The Kicked Out S-Rank Appraiser Creates The Strongest Guild - Chapter 92

Chapter 92   Dragon’s Tone

Having been left hanging by ‘Dragon’s Ember,’ Yugan urgently called a meeting of the adventurers belonging to the Crescent Knights to gather their opinions.

Given the current situation where ‘Dragon’s Ember’ couldn’t be trusted, sticking to the original plan was worrying.

So, he wanted to hear if anyone had a better idea.

The members voiced their opinions one after another.

“We should be stricter with the local adventurers and impose heavier burdens on them.”

“We should negotiate with ‘Dragon’s Ember’ to extract better conditions.”

However, all the suggestions relied on changes from others and were ideas hoping for uncertain factors.

Yugan gritted his teeth.

(Damn it. I never thought it would come to this. I’m not good at command in the first place, and now the higher-ups have dumped this mess on me. Ah, damn it all.)

The Crescent Knights continued their meeting late into the night, but no satisfactory results were achieved.

Meanwhile, at the ‘Spirit Workshop,’

Aina came into the atelier and ran into Pat.

“Oh? You’re here early. Good morni… uh.”

When Aina greeted him, Pat turned his dull eyes towards her.

His eyelids drooped, and dark circles under his eyes made it easy to imagine he was sleep-deprived.

“Good morning.”

Pat replied in a dark, lifeless voice.

(He looks so down…)

“Hey, are you okay? You look pale.”

“Sorry, I’m just sleep-deprived.”

“Why don’t you take the day off? I can let Laurent know for you.”

“No, it’s okay. Thank you.”

Pat staggered with unsteady steps towards his workstation.

(Is he going to be okay?)

Aina watched Pat leave with concern.

(He doesn’t seem like a bad kid, but he’s a bit gloomy. I just can’t handle that very well.)

Even after starting his work, Pat’s mood didn’t improve.

What troubled his mind was the Crescent Knights.

(Sigh. The Crescent Knights are back. They’re probably going after the ‘Giant Fire Dragon Grand Fafnir’ next. But as things stand now…)

As he thought about it, Pat sighed deeply.

(No good. I keep thinking about others. I need to focus on my own work. I know that, but still…)

Lost in thought, Pat accidentally struck his finger with a hammer.

“Ouch!”

“Hey, are you alright?”

Rody, who was passing by, called out to him.

“You’re hurt. Go get that treated.”

“But…”

“I’ll clean up here.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

While Pat was treating his injury in the break room, someone came in.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Oh, Laurent.”

“You don’t look so good. Is something troubling you?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

“I see.”

Laurent looked at the downcast Pat, pondering how to approach the situation.

(He’s not opening up easily. He seems like the type who doesn’t like to talk about himself. But if he continues to carry these worries, it will hinder his skill development. There must be some way to get him to open up…)

Laurent decided to change his approach.

“You used to work at ‘Dragon’s Ember,’ right?”

“Yes.”

“Actually, I once tried to do business with ‘Dragon’s Ember,’ but they turned me down. It still bothers me a bit. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I feel like ‘Dragon’s Ember’ has some underlying issues.”

“…”

“Would you mind telling me about it? What was it like working at ‘Dragon’s Ember’? What was the daily routine like there?”

“Alright. I’ll tell you. But this is just my personal perspective…”

Pat, shedding his previous reticence, began to talk extensively about ‘Dragon’s Ember.’

‘Dragon’s Ember’ tends to prioritize immediate profits over long-term plans.

Because of this, they often change their attitude based on the current situation of adventurers, frequently switching sides. This behavior is common because most of ‘Dragon’s Ember’s’ main clients are adventurers from outside the island.

These external adventurers, who can only stay on the island for a limited period, can’t afford to keep complaining if ‘Dragon’s Ember’ abandons them and are forced to quietly accept it.

Additionally, ‘Dragon’s Ember’s’ competitive culture exacerbates this problem.

The guild demands results within a short period, fostering a cutthroat environment where personnel are frequently replaced, and those in higher positions tend to focus on self-preservation at the expense of their subordinates.

Moreover, there’s a troubling tendency to consider it a virtue to exploit adventurers for short-term gains, even though they should be partners.

Their deep ties with the thieves’ guild further complicate matters, and the local guilds, despite relying on external guilds, are often uncooperative.

At this rate, even the Crescent Knights might face a disastrous outcome.

I’m worried about this situation…

At this point, Pat suddenly stopped, realizing how much he had revealed.

(Damn, I talked too much.)

“Sorry, I got carried away.”

“No, it’s fine.”

(Talking about the problems with ‘Dragon’s Ember’ made him unusually talkative. I see. He’s the type who can’t look away from negative things. This could be useful.)

