The Kicked Out S-Rank Appraiser Creates The Strongest Guild - Chapter 51

Chapter 51   Falsification of skills and stats.

After meeting with Alric, Jill, and Daevin, Laurent continued working late into the night in the guild master’s office.

“Phew. Just talking with the key members took up the entire day. Running a large organization is tough,” Laurent thought as he recalled his meetings with the captains of the second and third squads.

Like Alric, they outwardly showed compliance to Laurent, but there was a certain aloofness in their attitude, making it difficult to understand what they were really thinking.

They seemed to be harboring some issues, but they never confided in Laurent.

It had become the norm for issues to be hidden and handled internally within the squads.

That was the impression Laurent got.

“There have always been frictions between the management and the adventurers, but now it seems to be deepening even further.”

At this rate, far from implementing reforms, there was a risk of a spontaneous rebellion causing the organization to fall apart.

“We need to bridge the gaps between the squads and improve communication. I’ll start working on this area first.”

“Come in.”

As Laurent was contemplating future steps, Deanna came in and offered him tea.

“Oh, thank you.”

Laurent took a small sip of the tea and then went back to his documents.

“Are you still working?”

“Yes, after today’s meetings with the squad captains, I realized that the internal communication within the ‘Golden Hawks’ is significantly poor. I want to start by improving that.”

Laurent glanced at the clock.

By this time, most of the adventurers had likely left the training grounds and gone home.

“Deanna, gather all the adventurers in the training grounds first thing tomorrow morning.”

“All the adventurers…?”

“Yes, I want to make contact with the lower-ranking members to understand what’s happening on the ground. By assessing them, I should be able to find out something.”

“Such tasks could be left to the lower-ranking assessors.”

“I want to see it with my own eyes. Please. Oh, and…”

Laurent suddenly remembered Deanna’s day.

Now that he thought about it, she had been working non-stop all day.

“By the way, you’ve been working non-stop too. I’ll handle the rest myself. You can go home now.”

“I couldn’t possibly do that while the guild master is still working. I’ll stay and help.”

“Really? Then I’d appreciate it.”

“Yes.”

And so the two of them continued working in silence.

Eventually, the clock’s hands crept toward midnight.

(That’s strange.)

As Laurent was looking at the members’ list, he noticed that some individuals in the second and third squads had shown an unusually rapid improvement in their skills and statuses.

(They’ve been improving at an extraordinary rate since a certain point. But they haven’t changed their equipment or completed any significant quests… Why?)

While Laurent was pondering this, he suddenly felt a weight on the edge of his desk.

Looking up, he saw Deanna sitting there.

She was perched right in front of Laurent’s documents, drawing his gaze naturally towards her waist.

Moreover, Deanna subtly crossed her slender legs on the desk, revealing her beautifully shaped legs and tantalizing thighs through a deep slit in her dress.

It was as if she were saying, “This is the guild master’s view.”

“Even though it’s only your first day in office, you’ve managed to grasp the management and all the squads of the ‘Golden Hawks.’ I’m impressed. As expected of the S-rank appraiser who turned the ‘Guardians of the Magic Tree’ into the town’s top guild overnight. You’re nothing like the arrogant Lucius.”

“R-really? I still feel like everyone hasn’t fully accepted me yet.”

“That’s not true. Everyone in the ‘Golden Hawks’ already respects your authority and appreciates the benefits they gain from you.”

“Uh, thanks.”

Laurent thanked her but subtly moved the documents away from her. Although he was currently relying on her due to her knowledge of the ‘Golden Hawks’ internal affairs, he didn’t fully trust her.

Laurent believed she was partly responsible for the downfall of the ‘Golden Hawks.’

Since she became an executive, Lucius’s neglect and arrogance had become increasingly apparent.

Becoming too close to her might lead him down the same path as Lucius.

“You’re so cruel. If I’d known how incredible you were from the start, I wouldn’t have turned to Lucius and would have gotten closer to you.”

“Haha. I still have a long way to go.”

Laurent kept his eyes on the documents, avoiding looking at Deanna.

Seeing that her charms weren’t having the desired effect, Deanna decided to take a bolder approach.

