The mountain that was destroyed by the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" has eroded a part of the outskirts of the city.


    The boundary between the city and the dungeon changed, and the monster''s sphere of influence expanded.


    Carla watched from the window of her hospital room, shielding her grafted arm.


    （The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" was screaming. (Did the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic" fail to defeat it?)


    Carla slammed the wall with her unbroken hand.


    d*mn!"


    (Also, I couldn''t protect him. I am ......)


    Somehow, Thane managed to shake off the pursuit of the "White Wolf" and fell back to the city, and headed for the "Dragon''s Fires" on his feet.


    He opened the door to the guild leader''s room as if to punch in.


    Are you there, guild leader?


    Well, well, well, Mister Thane. What on earth is the matter? What is the matter with you?


    There''s nothing wrong with you!


    Sein strode into the room and banged on the desk.


    The equipment of the Thieves'' Guild," he said. What the hell was that all about?　It is as if they were preparing to use the Javelin in anticipation of our use of it. What kind of a mindset would they have to have to sell out their clients'' information?　Huh?　If things go wrong, you''ll get off scot-free!"


    Please don''t yell in my ear so loudly," he said. It''s too noisy."


    Medes said with a frown.


    You''ll have to explain it to me step by step," he said. What''s this about the Thieves'' Guild?


    The ''White Wolf'' guys were equipped with ''Silver Crushed Stone'' shields," he said. So our plan is off the table. Your ''javelins'' were useless. What the hell are you going to say about that?


    Hm. The White Wolf made a shield out of silver crushed stone. Is that so?


    Medes asked the secretary beside him.


    ''Yes, sir. Indeed, the other day, our guild received an order from the White Wolf for 20 shields made of silver crushed stone. We already delivered them a week ago.


    I see. It seems that we have indeed produced 20 pieces of "silver crushed stone" for "White Wolf". So what?　What the hell is wrong with that?


    What''s ...... wrong with that?"


    Sein''s shoulders shook with a wry smile.


    We have been fighting the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). For this city!　We have been fighting desperately to save this city. And yet!　We lost most of the rare metals we had. There were even some wounded. It''s because of your cowardly tactics, sneaking around and stabbing us in the back. Is that how this guild operates?　This way of pretending to be a collaborator and removing the ladder?　You rotten bastard!　I''ll take my chances!　Get out!　Shall I tie your neck and drag you through the city?"


    Medes closed his mouth.


    What in the world is going on here?　They keep making misguided claims. We have done exactly what you asked us to do: maintain the weapons and manufacture the Javelin. If you have any complaints, please show us solid evidence that we have done something wrong.


    So!　That''s not what I''m talking about. ......"


    Hey, come on. You''ve been talking so much nonsense, if you''d just shut up and listen."


    Raul, who had been standing by Medes'' side earlier, arms crossed, listening, interjected.


    What?"


    I said it was a spoiled thing. What''s the big deal just because the "White Wolf" was equipped with a "Silver Crusher" shield?　What about the "Dragoon''s Baskets" that I made?　If you shoot the White Wolf with the Dragoon, he''ll be all over you.


    It''s ......


    And. You guys are talking about fighting a giant fire dragon (Gran Fafnir), but you haven''t been able to kill it. Do you know what kind of condition the town is in now?　The disaster is happening because of the mountain collapse caused by Grand Fafnir.


    "......"


    The whole town is in a panic because you people have provoked the "Grand Fafnir"!　And on top of that, the "White Wolf" got you because of your weapon?　You''ve got to be a little more lenient than that!　First of all, it was already discussed and agreed upon that we would supply the White Wolf with weapons. Don''t rehash it now."


    That''s ...... not something you''d expect to supply the ''White Wolf'' with a shield of ''Silver Crushed Stone'', though."


    If you''re a man, don''t make goofy second-guessing excuses for something you''ve already said once. Either way, the reason you lost is because you couldn''t master the ''dragon-headed cage''.


    "d*mn. ......"


    If you complain any more, I will terminate the contract. If you complain any more, I''ll terminate the contract. "You''ll have to go to another alchemy guild somewhere to maintain and manufacture weapons. Well, I don''t think there are any alchemists in this town who can maintain and manufacture the ''Dragoon''s Baskets'' other than me.


    Sei-chan. Calm down."


    Arul, who had followed Thane and finally arrived at this room just now, said.


    It is not a good idea to make enemies of the "Dragon''s Fires" now. Without their cooperation, we can''t even properly maintain our weapons. Let''s back off for the time being. We can just try the dungeon again after we have reorganized our forces and improved our weapons again.


