The snow had completely melted, and the adventurers who had spent the winter resting in Gilm were beginning to stir. Inside the Guild, Marina addressed Worker as staff members and adventurers looked on.
"Worker, as of today, you are the Guild Master of Gilm. I've taught you a great deal over the winter as part of the handover, and you have more than enough ability to serve as Guild Master here."
"...I may be lacking, but I will do my absolute best."
Worker replied with a solemn expression.
Among the Guild Staff Members and adventurers watching the exchange, some wondered whether Worker was truly up to the task.
That was only natural. Until now, Marina had run the Guild as Guild Master, and things had gone smoothly. If the person at the top changed, it was inevitable that people would worry whether things would continue to go as well as they had before.
Some of the staff had worked alongside Worker during the winter, but even so, the lingering anxiety they felt was a testament to just how formidable Marina's presence as Guild Master had been.
Worker had experience running a Guild Branch Office near the Dungeon, too. Even so, it was unavoidable that some would feel uneasy compared to having Marina in charge.
Worker likely understood that himself. Having worked alongside Marina over the winter, he could see firsthand how beloved she was by the staff.
There were undoubtedly those who admired her as an attractive woman, but far more trusted her as their superior. That kind of trust wasn't built overnight—it was the product of Marina's years of service as Guild Master.
Precisely because he understood this, Worker couldn't simply tell everyone to trust him right away.
"Until now, you have all worked under the previous Guild Master... Marina-san. I understand that for people like you, it is only natural that you cannot place your trust in me immediately. However, please rest assured."
Those listening wondered what he would say next. Worker, meeting their gazes, continued without any sign of agitation.
"As you all know, Marina has passed the position of Guild Master to me. However, that does not mean she will have no further involvement with the Guild. Since she will remain in the position of advisor, if anything happens, you can still rely on Marina."
Marina would stay on as an advisor. That had been announced beforehand, but hearing it stated directly in front of them still brought visible relief. The expressions of those listening to Worker softened noticeably.
"Of course, we cannot lean on Marina as an advisor forever. I... and all of us... have been entrusted with the management of this Guild by Marina. Bearing that in mind, please remember—each and every one of you—that we will eventually need to stand on our own."
At those words, everyone nodded.
Watching the exchange unfold before her, Marina also let out a breath of relief. That Worker was capable was something she understood well, having overseen the handover herself. But whether he would be accepted by the others was an entirely different matter.
Fortunately, right before her eyes, Worker was being accepted. Part of that was undoubtedly because they knew Marina would be there in an emergency, but the fact that Worker had been accepted here at all was undeniable.
(Now it's just a matter of Worker doing his best and proving his ability and presence to those around him.)
Marina watched the exchange from a short distance away, her gaze steady.
"Marina-san, thank you for your hard work as Guild Master. From here on, as an adventurer... and as the Guild's advisor, we look forward to working with you."
"Yes. If there's anything you're unsure about, I'll lend a hand anytime. So you do your best, too."
And with that, the succession of the Guild Master was formally concluded.
In truth, the paperwork had already been completed that morning, so what had just taken place was more of a ceremony—a performance, even—for the adventurers, staff, and city residents who had come to witness the change in leadership.
Worker then stepped behind the counter and disappeared up the stairs leading to the Guild Master's Office. The interior of the Guild, which had been relatively quiet at first, returned to its usual clamor once he was gone.
Marina glanced around the Guild... and then began to walk. Her destination was, naturally, where Rei and the others were waiting—the people she would share her hardships and her destiny with from here on.
"Did I keep you waiting?"
With a satisfied smile, she called out to Rei and his companions.
"No, not really. ...But was something that simple really enough?"
Given that it was a change of Guild Master, Rei had expected a far grander ceremony. What had actually taken place inside the Guild was much smaller than anticipated—or rather, something that made him hesitate to even call it a ceremony.
"Oh, is that so? But what good are formalities without heart behind them? Besides, in the end, it's just a change of Guild Master. It's not the kind of thing that needs to be done on a grand scale."
"Hmm... is that how it works?"
What crossed Rei's mind as he murmured was a scene he had seen on TV back in Japan. When important figures like prefectural governors or mayors resigned, the entire staff would turn out to see them off and present them with bouquets.
He had imagined something along those lines, so while it wasn't exactly a letdown, he had certainly been caught off guard.
But the reality was that even as the only Frontier Guild in the Kingdom of Mireana, it was still just one Guild among many. By Rei's reckoning, comparing it to a school principal resigning or transferring to another school would have been more accurate.
"That's right. At any rate, I'm no longer the Guild Master now. ...Well, I do still hold the position of advisor, though."
"But that advisor role isn't an official position, is it?" Vihera asked, stroking the head of a spacing-out Byune.
"That's right. I'm strictly a private individual whom Worker... no, whom the Guild Master can consult if anything happens. Naturally, I won't receive any sort of salary from the Guild."