She leaned forward and spoke in a sultry voice.

“Guild Master, being diligent is good, but you should also take a break occasionally. If you’d like…”

Just then, the door swung open, and Claria burst in energetically.

“Excuse me!”

“Claria.”

Grateful for the interruption, Laurent immediately turned his attention to Claria, cutting off his conversation with Deanna.

“Laurent, about the ‘Spirit Workshop’ and ‘Guardians of the Magic Tree’…”

Laurent and Claria quickly started discussing matters cheerfully.

Realizing her attempt had failed, Deanna climbed down from the desk, her expression sullen.

The next day, Laurent began appraising the adventurers gathered at the ‘Golden Hawks’ training grounds one by one.

First, he appraised a girl equipped with a heavy sword and armor.

Aina

• • • • Status:
        • • • • Strength: 60-70
        • • • • Endurance: 30-40

• • • • Equipment:
        • • • • Sword: Weight 40
        • • • • Armor: Weight 40

(Sword and armor together weigh 80. Her strength is only 60. The equipment’s weight exceeds her strength. This will not only make it difficult for her to handle the weapon properly but also lead to faster depletion of her status.)

“Why are you wearing armor that weighs 40? It’s too heavy for you, isn’t it?”

“Well, my endurance is low, so my superior recommended that I need high-endurance armor to join the main force…”

Laurent reappraised Aina’s status.

Aina’s Status

• • • • Endurance: 30-40 (→ 30-40)

• • • • Stamina: 60-70 (→ 90-100)

(Indeed, her endurance is low for a frontline warrior. But her stamina has room for significant improvement.)

“You are more suited to being a light-armored swordsman. Daevin!”

“Yes.”

Daevin, who was standing by with a notepad, responded.

“Equip her with armor suitable for a light-armored swordsman. Increase the weight of the sword instead.”

“Understood. Should we increase its power or endurance?”

“Power. She is suited to being a light-armored swordsman. Enhance the power, and it’s okay if the endurance is slightly lower.”

“Got it.”

Daevin quickly scribbled notes on his notepad.

“Aina.”

“Y-yes!”

“From now on, compensate for your low endurance with your high stamina. Focus on training to increase your stamina.”

“Yes.”

Laurent then looked at the roster for the next adventurer to appraise.

(Now it’s Oscar. He seems to have the potential for item appraisal.)

Oscar’s Skills:

• • • • Item Appraisal: E → A

“What’s your affiliation?”

“I-I’m with the second squad.”

“The second squad, huh…”

(What should I do?)

Laurent was still unsure how to handle adventurers with appraisal abilities.

Should he assign them directly to Daevin’s squad?

Or perhaps he should assemble a specialized squad for dungeon management by selecting adventurers with appraisal skills from each squad as needed?

(Well, it’s fine. He won’t reach Item Appraisal A immediately anyway. For now, I’ll just assign him training to improve his appraisal skills.)

“Oscar, from now on, you’ll also be undergoing training to enhance your appraisal skills.”

“Appraisal skills… sir?”

“Yes, you have the potential to reach A-rank in ‘Item Appraisal.’ You’ll be a crucial asset for the new ‘Golden Hawks.'”

“Understood.”

(Now, next…)

Laurent appraised the third adventurer.

(Miguel. He’s aspiring to be a tank warrior. I’ve heard his skills are already at a B-class level…)

Laurent checked the documents he had.

Indeed, the equipment Miguel was wearing was of B-class quality.

He also appeared to be a member of the second squad.

He had a slightly timid expression.

(Is there any skill or status I’m overlooking… huh!?)

Laurent frowned at the appraisal results.

“Miguel, you…”

“What is it?”

Miguel looked puzzled at Laurent’s tense expression.

“…No, it’s nothing. You can go.”

“Okay.”

Miguel left the room, still looking somewhat confused.

Laurent marked Miguel’s entry in the documents. He planned to call him back later.

Later, Laurent summoned Miguel and several others to the guild master’s office for individual interviews.

He started with Miguel.

“I appraised your skills, and there was a significant discrepancy between your actual skills and the ones listed in these documents. How do you explain that?”

“I believe it’s because my skills and status have declined since the time of declaration,” Miguel said nonchalantly.

