Early TBAGM Vol. 1 Chapter 4 Part 3

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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Elna headed to the workshop Lloyd had prepared for her, practically glowing with excitement.

“Wow! This is incredible!”

Even after stepping inside the building, she couldn’t hold back her amazement.

All sorts of materials, a large workbench, and far more space than any one person could ever need.

For someone like Elna—who had lived her entire life as a slave—this was a scene she had only dreamed of.

(Wow! That’s moonshade herb! Oh—red lizard tears!)

The workshop felt like a manifestation of all her desires.

Elna had always loved plants, minerals, and anything that came from nature. She had even dreamed of becoming an alchemist.

But because of the fixed notion that elves practiced alchemy while dark elves only fought, her dream had never come true.

“I have to meet Lord Lloyd’s expectations!”

Brimming with determination, Elna pulled out the clay Lloyd had entrusted her with for training.

But as she began to handle it, a strange sensation crept into her mind.

(Huh? Something’s off…)

It was a subtle unease; something only someone who had spent her childhood immersed in the natural world of the elven forest could perceive.

(This isn’t... normal clay?)

She tilted her head as she examined the brown lump, noticeably heavier than typical clay.

To test it, she tried applying some force to reshape it.

(Ugh... huh?)

Despite its soft texture, the clay refused to change form. It remained perfectly still, as if rejecting her efforts entirely.

It felt as though the material itself was saying, You’re doing it wrong.

(Lord Lloyd didn’t say anything about this... I have to figure it out on my own.)

Quick to grasp his intention, Elna began experimenting; eager to uncover how to manipulate it properly.

†

While Elna was struggling with the clay, Nick was—

(I talked big, but this is seriously pushing it…)

Nick stood in front of the massive blacksmith guild building, feeling completely overwhelmed.

One day, he might be responsible for running this place. The mere thought of it only added to the weight on his shoulders.

(I’m just a regular seventeen-year-old, you know?)

Right now, most others his age were still doing grunt work in a guild or apprenticing under some master craftsman.

And here he was; summoned by the Chairman himself and, without understanding the situation, thrown into a bottom-tier guild.

That reality stirred a turbulent mix of superiority and inferiority inside him.

Still, there was one thing he believed in without question.

(If I live up to Lloyd’s expectations, I’ll become a real blacksmith someday!)

Orgus, Ellis, Nero, and even Elna; every single one of them had unwavering faith in Lloyd, almost like a sacred conviction.

That blind trust was what ultimately gave Nick the resolve to believe in him as well.

“All right, let’s get started... though all I’m supposed to do is mess around with some metal?”

He glanced at the materials laid out in front of him and sighed.

Everyone else had been given what looked like proper training: developing unique skills, training specialized abilities.

Only he had received something anyone could do. Fiddling with metal, as if it were just a game.

His motivation had already taken a serious hit.

“Still... I can’t afford to fall behind the rest.”

Grumbling under his breath, Nick picked up a piece of metal.

These were the metals he had always wanted to touch but had never been allowed to. He might have been complaining out loud, but deep down, he was thrilled.

“Huh... this one’s pretty tough. Wait—this feels kind of like that other one. Were they mined from the same ore?”

From the moment he touched the metal, Nick was already dancing in the palm of Lloyd’s hand.

The grumbling boy from earlier was gone. In his place stood a budding craftsman, entirely absorbed in his materials.

And so, both of them set out to tackle the assignments Lloyd had given them.

†

While the four of them focused on their training, I, Lloyd, made my way to a location not far from the guild.

“So this is the place...”

I found myself quietly voicing my astonishment as I stood before the vibrant building that towered ahead like a grand guesthouse. It stood out strikingly from the surrounding architecture, its presence utterly overwhelming.

Currently, only twenty-six individuals had permission to use this facility. As of today, I had been added as the twenty-seventh.

At the entrance, I handed my entry permit to the gate guard stationed near the front.

“You must be Lord Lloyd. Please, go right in.”

