Surviving in the Labyrinth City of the Reverse World

50 – Guild Acquisition #1

With the mindset that I could give up about 10%, I proposed 8 to 2. In case Anna had any complaints, I was willing to adjust it to 7 to 3.

But Anna accepted the offer with the nuance of being a bit dissatisfied with 8 to 2.

“You’re giving me 20%? Thank you.”

I drafted the contract with Anna. It was done quickly and decisively.

I became the 8, and she became the 2. Anna identified herself as the 2.

“After all, it’s a potion that can only be made by you.”

“…There are other ways to find a water sprite.”

“If that were possible, I would have already made and sold it.”

Finding a Suin with little resistance to lewd acts and a boy who was favorable towards such Suin was not easy.

From Anna’s perspective, it was like rain in a drought. So, receiving even 20% was something to be grateful for.

“Should I have called it 9 to 1?”

Anna might have had a seizure for a tenth of a second. I can’t be sure if she accepted it quietly.

It’s best to just move on without arguing. So, I rationalized it and finished the contract.

“Well, then, can I have your blood for now? I’ll figure out the selling method…”

Anna’s eyes, demanding Su’s blood, gleamed with greed.

* * *

“….”

After finishing the blood donation(?), Su rolled up a white cloth and stuffed it into his nose. Even while blocking his nostrils, he didn’t say a word.

“There’s a lot this time, huh?”

Anna giggled as she looked at Su’s blood, which had been filled to the brim in a glass bottle. It was enough to fill a fist-sized bottle, and it was actually quite a large amount.

No one would believe it if she said she extracted this through nosebleeds.

Su had bled more than usual. Only Su knew why.

Was there a difference from last time? When she asked, Su avoided answering.

“…I don’t know either.”

Looking at his disheveled face, it seemed like Su knew. It was about the reason he spilled blood like a bloodletting.

“If you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to.”

It wasn’t important. She didn’t plan on prying or questioning further.

“How much can you make with this?”

“If we dilute it like last time, five bottles. If we increase the quantity, we can make up to twenty bottles. Of course, the effectiveness will be weaker.”

Should I make only five bottles as a high-quality product? Or should I make twenty bottles as a low-quality one?

Anna, who was contemplating, asked me.

“The potion I gave you. You said you used it in the labyrinth, right?”

“Yes, I used it to save a person. It had a good effect.”

“How good was it?”

“Well…”

“For example, how much do you think it can save?”

With one potion, I saved Marco’s party. Sakura, who seemed certain to die from excessive bleeding shock, came back to life after taking the potion.

“A party without a priest could be quite useful.”

“So, how much?”

“…”

100 copper is 1 silver. 100 silver is 1 gold.

Suu spends about 1 silver for a week’s accommodation. The cost of living in the labyrinth city was more expensive than expected, and that was all she could do with 1 silver.

If I convert it to Korean won, 1 silver feels like around 500,000 won.

“If you think of the potion as a substitute for emergency surgery…”

When I had my appendix surgery, it cost 1.5 million won. The health insurance covered more than 10 million won.

“Would it be okay to charge 1 gold? If I say it’s the same product as last time…”

I believe that a skilled adventurer party has enough merit to pay 1 gold.

“But the problem is that the party that is strong and wealthy enough to pay one gold is likely to have a priest with them.”

“That’s true.”

The saying that you can make a lot of money in the Labyrinth City means going down even further and hunting.

Unlike low-level adventurer parties that hastily form combinations, roles are clearly distributed.

“It would be nice to have it. But I’m not sure if I should pay one gold for it. I can’t be certain.”

“Well, there’s only one answer. Lower the effect and increase the quantity. We have to sell it to many people at a low price. Let’s target the inexperienced adventurer parties.”

A low-level party that can’t afford to have a priest. We target them and make potions of suitable quality to sell.

That’s our goal.

* * *

I entrusted the potion-related work to Anna. Anna has always been an alchemist, but we are adventurers.

Sticking to the workshop didn’t help.

“Anna asked me to make sure she gets the right supplies.”

I also looked into guilds that I could join. The Labyrinth City was vast, and there were many adventurer guilds that I hadn’t visited yet.

Unfortunately, there was no guild that would accept us.

I scolded and came out of the guildhouse. Suu bowed her head deeply and murmured.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Why do you keep apologizing?”

The hatred towards beastmen still lingered. There was no adventurer guild that wanted to swallow a time bomb that could explode at any moment.