Laurent sighed.

“That’s a lie, Miguel. You have never reached the level of skills and status indicated in these documents. In other words, you falsified your skill and status reports.”

“No way, we reported our skills and status accurately as conveyed by the appraisers.”

“Really? Are you sure you have no problem with that statement being recorded right here?”

“…”

Miguel was at a loss for words.

“My ‘Skill Appraisal’ can determine not only the current values but also the potential maximum values. You can’t deceive me.”

Miguel’s Skill:

• • • • Shield Defense: C → C

The documents stated that Miguel’s ‘Shield Defense’ was at a B-class level.

“Now, tell me. Why did you submit a false report? It can’t be that you took the appraiser’s judgement at face value.”

“I’m sorry. I submitted a false report,” Miguel admitted, hanging his head.

“Why? Why did you do such a thing?”

“It was an order from my former captain, Savast. He said that if I falsified my report, I would be allowed to stay in the main unit. We collaborated with the appraiser affiliated with the second squad to create the false report. By doing so, we could secure a larger budget for the squad…”

“A budget… Miguel, submitting a false report for the sake of a budget is pointless if it hampers your growth as an adventurer.”

“Yes. I have no excuse.”

“Understood. Let’s move on from this. I’ll update your skills and status with the correct values. Your training will also be adjusted based on these actual values. Make sure to start following the new training regimen from today.”

“Yes.”

Laurent continued to question other adventurers who had falsified their skills and status. Their stories were similar.

They were advised by their captains to submit false reports. This ensured the squad would receive a larger budget, and in return, they could remain part of the squad.

(Good grief. To think there were adventurers registering false skills and status. No wonder I was puzzled as to why Savast’s squad was lagging behind Monica’s incomplete team. This explains the weakness.)

Many of those who had falsified their skills and status belonged to the second squad.

“Deanna!”

“Yes.”

“Take this.”

“…What is this?”

“A new training list for the adventurers. From today’s appraisals, I found that many were being subjected to inappropriate training. I’ve created a suitable training program for them. Arrange the necessary facilities and equipment so they can start the new training today.”

“Understood.”

Deanna glanced through the documents, noting the extensive changes to the training regimens.

She frowned. “Guild Master, the training of each adventurer is typically entrusted to their respective units. There’s no need for you to go to such lengths…”

“I’m saying this because the current training isn’t sufficient. Today, I discovered through appraisals that a significant number of adventurers have falsified their skills and statuses. It appears that entire units have been involved in this deceit.”

As Laurent spoke, he donned his outdoor cloak.

“I need to head out for the training of my unit, ‘Guardians of the Magic Tree,’ and to inspect the ‘Demon Realm Dungeon.’ I’ll leave the rest to you.”

“Oh, I see. If you had told me earlier, I would have arranged a carriage for your outing.”

“No need. Claria has already taken care of that.”

“…I see.”

Laurent paused at the door and turned to Deanna.

“Deanna, I expect to be away from ‘Golden Hawk’ frequently in the future. Each time, I’ll have to entrust you with the guild’s operations. This is a perfect opportunity to test how well the guild functions under your management.”

“Understood.”

Laurent looked at her intently. “Are you up to it?”

Deanna smiled warmly. “While you’re away, I’ll make sure everything runs smoothly. Please, go with peace of mind.”

“…Alright. I’m counting on you.”

With a lingering sense of unease, Laurent left the guild master’s office.

Deanna shrugged, then set the documents aside to take a short break.

Lerio managed the unit’s status through appraisals.

“Recovery rate at 80%, huh? According to Laurent’s instructions, once the recovery rate reaches 90%…”

As Lerio was reviewing the plan, a commotion arose nearby. He looked up to see Laurent approaching.

“Laurent,” Lerio called out as he hurried over.

“Hey, Lerio. How’s everyone’s status?”

“Here are the progress reports.”

Lerio handed Laurent a piece of paper.

“Good. It looks like things are progressing well.”

Laurentt nodded in satisfaction as he read the paper.

Soon, Monica, Rick, and the others gathered around.

“Hey, it’s Laurent! Laurent!”

