Chapter 69

"Hey, Edgar, what do you think you're doing? Huh?"

Medes was reprimanding Edgar in the guild master's office.

"...Sorry."

"You said you were fine with this month's quota, right? Huh? So what's this? Contract termination? That means you lost a client to another alchemy guild, right? Huh?"

"Well, that's..."

"You don't even know that? Huh? What the hell are you doing!"

"..."

"Have you been slacking off lately, huh? Got it? If you can't meet the quota next month, you know, you might be demoted from the Quartet. Got it?"

"Ah, damn it."

Edgar kicked the trash can in the hallway hard.

The junior staff flinched at his rough attitude.

Edgar continued to curse without caring about the looks from those around him.

"That guy. A C-class adventurer, of all people."

Risetta frowned at Edgar's behavior.

"Hey, Charles. What's going on? It's embarrassing."

"Yeah, it seems he lost a client."

"Lost a client?"

"Right. The 'Dawn Shield' adventurer refused to renew his contract. That's why the guild master reprimanded him, saying he might be slacking off."

"Hmm?"

(Despite his roughness, Edgar is a genuine alchemist. Especially in 'Metal Shaping,' he's A-class. If you ask him to make sturdy armor, no one on this island can surpass him. Who could have taken his client from the Quartet?)

Risetta's mind suddenly flashed with Roland's image.

(No way...)

The members of the guild 'Dawn Shield' were having a celebration in the cafeteria.

"Cheers!"

"This dungeon exploration was a great success."

"Yeah, it's the first time we've brought back so much rare metal."

"It's all thanks to Elio."

"That's not true. It's just that the equipment was good. Thanks to the 'Spirit Workshop.'"

"Ha, it's a relief to hear that."

Roland, who was mingling with the 'Dawn Shield' members, said modestly.

Aina and Rody were also there.

"The equipment was made by these two."

Roland introduced Aina and Rody.

"She did the shaping, and he did the design. Especially, Aina used her unique skill to handle the 'Exterior Reinforcement,' the key to the 'Blue Armor.'"

"I see. You did..."

Elio looked at the two with admiration.

"Thank you. Thanks to you, I've managed to keep my head above water."

"It's a pleasure to be of service."

"Please, I'd like to rely on you in the future."

Elio stood up and extended his hand to Aina.

"Of course."

Aina shook Elio's hand.

Roland and Rody watched them with a smile.

"Wow, it's a great thing. The bond between adventurers and alchemists."

"Rody, are you okay? You're not talking to him."

"Yeah, the armor was mostly her work. I'm satisfied just watching her shine."

"I see."

(He's the same type as me.)

Roland felt a sense of empathy with Rody.

"By the way, Mr. Elio."

Aina changed the topic and took out a pamphlet.

"If you'd like, Mr. Roland, an S-class appraiser, can help you with the Skill and Status Enhancement Program."

"Skill and Status Enhancement Program? What's that? Is Roland doing something besides matching equipment?"

"Yes, Roland's true expertise lies in enhancing skills and status, rather than appraisal."

"Enhancing..."

"By training with Roland, you can polish your skills and status to equip even more powerful gear. This will help both me and Elio reach higher levels. What do you think? Isn't it wonderful?"

"More powerful gear... That sounds great. I'll talk to the guild right away."

The thief Cecil watched Elio and Aina's interaction enviously.

"Man, Elio. Maybe I should switch to the 'Spirit Workshop' too."

"Yeah, when our contract with 'Dragon's Blaze' ends, we should talk to the guild."

The archer Jeff said.

"You guys don't need to."

The leader Leon said.

"Huh?"

"Everyone, listen to me, and Roland and the 'Spirit Workshop' people too."

The members of 'Dawn Shield,' Roland, Aina, and Rody turned their attention to Leon.

"Just now, we got approval from above. All members of 'Dawn Shield' will terminate their contracts with 'Dragon's Blaze' and form a partnership with the 'Spirit Workshop.' We are to receive appraisals from S-class appraisers and get new equipment."

Everyone in the room cheered.

"I've been pitching to 'Dawn Shield.'"

Dylan whispered to Roland.

"Dylan."

(He's really considerate.)

"Will you accept us?"

Leon extended his hand to Roland.

"Of course."

Roland and Leon shook hands firmly.

"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight is a joyous occasion as 'Dawn Shield' and 'Spirit Workshop' have decided to form a partnership. Our cafeteria will treat all the customers here to a drink. Furthermore, every time 'Dawn Shield' brings rare metals to the 'Spirit Workshop,' we will gift a drink."

Saki said, and the cafeteria erupted in cheers.

"Saki, are you sure?"

"Yes, it's a small token of our appreciation."

(And a strategy to make the adventurers regular customers.)

Saki whispered to Roland and winked playfully.

Roland chuckled.

"What a stroke of luck."

"Let's thank the gods."

"Bless the adventurers."

"Bless 'Dawn Shield.'"

"Bless 'Spirit Workshop.'"

"Everyone, let's celebrate. What a wonderful day this is."

