Early TBAGM Vol. 1 Chapter 4 Part 6

Full title: The Banished Advisor’s Guild Management

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

Translator: Canon

____________________________________________

The chaos of the king’s investment had passed, and morning arrived.

Since today’s training would start in the afternoon, everyone spent the morning relaxing in the common room. Elna and Nick were having a good time playing with Char.

From the start, Elna had been petting and cuddling Char affectionately. Nick, on the other hand, had kept his distance at first, acting aloof with lines like, “I’m not really an animal person.” But Char’s overwhelming cuteness had defeated him in an instant. Now he was the most devoted Char fan in the guild.

“Elna, time to feed Char.”

“Just a bit longer. Damn, why is he so cute?”

Elna seemed intent on feeding Char, but Nick was still happily hugging him. Char, nestled in Nick’s arms, yawned in contentment—clearly not displeased.

As I watched the heartwarming scene, Serina quietly approached and placed a drink in front of me.

“Here you go, some tea.”

“Serina, are you feeling alright? You had a stomachache last night, didn’t you?”

“My, asking a lady something like that directly… Lord Lloyd, your manners are a bit lacking, aren’t they?”

Her expression seemed faintly clouded for a moment but maybe I was just overthinking it.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“I was joking. Thank you for your concern.”

With that light exchange, we went on with our usual day.

Then Nero suddenly spoke up, as if something had just occurred to him.

“Mr. Lloyd, by the way—are we really doing that guild showdown?”

“Showdown?”

Everyone’s eyes turned toward me with curiosity. It seemed the news of the duel had already spread. Apart from Nero, the others hadn’t heard yet.

“Yes. We’ll be facing Oni’s Fang in a siege match two weeks from now.”

“Oni’s Fang? What kind of guild are they?”

Ellis tilted her head, seemingly unfamiliar with the name. The others looked similarly lost. It made sense—none of them had been affiliated with a guild before, so they wouldn’t know the rankings or inter-guild dynamics.

“Well, let’s see…”

Oni’s Fang was ranked twenty-second, consisting of three C-rank adventurers, about a hundred D-rank members, and a B-rank guildmaster—Nike.

On our side, we had D-rank Ellis and Nero, who was technically A-rank but had sealed all his high-tier skills except 【Magic Breaker】. Realistically, his combat power was equivalent to a C-rank.

“…That’s about the situation.”

Despite the overwhelming difference in numbers—and the fact that Nero had been wagered as a prize—he showed not a trace of worry on his face.

“This is perfect. A great opportunity to unveil 【Magic Breaker】.”

If anything, Nero seemed excited for the showdown. Ellis and the others were no different. They responded with open enthusiasm.

“If it’s a lower-tier guild, we’ve got this.”

“A battle! I’m looking forward!”

“Well, I can’t fight, but I’ll do everything I can to support you all!”

Even I was taken aback by how unfazed they were.

“Wait—you do know they have over a hundred people, right?”

Most would see this as a hopeless situation. In fact, Oni’s Fang already considered victory certain and had reportedly been celebrating since yesterday.

“Nero, you do realize you’re the one being bet on here? I mean, honestly, I wouldn’t blame you if you were mad…”

Even if they trusted me, it was true that I had agreed to the match without consulting him. If I were in his shoes, I might’ve punched me. But Nero just laughed as if I were the one saying something odd.

“Mr. Lloyd, you accepted the challenge, didn’t you? So what are the odds we lose?”

His words were pure. No flattery. No pretense. Just the unshaken belief of someone who trusted me completely.

I couldn’t help it, I laughed until my stomach hurt.

“Haha! Then I’ll make sure we absolutely crush them.”

Nero scratched his cheek, mumbling bashfully.

“I’m just… really glad I get to fight beside you again.”

“Nero… I’m glad you joined Veiled Moonrise too.”

“Mr. Lloyd…”

Just as the mood turned heartfelt, Ellis burst between us.

“Wait! This is dangerous! I’m not letting you have Mr. Lloyd!”

“Huh? What are you talking about? I already said he’s mine.”

Didn’t this situation happen before?

“Nick! We’re joining in too!”

“Ugh… don’t drag me into this…”

Following Ellis’s lead, Elna joined in gleefully, and Nick, while feigning reluctance, looked secretly thrilled.

I watched them all, amused.

They always said I’d given them a place to belong. That because of me, they were finally needed by someone. But the truth was, it went both ways.

