Chapter 513: The Bribe [ GT Bonus - ]

The first offer was made to a warehouse clerk on a rainy afternoon, while he was supervising the unloading of supplies at the Royal Capital Headquarters.

The man approached him beneath the shelter of a covered loading platform, dressed like an ordinary merchant’s assistant and carrying a small leather purse.

He introduced himself as someone representing a trading company interested in establishing commercial relations with the Adventurer Guild.

At first, the conversation concerned ordinary business matters. The stranger asked about delivery schedules, warehouse capacity, and the types of materials arriving from Greyfen. Then, almost casually, he inquired whether the clerk could provide copies of certain internal shipment records.

"Nothing particularly sensitive," the stranger assured him, placing the purse upon a wooden crate. "We simply want to understand which merchants are receiving the largest quantities of dungeon materials. Fifty gold coins for a little information seems reasonable, wouldn’t you agree?"

The clerk stared at the purse. Fifty gold coins represented a substantial sum, considerably more than he could earn through several months of ordinary employment.

Unfortunately for the stranger, the clerk had been trained to recognize precisely this kind of approach.

"I’m afraid those records aren’t available to outside merchants," he replied, pushing the purse back across the crate. "If your employer wants commercial information, he can submit a formal request through the Guild."

The stranger smiled without appearing offended. "Perhaps you should reconsider. Opportunities like this don’t appear every day."

"Neither do opportunities to lose a respectable job over someone else’s curiosity," the clerk answered, returning to his work.

The stranger departed shortly afterward.

Within the hour, a written report describing the encounter had reached Tobias Merrow, the Acting Head of Guild Logistics.

And Tobias wasn’t particularly amused.

---

By the following evening, three additional employees had reported similar approaches.

A junior clerk working with mission documents had been offered seventy gold coins for information about upcoming high-value assignments.

A security guard had been asked to describe the patrol arrangements surrounding restricted Headquarters facilities.

Another employee received an invitation to a private dinner where an unidentified patron supposedly wished to discuss employment opportunities.

None of the incidents appeared connected at first.

The approaches occurred in different districts, involved different intermediaries, and targeted employees from separate departments.

Nevertheless, the timing was suspicious.

Tobias brought the first reports to Cassian Rook, the Acting Head of Security, who immediately arranged for the incidents to be documented and forwarded to Sage.

When Boren arrived at the Guildmaster’s office carrying the compiled reports, Sage was reviewing a construction proposal for Greyfen’s permanent administrative facilities.

"Apparently, our employees have become rather popular," Boren remarked, dropping the documents onto the desk. "Unfortunately, their admirers seem more interested in confidential records than romantic relationships."

Sage examined the first report before opening the others.

"Fifty gold for warehouse records, seventy for mission information, and an unspecified amount for security arrangements," he observed. "Someone has been doing an impressive amount of shopping."

Boren pulled out a chair. "Cassian believes the approaches are deliberate. He’s already warned the department heads to remind their employees about confidentiality."

"Good," Sage replied. "But tell him not to make a public announcement just yet."

Boren frowned. "You don’t want the employees warned?"

"Of course I do. Quietly, through their supervisors. What I don’t want is a proclamation informing whoever organized this that we’ve identified their methods."

Sage set the reports aside. "If someone is trying to buy information from our employees, I’d rather discover what they’re looking for before frightening them into changing their approach."

---

Not every employee rejected the offers immediately.

Inside the Headquarters’ administrative offices, a junior records assistant sat alone after working hours, staring at a purse containing thirty gold coins.

He had received the money earlier that afternoon from a well-dressed woman who claimed to represent a commercial association. In exchange, she wanted a list of merchants currently negotiating leases around Greyfen.

The request had sounded harmless.

Merchant names weren’t military secrets, and the woman insisted that the information would merely help her employers identify potential trading partners.

But the assistant knew that internal negotiations were confidential until agreements had been finalized.

He also knew that his younger brother’s apprenticeship fees were overdue.

For nearly an hour, he struggled with the decision.

Eventually, he placed the purse inside a drawer and went to find his supervisor.

By the time the incident reached Cassian, the assistant had admitted accepting the money but insisted that he hadn’t provided any information.

Cassian questioned him carefully, then arranged for the purse to be retained as evidence.

The assistant expected immediate dismissal.

Instead, he received instructions to remain available for further questioning while the matter was reviewed.

Sage examined the report that evening.

"Interesting," he murmured.

Boren looked up. "You’re not going to dismiss him?"

"Possibly," Sage answered. "Accepting the money was a serious mistake, but reporting the incident before providing anything matters. I want to know whether he was deliberately recruited or simply approached because someone thought he looked desperate."

Boren considered that distinction. "And if he’s lying?"

"Then we’ll discover that too," Sage replied. "But I’d prefer evidence before deciding his future."

---

Pax arrived at Headquarters shortly before midnight.

Unlike the department heads, Pax rarely carried official documents or announced his movements in advance. His work depended upon knowing things that other people preferred to keep hidden.

He found Sage and Boren waiting inside a smaller meeting chamber.

"I’ve spoken with several contacts," Pax began, taking a seat. "The intermediaries approaching your employees aren’t working independently. At least two have connections to commercial brokers operating near the western market."

