the rest is amazing!”

Despite not having 【Appraisal】, Elna immediately recognized its quality. She truly had the instincts of a gifted alchemist.

I nodded, then turned back to Nick.

“Earlier, you said Orgus was the one who invited you, right? That’s not incorrect.”

“…Huh?”

He furrowed his brows, unsure where I was going with this.

“But even if Orgus sends someone to me, if I think they’re not worth it, I turn them down.”

“B-But that just means I’m useless! That’s why you had me doing something anyone could do like【Metal Shaping】, isn’t it!?”

He shouted like a child on the verge of tears.

His mind must have been near collapse; utterly overwhelmed with confusion.

And so I kept my response simple and clear—

“—You’re no longer an ordinary person.”

Those words, if heard by someone else, might come across as offensive. But to Nick, they were precisely what he had longed to hear. Though stunned, he looked at me with a flicker of hope in his eyes.

“An average person couldn’t alter metal into an entirely new alloy like that. Especially not crafting it from scrap. That’s impossible.”

“Huh? But I just...”

“It’s thanks to your unique skill, 【Scrap Reforging】.”

The moment Nick returned to the guild, I had to fight the urge to shout with joy. But I couldn’t say it right away—I had to let his emotions burst first. That was the proper order of things.

This was what I saw:

.

【Unique Skill】 Scrap Reforging　D/S

.

“A u-unique skill? What is that?”

“It’s a skill that only you can use. It’s an expression of your individuality.”

Unlike hidden skills, unique skills could be detected by someone with A-rank 【Appraisal】. Even so, their power often rivaled or exceeded that of hidden skills—worthy of being called true talent.

“Nick, there’s no place better suited to honing your talent than here. With me, I can make you not just a first-rate blacksmith but the best in the entire kingdom.”

“The best... in the kingdom...?”

His eyes began to glow with renewed light. The vacant stare he’d worn moments earlier had vanished. And that transformation was clearly reflected in his stats.

.

Ambition　D → A

.

“I’ll ask you once more, Nick. Do you truly intend to leave this guild?”

I extended my hand as I spoke.

The once-average youth stopped averting his gaze and, with a choked sob, reached toward me.

“Please... Mr. Lloyd! Let me stay! I’ll do anything, just don’t cast me out of this guild!”

Even without wings, he fought to soar. Even if he couldn’t fly, he struggled to climb. And when he stumbled, he always stood back up.

That determination captured the very spirit of our guild. Who could ever reject someone like that?

“I’m counting on you too, Nick. Lend your strength to us.”

“Nick! Let’s do our best together!”

Elna’s voice rang out after mine.

Nick wiped away his tears with everything he had.

“Yeah... I’m not about to lose to Elna either!”

“Bring it on!”

Despite the sparks of rivalry flaring between them, they shared a bright, heartfelt laugh.

Watching the two of them develop their rivalry, I smiled and called out to everyone.

“Let’s head home. Serina’s been waiting with a delicious meal.”

This was where their story truly began.

†

As the sun set, everyone finished dinner and returned to their rooms.

I, too, went back to my quarters, contemplating our next steps and refining each member’s assignments. Just then, I heard three polite knocks at the door.

Right, I'd promised to speak with Ellis tonight.

“Pardon me. I hope I’m not intruding.”

She wore more mature attire than usual, topped with a lace-like shawl. Though a soundproof barrier had been set up around the room, it was configured so that voices could still be faintly heard outside. That precaution had been necessary—when the others saw Ellis and me disappear into a room together, Serina and Nick had started grinning for some reason.

“I thought it was time to report on my assignment.”

“So it went well?”

“Yes! It took more effort than expected, but I completed it properly.”

Ellis beamed as if asking to be praised. I wanted nothing more than to ruffle her hair, but I feared a harassment complaint might follow, so I refrained.

Instead, she handed me a sheet of paper.

“What’s this? A check, or... wait, what!?”

As I read it, I froze in disbelief.

Seeing my reaction, Ellis gave me a triumphant smile.

“It’s not much, maybe... but I did work hard, you know? The negotiations were really difficult!”

“......”

“D-Did I not get enough!? Should I go renegotiate!?”

She had been so confident, yet now she was visibly anxious due to my lack of response.

Her assignment had been one we agreed upon even before forming the guild: fundraising.

I would secure the people. She would secure the capital.

I’d honestly forgotten. I hadn’t believed she could handle negotiations with investors or financiers.

And yet, the result before me utterly shattered those assumptions.

“Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!?”

Despite the lateness of the hour, I couldn’t stop myself from screaming loud enough to shake the entire guild.

