This is the headquarters of the adventurers'' guild "Golden Eagle.


    Roland, a connoisseur, was summoned to the guild leader''s room on the top floor of the large stone building.


    He was about to be banished.


    Lukius, the guild leader, said to Roland, "You are about to be expelled from the guild.


    I am sorry to part with you, but it can''t be helped. The guild has its own circumstances. We cannot allow you to remain in the guild any longer based on your performance.


    It was a terrible punishment.


    I had used Roland''s skill "Appraisal" to gather party members.


    The hidden credit for the guild''s success was Roland''s skill, "Skill Appraisal.


    Finding and developing the hidden skills of members was Roland''s specialty.


    The "Golden Eagle" was once only a medium-sized guild in this city, but now it has become a large guild with more than 100 members, including many top-class warriors, mages, and healers.


    Whenever this guild made a breakthrough, Roland would hide in the shadows and let Lukius bring flowers to the guild.


    Even in situations where Roland would take the credit, he would give it to Lukius, and even in situations where Roland was about to be in the limelight, he would let Lukius have the flowers and give way so that Lukius could be promoted first, even when Roland was about to be promoted.


    Because of this, Rochius was promoted more and more, while Roland remained an ordinary member of the guild.


    Furthermore, Roland''s skill set was so specialized in "connoisseur" that his basic parameters were abnormally low, and he was unable to do even the lowest level of work as an adventurer.


    And yet, as soon as he was no longer needed, he was immediately discarded.


    Roland looked at Lukius with resentment.


    However, he is not good at arguing with others, so he only showed a slight expression of dissatisfaction and could not come up with the next words at once.


    As soon as Rochius sensed that Roland was about to rebel against him, he quickly pulled back his smiling face and adopted a stern expression.


    You look like you''re trying to say something," he said. But in fact, your recent grades have been dismal, haven''t they? Dianna. Dianna, tell me how he did this month.


    Yes, sir." Guild President."


    Dianna, Lucius'' secretary, steps forward with a file in her hand.


    She was a beautiful woman with a slender figure, but she seemed a little cold.


    Even now, she is giving Roland an icy cold stare.


    His performance in the past month was 98th out of 100 members in terms of monsters destroyed and items acquired. We are ranked 6th and 86th in quests completed."


    Dianna said with a chuckle.


    That''s right."


    Lukius, in a pose of dignity, rests his chin on his folded hands and glares at Roland.


    I don''t care if you''re a rookie," he said, "this number is impossible for a five-year veteran. I''ve been defending you for a long time, for old time''s sake. But with your dismal performance, there''s no way I can defend you any longer. If I continue to give you preferential treatment, it would be a disservice to the other members of the group, who have a very strict quota to meet.


    Roland had a lot to say to this as well.


    Lucius was clearly setting Roland up to fail.


    He had brought in members of the lowest class who would surely slow him down, brought in people with jobs that were clearly unsuitable for quests, and failed to provide him with necessary items at every critical moment.


    There was no obvious evidence of this, but it was something that Lucius could have done something about if he wanted to.


    Roland protested this repeatedly.


    Each time, however, he would say, with his characteristic smirk, "I''m sorry, Roland, but I don''t know what you''re talking about.


    I''m in a higher position than I used to be. I have to think about the guild as a whole. I can''t just favor you.


    Having said that, though, he was very accommodating to his favorites.


    Lucius handed him a bag of gold coins.


    I''ll give you this as a parting gift," he said. It''s my severance package. It''s an unbelievable treatment for an incompetent like you, isn''t it? Take it and get the hell out of this guild.


    Dianna and the other girls around Lucius giggled.


    Roland left the "Golden Eagle" guild with his severance package in hand.


    After leaving the guild, Roland went to the quest desk, which offered jobs to adventurers.


    Even though he had been expelled from the guild, he couldn''t stay depressed forever.


    The severance package he had received would be gone in no time.


    I''m going to be a solo player from now on, so work won''t just fall to me from above.


    I have to look for work on my own.


    I went to the reception desk to see if there were any quests I could do, and found a former colleague, a member of the guild "Golden Eagle.


    Roland was startled and hid behind a pillar.


    He hears the bubbly voice of the receptionist.


    Oh, isn''t that Jill of the Golden Hawk? Thank you for all your help. We have just the right quest for you.


    Jill was one of Lucius'' favorite heroes.


    She was one of the newest adventurers of the moment.


    Despite her young age, she had already been certified as a "B" adventurer and showed great promise for the future.


    It is widely believed that the Golden Eagle will produce the first S-rank adventurer.


    She was one of the talents that Roland had originally discovered.


    However, as soon as she emerged, Lukius took her away.


    Nowadays, Roland could not even talk to her.


    The receptionist was always very cordial to her, even to the end, and even went out of her way to open the door for her when she was about to leave.


    He even remembered to call out to her behind her back.


    We look forward to seeing you again.


    People who were standing in front of the quest reception desk and chatting with her take one look at her and start whispering.


    She was the center of attention as she walked briskly with the crest of the "Golden Eagle" on her shoulder.


    Her fame, coupled with her flowing blonde hair and red armor, made people take notice and whisper to each other as she walked down the hallways of the Adventurers'' Association.


    Roland went to the quest reception desk long after she had left the door.


    ''Ah, hi, hi. You must be Roland the appraiser.


    As soon as the receptionist saw Roland, she opened her mouth with a big sigh, and responded with a very dull gesture.


    She was young, cute, and innocent, but she was also a girl whose emotions were overtly expressed in her demeanor.


    It was a far cry from her attitude toward Jill earlier.


    She already knew that Roland had been expelled from the Golden Eagle.


    Unlike when Roland was a member of the "Golden Hawk," she was blatantly salty.


    I wonder if there is. I wonder if there is a job suited for you. I don''t think so. I think it''s a waste of time to look for one. Do you still want to look?


    Yes, please.


    I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. It can''t be helped. What a pain in the ass.


    She pulled out her quest list with some reluctance.


    Oh, that''s too bad," she said. There are no jobs for Mr. Roland. I''ve looked through the list from one end to the other with great effort, but there are no jobs at all. I''m sorry to hear that. So, I''m sorry, but could you please go home for today?　As much as I''d like to give Mr. Roland a job - I have to deal with other people, too. So, I hope to see you again."


    She moved Roland away from the counter as if to get rid of him, as if to say, "You''re wasting my time and effort.


    As Roland was about to leave through the door, he heard the bouncy voice of the receptionist again.


    What?　Are you in the skill appraisal business?　There is, there is. We have a lot of quests for you to do.


    <>