What a sullen little workshop you have here.


    Dianna looked from side to side and said in a mocking manner.


    Roland was almost deflated by her attitude, which reminded him of his time at the Gilded Eagle.


    Dianna," he said. What on earth are you doing here ......?"


    Oh my, what an attitude. Can''t this workshop even show proper hospitality to a guest who has come all this way?


    Roland stammers.


    He can''t argue.


    What''s the matter, Mr. Roland? Is something wrong?


    Lange makes a quick appearance.


    Dianna poured a cold gaze on Lange.


    Lange. There''s a visitor. I need to talk to her. You have tea.


    Roland let Dianna through to the parlor.


    She looked at the parlor and gave him another petulant look.


    She looked around the room, then folded her knees and arms, a cold smile on her mouth.


    Lange felt bad looking at Dianna even as he served her tea.


    (What the hell is this guy? (What''s with this guy? He seems to be an acquaintance of Mr. Roland''s, but what kind of a guy is he?)


    Ranju sat down next to Loran and stared at her with a jittery look.


    Roland wanted to avoid having even Ranju fall victim to her, so he told her to back off, but Ranju did not listen.


    On the contrary, Runge spoke to her.


    ''So?　What business could a senior member of the Golden Eagle possibly have in our workshop?"


    Lange asked in a contentious tone, not even trying to hide the sharpness of his glazed eyes.


    She didn''t answer, only sniffed and bristled.


    Ranju stared at her, increasingly annoyed.


    Dianna," he said. What on earth do you want?"


    Roland asked this time, but Dianna didn''t answer him either. She looked at the refined iron in the corner of the room.


    （It was iron D. I''d say it was a poor piece of iron, wouldn''t you?　(Well, that''s what you''d expect from Roland''s workshop.)


    Dianna decided that this was the limit of this workshop.


    (The big stores won''t take it back, so they have to make do by selling shoddy goods to the small adventure guilds. Pity. This workshop will probably go out of business by the end of the month.)


    She concludes, then turns a strangely satisfied smile on Roland and the others.


    Let''s be frank. I''m willing to let you join us, the Gilded Eagle.


    What?"


    I know how hard it must be to make a living in such a rundown workshop," he said.　So we thought we''d help you out."


    I don''t need your sympathy.


    Ranju said in a combative tone.


    Dianna ignores him without dealing with him again.


    (Hmph. Totally, bluster. (He can''t stand up to us anyway.)


    I don''t know. "I don''t know, Mr. Roland. Are you willing to do business with us?"


    That depends on ...... the terms, of course. ......


    Lange''s face turns bitter when he hears this.


    It was as if to say, "I''m not convinced.


    Good. How about this? How about this?


    100 gold for Iron A. ......


    The other guilds are willing to give us wholesale iron for that. You guys would do the same for me, wouldn''t you?"


    She becomes intimidating here and there.


    (Hmmm. How''s that?　(You couldn''t achieve this kind of sales price in your workshop, even if you were standing on your head, could you?)


    She imagined Roland and the others frantically telling her, "That''s impossible.


    They would beg us to somehow pay a little more for it.


    Finally, they would get down on their knees.


    Then, after much toying with them, she would push Roland''s workshop off a cliff.


    That''s how she and Lucius have always risen to the top.


    How''s it going?　Mr. Roland?　I wonder if we could sell Iron A for 100 gold?"


    Yes, fine."


    Roland readily agreed.


    I''m sure you did. I knew it was impossible. But, well, if you guys insist, I''ll pay a little more for ......, eh?　No. Are you sure?"


    Yes, that''s fine.


    Roland replied smilingly.


    To be honest, the "Arsenal of Spirits" had no intention of competing with steel.


    Since the main product of the "Arsenal of Spirits" was "earthcraft," iron was becoming a hindrance that was hard to find a place for.


    He was impatiently waiting for Lange to decide what to do with the iron.


    Dianna came along just in time.


    No, I''ll be happy to buy it for 100 gold.


    Roland said with a big smile.


    How would you like to receive it?　We are short on staff at the moment. I''d appreciate it if you could come and get it from there."


    Lange said bluntly.


    Dianna is upset.


    (Hey, what''s with these guys? Why are they so confident when they say they''re being bought out?　(Do you even know where you stand?)


    Dianna''s original plan had been for Roland to be so pathetic that we would buy him off with a higher price.


    After she had completely tamed him, she would bully him again when he came to the guild, and then break the contract.


    Seeing him begging miserably, "Please buy me, please buy me," even Jill would give up on him.


    Such was the plot, and she was completely confused.


    What''s wrong?　Ms. Dianna."


    You don''t look so good. Are you all right?"


    Roland and Ranju saw that Dianna was silent and pale, and looked into her face with concern.


