I didn't understand it at all. What had been handed out to us as a countermeasure against those invaders from the Outer World—the Sticky Silver Species—was nothing more than a crude, shabby stick. The brat who supposedly made it, Tort, had handed them over with a casual "now, now," so I’d taken a few... but did they really have any actual use?
"Guild Master! You're back!"
When I returned to my familiar office via a teleportation item, that was the voice that greeted me. It was Helga, the woman I’d left in charge of our response to the Sticky Silver Species while I was away at headquarters. She was one of our staff members who usually handled receptionist duties. She was easy on the eyes, so she was quite popular among the adventurers—especially the men.
But make no mistake, she was a former adventurer herself, and her combat skills were formidable. She was incomparable to your average rookie. Her judgment wasn't half-bad, either. That was why I’d entrusted her with the Sticky Silver situation in my absence, but—
"So, what about the means to repel the invaders!?"
Expectation practically radiated from Helga's voice. She had likely been waiting here to be the first to know about whatever countermeasure headquarters had granted us. I understood that feeling painfully well... but unfortunately, I couldn't live up to her expectations. I had received the so-called "countermeasure," yes. But no matter how I looked at it, it was just a stick.
Well, contrary to its appearance, it was definitely a magic tool. I’d seen a demonstration with my own eyes, so there was no doubt about that. I had been floored when a pile of filthy clothes became spotless in an instant.
Of course, I knew the Lifestyle Magic <Clean>. It was a damn handy spell. If you mastered it, every party in the land would be tripping over themselves to recruit you. It was in much higher demand than some half-baked attack magic.
However, even for <Clean>, this was bizarre. Usually, if you used the spell, the dirt would come off, but the effect wasn't dramatic. For example, if mud got on a white cloth, you usually couldn't remove the stain completely. Generally, the performance of <Clean> was about the same as washing something by hand.
This magic tool, on the other hand, completely erased even the deep-set stains. In fact, during the demonstration, the clothes had come out looking brand new. The effect was just too powerful.
Moreover, it apparently had a secondary effect that could even prevent disease. The kid said something about it "cleaning the source of the sickness" too... and if that was true, it was revolutionary.
Most of the people in that room had shared the same thought: that wasn't <Clean> anymore, it was a different magic altogether. I felt the same way. For some reason, the brat himself insisted it was <Clean> and refused to budge on the matter.
A version of <Clean> that special, usable repeatedly by anyone—as a magic tool, it was groundbreaking. If you asked me if I wanted one, of course I did. Normally, I would have shown it off with a smug face, bragging about the convenient item I’d scored.
But that wasn't the point. That wasn't what we needed right now. No, according to Tort and the others, we could actually exterminate the Sticky Silver with this thing... but was that true? Had the kid misunderstood something? These were invaders from the Outer World, for god's sake. They weren't just some mold growing in a cellar. There was no way in hell we could repel them with cleaning tools!
Despite that, Madrus just kept repeating "don't lower your guard" like a broken record, and the Grand Master just looked away, claiming the tool had a "divine endorsement" from the gods. Since I wasn't getting anywhere, I’d just taken what was offered and come back... but seriously, what the hell was I supposed to do?
Hypothetically... just hypothetically. Even if this magic tool really did work against the Sticky Silver... how would I even explain it? Could I fake it if I didn't honestly call it a cleaning tool?
But it looked like a stick no matter how you sliced it. I could barely believe it was a magic tool for <Clean>, so who in their right mind would believe this was the trump card to repel an invasion? If they just ignored me, fine, but my judgment might be seriously called into question.
It would be a disaster if my leadership as Guild Master crumbled during this emergency. There was absolutely no way I could tell them the truth.
But then, what? Was I supposed to tell them I hadn't obtained any countermeasures at all?
If I did that, morale would plummet. In a situation where everyone's spirit was already being ground down by an unknown enemy, I couldn't commit such a folly.
No, but—
"Guild Master...?"
Before I realized it, Helga was staring at me with an anxious expression. It seemed I’d been lost in thought for quite a while. My silence had clearly made her uneasy.
It was a difficult choice, but I had to make a move.
"Helga! Ah, the Guild Master is back!"
"What's happened?"
While I was being squeezed by this bitter decision, another staff member burst into the room. Thankful for the distraction, I asked for their report to postpone my choice.
"A new group! There are multiple invaders! The high-ranked adventurers have already been dispatched, and we're short-handed!"
It wasn't a lucky break at all. The staff member's report was practically a scream. The situation was getting that dire.
"Then I'll handle it myself! Gather the highest-ranking people left. I'll take a few parties with me!"
If we were short-handed, there was no other way. As the Guild Master, I would step onto the field. I was a former A-rank, after all. I was a bit out of practice, but I could still hold my own.
"Um, Guild Master... what about the countermeasure?"
"R-Right now, repelling the Sticky Silver is the first priority. We'll talk later!"
This was a necessary move!
I wasn't just stalling!