The Kicked Out S-Rank Appraiser Creates The Strongest Guild - Chapter 93

Chapter 93    Even if you can’t see the future

Before the “Crescent Knights” entered the dungeon, Yugan delivered a speech to the audience, among whom Pat was also present.

Laurent had asked Pat to gather information about external matters whenever he had free time.

(Yugan’s speech didn’t mention defeating the “Giant Fire Dragon, Grand Fafnir.” Wasn’t that supposed to be the goal of their second exploration? Did something force them to change their plans…? Could it be that there was some trouble with “Dragon’s Ember”?)

As Pat pondered, the “Crescent Knights” finished their preparations and prepared to enter the dungeon. The local guilds allied with them followed suit.

While observing the members of the “Crescent Knights” and their allied guilds to gather more information, Pat noticed a familiar girl among them.

It was Karla.

Surprised, Pat approached her and spoke.

“Karla!? Aren’t you Karla from the Grazia family?”

“Hmm? And you’re Patfrom the Garcia family…”

“Are you joining the alliance with the ‘Crescent Knights’?”

“Yes, I am. I couldn’t join last time due to the strict selection, but I managed to slip in during this additional recruitment. It looks like I’ll be able to participate in the mission to defeat the ‘Giant Fire Dragon, Grand Fafnir.'”

“…That’s unexpected. I never thought you’d lend a hand to an external guild.”

“I’m not lending a hand to the ‘Crescent Knights.'”

“What?”

“I’m here to kill Yugan.”

“Yugan? But Yugan is S-class. With your power…”

“So what?”

Karla glared at him fiercely.

“The Giant Fire Dragon, Grand Fafnir, has traditionally been laid to rest by our ‘Clan of Dragon Burial.’ If Yugan dares to touch Grand Fafnir, I will eliminate him with this sword, regardless of his double S-class status.”

Karla spoke, gripping the sheath of her treasured sword adorned with the dragon crest.

(The ‘Clan of Dragon Burial’—the clan that has conducted the rituals to lay Grand Fafnir to rest on this island for generations. But they have perished and been forgotten. Yet, Karla, you still…)

“What about you? I heard the Garcia family of alchemists went bankrupt and that you, the heir, are now working for ‘Dragon’s Ember.'”

Karla eyed Pat’s new outfit with suspicion.

It wasn’t the uniform of ‘Dragon’s Ember.’ The clothes bore the emblem of a spirit holding a hammer.

“I left ‘Dragon’s Ember.’ I couldn’t stand working there anymore. Now I work for a guild called ‘Arsenal of the Spirits.'”

” Arsenal of the Spirits… That’s Laurent’s alchemy guild.”

“You know it?”

“Yes, I visited once… but I wasn’t acknowledged. It’s a guild from outside the island. They can’t understand the feelings of us islanders.”

The “Crescent Knights” and their allied guilds began to enter the dungeon.

“The ‘Crescent Knights’ are on the move. I’m going now. Goodbye.”

“Wait, Karla.”

Pat grabbed Karla’s arm to stop her.

“Where I work now, at ‘Spirit’s Workshop,’ it’s a good place. The guild leader, Laurent, truly puts the staff first. He’s also involved in training the local adventurer guilds. If you’d like, maybe you could…”

“If I join this ‘Spirit’s Workshop,’ will it help me defeat Grand Fafnir?”

Karla said, her expression a mocking smile.

“Well…”

“That’s the way it always is with outsiders. They say sweet things, take our resources, and then leave. You’ve seen it happen over and over, haven’t you?”

“Yes…”

“And you cooperate with them? Do you have no pride as the heir of a distinguished island family?”

“I…”

“Tell Laurent this: Do not touch the Giant Fire Dragon, Grand Fafnir. If he does, I will kill him.”

Karla shook off Pat’s hand and followed the alliance.

Pat could only watch her go.

Back in the workshop, Pat was shaping iron with a gloomy expression.

(Karla’s argument is unreasonable. This island can no longer control the Giant Fire Dragon, Grand Fafnir, without the help of external adventurer guilds. She must know this. Yet, it’s true that the root of the islanders’ resentment towards outsiders lies there. Even if they understand it logically, many would emotionally side with Karla. Even if Laurent’s local guild training succeeds, by then, Karla…)

—Do you have no pride as the heir of a distinguished island family?—

(I couldn’t say anything back. I…)

“Everyone, please stop what you’re doing and gather around.”

Laurent’s call echoed through the workshop.

Everyone stopped their work and gathered in front of Laurent.

“Recently, we received an official order from the bard Nicola for a ‘Dragon Tone’ A-grade harp.”

“A ‘Dragon Tone’ A-grade harp?” Aina asked.

“Yes. As you know, Pat’s unique skill ‘Tuning’ is showing signs of awakening. If we can create a ‘Dragon Tone’ A-grade instrument to calm the Fire Dragons rage, it would greatly support the dungeon exploration of ‘Dawn Shield’ and ‘Pegasus Archers.’ Therefore, I want to focus on honing Pat’s unique skill for a while. Pat, from now on, you will dedicate yourself solely to ‘Tuning.’ You don’t have to do any other work. Aina.”

