Early morning, the day after learning a large number of skills. The figure of Rei could be seen in the guild as usual. Set was already lying at his reserved location and gave happy cries as he was given food by adventurers going to the guild and passersby in the city.

「Set-chan, has become so popular in the city.」

As Rei was looking at the request board, a person suddenly called out to him.

When Rei turned face the the voice, he saw the figure of Milein, the leader of Scorching Wind from the Orc subjugation force, who had fought the Orc King’s group with him.

「Are you also looking for requests over here?」
「Requests……as expected of Rei?　Normally, after a large request, most would take a one week break……」

While saying that, Milein’s eyes glanced over the request forms that were attached to the board.

After looking at them, Milein turned her eyes back and gave a slightly embarrassed but bitter smile.

「Ahh, to tell the truth, our armour and weapons were damaged during the Orc subjugation. ……And not just mine, Ecryll and Sulunin’s weapons and armour were also damaged. So, almost all of our rewards were spent repairing or buying replacements. ……Well, it’s still a good opportunity as we were thinking of getting new weapons and armour. Because of that, we were looking at doing a new request as soon as possible. 」

Listening to Milein’s words, Rei directed his gaze to her armour and the weapon at her waist.

Certainly, the equipment was different from the ones he had seen at the time of the Orc subjugation, if Milein’s words were to be believed, they were of a higher quality than before.

A little bit further away, Ecryll and Sulunin could be seen looking at the request board like Milein. When they noticed Rei, Ecryll waved in greeting while Sulunin gave a polite nod.

And while returning the greeting to the two, Milein suddenly hugged Rei from behind.

「Hey, Rei. If you’re looking for a request, why don’t you do a quest together with us?　Come on, Set-chan ……I mean, Rei’s ability is dependable.」

Realising Milein’s plan from her words, Rei gave a wry smile.

If you excluded Axe of the Thunder God, Milein was probably the first adventurer to befriend Set, at the same time, Milein was also one of Set’s favourites.

However, Rei wasn’t able to immediately agree to Milein’s words.

After all, Rei primary and secondary purposes were the magic stones of monsters and and the materials and rewards from them. And if he partied with other adventurers, if Rei wanted the magic stones, it was likely that there would be trouble. Basically, excluding some special exceptions, the magic stone was the most valuable part of the monster.

「Milein, you shouldn’t be so unreasonable to others. Every person has their own circumstances.」

Seeing Rei’s troubled face, Sulunin chided Milein.

「That’s right. Though Milein likes Set a lot, you shouldn’t be excessively unreasonable.」
「Muu~……but you know.」

As Milein was chided by not just Sulunin but Ecryll as well, Rei found a certain request form.

The contents of the request was the investigation of another forest near the Forest of Magic, there was no rank requirement but it required 5 people.

(Should I accept this quest with Scorching Wind?　Fortunately, as the Seed of Contract has been placed inside of them, even if I ask for the magic stones, they probably won’t inquire much further about it.)

「Milein, what you think of taking this request together?」
「Huh?　Really!?　Which request?」

Milein looked at the request form at Rei’s words, smiling ear to ear. However, her expression clouded immediately.

「Hmm, a forest investigation……the reward is large for such a request. However, because not much is know about that place, hence the investigation, I don’t know what kind of monsters will appear there. However, I want to be with Set, and there’s also Rei’s fighting power……hmm……what do Ecryll and Sulunin think?」

Milein asked her party members while staring at the request form.

In the first place, Scorching Wind was a rank C party while Rei was a rank E adventurer. Normally, they wouldn’t be able to receive a quest together unless the request had no rank requirements, like the one Milein was looking at. Though technically speaking, Scorching Wind could receive a rank E request, to receive a low rank request with low rewards was pointless if they wanted to earn money.

As for requests that had no rank requirements, their rewards were often either extremely low or high with a matching risk. In this case, concerning the investigation into the forest near the Forest of Monsters, if anything, it was the latter kind as what monsters would appear was unknown.

The request to subjugate the Orc settlement, which Rei and Scorching Wind participated in, was also categorized in this group.

「I’m sorry but I would like to object. I have not yet become familiar with the cane I just bought and the degree of risk is unknown, I would like to refrain from this request.」
「That’s true. I’m sorry Milein-san. I also haven’t completely mastered the new bow I bought either.」

While looking apologetic, Milein let out a sigh at the two who were shaking the necks.

