Coye 5.15 (Patreon)

Chapter 15 - Dorothy’s Week 6 - The Final Straw

As Dorothy paced around her office in utter terror, she could only think how fitting it was that a violent downpour was raging outside the Guild. It was poetic, really. Like her career was receiving the sendoff it deserved. A piece of paper was clutched tightly in her hand, which she'd already read a thousand times. The stubborn pain in her chest was back, refusing to go ignored, and the poor woman could scarcely catch her breath.

Hoping beyond hope that if she looked one just last time that the contents letter's contents would change, Dorothy stilled her body and mind and then gazed upon the parchment. No such luck. Everything was the same, and Dorothy remained precisely the same amount of fucked as before.

Tammy was standing in the doorway, her arms crossed and her brow wrinkled in concern. "It can't possibly be that bad, can it?"

"No," Dorothy held back the urge to mix in some sobbing between her bouts of nervous laughter. "It's far, far worse..."

Tammy entered the office, closing the door behind her and locking it. "Why don't you have a seat, boss. Just chill for a second, and let me look at that."

"Chill?" Dorothy gave into the impulse and sob-laughed. "Tammy, I can't chill! There's still so much to do. We don't have any time! I have to-"

"Boss-" Tammy stressed. Her strict monotone could be imposing when needed, and while it didn't calm Dorothy, her friend's voice helped to momentarily ground her.

"Okay, here-" she sighed and handed the letter over. "Take the stupid thing, but I'm still not sitting down!"

Now that the alleged letter of doom was in her hands, Tammy poured it over and learned the cause of her employer's distress.

'To Guild Mistress Dorothy Whittle,

The Association of Adventurers would like to thank you for your continued service as the Cransmere Adventurer's Guild administrator. The day you receive this letter, you will be visited by an official reviewer of the Performance Review Division for an unscheduled assessment. Please clear your schedule and be prepared to accommodate them to the best of your abilities.

Thank you for your time, and best of luck.'

Below the writing was the official seal of the AoA- the same letters surrounded by a stylized circle- certifying the document as genuine.

"Okay," Tammy nodded in concession, folding up the letter. "That does sound pretty ominous, yeah. Any idea why wouldn't they give you a heads up ahead of time?"

"I thought that was obvious. They don't want me trying to manipulate our records, falsify information, or any number of things that I could do to try and cheat my way out of this!" Dorothy sounded hysterical, but she was correct about that much. "They're trying to fire me, Tammy, and they're looking for any excuse to do it!"

Though the receptionist believed Dorothy to be exaggerating to some extent due to paranoia, Dorothy knew how things worked. She was the one who went to the Association's fancy Academy- Tammy was just the reclusive daughter of a nobleman. If Dorothy got sacked, Tammy was sure to follow on account of their special employment arrangement, and even if Tammy wasn't let go, the job wouldn't be as fun without her entertaining boss.

Cooler heads would prevail, so Tammy decided she would be Dorothy's.

"I won't ask you to chill out, but I want you to try making yourself more presentable. Think you can do that?" She suggested, hoping to contribute.

"Yes, of course! Good idea!" Dorothy moved over to her desk and opened one of its many drawers. Dozens of RealMonster cards flew out the sides as she dug around, looking for and then pulling out a brush. The thing hadn't been used in so long it was a little dusty, so Dorothy blew on it and then ran it through her hair in a panic.

Stopping mid-brush, Dorothy suddenly remembered how awful her clothes were today. She was back in her typical uniform, but it was still frumpy and looked less than flattering even now that it had been washed. Dorothy left the brush stuck halfway through her hair as she started straightening her clothes in worry.

This hurt Tammy to sit through. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Smell me," Dorothy said without hesitation.

"...Excuse me?"

"I need you to come over here and tell me if I smell bad, Tammy! My clothes might be recently washed, but I'm... um... n-not. It's okay- I'm wearing deodorant, but I still need you to- AH?!" Dorothy was trembling so much that the brush was dislodged from her hair, hitting the floor. She shrieked at the unexpected sounded made and jumped a foot away in pure reflex.

Tammy blushed and kept her distance. Sure, she felt bad and wanted to be of use in these trying times, but she had her limits. "That is absolutely not part of my job description," she stated firmly. "Here's what I'm going to do instead- I'm going to go downstairs and see if our pet basement dweller has anything bottled up that could help with your anxiety. Does that sound good?"

"No. No, it doesn't. You can't!" Dorothy kneeled, picked up the hairbrush, and started shoving her trading cards back inside the drawer they escaped from. They were all worthless commons, anyway. She'd sold a number of her rares and ultra rares to pay back Blanche. "Anti-anxiety potions barely work on me, and they make me too loopy and tired to function on top of that! You know I already have trouble staying awake as it is!"

"Even so," Tammy sighed. "I can't let you do this thing as you are right now, and I refuse to put more caffeine in you. You're shaking. How many cups have you had?"

Dorothy's eyelid twitched as if on command to prove Tammy's point. "T-This morning? Or last night?"

"...How much sleep have you had?"

"Enough," Dorothy looked away and excused herself. "A couple of hours, um, in the last few days... I think...?"

"Goddesses Above and Below," Tammy cradled her forehead, resisting the powerful urge to slam it against the wall. She didn't want to have to find another job, just as much as she didn't want Dorothy to suffer the same fate. "You didn't sleep at all last night, did you?"

"I had to-"

"Okay, that's a no. What about the night before?"

"That was when I was registering all of the new-"

"You can't keep doing this to yourself!" Tammy raised her voice, shocking the Guild Mistress. "I know I don't help out enough because of my stupid condition, but... this can't fucking go on. Fuck, this is bad...!"

Dorothy stood up and slumped her shoulders. "If I'm lucky, maybe this is the end..."

"Is that really what you want? Because you could just quit now and not even bother with the assessment."

"I..." Dorothy stared off into the distance.

