Hearing from Gran about the contents of the nominated request in one week’s time, Rei reluctantly accepted it. He walked down the guild stairs while thinking about the request that would start the next week.

「Ah, Rei-kun. You’re the last one, did something happen?」

Though Kenny called out as soon as she saw Rei, as he couldn’t talk about the Duke’s daughter with so many people around, he gave an appropriate excuse.

「Just something about the rank up test I just did. After all, it was the first time I’ve had to be a party leader.」
「Is that so. But certainly, Rei is usually solo. ……Since you’ve risen to rank D, have you thought about joining a party soon?　You know, various requests will start to have increased risks and dangers.」
「Wait, don’t be rude. Rei-san has various circumstances of his own.」

To Kenny who was asserting that Rei should join a party, Lenora gave a rebuke from nearby.

「What, Lenora, are you saying that Rei should continue to solo?」
「I didn’t really say that, I’m saying that we shouldn’t interfere as staff members of the guild.」
「……I understand. Really, Lenora is so harsh. It’s because of that that your body is so hard and doesn’t have any womanly softness.」

As Kenny softly muttered into the surroundings, those words that subtly hinted at Lenora’s delicate build. Lenora instantly raised her eyebrows.

「Hey, Kenny. That’s something I can’t ignore. Who said such a thing?」
「No one in particular. Everyone says that.」

Pressed by Lenora, Kenny replied in a provocative tone.

Naturally, Lenora couldn’t stay silent and they started arguing as usual.

Fortunately, it was in the afternoon and there weren’t many adventurers in the guild. In addition, most of them were in the tavern area, eating a late lunch.

……However, as expected, they wouldn’t act like this during adventurer peak hours in the morning and evening.

「Well then, since you seem to be busy, I’ll get going. See you later.」
「Ah, wai- Rei-kun!?　Onee-san wants to celebrate your passing of the rank up test……」
「Hey Kenny!　You’re still in the middle of work!」

Lenora intervened. Kenny’s invitation was probably because she had been told that he had passed the rank up test from the people who had come down earlier.

While hearing such exchanges from behind him, Rei left the guild.

「Gururu~」

Set gave a cry to welcome Rei while being stroked by several children.

Looking closely, one of the children stroking Set was the one who had tried to give Set some dried meat just before Rei went out for the rank up test.

「Ah, Onii-chan. Look, Set is eating the dried meat I gave him.」

The boy happily said that to Rei when he noticed him.

Rei gave his usual wry smile when he heard that as he scratched Set’s head.

「That’s good. We have to get going now, is that okay?」
「Yes! Until next time Set.」

After the boy said that, he ran back towards downtown. The other children ran after him after they greeted Rei and Set.

Rei watched the children go while stroking Set’s back.

「Before I knew it, I’ve become a fairly popular person in the city.」
「Guru~」
「Well then, lets go back to the inn. ……That said, what should we do for the next week.」

Though he hadn’t been banned from taking subjugation requests, he had been warned by Gran not to take them if possible. Then could he do collection requests?　Thinking about that, 1 man and 1 animal returned to their usual lodging at the Dusk Wheat inn.

On the way back, they bought some simple food from the open air stalls.

At any rate, since they couldn’t eat it all at once, he stored the rest into the Misty Ring as they wouldn’t rot and would stay fresh. Because of that, he went shopping without reserve.

While contributing to the sales of the food stalls as usual, they arrived back at the Dusk Wheat inn. As he said goodbye to Set at the stables, Rei saw a scene outside of his imagination in the inn.

「Ah, Rei. Come here, come here. Why were you so slow?」

Firuma called out to him while drinking a glass of wine.

「He certainly was slow.」

Supervia added in as he ate a large meat stew.

「……」

Scola was concentrating on his magic book in the same way as in the meeting room and didn’t notice Rei.

「……Hmph.」

Arogan carried a meat skewer to his mouth while turning his head away.

「Were you surprised?　Then the surprise was a success.」

Culotte greeted Rei with a smile.

「……What’s going on?」

While replying to the 5 people, he went to the table.

「What, it’s the celebration for passing the rank up test. Because it’s a special event, you have to celebrate.」
「No, I mean I never heard about this?」
「That’s right. The rest of the party talked about it when you were still in the meeting room.」

Understanding that it seemed to have been decided when he had been forcibly detained, Rei sat down in an empty seat.

Then, as if waiting for that, Lana gave a Rei a glass of wine.

「Rei-san, congratulations on passing the rank up test.」
「Ahh, I did it somehow.」
「Now then, lets raise a toast in celebration with Rei……hey, Rei. Because you’re the party leader you also have do this.」

Forcibly told by Culottes, he lifted his wine glass while spitting out a sigh.

「Then, to congratulate all members who participated in the rank up test and passed successfully and for our future activities……cheers!」
『Cheers!』

At this time, Arogan did not object and happily gave a toast before drinking.

「That said, as expected the rank up test was tough. Both physically and mentally.」

Culotte said that while frowning her eyebrows slightly. Although the alcohol may have been an influence, you could tell from her tone that she had gotten over killing people.

「That’s true, it’s not a very pleasant thing to talk about though.」

Firuma agreed to that.