Once he confirmed my identity, the guard stepped aside to let me through. As I walked the cleared path, I spotted a man leaning against the wall beside the main entrance.

“Hello, Lloyd.”

“Orgus. You waited for me? Thanks.”

Orgus sniffed, perhaps trying to hide his embarrassment. It seemed he had been concerned about me visiting this place for the first time and came to meet me.

And truthfully, without him, I might have found myself in serious trouble. I owed him a great deal.

“Well then, shall we go in?”

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

After gathering my resolve, I gave a firm nod. Together, we pushed open the doors and stepped into the building.

“Hey! Finally showed up, huh?”

“Still just a boy, isn’t he? Kids these days are something else.”

“I’ll give him credit for showing up without losing his nerve.”

As soon as we entered, multiple voices called out to us at once.

“Nice to meet you all. I’m Lloyd, guildmaster of Veiled Moonrise.”

I respectfully bowed to the gathered seniors whose gazes had locked onto me. All but one of them had already assembled and were seated in a circular arrangement that allowed everyone to see each other.

“Ease up, you lot. You’re putting too much pressure on him—he’s the leader of the weakest guild, for crying out loud.”

“Oh? And you’re the one saying that?”

“Hey, isn’t he kind of cute? Maybe I’ll go chat him up later.”

The twenty-four members in attendance chatted freely from their seats. Just going by the conversation, it might have sounded like a rowdy drinking party.

But a single misstep in this room could spell the end of Veiled Moonrise.

“All right, shut up already. Let’s get the meeting started.”

With a sharp edge in his voice, Orgus brought the room to silence.

Today. These people. This venue.

Yes—this was the Guildmaster Conference.

“Kyros isn’t attending this time. So, let’s begin the guildmaster meeting.”

As the representative of Veiled Moonrise, I was now attending the regular meeting of the Adventurer’s Association’s top guild leaders. Only the twenty-six guildmasters and Orgus were permitted entry into this assembly hall.

Orgus, acting as chairman, wore a suitably authoritative air.

“There are two topics on today’s agenda: the Hero’s Round Table and Veiled Moonrise.”

This Guildmaster Conference was held once every four months, offering a chance for the guildmasters to exchange opinions.

Kyros had once mentioned it in passing, but seeing so many powerful figures gathered here in person was a first for me.

“As usual, we’ll have Incarnation of the Sun represent us in this year’s Hero’s Round Table.”

The Hero’s Round Table—Playbabel—was a global duel tournament.

It served as an alternative to war, designed to let off international tension. Once a year, the strongest guilds from various nations were invited to participate.

The Kingdom of Fereia traditionally asked its top-ranked adventurer guild to take part. Naturally, this year’s representative would again be Incarnation of the Sun.

“Anyone object?”

“......”

“Good. Then it’s settled.”

Orgus asked the group, but no one raised an objection.

If anything, they all looked eager to move on to the main course of the meeting.

“Now then, next is the matter of Veiled Moonrise.”

And that main course was, of course, me.

“Anyone with questions, raise your hand.”

At his prompt, two hands went up.

One belonged to a girl wearing a wide-brimmed hat like a witch’s, and the other to a man of the Ogre race.

The girl, in particular, radiated an intense magical pressure; likely the guildmaster of a top-tier guild.

“All right, let’s start from the left. Mint?”

“Yes. Nice to meet you, Lloyd. I’m the guildmaster of Greenpeak. I have a simple question for you.”

Mint looked like a petite, doll-like girl, but her presence carried an unmistakable air of intimidation.

Suppressing a sudden chill, I widened my eyes and activated both 【Appraisal】 and 【Insight】.

.

[Name] Mint (25)

[Title] Guildmaster of Greenpeak / A-rank Adventurer – The Most Formidable Witch

[Stats] Vitality: E/B | Magic: SS/SS | Ambition: E/E
(Magical Curiosity: S/S)
Leadership: E/B | Intelligence: E/A

[Skills] Complete Grimoire: S/S , Natural Mana Regeneration: C/B , Chantless Casting: B/A, Parallel Casting: B/A

[Inherent Trait] None

[Profession] Mage

[Attributes] Strength  E/B | Agility  E/A | Endurance  E/B

.