    Their attitude upset Dianna more and more.


    ''Eh, yeah. I''m fine. I''m fine.


    I see. I''m glad.


    So, what are you going to do with the money?　You want to buy steel from us, don''t you?"


    Hearing Lange''s words, Dianna''s blood rushed to her head.


    Nah. Isn''t that stupid?　How could I buy it?　Who would do business with such a shabby workshop? I don''t want to waste 100 gold on them. I''m just teasing you. Don''t get me wrong.


    After saying this, she left the workshop as if to escape.


    Roland and Lange remained silent for a while and kept looking at the place where she was sitting with a mysterious look on their faces.


    ''Um, Mr. Roland.


    What is it?"


    What is he doing here?　You said you were going to buy it, but then you didn''t buy it or wished it away. I don''t understand.


    I''m sorry. I don''t understand either."


    Roland moved his eyes to the pile of iron in the corner of the room.


    They were shoddy and had a somewhat lonely dull glow to them.


    Dianna left the store and somehow managed to calm her agitated temper and tried to sort out what had just happened.


    (What the hell is this? What''s with that attitude? She was showing off her composure.)


    She walks down the street, pouting.


    The more time passed, the angrier I got.


    More than anything, I was angry at myself for being so distraught over people of that caliber.


    (How could 100 gold for iron be profitable?


    They must have no intention of doing business. The alchemy guild must be a front, and Roland must be Lilianne''s pimp. Lilianne pays him a lot of money, so he''s running the guild for his own amusement. Oh, no, no, no. That''s why women pay tribute to men.)


    Diane thought about this and tried to somehow maintain her emotional stability.


    On the way back from the dinner with Count Elsen, Lukius was riding in the carriage with a discouraged face.


    He remembered the conversation he had just had with Count Elsen.


    They had already dined together several times, and had continued their casual conversation and companionship, but today, Count Elsen finally got down to business.


    ''Actually, my daughter is getting married soon.


    Count Elsen said.


    ''Oh, congratulations on that.


    I wanted to prepare a special piece of silversmithing as a wedding gift. I am looking for a good alchemist, but I can''t find one. Then I heard that you are the leader of the alchemy guild in the city.


    Oh, no. I can''t believe I''m in a leadership position. I''m just a organizer at everyone''s request.


    I called you here for no other reason than that. I want your guild to participate in the silversmithing fair that I am organizing.


    Is the fair ......?"


    I''m not sure I''d like that. This is not a one-time event. We intend to make it a major event in the region, one that we will hold every year. Isn''t it wonderful? Alchemists from all over the city will get together and show their skills and their works to each other. If alchemists in the city start competing with each other, the skills of alchemists in our territory will make a great leap forward. The fair itself may become a tourist resource of the city. If that happens, my territory will become a metropolis of alchemists."


    Count Elsen gestured exaggeratedly with his hands outstretched as if he were describing a vision.


    He seemed to already have a glorious vision of the future in his mind.


    Hah ......"


    I intend to allow any alchemist, regardless of status, origin, or ability, to enter the fair. There will be many kinds of prizes, and we will give a chance to alchemists and guilds with low skills. Even alchemists who are currently out of the limelight will be excited to participate if they know they have a chance to gain fame. The event will be a great success. It may give birth to free ideas that have never existed before. Isn''t it wonderful?　That''s why your guild should be invited to participate. Of course, we will offer a prize for winning. I''m looking forward to seeing your spirited work.


    Lucius was disappointed, thinking that "The Golden Eagle" would be endorsed by the nobility.


    (Not at all. That''s why they''re called nobles. They''re always doing unnecessary things for their own amusement. Even though he had united the alchemy guilds in the city. If free competition were to occur, it would be a great loss.)


    Lucius also did not like Count Elsen''s low opinion of him.


    How could he be treated as one of the participants instead of trying to give him and his guild special treatment?


    Lukius was grumpy the whole time he was in the carriage, but by the time he came in front of the "Golden Eagle" headquarters, he had already regained his usual composure.


    (Oh well. This is my chance to show you my power. I''ll show them that this town doesn''t need any guilds other than those under the Golden Eagle, and that all the guilds under my control are a bunch of pussies. If I steadily sell to Count Elsen in this way, he will eventually have no choice but to give his approval to the Golden Eagle. Once we have the approval of the nobility, it will be easy to destroy even the "Guardian of the Magic Tree. We are very close to having complete control of the city.)


    As soon as Lucius returned to the "Golden Eagle" headquarters, he immediately ordered the alchemy guilds under his jurisdiction to create silversmith works for a fair hosted by Count Elsen.


    He also ordered that no guilds should participate in the fair except under the name of the Golden Eagle.


    <>