Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Lucius, the head of the guild of the Golden Eagle."
Hi. Nice to meet you.
Lucius smiled at Monica.
''...... hi.''
Monica looked at Lukius seriously.
(This is Mr. Lukius. He is the head of the "Golden Eagle" guild. ......)
I could see that he was a representative of a guild, and his clothes and mannerisms were refined and smart, as if he were a business manager.
On the other hand, Monica felt that there was something fake about his demeanor.
Ramon, the head of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" guild, was relieved that he was able to bring the two together without Roland and Lilianne finding out.
The two were now out and away.
(If he was going to transfer Monica, he would have to get things done while those two were gone.)
Monica. Mr. Lucius took the trouble to take the time to see you.
Let''s see. Why did the guild leader of the Golden Eagle join the Guardians of the Magic Tree?"
Monica backed away in alarm.
''Well, sit down anyway. Mr. Lucius will explain everything in person."
Monica sat down in the chair at the guild president''s urging.
She came face to face with Lucius.
Let me be frank," he said. I would like to recruit you as a senior member of the Golden Eagle.
What? Scout ......?"
I have heard about your activities in the "Forest Dungeon. I''ve heard about your work in the ''Forest Dungeon,'' and I''d love to work with you.
Lucius said smilingly.
''haha ......''
If you are willing to transfer to my guild, The Golden Eagle, I will sign a contract for 12 million gold per year."
12 million gold a year?
Monica made a funny sound when she heard the amount of money offered.
Lucius chuckled inwardly.
Of course, we will pay for any penalties arising from the contract with the "Guardian of the Magic Tree. But that''s not all. If you transfer to us, we''ll give you a lot more than just a salary. If there is any equipment you want, we will provide it, and if there is any skill you want, we will support you in developing it.
Ha, ha.
Eventually, I''d like to make you the commander of the second squadron of the Golden Eagle.
Is the unit leader ......?
I don''t know. Do you intend to transfer or not?"
Um, ......
That''s a good story, Monica.
Ramon interjected.
''It''s doubtful you''ll make troop leader in "Guardian of the Magic Tree". Roland is going to keep you in his unit, after all.
What?" Is that so?"
Yeah, you might not make troop leader under Roland anytime soon.
What? That is not a good thing to hear. How can a member of such distinction be kept a part of the force for so long?
Mr. Lucius is offering you a chance for advancement. I think it''s a unique opportunity.
Lukius and Ramon said this with the intention of moving Monica''s heart, but another thought occupied her mind.
(Mr. Roland is trying to keep me in his unit. He needs me.)
Monica looks at Lucius.
''Um, Mr. Lucius. I am very grateful for your kind words, but may I ask you to wait a moment to respond to ......? I still think I prefer ''Guardian of the Magic Tree.''"
What?
Wait a minute. Then how about this? How about starting next month, or even right now, I''ll appoint you as a troop leader?"
Monica is horrified.
（Monica was taken aback. That is impossible for me. Even if I could, I would have a hard time without Mr. Roland in the "sanctuary. (I can''t be responsible for the troops when I''m so occupied with myself.)
Monica, who had already experienced firsthand the difficulties of commanding a unit, was intimidated by Lucius'' suggestion.
(If Mr. Roland is going to keep me in the unit, I might as well keep working with the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" for a while, right? If I transferred badly and was entrusted with a job that wasn''t suitable for my stature, I''d have to go to ......)
You are given a job with heavy responsibility under a boss, subordinate, or staff member who knows nothing about you.
It was a work environment that made me shudder just to think about it.
Is there something about our proposal that you disapprove of?"
Lukius, in his usual habit, smiles and applies pressure.
Monica sensed danger.
''Um, excuse me, but I must leave you for today. I have the painters waiting."
Hey, wait a minute.
No, excuse me."
Monica said nothing more and quickly ran out of the room.
(Mr. Roland took me to his unit. You still need me. Can I assume that, Mr. Roland?)
Monica''s mind was occupied only with that fact.
For her, meeting Roland was a change from a depressing event to one that filled her with hope and anticipation.
After Monica left, there was an awkward atmosphere in the room where she left them.
Lukius glared at Ramon.
Mr. Ramon. We are not talking about the same thing. I thought you said that you were ready to let go of Monica Vermeerle as the guardian of the magic tree.
Yeah, yeah. Of course, we had every intention of doing so.
Ramon takes out a handkerchief and wipes the sweat from his forehead.
But the truth is, she didn''t nod her head and left the room as if to run away. Are you really going to transfer her?"
Yes, of course.
If so, why did she run off like that?"
I''m sure you''re right. Oh, maybe I shouldn''t have said I was going to appoint you as a unit leader.
The unit commander? Why on earth would ......"
She has a timid streak that doesn''t match her ability. When she heard that she was going to be appointed as a unit leader, she may have been intimidated.
Hm. I see.
(Despite being a class-A adventurer, he lacks self-confidence. (So the guts of belonging to a guild that was ranked second all the time is hard to recover from.)
