At Lilianne''s request, Roland hurriedly went to the quest reception office.


    In the private room of the receptionist''s office, he went through a stack of papers describing monsters and items to see if there were any suitable quests.


    (If it is an A-class quest that makes use of Lily''s skills "Thunderbolt" and "Levitation," it should be this one: ......, A-class monster "Flood Dragon")


    The A-class monster "Flood Dragon" is a water dragon-type monster that lives in the lake at the end of the "Lake Route.


    It appears about once a month, causing floods and damage to the town, but because it lives in the lake at the end of the "Lake Route," off the main mining route, it has been ignored by the adventurers'' guilds from outside the town and has not been dealt with, despite numerous requests from the residents to have it defeated. Regardless, they continued to be neglected.


    The residents have now resigned themselves to the fact that they have to somehow endure the floods that seem to come every month.


    （The A-class monsters (which are not dealt with by adventurers from outside). If the "Arsenal of Spirits" could defeat these monsters, they would earn the respect and admiration of the local residents. (This could be the beginning of the guild becoming more familiar to the local residents.)


    Roland received the "Flood Dragon" materials and left the quest reception area.


    (That''s it for the A-class quest for Lily. Now we just need to find a way to deal with the "White Wolf.)


    The next day, a large number of leaflets were distributed in the city.


    The leaflets read as follows.


    The "Arsenal of Spirits" will once again form a large-scale alliance to conquer the dungeon.


    Adventurers who are interested in joining the alliance are asked to contact the "Arsenal of Spirits.


    When the townspeople saw the flyer, they lamented the economic boom, and the small adventurers'' guilds rejoiced at this seemingly sudden surge in demand.


    The "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" and "White Wolf" also responded to this massive recruitment of allied guilds, and began to prevent the alliances from completing their quests.


    In "Dragon''s Fires," the main members of the guilds gathered in the conference room to counter this move by the "Arsenal of Spirits.


    The "Arsenal of Spirits" has moved to form a new alliance. We in the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" will not stand idly by and let this move go unanswered. We must take countermeasures. Now, let''s see what it is. ......, Edgar. Give us your idea.


    "Us."


    Edgar stands up and describes the strategy he has devised with a document in his hand.


    Edgar stood up and, holding a document in his hand, stated the strategy he had devised. It is because, although we are an alchemy guild, we have been too much involved in the fighting between adventurers in the dungeon, in other words, we have made the foolish mistake of misjudging our own area of expertise. Therefore, we will refrain from fighting in the dungeon for this "Arsenal of Spirits" project.


    You mean, "refrain from fighting in the dungeon?　But then, how do you strike a blow to the ''Spirit Arsenal''?"


    Raul said quizzically.


    Well, don''t be in such a hurry. I''ll explain it to you step by step.


    Edgar continued his explanation while drawing a diagram on the blackboard.


    The current strategy of the "Arsenal of Spirits" is basically to avoid competition with outside adventurer guilds and to target mining sites along the "Lake Route" to acquire ore. In our previous exploration, we targeted the mining sites along the "Crater Route," but the "White Wolf" inflicted a little damage, and our earnings were even at best. They will not touch the "Crater Route" for a while. Therefore, we at "Dragon''s Fires" would like to focus our efforts on the "Lake Route" and the mining sites here. If we can seize most, if not all, of the ore in this mining site, we will be able to dry up the ore procurement route of the "Spirit Arsenal. This would allow us to deal a blow to the "Spirit Arsenal" while focusing on our areas of expertise, alchemy and support for adventurers.


    Oh!


    I see. This way, we can strike a blow to the ''Spirit Arsenal'' without direct combat.


    In the conference room, there was no small amount of admiration for the plan that Edgar had formulated.


    Raul, too, crossed his arms and made a difficult face, but inwardly rolled his tongue.


    （I see. As expected of Edgar. He has become a member of the quartet only because of his planning ability and brains. How could he come up with new strategies so quickly? It is true that at first glance, the plan seems well thought out and reasonable. But why? Why do I feel uneasy? I feel as if I am overlooking something important (......).


    Anyway, Edgar''s proposal was adopted unanimously, and the "Dragon''s Fires" alliance was launched to compete with the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, and equipment for this purpose was manufactured in the workshop (atelier).


    On the day the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance headed out to explore the dungeon.


    A large number of adventurers had gathered in the plaza.


    The "White Wolf" bandits were watching from afar.


    They, too, had hurriedly prepared for this day.


    The "Arsenal of Spirits" had been beaten up so badly, yet they still had the strength to form such an alliance?


    This large force, is it really aimed at a large scale mining site on the ''crater route''?　No, it must be."


    I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. What are the people of the "Dragon''s Fires" doing while the "Arsenal of Spirits" is making such a big deal about it?　Do you understand?　They are the ones who will suffer the most from the growth of the Arsenal of Spirits.


    Jamil and his team had asked for the cooperation of the "Dragon''s Fires" in order to frustrate the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance this time around.


    However, there was still no response from the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire.


    Ah, the messenger to the "Dragon''s Fires" has returned.


    Oh, here you are. Hey, what did they say about the "Dragon''s Fires" guys?


    The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance is supposed to be going to the "Lake Route. We have formed the ''Dragon''s Fire'' alliance to deplete the main ore deposits on the ''Lake Route. The White Wolf'' is to support the ''Dragon''s Fiery Fire'' alliance, and at the same time, interfere with the ''Spirit Arsenal'' alliance," he said.


    Jamil and the others looked at each other in silence for a while.


    I knew it," Jamil said. The "Dragon''s Fires" guys. They don''t know anything.


    It''s not possible for such a large alliance to take the "Lake Route". It''s definitely the ''crater route. Otherwise, it''s unprofitable.


    They don''t know the first thing about exploring dungeons.


    Edgar is the one who came up with this plan anyway. That brash bastard."


    I guess we can''t expect any backup from the Fires of the Dragon. It''s no use. We''ll beat the Arsenal of Spirits on our own!


    For once, however, Edgar was right.


    The majority of the assembled adventurers were a decoy to attract the "White Wolf.


    As Roland had instructed, they simply wandered aimlessly in the forest at the foot of the mountain, where no powerful monsters appeared, and eventually returned to the city.


    While the "White Wolf" was caught in a diversion, Roland and Lilianne, along with the main forces of the alliance, including the "Shield of Dawn," were leisurely heading down the "Lake Route" to the "Flood Dragon," a Class A monster.


    <>