The Founding Monarch Became the Mastermind

Chapter 15

Three days passed quickly.

During that time, Si-on, with Administrator Swart taking the lead, met with the local influential figures of Burgos to lay the groundwork for future businesses, anticipating the arrival of adventurers, or rather, users.

Of course, to do it properly, he would have needed to stay for at least two weeks. However, things progressed swiftly thanks to the considerable influence of Administrator Swart, who was now completely on Si-on’s side.

Naturally, the biggest factor was the scale of the investment funds, which even shocked Swart, one of the local notables.

What was mere pocket change to Si-on was quite a substantial windfall to the notables of Burgos, and Si-on wasn’t stingy with such trifles.

To Si-on, it was far more beneficial to throw a few coins at them like charity and get things done quickly rather than waste time squabbling over small sums.

Furthermore, Si-on only laid down the main framework, and the actual work was handled by members of the Information Guild, led by Jenna Olrot, who were now practically Si-on’s right hand.

As a result, the investment proceeded even faster.

All that was left was for the new branch manager, appointed by Jenna, to wrap things up and continue reporting on the progress.

Thus, having finished his business in Burgos, Si-on departed with four companions, unlike seven years ago when he had come alone.

* * *

“Didn’t we receive some kind of request from the Burgos branch recently?”

The shield emblem of the Information Guild, featuring a horse and a pigeon, was flanked on either side of a woman with her eyes covered by a blindfold.

At a large desk beneath it, a man in his late forties, looking tired, lifted his head from the documents he was diligently reviewing.

A man around thirty, holding a file and waiting for approval, responded to his question.

“Yes. It didn’t seem like anything serious, so I handled it at my discretion.”

“Really? What was it?”

“It seemed the Burgos branch manager wanted to resign. They asked for a replacement, so I just told them to handle it themselves.”

“The Burgos branch manager? Who was that again?”

“Olrot.”

“Olrot? Gavril Olrot?”

“That was the previous branch manager. The current one is his daughter, Jenna Olrot.”

“Gavril died? When?”

“It’s been a few years. We even sent condolence money from the headquarters.”

“I see. He was a pretty decent guy.”

Stan, one of the deputy guild leaders of the Information Guild, clicked his tongue regretfully and continued.

“How’s the current branch manager? Is she any good? Why does she want to quit?”

“She’s average. She’s been sending transfer requests, and since they were denied, she probably decided to resign.”

“Transfer requests? How long has she been in Burgos?”

“She’s been in Burgos for about seven years and has been the branch manager for three years, following her deceased father.”

“Hmm. By now, shouldn’t we send her to another region?”

“She followed her father, the former branch manager, but became the manager without proven capabilities. Besides, if she were sent to another region, her position would have to be adjusted, and I don’t think she’d accept that.”

“I see. Gavril didn’t stay in one place for long, did he?”

Stan, the deputy guild leader, nodded but suddenly paused.

“Huh? But why did he stay in Burgos for so long?”

Stan couldn’t quite remember when he last saw him, but he recalled that Gavril Olrot rarely stayed in one place for more than a year.

Gavril Olrot moved constantly, sending reports annually.

During Gavril’s time, Stan wasn’t a deputy guild leader but rather worked in middle management at the headquarters, so he didn’t know exactly what Gavril reported.

Gavril Olrot was a ‘Scout,’ a unique role within the Information Guild’s field management, with considerable autonomy.

Scout reports went directly to the top of the Information Guild—the Council of Eight.

The Council of Eight comprised the current guild leader, one deputy guild leader, and six elders. Stan was not yet part of it.

The Council of Eight rarely convened and wielded little actual power, so Stan didn’t regret not being part of it. However, it bothered him that Gavril Olrot, a scout, had stayed in one place for so long.

“That’s strange….”

“Wasn’t it because of the Dragon’s Wasteland near Burgos?”

“If that were the reason, we’d have kept the same personnel near Eltis Island or the Northern Snow Mountains as well. Any branch manager’s term is capped at five years, right?”

“….”

Stan clicked his tongue at his silent counterpart and continued.

“Personnel matters should be handled fairly. Gavril Olrot’s child would’ve grown up working in our field, so we can’t say she’s inexperienced. If she has a desired location, let’s send her there.”

“I’ve already notified them. Once the new branch manager for Burgos is appointed….”

“That’s that. There are less than ten staff members in that branch, right? After following her father for seven years, she would’ve appointed a decent successor. Tell her to handle the new branch manager herself and approve her transfer request.”

“Yes….”

“Alright. Anything else?”

“Yes. There was an additional report, just one page….”

“Go on.”

Stan frowned as the man hesitated, looking troubled. He shrugged his shoulders and replied.

“It seemed like a joke, or something written while drunk, filled with nonsense, so I just discarded it.”

“…What?”

Stan’s eyes narrowed.

He put down the documents in his hand, leaned back in his chair, and spoke in a low voice.

“Hey, Jens.”

“Yes.”

“Since when does a measly information compiler get to discard reports from a branch?”

“…I’m sorry. But it was genuinely nonsense, like a joke.”

He refrained from saying that it seemed like the manager had a grudge against him and wrote nonsense since she was leaving anyway.

