Volume 1 Chapter 16 The Fallen Guildmaster [Irankus III]
While the Act thrived as the Guildmaster, Irankus, who led the same Guild, was feeling cornered.
"C-rank at the bottom... this is bad, bad, bad! There's no way out now! Damn, damn, damn!"
In the Guildmaster's room, he scratched his scalp vigorously. His fingers raked through his hair with such desperation that fresh clumps came away in his hands. The amount of hair falling out day by day had become increasingly alarming.
"Damn it! What do you mean it's too early, you damn woman! There are things that need to be done, damn it! It's not like I'm out of options...!"
With the failure of the fire dragon extermination, his reputation had plummeted, and furthermore, the departure of Olga had significantly damaged the Guild's standing.
Once known as a hugely popular Guild, [Trueborn Hero] had seen a noticeable decline in visitors.
And now, there were completely zero new Humans coming in.
"At this rate... I've got it. Let's bring back those who left! That's what I'll do!"
Irankus stormed toward the door.
"Um... Guildmaster?"
The receptionist entered the room with a worried expression, her knuckles white as she clutched the documents in her hands.
"Do you have a moment? Actually—"
"NOT NOW! I'M BUSY!"
SLAM!
He shoved the receptionist aside with brutal force.
"Eek...!"
She crumpled to the floor, hitting her back hard with a pained gasp.
"Hmph! You clumsy sow. I have no time to listen to someone like you!"
Without offering her a glance, Irankus left the scene, his heavy boots thudding on the floor.
"First, I need to see Olga. She's only recently left. If I change her treatment, she should definitely come back...!"
However...
"No way."
In the tavern's dining area, where Olga and the Party Members had made their base, the air was thick with tension. The sound of mugs and cutlery clattered faintly in the background, but between them, it was dead silent.
The leader, Olga, had clearly rejected him.
"W-why?! I'll change the treatment! I won't assign crazy requests like I did before! So come back to my Guild. Please? Please?!"
Olga let out a long, exhausted sigh.
"Even if you beg me to come back now, it's too late. We're members of Act, of the [Gem of Heavenly Gift]."
She crossed her arms firmly, her gaze sharp enough to cut steel.
"It's too late to ask us to return. We're part of Act now."
"Well, it's not like I'm that late, right? Come on, let's try again. I'm not going to tell you to go out and exterminate fire dragons like before."
He reached for her wrist, but Olga brushed it away with swift finality.
"Sorry," she said, her voice like cold steel, "but I have no intention of going back."
"W-why not?!"
"...Because you're a damn boss who doesn't care about your subordinates at all."
The words struck like a slap. Olga spat them out as if they'd been poisoning her for a long time.
"In the first place, because of the fire dragon extermination failure, we sustained serious injuries. And yet, not a single word from you asking if we were alright."
"W-well... that's—"
"You don't care about the Guild Members, do you? You're just trying to get back an S-Rank Adventurer to restore your rank, right?"
Her words sliced deep. And she was right.
Guild rank—no, *reputation*—was all that had mattered to Irankus.
"Act was worried about my well-being. He told me to focus on recovery first. He got me into the best clinic and even covered the hospital fees. Thanks to him... I'm still able to be an Adventurer."
Whether she genuinely appreciated Act, or simply respected him, Olga nodded as she said this, her expression softening just for a moment.
"I have no intention of leaving Act's Guild. Sorry, but you and Act are on completely different levels as Guildmasters."
Olga stood up and turned her back to him.
"W-wait! Let's talk properly one more time!"
Olga fiercely brushed away Irankus's desperate hand as he reached out.
"GET LOST. BEFORE CLINGING TO ME, DON'T YOU HAVE THINGS YOU NEED TO DO?"
"I've done that! I've begged over and over for Act to take me back! But it's no use!"
At that, Olga glanced at him one last time with cold, pitying eyes.
"You don't see anything at all, do you...? Don't ever come in front of me again."
With that, Olga left the dining hall without another word.
"DAMN IT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING?! YOU MUST BE JOKING! YOU MUST BE JOKING! DAMN IT!!!"
* * *
After that, I visited the former Adventurers who had quit, asking for reconciliation.
But not a single one of them returned.
"Why? What did I do wrong...!"
I even lowered my head to the Guild Members I had expelled, humiliating myself.
But they all gave the same answer as Olga.
"I'm not wrong... why...?"
I returned to the Trueborn Hero Guild hall.
However... it was clear that there were fewer people than this morning.
"H-hey... what's going on? Where's the Vice Guildmaster!?"
Irankus grabbed at the receptionist he had shoved aside earlier.
Her expression was as cold as ice.
"She submitted her resignation this morning and left quickly."
"What!? She quit!? Without even telling me!?"
"Not just the Vice Guildmaster. Many Adventurers have also left this place."
She was trying to report this to him earlier.
But Irankus hadn't cared to listen.
"No way... this is ridiculous! Why!? Why are people leaving me, like Olga...!"
Sighing in disbelief, the receptionist shook her head slowly.
"I'm quitting too. Goodbye."
"W-wait...!"
He grabbed her wrist tightly.
"HEY! WHY IS EVERYONE QUITTING!?"
"Is it because you don't care about your subordinates at all?"
With cold, empty eyes, the receptionist stared down at Irankus as if he was something pitiful.
"You should have focused on the remaining Guild Members, not those who left."
"B-but now that Act is gone and Olga has quit, there's no decent people left in my Guild!"
"...Have you ever sincerely listened to those who stayed and made an effort to enhance the Guild together?"
The answer was no.
He never once tried to change the organization from within.
Never once thought of changing *himself*.
He didn't even try.
"At this rate, no one will follow you. This Guild is finished. Well then..."
Without submitting a resignation letter, the receptionist briskly walked away.
"Why is this happening...? I haven't done anything wrong. I'm not mistaken... why...?"
She turned back briefly, sneering.
"Even now, you can't see your own mistakes. It's too late, in many ways."
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