「Is that right. Well, if you say it can’t be helped then it can’t be helped. There’s no helping it, we’ll have to give up on it. I’m sorry Rei. It’s impossible for us.」
「No, I don’t mind. Because I’m staying at the Dusk Wheat, Set is staying at the stables. You can play with him there if you have free time.」
「Yep, I’ll visit for sure. Well, we’re in the area. Unless we earnestly search for a good request, we won’t be able to pay the rent for the inn.」

Milein let out a regretful sigh and went to the rank C request board with Sulunin and Ecryll.

Seeing their backs off, he started looking for a good request for himself……while he was thinking about it, he again noticed someone approaching him.

If you saw him approach while obviously looking at Rei, anyone would understand that he was looking for Rei.

He was in his late teens to early twenties. For an adventurer, the equipment he was wearing wasn’t particularly high quality. However, the sword equipped at his waist was different, it was something that attracted a lot of looks.

(A Magic sword, is it?）

It was like the battle axe which Vargas from the Claws of the Hawk had or the great sword that the Orc King used. They were all weapons with hidden magic power. In other words, a magic item. Because of the magic power they contained, they tended to attract looks from the public eye, that was why even Rei, who couldn’t sense foreign magic power, could tell if it was a magic item.

As for the sword at the waist of the man approaching him, the sword gave off an atmosphere of a magic item, that was why he was able to judge that it was a magic sword.

「You are Rei, right?」

Rei gave a small nod as the man stopped in front of Rei and asked.

「Ah. And you are?」
「I’m Arogan. A rank E adventurer.」

Rank E adventurer. In other words, he was at the same rank as Rei.

However, Rei was a rookie who had just become rank E the day before.

「So, Arogan, do you need me for something?」
「Ah. I had gone out of the city of Gilm for a request, though I came back this morning……and I heard a strange rumor here and there.」
「Strange rumor?」
「An impossibly crazy rumor that a G rank adventurer defeated an Orc King.」

You don’t believe it?　As Rei looked back, saying so with his face, it was clear that he didn’t believe Rei, the adventurer in the rumor, had defeated the Orc King.

(Jealousy, is it?　Well, either way, he’s not a decent opponent for me.)

Muttering in his mind, he let out an unnatural sigh.

「Hey, what’s with the sigh?」
「So, how can I help you?」

Being ignored and asked what he wanted, the blood rushed to hiss head.

But though the blood rushed to Arogan’s head, after clicking his tongue as if he didn’t care, he started to speak.

「What, it’s simple. I want you to have a match with me. I want to see your ability that defeated the Orc King.」

In other words, he wanted what Rei was expecting. Rei turned his eyes to the counter for a moment.

Although she wanted to stop it, because Lenora had been ordered to report to her boss if Rei got tangled up with someone, she had already left to carry out her job to report to her boss and couldn’t be seen. Instead, maybe as compensation, Kenny half scowled with eyes of anger at Arogan who was messing with her favourite, Rei.

「And what benefits will I receive from this match?」
「Huh?」

What are you saying?　Arogan’s face seemed to say as he looked at Rei.

Arogan had planned to pick a fight and provoke Rei into an unconditional fight, however the plan had simply failed.

「Hey, hey, is that kid serious?　Picking a fight with Rei even though he’s still E rank.」
「……From what I’ve heard, did he say Arogan?　That fellow wasn’t in the city of Gilm for a while. There’s nothing that can be done, it can’t be helped.」
「Ah well……not knowing anything about Rei but picking a fight with him. At any rate, he does look small and has a delicate appearance.」

Though the noise of adventurers speaking in low voices echoed through the guild, Arogan was staring at Rei and didn’t hear any of it.

In the eyes of the adventurers, Arogan was like some sort of hero. However, he was a hero in the sense that he was like a brave man attacking a dragon with a club.

Anyhow, Rei had scored a decisive victory against the D rank party Claws of the Hawk by himself on the first day after registering with the guild. Because he took away all their money and equipment that they had on hand, even if it was unpleasant, his behaviour stood out. Because the Claws of the Hawk were still spending each day busily to return their debt, they looked sympathetically at the unlucky adventurer who had encountered the seemingly frail and weak Rei.

