Chapter 33

"What do you mean, Mr. Ramon?"

Upon hearing the news of Monica and the others' contract renewal, Lucius directed an intimidating gaze at Ramon and questioned him.

Ramon, looking extremely uncomfortable, wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.

"Raising the breach of contract fee and renewing the contract... You said you would transfer them to the 'Golden Eagle,' didn't you?"

"Of course. I intended to do so. However, there was a suggestion within the guild that we should immediately reward their contributions. I found it reasonable and couldn't oppose it..."

Ramon nervously glanced around as if trying to evade Lucius's pursuit.

(Tch. Fifty million gold per person. That's one hundred and fifty million gold for three people. Even for the 'Golden Eagle,' that's not a sum to be thrown around lightly.)

No matter how well-funded the 'Golden Eagle' was, Lucius couldn't allocate fifty million gold without the approval of the investors.

He would need to obtain their permission.

(But I can't give up just like that. I've already promised the banker to poach Monica and the others. I can't back down just because it costs a bit more.)

Lucius resolved to persuade each investor individually.

"Understood. Mr. Ramon, I'll find a way to prepare the one hundred and fifty million gold."

"Oh, really? That's a relief."

Ramon showed his gratitude, as if he had received an unexpected windfall.

"But! This time, you must ensure they agree to the transfer, understood?"

"Y-Yes, of course. I'll definitely keep my promise since you've prepared the one hundred and fifty million gold."

"That's what I wanted to hear."

Lucius leaned in closer to Ramon, his expression even more intimidating.

"Roland will definitely threaten your position. If you want to maintain your status, you should expel Roland as soon as possible. Understood?"

Ramon could only nod in response to Lucius's stern warning.

Afterward, Lucius began the task of persuading the investors.

Each of the wealthy investors was busy, so just scheduling a meeting was a difficult task.

In the end, it took a week to persuade each investor individually.

During this time, various issues within the 'Golden Eagle' were left unaddressed.

Monica was practicing archery at the 'Guardian of the Magic Tree' training ground.

She drew an arrow and aimed at the target far away.

The arrow hit the center of the target with perfect accuracy, piercing through it and the one behind it.

In the end, it stopped after piercing the seventh target.

(Seventh target. Attack power 60-69... I guess?)

While assessing the power of her recent attack, Monica recalled the new challenge Roland had given her a few days ago.

"Strengthening your arm strength...?"

"Yes, you have low agility for an archer. However, there's still room for improvement in your arm strength and stamina. The goal is to develop the arm strength to take down an ogre in one hit and the stamina to continuously use 'Hawk Eye.' That's your next challenge."

"Take down an ogre... in one hit..."

"You might become the first archer to top the kill count rankings."

Monica pursed her lips in worry.

Roland spoke gently to her.

"Don't worry. I believe you can do it. I'll support you with all my might."

"Thank you! I'll do my best!"

Monica aimed at the newly set target, drawing her bow.

Roland, standing a bit away, appraised Monica's status.

Monica Vermare

Arm Strength: 60-70 → (90-100)

Stamina: 50-60 → (55-65)

Agility: 30-40 → (30-40)

Health: 100-110 → (120-130)

(Her condition seems to have fully recovered. Her status is stabilizing.)

Her arm strength, which had been unstable at 40-70 a few days ago, had recovered to 60-70.

Status can fluctuate based on physical and mental condition, but a fluctuation of 10 or less is considered good.

Currently, all of Monica's statuses were within a 10-point range, indicating she was in good condition.

(Her status has recovered without any noticeable physical changes. This means... the cause of her poor condition was likely psychological. I wonder what was troubling her?)

Roland scratched his head in thought.

(Well, it's fine. The problem seems to be resolved. No need to dwell on it.)

Roland refocused and checked Monica's condition.

(She's in good shape. It seems we can move on to the next stage. We'll increase the load and focus on strengthening her arm strength and stamina.)

"Monica."

"Yes."

Roland called out, and Monica stopped drawing her bow, turning to face him.

"Starting today, we'll add one more set of wrist curls and running."

"Understood."

Despite the additional training, Monica headed to the facility with enthusiasm.

(Roland is watching me grow. Just knowing that boosts my spirits.)

Monica, free from her previous melancholy, trained with a cheerful demeanor.

Although she still felt pain and sadness from time to time, this time with Roland's guidance was hers alone.

(Once Monica's arm strength and stamina improve, I'll have Tiara increase the weight and power of the 'Silver Iron-Breaking Bow.' That's about it for Monica. Next, I have a meeting with Lily.)

Rolan left the training ground and headed to the private room where he was meeting Lillian within the 'Guardian of the Magic Tree.'

"Lucius's influence is waning?"

"Yes. Signs of this are evident everywhere."

Roland and Lillian were discussing the 'Guardian of the Magic Tree's' management strategy in a private room, away from prying ears.

Recently, they had been having such discussions more frequently.

