Chapter 15: The Guild’s Master

"...and so This is the bank"

"Hmm. I see."

Together with the Demon Lord, we arrived at the bank run by the Merchants’ Guild.

It was located in one of the civilian districts, a little way from the city center. Most of the land here was occupied by the massive Guild Hall.

That said, “hall” was a bit of a misnomer—the place was actually a sprawling complex of multiple buildings. There were structures where merchants displayed goods for retail sales, warehouse markets for trading between merchants, workshops for processing products, forges for blacksmiths, rental offices for traders, inns, dining halls… a full array of facilities dedicated to commerce and industry.

Among those facilities, the bank occupied just one section of the Guild Hall.

Banking was fairly common even for guilds, and in most sizable cities across different countries, a bank was usually attached to the Guild Hall.

The key feature of guild-run banks was that, no matter which city one visited, any guild member could freely deposit or withdraw funds—a very convenient system.

Currency exchange was straightforward as well: the guild’s large gold coins served as the standard and could be exchanged at market rates for smaller gold coins from other nations. How exactly these exchange rates were determined in this world, though, remained a mystery.

To become a member, one had to deposit at least a single small gold coin and hold citizenship in some city or nation—otherwise, an account couldn’t be opened. In other words, it was a rather harsh system for the poor or the rootless. Still, anyone could perform currency exchanges without registering. The fees were a bit steeper, but that was acceptable for us this time.

I couldn’t exactly use the name of Sonia—or the Demon Lord’s name—here anyway.

For the record, I—or rather, me as Sonia—had visited the Guild Hall several times before on official business.

The main building was largely made of marble, its refined stone architecture radiating wealth and prestige. You could practically feel the guild’s financial power seeping through the walls.

Our royal palace was impressive enough, but compared to the Guild Hall… well, even with generous eyes, it came up short. Sad but true.

Merchants really did seem to be making a fortune. Honestly, I’d love to tax them into the ground.

"Lord Maor, shall we go inside?"

"There’s no reason not to. Let’s enter, Ains."

"Understood."

Alright, then.

I carefully adjusted my glasses and hat. This area was dangerous—I had no idea who I might run into. If someone recognized me, it would be a disaster of the highest order. There was no such thing as being too cautious.

The Demon Lord and I stepped together into the bank building next to the Guild Hall’s main wing.

The entrance doors were entirely glass, perfectly clear and polished. You could immediately tell the difference in quality compared to the palace windows, which were cloudy and warped. Not that it bothered me… much.

As we entered, a woman in uniform glided over smoothly and bowed.

"Welcome to the Guild Hall. Are you new customers? I’ll be assisting you today…"

The receptionist greeted us with polite precision. Her tone and mannerisms reminded me of a typical Japanese receptionist. Well, considering this world was originally based on an eroge, that sort of small detail was probably just lazy worldbuilding.

"Excuse me—we’d like to have these valuables appraised, and if possible, exchanged for currency."

"An appraisal, Miss?"

She tilted her head slightly, curious.

"Yes. They’re gold coins, so we thought the bank would be a better place than a pawn shop."

"I see…"

"However, we don’t know which nation minted these coins. So we’d like to confirm whether they’re legal tender and, if possible, exchange them at the current rate."

I decided to handle the talking with the bank myself. If I left it to the Demon Lord, the conversation might veer into who-knows-what territory.

"I understand. Then, may I take a look? Also, please fill out this application form."

"Right here, correct?"

We handed over two of the coins to the receptionist and requested both appraisal and exchange. On the forms, we wrote down the false names “Ains” and “Maor.” That shouldn’t cause any trouble.

By the way, I’d heard that literacy rates in cities were fairly high in this world, though rural villages were another story. As someone of royal blood, I should really push to improve national literacy… something to add to the kingdom’s long-term goals.

"Please wait a moment in the lobby."

With that, the receptionist disappeared behind a partition deeper inside.

"Lord Maor, shall we take a seat on that sofa and wait?"

"Sure."

We sat down on one of the lobby sofas, taking the chance to rest. The Demon Lord’s gaze roamed curiously around the room.

