In the meeting room on the second floor of the guild, Rei asked a question at Residence’s unexpected words.

「Is provisional B rank different from normal B rank?」

「Yes. To be exact, you will be treated as an ordinary B rank adventurer. However, if you receive requests from nobles or royalty, the guild assistant will step in.」

「……An assistant?」

「You can consider them to be an interpreter of sorts. Because you lack knowledge in noble etiquette, the assistant will handle that side of things. To put it simply, the assistant will act alongside you when you need to talk or work with a noble for a request. They will deal with the noble so that you can focus on the request.」

At Residence’s response, Rei, Stee and Roble thought about it for a moment……eventually, Stee was the first speak up about it.

「In other words, a babysitter?」

「Well, I guess you could say that.」

Rei looked at Residence with an unpleasant expression, who had nodded simply at Stee’s description of a babysitter.

「Don’t look like that. It’s only because you lack etiquette towards nobles. And, of course it’s not always necessary to provide an assistant. The guild will explain your character to any nobles who bring forward a request first. After that, the guild branch will only provide an assistant if there are any concerns regarding etiquette.」

「Wait a minute! If it’s just etiquette, can’t I pass that way as well!?」

Roble raised his voice in protest as he hit the table with his strength, peculiar to Beastkin.

But, as expected of a table used by the guild, it was not damaged in any way after being struck with Roble’s strength.

Residence shook his head as he explained why.

「Indeed, both you and Rei do not meet the criteria of noble etiquette required to pass the test. However, there was a big difference between you and Rei in other areas, even if you both failed that criteria. That’s why this was arranged. In addition, there are other differences in terms of pure ability as an adventurer. I explained this to you earlier, did I not?」

「T-That’s……」

After Residence’s reply, Roble had no response.

How they had divided up the Bicorns, the Misty Ring, the Griffon, Set, and maybe even Rei’s title all contributed to Rei being given a special pass to B rank. All those thoughts went through Roble’s mind.

「Rei, I challenge you to a duel!」

Holding up his spear that had been propped against the table, Roble pointed the tip towards Rei as he said that loudly.

Roble’s words continued as everyone else in the room looked at him, taken aback.

「Honestly, I’m not that smart. I just can’t accept that Rei passed but I failed despite both of us not meeting the same criteria. Because of that, I want compete against you as an adventurer.」

Rei thought about Roble’s challenge for a few seconds as he turned to look over at Residence.

Seeing Residence nod, Rei nodded as well in response to Roble.

「I understand. I accept your challenge.」

Even though he and Rei had received the same fail mark on the same criteria, Rei passed while he didn’t. It was because Roble was dissatisfied that he made the challenge.

However, his lover, Stee, couldn’t stay quiet when she heard it.

「Hey, Roble. Don’t you know how strong Rei is after we hunted the Bicorns!? So why do you have to be so reckless!」

「I’m sorry, Stee. I know it in my mind. As Residence told me, my attitude was deserving of failing this exam. But……my heart still isn’t convinced. I’m fighting to clear my heart.」

「……Idiot, idiot, idiot. You’re really and idiot. Fine. Do what you want. I will keep an eye on you.」

Roble smiled slightly at Stee’s pout before looking back over at Rei and laughing.

However, it wasn’t the gentle smile he had shown to Stee just a moment earlier, but a savage smile like a carnivore before it’s prey.

「Well, if you both agree to it, do what you want. It will take some time to update your guild cards anyway. Rei and Stee both pass your guild cards over before you head to the training ground. Only the guild needs to know about Rei’s provisional status, so the results will be announced without that information.」

「……An announcement? That didn’t happen when I went to D rank. Is there only an announcement when reaching B rank?」

Rei suddenly asked Residence as he handed over his guild card.

「Yes. It’s because there is a big difference between D rank and B rank. Moreover, B rank and higher indicates you are a highly skilled first rate adventurer. That’s why the names of those who pass the B rank test are publicised. However, that is only in the guild you belong to, so when you go to another city, they will still use your guild card to check your rank. We don’t communicate our adventurer ranks through to other guilds unless there is something serious going on.」

Although Residence said that, he frowned his eyes slightly as he received Stee and Rei’s guild cards.

(That said, Rei has an item box and a Griffon, so there’s a good chance that might happen.)

 

 

「Uoooooooh-! Stee, thank you so much! Thanks to you, we can go on break for a while!」

「Hmm, did Rei pass after all? It’s true that I won my bet, but I didn’t make a lot off it.」

「Then why did you bet on Rei? Are you trying to be sarcastic to me since I bet on Roble and lost?」

「But, better than that guy right?」

「Boohoohoo……it was a big mistake after all to bet big on the dark horse Ons……I’ll have to eat nothing but dried meat for a while.」

「What the hell were you thinking, going all in on someone you didn’t even know?」

「It was because he was a dark horse……」

After handing over their guild cards, Rei, Roble and Stee made their way down to the first floor of the guild, where they heard some sad voices.

While Rei and the others had been told whether or not they passed the rank up test, the results had also been announced on the first floor of the guild for the people who had bet on the test.

Normally, those who had placed bets on Ons, who was actually an examiner, should have been refunded. However, the bets were being handled by a group of volunteers, and even within the guild, only those involved in the test knew who Ons was. Because of that, those who bet on the dark horse could only be called unlucky.