“Laurent, about the weight of the ‘Silver Ironbreaker Bow’ and the ‘Impaler’…”

“Laurent, I have some questions about the unit’s operations…”

“Laurent, check my stamina. I’m determined to conquer the dungeon this time.”

Laurent felt relieved to be back among his unit, where everyone was focused on honing their skills and improving as adventurers. No one here was content with merely reporting falsified skills and statuses to join the main unit.

Laurent addressed each person’s concerns, offering appropriate advice.

With his tasks here quickly completed, Laurent headed to the ‘Demon Realm Dungeon,’ where Alric and Daevin were.

At the ‘Demon Realm Dungeon,’ mining operations had already begun. Alchemists wielding pickaxes were extracting ores, and carts loaded with excavated ores were being transported out.

The workers were both lively and well-coordinated, clearly managed efficiently.

(As expected of Alric. He’s running the dungeon management flawlessly.)

As Laurent watched the operations with admiration, Alric approached him.

“Laurent.”

“Alric. How are the dungeon management and status training coming along?”

“As you can see, everything’s going smoothly. At this rate, we should meet our goals.”

“That’s good to hear. How about Daevin and the others?”

“They’ve gone out to explore the plains. I assigned a few guards to accompany them… Ah, it looks like they’re returning now.”

Alric glanced toward the mine’s entrance, just as Daevin and his team were coming back. Among them were members of the ‘Spirit Workshop,’ including Arri. Laurent had previously dispatched alchemists with high observation status to assist Daevin.

“Ah, Laurent.”

“Daevin. How did it go? Did you find any good items?”

“Yes, we found some unusual items. Could you appraise them for us?”

“Sure, let’s head to the nearby lodge for a meeting.”

The group gathered at a lodge near the mine to conduct the appraisals. Daevin spread out the items they had collected on the table: plants, bird feathers, peculiar stones, and monster bones, all sourced from the demon realm.

As Laurent appraised each item, he quickly identified one that could be immediately profitable.

(This is…)

[Chimera Feather] Effect: Reduces item weight by 10.

“How is it, Laurent?”

“This is amazing. It’s a ‘Chimera Feather,’ it seems. A feather with the ability to reduce the weight of items.”

“Indeed, it’s quite a unique item.”

“You did well to find something like this.”

“Arri found it for us. She noticed that there was a place where the stones were lighter compared to the surroundings. When we moved the rocks, we found this feather.”

“I see. Arri…”

(Arri’s observational skills are truly reliable. It was a good decision to have Daevin accompany her.)

“With this ‘Chimera Feather,’ adventurers can use it to carry items and equipment more easily. But it’s not just that. There should also be demand from merchants who need to transport heavy loads to distant towns. Alright. Let’s gather this item in large quantities and commercialize it immediately.”

“Wait a moment.”

Daevin interjected.

“This feather is buried under very heavy rocks. It would require several individuals with Class B Strength Power to move them.”

Daevin pointed to the guards assigned by Alric.

Laurent hadn’t noticed before, but they had indeed expended their strength power.

“They must have strained themselves to move the heavy rocks.”

“I see. Understood. We’ll handle that part.”

(Just as the members of the Second Unit are available. The Second Unit consists of some of the strongest individuals in the ‘Golden Hawks.’ If we ask for their assistance, things should proceed smoothly.)

Feeling relieved to have found a new source of revenue sooner than expected, Laurent withdrew from the dungeon with a satisfied feeling that day.

The next day, Laurent arrived at the “Golden Hawks” with a slightly lighter mood.

(We found a new source of revenue in the “Dungeon Demon Realm,” so we might be able to turn a profit sooner than I thought. Well, I can’t just sit around. I need to quickly request assistance from the Second Unit to secure our income.)

“Good morning, Guild Master.”

As Laurent opened the door to the guildmaster’s office, Deanna was organizing documents.

“Good morning. Deanna, is the task I assigned yesterday progressing well?”

“Yes, everything is going smoothly.”

“Good to hear. By the way, could you summon the captain of the Second Unit for me?”

“The captain of the Second Unit?”

“Yes, we found some items in the ‘Dungeon Demon Realm that seem profitable, but we need the cooperation of the Second Unit to collect them.”