She couldn't give up, not in a million years. Too many people sacrificed too many things to put her where she was today, and Dorothy had to live up to their expectations so that it wasn't all for nothing.

"Of course not. I'm just... that was the stress talking..." sighing, Dorothy pulled her hair and undid all her brush's progress. "Be honest with me, Tammy. How bad do I look?"

"Worse than I've ever seen," Tammy admitted without pulling a single punch. "And I've seen you hit some pretty subterranean lows before."

"Subterranean..." Dorothy laughed. "Fine. Go tell Eschal the situation and see if he can give me something light. Emphasis on light- I'm talking something so light that even Tiph wouldn't even bother putting it in her body!"

"I'm not sure there even is something that light, but I'll see what the doc has to say..." Tammy opened the door and lingered for a moment, looking over her shoulder before telling Dorothy, "Everything is going to be okay, boss. You've got this."

It was sweet of her to say, but Dorothy knew they were empty words. She smiled regardless, thankful for her friend's attempt at bettering her mood. "Thank you, Tammy. Really."

Tammy nodded respectfully and shut the door, leaving Dorothy alone with only her monstrous anxiety for company.

This was so bad that 'bad' didn't even begin to describe it. The Association never sent anyone to individual Guilds if there wasn't a damn good reason- reason typically meaning a problem with the profit margin. It must be said that Cransmere was not the worst Guild in Arrark. That honor belonged to Dewhurst, which had fallen from grace harder than a meteor hitting the earth. However, if you took Dewhurst out of the equation, Cransmere would undoubtedly rank the lowest of Arrark's five Guilds.

Dorothy's efforts to keep Cransmere just barely above the point where they broke even weren't good enough. This was her third year on the job, and the Association expected much of their Guild Masters. There'd been a steep decline during those years, from the number of adventurers to the number of quests completed, and Dorothy almost wouldn't even blame them if replacing her really was what they were after.

Again, her thoughts inevitably brought her back home to the family farm and the people of Priddlesby. Dorothy had to do her best during this review- if not for her, then for them. Closing her eyes and trying to calm herself, Dorothy eagerly awaited for Tammy to return with whatever Eschal thought was best.

She wasn't expecting Tammy to open the door back up after not even half a minute, but that was what happened.

"That was... fast...?" Dorothy thought aloud, only to experience a sinking feeling bubble up from the pit of her stomach upon realizing Tammy was not alone.

A sleek, pretty woman that styled her black hair in a short bob, wore round glasses, and carried a thin smile walked past Tammy to enter Dorothy's office. The owner of both a commanding presence and expensive clothing, this woman dressed in a white button-up shirt and a matching set of black pinstripe vest and slacks accentuated by a tasteful red-and-gold tie around her collar. On the lapel of her vest was a silver pin in the shape of the AoA logo, and a series of three floating clipboards blazed the trail before her, controlled by an enchanted ring on her right finger.

"Hello, Miss Whittle?" She asked in a voice full of motivation and pluck, yet also a strange sternness. "My name is Gloria Zell, and I'm a member of the Association's PRD. You should have received a letter this morning explaining why I'm here, correct?"

"Y-Yes, you're here for the inspection! Isn't that right?" Dorothy responded with a halfhearted smile, taking nervous glances behind the reviewer's shoulder at Tammy. For what it was worth, Tammy mouthed, 'I'm sorry'.

"Good, it seems we're on the same page!" Gloria smiled wide, revealing a set of teeth so white and perfect that Dorothy could see herself in them. Awesome. Tammy was right. She looked like shit.

"I'm... I'm so sorry-" Dorothy stammered and apologized for nothing beyond her continued existence. "It's an honor to have you here, Miss-"

"Gloria is fine,"

"Gloria. Right. Gloria. Ah... Tammy, why don't you go and make us some coffee, or tea, or- oh. That was rude of me. I should've asked if there was anything you'd prefer! Ahaha! Please- just say the word, and-"

"No, thank you, I'm fine. You don't want it on your review that you were trying to bribe me, do you?" Gloria laughed, but the joke flew so far above her head that it landed among the clouds.

"Bribe?! But... it's just coffee...?" Dorothy mumbled in confusion.

There was a moment of silence followed by Gloria scribbling something on one of the floating clipboards while Tammy visibly cringed. Dorothy remained clueless, though worried if she'd said something wrong.

Gloria looked over her shoulder and gave Tammy a cursory smile, telling her, "Thank you for the help, Miss Rheingald. I'll need to speak with you personally later on, but for now, you can head back to your station."

"Sure," Tammy took the hint and shrugged. "Let me know if you need anything, boss." She looked Dorothy in the eyes and gave her a reassuring nod, or at least as reassuring as someone with a permanent resting bitch face could simulate.

It wasn't much, but it did help a little. Once Tammy left, though, that comfort went along with her. Gloria made Dorothy feel like she was standing naked in front of a crowd, and their review hadn't even begun. She was terrified of how bad this could go, especially when Gloria started prowling around her office to inspect every nook and cranny without warning. What was the right thing to do in this situation? Dorothy wasn't sure. Should she say something or wait until the reviewer speaks? Dorothy was liable to break out into a panicked sweat if this took much longer.

"Sorry, just needed to take a few notes for good measure!" Gloria ended the silence after taking another few lines of notes down. "It's important I document the state of your office."

"Understandable, absolutely. Do whatever you need to! I-I'm not about to get in your way, I promise!" Dorothy raised her hands defensively and gave the reviewer a powerless smile.

"You promise, huh? That's good because I've quite the job ahead of me."

Dorothy gulped. "You... you do?"

"Oh, yes... tell me, Dorothy. Do you have any clue why the Association sent me here today?"

The way she stared at Dorothy made the Guild Mistress feel like she was being looked down on, though it was hard to tell under the amount of stress she was under. She wanted to think that this woman had the best of intentions and that she was too tired to see that, but it remained ambiguous. In any case, Dorothy figured that mixing words would not help her case.

"I, ah, assume it has something to do with my Guild's profit margins..."