Time bomb. It was a perfect word to describe Suu.

“Now I see.”

I thought it was because I vaguely disliked it. It felt like pushing away something unnecessary, like having a missile that you can’t even use because it’s not fuel-efficient enough during “estrus.”

But that wasn’t it.

I understand now that I’ve experienced Suu’s estrus myself. I felt the same repulsion that adventurers feel in certain situations, right down to my skin.

“I understand.”

The older sisters of each adventurer guild were trying to protect their guild’s boys. Fuel efficiency and all that didn’t matter.

Estrus werewolves cannot be controlled. A blind werewolf would immediately attack any male child nearby.

Because you never know when or where they might do something, it’s best not to let them inside the fence from the beginning.

According to Anna’s words.

Suu was a special case. There was never a case of an estrus werewolf suppressing and enduring their instincts.

Since the birth of the werewolf race, you could count them on one hand.

Even if I explain, they won’t believe it. Unless they see it for themselves, it’s hard to believe.

Actually, no one even thought about believing it.

I returned to the inn. While eating the lunch that the landlady brought out, I pondered on the next course of action.

No matter how much I racked my brain, nothing came to mind.

At that moment, Fubuki spoke up. It wasn’t clear if her mouth opened because of the mask.

I heard her voice.

“Lord Rei, do you really have to join the guild?”

“…It’s better to join. We can receive various conveniences.”

Fubuki said with an expressionless face.

“I am a ninja from the Kurotsuki family.”

I know without you saying it. Crazy ninjas who strike even when they don’t need to repay.

“Lord Ray is the patron of the family.”

“……”

“He goes around to other guilds in a humble manner. I cannot stand to see him like that.”

“What if you don’t see it?”

“I will send a letter to the master.”

If we summarize Houbuki’s words that continue afterwards…

“…you want to establish a guild?”

“It’s not a bad choice to take over. Not all adventurer guilds are wealthy.”

Houbuki suggests a method.

“The most important thing in maintaining an adventurer guild is the number of male adventurers. You need male adventurers who bring back magic stones in order to operate the guild.”

“…That’s right.”

“If there are other ways to make money, I don’t know. But most guilds seem to rely on the adventures of male adventurers to operate. So the more male adventurers, the better. However, exceptional male adventurers are scarce.”

Houbuki stares at me. His crimson eyes seem to pierce through me.

“Lord Ray is a ‘remarkable’ man. Even if you acquire an adventurer guild, I think you can run it sufficiently.”

“……”

Did I talk to Houbuki about the “Soul Protection” rank?

As I myself am uncertain and doubtful, Houbuki speaks.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mention it.”

“What about?”

“I can see through things. It’s only to the extent of seeing through thin cloth or walls.”

“……”

Houbuki’s gaze lowered. Under the table. It seemed like he was looking at my crotch.

Startled, I quickly covered it with my hand.

“W-Wait, what?”

“It’s a power that consumes mental strength. If you don’t concentrate, you can’t see it.”

“Then when did you see it?”

“I saw it earlier in the alchemist’s workshop. I couldn’t help but intrude to make sure Lord Ray inside was safe, so I had to resort to it, despite being rude.”

“……”

What did he do?

As I asked with my eyes, Houbuki slowly nodded.

“The alchemist’s deductions were perfect. They were actually proven.”

“…Don’t say it.”

“I won’t tell the others.”

Suu looks at the two of us with a puzzled face. He seems to be showing interest in the word ‘others’.

“What are you talking about not saying?”

“There’s something like that….”

“Tell me too.”

“Oh, no… I can’t.”

I couldn’t say it. I didn’t want to say it out loud, that I gave it to him to calm down Suu’s heat.

I hate feeling like a crazy mess.

I pushed Swoo away and continued the conversation.

“So, Houbuki, you’re saying… we should acquire another guild?”

“I don’t know what conditions are needed to establish one. So, I’m suggesting that it would be easier to acquire a failing guild.”

“But we don’t have any money. We haven’t even sold any potions…”

“That’s why I’m planning to send a letter to the Lord.”

Houbuki took out a small scroll from her bosom.

Tap, tap. Tap, tap.

“Who the hell is it? Why won’t they come in…?”

Just then, the innkeeper, who was tidying up the inn hall, heard the tapping sound and approached the door. And she opened it.

Quack, quack!

“Oh, for f*ck’s sake!”

A crow fluttered its wings and flew into the inn. It was Houbuki’s crow.