Even the customers unrelated to 'Spirit Workshop' and 'Dawn Shield' started to join in the excitement, trying to share in the good fortune.

As the celebration continued, the alcohol flowed, and someone in a corner of the cafeteria started playing lively music.

"Someone sing."

"Who's good at singing?"

"Saki."

"Saki, sing a song."

A path was cleared for Saki.

Everyone clapped and cheered her on.

Saki, unable to refuse and not entirely unwilling, took the stage (the store had a stage that was slightly elevated for events).

"Then, I'll sing humbly."

Saki started singing a lively song.

Her voice was light yet powerful, lifting the spirits of the crowd and encouraging more drinking and conversation.

People started dancing, holding hands and stepping to the rhythm of the song and clapping.

Roland and Dylan stood by the wall, a bit away from the center of the celebration, watching the scene.

"Great results, right? For a first-time client. That 'Exterior Reinforcement' weapon will sell. After all, there's nothing like it anywhere else."

"Not yet. Aina is far from being an A-class alchemist. She needs more training."

"Exactly. When it comes to training, you never compromise."

"It's good that she can create unique products using her unique skill, but to make her an A-class alchemist, she needs to make weapons for A-class adventurers. To do that, we need to hire more people and strengthen the workshop staff... Hey, the song ended?"

The crowd applauded Saki's excellent performance, but they still wanted more and started urging her for another song.

"Then, I'll sing another song I'm good at. I'm not sure if it's suitable for this occasion, but it's a song everyone on this island knows from childhood."

She started singing.

The song was heroic yet filled with sorrow, with a somewhat dark rhythm.

The people in the cafeteria stopped cheering and clapping, and the room fell silent.

"Once, there was a hero on this island.

He sealed the 'Great Fire Dragon,' which spewed hellfire, had steel scales, and claws like a mountain of swords, in the island's volcano."

(This song. It's a song praising a hero, but it feels somewhat sad.)

Roland noticed that everyone in the room was listening to the song with a pensive look on their faces.

Some looked disillusioned, and others even had a sarcastic smile.

"Dylan, what's this song?"

"It's a song praising the hero who sealed the 'Great Fire Dragon' in the volcano. After the hero sealed the 'Great Fire Dragon,' it became a source of pride for the island's residents to subdue the dragon. However, as the island's adventurers weakened and became dependent on external guilds, the song began to be seen as a lament and self-deprecating commentary on the state of the island's adventurers."

"..."

"Now, the only way to bring in external guilds is to use the rare metals from the volcano as bait. We were hoping at least the 'Golden Eagle' would come..."

"..."

The song continued.

"Eventually, the hero left.

Oh, where have you gone?

You took the courage from this island.

Now, no one on this island will take up a sword to fight the fire dragon.

You took the courage with the calamity.

The hero will never return."

The song ended with its sad rhythm.

No matter how much more alcohol was served, the people couldn't get into the mood, and the party atmosphere gradually faded.

As Saki was singing 'The Song of the Disappeared Hero' in the cafeteria, a ship carrying a squad from a powerful guild on the western continent, the 'Guardians of the Magic Academy,' was approaching the 'Fire Dragon Island' under the cover of darkness.

On the deck of the ship, a young man named Alru was leisurely looking at the volcano while enjoying the night breeze.

Suddenly, flames shot up from the volcano's crater.

It was the breath of the 'Great Fire Dragon.'

The flames illuminated the night sky and the sea, and even made the colorful rare metals exposed on the mountain's surface shine.

"Wow, what a beautiful island."

Alru exclaimed in awe.

"The rare metals are shining so brightly under the 'Great Fire Dragon's' flames. It's so beautiful. It's hard to believe that a thieves' town spreads at the foot of such a beautiful island."

"Deputy, are you blind?"

"Saen..."

Alru turned his eyes from the gemstone-covered mountain to the captain, Saen, who had spoken to him.

"Instead of those stones, can't you see a much better prize? The S-class monster, the 'Great Fire Dragon'!"

The captain of the 'Guardians of the Magic Academy,' Saen Orvesta, was fully armed even though they hadn't yet landed on the island.

Alru sighed.

"The guild's order is to collect rare metals..."

"Hmph. So what? Who would let a big catch slip by? Not me."

"Captain, the local thief guilds are not to be underestimated. There are also many small guilds on 'Fire Dragon Island'..."

"Who cares? I'll kick them all out, no matter how many come. With my 'Dragon Head Gauntlet'!"

Saen showed off the gauntlet shaped like a dragon on his arm.

"Come on, deputy, appraise me. Has my skill rusted during the voyage?"

"Yes, there's no problem at all."

[Skills of Saen Orvesta]

Explosive Flame Magic: A

Sword Skills: A

Shield Defense: A

(As always, his combat power is formidable. A magic knight with such a balanced combination of firepower, attack, and defense is rare in the world.)

"Alright. Everything is ready. Hurry and dock the ship at the port. I'm the one who will hunt the 'Great Fire Dragon'!"