<h4>Volume 3, Chapter 256 - Clouds of War (2/4)</h4>


    Yoshu, who was the general manager of the guild only because he was the Governor-General of the Western Capital, heard about that information when he was hard at work as usual.


    “A bounty?”


    The rumor that Pale’s informationwork picked up certainly sounded usible.


    When the goblins took over the guild’s main headquarters in the Holy Shushunu Kingdom during the war, the guild evacuated to the eastern areas that the goblins have yet to reach. They had to move their HQ in that state, so it must’ve cost them a heavy price, but regardless, they still managed to escape. That spoke volumes about theirpetency, and their luck was quite good too.


    The guild was originally meant to act as a fixer for jobs, and as a protection for its members, but in time, the vast amount of wealth that flowed into the guild’s purse has turned it into a powerful organization. The guild has its own will, and as an organization, its influence is great enough to affect even the national affairs of the kingdom, as seen when they supported the House of Ririnoie.


    The guild believes that their authority should be used for the sake of what is right. In other words, to defend the world of humans. Unfortunately, reality pulled a fast one on them with the rise of the Goblin King, and the monsters that have been ughtered without recourse until now have suddenly found themselves a king to unify them and lead their revolution against their human overlords.


    United, the monsters were strong. Too strong, in fact, and their power had gone far beyond the guild’s expectations.


    The goblins that they hunted regrly built a country for themselves and even took their city.


    Given all that, it was only natural that they would want to exact vengeance.


    To make things worse, the guild of that kingdom of monsters was doing whatever it pleased in the conquered territory. But they couldn’t possibly wage a war against it when there was no chance for victory. After all, the guild from the monster kingdom was supported by that monster kingdom itself. No matter how big the human guild might be, this was not a battle that they could win with just pure military might.


    They must’ve found the whole thing unforgivable. The guild that was developed for the sake of humanity had been turned into a tool of invasion by the very monsters they hunted.


    Because of that they decided to retreat temporarily, and then call the rest of what remained of humanity to arms.


    —We’ll put a bounty on their heads! Dead or alive! It doesn’t matter! Just bring their heads!


    “They’re quite enthusiastic, aren’t they?” Yoshu sighed as he listened to the report. “So, did they put a bounty on my head too?”


    Mellisia nodded and she showed him his bounty. When Yoshu saw it, he bit his lips and wryly smile.


    “That’s enough money to y for the rest of your life.”


    “They’re terrible, Master. You haven’t done anything wrong, and yet…”


    “Hmm. They must be getting really desperate.”


    The way Yoshu saw it, the guild didn’t send branches to various countries just to make money, rather, the real purpose of the guild was to serve as a bridge between rulers and non-rulers. Once humans and non-humans have been connected through profits and that connection is strengthened, by the time they realize it, they won’t want to separate anymore.


    That was the kind of coexistence he had in mind.


    “Well, I don’t n on stopping now, though.”


    “Master, I knew it! We need to hire some guards!”


    “Huh?”


    Before he knew it, Mellisia had her hands together before her chest, while looking at him with expectant eyes.


    “Do you know of Elrain’s Felbi toon?　I hear it’s a toon of elven guards, and every one of them is beautiful! Ah, but of course… I have you, master, so…”


    “Ha ha…”


    Yoshu drylyughed, while Mellisia’s expression alternated between blushing and bing pale.


    “Should we pick some guards out from the city guards, after all?　But if we do that it’ll cause problems for the city, so we definitely have to hire fresh faces! In that case, it might be a bit vain, but if we’re hiring anyway, we definitely must hire the elven warriors!”


    Yoshu was yet to make a decision, but from the way she was talking, it sounded as though it’s already been decided that they’ll be hiring some guards.


    “But you know, the elves are really famous, and they tend to gather attention wherever they are… There’s also the issue of money.”


    “I’ll raise the funds!”


    Mellisia dered with sparkling eyes tinged with desire.


    It was then that the door opened vigorously and Selena, an elven adventurer, and Nikea, the chief of the Aranea, entered.


    “I heard that!” Selena said.


    “You need some guards?” Nikea said.


    “In that case, I know just the right people!”


    Selena’s torn ears moved a little, while Nikea folded her arms and nodded.


    “N-No. We’re going to hire the elven warriors!”


    Mellisia’s eyes were tinged with the color of self-interest as she desperately argued against these two’s suggestion, but Selena and Nikea refused to budge.


    “No!　There’s a suitable escort in the western capital!” Selena said.


    “Yes, there are some free hand— I mean really powerful guards,” Nikea said.


    “You were eavesdropping on us!” Mellisia used.


    “T-There’s no way I would do something like that!　My ears just happen to be really good! If I set my mind to it, I could even hear the conversation from the rooms next to us!”


    While the girls were noisily arguing among themselves, Yoshu was thinking about somethingpletely different.


    “Well, that aside, do you mind if I have the demihumans work for you as guards?” Nikea asked Yoshu while Selena and Mellisia were busy arguing.


    “It won’t be a problem. Go ahead,” Yoshu nodded.


    In the end, Mellisia’s opinions were pushed aside, and it was decided that Yoshu’s guards would be filled by the demihumans in shifts.