They gave me a place as an advisor again. They gave me purpose.

I wouldn’t let anyone take this from me. Not ever again.

Whether it was Oni’s Fang or Incarnation of the Sun—if they stood against us, I’d crush them.

“Of course, this won’t be easy. For the next two weeks, I’m putting you all through intensive training.”

“Yes, sir!”

Each of them answered firmly, eyes burning with determination.

With the numerical disadvantage and a B-rank adventurer on the enemy side, we still had no guarantees. But these were the hidden diamonds I had chosen myself.

They had overcome hardship, rejected fate, and carved their own path forward.

—No matter how big the wall was, they could overcome it. I would help them overcome it.

 †

While Lloyd and the others were eagerly preparing for the upcoming guild showdown, the guildmaster of Incarnation of the Sun, Kyros, was meeting with a certain individual.

“Relax. This is a business arrangement, after all.”

“Y-Yes, but telling me not to be nervous when I’m sitting across from you, Mr. Kyros…”

“Haha. Aren’t we both guildmasters here, Nike?”

With a sly grin, Kyros leaned deeply into his chair.

Facing him was the shrinking figure of Nike, guildmaster of Oni’s Fang.

The reason for this meeting was simple: both Kyros and Nike shared a common goal—eliminating Veiled Moonrise.

“Why would someone like you want to deal with someone like me? And even calling this a deal, there’s no real benefit for you…”

“Cornering the market on potions is trivial. If that’s all it takes to get along with you, it’s a small price to pay.”

Kyros had made an offer to Nike: “I’ll buy out all the potions, just make sure you defeat Veiled Moonrise.”

It was obvious that Incarnation of the Sun had nothing to gain from this. If potions were monopolized, Veiled Moonrise’s defeat was all but certain.

The proposal was so convenient for Nike that he couldn’t help but feel suspicious.

“Is there even a need to buy out the potions? I think we could win in a fair fight.”

“It’s a siege match, after all,” Nike added.

From what he’d investigated, the enemy numbered no more than five. The disparity in numbers between their sides was clear and overwhelming.

Even Nero couldn’t overturn that difference. Yet Kyros did not nod in agreement.

“Let me teach you something, Nike.”

With a solemn tone, Kyros addressed the overconfident Nike.

“To stand among the strongest, you must never show weakness. Whether your opponent is the weakest guild or the mightiest, you must crush them without mercy—until they’re utterly unable to recover.”

He spoke flatly, without so much as a twitch of expression.

But those words carried undeniable weight.

Was it the voice of someone who’d once tasted failure? No, it was heavier than that.

Perhaps it was best described as obsession.

In that moment, something bottomless flickered behind Kyros’s gaze.

“……”

Nike trembled as he stared at the being before him.

At that moment, he understood.

This was the man who sat at the top of the rankings, a guildmaster far beyond the reach of someone as ordinary as himself.

But that didn’t excuse losing the upcoming showdown.

If they wanted to grasp that lofty height, they had to be willing to reach for it—even with dirty tactics.

“…I accept your offer.”

“Ah, I’ve been waiting to hear that. I’m counting on you.”

Kyros smiled, clearly pleased with Nike’s answer.

Nike was not a fool. He knew full well that accepting this deal meant Oni’s Fang would be used at Incarnation of the Sun’s convenience later.

But for the weak, there was no other choice.

That was the nature of the powerless.

†

Once the meeting ended and Nike had left the guild, Kyros’s lips curled upward.

“Hmph… Perfect. Everything is going exactly as I calculated…”

He felt like the protagonist of a grand tale.

Like the god of creation itself.

Kyros reveled in the illusion that he was now the central figure in his own story.

“Lloyd hasn’t signed a partnership agreement, which means he has no way of purchasing potions. No matter how sharp his eyes may be, it’s meaningless!”

By cornering the potion market, they could ensure Veiled Moonrise would have no access to recovery items during the siege.

Siege matches were long, grueling battles. With the overwhelming difference in numbers, it would turn into a war of attrition.

In other words, the moment this deal was struck, the outcome of the guild showdown had already been decided.

“Besides, the volcanic dungeon is nearly fully conquered.”

The Second Unit was now fully committed to clearing the volcano dungeon.

Once completed, Incarnation of the Sun would secure dominion over Fereia’s guild sphere.

“It’s almost here… My long-cherished dream is finally within reach…”

With his ambitions close to fruition, Kyros could only relish the taste of impending victory.

†

Next→