“Yes.”

“Can you reassign Pat’s metal shaping tasks to others?”

Aina had already been tasked with adjusting the workload of the other members.

“Yes. I think we can manage if we reduce the time Wayne and Lina use their unique skills.”

“Hey, wait a minute! You can’t just decide that without consulting me,” Wayne protested.

“Alright, make the adjustments in that direction,” Laurent said.

(Damn, these guys…)

“Guild Master, I’ll also support Pat. Just let me know what you need,” Lina offered.

“Thank you, Lina.”

“That’s great, Pat. The Guild Master is paying special attention to you,” Lina expressed her joy genuinely.

“Y-yeah.”

Pat looked down with a complex expression.

“Pat, is something wrong?”

“Um, well…”

(Could it be that I’ve been given such an important task at this time? It’s an honor, but… But… right now…)

Pat’s mind was still preoccupied with thoughts of Karla.

“Pat, are you worried about something again?”

“Um, well…”

“You don’t have to hide it. I’m not going to get mad.”

“…Okay.”

“Is it work-related?”

“It’s not directly related to me, but I can’t stop thinking about it…”

(It’s something very personal. In that case, I can’t just intrude carelessly.)

“Is it in conflict with the current quest?”

“I’m not sure about that either…”

Pat hung his head.

Laurent chuckled.

“It seems you have a habit of overthinking things.”

“Ugh…”

Pat was at a loss for words, as Laurent had hit the mark. This was something he had been repeatedly warned about during his time with the ‘Dragon’s Ember.’

“Pat, it’s not necessarily a bad thing to be attentive to negative thoughts. However, mastering a unique skill requires extraordinary focus. Especially if it involves defeating the ‘Dragon’s Ember.'”

(Defeating the ‘Dragon’s Ember’? Is he serious? That’s like an ant trying to take down an elephant…)

Wayne also reacted to the mention of defeating the ‘Dragon’s Ember.’

“You need to find a way to clear your mind and focus solely on alchemy. So, for now, can you concentrate on helping the adventurers and completing this quest?”

“…I understand,” Pat replied, still troubled.

“Alright. Let’s figure out how to master your unique skill together.”

Laurent and Pat immediately started working on improving Pat’s unique skill.

“Well, unique skills are different from regular skills; there’s no established method for improving them. You have to find hints through actual use. So, Pat, do you remember what triggered your improvement last time?”

“No, it just seemed to improve without me realizing it.”

“I see. Hmm. In that case, we’ll just have to keep practicing.”

“Laurent!”

Aina approached, carrying a harp.

“Aina, what’s with the harp?”

“I thought it might help improve Pat’s unique skill. I heard that softer strings produce better sound, so I did some modifications.”

Laurent plucked the strings of the harp, finding it softer than usual.

“Interesting. Pat, let’s try tuning this harp with your skill.”

“Alright.”

Pat began tuning the harp with his ‘Tuning’ skill.

(This harp definitely has a wider range of sound. It could probably be effective with ‘Dragon’s Tune’ too…)

After tuning, Pat played a simple melody on the harp. While he couldn’t perform complex pieces, he had already mastered the basics of playing.

The mysterious sound of ‘Dragon’s Tone’ echoed through the workshop. As Pat played, he noticed something was off.

(Huh? The sound is off? I see. With a high-quality harp, it’s much easier to detect.)

(Pat, it looks like you’ve found a clue to improving your skill.)

Laurent noticed signs of improvement in Pat’s demeanor.

He quietly stepped back to observe.

Pat resumed tuning the harp but soon reached its structural limit.

(Damn. It’s at its limit.)

“Pat, has it reached its limit?”

Laurent asked once Pat paused.

“Huh? Yes.”

(He identified the limit without even touching it. Is this the power of an S-class appraiser?)

“Alright. Aina, get Rody to draw up a blueprint for a harp that can handle more string adjustments.”

“Understood.”

Soon, the blueprint was ready.

“Pat, how about this?”

“Yes, this is perfect. I’ll start making it right away.”

“No, Aize should be able to make this. Aina, tell Aize to prioritize it.”

“Got it.”

As Pat moved to join the manufacturing, Laurent stopped him.

“Pat, you need to rest. Save your strength for the tuning session this afternoon.”

“Alright.”

Despite feeling a bit uneasy, Pat took a break.

When Pat finished his break and returned to the workshop, Aina spoke to him in passing.

“Oh, Pat. The harp is ready. It’s on your workbench.”

“Thanks.”

“Good luck,” Aina said with a wink before heading to the break room.

Pat went to his workbench and saw the newly crafted harp waiting for him.

(This harp was really made. Their response time is incredible.)

At “Dragon’s Ember,” his achievements would have been taken credit for by someone else.

All he had to do now was complete the “Tuning” and the quest would be accomplished.

(Are they really not going to make me do anything but “Tuning”? Focusing solely on skill improvement like this… It’s a different kind of strictness compared to “Dragon’s Ember.”)