"Yes," Gloria came clean immediately. "That's what kicked this whole ordeal off, admittedly. The Association has been watching Cransmere closely ever since you took the seat of acting Guild Mistress, and now they've deemed it necessary for someone to come in, see how things are going, and provide consultation."

"I understand, and again I am so sorry if my performance is lacking in any way, I-"

"Oh, it very much is..." Gloria shook her head, causing Dorothy to shrink what felt like several feet. Taking a small leather notebook from her pocket and flipping through it, Gloria tapped a line with her nail and adjusted her glasses. "You had high grades during your years at the Academy, isn't that right?"

Taken aback by the sudden change in topic, Dorothy stumbled, "Well, I, um... I wasn't at the top of the class or anything, but-"

"You weren't at the bottom, either. Or even the middle. You performed above average- which is why the Association expected more. I know that must hurt to hear, but it's better I lay the foundation for your review and tell you outright what this is all about. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Of course," Dorothy tried to swallow, but there was a nervous lump in her throat.

The review had only just begun, and Dorothy was already on the verge of a mental breakdown. Why did this have to happen now, of all times? During the worst week of her life and after three days without any meaningful sleep? She couldn't deal with scrutiny or expectations from the Association today. Dorothy would've fallen over from a stiff wind. Even a couple droplets of rain from outside might've been enough to knock her out.

Gloria kept quiet regarding Dorothy's ever-decreasing morale, continuing to speak. "When you were appointed to replace Beckett Eckerson following his untimely termination, the Association prepared to suffer a year or two of setbacks until you fully acclimate to a leadership position. It's been three, and you still haven't reached anywhere near the profits your predecessor regularly brought in."

Dorothy nodded silently, recalling memories of the man who served as her de facto mentor during her tenure as Assistant Guild Mistress. A stern yet amicable man, Beckett Eckerson was everything Dorothy wasn't. Well-liked, charming, and humorous, he was respected by his staff, adventurers, and even Cransmere's elite. People listened when Beckett spoke, and he knew how to make them regret it whenever they didn't.

The events leading up to his dismissal were a terrible shame, and Dorothy felt there was so much she still could've learned from him. Then again, if she hadn't picked up his talents in the five years she'd spent under his wing, Dorothy presumed such skills were likely beyond her.

"Is there any comment you like to make in response to that, Dorothy?" Gloria pulled her back into the moment, ceasing her reflection on the past.

"No," Dorothy stated calmly after struggling to control her wits. "I'm not going to waste my time or yours with excuses. Let the Association know I'm aware of my underperformance compared to my predecessor and that I'm doing my best to live up to the standards set by Mr. Eckerson's performance and the expectations the Association has of me..."

Gloria was pleased with that answer, a small smile appearing as she scribbled Dorothy's statement onto one of her clipboards. "Excellent, I can tell you right away that honesty will get you very far during this review. Before we begin a detailed discussion about the state of your performance, however, it's mandatory that I do a sweep of the building. I'll be inspecting the facilities and speaking with the employees and a handful of adventurers. Would you mind staying in your office for however long it takes me? It's standard procedure for you to remain out of the way to prevent interference, as I'm sure you know."

"Absolutely! You won't see me getting in your way, I... I promise." Dorothy nodded with respect as the reviewer walked back to the door.

"Wonderful, I'll return as soon as I'm finished."

If Dorothy had a choice, she would've preferred Gloria had just torn her a new one right then and there. She couldn't handle being alone right now- as soon as the reviewer was gone, the poor woman went straight back to her mania and paced around her office so hard it was a wonder her feet didn't start scuffing the floors.

Time was immaterial, and Dorothy couldn't say how long Gloria's inspection and interviews took. Trapped in a negative feedback loop wondering whether or not she would make it through the day, Dorothy chewed her nails, nervously scratched at herself, and continually wiped the sweat from her brow. Every agonizing second was pain.

So many things could go wrong during the inspection that it terrified her to think. Sure, the front door and the cafeteria were fixed up, but other things could get her in trouble. What if Gloria tried inspecting the wrong dorm and ended up picking a fight with Britni or any number of her other problematic adventurers? Would her disgruntled employees say kind things about her, or what they see this as a chance to sabotage Dorothy's career? Was Eschal working on any experiments he shouldn't be? She still hadn't removed the lock Coye installed in his old dorm room, either, but that wouldn't be a problem... would it?

Her mentality kept spiraling down and down past any reasonable measure of sanity until the door to Dorothy's office opened again, and in walked Gloria. Whether she was gone for minutes or half the day, Dorothy wasn't sure, and she still wasn't prepared. Wiping up the latest layer of sweat and smiling, she turned to greet the reviewer.

"Welcome back," Dorothy smiled. "I, ah, hope everything went alright...?"

"Yes, I believe so," Gloria returned her smile with a concerned expression, her right hand continuing to document this and that she approached. "Why don't you have a seat at your desk, Dorothy? We'll go over everything in due time, but there's something I wish to ask first."

"Oh, of course," Dorothy pulled out her chair and sat while Gloria took the seat opposite her. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Forgive my bluntness, but... are you well? You don't seem to be in the right mind for this. Granted, the point of a surprise review is obviously for the review to... well, to be a surprise and catch you unprepared, but... even then..." Gloria looked Dorothy up and down, and for the first time, the Guild Mistress saw the reviewer as an actual person, not a terrifying manifestation of the Association sent to judge her every action. She looked at Dorothy with pity, maybe even a hint of concern.

Dorothy gulped. Gloria already told her that honesty was best, so... would it be a mistake to admit the truth and have it on the record? Was this a trap? If it was, did it even matter? Gloria's report was already going to be damning as it was, so...

"No... I'm not well today, no. I didn't want to mention it because it might sound like I'm making an excuse, but I've had an exceptionally rough week. It's left me in, ah... possibly the most drained state I've ever been in... I haven't slept in three days, and I've been working around the clock, responding to numerous problems that kept cropping up one after another. The fact that you're here right now is... almost something of a cruel joke, honestly."