And, as the surrounding people saw a while ago, the young man was on good terms with the rank C party Scorching Wind, which had began to distinguish itself as a party. It should be noted that he also had an association with the A rank party Axe of the Thunder God. ……And above all, most adventurers in the guild were reminded of the figure of the Griffon outside the guild.

Rank A monster, Griffon. Fighting against Rei automatically meant making an enemy out of the reaper of the sky.

But, only just returning to city and hearing the rumor, Arogan went straight to Rei without understanding anything. Anyway, he judged that Rei had just gone up to rank E because of an influential person while he himself was at the stage where he would soon be taking the rank up test to rank D.

In a sense, it could be said that this was one of the prices of fame.

「Anyway, you should fight me. That way, I can properly assess your ability. Or what is it?　If you can defeat an Orc King, don’t you have the confidence to fight an E rank adventurer like me?」

(I see. He’s a type similar to Seryl from Dark Night’s Star.)

Believing only what they wanted to to believe in, that was the only reality visible to them.

The only difference was that he hadn’t been completely corrupted by it. If he hit him where he was most overconfident in, Rei judged that Arogan wouldn’t make the same mistake as Seryl did.

(But then, I don’t really need to do that either……)

「I’m trying to say, whether I can beat you or not is a different thing. I’m asking you to show me the benefits of having a match against you.」
「……That’s, then what do you want?」
「Ha?　What are you talking about?　You want to fight me?　What if you can’t pay the price?」
「Guh,……b-but it’s only to check your skills……all right. If you beat me, I’ll give you 3 silver coins. How about that?」
「……Well, that’s fine. It will be troublesome if we make any more noise here. So, where do you want to do it?」

As it would be stupid to continue it any further, he prompted the other party to go ahead.

Finally hearing that Rei had brought himself to fight him, he turned his eyes to the guild door, full of confidence.

「It won’t take too much time or effort. We’ll finish it outside the guild.」

Saying that, Arogan started walking towards the outside of the guild. Spitting out a sigh, Rei followed and went through the door to the outside.

「Now, ready your weapon.」

Arogan nimbly took out the magic sword at his waist from its sheath and pointed it at Rei.

Rei also took out the Death Scythe from the Misty Ring and readied it.

Passersby gathered around curiously, Arogan’s aim to embarrass Rei in front of this crowd was obvious. ……However, because some people had heard of a similar exchange where the Claws of the Hawk had disgraced themselves, the looks that Arogan was expecting were directed at him instead of Rei.

In addition, as for Set who had seen Rei come out, he stood up to look at the commotion before Rei stopped him with his eyes. Set closed his eyes and went back to sleep

「I see, that’s the item box from the rumors.」

Hearing Rei had an item box from the rumors, he turned his eyes to the Misty Ring that was on Rei’s right arm and licked his lips.

While ignoring that, Rei observed the sword that Arogan had.

(As expected, his excessive confidence is thanks to his magic sword. I don’t think that it’s a magic sword that a rank E adventurer should have……where did he obtain it.)

As for the magic sword that Arogan had, a red pattern rose up from the black sword blade. As for the power of the blade, one could feel that the magic sword had a considerable hidden power.

「Here I come!」

Giving a short cry, Arogan kicked the ground and swung down his magic sword.

However, the speed at which the sword was handled was slow……no, it was too the extent it could be called sluggish.

It wasn’t skillful and had no strength.

It was certainly powerful enough if you considered an E rank adventurer. However, compared to the time Rei fought with the Orc King, who had a similar magic great sword, it was an attack he could easily evade while yawning.

Lightly taking a step back, he swept the Death Scythe from below, catching the tip of Arogan’s magic sword that passed right in front of his eyes. At the same time, he caught the sword blade in his blade……and threw it into the sky!

Arogan’s magic sword and the Death Scythe made a kin~ sound as they came in contact. The next moment, Aragon’s sword flew high into the sky. It drew an arc while spinning wildly before piercing into the ground near Aragon.

As for the people that were speaking, the surroundings, including Arogan, were silent.

Rei stored the Death Scythe back into the Misty Ring as he looked at the surroundings before calling out to Arogan.

「No matter if the weapon is first class, the wielder is only third class……」

Rei’s voice resounded not only to Arogan but also to the curious spectators in the surroundings.

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