A Recruitment Notice and the Promotion War

Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable.

So thought Cedrian, seated at his desk in his study.

For the Temple to approach me first.

He had spent considerable effort trying to win over insiders of the Temple, and had failed every single time — their faith simply ran too deep. The Grand Priest of the Temple wielded the authority of Miracle, and anyone who witnessed it up close invariably grew devoted to the man.

After failing with those inside the Temple, he had gone looking for people who worked beneath it instead, and even that proved difficult. The Temple kept the subsidiary organizations it outsourced work to hidden away like buried treasure.

Which was why it came as a genuine shock to discover that a small-time information guild he had visited for an unrelated job — one called 'GlobalWhatever' — happened to be one of the Temple's contracted subcontractors.

Everything is going far too smoothly. What if this, too, is just someone trying to use me?

Even after verifying it with the power of Oath, Cedrian still couldn't shake the unease. His life had been an unbroken chain of situations where survival was impossible without suspicion. By now, he trusted no one at all.

Was there any way to learn more about this guild?

He set out toward the guild's office, his appearance altered by an item, hoping to dig something up — and there, pasted to the front of the building, he found a piece of paper.

"…!"

Seriously, who on earth would look at that notice and actually apply?

Having tacked up the recruitment poster on the Guildmaster's orders, I grumbled to myself. Any sane person would steer clear ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of a job listing like that. Unless, perhaps, they were some poor fresh grad desperate enough for their first job not to notice.

"Audrette, no applications from the new recruits yet?"

"Ah, no, sir…."

Before he could start venting his frustrations, I hurriedly added, "Surely one proper applicant is better than a crowd of random stragglers, don't you think? Someone who appreciates what our guild is truly worth will show up eventually."

"Hmm. Fair point."

Thankfully, the Guildmaster nodded along as if I'd made sense. Then he rose from his seat and looked between me and Susanna.

"You know, with a new hire coming in, doesn't it seem a little thin to have nothing but associates in this guild?"

"…!"

This was my chance! Something clicked, and my eyes flew wide open.

People who don't understand sub-five companies like to mock you with the wrong angle — 'You worked at a sub-five shop and still never got promoted?' — but it never lands. Because the defining feature of the sub-five company I came from was…

"Boss! I've been here so long — can't you promote me?"

"Sure, why not, I'm in a good mood! Starting tomorrow, you're an assistant manager!"

"Really?!"

"And since you made assistant manager, this assistant manager here gets promoted to manager! And Manager Kim moves up to deputy general manager!"

"…Didn't anything actually change?"

That was how promotions worked there. Which meant that right now — with only the Guildmaster above me — a promotion was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. I couldn't exactly stay an associate while Susanna became assistant manager. And once the new hire arrived, I'd need them on my side, so it would help if I ranked a step or two above associate, too.

"You're absolutely right, Guildmaster. It might be wise to have at least one assistant manager on staff."

"See, exactly! Now, who should I promote…."

At those words, Susanna — who had been sulking in subdued silence — began cautiously testing the waters. She'd only been quiet because I had leverage over her; in her natural state, she buttered up the Guildmaster endlessly to ride his coattails.

"I always thought Susanna here did good work, but why are you so low-energy lately, hmm? You've got to work with some passion around here!"

"Ahaha…."

Susanna checked my face first, then, apparently unwilling to let an opportunity slip, opened her mouth.

"If I were promoted to assistant manager, I think I could work even harder, you know…?"

There it was — her signature cutesy aegyo voice.

But she knew nothing. The key to getting promoted at a sub-five company isn't selling yourself up. It's tearing someone else down.

I glanced at the coffee cup sitting on Susanna's desk, then spoke with a smile of pure calculation. "Guildmaster, is latte really all the rage these days?"

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm always so busy prepping for meetings that I just drink instant mix coffee. But leave it to Associate Susanna to be so on-trend — she's out here drinking lattes. Honestly, thanks to her, I feel like I'm learning about all the new trends!"

"What? Latte?"

The out-of-touch Guildmaster's face curdled with rage in an instant.

"What's with kids these days and their latte this, latte that — the disrespect! At the office, obviously you drink instant mix! Back in my day, if someone brewed you a single cup of mix coffee, you were grateful! We drank plain water, I tell you!"

"As expected of you, Guildmaster. You've truly lived a hard-working life. I should model my own work ethic on yours!"

"Hmm. I suppose I'll need to think a bit longer about who becomes assistant manager. You both keep at it."

"Yes, Guildmaster!"

Susanna stared down at the latte sitting at her workstation and trembled from head to toe.

Well. But the real contest for that promotion starts now.

"So where should we eat lunch today? Anyone want to pick?"

"Oh! Guildmaster, let me! That owl place up ahead is supposedly so popular!"

"The Owl Diner?"

Before the Guildmaster could take Susanna's bait, I cut in quickly.

"Oh, I've heard of it too. Apparently their fire-flavored rose cream pasta is all the rage."

"What? Fire-flavored… what? What on earth is that?"

"Aigoo, but I'm just not much like the kids these days — spicy, flashy food doesn't sit well with my stomach. Am I falling behind the times or what…. Now, that sturdy stew at the mercenary diner in the back, though — isn't that the good stuff?"

"Exactly! Kids these days only want to go somewhere expensive and fancy! To the Mercenary Diner it is!"

Susanna fired a gaze full of resentment straight at me.

"Wow, Associate Susanna! What is this bill? You bought a phonograph? So you can listen to music at home?"

"What? A phonograph? One of those expensive things?"

"I-it's not that expensive, it's a cheap one, so…."

"I hear it's all the trend among the young crowd these days to bring a little phonograph into the office — are you planning to do the same, Susanna?"

"No, I never—!"

"Kids these days, no manners whatsoever! Tch, honestly!"

Double strike. Susanna launched another glare brimming with hatred my way.

"Guildmaster, how about a company dinner tonight? It's been a while!"

"A dinner? Weren't you the one who hated those?"

"Aw, come on — shouldn't we bond ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as a team before the new hire joins us?"

"Hmm. True enough."

Susanna, who had been dragged to this forced company dinner entirely because of me, sent another look of pure fury.

Forget dreaming of expensive meat — we ended up at a cheap mercenary diner nearby, where we ordered little ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠more than a few skewers to snack on.

"Kids these days don't like being pressured to drink, do they?"

"Oh, no way, that's not us at aaaall!"

Having apparently figured out my pattern, Susanna moved first this time.

"I'll drink anything the Guildmaster pours me, shoo sure!"

"That's right, sir. We all used to toast together, remember?"

"Right! Teamwork used to matter! Kids these days have no team spirit!"

"On that note — dinner's on me tonight."

I sprang to my feet.

Unleashing the skills honed at my old sub-five company, I began mixing drinks with show-stopping technique.

"Well I'll be, Audrette — you had a talent like this in you? You're always so quiet, I never knew!"

"I figured I should keep my head down while I was still adjusting. But now that I've earned my stripes, shouldn't I act with some real ownership around here?"

"Haha! That's the spirit!"

The Guildmaster, thoroughly pleased after drinking everything I'd mixed, finally bellowed the words I'd been waiting for.

"I had no idea you worked this hard, Audrette! All right, I'm in a good mood! You're the assistant manager!"

"Thank you, Guildmaster!"

Triple strike. For the third time, Susanna fired a gaze laced with pure venom.

"Associate Susanna? Is something the matter?"

"U-uhshe ahsks me, ask-shs meh…."

Listening to Susanna grind the words out through clenched teeth, I tilted my own head back and poured the liquor down my throat, feeling lighter than I had in ages.