“Pat, you’re quite interesting.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve been wanting to learn more about those issues with ‘Dragon’s Ember’ too.”

“…”

“I want to solve the problems on this island, including those with ‘Dragon’s Ember.’ Will you help me?”

Laurent decided to ask about issues within ‘Arsenal of the Spirits’ as well.

Wayne, still influenced by his time at ‘Dragon’s Ember,’ wasn’t very cooperative. How could that be fixed?

Pat suggested that Wayne might be afraid of being fired. Guaranteeing his job security might allow Wayne to focus on improving his skills.

Hearing this, Laurent immediately gathered everyone and announced an extension of their contract period, assuring that they wouldn’t be fired unless they committed serious violations of their duties.

Wayne was puzzled by the sudden improvement in his terms, but he quickly responded positively and showed signs of change.

(So they extended the contract period. With more time to improve my skills, I might even surpass Aina. I guess I’ll settle in and give it my all.)

From that day on, Wayne’s attitude softened, his overt hostility toward Aina subsided, and he visibly devoted more time to improving his skills.

Pat was surprised by Laurent’s quick response.

(A new member’s opinion was adopted this quickly?)

Pat recalled Laurent’s words about wanting to support adventurers.

(If those words are true, this might be an ideal workplace for me.)

Returning to his workshop, Pat felt unusually clear-headed.

“Pat, are you feeling better?”

Aina asked.

“Yes, thank you.”

With an unusually bright demeanor, Pat adjusted the strings of his harp.

(Laurent called me interesting. That’s the first time anyone has ever said that. If I can work for someone’s sake, then I…)

[Pat Garcia’s Unique Skill]

‘Tuning’: B (↑1)

While Laurent was busy at ‘The Spirits Workshop,’ a bard who had requested repairs on his harp brought a peculiar inquiry.

“I’d like to meet the alchemist who repaired this harp.”

Laurent tilted his head in confusion.

“Why do you want to meet the alchemist who repaired it? What happened?”

“This harp now produces an unusual sound that it didn’t make before. It might be a magical sound capable of calming monsters.”

“A magical sound… No way!”

[Harp’s Status]

Special Effect: ‘Dragon’s Tone C’

(As I suspected, it has a special effect!)

“Is something wrong?”

Pat, hearing the commotion, appeared at the entrance.

Laurent immediately appraised Pat’s skill.

[Description of ‘Tuning’]

Restores the out-of-tune notes of an instrument using alchemy. It can sometimes grant special effects to the repaired instrument. Able to grant ‘Dragon’s Tone’ to repaired instruments.

(As I thought, the description of ‘Tuning’ has been updated. The skill’s direction has become clearer as it ranked up.)

“Are you the one who repaired this harp?”

“Uh, yes, that’s me.”

“I’d love to hear more details about it.”

“Uh, sure.”

As Laurent watched the bard enthusiastically talk to Pat, he contemplated the situation.

(Pat’s unique skill is awakening. Perhaps it’s time to focus on his development.)

“Dragon’s Tone…?”

Pat tilted his head, unfamiliar with the special effect Laurent had mentioned.

“Yes. Instruments tuned with your unique skill, ‘Tuning,’ gain a special effect called ‘Dragon’s Tone,’ which calms monsters and reduces their will to fight. Given the current situation where the ‘Fire Dragon’ is threatening adventurers even in the lower levels, a party with a bard capable of utilizing ‘Dragon’s Tone’ would have a significant advantage over other guilds. Your unique skill can help adventurers, which is precisely the ideal we at ‘Spirit’s Workshop strive for.”

(My unique skill has such an effect…)

“Of course, it’s not an easy task. Adjusting the instrument to produce ‘Dragon’s Tone’ is a delicate and nerve-wracking process. But it’s worth trying. If you’re willing to take it on, the guild will fully support you. What do you think? Are you willing to give it a shot?”

“…I understand. I’ll try.”

Pat immediately began working on creating a harp that could produce ‘Dragon’s Tone.’

(But I’m at a loss. Even though my unique skill can produce ‘Dragon’s Tone,’ I have no idea how to create a higher quality ‘Dragon’s Tone.’ For now, I’ll have to rely on making fine adjustments and getting Laurent to appraise it.)

As Pat contemplated this while adjusting the strings and soundboard of the harp, Laurent brought someone over.

“Pat, this is Nicholas, a bard.”

“Hello, I’m Nicholas. Nice to meet you.”

“Uh, nice to meet you.”

“I thought he could give you some technical guidance. If you hear ‘Dragon’s Tone’ played directly and learn the sound, you’ll be able to judge the quality of the tone yourself without needing my appraisal.”

“I see.”

