Chameleon's Fury and Seru's Hidden Fame
Maribel glared straight at the contract handler. "Why the hell did you do it like this? You should've explained everything in detail before the contract!"
The handler kept his smile without a hint of surprise. "If you're dissatisfied, we'll put in even more effort going forward."
"You didn't even explain the contract properly, and you divided us into ranks without our consent? We signed to perform together!"
"You signed it yourself, Miss Maribel, and we provided ample briefing materials beforehand."
"Who reads all that? I was so tense right before signing!"
"Contracts take effect based on the written terms. Since you signed, it's valid."
"Argh, seriously! You're impossible!"
Maribel shot up from her seat and turned to Clara and Lilfrea beside her. "Why aren't you saying anything? You think this is bullshit too, right?"
Clara averted her gaze for a moment before replying cautiously. "I... I think it's okay...? They'll handle it well..."
Lilfrea crossed one leg over the other and added indifferently. "If you do well, what does the rank matter? You prove it on stage anyway."
Maribel blinked at that. 'Yeah, you two would say that.'
Lilfrea was Orion. Clara was Sirius. And she was... Chameleon.
The handler hadn't explained the names in detail, but just hearing them was enough.
Chameleon was the shittiest by far. Especially since Lilfrea and Clara had constellation names, while she alone was stuck with a common little lizard you could find anywhere.
Maribel bit her lip. "This is so fucking annoying."
The handler maintained his gentle smile. "The classification is just a starting point. It can change anytime based on future activities."
"Yeah, yeah, got it. Anyway, I've made my point. Keep a close eye on me from now on. I'll shake off this stupid Chameleon rank right away."
"I promise to watch Miss Maribel's performances with great interest."
"Chameleons change color depending on the situation. And they bite, too—don't forget that. When it's time for my promotion, bump me up immediately. Don't make me wait."
Her eyes were sharp and defiant.
A short while later, the three left the room.
As they walked down the corridor, Maribel finally unleashed the words she'd been holding back. "Isn't this ridiculous? Chameleon? Why slap a damn lizard name on me!"
Clara mumbled softly, glancing around. "But... chameleons are kinda cute..."
"Cute my ass! They skip cool constellation names like Sirius and Orion for me! I feel like the only one treated like a beast!"
Lilfrea spoke indifferently. "Prove it with skill anyway. No need to be so sensitive about ranks."
"You can say that 'cause you're Orion! If you were Chameleon, you'd be pissed too!"
Maribel stomped ahead, her heels clicking sharply against the marble corridor floor.
Then someone approached from the opposite direction and asked abruptly. "You girls... are you the new recruits we heard about?"
A fancy brooch and neat overcoat stood out. Clearly a high-ranking guild executive.
Maribel answered right away. "Yeah, that's us. Why?"
The woman smiled brightly, as if delighted. "The ones who trained with Han Seru? Did he come with you?"
"Huh? Why would he? He didn't come."
"I thought he'd join this time. Too bad."
"Why would he come? He's got no talent."
"No talent? He's quite the notable figure in our industry. His name comes up all the time."
"...What?"
Lilfrea, Maribel, and Clara exchanged looks of utter disbelief.
"You must've heard wrong. Han Seru's not that impressive."
"Oh, you girls don't know? Han Seru's famous in our Partita Guild. Listen—we collect nationwide reports on bard training, and the growth rates under his management for you three were outstanding. Outsiders might not know, but we all do inside. He raised you so splendidly."
Maribel let out a disbelieving scoff. "You must be mistaken. He's really nothing special. And we grew on our own."
Lilfrea smirked. "Must be confusing him with someone else."
Clara chimed in. "Teacher Han... he's broke... even when he has money, he only buys discounted bread... the kind about to expire..."
The woman chuckled at the girls' childish reactions. "Well, you lived with him, so you know best. Anyway, there were talks of bringing him in too, but it fell through, so only you came."
She patted the three girls' backs with a warm smile. "Let's get along well from now on? We have high hopes for you."
With that, her heels echoed away down the corridor.
The three girls stood there, stunned.
