Originally Posted by
KalinDrew
if a gravel bike is only good if I ride on road AND off road in the same ride
This ^^^ is an inaccurate conclusion. There are definitely areas where a gravel bike shines in dirt. Anything fairly smooth, hardpacked, and not significantly twisty, a gravel bike may be the more efficient machine. There are some local dirt climbs that I do on both my hardtail MTB and my gravel bike on a regular basis. On the ones where there are significant exposed rocky sections, I'm faster on my MTB. On the ones where it's smoother, I'm faster on my gravel bike. It really comes down to the terrain you ride, and your preferences.
Multiple times you have indicated a preference for a drop-bar MTB. If you think that will suit your needs best, go for it. Your opinion matters more than anyone else's.