“What happened!?”

“Are you all right, Mr. Lloyd!?”

“Lord Lloyd! Did something happen!?”

“What the hell are you doing yelling this late!?”

The others rushed in, alarmed by my scream. I was aware I’d shouted loudly, but I didn’t expect all four of them to come running.

Even Serina came armed with a longsword. Since when did maids wield swords…?

“Ah, since everyone’s already here, should I just tell them?”

“Wait, wait—hold on a second!”

I quickly stopped Ellis from explaining the contents of the check.

But Serina snatched it from my hand before I could react.

“This check… ah. It must be regarding the investment.”

Huh? She’s not surprised?

“Why are you so calm about this, Serina!?”

“I already knew about that arrangement. Don’t underestimate a maid, will you?”

“No, that definitely sounds outside the realm of maid duties…”

Hearing our exchange, Nero, Elna, and Nick circled behind Serina to peek at the check.

The moment they read it, their expressions shifted just like mine had.

They understood exactly why I froze. Because written on that check was—

“The king is our investor!?”

—his name, plain as day.

“Mr. Lloyd! What is going on!?”

“The king!? That’s insane!”

“Can I still back out of this guild!?”

The three of them panicked at the sight of the check.

“And what’s with this amount!?”

Nero pointed to the figures printed on the check.

Everyone had been too stunned by the name to notice the actual sum. I looked again.

I remembered Ellis had said it wasn’t much, but—

“One billion pal!? What the hell is this amount!?”

Nick shouted, eyes bulging.

Honestly, Elna and I wanted to do the same. We all stood frozen in place.

Ellis tilted her head at our reactions.

“Why are you all so surprised? I figured the backer would be shocking, but the amount itself isn’t anything worth fussing over.”

“…What?”

We all turned to Ellis at once.

Then, we immediately let our emotions fly.

“Ellis! That’s one billion, you know!?”

“Yeah! You could do anything with that kind of money! It took me three years of blood and sweat to save up 100 millions!”

“One billion! I’ve never even heard of that much!”

“Yep. I’ve officially crossed over into the deep end…”

While this country didn’t have a formal caste system, the royal family still existed as a symbolic remnant.

Some people still revered the king as a god.

I looked to Ellis and asked:

“How did you manage to get an investment from the king!?”

“Hm? I just told him we were short on funds and asked if he could help. He said yes.”

“…Excuse me?”

Again, we all voiced our shock in perfect unison.

Wait. I really couldn’t keep up with this anymore.

Thankfully, Serina came to our rescue with a follow-up explanation.

“His Majesty’s younger brother, the former second prince, is Lady Ellis’s father. That makes her His Majesty’s niece.”

“Whaaaaaaaaaat!?”

Serina probably thought she was being considerate.

But her words only added more chaos to our barely-stabilized hearts.

“Wait, Ellis, you’re royalty!?”

“Mr. Lloyd! Are we supposed to kneel right now!?”

“Oh no… did I disrespect her again? Am I going back to being a slave…?”

“Yeah. I was right. She really is from another world entirely…”

To people like us, royalty might as well be fictional beings we only glimpsed from afar during national holidays.

To have someone related to them right in front of us—it was surreal.

“Oh, by the way, there was one condition: we have to participate in the Hero’s Round Table within three years.”

At that, I let out a sigh of relief.

It was the king’s investment, I half expected some unreasonable demand.

But this was surprisingly lenient.

Participating in the Hero’s Round Table meant ranking first among all guilds.

That was our ultimate goal anyway.

We got funding and a target in one neat package.

“That condition’s fine, but I’ll probably need to pay a visit to thank him in person, right?”

“Actually, he said you don’t need to show up until you’ve secured the top rank.”

“Really?”

“Uncle gets nervous meeting people outside the royal family. He’s surprisingly shy.”

None of us could bring ourselves to laugh.

If we chuckled and were executed for disrespecting royalty, it wouldn’t be funny in the slightest.

Then, Serina raised her hand and spoke to me.

“May I excuse myself to use the restroom? I’ve been holding it in this entire time…”

“Sorry for yelling so late at night.”

“Not at all. Then, I’ll take my leave for tonight.”

With that, Serina quickly exited the room.

“All right, it’s already late. Let’s continue the rest of this conversation tomorrow.”

And with that, the chaos of the night came to a close.

†

After leaving Lloyd’s room, Serina did not head for the restroom as claimed, but instead walked toward the guild courtyard.

“Oh my, a suspicious figure loitering in a place like this? And here I thought eavesdropping was beneath your kind.”