    "Nuh-uh."


    Sein let out a single breath as if to restrain himself, then removed the "dragon-headed cage" and threw it on the floor.


    "Get the ''dragoon'' and our equipment in order!　Within a week."


    Don''t talk in your sleep. I''ll have this done in three days."


    You said it. If you''re even one second late, you''ll be in deep shit!


    With that, Sein left the guild president''s office and walked briskly down the corridor.


    Wait a minute," he said. Wait, Sei-chan. Hey, Sein. Sei-chan, you''re so ......."


    Arul stopped when he saw someone coming from the other side.


    It was Jamil and Rodo from "White Wolf.


    Oh?　Look who it is, the captain of the Guardians of the Academy.


    I was so happy to see him. I had no idea we were using the same alchemy guild."


    You.


    Sein grabs Jamil by the chest.


    How dare you show your face? How dare you show your face in front of me? What?


    Hey, hey, hey. Private fights are not allowed in town.


    Yes, yes, yes. If you want to do it, do it in the dungeon.


    Jamil shakes off Sein''s hand.


    We''re always up for a challenge."


    Well, if I ever get to dive in a dungeon again, I''m talking about ......."


    Bye. We have a business meeting with the guild leader about some rare metal we got. We got it from some stupid guild, you know."


    What?


    Sei-chan."


    Arle tugged on Thane''s sleeve.


    Let''s go."


    Jamil and Rodo head for the guild president''s office, despite Sein and Arul.


    Sein clenches his fists and looks away from them.


    (d*mn. They think they''ve won now?　Watch me. I ain''t gonna let this end like this.)


    While the "Guardians of the Magickal Academy" were falling back to the city, the "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of Heavenly Horses" were also returning to the "Arsenal of Spirits".


    ''Hans-san, welcome back.


    Aina said.


    ''Hi, Aina.


    ''How was it?　How is the "Ryusenkyu"?


    Yeah, it was a great performance. I was able to slay two Fafnir dragons.


    Two Fafnir?　That''s great!"


    Isn''t he a big shot?"


    Roddy said.


    I really can''t thank you all enough."


    Claire said.


    I haven''t had a big catch like this in a long time. We''re launching tonight.


    Alice said.


    We at ''Arrow of Heavenly Horses'' will continue to be deeply involved with the ''Arsenal of Spirits. We will leave all the materials and rare metals of the "Fafnir" that we have acquired this time to the "Spirit Arsenal". Please maintain the "Ryusenkyu" in preparation for the next defeat.


    Yes, sir. I''ll make sure everything is in order.


    I''d like to know where Roland is.　I''d like to thank him as well.


    Ah, Mr. Roland is meeting with the Shield of Dawn at the ...... cafeteria.


    Aina said awkwardly.


    ''I see. With them ......."


    The members of "Shield of Dawn" had a somber look on their faces, in contrast to Hans and his colleagues.


    They were all depressed and their faces were dark.


    Roland had just heard all of their stories.


    I see," he said. The Grand Alliance has collapsed so tragically. ......


    I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. We followed them to the end and fought hard. ......


    The expedition brought in no income. Jeff is injured. We can''t do this anymore."


    Roland. You were right. We should never have joined the Grand Alliance. If only we had listened to you. ......


    Leon said apologetically.


    What''s done is done," he said. Let''s get our heads back on straight and think about the future."


    Yeah, right."


    Although they said so, the mood of Elio and the others remained gloomy.


    (This is going to take some time to recover ......)


    Aina, Roddy, Hans and the others watched from the shadows.


    "Hmmm. He seems to be dragging quite a bit.


    Hans said.


    ''Yes,'' Hans said. That''s right.


    Aina chimed in.


    Aina was the only one who could say no. "At this rate, I don''t think we''ll be able to celebrate here anytime soon.


    Ha, I guess the feast will have to wait.


    Alice said disappointedly.


    ''That was close. If we had joined the Grand Alliance by now, we might have ended up like that."


    Claire said.


    ''I guess Hans is right about some things sometimes.


    Alice, a word is superfluous."


    They are serious, though. Will they be all right, the ''Guardians of the Magisterium''?"


    Roddy said.


    ''What?''


    I had announced that we were going to defeat the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)'' with great fanfare. The guilds that followed them had almost no income. In fact, they caused damage to the city. Right now, the town is swirling with resentment toward them.


    "Hmm."


    Hans puts his finger to his mouth and ponders.


    （I don''t think it''s going to end like this. Will there be yet another upheaval?)


    <>