Gloria was silent for what seemed like an extended period. She frowned deeper as the seconds passed before finally nodding and taking down the highlights of Dorothy's confession. "Let it be said that no one is accusing you of laziness, Dorothy. I'm not usually so upfront about the reasons for my visitation, but I feel like you deserve to know I'm not here to look for excuses to fire you and that your job is not currently in danger."

Dorothy tilted her head. For a moment there, it sounded like Gloria was speaking another language. As the awkward silence dragged on, though, Dorothy realized that perhaps things weren't quite as hopeless as she believed.

"It's... not...?"

"No, not at all. Very rarely does a transition from one Guild Master to the next go smoothly, even after years of training and schooling. It's not a job you can ever be truly prepared for until you've experienced it yourself. There have been far, far worse Guild Masters than you, hell- there are far worse Guild Masters than you- and they all still keep their positions year after year."

Dorothy nodded, though she was entirely lost and found it difficult to process what he was hearing.

"Just because you aren't as profitable as Mr. Eckerson was isn't immediate grounds for dismissal. However, it is grounds for a stern talking to... one that I'm not allowed to postpone, even if I wish I could. Do you understand my meaning, Dorothy?"

"I... yes, I think I do," Dorothy smiled weakly, hoping that Gloria's implication wasn't all in her head and that the reviewer was as sympathetic as it sounded.

"Good," Gloria tried to hide a smile of her own through her professionalism, but glimpses of it still shone through.

"Thank you, Gloria..." she exhaled, her posture relaxing as a hint of her mental burden was eased. This woman wasn't her enemy. How wonderful was that?

"Don't thank me yet. I still have to do my job, and I'm not in the habit of pulling punches. Let's start by going over what I learned..." Gloria removed her leather notebook again and flipped to a more recent page. "The building itself is in decent condition. No current property damage worth mentioning, but I heard there was a recent scuffle between adventurers and something about the front door being kicked in? Nothing I haven't heard before. That's just what adventurers do, isn't it?"

"When they're not doing worse..."

"True enough. Speaking of adventurers, I talked to a few of yours." Gloria noticed straightaway how Dorothy flinched at the thought. "You're not held in very high esteem around here."

"I'm aware."

"When exactly did that start?"

"Early on, even before my promotion. I've... always struggled with social situations, and my grades in the Academy reflect that..."

"Yes, you had below-average marks when it came to courses relating to personnel management, negotiation, and so on," Gloria agreed after flipping to a further back page in her notebook to verify. "Despite that, not a single person I talked to described you as timid, meek, shy, or what have you, all of which were the most common criticisms received from your instructors back in the day. Ironically enough, the adventurers I spoke with implied the exact opposite. They said that you were nosy, overly aggressive in selling products and subscriptions and that you didn't know how to take no for an answer."

"Are... you... praising me?" Dorothy struggled to believe it, but it certainly sounded like it was the case.

"To an extent. You've clearly showcased you have the drive and ability to work past and even improve upon your limitations, which is more than the Association ever expected. You make decent sales, for the record, but I can imagine you'd do better if you were more personable."

That one hit Dorothy pretty hard, and she could only nod in response.

"There was one party in particular to which I spoke that seemed to really have it out for you-"

Dorothy closed her eyes and let out a stressed sigh, her forehead suddenly suffering through a throbbing pain. She prayed to whatever god was listening that the following words out of Gloria's mouth didn't involve Britni and her-

"They called themselves the..." Gloria raised an eyebrow at her own note, still not getting over how tacky the name of their party was. "Baddest Bitches?"

"Yes, that sounds about right..." Dorothy confirmed lifelessly.

"Two of them in particular had the harshest words for you out of anyone. Their Beastfolk companion parroted most of their comments without actually understanding them, while their fourth member kept to herself during the conversation."

"I don't know what Britni and Tiph told you, and I probably don't want to..."

"Are you suggesting their comments are invalid due to personal bias against you?"

"More than likely, yes," Dorothy admitted. "I'll own up to any other criticism coming from anyone else, but Britni and Tiphanie Biledrop are widely disliked by most of the Guild. They're troublemakers and have always had it out for me since they transferred here."

Gloria verified another tidbit from her notes, adding, "Records state that they're high-earning troublemakers."

"Which is why I've never pushed them that hard on anything despite the damage caused, the harassment they've shown toward a fellow Guildmate or even the blatant disrespect they constantly point my way..."

"Good, good," Gloria nodded in approval. "Managing the talent and knowing when to let things go is important. Excellent work."

Dorothy tried not to shrug, but that was difficult when someone praised her for being a good doormat.

"Another thing I'd like to stress is that your likability among your adventurers means very little to the Association. They can hate you as much as they want, but they're meat, and you're the grinder. Nothing else matters as long as you're turning the crank."

"Right, of course," Dorothy mostly tuned that one out. She hated hearing that Association rhetoric they tried drilling into her during the Academy. People weren't clockwork cogs that spun perfectly on demand, no matter how much the Association wanted to make them so.

Dorothy could never distance herself from her adventurers the way she was taught. At best, Dorothy could recite sales pitches to the point where people started disliking her, but she couldn't get on her adventurer's cases and make them work themselves to death or talk them into severe debt like other Guild Masters did. That just wasn't her.

"Well, moving right along... your employees were also of a similar mind about you. I spoke with several maids, most of whom stated you're high-strung and difficult to work with. Why would they say such things, Dorothy? Enlighten me."

"Because I expect them to do their job, and they don't do it..." Dorothy muttered with more spite than intended.

"And why don't they? You realize any insubordination on the part of your staff reflects more poorly on you than it does with them, yes?"

"I-I'm not trying to throw them under the dragon's fire or use them as a scapegoat," Dorothy clarified. "I'm only saying that there are so many incidents every damn day that my head spins trying to keep track of them all. The maids get sent all over the building cleaning up this and that, telling me afterward that I'm working them too hard. Now it's gotten to the point where they insist on doing less than the minimum on sheer principle..."