Sage leaned forward. "And the others?"

"One appears to have been recruited through a mercenary contact. Another is using a trading company that exists primarily on paper," Pax explained. "Different arrangements, but they’re asking questions about the same organization."

Boren folded his arms. "Which suggests someone is coordinating them."

"More than one person may be involved," Pax replied. "The requests don’t all serve the same purpose. Warehouse records reveal commercial relationships. Mission documents could expose valuable assignments before they’re announced. Security information would be useful to someone planning something considerably less respectable."

Sage considered the implications.

Whoever was responsible wasn’t merely seeking embarrassing information.

They were attempting to understand how the Guild functioned internally.

Its finances, commercial partnerships, personnel arrangements, and security procedures were all potential targets.

"Can you trace the payments?" Sage asked.

"Some of them," Pax answered. "But the intermediaries are being paid through several different channels. Whoever organized this has made an effort to prevent the money from leading directly back to them."

Boren sighed. "Wonderful. So we’re dealing with people who have both money and patience."

Sage smiled faintly. "An unfortunate combination."

---

The following morning, Sage summoned Cassian and Tobias for a private discussion.

Rather than ordering immediate arrests, he instructed them to strengthen existing procedures without disrupting ordinary operations.

Employees handling sensitive documents would require proper authorization before releasing copies. Confidential records would remain within designated offices, and requests from outside organizations would be directed through official channels.

More importantly, employees who received suspicious offers were encouraged to report them promptly.

"Make one thing clear," Sage told Cassian. "Anyone who reports an attempted bribe before disclosing information will be treated fairly. I don’t want frightened employees concealing incidents because they believe admitting someone approached them will automatically cost them their jobs."

Cassian nodded. "Understood, Guildmaster. What about employees who actually accept payment?"

"Those cases will be investigated individually," Sage replied. "But confidentiality violations remain serious offenses. We can’t operate an organization this large if everyone believes private records are available to the highest bidder."

Tobias examined the warehouse reports.

"I can restrict access to detailed shipment records without interfering with ordinary deliveries," he explained. "Most clerks don’t need information about every merchant using our facilities."

"Do that," Sage instructed. "And preserve the reports concerning anyone who attempts to purchase those records."

Cassian hesitated. "Guildmaster, should we begin detaining the intermediaries?"

"Not yet," Sage answered. "Observe them where possible. If someone threatens an employee or attempts something dangerous, intervene immediately. Otherwise, I want to understand the network before we start removing its individual members."

---

Over the next two days, the Guild quietly gathered additional information.

Several employees reported suspicious conversations. One receptionist described a stranger who had repeatedly asked about the Guildmaster’s private appointments. A clerk from the Finance Department disclosed an offer to provide information about Greyfen’s commercial revenue.

Most approaches failed.

Some employees refused immediately, while others became suspicious only after the strangers began requesting details that had nothing to do with ordinary business.

A small number were tempted.

And at least one employee appeared to have provided information before the Guild became aware of the incident.

Pax examined the growing collection of reports, comparing descriptions, meeting locations, payment methods, and the identities of the intermediaries.

Gradually, a pattern emerged.

The individuals approaching Guild employees rarely contacted their employers directly. Instead, they received instructions through commercial agents, tavern meetings, or messengers carrying sealed notes.

Several of those intermediaries had previously worked with mercenary organizations.

Others maintained relationships with trading companies that had expressed dissatisfaction with Greyfen’s commercial arrangements.

Pax marked the connections on a parchment map spread across his table.

Three separate groups appeared to be involved.

But the lines between them were beginning to overlap.

---

On the third evening, Pax returned to Sage’s office with his findings.

"I haven’t identified the people directing the operation," he explained, placing the map before the Guildmaster. "But I believe the intermediaries are connected. They’re using separate channels to approach different departments, and several payments can be traced to the same commercial district."

Sage studied the markings carefully. "Can we identify everyone who’s been approached?"

"Not yet," Pax admitted. "And there may be employees who haven’t reported their encounters."

Boren examined the map with a troubled expression. "Then shouldn’t we expose the intermediaries now? At least we’d stop them from approaching more people."

Sage shook his head. "We’d stop the ones we know about. Whoever is financing them would simply recruit replacements, and we’d lose the opportunity to identify the people behind the operation."

Pax nodded. "That’s my assessment as well."

Sage considered the reports for another moment before reaching a decision. "Continue observing the intermediaries, but don’t interfere unless they threaten someone or attempt to obtain information that could immediately endanger the Guild. Meanwhile, we’ll strengthen internal controls and make sure sensitive records remain protected."

Boren frowned. "And what about the employees who’ve already been compromised?"

"We investigate them carefully," Sage answered. "If they’re passing confidential information, we’ll stop the disclosure. But I don’t intend to announce every discovery while the people directing this operation remain comfortable behind their intermediaries."

Pax smiled slightly. "You’re hoping they’ll become careless."

"People who believe their methods are working often become ambitious," Sage replied. "And ambitious people eventually ask for something they shouldn’t."

He looked down at the map once more.

Someone had spent considerable money attempting to penetrate the Adventurer Guild.

For now, Sage intended to let them believe that investment might succeed.

Because the next person who came offering gold for information might unknowingly lead Pax directly to the people financing the entire operation.