Mushoku Tensei: Life and Strife.

Overtime without sleep is a nightmare to every woman, and it just so happened that the Guild Master was a woman amongst women. To make things worse, recently, I heard that the nobles had been poking around like pigs.

The stress and annoyance had probably gotten to her at some point. I could even see her office had literally frozen over. And we’re in summer.

Now, you might be wondering why I called myself the air conditioner before. Funny that you asked. The Guild Master’s icy glare was so cold the whole room would freeze. I was the only person who had the guts, or to be exact, had no choice but to enter the room and tank her irritation.

“Guild Master…”

“Good afternoon, Mr. Laurel. What can I help you with?”

I stared at the mountain of paperwork stacking on top of each other. Despite the numbers, it was so organized that the whole tower was square-shaped. Behind it was a woman in her early twenties, with long black hair and amethyst for eyes. She was a beauty. And incredibly beautiful young women whose delicate hands had casually ripped off the neck of a dragon.

From an outside perspective, the Guild Master looked calm and composed, drinking her tea while meticulously sending letters to various places… Except for the fact that the tea wasn’t liquid but solid ice.

“Uh… Uhm. Guild Master, you-uh. Rather, can I help you with anything?”

“… I’m afraid there’s nothing you can help with. That is, unless you are adept in politics, Mr. Laurel.”

“…”

Nope. Not one bit. I sat there quietly, pretending to drink my own cup of tea. Of course, the teapot itself had frozen over, and she had never served me any tea to begin with. Still, it’s good enough to buy time.

“Stop sitting there like a duck drinking imaginary tea. If you want something, then spit it out.”

“…”

Mission failed. She hates you now. What are you going to do? Option A: Be honest. Option B: Make up something to say. Option C, kept shut. Knowing the Guild Master… Wait…

“Guild Master?”

“Mhm?”

“I just realized that you never told me your name.”

All this time, everyone has only ever been calling her "master this, master that." I’ve never really heard of her name for the past six months. I mean, she kinda helped me out at my lowest, so at the very least, I should know her name.

“… Melantha. Remember that.”

Melantha, huh? As in the word that translates to "dark flower" in Latin? Wow, now that’s poetic. In a sense, it really does suit her.

“It’s a lovely name.”

“Mhm.”

As expected, well-timed praise always does its job right. I could feel the air getting less cold. It was definitely still cold, but less so.

“Alright, so what is it that you want?”

“…”

… Tch. Not slithering out of this, huh?

“I need a capable woman to Begar—"

“Rejected.”

The cold-hearted Guild Master shut me down immediately before I could finish my sentence.

“But why?”

I said indignantly. But the guild master did not move an inch, continuing on stamping her documents. After a moment of silence, the woman finally opened her mouth.

“… Too many succubus.”

“…”

“Too MANY.”

Isn’t it contradictory that she rejected sending a woman with me because of succubi? I was thinking of the possibility that the guild currently lacks said personnel. Not that it would have mattered since my own personal power was sufficient.

But I’ve seen quite a few capable people on the field. Perhaps her skills weren’t sufficient enough from her perspective? Then again, to an old hag who has lived for forever, anyone would seem like young and easily harmed children.

Still, I’m not an expert when it comes to exploration, so in that sense, I have no choice but to trust the more experienced adventurer. Bringing more burdens onto a dangerous area was foolish, and carelessness equals death, after all.

However, without sufficient skills and personnel, going there would simply be suicidal. And without the Guild Master’s help, finding a capable adventurer party willing to brave the dangers on a mere speculation wasn’t possible.

As I racked my brains trying to come up with any viable excuse, the Guild Master answered in her usual emotionless tone.

“No means no. Give it up.”

I wasn’t going to win against cold rational logic, but I really, really want to go. I have to go. I NEED to go. Even if it was merely a possibility with no evidence, I have no choice but to believe it. The novel had already led me this far, so it wouldn’t even be impossible to assume Zenith was there.

A thought flashed in my mind. Angel had said that the Guild Master likes cute things. While I am inclined to believe the opposite, Angel was still the Guild Master’s secretary. And I, by the testimony of many, am a cute child.

…Well, I certainly had grown to look like a teen, but for someone who had lived for thousands of years, she would look at me like a child no less. I mean it’s the same for me and the kids.

No matter how I look at it, I don’t see how she would look at me otherwise, even if I act older than my actual age. And even then, it’s still the experience gained from a 20-year-old. If it fails, then all I lose is my face…

Fuck it. Zenith’s life is more important. I have already built Vast Expanse from selling corn pics for a living; what face do I even have left to lose? It’s just going to be a dark history that the Guild Master would someday forget anyway.

The image of how Pursena whines whenever she wants food as I muster all my courage to act as cute as possible. Alright, here goes nothing.

“Guild Ma—"

“Guild Masterrr~ Can’t you spare some love for your tiny subordinate? Please?”

“…”

“…”

“…”

Angel fell down, letting all the stacked-up paperwork fly around, messing up the whole room. Behind her, faces of all the administrators that I had known during the past six months were staring through the door she had opened.

Everyone. Everyone there had seen me acting cute in front of the Guild Master.

… I hate my life.

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