The Kicked Out S-Rank Appraiser Creates The Strongest Guild - Chapter 62

Chapter 62   Broken Engagement

Savast, Wilkes, and Gilbert were having a secret meeting in an empty room of an unoccupied house.

“It seems the negotiations between ‘Golden Hawk’ and ‘Dragon’s Ember’ are hitting a snag.”

“We can consider this a partial success for now.”

“But the negotiations haven’t completely broken down yet.”

“Laurent sent a letter. It’s probably to secure additional funds to counter our proposed price.”

“Alright, let’s move on to the final phase.”

The three of them then disguised themselves and headed towards ‘Dragon’s Ember.’

“Welcome, thank you for coming, Savast.”

Medes greeted the visiting Savast with a sycophantic smile and a fawning tone.

His demeanor was entirely different from how he had treated Laurent.

“Well done on the reception. So, how is the procurement of the ‘Ice Repellent Equipment ice rest’ going?”

Savast spoke with deliberate arrogance.

“Of course, everything is going smoothly.”

“Indeed, as expected of the largest alchemy guild on the island. You’re quite efficient.”

(It’s easy to be efficient when you’re helping us leverage our dealings with Laurent.)

Medes thought to himself.

(If I can inflate the transaction amount with Laurent, then I can raise the price with this guy too. There’s still plenty of profit to be made.)

“By the way, Guild Master, I’ve heard some concerning rumors…”

“What might those be?”

“I’ve heard that a man with the ‘Golden Hawk’ emblem has been coming and going from this atelier.”

“Indeed. Our guild is planning to partner with ‘Golden Hawk.’ We aim to expand our operations and scale up our guild by forming this alliance with such a prominent guild from ‘Adventurer’s Town.'”

“‘Golden Hawk’? Are you saying the man you’re partnering with is Laurent?”

“Yes, that’s right. We’re planning to collaborate with Laurent. Why do you ask?”

“I’m afraid I must cancel this arrangement.”

Savasr tossed the documents in his hands onto the table carelessly.

“What? What do you mean by that? Why so suddenly?”

“It’s quite simple. If we engage with a guild that’s working with Laurent, our reputation will plummet. He’s a bringer of misfortune.”

“Wait a minute, Savast!?”

“Don’t follow me. It’s disgusting.”

Savast stood up and left the room abruptly.

Medes stood there, dumbfounded.

“What’s with that guy? First, he proposes a deal, then he throws a tantrum. It makes no sense. Cancelling the deal because of a connection with Laurent? What’s wrong with Laurent? And that level of anger… it wasn’t normal. Does he have some sort of grudge against Laurent? In any case, bringing personal feelings into business is out of the question.”

Though Medes said this, he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling for a while.

“Hmph, fine. That man has served his purpose. Laurent is open to negotiating the price increase, so Savast is no longer needed. Cancel the deal? No way. I’ll be the one to decline. Besides, I still have the ‘Glacial Hunters’ and the ‘Knights of Hail’ to fall back on. I don’t need Savast!”

Medes composed himself and prepared for the negotiation with Wilkes, the envoy from the ‘Glacial Hunters.’

However, when Wilkes arrived, he too hesitated the moment Laurent’s name was mentioned.

“It seems the rumors are true. This is quite troubling, given your connection with Laurent.”

(Again, the moment Laurent’s name is mentioned… things take a turn for the worse. Has Laurent caused trouble with this guy too?)

“Mr. Medes, I’m sorry, but we must cancel this deal.”

“Wait. In that case, I’ll cease all dealings with Laurent.”

“It’s no use. The mere association with Laurent is enough for our guild to refuse any transactions with you.”

(Again, Laurent. Just how problematic is this guy? No matter how high-ranking he is in a major guild, this is too much…)

“It appears you are unaware of just how unscrupulous Laurent is.”

“Unscrupulous? Are you saying he’s a villain?”

“He’s a well-known con artist in the northern continent. He claims to be an executive of ‘Golden Hawk,’ issues bad checks, scams people out of their money and goods, and then disappears.”

“You’re saying he’s impersonating someone else? That’s ridiculous. He had authorization letters from the guild and even wore the guild’s emblem…”

“Those are just papers and clothes. With enough money, anyone can forge those.”

“No, but…”

“Tell me, Mr. Medes, how could someone who is merely an appraiser attain a high-ranking position such as an executive in a major guild like ‘Golden Hawk’?”

“Well…”

“It’s clear that he must have done something shady to climb to that position. Don’t you think so?”

(I’ve never heard of an appraiser rising through the ranks of an adventurer’s guild…)

“It seems you still don’t believe me. Let me ask you this, Mr. Medes. Were there any peculiarities in the specifications or blueprints that Laurent provided? Anything distinctly unusual or different?”

“Ah. Now that you mention it, there was an order for something called a ‘Dragon-Slayer Hammer.'”

“Oh? What kind of equipment is that?”

“Well, it’s something that no ordinary person could use. Its weight specifications were simply outrageous… could it be?”

“Most likely, it was a forgery created by Laurent.”

“No way…”

(But… a Dragon-Slayer Hammer is an S-class adventurer’s equipment, so having exaggerated specs isn’t necessarily suspicious, right? But wait. Could that be part of Laurent’s scheme?)

“Anyway, Laurent is a devil who sees others as nothing but prey. No one who has dealt with him has escaped misfortune. Be cautious, Mr. Medes. Never trust him. Otherwise, you’ll end up losing your fortune. Goodbye.”