Ah... I see. Not that it helped at all.

Even I found myself unfazed by stats this absurd. Seeing an SS rating for magic—something I had never encountered before—had numbed me to any further shock.

Isn’t S supposed to be the upper limit?

And yet all her other stats were practically bottom-tier. To me, she still looked unrefined in many areas, but this was precisely the kind of hyper-specialized build I had been hoping to see.

“At this rate, your guild’s going to collapse. What’s your plan?”

Mint posed the question as if it were trivial.

I took a moment to think before answering, recalling what I knew about her.

I had heard about her recently. Guildmaster of Greenpeak, ranked seventh overall. Known as the most formidable witch; master of all forms of magic, and said to possess omniscient command of the arcane arts.

One of her core skills, 【Parallel Casting】, allowed her to cast multiple spells simultaneously. It was this ability that earned her the “most formidable” title.

“Mint! Don’t you think that’s a bit too blunt!?”

Interrupting her question, a large man stepped in to object.

If memory served, that was Loren: the guildmaster ranked third overall.

Technically, his guild outranked hers. I expected Mint to back off at least a little...

“You’re noisy. Shut it, you hyperactive meathead.”

“Hy—Hyperactive meathead!?”

Contrary to my expectations, Mint shut Loren down immediately.

Loren probably had power equal to or greater than hers; my eyes had confirmed that much.

Despite being an A-rank adventurer, his mental fortitude barely qualified as E-rank. A rather troublesome fellow.

Well, no point dwelling on him for now. Any further delay might sour Mint’s mood.

“Would you hurry up and answer already?”

“Um, may I have a moment of your time in private?”

“Huh? I—I guess that’s fine…”

I stepped closer to Mint and leaned toward her ear. She blushed slightly but tilted her head to listen.

“My mage possesses the potential to surpass even you one day. Wouldn’t you like to witness such talent for yourself?”

“…!”

At that statement, Mint’s eyebrow twitched. It was a gamble. To anyone else, it might’ve sounded like an insult enough to incite rage. How dare you talk down to a guildmaster? But I was certain Mint would take the bait.

“For now, could you cover for us? Feel free to disparage me if you’d like.”

I couldn’t afford to draw suspicion from the other guilds. The fewer risks, the better. Besides, I wanted to establish a connection with Mint. I hoped to one day make her a rival to Ellis.

Mint offered a nonchalant response, careful not to make it sound unnatural.

“I must have been a fool to expect anything. This guild will collapse in no time.”

“Haha… I’ll do my best to prevent that from happening.”

I wore a sheepish smile, putting on a pitiful facade. Her tone—equal parts disdain and pity—made the other guildmasters lose interest.

“Tch. I thought something entertaining was coming.”

“What were they whispering about? Secret talks are so suspicious.”

“Whatever. They only have four members anyway. They’re finished.”

The guildmasters who had been watching with intrigue exhaled, their disappointment palpable. Amidst the commotion, a voice suddenly echoed in my head.

『Hey, hey. Can you hear me? It’s Mint. Do you know how to do this?』

『Yes, I can hear you just fine.』

It was 【Telepathy】, a rare spell used to transmit thoughts directly. While the receptionist at the One-Eyed Workshop had used it, the skill was far from common.

『That thing you said earlier… it wasn’t a lie, right?』

Mint could even use 【Falsehood Detection】. She would’ve been able to discern whether I was telling the truth.

『Yes. Every word was true. Thank you for playing along. Thanks to you, their guard will be even lower now.』

I responded honestly. Mint, having verified the truth, must have sensed no deception. Her guard lowered slightly as the telepathic exchange continued.