"Hmm. This place is heavily guarded with magical devices. And there—see that man sitting so casually? A seasoned fighter, that one."

The Demon Lord was already analyzing the guild’s security systems one by one. Though, for him, such defenses probably amounted to nothing more than paper walls.

After a while, the receptionist returned, accompanied by a plump, middle-aged gentleman.

"Huh?"

Wait a minute… I knew this man. Wasn’t he the Guild Hall’s manager?

"My apologies, honored guests. I am Basten, the manager of this branch. Might I ask for a moment of your time? Our master wishes to personally greet you both, if you would be so kind."

"Huh? A greeting?"

"Indeed. Very well."

While I stood there, confused, the Demon Lord crossed his arms and nodded magnanimously. As expected of Lord Maor—unshakable no matter the situation. I couldn’t help but feel a small twinge of respect.

Still, this Basten guy… he’s the Guild Hall’s manager, the one who always receives visiting royalty from the Kingdom. So hearing that he has someone above him was new to me.

We followed Basten as he guided us deeper into the Guild Hall—an area I’d never been allowed into before.

From the back of the building, we stepped into a courtyard connected by covered walkways. I hadn’t realized such a beautiful garden existed here, hidden from outside view. I silently let out a note of admiration.

Across the courtyard stood a mansion—smaller than the Guild’s main hall, but far more opulent in design. Armed guards stood around its perimeter, maintaining a noticeably tight security presence.

"They’re not particularly skilled," the Demon Lord muttered, almost to himself. "But there are several strong presences lurking within the mansion. This place… is a den of monsters."

Then, with a low kukuku, he laughed deep in his throat, clearly delighted by the discovery.
Please don’t do that. It’s terrifying.

The mansion we were led into radiated a refined kind of luxury. I could immediately tell that the materials used here were of higher quality than those in our royal palace.

The palace back home in Sugarcrea sometimes felt a little flashy—the sort of gaudy extravagance that screamed nouveau riche. This place, by contrast, carried the quiet confidence of genuine wealth. I couldn’t help feeling a faint sense of defeat… probably just envy.

"If I may, honored guests," Basten said, bowing slightly, "the person you’re about to meet is someone whom even kings and nobles rarely have the privilege to see. Please, I must beg you—show the utmost respect."

He repeated the plea twice, his voice tinged with nervousness. The old man was clearly on edge.

"Splendid craftsmanship," murmured Maor beside me, sounding genuinely impressed. I wasn’t sure what exactly he was referring to, but the rare expression of pleasure on his face caught my attention.

"Now then, please proceed inside. If you require anything, do not hesitate to call for us."

With that, Basten and his attendants quietly closed the door behind us, leaving us alone.

"So, they’re not even bothering to hide their presence," Maor said, a faint smirk crossing his face. "Very well. I shall respond in kind."

At that moment, an immense wave of pressure radiated from him.

"…What the—"

Even I, a complete amateur in magic or combat, could feel it—the overwhelming, suffocating weight of his aura.

Cloaked in that crushing power, Maor strode forward without hesitation, his steps steady and unyielding.

Clack.

He pushed open the heavy wooden door at the end of the corridor.

Inside was a large room. At the far end stood a massive desk, and to the left, a pair of sofas formed a small reception area. The air was cool, almost unnaturally so.

Seated behind the desk was a refined-looking man, watching us intently.

He had silver hair and a slender face, and—like me—wore glasses, though his were silver-framed, giving him a distinctly different impression.

At first glance, his expression seemed gentle, but his eyes were sharp. Most striking of all, however, was that each eye was a different color—true heterochromia.

In manga or anime, characters with that feature are almost always strong. My guard went up instantly.

"Oh?"

The Demon Lord beside me let out a note of admiration, sounding strangely amused.

"…Welcome, honored guests," the silver-haired man said, rising from his chair with a calm, unwavering smile—even under Maor’s crushing aura. "I serve as the Guild’s representative face—my name is Zex. Ah, that’s an alias, of course."

The smooth-talking man who introduced himself as Zex smiled pleasantly, utterly unfazed by the Demon Lord’s presence.