Pat strummed the harp a little.

There didn’t seem to be any issues with its quality.

(To make something this good in the short time I was resting… What a development speed. Aina even helps out. In this guild, even the top members support the newcomers. Everything is different from “Dragon’s Ember.” Laurent’s passion for nurturing talent is real. Comprehensive support, a collaborative culture, and evaluations by an S-class appraiser. No wonder even Edgar couldn’t win.)

Pat began tuning the harp.

(The sound from the second string is a bit too high. It will be off during crucial parts of the performance.)

Laurent observed Pat’s increasing dedication.

(He’s really starting to focus. He’s getting absorbed in his work, deep in thought. This is his true form…)

The calmness was a sign of impending breakthrough.

As Pat was engrossed in his work, someone suddenly tapped his shoulder and spoke from behind.

“Hey, Pat. You’re working hard.”

“Huh? Wayne?”

“I heard about that harp of yours. It’s supposed to be for taking down ‘Dragon’s Ember,’ right?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“Well, I can’t just sit back after hearing that. I’ll help out. Whether it’s sneaking materials or covering up the finished product, I’ll do whatever.”

“Uh, no, I…”

“Wayne, stop causing trouble! Pat, just ignore him.”

Laurent’s reprimand cut in.

“Tch. Fine, fine.”

Wayne reluctantly stopped trying to mislead Pat.

“Well, anyway. Don’t hold back. Give it your all. Let’s show those ‘Dragon’s Ember’ guys who kicked us out what we’re made of. Don’t worry. I’ll take full responsibility.”

“Uh, yeah. Thanks?”

(Wayne, what kind of responsibility are you talking about…)

Pat sighed and refocused on the harp.

(Good grief. I thought I escaped ‘Dragon’s Ember,’ and now I’m supposed to defeat them… Life is tough. There’s no escaping competition wherever you go. I just want to help someone.)

Pat gripped the hammer tightly.

The harp was nearly finished.

(Completing this harp, and whether the path ahead is the right one or not, I don’t know. I don’t know what the future holds for the island or if we can defeat ‘Dragon’s Ember.’ But… Karla. I’ve decided to follow Laurent. This is my path.)

With renewed determination, Pat lightly struck the harp strings with the hammer.

The strings adjusted slightly, completing the ‘Tuning.’

The harp strings began to shine.

“Laurent, it’s done. Please appraise it.”

[Harp Status]

Special Effect: ‘Dragon Tone’ A

[Pat Garcia’s Unique Skill]

‘Tuning’: A (↑1)

“Yes, it’s ‘Dragon Tone’ A.”

“Really?”

“Yes, you’re now an A-class alchemist, Pat.”

“…Yes.”

“Hooray! You did it, Pat!”

Lina hugged Pat.

“Lina?”

“Hah, how about that, Aina. It’s 2-1 in our favor now. We’re winning.”

Wayne said.

“Why are you acting all high and mighty?!”

Pat looked out toward the volcano.

(Karla, no matter what you say, I’ll keep working at the ‘Spirits’ Workshop.’ Even if it’s just a small effort, I’ll help the local adventurers. The next time I see you, I’ll face you directly.)

The “Crescent Knights” had delved into the dungeon once more, arriving at the “Metal Line.”

The Crescent Knights and the local guild members immediately began extracting the glistening ore exposed from the ground.

(We’ve made it this far without incident. The Thieves Guild hasn’t made a move. But…)

Yugan glanced back.

(But they must be trailing us. They’ll definitely attack on our way back!)

Yugan scanned the mountain range, searching for enemies lurking in the lowlands.

The mountains were silent, as if no one were hiding there.

(The local guild members are useless in a fight against the Thieves Guild. And I can’t trust those ‘Dragon’s Ember’ guys either. If we descend the mountain straightforwardly, we’ll lose the ore again. So…)

Yugan called his lieutenant and whispered his plan so no one else could hear.

“What? You’re going to take on ‘Grand Fafnir’ alone?”

“Yeah, while the local guild is busy mining, I’ll take care of it and be back within three days. Keep my absence under wraps and manage the troops.”

“But going alone is too dangerous…”

“It’s more dangerous to go in a group. The locals won’t be useful in the wasteland. They’ll focus on defense once the ore is mined, which means our troops will be exhausted and easy prey for the thieves. So, I’ll sneak out and take on ‘Grand Fafnir’ alone.”

“You’re really going to keep it a secret from everyone?”

“Yes, if the locals find out, it could cause panic. Besides, there’s someone over there watching us closely. (As if I didn’t notice.)”

Yugan glanced sideways at Karla.

“That’s why now, while the locals are distracted with mining, the thieves aren’t attacking, and we’re closest to ‘Grand Fafnir,’ is the best time to act.”

“…”

“Don’t worry. I won’t take unnecessary risks. I’m counting on you to handle things while I’m gone.”

Feigning a return to his tent, Yugan stealthily entered the wasteland alone.

With his incredible agility, he moved swiftly like the wind, quickly reaching the summit area near ‘Grand Fafnir.’