The Kicked Out S-Rank Appraiser Creates The Strongest Guild - Chapter 107

Chapter 107   Wayne’s Ambition

“Recruiting from the Quartet?”

Aina echoed what Laurent had said.

“I see. If we manage to recruit from the Quartet, we can not only strengthen our own forces but also deal a blow to ‘Dragon’s Ember’. It’s a win-win situation,” Dylan said.

“Isn’t it a bit premature?” Pat said.

“Even though we outperformed the Quartet in the dungeon, considering their financial resources, equipment scale, and the number of members, there is still a significant gap in power. If we attempt to recruit from them, they might retaliate by trying to recruit our members. It might be better to continue supporting adventurers and maintain our advantage in the dungeon,” Pat added.

“Of course, I don’t think we can recruit them right away. To achieve that, we need to accumulate funds, increase our external influence, and solidify our internal organization. However, if we maintain our advantage in the dungeon, ‘Dragon’s Ember’ will eventually fracture and collapse from within. When that happens, we will have the opportunity to recruit from the Quartet,” Laurent explained.

The room fell silent.

Someone audibly swallowed.

“No need to be intimidated. Our approach remains the same. We will continue to enhance individual abilities, deepen our teamwork, and strengthen our organization. At the same time, we will collect information and seize opportunities in the market. As for our immediate goals…”

Laurent wrote on the blackboard:

Immediate Goals:

Strengthen partnerships to secure our advantage in the dungeon.

Increase partnership membership to 100.

Gather information to find the best conditions for recruiting from the Quartet.

Move to a more productive workshop.

“These are our goals. Now, regarding the expansion of partnerships for goals 1 and 2… Aina,” Laurent said.

“Yes.”

“What is the current production capacity of our workshop? How many sets of ‘Blue Armor Reflect Armor,’ ‘Flexible Sword,’ and ‘Flexible Shield’ can we manufacture and maintain without compromising quality?” Laurent asked.

“Let me check,” Aina said, rummaging through her documents.

“About 50 people is our current capacity,” Aina responded.

“And how many more B-class alchemists would we need to hire to support 100 people?”

“Uh… let me see…” Aina hurriedly tried to calculate.

(This is where Aina still has room for improvement. If Ranju was here, he’d have the numbers instantly…)

Aina Burke’s Skill:

Workshop Management: B → A

(She’s not quite ready to manage the entire workshop on her own yet.)

“Alright, just calculate it and let me know later.”

“Yes, will do.”

“Next, regarding the information gathering on the Quartet. Wayne, Pat, Lina. Do you think the Quartet would be interested in our offer?”

“At the moment, the chances seem low. However…”

Pat chose his words carefully.

“However, there is definitely potential. As Laurent mentioned, they aren’t necessarily loyal to ‘Dragon’s Ember’; they’re drawn by the prestige of being part of one of the world’s top alchemy guilds and the best benefits on the island. If we can offer better terms than ‘Dragon’s Ember’, we might sway them. Still, it’s a risky gamble. If we make a move, they might retaliate by attempting to recruit our members with financial incentives.”

“I see. Then, Dylan.”

“Yeah?”

“Can you investigate how much money or what kind of terms it would take to recruit members of the Quartet? Do this discreetly without revealing our intentions. Be careful not to come off as too desperate.”

“Got it.”

“Lastly, regarding the move to a new workshop, this is still in the planning stages, so take it with a grain of salt. I’m considering building the new workshop near the port.”

“What!? By the port?” Wayne exclaimed.

“Does that mean… you’re planning to move close to ‘Dragon’s Ember’ and challenge them directly?”

“Exactly. The adventurers disembarking at the port are valuable customers for ‘Dragon’s Ember’. If we can capture those customers, it would deal a significant blow to ‘Dragon’s Ember’.”

“We should do it immediately!” Wayne leaned forward, clearly excited.

(Who would’ve thought I’d get a chance to take revenge on Dragon’s Ember this soon? If we can move the workshop to the port and steal Edgar’s top customers…)

“Wayne, calm down. This is just an ideal scenario we’d like to achieve if possible. Right now, we don’t have the money or the land. It’s still just a plan that might not happen.”

