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Four days later, Sophia visited the Baking Guild as she had announced. Since not all the talents she was supposed to teach had arrived yet, she figured it was a good time to handle some annoying tasks while she had the chance.

The Baking Guild building consisted of two stone structures, a two-story and a three-story building, standing side by side.

The two-story building on the right was primarily used by artisans to test new bread recipes or teach apprentices. As far as Sophia knew, the first floor was for kneading and fermenting dough, while the second floor, equipped with ovens and chimneys, was where the fermented dough was baked.

The practice building was bustling with artisans teaching apprentices, and the smell of baking bread filled the air. Sophia smiled faintly upon noticing this. If people were busy in the practice building, she could deal with the Guild Master in the office without too many witnesses.

Soon, Sophia stepped into the office building of the Baking Guild on the left. The first floor managed financial transactions among bakers, while the second floor handled legal matters. The Guild Master’s office was on the third floor.

Without glancing elsewhere, Sophia confidently climbed the stairs to the third floor. Along the way, some shoulders appeared, blocking her path, but when she placed her hand on one shoulder and pressed lightly, the man collapsed without resistance.

In the process, the man’s kneecap dislocated, but Sophia, feeling pity, personally treated him, so there shouldn’t be any lasting issues. However, seeing the man foaming at the mouth during the treatment, Sophia clicked her tongue and couldn’t help but comment.

“Tsk tsk, young folks these days are so dramatic.”

After finishing the kneecap treatment while holding the man’s demon and human blood, Sophia slapped his back and said. The men, feeling a burning pain on their skin from the unintended whip-like effect, silently screamed in agony.

Leaving the men writhing in pain, Sophia finally reached the third floor and was met with the tightly locked door of the Guild Master’s office.

Though the response was rude, Sophia couldn’t stoop to their level. Valuing etiquette, she decided to knock lightly first.

*Knock knock knock.*

“Is the Guild Master in? I’m here from the Church Order. Could you open the door?”

Sophia spoke politely while knocking, but there was no response from inside. However, with her highly developed senses and Qi Sense, she clearly detected someone inside.

Having shown respect by knocking and stating her purpose, Sophia acknowledged the need for a slight punishment when her goodwill was ignored.

In the next moment, the Guild Master’s office door turned to dust and disappeared without a sound. The door might have been made of alloy and enchanted, but Sophia had no reason to care.

Brushing off the scattered door dust, Sophia entered the office and soon found the Guild Master hiding under his desk, holding his breath.

Lifting the entire desk without a sound, Sophia’s gaze met the trembling Guild Master’s. A pungent smell suddenly rose from his lower body.

“So, you were hiding here.”

Sophia spoke in a soft, kind tone. The Guild Master, Marco Mancini, hiccuped like he had seen a ghost and replied in a shaky voice.

“Hic, if you hurt me, hic, the allies of the Seventh Prince, hic, won’t stand by!”

“Oh, is that so? But I think differently.”

Sophia smirked mockingly at the Guild Master’s protest.

“W-what do you mean?”

“Here’s the thing.”

Sophia pulled out a parchment scroll from her robe and showed it to Marco Mancini. Though suddenly presented, he instinctively realized it concerned his safety and quickly scanned its contents.

“Hereby, the undersigned pledge not to interfere with any actions taken by Paladin Knight Sophia de Chazel against the aforementioned Guild Master Marco Mancini… Gasp!”

Seeing the list of names who had pledged not to interfere with Sophia’s actions, Marco Mancini gasped.

From the Seventh Prince he supported, to his rival, the Confectionery Guild Master, and even Giuseppe Gallo, who would undoubtedly seize his position if it became vacant. The signatures of various nobles, influential families, and power brokers aligned with the Seventh Prince filled the bottom of the scroll.

“By the way, Giuseppe Gallo has already started gathering people to quickly take your position if it becomes vacant. Do you understand your situation now?”

Seeing Marco Mancini’s trembling beard and jaw, Sophia spoke with a pitiful tone.

“You should have behaved better.”

