Chapter 13: The Thieves’ Guild and the KY Beauty
ㅤ”So, this is the Thief Guild……huh.”
ㅤ
ㅤFollowing the Priest-san’s directions, I arrived in front of the Thief Guild.
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ㅤThe Thief Guild occupies a large corner facing the main street.
ㅤThe building has the atmosphere of a rough-and-tumble saloon you’d see in a Western movie.
ㅤPeople with hoods pulled low over their eyes, people with daggers at their waists over leather armor…… quite a lot of people who look like they’d be called thieves or rogues in a dungeon exploration game are coming and going.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ahaha…… I’m nervous.”
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ㅤI let out a nervous laugh and opened the double wooden doors, which were an awkward size, about as high as my face （about chest height for an a*ult man）, and entered.
ㅤ
ㅤThe tough-looking people inside didn’t all glare at me……or anything like that.
ㅤEveryone seemed to have their own things to do, and only a few people near the door noticed me coming in.
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ㅤAmong those few people, there was someone I knew.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Isn’t that Minato? What are you doing here?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ah, Latifa-san.”
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ㅤIt was the red-haired beauty with almond-shaped eyes — Latifa-san, whom I had helped in the goblin nest.
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ㅤ（Ugh…… she’s kind of the type of person I’m not good with.)
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ㅤShe hasn’t done anything yet, but somehow, I think she’s the kind of person who would jump to conclusions and proceed with things without listening to what I have to say.
ㅤI’m really bad at saying NO to people like that.
ㅤMisunderstandings often lead to me being bullied.
ㅤ
ㅤShe was the type of person I’d rather avoid, but there’s nothing I can do now that I’ve run into her.
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ㅤ”Were you a Thief, Latifa-san?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”No, I’m a Warrior. I’m just here on an errand today.
ㅤSpeaking of which, were you a Thief, Minato? With sword skills that can cut a goblin in two like that?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Well, where I grew up, adventurers weren’t common. I just had my aptitude tested and came here.”
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ㅤ”You mean to register? To think that someone that strong was unaffiliated. I’m surprised.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Um, about that……”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Why? You should be proud of it. Ah, but many Thieves prefer to keep it hidden. I guess it makes sense that being inconspicuous is a good quality for a Thief.”
ㅤ
ㅤI feel like she said something subtly rude.
ㅤI wonder if she meant it or if it was intentional one-upmanship.
ㅤI said with a slightly strained smile,
ㅤ
ㅤ”Well then, I’d like to register.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Wait a minute. This is your first time here, right? I’ll show you around.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ah, no, thank you……”
ㅤ
ㅤ”It’s fine, it’s fine.
ㅤ–Ah, Domo-san, this girl wants to register. I can vouch for her skills.”
ㅤ
ㅤ（I told you not to say anything!）
ㅤ
ㅤShe’s definitely not listening to me.
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ㅤThe guild’s interior was a floor about half the size of the building’s exterior.
ㅤThere was a wide counter against the wall in the middle, with receptionists lined up.
ㅤThere were three receptionists to choose from: a mild-mannered elderly man, a plump middle-aged woman, and a young beautiful girl.
ㅤLatifa-san called out to the elderly man.
ㅤ
ㅤ（I’m glad it wasn’t the other two, but that’s just a coincidence, right?）
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ㅤLatifa-san probably didn’t choose him because he seemed easy to talk to.
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ㅤ（This person probably doesn’t find anyone difficult to talk to.）
ㅤ
ㅤI think what I’m feeling right now, looking at Latifa-san’s straight and tall back, is jealousy.
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ㅤAt the counter, the elderly man she called out to looked up.
ㅤHe was a kind-looking old man with distinctive long, white eyebrows and drooping corners of his eyes.
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ㅤ”Oh, so you’re someone recommended by Latifa, the young hope of the Warrior Guild? Lass, do you have a letter of introduction from the church?”
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ㅤ”Yes, this is it, right?”
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ㅤI handed the letter of introduction I received from the Priest-san to the old man.
ㅤThe letter of introduction was placed in an envelope and sealed with beeswax.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Hmm, let’s see……”
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ㅤThe old man opened the envelope with a paper knife that was behind the counter.
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ㅤI panicked.
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ㅤ”Eh, wasn’t the letter of introduction supposed to be given to the Guild Master……?”
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ㅤ”What are you talking about? This Domo-san is the Guild Master of the Thief Guild 🔹Loft Branch.”
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ㅤLatifa-san said nonchalantly.
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ㅤ”You should have told me that beforehand.
ㅤBut why is the Guild Master himself working the reception desk?”
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ㅤThe Guild Master 🔹Domo-san answered my question.
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ㅤ”This is the Thief Guild. We need to constantly hone our ability to judge people.
ㅤBesides, just between us, the Thief Guild has a higher rate of scoundrels joining compared to the other two guilds. The best way to weed out such people is for me to judge them with my own eyes.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I, I see……”
ㅤ
ㅤDoes that make sense……?
ㅤ
ㅤ”And as for your aptitude…… hmm, I see. I’ve been wary of you ever since you came in.”
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ㅤApparently, Domo-san had been observing me since I entered the guild.
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ㅤ”It wouldn’t be appropriate to discuss this here. Let’s talk in the back.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ah, thank you.”
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ㅤThe back…… It’s a little scary, but I certainly don’t want to talk about my aptitude and such here.
ㅤDomo-san seems to understand that. He must have been surprised when he saw the letter of introduction, but he didn’t show it on his face.
ㅤ
ㅤ（As expected of the master of the Thieves…… I guess?）
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ㅤLatifa-san pouted as the conversation between Domo-san and me progressed.
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ㅤ”What? What’s going on? Is it a secret?”
ㅤ
ㅤ……So, please don’t say it so loudly.
ㅤThe person next to us is looking this way.
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ㅤ”Ho ho ho. You seem to be young, so this old man just felt like taking you under his wing.”
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ㅤDomo-san skillfully deflects Latifa-san’s question with a poker face.
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ㅤ”Now then, would you come this way?”
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ㅤ”Y-Yes. Latifa-san, I’ll see you later.”
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ㅤ”Ah, yeah.”
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ㅤLeaving Latifa-san behind, looking somewhat dissatisfied, I entered the back room of the Thief Guild.