“What!? Damn it.”

“Laurent, recruiting the Quartet is one thing, but moving the workshop is premature. If we start taking orders from external adventurers, the workload will be immense. For now, we should focus on strengthening our ties with the local guilds, and then consider this later,” Pat suggested.

“Yes, you’re right. I think we should put this on hold,” Laurent said as he erased the workshop relocation item from the blackboard.

Wayne watched impatiently as the chalk dust fell from the blackboard.

(Damn it. I thought I could get back at Edgar right away. There’s got to be a way to come up with the money quickly…)

“Alright, everyone knows what they need to do, right? Let’s get started.”

“Yes!”

“Laurent, I’ve finished the calculations,” Aina said, handing over the document detailing the manpower needed to produce equipment for 100 partners.

“Let me see,” Laurent reviewed Aina’s calculations. “Good. I’ll plan based on these numbers.”

“Yes,” Aina sighed with relief, having completed the unfamiliar task.

“Aina, I’ll be asking you to handle more of these tasks in the future. Try to work with the overall needs of the workshop in mind,” Laurent said.

“Oh? Yes, I’ll do my best,” Aina responded, feeling slightly overwhelmed.

Laurent gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry for putting so much on your shoulders.”

“No, it’s fine,” Aina quickly masked her fatigue.

“You’re the only one I can really rely on for managing the whole workshop right now. Pat, Lina, and Wayne have improved a lot since they started, but they still have a way to go compared to you. I know it’s tough, but please keep pushing a little more.”

“Yes,” Aina nodded.

(Laurent is so kind, noticing when I’m tired and encouraging me. If he’s counting on me, I can’t let him down. I’ll do my best!)

Aina renewed her determination and returned to her work with vigor.

Laurent then turned to Lina.

“Lina, how’s the stock management using ‘Recycled Material’ coming along?”

“Yes, here’s the progress,” Lina showed Laurent some iron ore.

This ore had been refined from previously oxidized C-class ore. (Ore degrades over time after being mined, so it needs to be used quickly.)

“We found that B-class or lower ores can be restored even after oxidation using ‘Recycled Material’.”

“Great. This means we can stockpile more ore without worry.”

“Yes.”

“Keep improving the ‘Recycled Material’ process and discuss ore management methods with Aina.”

“Understood.”

Lina Hart’s Skill:

Waste Recycling: B → A

(If Rina’s ‘ Waste Recycling ‘ reaches A-class, we should be able to restore A-class ore too. That would allow us to use the ore ourselves and sell the surplus, providing funds for recruiting the Quartet. She might be our key player in this plan.)

Laurent glanced again at Lina, who was humming as she placed ore into the furnace.

(Keep up the good work, Lina.)

Pat was in a secluded room, tinkering with and playing his harp, pondering how he should proceed with his work.

(I need to figure out how to improve our sales and service quality with my skills.)

Pat strummed his harp while deep in thought.

(According to Laurent, my unique skill, ‘Tuning,’ has reached Class A and won’t improve further. If I can’t enhance the skill itself, I need to broaden its application or find new ways to use it… Hm?)

As Pat tuned his harp with ‘Tuning,’ he noticed an unfamiliar sound resonating.

(What is this? Could there be special sounds besides the ‘Dragon’s Tone’?)

Pat quickly replayed the melody he had just played.

From the shadows, Laurent was observing Pat’s actions.

Description of ‘Tuning’:

Restores the original pitch of an instrument’s off-key notes through alchemy.

When applied to equipment, it can sometimes grant special effects.

Can bestow ‘Dragon’s Tone’ on repaired instruments.

(NEW) Can grant ~ to instruments affected by alchemy.

(Pat’s ‘Tuning’ skill is about to gain a new aspect. It’s evolving and broadening its scope.)

When Laurent looked at Pat again, he was engrossed in his work.

(No need to disturb him.)

Quietly, Laurent left without saying a word.

(Now, let’s check on Wayne.)

Wayne’s Unique Skill:

‘Magic Stone Cutting’: C → A

(His unique skill hasn’t improved since then. Unlike Aina and Pat, he hasn’t even reached Class B, let alone diversified his skill. Is there still something missing for his growth?)