Medes could only watch in stunned silence as Wilkes walked away.

Gilbert, too, asked the same question:

“Is it true that Laurent has been coming and going from this workshop atelier? Are you in business with Laurent?”

“Mr. Medes, do you know about the con artist Laurent, who swindled major guilds on the ‘Northern Continent’?”

“What? Yes, well, I’ve heard rumors.”

“Well, our guild also had trouble with Laurent in the past. We’re still on edge because of it. If you’re closely connected with Laurent, I’m afraid I can’t recommend a partnership with your guild to my superiors.”

“Absolutely not. We have no relationship with Laurent whatsoever. It’s true that we received a proposal from someone claiming to be Laurent, an executive of ‘Golden Hawk,’ wanting to partner with our guild. But I remembered hearing that someone posing as a ‘Golden Hawk’ executive was committing fraud in the Northern Continent. We’ve been cautious because of that. If the Laurent who came to us is the same as the fraudster, we will never do business with him.”

“Oh, I see.”

Gilbert’s face brightened up.

“I’m relieved to hear that. If that’s the case, I can confidently report to my superiors that ‘Dragon’s Ember’ is a trustworthy guild and there’s no problem in dealing with you.”

Medes sighed in relief.

(That was close. I almost lost another big deal. The transaction with ‘Knights of the Hail’ is exceptionally profitable compared to the other two. I must keep this deal at all costs!)

“I’m glad you’re not closely connected with Laurent, Mr. Medes. However, as mentioned earlier, my guild is quite sensitive about Laurent right now. Rumors are already circulating that ‘Dragon’s Ember’ is partnering with Laurent. As the person in charge, I want to dispel these concerns as soon as possible.”

“That’s understandable.”

“Glad you see it that way. Let’s make it quick. Can you arrange for Laurent to be barred from entering this workshop atelier?”

Medes immediately convened a meeting on the matter.

He asked for opinions from the guild executives present.

Raoul made the following statement:

“I heard from Jamil of the ‘White Wolf’ that Laurent’s status is at best C-class or D-class. It’s hard to believe he’s an executive of a major adventurer guild.”

Medes looked around the table to see if anyone had any other opinions.

Seeing no one defending Laurent, Medes sent a notice to Laurent’s lodging, informing him that negotiations were terminated.

“Mr. Medes, what is the meaning of this?”

Laurent thrust the notice of terminated negotiations at Medes.

“That’s right, this is too much!”

Dylan, too, spoke angrily.

“Laurent managed to secure four times the initial budget from the guild. And now, you unilaterally terminate negotiations like this?”

“Too much? What?”

Medes, also angry, glared at them both.

“I should be the one asking that! Because of you two, I lost two major clients!”

“Because of us?”

“…What do you mean?”

“As soon as they found out we were negotiating with you, two guilds pulled out of deals!”

“What!?”

“Why?”

“How should I know! Two major deals! Two! Because of you, I lost two big money-makers. How do you plan to take responsibility for this, huh?”

Medes, dropping his kindly old man facade, growled with a voice that could rival a gangster’s.

“Responsibility…? You can’t blame me for your deals…”

“That’s right, Mr. Medes. Just because your deals didn’t work out, it’s not right to blame us. Laurent is the cause? That’s impossible. There must be some mistake!”

“So, you’re saying you bear no responsibility at all. Is that what you’re claiming?”

“Of course. The idea that deals fell through because of him… that’s impossible. Everyone in the ‘Adventurers’ Town’ knows Laurent is an S-rank appraiser who has produced countless A-class adventurers. If there are any nasty rumors about him, it’s slander by those trying to bring him down. It must be!”

“S-rank appraiser, huh?”

Medes glared at Laurent suspiciously, scrutinizing him from head to toe.

“That’s exactly the issue, Mr. Laurent. The fact that you are an appraiser—that is the core of this suspicion.”

“What do you mean?”

“People are curious how someone who is merely an appraiser could rise to your current position. Let me ask you plainly. How exactly does an appraiser train adventurers?”

“It varies, but my skill appraisal can identify potential growth and hidden talents, also known as unique skills. Status appraisal allows me to determine potential growth in attributes and create appropriate training plans. Item appraisal helps in selecting the right equipment for them.”

“I see. So, you can identify an adventurer’s potential. But will such adventurers follow your guidance? Adventurers are notoriously headstrong. How do you, with no notable skills or status, get them to follow you? It’s hard to believe.”

“Your skepticism is understandable. These appraisal skills are just prerequisites. The most crucial element for me is forming relationships through the training process.”

“Relationships?”

“Of course, I’ve made many mistakes due to my youth. But each time, I was supported by the relationships built through training.”

Medes looked at Laurent with increasing suspicion.

“I see. So, you’ve been using this smooth talk to deceive people in the ‘Northern Continent’ and the ‘Adventurers’ Town’. But your deceit ends here. I won’t be fooled.”

“Listen, Laurent. I’ve been in this business for many years. In the end, all you can rely on is your own strength.”

Medes flexed his arm, showing off his bicep, and patted it with his other hand.

“Let me give you some advice, though it may be unsolicited. You seem to mistake your good fortune for your own ability. But in my opinion, your success is not due to your skill, just sheer luck. Your fraudulent methods won’t work forever. You’re bound to face consequences.”

“…”

“Regardless, our guild cannot do business with you. Consider this matter closed. Please leave.”