Protagonist Knows Everything - Chapter 20

Burns’ gaze kept turning to the bag. 300 gold isn’t that small of an amount though.

At that time, Burns said while pretending to be composed.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to do here. But it doesn’t take a lot of time to save up that much money.”

“You are misunderstanding something.”

“What?”

“I am giving you this money as a gesture of goodwill. So that we can get along in the future. Please don’t feel burdened.”

Burns’ eyes were gleaming. After All there’s no human that won’t like money handed over to them, if there are people like that then they must have a lot of money.

“Really? Is that it?”

“To be honest, I think that you’ll come over to this side eventually if I keep doing this.”

“……”

“But I don’t need an answer right now. If I could get an A-class adventurer with just this much, then I Hagnut Guild would’ve had a handful of them.”

Burns laughed little.

“I didn’t know that the Hagnut Guild had that much money.”

“……”

“But it wouldn’t be that easy. No place treats A-class adventurers as well as the Wyvern Guild. I will have to bags similar to this quite a lot of times.”

While Burns was receiving the money, he smiled and said, “of course. You should try harder.”

Of course, there is no way that you will join the Hagnut Guild with just this. Recruiting someone like you wouldn’t be that easy.

‘I have to do this slowly, with patience and sever his bonds with the Wyverns’.

I got up and said.

“Then. I’ll be on my way”

“uh? Are you going to go already?”

Money is quite powerful afterall. The guy who pointed his sword at my neck just a few days ago was now feeling sorry for not being able to serve anything.

I replied with a gentle smile.

“It’s quite late after all and I am quite sleepy.”

“But…”

“Oh, can I ask you one thing?”

“Ask. If I can answer you, I will.”

“What’s the Wyvern Guild’s share in the A-class quest rewards?”

Burns’ expression hardened.

I shook my hand as if it was nothing. “Just for reference. Our guild is also receiving A-class quests, but it’s a first time for our guild, so we have no reference.”

“Aren’t the shares fixed by the Guild Association?”

“If all guilds offered the same rate, A-class adventurers should be spread across all guilds evenly. But that isn’t the case right?”

“……”

“Seems like it was a difficult question. I won’t ask you anymore.”

Burnt scratched his head and asked, “How much is the Hagnut Guild’s share?”

“We split it in halves.”

“What..?!”

The Burns’ complexion changed.

‘Of course he’ll be surprised.’

“That sounds like a lie… So what’s left with the guild?”

“We’re still in the growing phase, even if nothing is left for the guild right now, we’ll profit in the long term if we can recruit valuable talents.”

“……”

“Of course we can’t keep going like this. As your guild grows to a certain extent, we will gradually lower the share that goes to the adventurer. But…”

I added a word in a subtle tone.

“We can’t lower the shares of adventurers who sign up with our guild once.”

In other words, there’s a time limit till which the initial share rates will stay high.

Burns couldn’t hide the expression and said.

“I can’t believe it.”

“Well. Let’s see…”

I rummaged my pockets as if I just recalled something. And then I took out a receipt.

A receipt with Kasha’s signature. Receipts like this are made while handing out the quest rewards. This receipt was from Kasha’s last quest.

This wasn’t a false receipt. Kasha was paid really well.

“Huh, huh.”

Burns’ looked shocked.

I put the receipt back into my pocket and said.

“Looks like you really like money.”

“……”

Then Burns laughed.

“You’re single, right?”

“Yeah.”

“How much money do you think it costs to raise children?”

“I’m not sure.”

Burnt leaned deep into his chair. Then he stared at the door to the next room. Maybe he was thinking about the children sleeping in the next room.

“You can’t put a value on it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I think it’s not enough for my child no matter how much I work. Even if I make an extra penny, I think about my children and what I can get them. That’s a parent for you.”

In the end, he says he has a lot of regrets about money.

He added a word in a bitter tone.

“In addition, my life as an adventurer was too short.”

‘The age of thirty-seven with 97 percent development.’

Certainly my retirement isn’t that far. I can’t help but try to earn a penny more.

Burns sat up straight and looked at me.

“But you won’t be able to get me right away.”

I am bound to the Wyverns by an exclusive contract. I do intend to terminate that contract.

‘The cracks are already there. Good, this makes things easier.’

“It’s late. I’ll get going then.”

“Uh… just like that?”

Burns came out to see me off. He hesitated for a while, then said.

“I am sorry for the last time.”

“For what?”

“For trying to kill you.”

“You were just following orders, I would’ve done the same if I was in your place. And I am sorry for lying about your family.”

Actually, I wasn’t really sorry. But from what I’ve seen, family means a lot to Burns. If I said that I was sorry then he’ll open up to me a bit more.

