The Author's POV

Sunday, Galxicus guild 80th floor.

It was the day after the battle between me and Alex had taken place. I was currently in my father's office.

Sitting on a large grey sofa, I took a look at the office.

On the opposite side of me, my father, working on a large rosewood desk, was busy compiling a stack of paperwork.

As he compiled the paperwork on the table, his pen would drift in swift and fluent movements across the papers on his desk.

He looked incredibly efficient.

Staring at my father's desk, at eye level, a group of papers, a stack of waiter pads, a portable laptop, and multiple monitors neatly stood on top of the large desk.

On the floor, below the desk, lied a PC tower that hummed quietly. On small occasions, blue light would twinkle on top of the PC tower signaling that its power was on.

On the wall to the right, post-It notes appeared on top of a wooden board with several labels and photos marked on it.

Although the office wasn't the most organized, the number of papers on his desk just went to show how much work my father was investing every day to keep the guild afloat.

"Ren..."

As I was busy looking around, disrupting the silence, my father spoke

"Yes?"

Putting the pen in his hand down, my father's obsidian eyes stared at me.

"What do you think of our guild? Be honest"

Taken aback for a second, I leaned back on the sofa.

What did I think of the guild?

Honestly, it was bad.

From what I've seen yesterday and today, the guild wasn't united. It was split into different factions and there was an evident power struggle.

I didn't even know how they managed to keep what was happening within the guild a secret from outsiders.

I would bet Bronze or silver-graded guilds would love to capitalize on this piece of news. I mean, why wouldn't they? Although Galxicus was failing, if the guilds were looking to expand, absorbing Galxicus was the most optimal thing to do.

Especially since right now, Galxicus was only a 'guild' in name.

It was merely an empty title. It was like a shop that sold nothing. The only reason why it was still standing today was because of my parent's efforts. But that wasn't going to last long. Even they will crumble under all of that work...

As my thoughts reached thus far, I couldn't help but be reminded of the fact that my parents were still working on a Sunday. Not once did they rest.

...If things proceeded to continue like this, I wouldn't give the guild a year before it would be forced to dissolve.

Hesitating for a bit, I looked at my father's earnest expression and shared my thoughts.

"If I had to be honest...terrible"

"The guild members instead of being united are clearly split into factions and..."

As I recounted my honest thoughts, nodding his head, Ronald sighed.

"Judging from the way you are speaking, I can already guess you've already figured out how things are going within the guild."

Glancing at the piles of paper below him, a trace of sadness appeared in my father's eyes as he murmured

"...Sadly the guild is in a state of heavy decline"

Stacking the papers on his desk neatly, leaning on his chair, my father looked towards the ceiling

to one day let you be the guild master

guild onto you so that in the future you would carry

of his desk, my father took out a

-Clank!

the drawer, my father slid

father glanced at it for a second. A hint of nostalgia appeared in his

you lacked something important. At first, I thought it was an attacking art,

last glance at the book, my father

"Here"

Tough he looked stoic and indifferent, his eyes carried warmth within them. Whatever he was

"...Thank you"

I took the

will never forget

[★★★ Drifting steps]

taken, user speed will increase. Unless user stops, speed

"Tssss..."

was precisely what I needed. A movement art. Was

an all-knowing look. As though

he wasn't a guild

once, he could already detect what I was missing.

near breaking through to F+ rank...I could feel that I was only

book, pointing at the book, my father

movement art is one of the guild's top arts, and I'm technically not supposed

would normally need to acquire the permission of the board before being

the office. Towards

guild, I don't see the need

still facing me, my father, Ronald Dover resolutely looked at the people

a short pause, he turned around and in

set up a different branch for

"A branch?"

I tilted my head in

guild was failing, why set up a branch? That

going to

"What!?"

my father with

was still in my first year in the Lock. How could I possibly

would mean that I wouldn't even have

the streets below

this world, you're either

someone who dictates their own will. Although setting up a branch of a failing guild seems

his words, a sudden thought occurred to

"...you don't mean"

you to set up

A mercenary group.

for money. Be it

some being just as influential

was asking me to set up a

on my chin,

a

It was possible.

hard, it

mercenary

requirements to set up

at least one individual with

from a

academy, with the recommendation of

Creating my own organization...

idea did

with

I thought about it, the more I started realizing that this was what I

things did not always go according to plans, rather than remaining