Confronting Leon''s troops occupying the high ground, Jamil sensed a change in the battle situation on the other side of the hill.


    (The sounds of battle disappeared. Had the "Grand Alliance" lost?)


    Jamil," he said. This is ......."


    Let''s go back."


    What?


    Without the "Grand Alliance" it is impossible to compete with the "Alliance of Spirits". We must leave the battle zone before the enemy turns its full strength toward us.


    Jamil and his team retreated in turn, with Leon''s troops in tow.


    When Leon saw the "White Wolf" pulling up, he patted his chest in relief.


    (I wondered what would happen when we were pinned down by the enemy, but we somehow managed to get through it, didn''t we?)


    After watching the retreat of the "White Wolf," Leon spoke to Cecil, who was standing by his side.


    Leon watched the retreat of the "White Wolf" and spoke to Cecil, who was by his side. Tell Roland. The White Wolf has retreated. We''ll stay here for a while longer to watch for enemy movement, just in case.


    Okay."


    Cecil descends the hill and heads down to Roland.


    Leon turns and looks toward the "Grand Alliance" front.


    From where Leon was, the battle between Roland and the mages of the "Wise Man''s Crown" was clearly visible.


    Having defeated the enemy''s main force, the "Spirit Alliance" had shifted to a mop-up battle.


    However, the "Grand Alliance," which had lost three A-class mages, no longer had the morale to fight a retreat, and each guild easily disarmed and surrendered as soon as the "Spirit Alliance" approached.


    Leon was deeply moved to see how well Erio and Hans, the "Guardians of the Magic Tree," had fought back.


    Now the local guilds could play as well as the outside guilds.


    (That Roland guy finally did it. No one who came to this island could have done it. He has achieved what no one else who came to the island had been able to achieve: the fusion of the local guilds and the outside guilds through training.)


    I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. He''s a big man."


    Roland, who had almost finished subduing the remaining enemy forces, was making the rounds to help those adventurers who had been worn out by the battle.


    He called out to Hans and Will, who were walking along, supporting each other on the shoulder.


    Hans and Will," Roland said. Good night.


    Roland."


    Ha-ha." As soon as I released the magic, my consciousness was blown away. I can''t walk properly."


    Will said with a wry smile.


    ''No, it was very powerful. There are not many mages in the world who can unleash blast magic with that much power, activation time, and attack range. Hans also had a good attack. The timing of his jump out, the accuracy of his shooting, and his shrewdness in taking out the enemy''s head. Everything was perfect. That''s what I wanted to see."


    Hans and Will look at each other proudly.


    From their point of view, they were more than happy to have Roland''s approval.


    Mr. Roland.


    Rick and Elio, who have been revived by recovery magic, also come in, both supporting each other''s shoulders.


    Rick, Erio. You guys did your best to the end. Without their sacrificial charge, Hans and Will''s final blow would not have been possible.


    I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. I did what I had to do as a vanguard.


    No, I would have been in danger on my own. I don''t know what I would have done if Rick hadn''t come along.


    I''m more interested in the show, Mr. Roland. At last we have four A-class adventurers on this island. I would say that you have an impressive training ability, but now we, the Guardians of the Magical Tree, can no longer afford to be complacent.


    When Rick says this, Hans and Will are astonished.


    Four Class A''s?"


    What do you mean?


    I don''t need to wait to appraise them: their skills are now class A, Hans''s range, Will''s magic. Neither of them can be considered class B."


    What?　Is that so?"


    It certainly felt like a longer range than usual, but ......


    Since Elio is already in Class A, and that girl Carla''s swordsmanship has already reached Class A, Will and Hans together make four actual Class A students. Isn''t that right, Mr. Roland?


    Everyone present looks at Roland.


    Roland looks at me and says, "Oh. Rick is right. Hans'' ''bow shooting'' and Will''s ''blast magic'' both reached the A level.


    That''s why. From now on, I will consider you as A class, and we, the vanguard, will expect A class work from you. We in the vanguard expect A-class work from you, and B-class work will no longer be tolerated.


    Ha-ha. That''s scary.


    I''ll try."


    The four continued their uncomfortable conversation among those who had risen to great heights.


    Roland was relieved to see them.


    (Hans and Will are both in the A class. This would allow them to take a more aggressive approach against the "White Wolf. (They should be able to act more freely in their search.)


    Loran."


    Cecil came over.


    Leon has a message for you. The White Wolf has pulled out. Leon and his team remain on alert.


    I see. I see. Let''s go back to the city for a while. We need to get together with the Grand Alliance. Tell that to Leon.


    Okay."


    Cecil once again returned to Leon with his quick feet.


    （Thanks to Leon''s strong protection of his back, Cecil was able to concentrate on defeating and controlling the "Grand Alliance. I''ll have to say a few words of thanks to Leon later.)


    Roland and his team returned to the city with the captured adventurers of the Grand Alliance in tow.


    It was some time after they reached the city that Neil woke up.


    When I got up, I found myself in the "Wise Man''s Treasure Crown" quarters.


    Neil was struck by a severe memory clouding.


    Neil, you''re finally awake.


    Glenn had just entered the room and called out to him.


    ''Is this ...... our quarters?　How did the battle go with the ...... ''Spirit League''?"


