The question hung in the air for a moment after Sage's last words, heavy with unspoken implications.

Pax blinked, furrowing his brows as he leaned forward in his chair. "What do you mean… take it to the next level?" he asked cautiously, curiosity threading through his tone.

He had spent most of his life reacting to circumstances rather than steering them, and vague promises had taught him to proceed with caution.

Sage observed him for a heartbeat longer than necessary. His gaze wasn't sharp or intimidating, but there was a quiet weight that made Pax feel as if he were being assessed.

Then Sage leaned back in his chair, propping one elbow on the desk, adopting an almost lazy posture.

"Pax," Sage said casually, "do you have a proper job right now?"

The question caught Pax off guard.

"A… proper job?" he echoed, scratching the back of his head. His eyes drifted toward the cracked marble floor before he shook his head after a brief pause.

"No. Not really. I do whatever work I can find, one week it's carrying crates, another it's serving tables. Sometimes I help merchants set up stalls; other times I just run errands. Nothing steady."

Sage nodded slowly, as if that response was precisely what he expected. "Good."

Pax stiffened at the unexpected affirmation. "Good?"

Sage straightened slightly and met Pax's gaze directly. "What if I told you that I want to hire you full-time?" he asked. "Would you accept?"

For a split second, Pax's mind went blank.

His eyes widened as words threatened to spill out but struggled to find their way. The idea struck him harder than anticipated, a proper job, a steady position, no more waking up each morning wondering if he'd earn enough to eat that day.

Then reality rushed back in.

"Yes!" Pax blurted out, nodding so vigorously it seemed like his head might fall off. "Yes! Of course! Why wouldn't I accept? I don't have anything tying me down; a proper job,especially one that pays, is more than I could ask for."

He paused and added quickly, "I mean, what kind of job is it?"

Sage chuckled softly at Pax's enthusiasm and leaned forward again, clasping his hands atop the desk while lowering his voice slightly. "I want you to build something for me."

Pax leaned in closer, intrigued.

"I want you," Sage continued, "to establish an intelligence organization."

The words landed like a hammer.

Pax froze.

"…An intelligence organization?" he repeated slowly as if saying it aloud would help him grasp its meaning better.

Disbelief flickered across his face as he added incredulously, "Wait, what? Did I hear that right? An intelligence organization? What on earth do you need something like that for?"

Sage took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I'm often stuck inside this Guild," he said calmly.

"I don't wander the streets, I don't sit in taverns, and I miss out on the whispers that circulate from person to person. This Guild, like it or not, depends on information."

He gestured vaguely toward the hall beyond his desk. "Missions don't just appear out of thin air. People come because they've heard something; they talk, gossip, and sometimes exaggerate. That's how momentum is built. If I'm unaware of what's happening in the city, what people desire, what they fear, what issues are brewing, I'll always be reacting instead of planning."

Pax listened quietly as Sage continued.

"I don't want rumors drifting in randomly," Sage said. "I want to hear them early on. I need to know where people gather, what their complaints are, and which names are being mentioned frequently. And when it comes to promoting the Guild… I refuse to rely on luck. I want control."

The room fell silent.

After a moment, Pax let out a bitter chuckle and leaned back in his chair. "You're giving me too much credit," he replied. "I'm just an ordinary commoner. Building an intelligence organization? I wouldn't even know where to begin."

Sage smiled faintly. "It doesn't have to be complicated."

Pax frowned slightly. "Even if I wanted to do something like that, where would I find suitable people?" he asked. "People willing to work and capable of gathering information?"

Sage's smile widened a bit more. "They're everywhere," he said confidently. "So many that they're practically cheap."

Pax stared at him in confusion. "Cheap?"

Instead of answering directly, Sage tilted his head and asked, "Tell me something, Pax: who do you think makes the best intelligence gatherers?"

Pax paused for a moment, rubbing his chin thoughtfully before responding slowly. "People who don't stand out," he said finally. "Plain-looking individuals, ordinary folks. the kind you'd forget as soon as you looked away; those who can blend into crowds so seamlessly that they might as well not exist."

Sage clapped his hands together once; the sound echoed lightly through the hall. "Exactly."

He leaned forward again with enthusiasm. "And those people are all around this city," Sage explained further. "There are so many that society doesn't even bother acknowledging them anymore."

Pax hesitated for a moment before asking tentatively, "You mean..."

"Beggars," Sage stated simply.

Pax blinked in surprise. "…Beggars?"

Sage nodded thoughtfully. "They're everywhere, hanging around taverns, lurking near markets, outside stalls, and in alleyways. People walk past them every day without a second thought. They hear everything. They see everything. And because no one pays them any mind, no one guards their words around them either."

Pax felt his breathing steady as the implications began to settle in.

"If they were organized," Sage continued, "if we gave them a reason to listen and a reason to speak… information could travel across the city faster than any messenger. Collected quietly. Spread subtly. No banners or announcements—just whispers."

A chill ran down Pax's spine.

The most overlooked segment of society, people everyone ignored,could become the city's eyes and ears.

It was both shocking and terrifyingly effective.

"But… can they really pull it off?" Pax asked after a moment, doubt creeping into his voice. "They're beggars. Some are uneducated; others might be unreliable. What if they can't handle it?"

Sage chuckled softly. "Never underestimate what I like to call the Beggar Sect."

Pax frowned at the term. "Beggar… Sect?"

Sage waved his hand dismissively. "Just a figure of speech. What matters is this: desperation sharpens people's instincts. Give them purpose, structure, and something to lose, and they'll surprise you."

He straightened up and spoke with renewed conviction. "I'll give you ten gold coins to start."

Pax's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Find a small courtyard, nothing too fancy, and use it as your base of operations. Select a handful of beggars who seem alert and observant. Train them for a few days: teach them what to listen for, where to linger, what information to share, and what to keep quiet about. Pay them a copper coin each day."

"A… salary?" Pax murmured in surprise.

"Yes," Sage replied firmly. "People who are paid tend to work harder."

Pax swallowed hard. "And you really trust me with this?" he asked quietly, anxiety creeping into his tone. "Ten gold coins isn't chump change, aren't you worried I might just run off?"

Sage smiled knowingly. "If you do that, it just means I made a bad investment."

Those simple words hit Pax harder than any threat ever could.

He stood abruptly, placing a hand over his heart as he spoke with determination: "I won't! I swear it! I'll do my best, I'll build the best intelligence network this city has ever seen!"

Sage nodded in satisfaction before opening the drawer and retrieving ten gold coins, placing them gently on the desk.

Pax accepted them with both hands, his expression serious as he declared, "I won't fail you."

Just then, an old yet refined voice drifted in from the entrance.

"Excuse me… Guildmaster? I'm here to collect my items."

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A/N : This the bonus chapters for reaching a 100 Golden Tickets. Thanks for the support everyone.

If we manage to reach 200 Golden Tickets by the end of next week, three bonus chapters will be uploaded.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.