Laurent sighed.

(Regardless, we can’t delay any longer. Whether we give up or continue nurturing him, we need to take the next step…)

“Laurent, got a minute?” Dylan called out to Laurent as he was deep in thought.

“Yes, I’m coming.”

Laurent listened to Dylan’s report.

To recruit the Quartet, they would need to offer each of them a salary of no less than 10 million gold per year, along with a breach-of-contract fee of around 50 million gold.

“50 million, huh?”

“That’s not all. If we pay the Quartet that much, we’ll need to raise the salaries of other workers too. It’s bound to cause friction.”

“True. So, besides the initial 50 million, we’d need to boost our annual sales significantly. It’s not something we can manage right away.”

“So, in the end…”

“Yes, we need to expand our partnership to 100 members. But with our current facilities and personnel, that’s tough, which means we’ll need to relocate to a new workshop. But moving the workshop will also cost money.”

“A real dilemma.”

“Indeed. For now, we’ll have to shelve the idea of recruiting the Quartet. We should focus on finding a suitable relocation site and maintaining and expanding our advantage in the dungeon, waiting for ‘Dragon’s Ember’ to weaken.”

Wayne was eavesdropping on their conversation from the shadows.

(Shelving the plan to recruit the Quartet? You’ve got to be kidding me. We can’t afford to waste any more time. I need to change Laurent’s mind somehow.)

Wayne recalled the conversation.

(It’s all about the partnership. If we can increase the partnership to 100 members, we’ll have the funds to recruit the Quartet. Alright, in that case…)

Wayne began to secretly work towards realizing his ambitions.

*

The ‘Knights of Hail’ returned from the dungeon.

They had once again attempted the ore extraction quest to restore the guild’s prestige, but the results were disastrous.

Due to attacks by the ‘White Wolves,’ not only did they lose the extracted ore, but most of their equipment was also destroyed. Some even returned to town almost naked.

Even Sendrick, who had managed to keep half of his beard before the exploration, lost it all during the latest quest.

The disheartened ‘Knights of Hail’ decided to withdraw from the island.

As they trudged toward the port in their tattered state, the islanders refrained from jeering at them. Despite the knights’ generally humble and reserved demeanor while on the island, their pitiable condition evoked sympathy.

The ‘White Wolves’ watched from the port as the ship carrying Sendrick and his team sailed away from the island.

“We took down the ‘Knights of Hail’ as planned.”

“We also hit the local guild members accompanying them harder than necessary.”

“Now, if the ‘Spirits’ Workshop’ alliance enters the dungeon, it’ll be a one-on-one fight.”

“Let’s see how the ‘Spirits’ Workshop’ responds. It should be interesting.”

The local adventurers, battered by the ‘White Wolves,’ were now in desperate need of income for the month. Naturally, they caught wind of the ‘Spirits’ Workshop’ offering well-paid quests.

Wayne was drinking alone at the tavern when a group of worn-out adventurers walked through the door.

“Man, those thieves got us again.”

“It’s killing our business.”

“This really sucks.”

“And it’s all because of those useless ‘Knights of Hail’.”

The adventurers voiced their complaints as they ordered drinks. Then, they noticed Wayne.

“Hey, isn’t that Wayne?”

“Long time no see.”

“Yeah, it’s been a while.”

Wayne responded nonchalantly and continued to gulp down his drink.

“I heard you transferred to the ‘Spirits’ Workshop’.”

“Yeah. Your guild’s doing pretty well lately, leading the alliance and all. Can you hook us up with some quests?”

“Hah, you wish. Like I’d introduce any of you guys to our quests. Our guild doesn’t have time to deal with you lot.”

“What’s with that?”

“You’re a real jerk.”

The adventurers walked away, displeased. However, Wayne was becoming increasingly aware of the growing demand for Laurent and the ‘Spirits’ Workshop’.

(The islanders are starting to recognize Laurent’s worth. Heh, I can’t let this opportunity slip.)

Wayne glanced back at the adventurers who had just spoken to him. They were still sitting in the corner of the tavern, sipping cheap liquor. As Wayne approached them, he could hear their conversation.

