Chapter 118
Chapter 118
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: A Guild in Ruins
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"Well done."
At those words, Dusk nearly let out a cheer.
Wang-sik watched him struggle to keep his lips from twitching but offered no further comment.
‘He really did do well.’
They hadn't stopped at just tampering with cosmetics and medicine.
—All medicines from the Southern Alchemist Guild are causing severe side effects. Be warned, they could be fatal.
A rumor, based in fact but laced with exaggeration, was spread across the nation in an instant.
Eventually, the Alchemist Guild had no choice but to respond, but their announcement proved to be a self-destructive move.
—The only products with issues are Goddess's Tears and Erecale. We are currently investigating the cause and have determined that there were no problems in the alchemy process.
Though they were being honest, it was tantamount to admitting their products were flawed.
Then, another problem arose.
Two of their medicines and the decorative Light Candles began to cause trouble.
‘Even I hadn't thought of this method.’
This time, the two medicines weren't tampered with by adding foreign substances. Instead, old, altered medicines were swapped with the most recently supplied batches.
—The Southern Alchemist Guild is selling old medicine as if it were new.
On top of that, the magically lit candles started exploding.
The incidents had now shifted from medicine to high-end decorative items.
Whether it was intentional or not, people tend to avoid dangerous goods, and a wave of returns for all products made by the Southern Alchemist Guild began.
The guild's warehouses were already full, and they reached a point where they had to start discarding products.
But in the midst of this, a fatal problem emerged.
—The Southern Alchemist Guild is delaying its payments.
The financial crisis erupted.
"Excellent work."
Praising him once more, Wang-sik tossed a pouch the size of a man's head in front of him.
"My, my. You shouldn't have."
His smile deepened.
"It's all thanks to you, Master, that I'm earning money like this..."
"That's the money to take over the Alchemist Guild."
"But will they accept our money? With their connections, they should be able to weather this somehow..."
As Dusk said, the Southern Alchemist Guild's foundation was not so weak as to crumble this easily. There were plenty of nobles who would help them, and given time, they would surely recover their losses.
"I'll handle that. They won't receive help from anyone."
"If you say so, Master, then it shall be so."
To Dusk, Wang-sik was already a being capable of anything.
"But Master, if we're going to take over the guild, we should do it while it's intact. Is there any point in acquiring something that's completely ruined?"
"That will depend on you."
"I understand."
Dusk simply believed, without question, that it could be salvaged.
"An opportunity will arise soon."
At Wang-sik's words, Dusk bowed his head once more.
* * *
Demian, the Guild Leader of the Southern Alchemist Guild, convened a meeting with all his top executives.
"So, you're saying this is the work of the Mirje Trading Company?"
"Wasn't this to be expected from the moment they released the alchemy formula?"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"We've confirmed they purchased Goddess's Tears. It's suspicious that they've waited until now to buy it after all this time."
The production of Goddess's Tears was so limited, and since it was delivered directly as a rule, they could trace exactly where it went. While investigating the recent incidents, they discovered that Oh Min-jae had purchased the product sold to a certain count's family.
Furthermore, as a nationwide trading company, it wouldn't be difficult for them to manipulate the medicine's effects.
"So they've admitted it?"
"Yes. We have someone who came over to the Mirje Alchemist Guild from our side. He said the owner of the Mirje Trading Company personally ordered him to tamper with the Goddess's Tears."
"That settles it. Can we win him over?"
"He's demanding a position of branch manager or higher."
"The madman."
"Guild Leader, if we can secure him, we can bring the Mirje Trading Company to its knees."
"Well, maybe not that far, but we can certainly get proper compensation. And if we can get their alchemist guild disbanded, our income will increase again."
Given the Mirje Trading Company's size and connections, it would be impossible to completely ruin them unless you were the Emperor or a high-ranking duke from the capital, but securing compensation and dissolving their alchemist guild was not out of reach.
"Good. Proceed. We need to ride out this storm first."
After the meeting ended, Demian sat alone at his desk, lost in thought.
"Those bastards from the Mirje Trading Company. I will make you pay for this, thoroughly."
All his accumulated anger began to focus on a single target.
* * *
The Alchemist Guild won over their target and mobilized as many connections as they could to launch a massive counterattack.
—This incident was orchestrated by the Mirje Trading Company. They swapped all products, including Goddess's Tears, endangering the citizens of the Empire.
Backed by numerous nobles and fueled by an issue that already had the public's attention, the entire nation was in an uproar. It was a major crisis for the Mirje Trading Company, which had been enjoying a streak of success while building a high-end image.
But the Mirje Trading Company struck back before a day had even passed.
—We wish to have our guilt judged under the solemn authority of His Majesty the Emperor.
They had requested an Imperial Trial.
This was a response no one had anticipated.
Numerous nobles were divided between the Alchemist Guild and the Mirje Trading Company, and now they had requested a trial in which the Emperor himself would be involved.
With this, it was no longer a simple fight between an alchemist guild and a trading company.
The stakes had been raised, and it had transformed into a battle of honor between the nobles who had taken sides.
The Southern Alchemist Guild couldn't help but flinch. After all, when it came to connections with the Emperor, they held the advantage.
