Roland was working just inside the entrance of the workshop.


    The room had only a small, low-backed desk and a crude chair.


    Wooden boxes and alchemist''s tools were stacked or lying in a messy pile beside it.


    This was the parlor and workshop of the workshop.


    It was a small building, after all, and there was not enough space to give a single room multiple functions.


    At the moment, on a low desk in front of him, there are 10 pieces of "earthcraft" that Aryeh had just refined.


    They consist of.


    Two Earth Craft A


    6 Earth Craft B


    1 Earth Craft C


    Earth Craft D 1 pc.


    The result was


    (Excellent. This would be enough to satisfy Lillianne''s request.)


    Lillianne''s request was for 100 "Earth Crafts" to be delivered within one month.


    She wanted no more than 20% of them to be inferior to D or below.


    At this rate, the request was likely to be accomplished.


    Roland packed the "Earthcraft" with blue glitter into a shipping box.


    After this, he would have to transport the boxes to the "Guardian of the Magic Tree.


    Roland was doing all these chores because he wanted Aryeh to concentrate on the refining work as much as possible.


    How are you doing?　Mr. Roland.


    Lillianne.


    As Roland was packing the products into boxes, Lillianne came into the workshop.


    Lillianne came into the workshop. I''ll serve you some tea now."


    Roland paused in his boxing and was about to invite her in, but Lillianne restrained him with her hand.


    ''Oh, that''s fine. You''re working on it, right?　Please finish."


    I''m sorry. I''ll finish right away."


    Roland hurriedly packed the boxes.


    Lilianne watched him work from a distance so as not to disturb him.


    When Roland had finished, Aryeh came from the oven room with a tray of "Earthcraft" in her hands.


    Ah, guild leader," he said. We have just finished refining the "Earthcraft. You can have a look at ......, eh?　Lillianne?"


    Aryeh. Just in time. Lillianne, the investor, has just arrived. I''d like to show her your refined version of Earthcraft."


    Thank you.


    Aryeh turned to Lilianne and beamed.


    Lilianne looks at her with a friendly smile.


    She was dressed like a craftsman.


    Aryeh''s brown hair was in a single braid that hung over her right shoulder.


    On her hands she wore gloves for kettle work, and on her face she wore glasses that dampened the light from the flames.


    All of these had been bought for her by Roland.


    There was no pretense in his appearance, and unlike during the interview, he looked natural.


    Oh, hello. It''s you, isn''t it? Roland told me you were a refiner.


    She is the one who made the "Earthcraft. Now, Aryeh. Now, Aryeh, show the finished ''Earthcraft'' to Ms. Lillianne.


    Yes, sir.


    It''s a wonderful piece of Earthcraft.


    Lillianne took the finished "Earth Craft" and looked at it intently.


    The percentage of "Earthcraft A" was even higher than before.


    All of it was refined by her.


    Well, you did this all by yourself?"


    Lillianne gave Aryeh a heated look.


    Aryeh, who was not used to this kind of treatment, was simply horrified.


    No, I was just following the guild leader''s instructions. It was no big deal.


    She was bewildered, happy, and embarrassed, as if she were a celebrity or something.


    Earthcraft is a special item that refines any weapon or armor. A quality earthcraft is essential for quick weapon maintenance. If you supply them to the "Guardians of the Magical Tree," the successor capabilities of parties belonging to the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" will be greatly enhanced. I look forward to your continued support."


    Lilianne continues to look expectantly at Aryeh.


    Aryeh was too honored to reply, but only nodded slightly, her face reddening.


    Roland activates his skill "Appraisal" and looks at the skills floating around her.


    Aryeh''s "Ore Refining," which had been an E, was now an A.


    Roland picked Lilianne up at the entrance of the workshop.


    ''Thank you, Lillianne, for coming all the way out here today.


    No, no, no. That being said, Mr. Aryeh, was that the right thing to do?"


    Yes, I am. It is a confidence booster for Aryeh to be recognized by someone like you.


    I''m sure this is a small price to pay. I was just telling the truth.


    Lillianne brings her face close to Roland''s as she says this.


    You raised her," Lillianne said. Didn''t you?"


    Roland was so close to her beautiful face that they were almost touching, and it was a doozy.


    Her eyes gazed at Roland feverishly.


    Roland smiled deceptively.


    Lillianne laughed along with him.


    I''ll leave you now.


    Yes, sir. I look forward to working with you again."


    My pleasure.


    When Jill returned, the guild''s new members and junior members all lined up to greet her.


    Oh, it''s Jill.


    Hurry up. Get out of the way."


    Those in the guild who saw Jill hurriedly gave way to her and dodged to either side.


    In the guild "Golden Hawk," hierarchy was absolute.


    Jill, who had won first place in last month''s adventurer rankings for monster kills, became a senior member of the guild''s Golden Eagle and one of Lukius''s closest associates, despite being a newcomer.


    She is now a well-known figure among adventurers.


    She walks from the entrance of the building down a wide, palatial hallway.