But, unlike Rei, who was well known thanks to Set, and Roble and Stee, who had been active in Gilm for a while, few people bet on Ons who everyone barely knew anything about. Those that did bet on Ons mostly did so as a token bet on the dark horse.

Those who were happy and those were sad all saw Rei, Roble and Stee coming down from the second floor.

They were about to congratulate them or offer words of comfort, but they stopped when they saw the serious expression on Robles face as he led the way.

Kenny, who had some feelings towards Rei, stopped herself from congratulating Rei when she saw him and turned to her eyes to her coworker beside her.

「……Hey, what do you think?」

「Roble-san failed and Rei-san passed, right? He couldn’t stand it so Roble-san challenged Rei-san to a fight? That said, Rei-san hasn’t gotten himself dragged into stupid things as often as he did before, so that’s a relief.」

「That’s true, but……aren’t you worried about Rei-kun?」

「You know, Rei-san has already become a B rank adventurer. There’s no need for receptionists like us to worry about him……」

Even though she said that, Lenora still had some concern as she looked towards the door in the guild that Rei and the others had just left through.

Kenny looked at Lenora with some surprise, who obstinately refused to say she was worried about Rei, as she enviously watched the adventurers follow Rei and the others out the guild.

 

 

The training ground next to the guild. Rei and Robles faced off against each other on the bare ground.

The Death Scythe was in Rei’s hands while a spear was in Roble’s. Stee was between them while the adventurers that followed them from the guild for some reason gathered around them. Perhaps sensing Rei’s presence, Set could also be seen outside the training ground.

「……I’m sorry, Rei. Sorry for my selfishness.」

「Don’t worry about it. In fact, if I was in your position, I can’t say I wouldn’t do the same thing.」

「Seriously, alright you two. Don’t forget this is just a mock fight. It is absolutely prohibited to hurt each other with attacks that could be fatal.」

Stee, who had been asked by Roble to be the referee, spoke grudgingly. Rei and Roble both nodded their heads in agreement.

And around them……

「All right, I’m putting three silver coins on Rei!」

「5 copper coins on Roble.」

「If you consider their pure combat strength, Roble won’t win. 4 silver coins on Rei.」

「He lost prevoiusly, so he better win this time. One silver coin for Roble!」

The heat from bets on the rank up test had yet to cool. The adventurers around them started betting on who would win, the moment they found out that Rei and Roble were going to fight. Stee, looked at them with a steady gaze before eventually realising it would never stop unless they started. With a small sigh, Stee spoke out.

「So, ready? Both of you, don’t hurt each other or anything, okay? ……Start!」

As soon as Stee gave the start signal, Roble jumped back to close the gap to Rei.

As expected from a Wolfkin and a participant in the B rank test, his instantaneous power was extremely high. He quickly closed the distance between him and Rei before unleashing an unrestrained sharp thrust　to start off.

Rei swung his Death Scythe and parried it with the shaft as it tore through the air.

Kiin-, a metallic sound echoed throughout the training ground. At this point, those who watching but were not skilled in combat were unable to understand what was happening.

From then on, the sound of metal clashing against metal echoed out over and over again.

Needless to say, it was the sound of Roble’s spear colliding with the Death Scythe.

「Hey, are they evenly matched?」

「No way, it’s Rei right? He’s probably just waiting to see what Roble’s got.」

「……I can hardly see what’s going on……」

Such voices could be heard from the spectating adventurers.

Indeed, it seemed that Rei’s Death Scythe and Roble’s spear were confronting each other equally. However, that was because Rei hadn’t poured any magic power into the Death Scythe, which was how it was supposed to be used as a magic weapon.

Roble knew that as well. He ground his teeth in chagrin as his own thrust was easily parried.

(This……is this the ability needed to earn a title? But, not yet. I’m not going to let things end like this!)

Giving a shout, he leapt back as he pulled back his spear.

「Here it comes, this is my strongest attack!」

Roble focused his magic power as he shouted that.

Roble, who was a warrior, basically couldn’t use magic. However, it wasn’t because he had no magic power, but because he had no talent for magic that he focused on his training as a warrior.

Some warriors were able to attack with their magic power even if they weren’t able to use magic, just like Roble.

When Rei saw Roble do that, the Shock Wave technique that Milein had showed him before flashed through his mind, the next moment……

「Penetrating Fang!」

With his shout, Roble thrust his magic empowered spear forward, demonstrating the instantaneous power of a Beastkin at the same time.

The magic power that had been poured into his spear revealed itself, covering it in wind and causing it to spin sharply around the spear tip, increasing the penetrating power of the spear to the limit it could physically withstand.

It was a thrust with a penetrating power incomparable to spear thrusts Roble had unleashed in the past. The spear went straight towards Rei’s throat, bearing its fangs.

「Power Slash!」

With Rei’s shout, the Death Scythe swung out and struck the approaching spear from below, sending it flying into the air.

「Guoooooooh-!」

In that instant, Roble’s hand was paralysed from the shock of his spear being knocked away by the Death Scythe’s blow. At the same time, he froze due to the mental shock of having his attack crushed so easily.

「It’s my loss.」

Roble admitted his defeat, wondering when Rei had moved behind him, as the Death Scythe’s blade was held as his throat.

[Previous Chapter] [Table of Contents] [Next Chapter]