“I see. Then… I should be able to make time after lunch. I’ll arrange it.”

“Ah, thank you.”

With that, Laurent was about to leave the room.

“Guild Master, where are you going?”

“I’m going to check on the training. I need to see it with my own eyes.”

“But… you don’t have to go that far, Guild Master!?”

Ignoring Deanna’s attempt to stop him, Laurent left the room.

As Laurent walked down the corridor with enthusiasm, he saw Miguel walking ahead.

Just like yesterday, Miguel was wearing the equipment of a shield warrior, heading towards the room where the training facilities for shield warriors were located.

(Huh!?)

“Hey, wait, Miguel!”

“Oh, Laurent.”

Miguel looked at Laurent with a guilty expression.

“What the hell are you doing? Didn’t I order you to undergo training as an archer yesterday?”

“Uh, well, you see, there’s a bit of a situation…”

Miguel showed signs of being conscious of the people around him.

“Alright, never mind. Let’s go somewhere else where we can talk.”

Laurent led Miguel to a private room and listened to his explanation.

After hearing Miguel’s explanation, Laurent immediately called for Ist, the captain of the Second Unit.

While waiting for Ist to arrive, Laurent sat at his desk, recalling Miguel’s story as he sifted through yesterday’s training records.

“This equipment… um, it’s, uh, from Captain Ist’s instructions.”

Miguel said awkwardly.

“From Ist? Why would he…”

“Well, you see, I consulted with the captain. I was told by the guildmaster to change my equipment and profession, so I wanted to make the change. But then, I was scolded for ‘opposing the orders of my unit captain.’ And not only that, he even said, ‘if you disregard my orders, I won’t let you into the unit in the future.’ I was torn between following the guildmaster’s instructions and the orders of my direct superior, the unit captain…”

As Laurent examined the training records from yesterday, it seemed that most people hadn’t changed their training content.

(Aina and Oscar haven’t changed their training either. Damn it. What’s going on?)

As they were discussing, there was a knock on the door.

“Excuse me. It’s Ist, the captain of the Second Unit.”

“Come in.”

As Laurent gave the permission, Ist entered the room politely.

“Did you summon me, Guildmaster?”

“It’s about Aina, Oscar, and Miguel.”

“W-What happened to them?”

“Nothing happened. I instructed them to change their training content, didn’t I? Why did you go out of your way to cancel that order? Not only that, but it seems you pressured them into disobeying orders. Why would you do such a thing?”

Upon hearing this, Ist looked troubled.

“It’s troublesome, Guildmaster. It’s not good to give orders to our subordinates without going through us first.”

“What did you say?”

“Miguel and the others belong to the Second Unit. If you want to give them orders, you should go through me first.”

“Miguel and the others were falsifying their skills and stats. Under Savast’s orders in your unit!”

“Well, that may be our fault, but from the standpoint of the chain of command…”

“Don’t talk to me about the chain of command! They were falsifying the very skills and stats that are crucial to the adventuring profession. This needs to stop immediately.”

“But even so, it’s not acceptable for orders to be given to our subordinates without consulting us. This puts us in an awkward position.”

“Well then, what’s your plan? Are you going to continue allowing them to use inappropriate equipment and training?”

“We will discuss it with our subordinates and decide. Anyway, in the future, if you’re going to give instructions to our subordinates, please inform us, the senior members, first.”

Laurent was frustrated by the territorial mentality of the Golden Hawks, which he hadn’t faced in a long time.

Their behavior hadn’t changed at all.

They always asserted their territory in everything and intensely disliked interference from other departments.

As a result, nothing ever seemed to move forward.

Laurent briefly considered dismissing Ist on the spot and replacing him as the unit captain, but then he remembered the matter of the “Chimera’s Feather.”

To obtain the ‘Chimera’s Feather,’ the cooperation of the Second Unit is essential.

It’s not good to be in tension with them right now.

“Understood. I may have been a little too hasty. I’ll be more careful from now on. So, I’ll ask again, starting today, please train Miguel and the others according to my instructions.”

“Your instructions, huh?”

Ist showed a mocking smile.

“What’s so funny?”

