Museum of Grimoire - 6.1 - Early Access (Patreon)

At least true to her word, Iris was able to lead the two behind the guild counter without protest from the working staff. They did glance her way with raised eyebrows, but remained at their stations with none stopping the passing trio. It was in fact the adventurers who expressed more surprise at the sight, a few even voicing muted exclamations or observations. Florence imagined that the vast majority of had never thought about stepping behind that wooden divider at all.

Truth be told, neither had she. All those stories about grand adventures had never really featured the alliance in anything but a support role. They’d always been simply that organization that quietly assisted whenever they could, providing whatever was suddenly needed in those tales for the journey to continue. She knew of course that those sort of tales were greatly exaggerated- but to what degree, she had yet to behold for herself.

That was until now, where the humming hero of the era opened the door for them to peer into the inner workings of the alliance.

It…well, it certainly wasn’t anything so surprising or shocking. There wasn’t anything like a hidden sect of retired legends or eternal paperwork demons lying in wait behind the scenes. One could admittedly be forgiven for making such a presumption given the piles of paperwork that did burden multiple desks, along with the more lined faces that worked diligently on processing those contents. But all in all, it was quite mundane.

Which made the warlock admittedly a little more interested, her eyes drifting to linger on some of the work on display. Iris noticed the wandering gaze and chuckled aloud, bringing the attention back onto her. “Yeah, there’s a lot that happens behind the scenes. I didn’t realize it myself till I got a glimpse too, but the alliance does a lot more than what most folks see.”

“I would expect so, given how far-reaching their services are,” commented Noire thoughtfully as she surveyed the effort too. “Especially when they also advertise themselves as available to everybody. What a sharp contrast to their past.”

“Their past?” Florence asked before blandly correcting herself. “I mean, I know they didn’t just pop up from nowhere. But I thought they were always...there, you know?”

“A very popular misconception, owing to how prevalent in present times they’ve become. They have become quite the overused opening to any fictional record.”

“Even I pretty much fell for it at the start of my journey!” reassured Iris with a nod. “First thing I did when I set out was register myself with the alliance and try to find party companions that old-fashioned way!” She deflated briefly. “It didn’t work out.”

“Unsurprisingly so, as majority of adventurers are individuals whose very nature mark them as being quite independent compared to their peers,” the historian dryly pointed out. “That isn’t to say that there aren’t long-term partnerships or arrangements. But as taking on odd jobs posted by the community was always only meant to be a temporary thing for most, not many would commit to future endeavors.”

Florence frowned and tried to wrap her head around the idea. “It does make sense, if you were to think of it only as a short little thing,” she admitted before pointedly looking at Iris. “But surely there’s also those who would do it for their whole lives? There are plenty of those folks out there, the hero included.”

“Ah, but let me sound a bit like the chancellor just now!” Iris raised a finger and waggled her finger. “Before I was a hero, what am I?”

“A…princess. Who doesn’t really need to work for a living,” the warlock lamely finished with a slight blush. “But you do.”

In response, she grinned brilliantly. “Because I love adventure. Just like how Milan can’t go without magic, I can’t imagine not setting out to encounter something new, something interesting, something that gets me excited to help folks out!” Her voice lowered to a slightly conspiratorial whisper. “Ah, but don’t tell my sister. She’ll get upset and tell me that queens shouldn’t be so free- but well, I’ll be queen then and she can’t say a thing.”

Florence felt a shiver run down her spine and rapidly nodded in understanding, not willing to involve herself in whatever royal drama happened within the kingdom. Thankfully, it was Noire who helpfully steered the conversation back onto topic. “The alliance recognizes this more than any other, especially considering its origins as simple brokers. Back then, their concerns were more about the immediate contract.”

“Contract?” repeated the apprentice, already expecting the lengthy lecture. She wasn’t disappointed.

“If you would believe it, the Adventurers Alliance is a product not of selfless intentions like the stories would have you believe.” Noire shook her head and gestured. “No, in fact, it was a creation born of a need. Of when the outlands were reached and fresh arms were required in greater numbers. That exciting time of discovery known as the Sixth Age.”

“It’s something that everybody on the continent apparently forgot, but never the lands beyond!” added Iris, inputting a very unexpected perspective. “Which was how I learned about it, from Calico who hails from those regions. He’s pretty blunt about it all, called the guild the successors of a sellsword legacy.”

“He’s not wrong. The organization only started out as a means by mercenaries to unite against things like non-payment by those influential colonial powers or businesses,” Noire remarked. She rubbed her fingers slightly in an unmistakable gesture of coin. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it was actually a bunch of upset veterans who got tired of being ripped off and decided to be the ones to do that instead, by appointing themselves as the middle-man to such transactions. I can’t imagine that it was necessarily so popular at first.

“But once the effectiveness of such a union became clear, then participation became quite necessary. Because if you worked outside their reach, then you were quite liable to being ripped off or exploited.”

The warlock started slightly when realization struck. “Just like the alliance today. If adventurers work outside their purview, it’s almost usually a very shady and likely dangerous job that wouldn’t be worth it.”

“Exactly! Always takes your quests from the guild board, no other,” stressed Iris with a shake of the head. “And always take it to one of the receptionists to check on it too. Sometimes, people sneak in unauthorized or illegal jobs that they know won’t be approved by the alliance.”

It sounded like the hero herself had experiences dealing with such matters. But then it should simply boil the matter down to a single easy solution- Florence caught herself just in time, almost smacking herself at the mistake. Because surely such things were hardly without complications.

So she thought a bit more and eventually perceived the unspoken issue. “All of them? Even the ones that might be like ‘defend the country against another?’”

“Ahhh, now you’re getting it.” Noire nodded, lips quirking slightly. “You understand that the alliance is politically divided too.”

“Because back then, weren’t mercenary companies sometimes competing even against one another? Especially if they were hired by rival businesses and set upon one another. How’s that work?”

“I confess to not knowing the particulars; that bit of history still remains mostly buried still.” Though the archaeologist certainly wished to address that in time. “But what we can infer from current policy at least. Which is that all branches that recognize the same authority is to simply support the local administration, regardless of circumstance.”

“I’ve had nobles pass their requests to me through the alliance, even if it’s just something so simple as monster slaying or defending their homes,” Iris commented before giving a slight frown. “Sometimes, they try to sneak something a little bit extra, like ‘aid us against additional threats.’ But the alliance always catches and rejects those, at least for me.”

“You are the hero, the figure of legend whom all should be united behind,” simply told Noire. “Even the most biased leaders within the alliance understands that combating the threat of the demon lord comes first and foremost.”

“Which works, but at the same time, I’m also seeing plenty more slight nudges to get adventurers more involved with local rulers. More so than what anything my sister would approve.” The princess sighed and shook her head. “It’s nothing so blatant, and it’s not necessarily everywhere I go. But I guess it goes to show that the alliance is sometimes just a front for legitimacy too.”

The more she thought about it, the more she could hear her patron giggling. Florence could say that this was getting into a realm of politicking she wasn’t so equipped to deal with. “It…sounds really weird. And bizarre.”

“It is,” both Noire and Iris chimed, resulting in most incessant chuckling from the spirit of death.