Chapter 38: The Artisan's Guild

Chapter 38: The Artisan's Guild

In the underground chambers of St. Amanda’s School, Dorothy blinked in mild surprise at Aldrich’s words. She hadn’t expected the reason he didn’t absorb the spirituality from those exquisite statues was simply because… he couldn’t bear to destroy such fine craftsmanship.

“Closer to a craftsman than a Beyonder… huh?”

She repeated Aldrich’s words silently in her heart, her thoughts turning introspective. Then, looking up, she asked thoughtfully:

“So by what you’re saying, the ‘Stone’-affiliated Beyonders… are all closely tied to craftsmanship?”

“Exactly. Most of us are craftsmen in some form or another—stonemasons, blacksmiths, jewelers… even engineers,” Aldrich replied with a natural ease. “There are some outliers, of course, but the image of the craftsman has become deeply associated with those of us who walk the path of ‘Stone.’”

Dorothy nodded in understanding, her voice tinged with admiration as she murmured, “Craftsmanship and artisanship… I must say, compared to the path of the ‘Chalice,’ the way the ‘Stone’ draws spirituality seems far more respectable.”

Aldrich chuckled at her words. “I’m glad, Miss Mayschoss, that you still hold onto a basic sense of morality. I hope you’ll manage to keep it with you as you walk further along this path. But allow me to correct you on one thing: don’t think that just because of me, all ‘Stone’-aligned Beyonders cultivate their powers in such clean ways. There are forbidden methods among us as well.”

His tone turned a shade more serious. Dorothy was momentarily stunned.

“Forbidden methods… within ‘Stone’?”

Aldrich nodded. “Yes. The Crimson Eucharist you encountered earlier, for example—they absorb spirituality by devouring human flesh and blood. But don’t forget: if humans are the pinnacle of all life, then why would only flesh and blood carry spirituality?

“I’ll tell you this—human bones contain far greater spiritual potency than ordinary rocks. Among the secret societies that revere ‘Stone,’ there are those who kill for bone, who craft tools and relics from the remains of others. They’re no more noble than the Crimson Eucharist.”

Hearing this, Dorothy felt a chill deep within her heart. She hadn’t imagined that even a path as seemingly grounded as ‘Stone’ could hold such a dark and bloodstained undercurrent.

So no matter the path, every form of spirituality likely has its own inhumane cultivation methods…

And if what Aldrich said about the ‘Chalice’ is true—that consuming flesh is merely the mainstream method—then does that mean… other, less horrifying methods might exist too?

Dorothy mulled over the possibility in silence. Meanwhile, Aldrich leaned back in his chair, his tone returning to a more relaxed cadence.

“Well, I’ve answered your question. Do you have another?”

Dorothy paused briefly, then raised her eyes again.

“Then I have a more direct question for you,” she said solemnly. “Why… were you willing to offend the Crimson Eucharist just to protect me?”

She could feel the goodwill radiating from Aldrich, but she still couldn’t understand the why. What motivated him to take such a risk?

“Offend them?” Aldrich snorted, his expression suddenly turning cold. “I already told you—they broke the rules first. Stirring up trouble on my turf. We of the White Stone Craftsmen’s Guild don’t meddle in others’ affairs, but we also don’t take kindly to people making a mess in our backyard.”

“White Stone Craftsmen’s Guild?” Dorothy repeated in confusion.

“Hm? You don’t even know that much?” Aldrich raised an eyebrow, then laughed softly. “Ah~ I see now. So Miss Mayschoss truly is new to the hidden world.”

He smiled and continued explaining with patient clarity.

“As I mentioned before, most who walk the path of ‘Stone’ are craftsmen. And craftsmen, naturally, need to exchange ideas, pass down knowledge, and trade materials. That’s how many artisan societies and guilds came into existence. Among them, the White Stone Craftsmen’s Guild is by far the largest.”

He gave a casual wave as if talking about something as normal as a city council meeting.