I understand. Let''s talk about Monica Vermale later for now. First, I will negotiate with the other two, Shakma Hakim and Yuffine Reyes. As for the two of them, I will make sure they shake their heads. Is that clear?"
Lukius gives Ramon a frightening look.
Ramon says, "Yeah, yeah. Of course. Of course.
Then I would like you to bring one of them to me, quickly, right now."
Ramon rushed out of the room.
He said, "Well. He wants to scout me."
Shakma said in front of Lukius.
She had a much more positive attitude toward the negotiations than Monica.
(This is a nice touch. Maybe we can pull this off.)
Lucius was pleased to see that Shakuma responded as he had hoped.
''Oh, I would very much like to welcome you as a senior member of the "Golden Eagle."''
(Have I finally reached the point where I''m being pulled into the best guild in town? It is painful to leave Mr. Roland, but if I can join the best guild in town, it may be possible, depending on how I am treated.)
I appreciate the offer. I would be happy to consider it positively. So, what kind of treatment are you willing to offer?"
I''m not sure I''d like that. If you join the Gilded Eagle, I will offer you a salary of 12 million gold per year.
What else?"
Shakuma asked, his eyes shining with anticipation.
Lukius was a little cautious.
（He had just frightened the girl Monica by putting her under too much pressure," he said. Let''s be careful not to put too much pressure on this girl.)
I agree. For now, you will be assigned to the 1st Unit as a member, and you will learn the basics of unit operation from scratch under Arik. ......
Shakuma was disappointed to hear what Lukius said.
(Nah. I guess they''re not going to make me a unit commander. Is that the extent of the "Golden Hawk''s" evaluation of me? Huh.)
Shakuma had already received an informal offer from Roland to mentor him on the premise that he would become a unit leader.
(I guess it would be more interesting to stay on as Mr. Roland''s subordinate in the "Guardian of the Magic Tree.")
Excuse me, but may I have a moment to think about it?"
Shakuma ended up only responding vaguely to a number of proposals made by Lukius.
Lukius'' negotiations were again unsuccessful.
If you want, I can promise you a position as a unit leader right away, or you can start out as a member of the unit and work your way up. I will give you what you want.
Lukius made an impassioned speech in front of Yuffine.
(After failing to extract Monica and Shakuma, he must succeed at all costs, but not Yuffine.)
Lucius was impatient.
Yuffine stared at Rukius with emotionless eyes.
This was an attitude she often adopted toward people she had never met before.
Yuffine''s attitude disturbed Rukius, who was already in a hurry.
There was not a single person who had refused her invitation to join the "Golden Eagle" in recent times.
Among them, Lucius had always been the one to test, never the one to be tested.
For the first time in a long time, Rukius felt an unpleasant perspiration running down his forehead as he was exposed to a gaze that was judging him.
Euphine, on the other hand, grew increasingly calm.
Silence reigned in the room for a while.
"If ......
Yuffine muttered a potty mouth.
Lukius and Ramon braced themselves.
What happens if I become a Class A healer?"
What is ...... going to happen?"
Lucius looked into her eyes as if he was desperate to devour her, trying to somehow read her mind.
For example, will I get a raise in salary or benefits?"
Of course. If you make it to the A level, I promise to pay you even more.
Lucius answered immediately.
Yuffine thinks about it.
(If I''m going to be treated better as an A-class employee, it would be more beneficial to have Mr. Roland make me an A-class employee and then transfer me to a new position.)
I''m sorry," he said. I can''t give you an answer right now. Could you please wait a little longer?"
All attempts to extract Lucius failed.
Back at "The Guardian of the Magic Tree," Roland was walking down the hallway, thinking.
He had been visiting the "Arsenal of Spirits" to discuss dungeon management, and had been asked for advice by some of the other alchemy guild members who had been visiting on occasion.
I haven''t heard from the ''Golden Eagle'' for a long time.
A member of the visiting alchemy guild said so.
The dungeon has just been conquered and it''s time to write a book, but when I went to talk to him, he just said that the person in charge is currently out of the office. It seems that the "Golden Eagle" is in some kind of a mess over Sebasta.
The Sebasta thing? I''m sorry, I''ve been busy and am not familiar with the situation in the city. Did something happen to Sebasta?"
Apparently, he had a dispute with Lucius and left the Golden Eagle.
Sebasta left the group? That''s not ......"
Anyway, the "Golden Eagle" never contacted us at all. They are the ones who are organizing us, so we have no choice but to follow them. If you don''t hurry up, we''ll be out of food. Hey, Roland, have you heard anything? You''ve made your peace with the Gilded Eagle, haven''t you?"
He looked completely exhausted.
(The fact that the alchemy guild under the "Golden Hawk" is asking for advice from us means that Lukius''s centripetal force is finally declining.)
Roland felt that this was a chance to cut the alchemy guild under the "Golden Hawk" umbrella.
(But why? I was sure they were going to use the Alchemy Guild to harass me again.)