If I want to recruit him then I will need him to trust me.

“I… no. OK.”

“Well then.”

“Oh, can you apologize to Kasha for me?”

“For what?”

“For what I did in the frit reserve and the restaurant as well. Actually, I did that on purpose…”

“Dirk asked me to do that.”

I said calmly.

“I am sure that Kasha doesn’t hate you that much.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“You’re not a bad person. It’s obvious from the way you treat your family. Kasha may look a bit immature and childish but she’ll understand.”

‘Kasha is still a child though.’

“……”

“Please visit our guild tomorrow for once. I will serve you tea.”

With that I left Burns’ house.

I had a pretty refreshing morning.

Last night, I was tired from moving around and all that talking exhausted me. Thanks to that, I was able to get some good sleep.

After going to work, I first checked the personnel records.

First of all, starting with Burns’ recent records.

[8 hours ago: Guild von Lebeck visited the house and questioned Burns.]

‘The guild master came? Not Dirk?’

‘Damn it. I should’ve been there.’

Maybe I could’ve seen his face, but it’s a pity. If only I could see his face then his information would’ve become available.

I kept scrolling through the records.

[7 hours and 30 minutes ago: Von discovered the bag that Kim left behind. Due to speculations a quarrel broke out.]

[7 hours ago: The quarrel intensified.]

[6 hours and 50 minutes ago: Dirk Pechen came and mediated the fight between Von and Burns.]

[6 hours and 30 minutes ago: The commotion calmed down and Dirk returned along with Von.]

It is true that I left the bag in a way that would make it easier for someone to find it. But that was enough for the guild master to start a fight? Seriously?

“Haha.”

I burst into laughter without noticing.

Then I heard Sain’s voice.

“Why are you laughing? Mr. Tay.”

I slowly turned to her and replied.

“Sometimes there are people who find themselves in positions that aren’t suited for them.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that?”

“No. nothing.”

In my previous life, II saw a lot of people who somehow became presidents of their companies, but didn’t know how to behave like one. That made people around them wonder how they got into that position.

The same goes for the guild master.

‘Just contacting his A-class adventurer was enough for him to lose his composure? Instead of losing his cool he should’ve stayed calm and asked about the situation.’

Suddenly I heard Kasha’s voice.

“Sain. Just don’t mind him. Tay has always been weird.”

“You’re here?.”

“I came before Tay with Elena.”

Then just do the chores if you have time to follow your sister around. At that time, the guild flung open.

And with tired eyes Burns was standing there.

“Hmm.”

On his sight the receptionists started to mumble.

“Well, look over there. That person.”

“Burns? Burns Iai?”

“Why is that man here…”

Burns looked around for a while until he found me. And approached with a very calm attitude and spoke.

“Hmmm. Mr. Tay.”

“Welcome. Mr. Burns.”

“So you did accept my invitation for tea.”

He was scratching his head with a slightly embarrassed expression.

“This somehow feels weird.”

“What do you mean? I was the one who invited you.”

“……”

“Let’s go to the conference room for now.”

Sain and Kasha were standing there frozen like wild animals in front of headlights. Without explaining much I led Burns right into the conference room.

“Right this way…”

We didn’t discuss anything business related, most of it was just topics regarding everyday life.

Just one thing was unexpected.

“Kasha frame.”

The moment Burns said that Kasha assumed a fighting stance.

“What!?”

“I’m sorry for what I did that day. I apologize.”

“……”

“It may sound like an excuse but, can you forgive me?”

At those words, Kasha looks at me.

“Tay. Is he telling the truth?”

I don’t know why you’re asking me that. Do you think that I know everything in this world?

“…”

“Yeah it’s true, he’s sorry for what he did that day.”

Then Kasha’s expression changed and her normal smug expression came back.

“I see. I’ll think about it.”

“……”

“I know your circumstances. You were just following orders.”

Suddenly Kasha was pretending to be an adult.

“Why are you talking like that all of a sudden?”

“What do you mean? I talk like this all the time.”

All of a sudden Burns burst into laughter.

“Huh.”

“Why are you laughing?”

“My youngest is now six year old. She always tells me how she’ll help me with work once she grows up.”

“And?”

“No. I just suddenly remembered it.”

Kasha tilted her head.

“He just wants to say that you remind him of his six year old daughter. Do not worry about it.”

“The Hagnut Guild sure has a great atmosphere.”

“Isn’t it great? Who wouldn’t want to join a place like this?”

“Mr. Tay sure doesn’t miss a chance… I’m sorry, but I can’t do that yet.”

Burns fiddled with the teacup.

“I’m also tied to the contract, but… I don’t know how the guild master would react if I say that I want to terminate the contract.”

“……”

“Anyway, the tea was really good. I’ll be on my way now.”