“But what should we do? This time, we can’t even afford to repair our equipment.”

“Maybe it’s time to quit the adventuring business and get a regular job?”

“Hey, why the long faces?”

“Huh? Wayne?”

“What’s this about? Weren’t you the one who just told us you didn’t have time for us?”

“Well, listen up. There might be a way for you guys to join the ‘Spirits’ Workshop’ alliance.”

“What? Really?”

“How?”

“First, let’s move to a more private place.”

Wayne led the adventurers to a more suitable location for their secret talk.

After the ‘Knights of Hail’ failed their dungeon expedition, the local adventurers who had accompanied them were left in dire straits once again. Through Leon and the ‘Shield of Dawn,’ they urged the ‘Spirits’ Workshop’ to establish an alliance.

Leon and his group quickly consulted Laurent.

“This time, the thieves’ attacks were particularly fierce. There are more people wanting to join the ‘Spirits’ Workshop’ alliance than last time. Some are even willing to join the partnership.”

“Can’t you help them out, Laurent?”

“…”

(The intensity of the ‘White Wolf’ attacks is likely due to the movements of the ‘Spirits’ Workshop’ alliance. If we enter the dungeon, they’ll undoubtedly target us.)

“Laurent?”

“Oh, sorry. The ‘Spirits’ Workshop’ is not against forming an alliance.”

“Really? Then…”

“However! The limit is 50 people. We can’t provide equipment for more than that, and it could significantly weaken the unit.”

“Hmm. Only 50?”

“That means we’ll have to turn away more than half.”

“Unfortunately, that’s just how it is.”

Reluctantly, the ‘Shield of Dawn’ accepted Laurent’s conditions.

“Alright, the ‘Spirits’ Workshop’ alliance is settled. Now, about everyone’s skill development…”

Just as Laurent was about to change the subject, they heard a commotion from outside the window.

“What’s that noise?

When Laurent stepped outside, he saw a large group of adventurers gathering. They were crowding around Aina, who had come out to address them.

“Hey, what do you guys want?” Aina asked.

“Shut up. Get Laurent out here!” one of the adventurers demanded.

“You can’t help us,” another said, pushing Aina’s shoulder roughly.

Laurent quickly stepped in to shield Aina. “Hey, what’s going on? What’s all this commotion?”

“There he is! Laurent!” one of the adventurers shouted.

“Surround him!”

The adventurers surrounded Laurent.

“Aina, who are these people?” Laurent asked.

“They just showed up suddenly, demanding to join the ‘Spirits’ Workshop’ alliance,” Aina explained.

“The alliance?” (We haven’t even announced the formation of the new alliance yet. Did someone leak the information?)

“Hey, let us join the ‘Spirits’ Workshop’ alliance too!”

“We know you’re forming it again. Stop favoring just your insiders!”

“Give us some of your quests too!”

“Even if you say that…” Laurent began, but he was at a loss for words.

Just then, someone pushed through the crowd.

“Hey, what the hell are you guys doing?” a voice called out.

“Wayne?”

Laurent sounded puzzled as Wayne stepped in front of the adventurers, standing protectively in front of Laurent.

“What do you think you’re doing, surrounding our guild leader?” Wayne demanded.

“Oh, Wayne. Tell him! Make sure we get some work too,” one of the adventurers pleaded.

“Work? You think we just hand out jobs to anyone? Listen up, you idiots. Our guild doesn’t make contracts lightly,” Wayne snapped.

“What!?”

“If you want to contract with us, you first need to join our partnership! Then we can talk,” Wayne declared.

“Partnership? What’s that?” the adventurers asked, confused.

“It’s a system where, instead of a lease contract, you get priority access to advice from our S-rank appraisers. If you want to join, get in line and fill out the application form with your guild and name,” Wayne explained.

(Wayne? What is he doing?) Laurent could only watch in bewilderment at the unfolding events and Wayne’s assertive stance.

Wayne smirked, satisfied that his plan was working. (Everything is in place. The time for revenge has come. Get ready, Edgar. I’ll use all of these guys to take down you and ‘Dragon’s Ember’ once and for all.)