Jens, though arrogant and conceited, wouldn’t go so far as to provoke his direct superior.

“Sigh… Fine, let’s say it was. But what kind of nonsense was it that you dismissed it as drunken ramblings?”

“The whale changes dance partners and returns to the Dragon Palace.”

“What? What kind of nonsense is that….”

Stan nearly blurted out “nonsense” but, seeing Jens’ smug expression, cleared his throat.

“Ahem! Is that all?”

“Yes. That was the entire report. That’s why I discarded it.”

“Huh….”

Stan rubbed his chin in disbelief.

‘The whale changes dance partners? Returns to the Dragon Palace?’

What kind of gibberish is this?

“No, wait.”

Stan’s eyes narrowed.

As a deputy guild leader of the Information Guild, Stan had spent over a decade managing field operations and gathering intelligence.

During that time, he had learned about the existence of scouts, special operatives like Gavril Olrot.

He also knew that scouts, who reported directly to the Council of Eight, wrote their reports in code, unlike regular branches that wrote in plain language.

“Could this… be a code?”

“Excuse me? How could that be? A regular branch manager using code on their own….”

“Are you an idiot? Gavril Olrot, Jenna Olrot’s father, was a scout!”

“Huh?”

Jens’ eyes widened, and Stan felt exasperated but realized something.

“You didn’t know? Well….”

The identity of scouts was classified as Level 2 within the Information Guild.

While their existence was known, knowing who was a scout required a relatively high position.

Even then, one could only know about the scouts related to one’s duties when necessary.

Though Jens was soon to be promoted to senior information compiler, he was currently just one of about ten first-class compilers.

He likely knew of scouts but didn’t know their identities or even roughly how many there were.

“If Jenna Olrot succeeded Gavril, it’s reasonable to assume she also inherited the scout position.”

“No, how is that possible without you knowing, Deputy Guild Leader?”

“When did I become a deputy guild leader?”

“Huh? Oh….”

Stan had only been a deputy guild leader for less than two years.

In other words, he wasn’t aware of matters concerning Gavril, who had died before his tenure.

He had only just learned about Gavril’s death moments ago.

“Damn it!”

Cursing harshly, Stan leaped from his seat.

“Follow me.”

“Where are we going, sir?”

Stan’s loud shout startled Jens, still bewildered.

“Where else? To the Guild Leader! We need to report that message you discarded! What if it’s a scout code, you idiot? Just follow me!”

Despite being scolded, Jens said nothing and hurriedly followed Stan out.

* * *

“Um, Sir… No, Lord Salen?”

Since she was the only one in the group who knew Si-on’s true identity, Jenna carefully altered the title “Your Grace” that was on the tip of her tongue as she spoke.

“Yes. What is it?”

Sticking close to Blackie’s side, Jenna whispered cautiously, ensuring the others wouldn’t hear.

“Well… I apologize deeply, but I didn’t completely learn the code system from my father.”

“Hmm. Right, Olrot did pass away suddenly, so that makes sense. So?”

“Yes. I apologize, but since we’re heading to August Estate first, I’m not sure how to phrase the report about it… I’m really sorry.”

“That happens. Let’s see, August Estate….”

Having lived a long life and worked with many dedicated informants, Si-on knew quite a bit about the Information Guild’s code system.

He knew that the code for himself, originally the “Sixth Lion,” had at some point changed to “Whale,” after some of the highest members of the Information Guild learned about his immortality.

That’s why the Si-on Duchy was referred to as the Dragon Palace, the whale’s home.

“Say that the whale rests briefly under the olive tree.”

“Under the olive tree…?”

“Yes. August Estate’s specialty is olives. Of course, the olives from our Si-on Duchy are more famous.”

“I see. Understood.”

“Good. Ask if you’re ever confused or unsure. Anything else you’re curious about?”

Si-on made an effort to show consideration for Jenna, who was now a vital asset in his plans and operations.

“Yes, since you’re offering… If I may, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask.”

“Go ahead.”

“I sent two reports to headquarters—one about the branch manager change and another about you, Sir Salen. The reply was simply to handle it as I saw fit. Does this happen often?”

“I’m not sure. I didn’t personally check every report during Olrot’s time either. Well, if they told you to handle it as you see fit, then just do that.”

“I figured that might be the case, especially since it’s about you, Lord Salen.”

“I guess so.”

Jenna finally felt at ease after hearing Si-on’s response.

In terms of importance, no king or noble, not even the current king of Obla, was more significant than this man.

The top echelon of the guild wouldn’t dare interfere, so they must have entrusted everything to her, the field manager.

‘Indeed, aligning oneself with the right person is key. The work may be tough, but this will eventually land me a senior position at headquarters. Hehe, I’d love to see that Jens punk’s face.’

Jenna couldn’t help but feel refreshed, imagining Jens, the first-class compiler who had rejected all her transfer requests, stamping the orders with gritted teeth.

But Jenna didn’t know.

Because of the reports she sent, Morin Jens, the first-class compiler, wasn’t trembling out of jealousy but in fear of harsh reprimand—perhaps more than just trembling, he might even face the terror of being figuratively torn limb from limb.