Gloria narrowed her eyes. "It sounds to me like you need to be more... creative in the ways you motivate your staff. Surely if you tried, you could be sterner? Assert your authority."

"Understood, I'll do something..." Dorothy offered up her latest absent nod. Gloria's implication likely had something to do with threatening to fire people, which never came easy to her. She could scarcely stand any form of conflict, and Dorothy's self-doubt convinced her that even if she tried, her staff still wouldn't listen to her.

"To my understanding, you occasionally take time out of your day to do some of your employee's duties? I'd advise you to cease that behavior right this moment- you're Guild Mistress, not a maid. You don't clean rooms; you order others to clean them for you."

Dorothy's neck was starting to hurt from all the nodding. It was increasingly difficult to listen to such repetitive and obvious statements on repeat, but Dorothy knew she had to stay polite.

"Next you'll be telling me you help cook dinner some nights..." Gloria laughed and then, upon retrospect, grew concerned. "Please tell me that isn't the case?"

"I wish I had time to cook," Dorothy laughed. "No, the chefs are less problematic..."

"Right, well... one last thing on the subject of your employees. Giving credit where it's due, I wanted to praise you for your receptionist and her unique circumstances."

Dorothy blinked and raised her head. "Oh? Um, what about Tammy?"

"It was an excellent move to placate one of the most influential lords of Cransmere by offering him the chance to employ his disabled daughter in exchange for recurring donations and assorted personal favors. From her self-admission, it sounds like Miss Rheingald gives you no small trouble despite that, yes?"

"I... ah, I don't want it phrased like that," Dorothy insisted. She wouldn't lie and say that Tammy made her life any easier, but she wouldn't sell out her friend, either. "Tammy does what little she can to help out, often registering quests in very short bursts spaced between frequent breaks or taking notes so I can register them for her whenever I'm back at the front desk."

"It's been two and a half years since you hired her. Why haven't you found another receptionist to supplement Miss Rheingald's faults?"

"I've looked, and we even had a few hires that didn't last long... but..."

"Look harder. This should be your priority, Dorothy. I don't care if you're worried about another hire affecting your profit- it'll be better for you in the long term to have someone more reliable manning that desk in addition to the young lady. While we're still on the subject, she spoke highly of you- as did Mr. Paracelis downstairs. I'm happy you're not entirely hated around these parts if nothing else."

Dorothy let out a small sigh. "Tammy is reliable in that she's honest about her limitations and makes up for them in more personal ways, while Eschal is much kinder than his appearance belies..."

"I'm glad to hear it. Now, let's put aside the topic of your employees. We have to address the topic you've been dreading."

"...My profit margin?"

"Yes," Gloria nodded in solidarity. "As you're aware, any given Guild has many variables that affect the bottom line. You have the income from questing, lodging, healer's fees, subscription services, purchases from Adventurers First, and so on. The most income your Guild generates comes from medical. On top of that, a decent number of your adventurers are signed up for one subscription or another, whether that be potions or life insurance. And then there's the fact that despite how annoying some have described your pitches, your Guild has an above-average level of catalog purchases."

"There may be one or two high-spending adventurers who, ah, inflate those numbers on their own..."

"Good. Any self-respecting Guild needs a few whales."

Dorothy blinked, her mind unintentionally picturing Coye if he were chubby for the second time that week before realizing how inappropriate the time was for such silly fantasies. "Yes, sorry. I'd forgotten that term for a moment..."

"You're fine. We've covered what you do well, but now we need to bring our attention to the inverse. Let's start with your declining lodging fees, as no one will fault you for it. Every Guild's population fluctuates, and given that you were unfortunate enough to succeed Mr. Eckerson the same year that the Perlshaw Adventurer's Guild completed construction, yours has seen a natural migration of talent."

"To the point where I had to request some be returned to me," Dorothy sighed.

"You got what you wished for, didn't you?"

"You could say that..." Dorothy laughed. When she appealed to the Association a year ago to set up a transfer request, Dorothy was desperate to bring in more manpower. Instead, she ended up with the Baddest Bitches, and she'd debated whether they were worth all that trouble ever since.

"Try supplementing your lodging income by having more festivities. Feasts, buffets, celebrations, anything to get your Guild eating and drinking in excess will suffice."

"Pardon me," Dorothy meekly interrupted. "But, ah, have you seen Cransmere? It's not exactly where you go when you want a good time..."

"I suppose that's true," Gloria admitted.

"That, and I can't imagine any of my adventurers would ever desire to get together for a communal activity..."

"Never say never. Sometimes, the best business decisions you can make are the ones you'd expect would never pan out."

Dorothy still couldn't see it, but she agreed if only to move the conversation forward. "I'll look into it..."

"Now, on to more upsetting matters. I need to know why Cransmere's quest income is so low despite being seated at the mouth of one of Arrark's most dangerous, monster-infected regions?" Gloria didn't pull punches, just as she warned. She cut straight into the heart of the matter with the efficiency of a surgeon's knife.

Dorothy could only lower her head in shame at the topic she dreaded most. "As you said, I... ah... I've been continually losing adventurers to Perlshaw. Cransmere simply can't be compared next to all of the astonishing benefits their Guild offers to even the most basic of adventurers... on top of that, Perlshaw is just past Rhoivan's border. It scarcely even a week or two of travel to get there..."

Built in response to the tragic demon attack, the Perlshaw Adventurer's Guild was constructed to serve as the new central hub of adventuring in Karnalle. Dorothy had never seen it in person, but she'd heard all about it. The place was larger than most castles, featuring a luxury training gymnasium, vast alchemy labs, expensive libraries of magical tomes, indoor pools, hot springs, saunas, and lodging that would rival the finest of inns.

It was frankly easier to list the things the Perlshaw Guild didn't have- which was nothing.

