The Adventurers' Guild of Coleus stood near the center of the capital.
Unlike many buildings damaged by years of neglect, the guild remained lively and remarkably well maintained.
Adventurers moved constantly through its halls.
Warriors carrying monster parts.
Mages discussing requests.
Scouts returning from the wastelands.
The guild was the beating heart of Coleus.
Perhaps the only institution that had continued functioning properly even as the kingdom itself slowly decayed.
And today
Its halls had become deathly quiet.
Because Testarossa had arrived.
The Primordial White walked calmly through the guild accompanied by only two attendants.
Yet her presence alone was enough to make hardened adventurers stand straighter.
Some lowered their eyes immediately.
Others quietly moved out of her path.
The receptionist nearly dropped her documents when Testarossa approached.
"L-Lady Testarossa!"
Testarossa smiled politely.
"I am here to meet Guild Master Dozan."
"O-Of course!"
The receptionist bowed repeatedly before hurriedly leading the group deeper into the guild headquarters.
As they walked, Testarossa quietly observed the building.
Efficient layout.
Strong infrastructure.
Heavy traffic.
Extremely active request management.
'Impressive.'
For a human institution, the guild operated remarkably well.
No wonder the kingdom depended on it so heavily.
Eventually, they reached a large office near the upper levels.
The receptionist bowed nervously.
"Guild Master Dozan is waiting inside."
Testarossa entered without hesitation.
The office was spacious but practical.
Maps covered the walls.
Monster reports sat stacked across several tables.
Trophies from dangerous hunts decorated the room modestly.
And seated behind a broad desk was a dwarf.
Dozan
Dozan was broad-shouldered even for a dwarf, with a thick brown beard streaked heavily with gray.
Sharp eyes observed Testarossa carefully.
The moment she entered, he stood respectfully.
"Lady Testarossa."
"Guild Master Dozan."
The two exchanged measured greetings before taking their seats.
Moments later, an assistant entered carrying tea.
The cups were placed carefully before them.
Dozan thanked the assistant before finally speaking.
"I appreciate you taking the time to visit personally."
Testarossa lifted her cup elegantly.
"The Adventurers' Guild is one of the kingdom's most important institutions."
"And currently its greatest economic asset."
Dozan chuckled faintly.
"Straight to business."
"I prefer efficiency."
The dwarf nodded approvingly.
Then leaned back slightly in his chair.
"You know…"
His gaze drifted toward the guild hall beyond the windows.
"I founded this branch nearly two hundred years ago."
Testarossa listened silently.
"At the time, the kingdom was thriving."
"There was danger in the wastelands, of course."
"But there was opportunity too."
His expression softened with nostalgia.
"The king back then understood that."
"He supported the guild."
"Built roads."
"Established contracts."
"Created incentives for adventurers and merchants."
The old dwarf smiled faintly.
"Coleus became prosperous because monsters feared by the world became profit here."
Testarossa nodded slightly.
A sensible strategy.
Then Dozan's expression darkened.
"But around a hundred years ago…"
"…everything started going downhill."
Corruption.
Mismanagement.
Noble infighting.
Military decline.
Neglected infrastructure.
Tax exploitation.
The same rot Testarossa had already uncovered elsewhere.
Dozan sighed heavily.
"The guild kept this nation alive longer than it deserved."
Testarossa calmly sipped her tea.
'And now comes the request.'
The setup was obvious.
A long introduction.
Historical context.
Emotional investment.
Humans often circled conversations unnecessarily before reaching the true objective.
Testarossa decided to save time.
She lowered her cup gently.
"Guild Master Dozan."
The dwarf paused.
Testarossa smiled pleasantly.
"What is it you want?"
Silence lingered briefly.
Then Dozan laughed.
A deep, genuine laugh.
"Hah!"
"You really are terrifying."
Testarossa smiled calmly.
"I have been told that before."
Dozan leaned forward slightly.
"Very well."
"No dancing around it then."
His expression became serious.
"I want the Adventurers' Guild integrated into the kingdom's military structure."
The room fell quiet.
Even Testarossa's attendants looked slightly surprised.
Testarossa herself remained composed.
Though inwardly—
'Interesting.'
Dozan folded his hands.
"The old royal army became useless years ago."
"Corrupt officers."
"Poor training."
"Political appointments."
"The guild became the only reliable fighting force left in Coleus."
His sharp eyes locked onto hers.
"But adventurers alone cannot stabilize a nation."
He tapped one thick finger against the desk.
"If Coleus truly intends to rebuild…"
"…then the guild and military must become one coordinated force."
Testarossa watched him carefully.
The proposal carried enormous implications.
Military restructuring.
Shared authority.
Integrated operations.
Potentially dangerous.
Potentially brilliant.
Dozan continued calmly.
"The wastelands constantly produce threats."
"Monsters."
"Bandits."
"Smugglers."
"Rogue mercenaries."
"The guild already handles most of it."
He leaned back.
"But if we formally coordinate with the government…"
"…Coleus could become stronger than it has ever been."
Testarossa's eyes narrowed slightly in thought.
For several moments after Dozan proposed integrating the Adventurers' Guild into the military structure of Coleus, the office remained quiet.
Testarossa rested one hand lightly against her teacup.
Then
"No."
The answer came immediately.
Dozan blinked once.
