After kicking off the assassins from "Dragon''s Fires," "Shield of Dawn" then ran up the dungeon and reached the quarry of the "Metal Line.


    Good. I''m going to collect ''earthcraft'' as planned. I don''t care about other ores. Just ''Earthcraft'' anyway."


    Among the many ores shining in a variety of colors like jewels, they deliberately selected the most subdued shades of "earthcraft" for their extraction.


    Hurry up. We don''t have much time.


    Leon said this with growing impatience.


    （The dragon''s fiery fire attacked us," Leon said with growing impatience. I don''t know what this means, but we need to discuss how to deal with it with Roland as soon as possible. (We must finish the quest and get down the mountain as soon as possible.)


    While Jeff cut out the "Earth Craft," his eyes were drawn to the "Fire Rest" beside it.


    （The "Fire Rest" sells for more than the "Earth Craft". I can take a little of it home with me, can''t I?)


    While Jeff was thinking about this, Monica raised her voice.


    ''Ladies and gentlemen, we are under enemy attack!


    In the distant sky, a "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" could be seen, its hard scales shining and wings flapping.


    It was Fafnir!


    "Shit. At a time like this."


    This is not good. With the equipment we have now ......"


    Gentlemen, please continue your work. I will handle this."


    Monica readies her "Silver Iron Breaking Bow" and releases a "Red Arrow.


    The red arrow ripped through the sky and passed through the body of "Fafnir".


    (It missed!　Is this the penetrating effect of the "red arrow" that Mr. Roland mentioned? (Then it''s ......)


    Monica next released an arrow, taking into account the trajectory correction caused by the penetrating effect of the "red arrow.


    The arrow struck the "Fafnir" and exploded its body.


    The "Fafnir" was split in half, its spine was shattered, and it crashed down with its beautiful scales scattered.


    Good."


    Jeff was stunned when he saw Monica''s shot.


    (I can''t believe she took out a "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" that far away with a single shot. ......)


    Jeff, what''s wrong?"


    Elio asks worriedly.


    I''m not sure. It''s nothing."


    Jeff gives up the "Fire Rest" he was secretly trying to collect and resumes collecting "Earthcraft.


    （I''m going to get stronger. (Be strong, no matter what the cost!)


    Defeated by "The Shield of Dawn," "The Dragon Knight''s Hermitage" returned to the city in a crawl.


    When Edgar and Charles heard the news of their defeat, they twisted their heads.


    A C-class adventurer should be no match for my B-class equipment.


    Was Gilbert''s information wrong?　Or did the guys at the Hermitage of the Dragon Knight screw up?"


    I don''t believe there are any B-class adventurers in the micro guilds. In other words, there is nothing suspicious about Mr. Gilbert''s information. I still think the "Hermitage of the Dragon Knight" screwed up.


    Tsk. They''re useless, those guys."


    Hey, isn''t that bad?　I can''t believe that "Dragon''s Fires" lost to a guild like "Arsenal of Spirits", who knows what kind of guild they are. ...... If the guild leader finds out about this, ......


    I guess so. Let''s keep it under wraps for now. Let''s buy ourselves some time.


    Gilbert listened to their conversation while hiding in the shadows.


    (Tsk, they''re useless, aren''t they? I told you to be careful with the Hawk-Eye Archer. If we leave it to them, we won''t be able to defeat Roland even if it takes a hundred years. I guess I''ll have to act directly.)


    Edgar was walking down the corridor, pondering how to cover up his blunder.


    (We''ll have to quickly reorganize the measures to deal with the "Spirit Arsenal. (Let''s put out the fire for the time being. If we don''t do something, the guild leader will definitely get the wrong impression of us. We have to cover it up somehow.)


    Mr. Edgar."


    When Edgar turned around, Wayne, one of the staff members in charge of equipping "The Dragon Knight''s Hermitage," came running up to him.


    He asked, "How did you like the armor I made for you?　Wasn''t that a nice touch?"


    Wayne, who knew nothing about it, said snidely.


    He didn''t seem to know that the "dragon knight''s hermitage" had been bumped off yet.


    Edgar looked at Wayne''s face for a while and then came up with a good idea


    (Or we could use this guy.)


    I liked that armor you made," he said. That armor was mostly the work of you ......, not you alone. I''m totally indebted to you for helping me out with my work like this.


    No, no, no, no. You''re overreacting.


    How''s it going there?　If it''s okay with you, I can report this job to the guild president as a credit to you and recommend you for a senior staff position?"


    What?　Is that okay?"


    Yeah, sure.


    I feel bad. I can''t believe I asked you to go that far."


    Don''t worry about it. Report the facts as they are and reward them with the recognition they deserve. That''s all there is to it, isn''t it?"


    Thank you. I can''t believe you appreciated me that much. I will continue to follow you, Mr. Edgar.


    Yeah, keep up the good work."


    Edgar chuckled as he watched Wayne''s back as he walked away in high spirits.


    (Simple guy. I''m sorry, but I''m going to have to sacrifice you.)


    Edgar made a few adjustments to his broken armor and went under the medes on his feet.


    ''May I, Guildmaster?''