She spotted a hooded figure in the shadows and, without hesitation, drew the longsword she had brought with her in advance. Serina had already sensed the intruder when she rushed to the commotion earlier. However, the room had been sealed with a soundproof barrier against outsiders, making eavesdropping impossible. Prioritizing, she had postponed dealing with the intruder until now.

“Whew. At least it’s not Nero.”

The suspicious figure let out a sigh of relief upon seeing it was not Nero. From her slightly higher-pitched voice, Serina immediately recognized her as a young woman.

“I didn’t expect to be spotted by some lowly maid.”

Scoffing at Serina’s appearance, the cloaked woman grumbled. Serina’s brow twitched. If it had been Nero, an A-rank adventurer, it would have made sense to be cautious. But to let her guard down because her opponent was a maid, those words provoked her.

“Well, it’s unfortunate for you, but luck wasn’t on your side tonight. Don’t take it personally.”

Without waiting for a response, the woman lunged forward and drew a dagger with clear intent to kill. She darted toward Serina, aiming to slice open her throat.

“—What!?”

But just before the dagger reached its mark, it was parried with a bright shower of sparks against Serina’s longsword.

“My, aren’t you Wraith, the captain of the covert unit under 'Incarnation of the Sun'?”

“...!”

Wraith instantly leapt back, putting distance between them. She clearly had not anticipated her attack being blocked, and it showed in her shaken expression.

“W-Who the hell are you!?”

She stared wide-eyed at Serina, whose fluttering maid uniform swayed in the night air. There was no way an ordinary maid should have been able to intercept a B-rank adventurer’s strike, nor should she have recognized the identity of a covert operative.

Wraith had believed that much.

“I’m just a maid. But you really shouldn’t underestimate maids. I’ll beat the crap out of you.”

“D-Don’t mock me!”

Wraith charged again, relying on speed no ordinary human could track. Her full capability as an assassin was on display.

Yet even that, Serina deflected as casually as swatting a fly.

“You’re fairly quick. Your Agility alone might be A-class.”

Sparks flew as their blades clashed again. Serina had already seen through Wraith’s movements. Two clean parries proved her dominance.

“Why... why can’t I land a hit on some damn maid...?”

Wraith backed off, frustration written across her face. Failure was not an option. She had never failed a mission before. Yet lately, unforeseen events had piled up and today was no different.

“Then, allow me to strike next.”

Serina raised her longsword with one hand, the tip aimed skyward—a stance that heralded an incoming skill.

“【Mirage】.”

She smiled as the skill activated.

In the blink of an eye, her single sword multiplied into dozens.

“T-That skill—!”

Wraith’s eyes widened in disbelief. That technique was supposed to belong to only one person in existence.

“Impossible! That’s supposed to be—”

“You talk too much.”

“Gah!”

Serina cut her off—literally. She released the swarm of blades at a speed beyond even Wraith’s perception, targeting her joints to disable her completely.

“I heard you were taken down by Lord Nero before. I thought you'd learned your lesson. But here you are, trying to eavesdrop again. Looks like you need a proper reminder.”

“N-Nooo!”

Pinned to the ground, face down, Wraith screamed as Serina stabbed her repeatedly—not to kill, but with surgical precision that danced on the edge of consciousness.

“Good thing I cast a soundproof barrier beforehand. If Lady Ellis heard this racket, she’d be suspicious.”

Serina had sealed the area with another barrier before confronting Wraith, ensuring nothing would be overheard.

“Here, have a recovery potion.”

She casually poured it over Wraith, who was slipping into unconsciousness. It must have been a high-grade potion, as her injuries vanished entirely and her vitality surged back.

“Cough! Cough! W-What is the meaning of this—”

“Well, I thought I’d help reform you. You insulted a maid, after all.”

“AAAAAAGHHHHHH!”

Wraith’s scream tore through the air again as Serina resumed her merciless stabbing. Each time the blood loss became dangerous, she healed her anew.

It was madness—madness made possible only because of what Serina truly was.

“Why is Seriana, the most wanted criminal in Fereia, here of all places—”

“Lady Ellis told me, ‘Don’t kill anyone ever again.’ So I’d like you to savor the feeling of dying, just short of death.”

“...Eh?”

Wraith had once believed no one could match her in infiltration. That she was peerless.

But now, all confidence had been obliterated.

A force far greater, far crueler, loomed before her—one she had no hope of resisting.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Serina plunged her blade into Wraith again, her warped smile unshaken.

Wraith never returned to Incarnation of the Sun.

†

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