In practice, if she were consulted about something and helped resolve it, she would receive a certain amount of money as a reward or token of gratitude. But for Marina, who had served as Guild Master for years, an amount of that level wouldn't make much difference whether she had it or not. If anything, since she would be active as an adventurer from now on, the rewards she earned through that would far exceed it.
An ordinary adventurer—one of D-Rank or C-Rank, for instance—would likely never earn more than a Guild Master. But the people Marina would form a party with were Rei, Vihera, and Byune. And then there was Set.
Considering Rei's track record while Marina was still Guild Master, it would undoubtedly be a highly lucrative arrangement. In fact, over the past few years, Rei had already earned enough money for an ordinary person to live in luxury not just for one lifetime, but for their next life and even beyond that.
"At any rate, this means you're free to move around now, right, Marina?"
"Yes. Of course, given my position as advisor, I should let the Guild know if I'm heading somewhere far away, but I don't have any such plans, do I?"
"That's right. Our coordination in battle isn't perfect yet, so I'd like to firm that up first."
At Rei's words, the others—even Byune—gave a firm nod. They understood that making careless movements in battle would only drag down their comrades.
Having ventured solo into Dungeons since she was young, Byune's coordination skills were not particularly refined. In that sense, Vihera had also spent a long period operating solo, and the same was true for Rei. Among this group, the only one with proper, long-term experience working as part of a party was Marina.
"So, what'll it be? Shall we head out and fight monsters right from today? Or should we practice at the Guild's training ground?"
At Marina's question, Rei thought for a moment before speaking.
"I'd prefer the training ground, but... it's probably crowded right now, isn't it?"
"That's right. It's just turned spring, so there are plenty of people trying to shake off the rust that built up over the break, plus others like us who want to check their party coordination."
The best way to check coordination was, naturally, through actual combat. But actual combat carried the risk of injury. Even against Goblins, it wasn't uncommon for someone to get hurt through carelessness. And once injured, one would need potions and medicine to recover—a direct hit to a wallet that was by no means flush at this time of year.
If there was someone who could use Recovery Magic, that would be a different story, but even in Gilm, those capable of using magic were far from numerous. And among that already small group, someone who could use Recovery Magic was an exceedingly rare existence.
"Anyway, let's head to the training ground."
"...Hey, Rei. Before that, there's something we need to take care of first, isn't there?"
Rei had been about to leave the Guild, but Vihera stopped him.
"Something we need to take care of?"
"Yes. Marina has officially stepped down as Guild Master, so don't you think we need to register the party we couldn't form before? If we don't take care of it here and now, it'll definitely become a headache later."
Vihera's point was one Rei could appreciate. Through Spirit Magic, Marina could use a wide range of spells—including Recovery Magic—and her skill with a bow was first-class. Add her beauty to the mix, and the picture was complete. As a former Guild Master, she also commanded deep respect from those around her.
With someone like that operating solo without a party, it was obvious that people would line up one after another to recruit her. Anyone who had lived in Gilm for a while understood whose sake Marina had stepped down for, so they wouldn't commit such an act of professional suicide.
But spring was the season when the most adventurers flooded into Gilm. Among them would be those who had been considered skilled in their previous stomping grounds—to put it nicely, brimming with confidence; to put it bluntly, big fish in small ponds.
Those who understood the importance of information would gather intel as soon as they arrived in Gilm. But those with middling talent who had never faced particularly strong opponents and had never experienced a single setback would have no idea how critical information was.
What kind of action such a person would take upon learning about Marina required no imagination. To minimize such headaches, submitting a party registration to the Guild here and now was the obvious course of action given their circumstances.
"Alright, let's go."
At Rei's words, the other three nodded and headed toward the reception counter. Perhaps because barely ten minutes had passed since Marina stepped down as Guild Master, she wore a smile that bordered on something almost sheepish.
"Ah, Rei-san. Guild... no, Marina-san, Vihera-san, and Byune-san too. What brings you here?"
Seeing Rei approach, Lenora called out to him.
It wasn't just Marina who seemed somewhat unaccustomed to the new state of affairs—Lenora, who had worked under her, was much the same. Beside Lenora, Kenny wore an equally awkward expression.
Both Lenora and Kenny were well aware that Marina doted on them, which was precisely why they were at a loss for what to say at a moment like this.
"Ah."
Amidst all this, Lenora suddenly let out a sound. Her gaze was fixed on Marina's chest.
Normally, she might have had a few thoughts about that bust, which was vastly more ample than her own. But that wasn't what had caught her attention now. Because there, pinned to Marina's chest, was a brooch—one that she and the other receptionists, including Kenny, had pooled their money to buy.
...Yes. A brooch that everyone had gifted to Marina upon her retirement as Guild Master.
The moment she saw it, Lenora finally understood. The person standing before her was not the Guild Master, but a single adventurer named Marina.
Noticing Lenora's reaction, Marina smiled. And Rei, completely unaware that Marina was smiling behind him, spoke to Lenora.
"I'd like to submit a party registration. The members are the four of us here. The party name is Crimson Lotus Wings."