    Glenn nodded.


    The battle is over. The troops were destroyed and all adventurers of the ''Grand Alliance'' turned over their equipment before the ''Spirit Alliance'' and were taken prisoner. Negotiations for the release of the prisoners of war have just been finalized. Ian has arranged the negotiations on your behalf while you were asleep."


    That''s ...... ridiculous."


    The Spirit League demands three things: first, that the Grand Alliance be dissolved immediately; second, that the Crown of Wisdom immediately terminate its contract and alliance with the Dragon''s Fiery Fire and the White Wolf; and third, that the Spirit League be dissolved immediately. And three, the troops must leave the island as soon as they are able to move. If you agree to these three demands, they will return your main equipment and prisoners of war.


    ......"


    Already Ian is negotiating with Roland in a way that he will fully accept these conditions."


    Wait a minute. What are you deciding on your own? I''m not going to admit defeat yet. ......


    Neil then tried to get off the bed, but he could not free his body and ended up on his elbows on the bed.


    The damage from the arrow Hans had given him still seemed to be deep inside his body.


    Neil, we''ve been completely defeated. Our funds have run out, and our credibility among the local adventurers has been shattered. It''s impossible to maintain the Grand Alliance. Considering this, the request from the "Spirit League" was rather generous. I have no choice but to say so.


    Ggh. d*mn.


    Neil had tears of regret in his eyes, but as expected, he could not argue any further.


    A few days later, the "Wise Man''s Crown" was loading its cargo onto a ship to leave the island.


    At the harbor, there were no residents to bid farewell, but instead, no residents to make wild noises.


    Roland made sure that the islanders'' attention was directed toward the "Spirit League.


    Ian sighed as he led the evacuation.


    （We''ve been completely defeated in every way.)


    What''s wrong with you? Sighing so loudly.


    Suddenly, Ian was startled by a voice that called out to him.


    When he turned around, there was Yuffine with a grin on her face.


    Yuffine. You came."


    I''m sorry you didn''t accomplish your mission. If you had worked with us, the Spirit Alliance, from the beginning, none of this would have happened."


    Ian chuckled.


    ''I finally understand what you meant,'' he said. It is true that there are people in the world who cannot be measured by our standards. This incident has made me keenly aware of that.


    I just need to know."


    Euphine laughed colossally.


    Bye, then."


    Are you leaving?"


    That''s right. We have another dungeon to conquer after this. It''s not easy to meet Mr. Roland''s demands. We can''t afford to be complacent. We have to do our best to appeal to him.


    Ian had no choice but to break down.


    （Ian had no choice but to be weak. I see. So this is an S-class appraiser.)


    Ian boarded the boat.


    Soon the stern line was released and the ship set sail.


    (They might be able to slay the "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)", right?)


    Neil looked at the island as it moved away from him in frustration.


    Glenn. This time we''ve lost completely.


    Oh," he said. I never thought anyone could train the island''s adventurers that well, Roland, an S-class appraiser. Roland, the S-class appraiser, is a formidable man.


    We''re going to start from scratch to improve our skills and stats. And we will definitely come back to this island again.


    After cleaning up the mess with the "Wise Man''s Crown," Roland led the "Spirit Alliance" back to the dungeon.


    Meanwhile, at the "Arsenal of Spirits" headquarters, a sales meeting was already underway with a view to exploring the next dungeon.


    Is everyone here?"


    Lange said as he opened the door to the conference room.


    Good. We''re all here. Let''s start the meeting.


    Seeing that all the main members had gathered, Ranju took his seat and began the meeting.


    The threat of the "crown of wisdom" has passed, but the "dragon''s fiery fire" and the "white wolf" are still alive and well. As you know, the reason why the "Arsenal of Spirits" built a new workshop (atelier) is to defeat the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire. In order to do so, we need to win over the outside adventurers'' guilds that are coming to us in search of "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" equipment. We have already received word from the fast boat that the three guilds that come to the island this time of year, "Knights of the Black Wall," "Players of the Red Sands," and "Archers of the Fortress," will be coming to the island this year as well. We have the facilities and manpower to make equipment for the big guilds, and we are certainly capable of making equipment that is as good as the quartet''s in terms of quality, but the fame of "Dragon''s Fires" is still very much alive and well. The three guilds that will be coming in the next term will probably choose "Dragon''s Fires" at first. No matter how much the "Spirit League" defeats the outside guilds in the dungeon, if the outside guilds keep dropping money into the "Dragon''s Fires," the "Dragon''s Fires" will not be defeated no matter how long it takes. We need to go on the offensive against the adventurers'' guilds that have decided to sign contracts with the Dragon''s Fires, and we will have a sales strategy for all three guilds by the time Mr. Roland comes back from the dungeon. First, Lizetta."


    Yes, sir.


    I understand that last year you were part of a quartet that manufactured equipment for the "Knights of the Black Wall," "Players of the Red Sands," and "Archers of the Fortress" as part of the "Dragon''s Fires" quartet. In order to sell alchemy to adventurers, we first need to know their needs, so tell us what you know about the needs of the three guilds."


    Yes. First, let''s talk about ''Knights of the Black Wall'': ......"


    <>