“Well, excuse me. It’s just that even if you tell us to do the training you ordered, we can’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“We haven’t been provided with facilities or equipment for the new training under our command.”

“What!?”

Laurent glanced at Deanna.

Deanna smiled uncomfortably and tilted her head.

“Deanna. What’s going on? I’m sure we issued instructions yesterday…”

“Huh? That’s strange. I’m sure I issued instructions as well…”

As Laurent tried to press further, Ist cleared his throat.

“Ahem. Listen here, Guildmaster. If you want us to execute orders, you should first provide what is necessary to carry out those orders.”

“Well, that’s… certainly true, but…”

“Well then, I’ll take my leave. I need to supervise my subordinates’ training.”

Saying so, Ist left the room.

“What’s going on, Deanna? Why are you ignoring my orders too?”

“It’s strange, isn’t it? I did arrange what the Guildmaster told me to do. Oh, maybe… someone who received my orders did something sloppy.”

“Arrange it? Once you take on a task, you should see it through to the end… No, forget it.”

Laurent remembered.

Since his days in the Golden Hawks, Deanna’s work had always been sloppy and unreliable.

(Come to think of it, Deanna’s negligence was evident even back when she was in the Golden Hawks. When I became Guildmaster, she seemed to have changed her ways within my sight, but it turns out nothing really changed.)

“Excuse me!”

The door opened, and Claria entered.

“Laurent, the order for the weapons we heard were coming from the Golden Hawks to the Spirit Workshop hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Laurent, can I have a moment?”

Following Claria, Alric entered.

“The materials I asked Deanna to deliver to the dungeon haven’t arrived yet.”

Laurent sighed.

(That Deanna, was she being sloppy with other tasks too? It’s as good as doing nothing.)

“Claria, sorry but this is an additional task. You’ll have to handle the Golden Hawks’ job as well.”

“Huh? Are you serious?”

“Dead serious. And Alric.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“If you have anything to tell me from now on, you don’t have to go through Deanna. Just tell me directly. If that’s not possible, tell Claria.”

“Got it.”

Deanna’s expression stiffened.

Laurent reassigned Deanna’s tasks to Claria and responded to Alric’s orders.

“Well then, I’m counting on both of you.”

“Yes, sir.”

The two of them left the room in a hurry.

“Um, Guildmaster.”

Deanna approached with an urgent demeanor.

“Hmm? What is it?”

“The arrangements I made, would you like me to investigate who slacked off?”

“Nah, it’s fine.”

There was no point in pointing fingers and blaming each other; it would only lead to a dead end.

From then on, Laurent decided not to trust Deanna at all and delegated all important tasks to others.

With a disgruntled expression, Deanna left the Golden Hawks.

(Really, what’s the big deal? Laurent doesn’t need to take away my work just because of one mistake.)

After that, Deanna was kept away from the Guildmaster’s office and given menial tasks.

It was as if she had been demoted to an ordinary employee.

(This is worse than the time with Lucius.)

“Excuse me. Um, are you Deanna?”

“Huh?”

Deanna turned around at the voice calling her.

There stood Zens from the Alchemy Guild.

“You are… Zens.”

“Oh, Deanna-san. You remembered me.”

Zens approached with that same ingratiating smile.

Deanna took a step back.

“Um, I heard that Laurent became the Guildmaster of the Golden Hawks. Is that true?”

“Yes, it is. What about it?”

Deanna replied curtly.

“Well, we received a notice from the Golden Hawks. It says that from now on, weapon manufacturing will be entrusted to the Spirit Workshop instead of us.”

“I see.”

“What does this mean? Surely they wouldn’t abandon us, who have served them faithfully all this time, and switch to the Spirit Workshop, right?”

“I don’t know.”

Deanna said bluntly, about to leave the scene.

“Wait a minute, Deanna-san. That’s not right, is it? We’ve served the Golden Hawks faithfully all this time…”

“I said I don’t know. Just leave me alone.”

Deanna walked away quickly.

“Hey, wait. Deanna-san, Deanna!”

Zens called out desperately, but Deanna didn’t stop.

A few days later, Zens’s Alchemy Guild went bankrupt.