Guild Management Is Tough
I prayed, hoping to repent for the hardships of running the guild. I poured out my honest feelings exactly as they were. This, I believed, was true faith—the very heart of a prayer of repentance.
“Honestly, I… don’t really wear clothes like that. I like black T-shirts. Even if you give me those bright, flashy outfits… I just don’t wear them. Still, since Maru smiled, I accepted them… Maem…!! I’ll try to be brave this time. I’ll challenge those flashy clothes once spring comes… Maem!!”
After venting, my mood lifted considerably.
“I’ve finished my prayers. Now what?”
Honestly, it had been so long since I last felt this way that I had no idea what to do next.
“What should I do?”
I really didn’t know. I wished someone would just appear and explain the situation. Who was even around? Truthfully, I couldn’t remember the members. Hmm… who was there again? Who might be online?
I clicked the tab to check the player list. Earlier there had been a hundred people… now there were over two hundred. Incredible. Absolutely incredible.
Oh. Oh! Found one. Someone I actually knew.
I immediately sent a whisper.
“Maem, are you around? I have something to say.”
“Yes… thank you for the wonderful choice…”
Thankfully, she agreed to come. She really was a remarkable person.
I waited for Maem inside the cathedral. With nothing else to do, I glanced at the chat.
“What war? Why is Maem fighting?”
A war? They even have wars in Minecraft? This game really was something else.
As I watched the chat, I noticed several—no, many—people who were completely immersed. They were busy typing out long explanations.
I simply watched. It was oddly calming, like watching a house burn from a safe distance. It wasn’t my problem, after all. They were just fighting among themselves. While fighting, they were also feeding the chat… how nice. That’s just how people are, right? They can’t stand being insulted themselves, but they love watching others get insulted.
After observing for a while, I spoke up. After all, I was the owner of this room. Eventually people would complain that I wasn’t managing the chat. I hadn’t experienced it yet, but I’d heard it was famous for people sending angry emails when the chat wasn’t moderated.
“Everyone… that’s enough now. Let them fight their war. Why scold people for being invested? I actually find it funny. A war broke out!! Seon-a, a war broke out!! If you go there you’ll get dragged in, so let’s not. They’re super pissed right now. Hehehe. It’s hilarious, isn’t it?”
Honestly, wasn’t it funny? A war had started. They were preparing like crazy over there. It was genuinely hard to hold in my laughter. Especially with viewers who were genuinely worried… some were even begging me not to join the war. I really had grown. In the past I would’ve been trembling too much to do anything. Now I could even laugh about it.
That didn’t mean I had any intention of going there on purpose. I just thought it was funny.
“Ah. I have no plans to go there!! I’m just going to relax like this and chat.”
I had zero desire to fight. My controls were terrible, so I’d be at a disadvantage. If I were good at controlling the character, maybe, but… honestly, I wasn’t. Just imagining it made me shiver. You couldn’t underestimate Minecraft. It actually demanded quite a bit of control. Since it was 3D, you had to whip the mouse around, and you had to keep eating bread to maintain stamina… it was a really busy game.
“Seon-a!! Seon-a!!”
“Huh? Maem. It’s been a while. Did you stream yesterday too?”
“Y-yeah. I did full attendance over the holidays.”
“Wow!! That’s amazing.”
“Hehehe. I’ll give you a situation briefing.”
“For me? Really?”
I was genuinely surprised. For me? Really? Why? Maem’s laughter echoed through the cathedral.
“No, stop laughing and just tell me!! Quickly. Why are you briefing me? Hurry up. I’m dying of curiosity.”
“Hehehe. Heh. Heh. Well, you see…”
“Ah…!! Wait a second. Wait. Right. I should’ve at least put on a tuxedo… Ugh… hold on, what skin are you using right now?”
“Skin! That reminds me, I had a question about that.”
“What is it?”
“Why are you Steve?”
Steve: Minecraft’s default skin, a male character wearing a blue shirt and jeans.
Steve? Ah, that was what I used back when Minecraft didn’t have custom skins. Then someone gifted me a skin… but I must have done something wrong and it reset. I kept putting off changing it because I was worried I’d mess something up if I tried while streaming, and now I was still using it… there was a whole long story behind it.
“Ah, there’s a reason for that. I’ll change it later. Should I change it now? I can put on the tuxedo while I’m at it. What do you think?”
“No, it’s cute. This one’s really cute too.”
“I-I actually have a Seon-a skin. I really do. It’s super cute.”
