At the Adventurers' Guild headquarters, the bustling front desk received an unexpected visitor today.
"Hello, I'm looking for the Guild Master."
An adventurer wearing full-coverage armor said this to the receptionist.
A clear girl's voice actually came from within that iron can.
The receptionist was first startled to hear a girl's voice from the iron can, but quickly reacted.
"Ah, you must be Ms. [Goblin Slayer]?"
Aelia nodded.
"I'm looking for the Guild Master. Is she in?"
The receptionist nodded and stepped aside.
"The Guild Master is currently in her office. You don't need to be announced to see her—just go straight in."
Aelia nodded again and walked toward the interior of the Adventurers' Guild.
She first knocked on the door, then heard a "Come in" from inside, so she turned the door handle and walked in.
Sitting in the center of the office was a middle-aged woman.
When she looked up and saw Aelia, the calm expression on her face immediately disappeared.
"Aelia! It's you!"
The middle-aged woman who saw Aelia quickly stood up, planning to get a chair for Aelia.
She had met Aelia once, but that encounter had always been unforgettable for her.
It was a dusk five years ago, when she wasn't yet the Guild Master of the Adventurers' Guild.
On a business trip, she passed through an uninhabited mountain range and was unfortunately captured by goblins.
Then, she suffered all kinds of inhuman treatment in the goblin cave.
At first, she knew someone would come to rescue her, since she was from the Adventurers' Guild.
Although the Adventurers' Guild didn't have money, they wouldn't ignore members in danger—at least they would issue rescue commissions by deducting from her salary.
Finally, an adventurer party did come to rescue her.
But unexpectedly—that adventurer party rescuing her was completely wiped out by goblin traps and schemes.
Hearing the adventurers' wails, she truly realized—she was probably doomed.
Just when she was in despair, an iron-clad figure wearing full-coverage armor rushed in and quickly exterminated the goblins in this cave using methods beyond her imagination.
That iron figure was Aelia.
Seeing the middle-aged woman hurriedly going to get a chair, Aelia shook her head.
"That's not necessary."
The Guild Master's movement paused for a moment, then she returned to face Aelia, but didn't sit down.
Thinking about it, this was normal—after all, she was that [Goblin Slayer], and her heart only contained goblins.
She probably came to find her for goblin-related matters too.
The Guild Master felt somewhat troubled.
Although she was now the Guild Master of the Adventurers' Guild, she actually didn't have much power.
The Adventurers' Guild was essentially just an organization elected by adventurers to assist adventurers in their activities, with basically no control over adventurers.
The guild's only source of funding was commission processing fees and a one percent commission from jobs.
But this money was already stretched thin just maintaining guild operations.
For an organization like the Adventurers' Guild that had some connection to force, the Elasian royal family couldn't possibly allow it to have strong power, or it would threaten national centralization.
The Guild Master thought for a moment and asked somewhat helplessly:
"You came today—is it about something goblin-related?"
Aelia didn't speak, just nodded.
The Guild Master shook her head.
"Aelia, you should know that as Guild Master of the Adventurers' Guild, my power is extremely limited."
"I also want to repay your life-saving grace from back then. I also hate those damn goblins, but... I have no way either, or I would have taken appropriate measures long ago."
Seeing the Guild Master's helpless expression, Aelia shook her head.
"Guild Master, I think you're overthinking this."
"I came here not to talk about sentiment, but to talk business."
"Ah?"
Aelia's words confused the Guild Master.
To talk business?
However, using the favor she owed her to make herself do things for her indeed didn't fit her consistent style.
If Aelia were that kind of person, she couldn't have never contacted her once in all these years.
But Aelia was just an ordinary adventurer—she couldn't possibly produce a large sum of money to have the Adventurers' Guild massively exterminate goblins, could she?
But whatever the Guild Master was thinking, Aelia said exactly that.
"I came to issue a commission. I want my commission sent to every Adventurers' Guild branch throughout Elasia."
The Guild Master showed a somewhat troubled expression.
"Aelia... the guild doesn't have that money..."
However, before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted by Aelia.
"I said I came to talk business. Since I'm saying that, I'll naturally pay for this myself."
The Guild Master's expression became even more troubled.
Aelia probably didn't know how much money it cost to issue a nationwide commission...
"No, Aelia... you should know that issuing a nationwide commission costs a lot of money."
Her words did leave Aelia somewhat stunned.
Costs a lot of money? Exactly how much?
Aelia had been slaughtering goblins since childhood—she had almost no concept of money.
Prime Minister Candice gave her a budget of ten thousand gold coins. She wondered if it would be enough...
Seeing Aelia stunned, the Guild Master sighed and said:
"How much money have you saved up?"
She didn't hold hope that Aelia's money would be enough to issue this nationwide commission—she just wanted to see Aelia's current financial situation and whether she needed help...
"Would ten thousand gold coins be enough? If not, I'll think of another way."
"Ah? How much?!"
The helplessness and trouble on the Guild Master's face were immediately shattered by Aelia's words!
"You said how much?! Ten thousand?!"
Seeing the Guild Master's reaction, Aelia felt somewhat embarrassed.
It seemed it really wasn't enough...
"I'm really sorry, I thought this money would be enough..."
However, before Aelia could finish speaking, the Guild Master walked around her desk and rushed directly to her.
"You're not joking with me, are you?!"
Was her understanding of Aelia still insufficient?
Would she make such a boring joke?
Seeing her reaction, Aelia felt even more embarrassed.
"I'm really sorry, I really don't have much concept of money... but I'm really serious..."
Hearing Aelia's tone, the Guild Master finally realized—she wasn't joking! She was really serious!
The Guild Master quickly asked:
"You really have ten thousand gold coins?"
Aelia, who wasn't good at communicating with people, felt somewhat uncomfortable seeing the Guild Master so close, and said:
"Indeed, if it's not enough..."
However, the Guild Master's words interrupted her.
"Ten thousand gold coins? Did you go rob the national treasury?!"