Burns rose up. I followed and said.

“Good thing that you liked the tea.”

“Yeah I enjoyed this meeting a lot.”

With that, Burns left the room and exited the guild.

It’s fun to think about.

The fact that he shared a cup of tea with a man whom he tried to kill not long ago.

‘He isn’t the real enemy after all.’

It was right at that moment.

[Received 300 HR evaluation points from Sain.]

[Received 200 HR evaluation points from Kasha.]

I was waiting for this.

[Employee can be promoted to second year. Do you accept?]

Isn’t there any option to accept it automatically? There’s no way I will refuse a promotion.

As I nodded, the status window came up.

[Level: Employee 2nd year / Next level: Employee 3rd year]

[Points required until the next promotion: 480/3500]

[Professional ability 1: Please also ask for this.]

[Trait 2: Permit.]

Promotions allow you to access new information and abilities. If it wasn’t for the working hours then I’d be spending my whole day fiddling with the records.

Suddenly Kasha was shouting.

“Wait wait wait!”

“Huh?”

“I almost died of curiosity but, what did you do? Huh?”

Fortunately Sain was there to translate Kasha’s cryptic screams into something comprehensible.

I slowly explained the situation to both of them.

As they listened to the story, their faces gradually changed from absurdity to admiration.

When the report was finished, Kasha exhaled and said.

“Heh. Nonsense.”

“What is?”

“Everything. Tay’s really lucky that his reckless plans work out in the end.”

“…is that a praise?”

The gleam in Kasha’s eyes said that it indeed was a praise.

I was so burdened with that gaze that I turned to Sain.

“Your plan was rather aggressive but it was worth the risk.”

“……”

“Burns has a lot of utility adventurer so he’ll be of great value to the guild.”

“Utility..?”

I decided to stop my explanation at that point.

Burns had a history of working behind the scenes for his guild. Work that Kasha won’t be able to handle.

Then I replied

“Yeah. Since Burns has been an adventurer for a really long time, his experience would help us a lot.”

“Recruiting him won’t be easy though.”

“But the rift between him and his guild is already there. Now we just have to wait before their whole relationship falls apart.”

With that I turned around and saw Sain bowing her head.

“Why are you doing that?!”

“How many times do I have to say this? Their guild master is dangerous.”

“Boss…”

“You should have consulted me in advance. I almost thought that Burns and their guild leader were going after Tay.”

Sain was shivering.

‘I didn’t know that she was this worried.’

I was just standing there while scratching my head.

“Sorry. Next time, I will definitely report it first.”

“Don’t just do dangerous things like this again.”

“I will try my best.”

‘I can’t say no.’

Considering the gap between Wyvern and us, I will have to do more things like this.

Sain wasn’t satisfied with my answer, but it seemed that she gave up on convincing me for now.

Then Kasha looked at Sain and asked.

“But where did the 300 gold come from?”

Sain was amazed at Kasha’s question.

“Right. Did you use money from your savings, Tay?”

“No. The thing is……”

“I knew it!”

“What?! I haven’t even answered yet.”

“Please wait here.”

Sain went into her room and after a while she came out with a heavy bag of money.

“You said the money you gave to Mr. Burnt yesterday was 300 gold, right?”

“Yeah?”

“This is twice that amount. Take it.”

‘This is an unexpected incentive.’

“Boss, but yesterday’s money, actually…”

“Hmmm…”

‘Sometimes this woman’s cold eyes scare me.’

“No, nothing, nevermind. I accept it, you’ll get angry if I don’t.”

“……”

I was scratched on my head and received a bag of money.

At that moment a smile crossed Sain’s face.

“Thank you very much. Mr. Tay.”

‘What is this warmth I am feeling right now?’

It was a feeling that I had never felt before. Not even in my previous life.

Then Kasha abruptly coughed once and spoke.

“I’ll give you something too.”

“What?”

“Anything. I also have a lot of money.”

“Then please clean the guild for me.”

“……”

Anyway, I was done with explaining things to them. Oh, one more thing.

I checked the personnel records for what happened to Hans…

[9 hours ago: Assaulted by the Wyvern guild members.]

[8 hours ago: Dirk sent him to the doctor for treatment.]

[7 hours ago: Regained consciousness. Injuries aren’t life threatening but he is in a state of shock.]

‘So that happened?’

‘But I did keep my promise though. I didn’t send you to the hospital.’

‘But you got beat up by Dirk and his goons and went to the hospital anyway. That’s sad.’

‘If you want to get paid then come back anytime. If you can.’

‘Bye Hans. Wish we never cross our paths ever again.’

‘But at least you’re still alive. I won’t kill you.’

“I won’t go far anyway.”