I did have a cute skin. I didn’t make it myself—someone with golden hands made it for me. A long time ago. I was really moved back then. I should use it again, but I kept forgetting because I had the memory of a selective goldfish. I called it “selective” because just saying “goldfish brain” would’ve hurt my feelings. Sometimes I remembered everything like a normal person. So I added the “selective” part myself.
“Oh~ Got it. Anyway, should I give you that briefing? You’re a guild executive. No, wait… you’re the guild master, aren’t you?”
“Me?”
“Yeah~! That’s what everyone thinks.”
I felt a rush of happiness. To be given such a high position… this was amazing. Guild master? Really? I was so happy. Mwahahaha!!
“Nice…!! Ah, I need to keep my dignity. Okay, yeah. Please brief me.”
“Where to start… there’s so much. First, while you were away, we finished building the cathedral. What do you think?”
“I’m satisfied. Who built it?”
“Joseph did everything. He streamed for forty hours and just ended his stream a moment ago.”
“Whoa… that’s incredible. Joseph. From now on, I’m appointing you Minister of Construction… wait a second. Maem, come with me.”
High-ranking positions required Maru’s permission. That was common sense, wasn’t it? I led Maem deeper into the cathedral and offered a prayer.
“Maem!! May I promote Joseph to Minister of Construction? Maem!! ‘Do so…’ Thank you. Maem!!”
Permission granted. But in this sacred place, Maem’s laughter rang out loudly.
“Hehahahaha. Hahaha.”
“You can’t laugh inside the cathedral. Even if it’s your signature laugh, it’s not allowed. Please be quiet.”
“Hehehe. Okay… hehehe.”
Her laughter gradually faded. No matter how signature it was, I couldn’t forgive laughter echoing through the holy cathedral. I really couldn’t. However, Maru might see things differently. I decided to ask again.
“Maem…!! Maru. Is Maem’s signature laugh acceptable? Maem!! ‘It is not…’ Ah… Understood. Thank you. Maem!!”
Right. Laughing in the cathedral just wasn’t proper. As expected of the respected Maru. When something was wrong, she said so clearly. There was so much to learn from her. She was truly impressive.
“That’s a shame. She won’t allow the signature laugh.”
“Hehehehe. No… ehehe. Really.”
“Blasphemy.”
Maem. I really liked her. She was a VTuber with such a pretty laugh. However, Maru was more important to me. My respect for Maru was beyond question. After a long time, I took out my Crusader weapon. It was the weapon I had obtained to deliver justice to anyone who insulted Maru. I hadn’t gotten it myself—either Tteok or Raming had obtained it for me.
“Huh? Huh?”
“Blasphemy. The signature laugh was just banned, wasn’t it?”
“Ah… I’m sorry. No, I mean, I’ll try really hard to hold it in!! Please.”
“Really? Just a moment.”
I bowed again and offered a prayer. Maru’s voice… I could hear her voice.
“Maru… may I forgive her just this once? ‘Do so…’ Thank you!! Maem.”
“Maem!! Ehehe… Heh. Thank you!!”
As expected of the kind and benevolent Maru. I never dreamed she would forgive this. I wouldn’t have forgiven it myself. This too must be thanks to Maru’s kindness.
“Then… let’s go outside.”
I left the cathedral together with Maem. The moment we stepped out, I got straight to business.
“When Joseph arrives, please tell him he’s been promoted to Minister of Construction.”
“Understood.”
“Wait a second, Maem…”
“Yes?”
“I should give you a title too. Come back inside. What should I give you?”
I was weak to naming things, so I glanced at the chat.
“Oh. Chief Secretary sounds the coolest. How about that?”
“I’m fine with anything.”
“Then let’s go pray. I need to get permission.”
“Huh? No, can’t you just decide that yourself? If you ask for permission for everything, won’t Maru get tired? You’re the guild master, after all.”
Was that so? It sounded right. Yeah, it did sound right. She’d probably get annoyed if I kept asking for audiences!! Oh~ Maem. She really was smart.
“Good point. Then from today onward, Maem, you’re the Chief Secretary.”
“Thank you. Ehehe.”
“But what does a Chief Secretary actually do? What’s the role?”
“I… ehehe. I don’t know? Hehe.”
“I don’t know either…”
I had just given it because it sounded cool… I didn’t actually have any specific duties in mind. Running a guild… was harder than I thought. Honestly, I had no idea what I was doing. Hmm… After thinking it over, I made a decision.
“This won’t work. From now on, I’m leaving guild management to Raming and Tteok. I’ll do something else.”
Everyone had their own role. Since guild management clearly wasn’t mine, I would find something I was actually good at. This too was Maru’s will!! Anyone who argued otherwise was a heretic.