Roland!"
Roland was startled by a voice calling him from behind.
He was still being bothered by members who wanted to have their skills appraised.
He even made it a point to return to the guild at a time when the streets were less crowded.
However, he was relieved when he confirmed that the voice was Lillianne.
What is it, Lily? What''s the matter with you?
Roland. It seems that the head of the guild is trying to get Monica and the others transferred to the Gilded Eagle without our knowledge.
What the hell?
Roland was aghast.
No," he said. They are the guild''s most prominent members. They are important pillars that will support the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" in the future.
I''m not sure. No way. I can''t believe the head of the guild would do something like that.
d*mn. What the hell were you thinking?
It seems that Lucius has already visited the building several times and is negotiating with them.
Lillianne looked completely flustered.
(That Lucius guy. I thought he was being strangely quiet. I guess that''s what he''s after.)
Anyway. Now that we know that the head of the guild is in league with the enemy, we have no choice but to take countermeasures. Let''s raise the salaries, penalties, and contract years of the three so that Lucius can''t get his hands on them.
I agree. It''s the best thing to do.
Lillianne immediately set to work.
Lilianne visited the guild president''s office with the newly drawn up contract in hand.
Lilianne went to the guild president''s office with a newly drawn contract in her hand. Could you please sign it?"
I''m not sure I''ll be able to do it. I''ll look over it later."
Now, please sign right away."
Lilianne smiled and said in a tone of voice that said with or without a smile.
Ramon laughed deceptively.
Nothing so urgent ......."
No," he said. If we are too slow, the Golden Eagle may take them away from us.
Ramon was stumped.
You don''t think I''m going to sell them to the Golden Eagle for a little money, do you?
Lillianne smiled and moved her face closer to the guild leader as if to exert pressure.
The guild leader smiled deceptively at Lilianne, as if pressuring her.
No, but you know what? You say so, but Roland is charging us a huge amount of money for the equipment for the three of us. And now he''s going to raise their salaries. If things continue as they are, our funding will come to a standstill. If you want to retain them, you''ll have to come up with some other way to raise the money. Do you have any ideas?"
''Guild President, isn''t it your job to raise funds? It is true that Mr. Roland spent a lot of money to train them, but the results were worth it, weren''t they? Now it is the guild president''s turn to prepare rewards commensurate with the efforts of Mr. Roland and the girls.
No, but that being said, money matters ......."
We produced Class A adventurers. Why don''t you go to a bank, a wealthy person''s place, or wherever and draw out an investment? Anyway, we must hurry to offer these women a new contract. Hurry up and sign this contract."
Lilianne held out the contract to the guild director and pressed him to sign it.
Uh-uh."
The guild president was forced to sign the contract offered by Lilianne.
The new terms for the three were a five-year contract with an annual salary of 10 million gold.
The penalty was to be the number of years remaining on the contract multiplied by the annual salary.
This meant that Lukius would have to come up with 50 million gold for each of the girls if he wanted to pull them out of the deal.
Roland then presented the three with a new contract to negotiate.
Despite the slightly lower salaries than those offered by the Gilded Eagle, the three signed the new contracts easily, in contrast to Lukius.
The next day, Roland invited Monica out to lunch during a break.
The next day, Roland invited Monica to join him for lunch during his break, which happened to coincide with their free time.
I''m glad," Roland said. You seem to be feeling better.
What?
Status, back to normal."
Oh, so that''s how it is. Yes, that''s what I meant. I''m sorry for worrying you.
(I can''t keep messing up my status forever, you know...)
Monica thought to herself with a bitter smile.
''I see you''ve signed the new contract.
Yes."
Why? Didn''t The Gilded Eagle offer you a lot more?"
I wanted to learn more under ...... Mr. Roland.
I see. Thank you."
Um, can I ask you something?
Yes. I''ll answer any questions I can.
The guild leader said. Mr. Roland still wants to keep me under his command.
I''m not sure. Yes.
Why?
I can get more out of you. I think I can bring out more of you. Will you stay with me for a while?
What? Yes."
Roland took Monica in front of the bulletin board at the quest reception desk.
Monica was looking at the board, and she saw a few things: "Monsters defeated, items acquired, quests cleared, and quest rankings. "There is no archer''s name in the first place of any of the rankings.
That''s true.
But I''m sure you can get one of these. I know I can.
Am I ......?"
Yes, archers are currently considered a support attack position, and are actually operated as such.
Roland''s eyes became distant and staring.
It was a gesture Monica had seen many times while in the dungeon.
''I think the role of the bowman (archer) is underrated. I think the role of the archer is underestimated, but with you I can change that. I have a feeling we can change that.
(Mr. Roland. You really only think of me as your subordinate)
Monica felt sadness in her heart.
I want to aim higher. To do that, I need your help. Monica, will you aim with me?"
...... yes."
(Even if my thoughts don''t reach you, I will grow under you. (Because I want to be proud of myself to you at least)
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