"Recently, members of the Alchemy Guild have been consulting the 'Spirit Factory' about dungeon management, even though they belong to guilds under the 'Golden Eagle.' This is unprecedented."

"Hmm."

Lillian placed her hand on her chin, deep in thought.

"I've also noticed something odd about the 'Golden Eagle.' They usually come to negotiate dungeon management policies around this time. The entry fees and resource allocation are always points of contention between guilds. Since the 'Guardian of the Magic Tree' doesn't have the resources to manage the 'Mine Dungeon' independently, they could offer us favorable conditions for resource collection. But this season, there's been no word from them."

"It seems the 'Golden Eagle's' internal control has definitely loosened."

"If that's the case, it might be an opportunity. However, it's also possible that Lucius is waiting to see our move. He might still have the advantage of controlling the city's alchemy guilds and is waiting for us to make concessions."

"You're right. But given Lucius's character, it's unlikely he would wait for us to make a move. If he wanted to secure favorable conditions, he would take a more aggressive approach, like tightening the alchemy guilds or intimidating us. But so far, the only reaction has been the attempt to poach Monica and the others."

"Indeed. That doesn't seem like him."

"Even in the recent attempt to poach Monica and the others, there's a sense of urgency in Lucius's actions. It's too forceful, even for him. Ever since the 'Golden Eagle' grew too large, it seemed they were struggling to manage it. It might be reaching a breaking point."

"An opportunity to dismantle the alchemy guilds...?"

"Yes."

Lillian crossed her arms, deep in thought.

But then, she opened her eyes with determination and looked straight at Roland.

"Understood. Let's take this opportunity to bring the city's alchemy guilds into our fold. We'll proceed with dungeon management without the 'Golden Eagle.' Please have the 'Spirit Factory' act accordingly."

"Thank you. I knew you'd say that, Lily."

"Then, how do we proceed specifically?"

"Well, even though the 'Golden Eagle's' control has loosened, the alchemy guilds still seem hesitant. If we encourage them to break away from the 'Golden Eagle,' how many will actually follow us?"

"I see. We need a decisive move."

Lillian crossed her arms and closed her eyes, thinking.

"Why don't we gather the main alchemy guilds in one place?"

"In one place?"

"Yes, in one place. For example, we could host a seminar. A seminar isn't considered a betrayal, so they might attend without much hesitation. We can gauge their reactions there. We can also determine how many will defect to our side."

"I see."

"If it looks like most will join us, we can move quickly."

"Understood. I'll come up with a plan."

"We can provide a venue. We'll use one of the 'Guardian of the Magic Tree's' facilities. Oh, it's almost time."

Lillian glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Yes, I need to go as well."

"Roland, you have interviews for new members, right?"

"Yes. It's essential for forming a new team. After that, I plan to visit the 'Spirit Factory.'"

"You're busy."

"You too. You'll be working late again, right?"

"Yes, this is a critical time."

Both of them had become busier than ever.

They had to make time for each other between their work schedules.

They agreed to meet again the next day and parted ways.

"Here we are. Everything is prepared."

The interview coordinator led Roland to the interview room.

"The papers on the table are the profiles of today's applicants."

"Thank you. I'll review them."

(I need to form a new team capable of tackling dungeons. For that, I need to find a promising A-class adventurer to lead the team.)

Roland reviewed the applicants' resumes.

(There must be a future A-class adventurer among these. I'll find them!)

The 'Guardian of the Magic Tree,' having conquered two dungeons this season and produced an A-class adventurer, had attracted more applicants than usual for the new recruitment interviews.

Especially among archers, support mages, and healers, there were many high-level applicants who had achieved good results at the training academy or had a certain level of experience as adventurers.

Roland quickly found his first A-class candidate.

Rick Dyer

Sword Skills: C → A

Shield Defense: C → A

Agility Boost: E → A

Mass Healing: E → A

(I found it! The potential of an A-class magic knight!)

"Rick Dyer. I just graduated from the training academy. I've been focusing on 'Sword Skills' and 'Shield Defense.' I want to be a front-liner."

The tall, earnest-looking boy spoke clearly.

"I see. Your 'Sword Skills' and 'Shield Defense' are indeed high."

"Yes, I'm confident in my front-line capabilities."

"You seem promising as a front-liner. How about support magic and healing magic?"

"Support magic and healing magic...?"

"Yes. From what I can see, you have good potential in those areas as well."

"Well, I'm not very confident in my magic power..."

"Hmm. Let me check your status as well."

Rick Dyer's Status

Magic Power: 10-10 → (100-110)

"Don't worry. We can increase your magic power to 100 here."

"Really!? To 100?"

"Yes. What do you think? If you're interested in learning support magic and healing magic, I can hire you immediately."

"Okay, I'll give it a try."

The second applicant was a brooding young archer with long bangs.

"I'm Rielo Santana. I want to be an archer."

Roland appraised Rielo's skills and status.

Rielo Santana

Archery: C → A

One-Hit Kill: C → A

Arm Strength: 35-55 → (70-80)

Agility: 40-60 → (90-100)

(He has both power and agility. He has the potential to be a good archer. But as a rival to Monica, I'd like to see something more.)