『So then… when do I get to see it?』

『Soon. It’s just speculation—but I’m nearly certain. My guild will be challenged to a Guild Showdown today. When that happens, I’ll show you a decisive upset.』

The next speaker, a man of the Ogre race, would almost certainly propose a showdown. A newly formed, low-ranked guild, lacking in fame or resources, yet boasting an A-rank member; it was an irresistible target. No self-respecting guildmaster would ignore such bait.

『Sounds interesting. Fine, I’ll be watching.』

『I’m honored. I promise results that will exceed your expectations.』

With a soft, static snap, the telepathic link faded. Mint stared off into the distance, but her lips were curled slightly in amusement.

“Next. Nike.”

Deciding no more conversation would follow, Orgus turned to the other person who had raised their hand.

“Yes. A pleasure to meet you. I’m Nike, guildmaster of Oni’s Fang. I requested permission to speak today because I have a proposition for Mr. Lloyd.”

“A proposition?”

Nike locked eyes with me, his gaze unwavering and resolute. His expression left no doubt; he had made up his mind.

.

[Name]: Nike (35)

[Title]: Guildmaster of Oni’s Fang – B-rank Adventurer, Ogre

[Stats]: Vitality: B/A, Magic: D/B, Ambition: B/A, Leadership: B/A, Intelligence: A/A

[Skills]:  Oni Pressure: B/A,  Roar: C/B,  Unified Command: A/A

[Inherent Trait]: None

[Profession]: Strategist

[Attributes]: Command: A/A, Charisma: B/A, Strategy: A/A

.

He was clearly a man of tactical expertise. Though his adventurer rank was B, his command capabilities rivaled that of an A-rank. As expected of a guildmaster. His guild was ranked 22nd, third from the bottom before mine joined the fray.

Was the problem insufficient talent? Or perhaps a lack of training methodology?

“Mr. Lloyd, would you accept a Guild Showdown with Oni’s Fang?”

“What?!”

The other guildmasters froze in stunned silence. But Nike pressed on unfazed.

“And if we win, we’d like you to transfer A-rank adventurer Nero to our guild.”

“You can’t be serious?!”

The room erupted in outrage.

“You bottom-feeding bastard! Trying to jump ahead of the pack?”

“Got a death wish, huh?”

“You filthy ogre trash. Just crawl back to your cave.”

Despite the verbal barrage, Nike’s expression remained calm—unshaken. His resolve was as firm as his words. Perhaps the others had simply assumed he lacked the courage to act.

Guild Showdowns were a significant affair; official battles between guilds fought under mutually agreed rules. The victor could demand manpower, resources, or even finances from the loser. And of course, the outcome affected the national guild rankings.

“As a fellow low-tier guild, I retain the right to propose this match. The rest of you, stay out of it.”

“He’s right. Guildmasters outside the lower tier may remain silent.”

“Tch…”

Under Orgus’s stern command, the middle- and upper-tier guildmasters quieted down. By design, Showdowns could only be proposed between guilds in the same ranking tier. So even if Mint had wanted to challenge me, she couldn’t.

Low-tier guildmasters typically lacked the nerve to speak up, which made this Nike’s moment alone.

“What are the terms of the match?”

“A siege battle.”

“Sounds good! Let’s do it.”

I accepted his terms with a smile. The other guildmasters exchanged glances, amused.

“W-Wait… are you sure? It’s a siege, you know?”

Nike was clearly taken aback by how easily I agreed.

“Yes. Two weeks from now sounds good?”

“Y-Yeah…”

His hesitation said everything. Aren’t you going to ask about the numbers? he probably wanted to say.

In a siege, numbers meant everything. But I never asked. That alone drew scoffs from around the room.

After all, our only combatants were Nero and Ellis. It would likely end up being two versus a hundred. But that was fine. That was exactly how I intended to complete the picture in my head.

Naturally, I had no intention of handing over any of my people. The very idea that someone thought they could take Nero from me disgusted me to my core.

“Then that concludes today’s meeting. Dismissed!”

With Orgus’s declaration, the Guildmaster Conference came to an end.

†

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