For Mirje to proceed like this, knowing that...
"Are you certain about this?"
Duke Kirkin, the most powerful man in Neresa, asked Demian with a piercing gaze.
"I am certain."
"You are aware that in an Imperial Trial, one side will be utterly destroyed?"
"That is..."
Imperial Trials, due to the Emperor's involvement, tended to hand out harsher punishments than other trials. Moreover, since the verdict was effectively the Emperor's command, one could hardly hope for a reduced sentence.
"Once the trial date is set, there's no turning back. I want you to check one more time."
"I understand."
Demian didn't bother to mention that he had already checked several times.
Three days later.
Duke Kirkin stormed back to Demian, fuming with rage. He had even brought his private soldiers to intimidate him.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"How dare you! Do you take me for a fool, using fabricated evidence?"
"Wh-what are you talking about?"
"The evidence you were spouting about was all fabricated!"
"The fabrication was their..."
"If you wanted to die, you should have done it alone! Argh, I never should have trusted a fool like you!"
Duke Kirkin spoke to Demian, who was still staring blankly, unable to comprehend the situation.
"The Goddess's Tears you touted as evidence was purchased by the Mirje Trading Company and given as a gift to Marquis Lotte. They only paid the money; it was Marquis Lotte's butler who picked it up!"
As the incident grew larger, he had conducted his own investigation.
"That can't be..."
"And the man you're holding as a witness, are you sure about him?"
Suddenly, his confidence wavered.
"I-I'll check on him right away."
Demian felt that something was going terribly wrong.
That evening.
All hell broke loose once more.
The man they had poached from the Mirje Alchemist Guild made a declaration of conscience.
—The Southern Alchemist Guild forced me to give a false statement. The Mirje Trading Company has done nothing illegal, and I have never received any orders related to the Southern Alchemist Guild.
After leaving that statement, the witness returned to the Mirje Alchemist Guild.
The official reason given was that the trading company was conducting its own internal investigation.
"What in the world..."
Demian knew.
"It's over."
Everything had collapsed.
The only small comfort was that they hadn't accepted the Imperial Trial.
If this had all been revealed before the Emperor, not only he, but all the nobles who had sided with him would have been disgraced.
What would follow was as clear as day.
"Guild Leader..."
The Deputy Guild Leader felt the same way, but he had no choice but to press him.
"If we don't defuse this quickly, all the nobles on our side will turn their backs on us."
"I just want to be alone for a moment."
All Demian wanted was a moment's rest.
"Then you should leave. It's about to get chaotic here as well."
"Wouldn't it be the same if I went home? I just want to rest here for a bit."
"Then I will inform everyone that you are unavailable."
"Thank you. And I'm sorry."
"Don't say that."
The loyalty of his deputy was at least some consolation.
Past midnight.
The once-bustling Alchemist Guild had finally fallen silent.
With each visit from the nobles, the guild members' faces had turned more and more zombie-like, and at the Deputy Guild Leader's order to go home, they had fled as if escaping.
"You should head home now, too."
Demian said, looking at his deputy who had stayed by his side until this late hour.
"No, sir. I will stay with you."
"I'm sorry, but I insist. I will personally handle the cleanup tomorrow, so don't worry."
"What are you planning to do?"
"I'm thinking of visiting the Mirje Trading Company. I must admit our fault and negotiate. If we can just get through this crisis, there will be people who will side with us again."
Once the guillotine of the Imperial Trial was removed, there would be those willing to extend a hand again. Of course, they would have to promise them a much larger share of the profits than before.
"The Mirje Trading Company must be involved somehow..."
"Let's not talk about that anymore. There will be a chance for revenge. For now, we lie low."
"I understand, Guild Leader."
The Deputy Guild Leader bowed his head and turned to leave.
But before he could take a single step, he collapsed as if his body had given out. And in his place, a strange man appeared.
A man who, if you weren't looking directly at him, you wouldn't feel at all.
It was Sa Seon-gi.
"Who are you..."
As he spoke, the Guild Leader instinctively reached for his waist.
The pouch he grabbed contained a powerful, flesh-melting poison powder. He himself was safe, having already taken the antidote.
But before he could even untie the pouch, his consciousness faded.
* * *
Another rumor spread through Neresa.
—Guild Leader Demian and the Deputy Guild Leader have fled in the dead of night.
The two key figures had suddenly vanished, and the guild members knew nothing of their whereabouts.
All that was known was that they had sent all the guild members home the night before.
And that the Alchemist Guild's core materials and what little wealth remained had disappeared. The circumstances clearly pointed to them having absconded, and the rumor was accepted as fact.
After several days with no news, the Alchemist Guild was like a ship caught in a storm, tossed about violently.
It was an inevitable result, as they hadn't even decided how to handle the major incident, and now the two decision-makers were gone.
"If you accept this, you become the Guild Leader."
The man, who had been the Guild Leader's closest and most trusted aide, was faced with a temptation.
A pouch filled with gold bars and jewels.
"This is the way to save the guild. We'll take care of all the problems for you."
The person smiling leisurely before him was Dusk.