After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World - Chapter 1755

Chapter 1755: Guild Intro
This made the two flinch, unconsciously leaning forward.

As people who had personally seen the advantages of sharing knowledge, this had indeed interested them.

In fact, it was how the three of them got acquainted through the years, mostly through serendipitous encounters.

Zenno and Hoffen met while the latter was trying to figure out how to handle his inheritance when he was not an elementalist himself. He had already explored various experiments, which had taken him years, so he decided to go out himself rather than just send out Gregor like he usually did.

It was not widely known that Zenno had something similar (many professionals hide a few things for themselves), but Hoffen traced the location of a fire potion at a random Town Zenno was temporarily staying at the time.

They did not know each other’s identities (or at least what they looked like) primarily because they not only operated in completely different regions (with a region or two in between), but also because neither of them was very public in the first place.

In fact, in both their cities, the people who were very familiar with their faces, despite their reputation and fame, were probably less than 1%.

Anyway, there was the sighting of an interesting plant near that town back then, and they ended up fighting for it. Through fighting, a frenemy-ship was formed, and so was their current relationship.

As for Cheman, he met Hoffen when he visited Bleulle decades prior. While walking around the city, he witnessed Hoffen spraying an annoying noble with some of his failed potions.

Cheman had watched their skins turn green (literally) and watched as the old man threatened the nobles that, if they didn’t leave him alone, the changes would become permanent.

As someone who had been harassed by several nobles himself, he decided to get a few copies.

Anyway, these encounters started conversations, then exchange of knowledge, and then their acquaintances shifted to one of mutual respect. Through the years, even if the total time they had spent together was only a few days, it could be said that the friendship formed between them was rather solid.

Althea did not know that years of memories passed by the old men’s heads. She just smiled and continued with her explanations. “I hope to start organizations, which we will call Guilds. Each practice would have its own.”

Althea then explained the advantages of having guilds, particularly in the context of Xenoan professions.

“They will be organizations formed by the same trade or profession. They will serve both economic and social functions, and I believe it’d be useful, specifically for those who wish to climb up the ranks.

“First, they will ensure quality control. A guild can set standards of craftsmanship and the like. This is not to say that less-than-perfect products will be scrapped, but they will definitely not be sold at a price it doesn’t deserve.

“This will keep the practice fair and keep the reputation of the profession cleaner,” she said.

While many would be reluctant to do this because it would lessen the profit, such police-ing was essential to quickly elevate the overall quality of the products, and consequently elevate the entire practice.

Many would hate this because after selling an item, it’d usually be off their hands. Even if there was something wrong, most buyers wouldn’t dare go against crafters, especially high-ranked ones.

But their feelings didn’t matter. She would not force people to enter her guilds. However, the people who will be associated with the guilds could not give out subpar products. Reputation and prestige will be maintained.

On the flip side, when the Guilds become well-known, the products associated with them would have a stamp of quality and trust.

Eventually, those who did not associate with them due to their reluctance to follow the quality standards might find it difficult to find good projects or get good funding.

“More importantly, it will ensure that people are improving rather than becoming stagnant. They might even accept subpar work as normal, which—I’m sure you’ve witnessed this first hand—is not conducive to overall growth.”

“We can also have more effective training and skill transmission. This might be new to some, but our belief in Alterra is to always innovate. For the basics, we can share them with others because that is the way we can grow.”

The two were silent, absorbing. Their quick minds were also seeing a vague image of what it implied.

First and foremost, would they really be able to share so much?

“We have heard about your schools and academies,” Zenno said. “And I do see the advantages.”

Hoffen had shown them around the previous day, but made special mention of the school, the library, and the research center, making them sound as seductive as possible.

They also had to admit that they were indeed seduced.

“This will also ensure that skills and techniques are preserved and improved across generations. Don’t you think it’s so incredibly sad that some skills remained undiscovered after a master’s death?”

They nodded.

“Even with the World Knowledge, it could only pass so many things, and some skills would remain untouched for generations, if at all. Isn’t it such a pity?”

They nodded again.

“There are so many similar skills too, but because people just keep things to themselves, people just keep making the same things over and over. In contrast, if people mastered the craft early, they can not only create more goods, but also have more time for other things like, say, experimentation!”

They nodded again and again.

“As for our members, we can also give them some protection. We can give aid and economic security, especially if their territory is unreliable.”

“As a group, we can also obtain the power to negotiate with lords, territories, and the like. For example, haven’t you ever encountered such a rare material that you had to fight the Lords for them?”

They nodded again.

The two had actually been convinced with several points before that.

Now…, they were already thinking who else to call in to make this a reality, as quickly as possible!