"The Association has considered this and believes you could still be doing better than you are. Case in point..." flipping through her notes until finding the appropriate passage, Gloria tapped the page several times with her fingernail and clicked her tongue. "Many adventurers told me there was a shortage of quests this week. Does that happen often?"

"No, the board is almost always full... Like you said, Cransmere is a high-activity region, so..."

"Are you saying that most quests simply fall into your lap?"

"Yes, that would be... ah... accurate..." Dorothy's thoughts trailed off midsentence as soon as she realized she was walking straight into a trap.

"That's not good enough for the Association. You might have a fancy desk with a nice chair, but your job isn't to sit behind it all day. You need to be out there mingling with nobles, sucking up to them at every chance you get. Go to their stupid balls, attend their stupid weddings, and ingratiate yourself to them until you've convinced each and every member of the Cransmere's nobility that they can't take a shit without the Guild's help."

Showing a semblance of a spine, Dorothy stood her ground. "I have been. The quest board is full now because I did precisely as you suggested and ran around town to speak with everyone nobleman who would see me..."

"I'm not trying to downplay your recent accomplishments, only point out that you don't do this sort of thing often enough. When was the last time you took the initiative and attended social functions with any nobility, hm?"

"It's... yeah, it's been a while..."

Dorothy truly hated going to events hosted by the upper crust. She always stood out among the beautiful women wearing extravagant gowns whenever she made an appearance. Dorothy saw herself as just a chubby, pale-skinned, plain girl, and no fancy dress could change that. She couldn't even dance well- not that anyone ever asked for her hand.

"My hands are tied with matters here at the Guild more often than not, and I'm... um, afraid I can't leave as often as I used to..."

"Dorothy," Gloria said in a stern voice that sucked the life out of the room. "I thought you said you wouldn't be making excuses for yourself."

The Guild Mistress lowered her head in shame, the sinking feeling in her stomach sinking somehow deeper and increasing the anxiety this conversation was giving her. "You're right. I'm so sorry, I'm..."

This was too much for the experienced reviewer. She sighed a long, heavy sigh and pressed a button on her jeweled ring, which unsummoned her trio of floating clipboards. Gloria dug into her vest pocket and pulled out a silver cigarette case which she opened and exposed to Dorothy.

"Do you mind?"

"Ah..." Dorothy was taken aback by the sudden change in demeanor. "No, by all means... just... just a moment...?" She cracked a window as Gloria took out an expensive-looking ornate lighter- Dwarven, by the looks of it- and lit her cigarette.

To be polite, the reviewer stood from her seat and moved over to the window Dorothy had just opened up, taking her first drag and blowing it out into the cool, rainy air of the outside world.

"Off the record, Dorothy?"

"Y-Yes?"

"You need to get more creative with the way you make money for the Guild. If you don't, I'll be forced to return within a few years, and I won't be able to treat you with the kindness I've shown today. I'll rip you a new one and rip it hard. Then, they're going to saddle you with an Assistant Guild Master. They won't tell you why, but you'll be smart enough to understand the Association is getting you to train your successor." Dorothy was dead silent, but Gloria was patient and took several more cigarette drags while giving Dorothy a chance to articulate her thoughts.

"Alright, I... I understand how bad this is- how bad I am... but I'm afraid I don't follow when you say I need to be more... creative." One thing was for sure, Dorothy didn't like the sound of that. Not at all.

Gloria's thin smile spread wider. "Relax. I'm not suggesting you follow your predecessor's footsteps and start issuing unsanctioned quests on the down low. I'm talking about how you if can't manage the social aspects of being a Guild Mistress, you need to find other ways to compensate. Find a way to squeeze the town dry. The Association doesn't care how you do it so long as you give them their cut. Surely you know all about the gimmicks that some of the other major Guilds cross Karnalle use to generate additional funding?"

"Yes, of course I do... but... p-please remind me as if I'm on the verge of suffering a mental breakdown and can't recall, anyway...?"

Gloria stared for an uncomfortably long time. She gestured toward the Guild Mistress with her cigarette. "You sure you don't need one of these?"

"I don't smoke, no..."

"Hm. It doesn't have to be smoking, but I think you need something to take the edge off. Sex, steezweed, mellowmilk, things like that." the reviewer shrugged.

Dorothy blushed but said nothing, trying to push back against the creeping mental images those thoughts gave her. Eventually, she managed, "I, ah, have my vices... same as anyone else, ahaha. Thank you, though."

Trading cards were a vice, weren't they?

"Right, anyway... there are plenty of other Guilds in Karnalle that host activities for the townspeople to participate in. Bourgeaux and its Grand Arena, Gundinar's Forge Wars, Hunnihome's Feast of Plenty, Mithimere's monthly Festival of Magic... each of those examples bolster the economy of their respective cities, fatten the purse of their Guild, and reinforces the trust among the smallfolk."

"Mr. Eckerson never did anything like that," Dorothy thought aloud. "Then again... I guess he never needed to. I'm still having difficulty imagining how I would ever gain the attention of a paranoid town like Cransmere, but... you've given me a lot to think about."

What kind of gimmick would even suit a Guild like Dorothy's? She didn't have the first clue, which could partially be ascribed to her lack of sleep. It was worth considering, at least, but... this entire conversation amounted to try doing this, try doing that, keep doing what you're doing- but stop sucking at it.

Dorothy was already doing so much every day of her life... the thought of adding more chaos to her life by planning festivities, hosting events, or coming up with gimmicks made her woozy and lightheaded...

Gloria finished off her cigarette, tossing it out the window before re-summoning her clipboards and taking a couple of notes on each. After, she turned to Dorothy and said, "That just about covers everything I was supposed to convey. Do you have any questions for me while I'm still here?

"I can't say that I do," Dorothy said after some consideration. "You've been, ah... very helpful. Stressful, but helpful..."

"Heh," the seasoned reviewer grinned. "I just hope by this point you see that I want you to succeed, and from what I've read about you in your files, I'm not the only one. Having so many people back home looking up to you and touting you as their local pride and joy must be tremendous pressure."

