After finishing their meals, Miri decided to drop off the rune from her rune-hunting job as well as selling off a bunch of loot she acquired from the dungeon run. Currently, Miri and Anne were walking down the streets of Hemera in order to head to the location where they’re supposed to drop off the rune, moving across the bustling crowd of pedestrians.

  “Don’t worry, Anne,” Miri reassured. “Once we drop off this rune and sell some of our loot, we’ll be able to get a good amount of money, at least enough to last us for quite a while.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Anne replied. “Guild-less adventurers usually don’t have as many lucrative job opportunities as adventurers belonging to guilds. And public guilds usually don’t get as many high-paying jobs as private guilds. Plus, you’ve just angered some very prominent members within the Golden Lion guild, all of whom belong in some of the most influential noble families in this city. I know I shouldn’t be saying this since you’re the one who stood up for me, but you have got to be more careful from now on.”

  “Relax. You’re being too paranoid. I’m sure those jerk-ass knights back there are all posers. They probably don't have as much influence as they think they have. And judging by how they handle themselves, I’m not even sure they’d work a single day in their lives. Besides, I don’t even get why all these noblemen establish their own guilds in the first place. Don’t all noblemen basically just get their money from owning land and such?”

  “Oh, most of them do. In fact, the majority of their earnings don’t even come from guild jobs. Instead, private guilds, especially ones that were established by the nobility, were more so as a way to earn prestige rather than money. Various nobility guilds would often boast about their adventuring prowess through the jobs they were able to complete. The more difficult the job, the higher the prestige they earn when completing it.”

  Stolen novel; please report.

  “Oh, so, in the eyes of the nobility, guilds are more or less just a dick-measuring contest,” Miri said. “A way for different rich people to see which can chase more clout.”

  Anne furrowed her brow. “Umm, I’m sorry? ‘Chase more clout’? I’m not sure I quite understand.”

  “Ehh, don’t worry about it. It’s just a slang term I often use back in my hometown. Anyway, haven’t you tried applying for any of the public guilds before? Surely they do not have any of the douchebag nobility that the private guilds have.”

  “Well, of course I have. In fact, I was once part of a public guild before moving to Golden Lion. However, I was only able to work there for a couple of months before it was disbanded due to lack of earnings.”

  “Wow, guilds can get disbanded just like that?”

  “Why, of course. Guilds are just like any other business. They all need a stable income in order to stay afloat. Either they survive or they perish, simple as that.”

  “Man, so not even the fantasy world can escape the brutal whims of capitalism. Well, whatever, I’m sure that the two of us can work things out.”

  “You seem quite optimistic in that prospect,” Anne commented, tilting her head in curiosity.

  “Yeah, I’m just an optimistic kind of person,” Miri said, returning her gaze with a happy-go-lucky grin. “Don’t worry about it, Anne. I’m sure we can work something out. I’ve got a feeling that I can.”

  “Well, for both of our sakes, I hope you’re right.”