"…That quickly?"
Testarossa smiled politely.
"Yes."
The dwarf leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.
"I was hoping for at least a little consideration."
"You received consideration."
Testarossa's eyes met his calmly.
"And after considering it, I rejected it."
Dozan sighed heavily.
"Well then."
"Mind explaining why?"
Testarossa nodded slightly.
"Certainly."
She placed her cup down carefully.
"The Adventurers' Guild and the military serve fundamentally different purposes."
Dozan listened silently.
"The guild exists because adventurers possess freedom."
"They choose contracts."
"They determine risks."
"They act independently."
Her voice remained calm and analytical.
"The military, meanwhile, functions through hierarchy, discipline, and obligation."
She folded her hands elegantly.
"If adventurers become soldiers, you create immediate structural instability."
Dozan raised an eyebrow.
"How so?"
Testarossa answered without hesitation.
"Conflicts of command."
"Contract disputes."
"Unregulated use of force."
"Questions of jurisdiction."
"Political corruption through guild influence."
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
"And most importantly…"
"The moment adventurers become military assets, neighboring nations stop viewing the guild as neutral."
Dozan's expression shifted slightly.
Testarossa continued.
"The guild operates across borders because it is perceived as independent."
"If Coleus militarizes it…"
"…other nations may restrict guild activity."
"Trade routes become complicated."
"Cross-border operations become suspicious."
"Foreign adventurers stop coming."
The dwarf slowly frowned.
He clearly had not overlooked those risks.
But neither had he fully considered the scale of them.
Testarossa leaned back slightly.
"Separating institutions creates stability."
"The guild should remain the guild."
"The army should remain the army."
Dozan rubbed his beard thoughtfully.
Then argued:
"But coordination between the two would still strengthen the kingdom."
"It would."
Testarossa nodded calmly.
"But full integration would weaken both in the long term."
Dozan fell silent.
Then after a moment, he snorted.
"You really did think this through."
'Of course I did,' Testarossa thought calmly.
'Unlike most humans, I prefer making decisions after analysis rather than emotional enthusiasm.'
Dozan sighed.
"Still."
"The guild deserves more influence than it currently has."
Testarossa's eyes narrowed slightly.
"There it is."
The dwarf looked up.
Testarossa smiled faintly.
"You are not truly concerned about military efficiency."
Dozan scratched his cheek.
"…Not entirely."
Testarossa's smile deepened.
"You want increased guild authority."
"Expanded state funding."
"Greater influence over trade and monster resource distribution."
She tilted her head slightly.
"And naturally…"
"…higher profits."
Dozan stared at her for several seconds.
Then laughed loudly.
"Hah!"
"At least you're honest."
"I prefer honesty."
The dwarf grinned.
"Well."
"You're not wrong."
He spread his hands openly.
"The guild keeps this kingdom alive."
"Why shouldn't we profit from that?"
Testarossa did not object.
In truth, she preferred straightforward greed over false patriotism.
Greedy men were predictable.
Idealists were far more troublesome.
She considered him for several moments before speaking.
"Very well."
Dozan blinked.
Testarossa continued calmly.
"I will not integrate the guild into the military."
The dwarf sighed.
"But."
His attention sharpened immediately.
Testarossa's eyes gleamed faintly.
"I am willing to offer an alternative arrangement."
Dozan leaned forward.
"I'm listening."
"The government of Coleus will formally recognize the Adventurers' Guild as a Strategic National Partner."
The dwarf's eyes widened slightly.
Testarossa continued.
"The guild will retain full operational independence."
"However…"
"Priority contracts involving the wastelands, border security, monster extermination, and resource acquisition will be directed primarily through the Coleus branch."
Dozan's expression shifted rapidly as he processed the implications.
That meant—
More contracts.
More adventurers.
More resources.
More influence.
And far more money.
Testarossa continued smoothly.
"In addition, the government will subsidize guild infrastructure expansion within Coleus."
"Roads."
"Supply depots."
"Fortified outposts."
"Merchant protection routes."
Dozan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You're turning Coleus into an adventurer hub."
Testarossa smiled.
"It already is."
"I merely intend to perfect it."
The dwarf slowly leaned back.
He understood immediately how massive this opportunity was.
If managed properly—
Coleus could become the single greatest adventurer economy in the western nations.
The wastelands produced endless monster materials.
Rare ores.
Magical resources.
Dangerous but profitable contracts.
And now a Demon Lord ruled the nation.
Meaning stability and protection unlike ever before.
Dozan exhaled slowly.
"…You planned this already, didn't you?"
Testarossa smiled serenely.
"Perhaps."
The dwarf laughed quietly.
Then glanced at her eyes.
And immediately understood something important.
This was not a negotiation anymore.
The decision had already been made.
The offer before him was generous.
Extremely generous.
But refusing it was not truly an option.
Not because she threatened him directly.
But because her gaze made one thing perfectly clear—
She had already calculated every outcome.
Dozan rubbed his beard one final time.
Then sighed.
"…Fine."
"I'll accept."
Testarossa nodded gracefully.
"Excellent."
Dozan pointed at her accusingly.
"You demons are terrifying negotiators."
Testarossa smiled pleasantly.
"And yet you still profited greatly."
The dwarf grumbled.
"…That somehow makes it worse."
---
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