"Yes. It is. A lot, actually... but... I'm thankful for everything they've done for me..." even though Dorothy was smiling, it was distant, and her words were automatic. She was already on the verge of collapsing- she didn't need to be thinking about everyone in Priddlesby.

"Before you go, however, I... I did want to tell you how thankful I am for you taking it easy on me..."

"I didn't see the need to hammer in what you already know," Gloria shrugged. "Just keep doing what you're doing, but better. Preferably without killing yourself, if you can help it."

"Ahaha..." Dorothy wasn't sure if that was a joke, but something told her it wasn't.

"In summary, you're not in trouble," Gloria dismissed her clipboards for the final time. "But you will be if you don't start showing signs of improvement within the next few years. Take the things I've told you and try and put some of them into practice. Mr. Eckerson was a profitable Guild Master because he had his own ways of doing things. You'd be better off trying to figure out your own style of leadership and profitability rather than trying to emulate his."

Something about those words sunk in. Perhaps they were the first bits of advice that meant anything, or maybe Dorothy was just so tired that she clung to them, hoping they would keep her awake. Either way, Dorothy understood she had to experiment with the Guild soon.

"I'll try and take that advice to heart," Dorothy managed a small smile to see the reviewer off.

"I'm sure you will," Gloria smiled back and then turned around like she was going to leave, but after making it halfway to the door, she stopped and lingered. "Oh, yes. That's right, how could I forget? There was one final matter I was meant to discuss with you..."

"...Ah, is that so? Alright. What might that be?" Dorothy couldn't put her finger on why, but her intuition warned her that this wouldn't be good.

Turning back around, Gloria looked Dorothy in the eyes with a hard-to-read expression. "One of my many tasks is ascertaining your relationships with adventurers. Your personal relationships, I mean."

"..."

"I asked around just to be certain, and a particular name kept coming up. Let me see here..." Gloria treated the topic nonchalantly, flipping through her notebook as if feigning forgetfulness. "Coye, correct?" She looked away from the notebook, staring into Dorothy's eyes to gauge her reaction.

Against all odds, Dorothy kept her calm. Even amidst sudden mental anxiety at the mention of his name, the Guild Mistress downplayed the situation with expertise. "Oh, Coye? I wouldn't say we have a close relationship, just that he's the only one who treats me with respect. Hard not to act a bit more friendly with him when he's the only one willing to do the same for me."

"Really? Hm... a lot of people said he seems overly fond of you."

"Oh? I, ah... I wouldn't know the first thing about-"

"Hold on a moment. I'm not accusing you of anything," Gloria waved Dorothy's concerns off. "The code of conduct is flexible on the whole Guild Masters dating adventurers thing. You of all people should know it's not ironclad. On the off chance that you were close with him, all that would happen is-"

"The Association would come in and review it on a case-by-case basis," Dorothy responded while staring into her desk. "I know. Still, it's not like that. I wouldn't want to do anything that would put my Guild and me under further scrutiny, anyway..."

"Well," Gloria gave her a strange look. "Let's suppose you did take things further with this 'Coye'. What would you say if I told you I guarantee the Association would completely overlook it, Dorothy?"

Dorothy's breathing grew heavier. She looked straight at Gloria, who now seemed so far away. Her head was reeling like someone had spun the world itself before her eyes.

"...Excuse me?!" Her cheeks burning red, Dorothy jumped from her desk and unintentionally slammed her fists on the table. "I don't know what you're getting at, but-"

The reviewer took note of Dorothy's emotional outburst and sighed. This wasn't going to go smoothly, was it? Better to not sugarcoat it.

"I'm going to be level with you- that boy is a large part of why I'm here today. I was told to encourage you to... befriend Coye."

Dorothy's heart sank deeper as she stared into the void. Gloria wasn't there anymore. She was too far away, replaced by a world of lonely emotions and endless questions. "But... why? What? What even is- I mean, why with the Association encourage me to... to... are you telling me they want me to seduce him?!"

"I didn't use those specific words, no,"

"But you're heavily implying it!"

"If that's how you choose to interpret it, perhaps I am?"

Too many thoughts were whirling about in her head, so she tried cutting into the heart of things to make it easier to process. "Can you at least tell me why the Association wanted you to... relay this information to me? Coye..." Dorothy froze, strangely hurt by what she was about to say. "It's not like Coye is anyone extraordinary. He's just a Silver-ranked adventurer with a solid work ethic that managed to qualify for a promotion at the end of his first year. Beyond that, I... I just don't see why the Association would have any specific interest in him?"

"They don't," Gloria admitted. "But do you really not know who his father is?"

"His father...?" It was hard to think under the current circumstances, so Dorothy took a moment before parsing the answer. "From what little Coye's told me, I know that he's his human parent and that he used to be a powerful adventurer in the past, but-"

"Powerful?" The way Gloria laughed was chilling. "Dorothy, I don't think you understand how big of an understatement you just made. Coye's father isn't just strong, he's 'Muscled Mountain' Bronson- one of Arrark's only Platinum-ranked adventurers... or at least he was, until his sudden retirement two decades ago."

"W-W-What...?!" Dorothy's glasses fell off her face as she nearly stumbled back in shock.

She didn't recognize Bronson's name specifically, but it was still an appropriate response when discussing a Platinum-ranked adventurer. The gap between silver and gold was vast, but the gap between gold and platinum was more expansive than the void between Realms. Each province only had a handful of Platinum-rankers, legendary men and women whose power was so unimaginably high that they were solely dispatched to extinguish Realm-shattering threats- sometimes even to Realms beyond Karnalle.

Dorothy had never even met a Platinum-ranked adventurer, and she'd worked in a Guild for eight years. The thought of Coye being related to such an important figure was mind-boggling- especially when she considered why this information was relevant to her.

"Okay, hold on..." trembling, Dorothy fumbled for her glasses and set them back on her face where they belonged. "If you're going somewhere with this, please get it over with already! What does his father have to do with my... my friendship with Coye?"