    Oh, Edgar. How''s that ''arsenal of spirits'' measure working out for you?　I hope it''s going well?"


    It''s been a little strange.


    Strange?


    Yes, sir. In fact, I received a complaint about the equipment from the "dragon knight''s hermitage," which was put in charge of countermeasures against the "Arsenal of Spirits. Look at this armor.


    What''s this?　It''s in shreds. Did you make this?"


    No, it was Wayne who made it.


    Wayne?


    Yes. When I told him about the "Arsenal of Spirits," he was strangely eager to have me do the work. ..."


    I see. So this is what happened?"


    Look here. Do you see how strangely thin the armor is?"


    Hm. Indeed. The armor is unbelievably thin for a piece of armor. What were you thinking when you designed it like this?　Who was in charge of the design?"


    Charles was in charge of the design. I told Wayne to manufacture the armor according to Charles'' design, but this thin piece of armor is not according to Charles'' blueprints.


    Edgar showed them the blueprints that Charles had drawn.


    ''Indeed. There is nothing suspicious about the blueprints. Why on earth would Wayne do this?


    I''m not sure what to say. I''ve been hearing some unsavory rumors about Wayne.


    "Bad rumors?"


    Yes. I heard he was meeting with Roland''s guy and talking about something.


    What?　With Roland''s guy?


    That''s right. Well, I didn''t say anything because it''s up to him who he meets with, but maybe it has something to do with this case.


    Call the Wayne guy.


    Wait a minute. If you question the Wayne guy directly, he might just blurt it out.


    Sure thing. No fool would honestly admit that he had committed a breach of trust.


    I have an idea. I haven''t told him that the armor came back in this condition.


    "Oh?　Is that so?"


    So let''s keep the damage to the armor under wraps and first get a statement from him that he was in charge of the manufacture of this armor. I will tell him that the armor came back intact and was very well received by the ''dragon knight hermitage. Then we''ll ask him about the breach of trust."


    I understand. Do that."


    Edgar immediately brought Wayne to the front of the guild president''s office.


    We have a meeting before entering the room.


    ''Well, as I said before, you were in charge of Breda''s armor. I''m recommending you for the senior staff position. Is that clear?"


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


    Good. Excuse me, Guild President."


    Edgar knocked on the door and entered the guild president''s office.


    He said, "Oh, my God. Thank you both for coming. Sorry about that. I didn''t mean to call you here while you were working.


    No, no, not at all.


    Wayne. Edgar told me about you. It seems you''ve been working very hard this time against the Arsenal of Spirits.


    No, no, no. No, it''s not. I''m just making what I''m told.


    It''s a great achievement to be able to do so much work at such a young age," he said. Breda, a B-class adventurer at the Hermitage of the Dragon Knight, said he was very satisfied with the armor. In fact, I looked over the armor myself and found it to be quite well made. I heard that you made that armor.


    Yes, sir. Yes, indeed, I took full responsibility for its manufacture!


    I was very happy with the results. I see. I knew you were the one who made that armor. ......


    Yes. Quite a gem, wasn''t it?"


    f*ck you!　Look at this!"


    The guild leader rolled up the cloth beside him, revealing broken armor.


    He then slams the broken armor toward Wayne''s feet.


    What?　What is this?　How in the world did this happen? ......"


    I''m the one who wants to ask. What the hell are you doing?　How could they make armor with such thin armoring like this? How dare you bring such disgrace to the Guild!"


    Wayne looked at the thin armored section and paled.


    I said, "Nah, that''s ridiculous. I''m not wearing my armor thin like this ....... There''s been a mistake!


    （You''re so plain and simple.)


    Medes squints his paranoid little eyes even more and glares at Wayne.


    （I wonder if this guy has been paid off by Roland?　In any case, it''s no good having a guy like this wandering around the guild.)


    I see. You claim to have been in charge of manufacturing the armor, but you don''t know anything about this broken part, do you?　All right. I understand exactly what you''re saying. You can step back now."


    Wayne left the guild president''s office in a daze.


    Hey, Wayne. You okay?"


    Oh, Mr. Edgar. I ...... am really something. I don''t ...... armor like that."


    I know. You''re not the kind of guy who would do something like that. There must have been some misunderstanding."


    But the guild leader said ......


    Yeah, I totally doubt you. But don''t worry. I''m going to clear up this misunderstanding.


    Are you sure?


    Yeah, so just go back to your post. You still have work to do.


    Yes, sir. Um, please take care of me!


    Yeah, I got it.


    However, despite Edgar''s words, Wayne was notified of his termination.


    Wayne was kicked out of the workshop (atelier) on the same day.


    Edgar did not say a word to Wayne as he left.


    He said, "d*mn it. Edgar. That son of a b*tc* set me up, didn''t he?　I thought it was funny. I thought it was strange that that graft-hungry bastard would be so generous as to give us an important job and let us keep the flowers. When things seem to be going well, he flatter us, and then he takes the credit. When things go wrong, he just puts all the blame on us and ignores us.


    Wayne glared at the "Dragon''s Fireside" studio with hatred.


    I''m not going to let this end like this. I''ll make sure I get my revenge.


    <>