Roland searched for any other notable skills or status.

Status Appraisal: E → A

Leadership: 10-10 → (100-110)

(Interesting. He has the 'Status Appraisal' skill and a very high leadership status. With training, he could become a capable leader.)

"Hmm. Your 'Leadership' status seems low..."

Rielo laughed awkwardly.

"Well, I'm not good at 'Leadership.' My instructor at the academy said I should give up on it..."

"I see. That's fine. I'll hire you as an archer. But I think you have the potential to be a leader as well."

"Really? Me?"

(He's a strange one. He says his 'Leadership' status is low.)

Rielo tilted his head in confusion.

The third applicant was a chatty young girl.

"I'm Marina Fortuna. I trained as an attack mage at the academy. My specialty is 'Gale Magic.' Isn't it cool? When you cast it, the wind swirls around, and it's so beautiful. When I cast it well..."

While listening to her, Roland activated his skill to appraise her.

Marina Fortuna

Gale Magic: C → A

Ore Storage: E → A

Equipment Storage: E → A

Potion Storage: E → A

"Hmm. You seem to have potential as an item storage specialist as well."

"Really?"

"Yes. You're hired. If possible, I'd like you to join the guild's training tomorrow..."

"Really!? Yes, I'll do anything to join the 'Guardian of the Magic Tree'!"

(Good. With these three new A-class candidates, we now have seven potential A-class adventurers in total. We can surpass the 'Golden Eagle' in terms of adventurer quality.)

"Hmm. It's been a while since I had some free time."

In the city's central square, Jill stretched.

Her mood was as bright as a prisoner who had just completed their sentence.

As Roland had suspected, the 'Golden Eagle' was in a dire state.

Lucius was busy securing funds for the poaching, so he had left all guild matters to his close aide, Diana.

However, the lazy Diana was incapable of managing a large organization like the 'Golden Eagle,' and all issues were being neglected.

The vacancy left by Sebast's escape, dungeon management issues, and other problems were left unresolved.

As a result, no one knew what to do or how to proceed, and all business had come to a halt.

However, even as the organization malfunctioned, people's desire for glory, power, and entertainment could not be suppressed.

With nothing to do, the guild members turned to plotting.

A power struggle erupted over the vacant position of the second team leader.

Some tried to become Sebast's successor, while others sought to place their preferred candidate in the position.

Jill had almost been drawn into these internal power struggles (many wanted her on their side as a powerful and influential figure), but so far, she had declined all invitations and kept her distance from these activities.

She had grown tired of the guild's atmosphere and decided to escape.

Her PR work had also decreased significantly as the spotlight shifted to Monica and the others, making it the perfect time for a break.

(Free time is great. I want to walk around the city without any worries.)

To avoid drawing attention to her public identity, she hid her trademark beautiful hair under a hat, wore a plain brown coat, and covered her mouth with a scarf as she walked through the city.

However, to those who knew, her appearance was unmistakably that of a famous person in disguise.

(Being able to walk around the city without worrying about others' gazes is a great feeling.)

Jill took full advantage of this freedom, walking through the city's shopping district without a care.

"Hey, isn't that girl cute?"

"Wow, really."

"She has a great figure."

Jill, who was looking at a flower shop, froze when she heard these whispers behind her.

Turning around, she saw two men glancing at her.

Despite her disguise, her tall stature, excellent figure, and aura were impossible to hide, making her a target of attention as she walked through the city.

"Should we talk to her?"

"Huh? But I think I've seen her somewhere before..."

Sensing the potential for trouble, Jill hurried down a back alley.

(Sigh. Why do people always pay attention to me?)

"Still..."

Jill realized she had wandered into a quiet street behind the bustling commercial area, lined with small workshops.

(Nostalgic. When I was a beginner adventurer, I used to search these streets for cheap weapon makers.)

Now, with the guild handling all weapon procurement, she no longer needed to visit weapon shops.

(I used to search for places that could repair cheap weapons quickly.)

Jill walked down the back street, feeling like a beginner again.

She soon came across an alchemy guild.

It was a small workshop with a spirit emblem on the sign.

(That's right. I used to spend a lot of time in small workshops like this. Let's see, should I go in?)

When Jill entered, she was surprised to find that the shop was well-stocked with silverware.

(Unexpected. For such a small workshop to handle silverware for the wealthy...)

Jill looked around the shop.

(Do they not make weapons?)

As she was browsing, she heard two young men's voices from the back of the shop.

"A seminar...?"

"Yes, to see how many people will defect to our side..."

"Ah, sorry. Can we talk later? We have a customer."

"Ah, yes. Welcome."

"Roland?"

Jill looked at the man who emerged from the back, Roland, with a puzzled expression.

Roland also looked surprised.

"Could it be... Jill?"

This concludes the posts for this year.

Wishing all readers a happy new year.

Looking forward to seeing you next year.