"You're not stupid," Gloria scoffed. "My reports indicate that this boy is highly promiscuous and has a soft spot for you larger than Mount Montbrand. If you put your heart into it, I'd bet anything you could... 'work your way into Coye's graces', or however you'd like to phrase it to make you feel better. If that were to happen-"

"I'd... be in a position to meet with his father..."

"See, there you go. Everything I know about Bronson paints him as a virtuous and kind man like no other. This is the same softy who gave up adventuring just to settle down somewhere peaceful and raise his son as a full-time single dad. Can you imagine how indebted he'd feel to the women- or in this case, woman- responsible for taking care of his beloved son? Play your cards right, and he might even start thinking of you as his own. An honest man like that? I'd wager he'd do just about anything to help save his daughter's Guild, wouldn't you?"

"I... I don't...?"

"Forget about your Guild for a moment. Just think about how much higher your standing in the Association would rise if you managed to bring a Platinum-ranked adventurer out of retirement. I don't think you understand how many other Guild Masters would kill to have such an opportunity in their hands, Dorothy."

"So... you really are telling me to-"

"For the last time, I'm not telling you to do anything. I'm merely pointing out that there just so happens to be a convenient ladder right at the bottom of the hole you currently find yourself in. You can climb that ladder if you're smart, but if you're not going to for whatever reason, then I'd suggest you find another damn ladder."

"Ah," Dorothy could only nod as she'd done through the entire review. "I see."

Gloria let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, that must be a lot to take in. I didn't mean to-"

"You're fine, whatever. Are we done now? I need time alone to consider everything we went over..." Dorothy's voice was quiet and distant. She looked at the reviewer, but nothing was behind her expression beyond an emptiness devoid of meaning.

Gloria wasn't expecting her to take the subject so seriously but supposed it couldn't be helped. She was just the messenger, after all. Figuring out where to go from here was Dorothy's job. She'd served her purpose.

"I hope you take enough time to fully consider it, Dorothy. You might not ever have a chance like this again. You get that?" Gloria waited for acknowledgment from the Guild Mistress, but Dorothy didn't grace her with any. Cutting her losses, Gloria shrugged and made for the door- for real this time. "Well, alright. Take care, and don't give me a reason to return."

The door closed, and Dorothy was left alone with a hole in her heart and a head full of poison, self-doubt, and depression. Where to even begin? Oh, of course.

How about the fact that the Association wanted her to seduce Coye to make up for her pitiable bottom line? To use him as a stepping stone for her career advancement? To take advantage of the one person in the Guild who truly cared for her- the most important relationship she'd cultivated in her eight years of hell?

It made her sick. Dorothy wanted to throw up- to tear her heart out and fucking throw it at the wall. What use is the damn thing, anyway? It was just another tool the Association expected her to make use of, after all.

And then there were her feelings for Coye.

Whatever they were, they became tainted before she could finally sort them out. Now, Dorothy couldn't even think about Coye without his image being corrupted in her mind. Coye wasn't her friend. He was just another aspect of work- another piece of meat for the grinder.

They wanted Dorothy to whore herself out.

She fell back further into her chair and stared at the ceiling. Dorothy wrestled with her thoughts and attempted to calm her pounding heart, but the ceiling rose before her very eyes. It drifted off so far away that it seemed as if she was staring at the open sky.

Wasn't it already enough that she was working herself to death? Dorothy never slept, groomed, or ate adequately, all for the Guild. For the Association. Did they really have to invalidate her agency on top of all that?

To ruin what might have been her first love?

The ceiling gave Dorothy vertigo, and she couldn't keep looking at it. Stressed beyond rational thought, Dorothy's stomach told her she was hungry. Her hand fumbled around her desk, looking to open a snack drawer, but the desk also seemed like it was miles away.

Reaching her hand out, Dorothy stretched into the distance until her ever-extending hand clasped the handlebar. She couldn't open it. Her body was too jittery. It wouldn't stop moving, no matter how hard she tried.

When she finally managed to jerk her arm, the entire drawer came out in a haphazard and reckless motion. Dorothy unintentionally ripped it out with every ounce of her strength. All of the snacks and assorted trading cards spilled out every which way.

That was okay. Dorothy rationed that she ate too many snacks anyway. She could go and have a proper meal in the cafeteria. Yeah, that would help take her mind off things...

Dorothy rose from her desk, her expensive chair falling from behind her. It didn't even register- she took a single step away from her desk and was shocked by the disorienting sensation crawling across every inch of her body.

How strange.

Her legs were wobbly- worse than the day before, even. Her chest felt like it'd just been stabbed. That was also okay. She was just hungrier than she thought, right? Dorothy would take another step... and then another... and another... and then she'd be at the cafeteria before she knew it.

Dorothy didn't even make it halfway to the door before collapsing on the ground. Her glasses broke under her smashed face. She couldn't breathe. Terror struck as she clutched her breast, eyes opening wide as she fought to swallow down even a breath of air- just one would do... please... just one?

"No..." Dorothy gasped. "No... !"

This couldn't be happening.

She had to get up and keep going and work harder, and Dorothy knew she could do it if she could only stand on her own damn feet! If she gave up now, everyone in Priddlesby would see her for who she really was- a failure they never should've bothered sending off to that expensive Academy- a waste of so much gold... and a waste of life.

Really, what was even the point of getting back up? Everything hurt so much, and Dorothy didn't think she wanted to subject herself to more of the same old same old. What she wanted was a nap. A long one, if possible. Maybe even one that didn't end?

Yes... that sounded just fine.

What an idiot she was for trying so hard all this time. It was pointless. You could fight an uphill battle your entire life, and all it would take was one rainy day to muddy the ground beneath your feet, making you slip and slide all the way back down to the bottom of the hill.

"Coye..."

Dorothy closed her eyes and let the sounds of the rain carry her into her hard-earned nap.