(Hahaha. I guess you have to belong to a major guild to be able to receive quest orders.)


    As Roland sighs and trudges down the corridor of the quest reception area, he is approached by a tall mage.


    He said, "Oh, no.　Mr. Roland?　Are you by any chance Mr. Roland?"


    Oh, Lillianne."


    It''s been a while. Mr. Roland."


    She politely tucked in her skirt and bowed.


    Lillianne was a senior member of the guild "Guardians of the Magic Tree.


    The guild "Guardians of the Magic Tree" is the second largest guild after the guild "Golden Eagle.


    I really appreciate all the help you gave me the other day. Thanks to your help, I was able to move up to Adventurer Rank A last month. This is all thanks to you discovering my unique skill ''levitation''."


    Lillianne bowed deeply.


    In fact, she felt she owed her career to Roland.


    She and Roland first met when the "Golden Eagle" and the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" jointly conducted a quest.


    From that time on, she was one of the best in town in terms of magical strength and firepower, but she was useless as a rearguard because of her low hit rate, which was the most important thing.


    It was then that Roland discovered her skill of "levitation.


    Somehow, her hit rate increased dramatically when she fired magic downward.


    With her original firepower and her "levitation" skill, she was a match made in heaven, and in the blink of an eye, she had achieved the status of an A-rank adventurer.


    Oh, no. It was your ability that made you A-ranked," she said.


    Roland was relieved by Lillianne''s attitude.


    Lillianne was a truly open-minded person who treated everyone with courtesy, regardless of their status.


    Lorraine was a truly inclusive person and treated everyone with courtesy, regardless of rank or status.　I can''t believe that an executive of the Golden Eagle would go out of his way to accept a quest on his own.


    For some reason, she thought Roland was an executive of the "Golden Eagle.


    In reality, he was just an ordinary employee, but no matter how many times I told her, she didn''t believe me.


    No, actually, I don''t belong to ''Golden Hawk'' anymore.


    Oh, so you''re independent now?　If you are as good as Mr. Roland, it would be more lucrative for you to make money independently.


    No, actually, I was kicked out of the ...... guild.


    Kicked out?　Someone as good as you?"


    Lillianne looked shocked.


    ''That''s ...... what can I say?''


    She was stunned for a moment, but then shook her head and regained her composure, smiling softly and kindly.


    It''s just about lunchtime. If you don''t mind, why don''t we go someplace calm and relax and talk?"


    They left the building and entered a lunch shop.


    I''ve been wanting to thank Mr. Roland for a long time. I''m sorry I''ve been so busy that I haven''t thanked you in a while.


    No, no, no. I was busy, so it can''t be helped.


    It''s a small token of my appreciation. Let me hold the fee for this place."


    Oh, no. ......, that''s okay.


    But you''re out of work right now, aren''t you?


    "Ugh, that''s just it."


    Will you please let me return the favor here?"


    Lillianne looked up pleadingly.


    Anyway, I want to do something for Roland, anything.


    That was the kind of mood she was in.


    Roland chuckled.


    I can''t go against this person.


    I''ll take your word for it.


    But why you? I thought that guild was supported by you. I always thought that as long as you were in the Golden Eagle, our guild, the Guardians of the Magical Tree, would never be able to compete with the Golden Eagle. Even Jill-san, who has been so active recently, is thanks to your skill appraisal, isn''t she?


    I don''t think so. Especially these days, I''ve been dragging my feet. ......


    Oh, no. There must be something wrong with you.


    Yes, it is true that things were not going well with Lukius, the leader of the group. However, I think there were limits to what I could do as an adventurer with only skill appraisal.


    But isn''t your skills assessment the driving force that made the guild so successful? But your skill assessment was the driving force that propelled the guild forward.


    I agree. I, too, thought that Lucius valued me, and I have put his and the guild''s affairs ahead of my own. I considered him a good friend. But it seems that I was just one of many subordinates to him.


    Roland said in a somber voice as he looked down at the teacups on his desk.


    Lillianne looked at Roland with a sorry look, then clapped her hands with a snap as if she had regained her composure.


    Roland''s eyes widened.


    Lillianne smiled at him.


    Lillianne smiled and said, "Don''t be so downhearted. If you are not suited to be an adventurer, why don''t you try another job?


    I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. Another job ......"


    Yes. For example, a production-based occupation that doesn''t go on adventures. Yes. How about an alchemists'' guild anyway?"


    The Alchemists'' Guild?


    Yes, my guild, the Guardians of the Magical Tree, was just looking for an alchemy guild that could take on a large number of Earthcraft orders.


    Ha ......."


    (So that''s why you were at the quest reception? (To order a quest from an alchemist)


    Mr. Roland. If you don''t mind, would you accept my request?　The "Guardian of the Magic Tree" also wants to surpass the "Golden Eagle" in production-related skills, but after all, existing alchemist guilds will inevitably give priority to orders from the larger guilds, right?　We, too, want a countermeasure to somehow gain an edge over the Gilded Eagle."


    As much as I would love to accept your request, Lillianne, I don''t have any alchemy skills.


    It''s all right. If you don''t have the skills, hire someone who does. You have "Skill Appraisal. With that, you can find someone who is talented in alchemist skills and hire them as an employee of the guild.


    I see. But I don''t know if I can do it. I don''t know if I can do a job where I have to be the boss of others.


    It''s all right. I''m sure you can do it. Trust me.


    Lillianne took Roland''s hand in hers and looked at him single-mindedly.


    (It''s strange. I feel like I can really do it if she tells me.)


    I understand. Lilianne. Let''s do it."


    Will you do it?"


    Yes, I was just thinking that I wasn''t convinced that it would end like this either. Let''s give that Lukius guy a whack together."


    Yeah, yeah. By all means, let''s do that."


    They clasped each other''s hands tightly and vowed to fight together.


    The next day, Roland applied to the government office for the establishment of a new alchemists'' guild and recruited guild members.


    The name of the guild was "Arsenal of Spirits.


    Since the guild was endorsed by a major guild, "Guardian of the Magic Tree," a flood of applicants came in the next day.


    <>