The D-Rank Guild Master of the No. 1 Guild

Though we had two days, the players’ time was fast-forwarded. Soon after Shemarin and I found the secret letter, we attended the anticipated banquet.

The maids (+Shemarin) fussed over me, dressing me up and sending me off in a carriage.

The grandeur of the artificially spacious room left me momentarily speechless.

The massive chandelier, shining brilliantly, looked like it could easily kill twenty people if it fell.

The gold-trimmed wall decorations dazzled my eyes.

This ballroom, fitting as the final gathering place for the event round, exuded immense grandeur.

I felt so overwhelmed by the imposing atmosphere that I wanted to hide under someone’s dress.

“Count Clarence, his wife, son, and daughter are entering!”

Who is that?

I hoped it wasn’t referring to me… but unfortunately, it was. Today, I was playing the role of Rudel Clarence.

Moreover, I had my temporary mother, father, and elder brother with me, making this family roleplay all the more confusing.

“Child, don’t worry about us. Just enjoy yourself.”

Despite having been together for a day (in this world’s time), this was the first time my temporary father spoke to his daughter.

If I had turned this precious family upside down during my free time after completing the mission with Shemarin, it would have been entertaining for the viewers.

It’s a pity I didn’t. My brazenness wasn’t up to that level.

“Yes… I’ll be over there, father.”

A being with only the concept and no memory of a ‘blood-related family.’

‘Hey, it’s not like I don’t have any memories. My guildmates are practically my family.’

Thinking about my guildmates waiting for me helped clear my head. The confusion amidst the flowers, jewels, curtains, and perfume smells dissipated.

I came here for the final mission.

My task now was to wait for the other four guild leaders, Lesia/Blance and Aleon/Yudirei, to arrive.

I trusted they had completed their missions well.

So as not to let the team down, right?

If not, they would hear a mouthful from me…

In this draining banquet hall, I stood beside a snack table, blending in like a decorative screen.

“Would you care for a dance?”

Suddenly, some slick noble extended his gloved hand toward me.

“No.”

I raised my palm, sharply and politely refusing. The noble hesitated a bit.

“Oh, I was actually speaking to the lady behind you.”

He added, glancing behind me.

A brief silence followed.

While I was lost for words, a husky voice rang out from behind me.

“I’m just a personal maid,” Shemarin said.

The noble stammered, “Oh, I see,” before hastily retreating in embarrassment.

“……”

I couldn’t entirely hide my awkwardness and averted my gaze. Shemarin burst into laughter.

“Hahaha!”

Her cheerful laughter poked at my left ear.

“Isn’t that a bit too loud?”

It was the first time I saw Shemarin laugh so heartily, not just a dismissive snort or a derisive smirk with only her lips moving.

Tonight, Shemarin was dressed in a simple gown instead of her maid uniform.

Even the plain, modest dress couldn’t hide her radiant figure.

No wonder she was mistaken for a noble lady and asked to dance.

For the fourth time tonight, I voiced my complaint.

“I still think we should have switched roles. It’s not too late. Want to swap in the powder room? You can be Rudel Clarence.”

“I like it this way. Besides, someone might want to see Rudel in a dress.”

Just then, Shemarin pointed to the entrance, where an usher unrolled a scroll and announced loudly.

“The delegation from the Magic Tower has arrived. The Tower Master will enter shortly.”

…Shemarin was probably referring to apprentice wizard Aleon, but I was more concerned about another character.

The inevitable had arrived.

I briefly hoped that my drastically different outfit might make me unrecognizable, but…

A petite girl adorned with an array of sparkling jewels and crystals slid in and immediately locked eyes with me.

‘Murderous intent… I’m dead!’

For a moment, I was sure I had met my end. Yudirei’s aura was that intimidating.

“……”

Surprisingly, Yudirei merely glanced at me and moved on with her entourage of wizards to another part of the hall.

Could it be that Yudirei, too, had matured since the first generation battle? Unbelievable.

She had grown enough to not immediately attack me upon sight.

Though her eyes alone probably killed me ten times over. Her murderous smile made my heart ache, and I looked away.

Well, I guess I won’t need the dagger, hand axe, and hammer I had hidden under my dress…

I left them all in the powder room. It felt like I had removed sandbags from my feet, making my steps much lighter.

Looking around, I made eye contact with Aleon among the wizards.

But since we were far apart and mingling with different groups, it was hard to approach and strike up a conversation. We just exchanged nods.

