Guild Renovation

Because Fritz had warned me, I wasn’t allowed to do much in the way of renovation. He’d restricted me to a simple cleaning, permitting me to do little more than scrub away layers of grime.

In a small act of defiance, I’d managed to negotiate the installation of air conditioning. I’d argued that such systems were already becoming common in the Holy Principality of Ames, and since the building was almost entirely devoid of windows, I’d finally convinced him to let me install a few Ventilation Magic Stones.

Somehow, just making the place clean feels boring.

“…You’re the one who took the job, aren’t you?” Fritz muttered, sensing my restlessness. “Regardless, I’m heading out to fetch the timber for the furniture. Whatever you do, Yuri, don’t do anything extra. If you try anything clever while I’m gone—”

Fritz fixed me with a sharp, piercing gaze.

Do I really have that little of his trust? As far as I’m concerned, I haven’t done anything even remotely criminal.

“Leave it to me,” I replied. “I’ll just do what needs to be done.”

“...I’m telling Fee about this later,” he said, leaning in close to emphasize the threat.

“It’s fine. There isn’t even much left to clean, is there?”

The only areas remaining were the Grand Hall, the warehouse, the Dismantling Area, and the private quarters for the Guild Master and staff. At most, I’d just add a Refrigeration Function to the warehouse and tweak the layout so materials could be brought directly into the Dismantling Area from outside.

The real renovation would begin once the furniture was ready. However, Fritz would likely be watching me like a hawk then, making it impossible to build anything substantial.

I suppose it can’t be helped. I’ll finish the rest of the modifications after I return to my own territory.

I watched Fritz depart, then turned my attention back to the Grand Hall to begin the tedious process of scrubbing away the caked-on filth.

I had finally finished the Grand Hall and was taking a well-earned breather when the doors suddenly slammed open. A Mercenary practically stumbled inside.

“Why the hell is the guild closed today?! Get the Guild Master out here, now!”

“Did something happen?” I asked, stepping forward since I was the only one there.

“Hah? Who the hell is this brat—”

“I’m the one the Guild Master and Elie entrusted with the cleaning of this Mercenary Guild.”

“S-so that’s why the place is empty? No, there’s no time for this. Get the Guild Master! Fast!”

“Did someone call for me?”

The Guild Master appeared from the back offices. The Mercenary looked visibly relieved to see him, though his voice remained a frantic shout.

“Master, it’s a disaster! A swarm of Dragons is attacking!”

“W-what did you say? Forgive me, Yuri-san. This is a true emergency. I must excuse myself immediately.”

The Guild Master rushed out of the Grand Hall in a frantic panic.

Dragons, huh? If they’re the ones local to this area, they’re different from Earth Dragons. That means they should yield a variety of excellent materials. And those Magic Stones should be massive…

Huge Magic Stones were essential for the development of my territory. If I got my hands on them, I might finally be able to build that. Besides, Dragon hide made for excellent armor, their claws and fangs were perfect for weapons, and their Meat was a rare delicacy. They were a literal treasure trove of materials.

The only real downsides were their rarity and their relative strength. But a swarm of them? That was nothing short of an all-you-can-eat Dragon buffet.

Naturally, they were no match for me now that my Level had increased so much. They wouldn't be a problem for Fritz or Fee, either. Other people might struggle a bit, but for us, they were well within the realm of manageable prey.

“Right. Cleaning is officially suspended,” I decided. “I can’t afford to miss a festival like this.”

I immediately took off, chasing after the Guild Master.

Fritz and Lark had reached a nearby forest to gather timber. An axe, embedded with a Magic Stone, rested casually on Fritz’s shoulder.

“How much are we actually carrying back?” Lark asked. “We didn’t even bring a carriage.”

“Ten logs should be enough to start with, don’t you think?” Fritz replied.

“Ten logs?! How many trips do you plan on making?!”

“Maybe three?”

“That’s impossible! Where on earth is there a man who can carry a whole log by himself?!” Lark’s voice was rising in disbelief.

“It’s not that hard,” Fritz said. He stepped up to a nearby tree, felled it with a casual swing, and shouldered the massive trunk. “Huh. Did it get lighter again? I might be able to manage four of these at once.”

“No, no, no! How are you holding that so easily?! It makes no sense! And that axe—was that a shockwave that just flew out of it?!”

“It’s more efficient this way. You can clear a lot of trees at once, right?”

“That is not the point…” Lark groaned, clutching his head.

He had thought that only Yuri and that White Devil were freaks who ignored the laws of common sense. He hadn’t expected a hidden monster to be lurking right here.

Wait, wasn’t Fritz called the Dragon Slayer? I suppose with this kind of strength, that title actually makes sense.

“Fine,” Lark sighed. “I’ll do the cutting, and you do the hauling. How’s that?”

“Sure, I don’t mind.” Fritz handed the axe to Lark.

Lark expected the tool to be incredibly heavy given the power it had displayed, but when his hand closed around the grip, it felt almost weightless.

“This is a magnificent axe.”

“It’s just iron,” Fritz replied.

“...Iron?”

Lark assumed he must have misheard. The metal had a dull, dark gray sheen, but surely it was made of something far more expensive, like Mithril or Magic Iron. It couldn't possibly be that sharp otherwise. He decided to leave it at that.

“Back in the day, I only had stone tools,” Fritz remarked. “Felling a tree was a real nightmare.”

It seemed even Fritz had known hardship. Lark, being of minor noble birth, had never lacked for money and found such experiences foreign.

“If my hand slipped, I’d accidentally slice through the surrounding trees and even the Monsters nearby. Ahahaha…”

No, that’s not an experience people have regardless of how much money they have! Lark screamed internally. He was once again struck by Fritz’s sheer inhumanity. Perhaps joining up with Yuri’s group had been the smartest move he’d ever made.

“Well, I certainly can’t chop a tree down in a single blow like you do,” Lark said, bracing himself. He took a deep breath and swung the axe with every ounce of his strength.

“W-wait! You should start with a small swing—”

Fritz’s warning came too late. Lark’s full-power strike released a crescent of force twice as large as the one Fritz had produced. It tore through a row of trees and continued upward, slicing through several long-necked birds soaring in the distant sky.

“...What?!”

“I told you,” Fritz sighed. “Start with a small swing.”

“No, no, no! That power is insane!”

“It’s one of Yuri’s weapons,” Fritz said, his eyes turning distant. “This much is normal.”

Lark felt a surge of sympathy. He could see that Fritz had spent a long time being the one asking the questions.

But in that moment, a wave of agony washed over Lark, so intense he could barely stay on his feet. It felt as if raw electricity was surging through his veins.

“W-why am I experiencing Rapid Growth?!”

It was a sensation he had felt only once before, after he had managed to kill a high-ranking Monster on his own. But he had only just cut a tree.

Could this axe… possess the power to grant experience just by being swung?