“The guild is massive—one of the largest secret societies on the continent. It’s home to countless ‘Stone’-affiliated Beyonders like myself. All manner of craftsmen gather under our banner. Our influence stretches across the entire land. In fact—” he paused and smiled meaningfully, “—I am the guild’s representative here in Igwynt.”

Dorothy’s eyes widened, stunned.

One of the largest secret societies…?

She hadn’t expected the old man before her to be backed by a force that powerful.

“Heh~ no need to look so shocked,” Aldrich said with a chuckle. “The Craftsmen’s Guild may be large in scale, but its structure is fairly loose. It’s not like those rigid, tightly-controlled secret societies. We’re more like… a union of craftsmen.”

He sipped his tea, then continued.

“Our members are scattered across the continent. Basically, you’ll find us in almost every sizable city. Compared to other societies, the Guild is fiercely committed to neutrality. We never take sides—not for nations, not for churches, not even other secret organizations. As long as they don’t cross us first… we won’t lift a finger.”

He leaned back, relaxed, voice calm but firm.

“We rarely get involved in politics or conflict. The only exception is trade. The items we craft are sought after by many factions. As long as they’re willing to pay the price, we’re willing to deal. And truth be told—most of them are more than happy to work that way.”

“Now, while I personally don’t care for the Crimson Eucharist, I never made a move against them because of Guild rules. But this time… they crossed the line. Stirring up trouble on my turf? That’s not something I’ll tolerate. I wasn’t targeting them out of spite—I was just cleaning up those who broke the rules. You getting saved? That was incidental.”

As Aldrich explained, Dorothy found herself wondering whether the White Stone Craftsmen’s Guild was really just some kind of craftsmen-merchant association. And honestly… that made a lot of sense. Artisans and merchants could thrive anywhere if they kept their heads down and stayed neutral. That seemed like the smart choice.

From what she’d read in the reports from Gregor, even the official Serenity Bureau of Igwynt had dealings with Grayhill.

“Irrespective of whether it was incidental,” she said softly, “the fact remains that you helped me. For that, I’m sincerely grateful. And you’ve already been generous in sharing so much of the hidden world with me.”

“Hidden knowledge?” Aldrich waved her off casually. “Bah. That’s just common sense. Not worth anything. You’re a student of my school, and I happen to like the way you carry yourself. Consider what I told you as a little reward.”

To him, everything he had shared up until now wasn’t even worth locking away.

Dorothy felt a sense of resolve firm in her heart. After hesitating a moment, she finally asked:

“In that case… I’d like to ask one last question. Do you… know the initial advancement rituals for the various paths of spirituality?”

Her tone was careful—non-specific.

She was close to reaching 10 points. Soon, it would be time to consider her first advancement. And now, she had a rare chance to speak with someone who wasn’t just a seasoned elder of the hidden world, but also truly neutral. Even if he wasn’t from the same path, she had to at least try asking.

“Advancement rituals, is it…” Aldrich gave her a measured look, then slowly nodded.

“I don’t know whether you’re asking out of curiosity or if you’re ready to advance. But I can tell you this—when a normal person takes the step to become an Apprentice, the ritual is usually quite simple. Very homogenous. Just small differences depending on the path. I know them all.”

“You know all of them…?” Dorothy’s eyes lit up. She opened her mouth to follow up, but Aldrich interrupted her with a sly smile.

“I know them, yes. But that doesn’t mean I can tell you.”

“Eh? Why not?”

Dorothy looked genuinely confused, and Aldrich just chuckled.

“Those rituals—while not exactly top-secret—aren’t quite considered common knowledge either. They hold a little value. And at the Craftsmen’s Guild, we have a rule: anything that has value, no matter how small, must not be given away for free.

“Miss Mayschoss, I’m a man who follows the rules. Even if it’s just a scrap of knowledge, I still have to ask for something in return.”

He casually brushed the dust from his coat, leaned back in his chair, and raised a single finger.

“One hundred pounds. Non-negotiable.”

Dorothy stood frozen.

At that moment, she felt like she’d been transported back to that secret market a few days ago. The feeling was the same—the world of the hidden was filled with mystery… and the occasional brutal price tag.

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