Marco Mancini wanted to argue that it wasn’t his relationships but the power dynamics at play, but he lacked the courage.

Having heard about his failed scheme against Conra, Marco Mancini finally sensed something amiss and looked into the existence of Paladin Knights.

Learning about the transcendent martial power and high authority of Paladin Knights, he realized he had stirred a hornet’s nest. In a panic, he tried to hire swordsmen for protection, but they all canceled their contracts, even paying penalties.

Hiding in what he thought was the safest place, the Baking Guild building, he realized even this stronghold couldn’t protect him. He wished he could go back and punch his past self.

“Anyway, for these reasons, you’ll have to endure my venting a bit.”

“No, please!”

Though the Guild Master repeatedly refused with trembling eyes, his weak limbs couldn’t stop the various ingenious and malicious sanctions applied to his obese body. Horrifyingly desperate screams filled the office, but fortunately, they were contained by the soundproof barrier Sophia had set up beforehand.

The next day, Guild Master Marco Mancini resigned and retired to private life. As if waiting for this moment, Giuseppe Gallo, the Guild’s master artisan, was elected as the new Guild Master after a meeting. In the process, the Confectionery Guild gained several concessions from the Baking Guild.

+++++

“See that?”

Sophia, having completed everything, turned to Conra and said.

“This is how martial power and authority are wielded.”

Before visiting the Baking Guild Master, Sophia had been extremely busy, moving late into the night.

She visited back-alley informants, paid a modest price only she could afford, and gathered intelligence on the Royal Family, the First Prince, the Seventh Prince, and their supporters. With her genius insight, she deduced the underlying secrets of all the information.

Using the gathered intelligence and deductions, she visited the Seventh Prince and his supporters nightly, threatening them with their vulnerabilities and her transcendent martial power while dangling information about their rivals as carrots to create the pledge scroll.

Finally, after subtly provoking the Confectionery Guild Master and securing cooperation from the ambitious Giuseppe Gallo, the Baking Guild Master was left completely exposed, allowing Sophia to leisurely and comfortably carry out her retribution without interference.

Having witnessed the entire process, Conra felt an urge to step back. The boy belatedly realized that Sophia, though usually not involved, could easily engage in political maneuvers if she wished.

Noticing Conra’s psychological state, Sophia chuckled and asked.

“How is it? Does this Master seem scary now?”

That single remark deeply pierced the delicate adolescent emotions of the 11, almost 12-year-old boy. Conra exploded in protest.

“How could that be? What do you take me for, Master?”

“What do I take you for? A thunderstruck, naked, and incompetent disciple.”

“Ah, now you’re calling me thunderstruck, naked, and incompetent!?”

With a *whack!*, Sophia pressed down on the boy’s head with her palm, enjoying her disciple’s antics as usual. Ruffling his already messy hair, she looked at Conra’s pouting face with a teasing gaze and spoke again.

“By the way, about the Iron Throne succession. It seems we need to intervene.”

“Huh? What do you mean, Master?”

As Conra paused fixing his disheveled hair and expressed confusion, Sophia’s expression sharpened slightly as she replied.

“It seems demons are involved in the chaos of the Royal City.”

‘If it were just a secular power struggle and resulting chaos, perhaps. But with demons involved, the Church Order cannot stand idly by.’

Though Sophia didn’t elaborate, Conra, through his experiences, could infer the unspoken context. He spoke to his master with a worried expression.

“Considering the Church’s stance, isn’t this a bit dangerous?”

Seeing her disciple’s evident concern, Sophia smiled warmly and replied.

“This time, I’m not sure either. But knowing and not acting is not an option. This matter might have to be handled a bit unofficially.”

“Like what you just showed me?”

“Exactly.”

The series of actions Sophia had just demonstrated were indeed impressive to Conra. Thinking about how smoothly and almost pragmatically the events were handled, perhaps even the unofficial movements related to the Royal Family would pass without major issues.

‘Well, considering Master’s martial power, maybe this worry is meaningless.’

At this point, understanding that Sophia’s martial power was non-standard even by Paladin standards, Conra quickly dismissed his own concerns.

 

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