Aleon stared at me with his mouth slightly open for a while.

Then he smiled and mouthed something at me.

‘Your beauty has blinded me.’

That blue saint must have had his eyesight ruined, being stuck in the gloomy magic tower in the lowest rank role.

“Grand Duke Madolf and his knights are entering.”

Lesia and Blance’s faction had arrived.

As the Grand Duke held a high status even among the nobles, everyone except the magic tower’s faction, including myself, gave a slight bow in respect.

At the forefront of the Grand Duke’s group, Lesia spotted me and laughed heartily, giving a thumbs-up beneath her uniform.

What was that?

Finally, I noticed Blance, maintaining his dignified and low-key demeanor even in the noble banquet.

With all six guild leaders present, the gathering was complete.

Everyone looked confident. Did they all succeed in their missions?

If so, there was no need to delay any further.

I signaled to Shemarin with a glance.

‘Now.’

‘Got it-.’

Shemarin called over a waiter who was attending the snack table and discreetly handed over a few wine glasses.

Underneath those glasses were copies of the secret letter we had forged.

Now, as the waiter distributed the glasses, they would be delivered to the four guild leaders.

The initial part of our final mission was for Shemarin and me to successfully forge the letters.

The four guild leaders received their glasses and began reading the hidden messages.

The final mission involved following the instructions in the letters: using the fifty knights brought by the Grand Duke and the five-colored crystal spheres from the magic tower to take control of the banquet hall.

Then, the ultimate goal was to threaten Duke Kizen, the host of the banquet, with a knife to his throat.

In this scenario, Duke Kizen was a traitor planning to rebel against the royal family.

‘Shemarin and I have started things off, now it’s up to you guys.’

I glanced at the other guild leaders.

The final mission was straightforward. It would be swift and decisive.

First up, Lesia and Blance with their fifty knights.

“Attention, everyone!”

The Grand Duke turned energetically, raising his arm to his knights.

Behind his characteristic cheerfulness, his voice carried a reassuring sense of responsibility for the mission.

“From now on, we take control of this banquet hall!”

Good, even if his speech was a bit casual for a grand duke, he was doing well!

“We will challenge the monarchy! Arrest everyone in the banquet hall!”

What…? We only need to capture Duke Kizen!

But whether he didn’t hear my silent scream or chose to ignore it, Lesia was busy looking back at his unfeeling partner, the knight captain.

What kind of unexpected move was this?

I hoped the more rational Blance would say, “Are you insane?” and put a stop to this.

“Old man! Let’s go for it!”

“I’ll cooperate this time.”

With his usual expressionless face, Blance raised his right hand to command the knights. As he did, I noticed something unusual attached to his waist, not the usual sword.

Blance, are you drunk…?

“Grand Duke Madolf! What is the meaning of this madness?”

NPC Duke Kizen shouted, his face pale with shock.

At the same time, the duke’s knights, whom we could consider our enemies, began pouring in, further crowding the already chaotic banquet hall.

Clang! Aaargh! The hall was filled with the sounds of shouting and clashing weapons.

With Lesia’s side descending into chaos, I had to rely on Aleon.

I turned to the magic tower’s faction and mouthed,

“Who has the five-colored crystal spheres? Get them out!”

These spheres, said to contain the essence of the magic tower, could help capture Duke Kizen even without Lesia’s knights.

But then I saw Aleon, frozen amidst the wizards.

What is going on over there…?

“Our true tower master is Aleon!”

“Master Aleon, we will follow you even in death!”

“Please, rid us of that demonic woman!”

The apprentice wizards were kneeling and pleading to the novice Aleon.

Aleon, why have you become a cult leader? And the demon they want to be rid of… could that be Yudirei?

“I’ve held back for too long.”

In that instant, the girl with her eyes obscured by her bangs growled like a beast.

A well-sharpened axe emerged from Yudirei’s cloak.

“Arghhh!”

An internal conflict erupted within the magic tower. Wizards scattered in all directions, while Lesia’s knights rampaged through the chaos.

“Careful! This way!”

Suddenly, Aleon leaped over a table to protect the apprentice wizards.

Crash!

The five-colored crystal sphere fell from his grasp, shattering upon impact with the floor.

As I stood there, my mind frozen, helplessly watching this disastrous scene unfold, I saw the frantic figures of Count Clarence and his son sprinting towards me from afar.