“Alright, I’ll play now. This is a normal harp, and this one has the ‘Dragon’s Tone’ effect.”

Nicholas played the two harps alternately.

(I see. There is a subtle difference in the sound.)

“Can you hear the difference in the tones?”

“Yes, I think I can.”

“Good. Now, let’s start ‘Tuning.’ Nicholas, help him out with it.”

“Understood.”

Pat tuned the instrument, had Nicholas play it to check the sound, and listened to the tone himself repeatedly. Nicholas also provided feedback on the sound.

(I’m starting to get it. The depth of the ‘Dragon’s Tone’ and how to produce a better sound.)

(Pat seems to be progressing well. The melody is getting richer. At this rate, we can complete a harp with ‘Dragon’s Tone B’ without waiting for his skill to level up.)

As Laurent watched Pat’s progress, Aina approached him.

“Laurent, do you have a moment?”

“Hmm? What’s up?”

“It’s about Will and Lana’s staff. I was thinking of using ‘Fire Repellent Ore’ for countering ‘Fire Dragons’ fire breath. Here are the blueprints Rody drew up.”

Aina handed the blueprints to Laurent.

“…I see. This could definitely reduce the power of the fire breath.”

Their conversation was audible to Pat, who was working nearby.

(Equipment to reduce the power of fire breath? Does that mean the ‘Fire Dragon’ issue is resolved? Does that mean the harp I’m making is unnecessary?)

“Maybe I should leave this to Aina. It’s not good to have overlapping roles in the same organization…”

“What the hell are you talking about?!”

As Pat muttered, Wayne, who was working beside him, snapped at him.

“Don’t you dare back down just because of Aina. Why would you step back now? Laurent told you to make it, so finish it. Come on, get it done.”

“O-okay. Got it.”

Pat hurried to complete his work.

“Laurent, it’s finished.”

“Is it? Let’s see.”

[Harp Status]

Special Effect: Dragon’s Tone B

“Yes, it’s now Dragon’s Tone B. Let’s give it a try.”

“Alright. Now the score between Aina and me is one to one.”

Wayne said smugly.

“What? Why would it be that? And by the way, Pat is the one who completed the harp. Why are you getting any points?”

“It’s fine. Pat’s like my little brother, so it’s my point.”

“What kind of sloppy judgment is that? And we’re not even having a competition!”

As Aina and Wayne bickered, Laurent reflected on the earlier exchange between Pat and Wayne.

(Pat hesitated. Was he being considerate towards Aina? He really doesn’t like competing with others. But with Wayne’s encouragement, he finished the job. Maybe they make a good team… I should keep them paired up for now.)

Meanwhile, the Crescent Knights had once again prepared for a dungeon expedition, gathering at the Volcanic Dungeon.

They had engaged in persistent negotiations with Dragon’s Ember to secure better terms and trained as many local adventurers as possible, but their efforts yielded little success.

In the end, with no fundamental solution in sight, they decided to proceed as before, adding a few more local guilds to their alliance but otherwise making no significant changes as they entered the dungeon.

Yugan addressed the alliance with a speech.

The key points of his speech were as follows:

The success or failure of this endeavor depends on our mental strength.

We have no issues with interference from the Thieves Guild.

We dealt a critical blow to the Thieves Guild in our last dungeon expedition.

We are on the verge of wiping them out.

Their fate is all but sealed.

I expect even greater efforts from the Crescent Knights and the allied local guilds.

Yugan’s speech was met with cheers, boosting the morale of the adventurers.

(Sigh, I never thought I’d have to rely on motivational speeches. I can’t even mock the hotheads anymore.)

Despite his self-deprecating thoughts, Yugan quickly steeled himself.

(I can’t afford to lose heart now. If I show any weakness, it will play right into the enemy’s hands. We’ve captured 20 thieves as prisoners. This is a significant blow to them. We must hold our ground.)

Meanwhile, in the White Wolf camp, preparations for the second round were also well underway.

“Jamil, we’ve completed the recruitment of new archers.”

Rodo pointed to a group of archers gathered from local guilds.

All of them were C-class archers, effectively replenishing the losses incurred in their fight against Yugan.

“Good. Well done. We’re ready on our end too. Zain!”

“Yes.”

At Jamil’s call, a man stepped forward.

He was Zain, a B-class mage, wearing the Dragoon Gauntlets.

“Ah, the Dragoon Gauntlets made it in time.”

“Yeah, they’re not as powerful as the ones Sein Orbestar wore, but their performance is top-notch. After all, they were made by the genius alchemist Raoul. Heh.”

(With this, we’re ready for Yugan. Just wait, Crescent Knights. This time, we’ll take all the ores you’ve gathered!)