    On either side of her were rows of lower-ranking members with their hands on their chests and their heads slightly bowed, in a pose of loyalty to the guild.


    Newcomers and underachievers must do this to the senior members.


    She walks leisurely through them.


    Suddenly Jill looked at those in line.


    Most of them had joined the guild at the same time as Jill.


    Jill''s selection as a senior member was an unusual step.


    Given this, Jill must have mixed feelings.


    Jill walking down the flowery aisle, and the members at the end of the line, who are being sidelined.


    The difference between the two is only a little bit of luck.


    Thinking about it, Jill couldn''t help but wonder if she really deserved to be in the limelight so much.


    （I''m standing here like this because of nothing else. It''s thanks to Mr. Roland.)


    Jill recalls her days with Roland.


    At the time, she was a sluggish newcomer.


    Branded as having no potential, she was assigned to work under Roland.


    But Roland changed her fate.


    Roland converted her from a light-armed archer to a heavy-armed knight.


    Gilles. You have the qualities to become a heavy-armed knight.


    Roland said this to her shortly after they became acquainted.


    Oh, no. I don''t have the strength to walk around in a dungeon wearing heavy armor.


    In fact, her stamina was E at the time.


    She said, "Don''t worry. You''ll have A stamina in the future.


    She followed her instructor, Roland, even though she was skeptical.


    The training Roland put her through was intense, but it still improved her stamina dramatically.


    And that''s not all.


    He also arranged for the guild to purchase top-of-the-line armor for her.


    Her defense was dramatically improved.


    Roland," she said. Thank you very much. Now I can contribute to the guild as a shield and defender.


    No," he said. No, Jill. Your role is not as a shield. You are an attacker.


    She could not believe her ears at Roland''s words, but he gave her a great sword.


    On the contrary, he pushed and screwed her into a golem-killing squad.


    She grew rapidly in battle, destroying three brick golems.


    Defeating three golems in a single dungeon infiltration was an unusual record not only for a rookie, but also for an adventurer.


    Most adventurers either run out of energy on the way or take too much damage and run out of potions along the way.


    Thus, she had inexhaustible stamina to run around the dungeon all day long while carrying her armor, defensive strength that would not be affected by being hit with a hammer, and offensive power that could reap even the hardest and most gigantic enemies.


    (All of it. Thanks to Mr. Roland. If he hadn''t made me change course, I would have ended up as a mediocre archer.


    She recalls.


    She remembers how he would praise her for the slightest growth and blast her if she got a little too proud.


    (He really had the perfect timing for praise and timing for anger.)


    Even when she blossomed as a heavily armed knight, Roland was not satisfied.


    He gave her a goal of defeating five golems a day.


    That goal has yet to be met.


    In the process, he was reassigned by Lucius to the guild''s main unit.


    From then on, she was in great demand and continued to work for the guild without a break.


    Even after becoming a mainstay, she continued to demonstrate her strength without regret.


    She was an excellent shield and attacker, and was able to take on any quest.


    With her gorgeous appearance, she was also useful as a billboard.


    Not only did she continue to fight on the front lines, but she was also pulled into the PR arena.


    Thus, she had a busy but fulfilling day, but today she finally had a day off.


    She could meet Roland, whom she had been estranged from for a long time recently.


    (I wonder what he will think when he sees how much I''ve grown...will he recognize me a little now that I''ve become a B-rank adventurer? (I wonder what he will think when he sees how much I''ve grown...or will he say I''m not ready yet?)


    In any case, I was going to get a lot of shagging today, back in the old days.


    (Oops.)


    She decided to get herself groomed before meeting Roland.


    She had recently started to pay more attention to her appearance since she was often out in public as a signer for the guild, but when she met Roland, she checked her hair more carefully than usual.


    Here we go."


    (How are you doing?)


    Roland must still be in a corner of the guild instructing newcomers.


    I apologize to the newcomers, but today I''m going to ask them to put themselves first under the senior member''s authority.


    (Maybe he''ll take me out to dinner tonight as a reward for growing up. (Maybe he''ll take me out to dinner tonight as a reward for growing up...) No, no, that''s not too much to hope for. I''m sure he''ll yell in my ear and beat me until I puke. Maybe they''ll make me run around until midnight. Either way, it''s a reward for me. (smh).


    She hurriedly retracts the grin that had momentarily appeared on her face, caught off guard, and opens the door to the new instructor.


    Roland?　He''s gone now."


    What about?"


    The words of the newly appointed mentor made Jill look like a pigeon hit by a peashooter, not understanding for a moment what they meant.


    Not long ago, Master Lucius banished me.


    Oh, no. Why ......?"


    He''s had a string of blunders of late. It can''t be helped. What''s that?　Jill?"


    Jill did not hear the instructor''s words until the end and, as if leaving the room at the speed of a gale, she rushed to the guild leader''s room.


    Without knocking, she opened the door and entered the room.


    Guild leader!　I need to talk to you!"


    <>