The Guild Master Whose Hobby Was Helping People Found Himself Surrounded by the Strongest, Overly Attached Members - 31

Chapter 31: Reference

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“Oi, oi, oi, oi, oi…What the hell is this!?”

The scene outside the window prompted me to clutch my head in shock. I quickly dashed down the stairs to confirm the situation. Downstairs, I could literally feel the head radiating through the walls. It felt like I was marching toward the front lines of a battlefield.

And then, the moment I opened the door to the first floor, I was greeted by an unbelievable sight. An overwhelming flood of armor, robes, and weapons filled my vision at the same time.

“Ugh…!? This reminds me of my company days…”

Indeed. This scene reminded me of a packed commuter train. Where the hell had the sense of personal space gone off to? The lobby in front of the entrance was crammed with adventurers who had poured in from outside. All of them were shouting over one another to no end.

“Please give me an interview!”

“Please! I’m willing to do anything!”

“Man, joining the same guild as Bloodstained is seriously my dream!”

“Is Sera-chan single?”

Okay. That last one can’t be forgiven.

Amidst the chaotic crowd, a familiar giant frame stood tall in the center.

“Leader! You are awake, sir!”

Upon seeing the sight of me, Ragnar spread his massive arms wide with a beaming smile. On his back was a huge banner that read, “White Lamp Recruiting New Members!”

“…Ragnar.”

“Yes, sir!”

“What the hell is going on here?”

I was sure my voice carried an icy edge, but Ragnar didn’t flinch in the slightest. Instead, he puffed out his chest proudly.

“You said it yourself, Leader… Having strong people around makes all the difference! And more than that, we need to spread the word of your great deeds to the world! In order to achieve that and to build an even stronger guild! I, Ragnar Blastheart, began recruiting new members!”

“Without asking me…?”

“Yes, sir! After yesterday’s banquet, I posted notices on every guild bulletin board and even requested announcements at the Royal Capital Guild! Behold, these overflowing applicants! This is the proof of your exalted radiance, Leader!”

…This is anything but ‘exalted radiance’ or whatever. This is overcrowding, both physically and mentally. And wait, the Royal Capital Guild too? That means this recruitment is basically nationwide now!

“Hey, Master!”

From behind Ragnar, Sera pushed her way through the crowd. Her eyes were sparkling. It was clear to see she was completely caught up in the festival-like atmosphere.

“Look, look! So many people want to join us! Isn’t it amazing?”

“Yeah… It’s amazing, but…”

I glanced around, wondering about someone else—and sure enough, there she was. Lisette was behind the counter, calmly handling the registration forms and scribbling with her pen. Next to her, Leon and Iris were swamped dealing with applicants.

Getting stuck with this kind of workload right after joining… I almost felt sorry for them. Almost. Though honestly, I had been thinking about doing similar things to them myself…

“Everyone, please line up in order. Write down your skills and rank, and then we’ll assign interview times.”

“Lisette! Why are you just casually starting up the recruitment process!?”

“Because we need more erran— I mean, companions to share both joys and hardships with.”

You were about to say errand boys, weren’t you? In its own way, her consistency was admirable. But this wasn’t the time for a snarky comment. Without a single word of approval from me, the massive new member recruitment project for our guild had already gone into full swing.

I dropped to my knees on the spot. The tremors of dozens of feet stomping the floorboards of the guild shook through my knees, up my spine, and into my head.

“M-my… Subsidy-filled, easygoing slow life… Is it over…?”

The moment I spoke the words aloud, the reality hit even harder. It was like the door to my future had slammed shut right in front of me. Looking up at the ceiling, I saw the guild flag of White Lamp swaying happily on its pillar.

Stop it… Don’t look at me with that innocent face of yours. I can’t answer your hopes—Wait. Hopes… To answer them? Me?

Still staring at the ceiling, a thought struck me.

…Wait. It’s not over yet.

Even if applicants flooded in, it wasn’t like I had to accept them all.

That’s right. Interviews.

By crafting the final hurdle in the form of interviews, I could reject every single one who wasn’t my ideal. For example, “Someone who won’t complain when I dump chores on them, but also isn’t useful enough to add to the workload to me.”

Yes, yes… I’ll be the interviewer… I will become the one with the ultimate power of rejection!

A dark smile spread inside my chest. Exactly. If I dropped every single one of them here, my peace would be preserved. Depending on how I handled it, the applicants themselves might even say, “Yeah, never mind.” And then, my peaceful life would remain intact—!

The moment my resolve solidified, I sprang to my feet.

“Alright! We will now begin interviews for all applicants!”

My sudden declaration caused a stir through the crowd. 

“Please use the second floor as the interview room.”

 “One at a time! Form a line!” 

Lisette smoothly said. Meanwhile, Ragnar and Leon began shouting as they herded the applicants into order. And thus, I began my secret plan, Operation: Total Rejection.

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