"...Han Seru's famous?"
Maribel spoke first, her mouth twitching in absurdity. "This is hilarious. He must be deluded from basking in our glow for a bit."
Lilfrea crossed her arms and nodded. "Yeah. They must be mistaking it because of us."
"He probably looked shiny just from sharing our light."
"Teacher Han... was never famous... when he was with us, he was always unknown... broke... always bowing and begging people to watch over us kindly... asking for stages for our songs... saying please take care of us... how could someone like that be famous..."
"Exactly."
The three dismissed it as a brief misunderstanding and continued down the corridor.
If Seru had any fame, it was entirely thanks to them...
Sunlight poured into the hall, stretching their shadows longer.
At that moment, in the Partita Guild master's office.
Guild master Maltio de Creven, Golden String Auroria Bacher, and other executives sat around the contracts the three girls had just signed.
"Success."
"Worth the hassle of going down to the provinces myself."
The guild's top bard, Auroria, crossed her legs sensually, toying with her long hair.
"You said it was tough. Provinces don't suit you."
"Good work."
Maltio steepled his fingers, gazing down at the contracts on the table. "That wraps this up. Collection complete."
Maltio de Creven. Head of one of the kingdom's premier bard guilds, Partita.
In his late forties, with solidly built shoulders and a physique defying his age. His refined attire and perfect grooming spoke of proud success.
Yet the leisure emanating from his appearance, laced with underlying cold ruthlessness, evoked not just a 'successful man,' but a 'ruler.'
From a small guild, he'd grown Partita into a massive bard powerhouse in just over a decade.
He treated bards not as 'artists,' but as 'products.'
Merely finished goods to send where customers demanded, in the quantities needed.
His philosophy was simple: Not everyone deserved a perfect bard. Only those paying top dollar met the best; mid-tier payers got mid-tier talent.
"Miss Maribel seemed pretty upset about the Chameleon rank," one executive noted.
Maltio nodded nonchalantly. "Is that so? Then bump them all to Orion."
"All of them?"
"Yeah. They're our girls now. Treat them nice at first."
"Understood."
"Let them do as they please."
Maltio closed the contracts.
'Han Seru.'
The name flashed through his mind.
The man with an exotic, foreign look. Spotted by chance by a guild member dispatched to the provinces.
Now, he'd lost everything. The bards he cherished had slipped from his grasp, becoming Partita property.
"See? What did I tell you..."
Maltio rose and gazed out the window.
The guild's highest floor overlooked the capital's panorama.
Twinkling lights in the streets, tiny lives bustling below.
'This world divides into plunderers and the plundered.'
Maltio smiled to himself.
'Did you think you could survive dusting off in my empire?'
Weeks earlier, Partita had made Han Seru a special offer.
"...You're proposing a contract?"
"Our guild invests generously in talented managers like you. We'll favor you too."
Doubt crossed Han Seru's face. "What about my girls? If I sign, can I keep working with them?"
"That'd be difficult. Things change often—you might handle others, or shift to desk work."
Seru's eyes wavered. "I can't do it without those girls. I promised to take responsibility for them for life."
Maltio had shaken his head mockingly then. "Those girls will age. Might have to use them for a flashy decade and discard. Better take on promising young ones and raise them."
"...What?"
Seru's eyes hardened. "If you can't guarantee protecting my girls, I won't choose Partita."
His voice was firm, unswayed by any temptation.
In the end, Maltio stole his girls anyway.
"Farewell, loser of all."
Maltio raised his wine glass to the cityscape. Deeply sweet and utterly delicious.
"M-Me too? Orion rank?"
"The guild master upgraded you."
"Kyaa!"
Hearing the news, Maribel couldn't hold back her joy, clapping and cheering.
Her face lit with disbelief, a grin refusing to fade.
After the others left, the room fell quiet again.
Alone, Maribel sat on the bed, hand over her heart, steeling her resolve.
"Thank you, Guild Master. I'll devote everything to you."
Her eyes sparkled, a fierce vow to give all to the guild master blooming in her chest.
'Big guilds are different. Not petty like Han Seru.'