Though it didn’t really show on her face while fighting, in the end, she still was under considerable mental pressure to kill a person.

「……Oh, sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to talk about those gloomy things. Changing the topic. What are everyone’s plans after reaching rank D?　As for me……」

Culotte hesitated and and glanced towards Arogan and Scola for an instant.

「I’ll be forming a party with those 2.」

Those surprising words were said.

「Hey, there’s no need to tell everyone else.」
「What. There’s no problem if it’s the people we ranked up with. I mean, we’re in the same group.」
「……I thought you 2 were arguing about the matter of the reward, when did it become like this?」

At Culotte’s remark, Rei was amazed and asked with a surprised face.

But instead of Arogan or Culotte answering that, it was Scola, who had finally stopped reading his magic book to enjoy his meal.

「That seems to be the cause of it」
「That?」
「Yes. After arguing about the reward, they ended up getting along with each other. So the talk progressed smoothly after that.」
「No, I mean, are you fine with that?　You were originally in a party with Culotte.」

Supervia interjected as he heard the conversation between Rei and Scola but Scola nodded with no problems.

「Hey, you know that Culotte and I are a thief and mage?　Because the party was only us 2, we had talked about the lack of a vanguard for a while. If we divided us 2 into front and rear, only Culotte could take the front……but in the end, she’s a thief. We determined that we had a lack of defensive power. If you think about it, I’m happy that a strong warrior like Arogan has entered the party.」
「But, have you thought about party compatibility?」

To Firuma’s question, he gave a wry smile at their quarrel……or rather, Arogan and Culotte’s playful argument.

「Well you see, those two are similar.」
「……Something like arguing in the family.」

As Rei murmured, maybe because of the alcohol that they had drank, Scola, Supervia and Firuma unintentionally burst into laughter.

「Then why don’t the three of you set up a party?　With Supervia and Rei in the vanguard as a warrior and magic warrior, and with Firuma, who can use spirit magic and the bow, in the rear, I think the balance is perfect.」
「Hmm. That’s an interesting thought, I would join if I can defeat Rei……well, at the very least not until the point I can fight with him for at least 5 minutes.」

With a wry smile, Supervia muttered as he drank his glass of wine before ordering some ale from Lana, the proprietress.

With his pride as a warrior, he probably couldn’t accept being weaker than Rei and leeching off him.

「Well……I don’t particularly mind. What about you Rei?」

At Firuma’s words, Rei shook his head.

「Whether you make a party or not, it will be impossible for while.」
「Ara~, why?」

Everyone at that place, including Arogan and Culotte, who were arguing playfully just a few seconds ago, looked towards Rei. He judged that the people here wouldn’t spread the story and started to speak.

「I’ve received a bit of a difficult request. Because I don’t know how long I will be with the other party, it will have to wait until that is settled.」
「Ah, is that the reason why you had to remain in the meeting room?」

He nodded to Culotte’s words.

「Ahh. Even though I’ve just risen to rank D, I was suddenly given a nominated request.」
「……Well, it’s not a strange story given Rei’s strength.」

Supervia nodded while saying that.

He had fought mock battles with with Rei until they reached the bandit hideout during the test, seen his abilities during the battle against the bandits and fought mock battles with him on the way back. To Supervia, who had had a mock battle with Rei for almost every day during the rank up test, he didn’t find anything strange with Rei receiving a nominated request as soon as he reached rank D. Rather, he felt that it was a recognition of his fighting strength.

「Though I acted as the party leader this time, I understand that I’m not suited for group actions. At the very least, being the party leader is too unpleasant to accept.」
「Though you can certainly solo if you’re strong enough Rei……isn’t it a little risky?」
「Though I understand Culotte’s worries, I have my companion, Set……ahh, he’s my Griffon. We can work as 1 man and 1 animal for now.」

In fact, if you just think of Set’s combat strength, he was a strong monster, a Griffon. He had also learned several skills by absorbing magic stones. As for his combat strength, you could say that it was greater than an A rank adventurer.

(Adding to that, there’s also the matter of arguing over magic stones. Considering that, it’s one of the reasons to solo.)

While thinking that in his mind, he brought some of the stir fried Poison Toad thigh meat to his mouth.

At that moment, the door into the Dusk Wheat opened and two people walked inside.

And the two people went straight to the table Rei was at.

「I heard it in the guild, congratulations on ranking up.」
「Congratulations」

A mage and an archer said that to him. Rei recognised both of them.

「Sulunin, Ecryll. It’s been a while. Thanks for looking after Set while I was away.」
「No, no, we should say thanks to you. ……Ah, mind if we join?」

To Sulunin’s voice as he looked around, as there wasn’t any objections in particular, they all nodded and directed him to a seat.

「But still, rank D already. It seems you’ll catch up to us in no time.」
「Oba-chan, can you get me and him some ale? Um, please pick something suitable.」

Ecryll made an order for Lana as she sat down on a seat as well.

「Rei, these people are……」

At Firuma’s question,

「Ahh. They are Sulunin and Ecryll from Scorching Wind. I met them during the Orc subjugation. ……Come to think of it, where’s Milein?　Is she doing something else today?」
「Ah……that is.」

Sulunin scratched his cheek with a wry smile. Just by seeing this, Rei roughly guessed.

「I see, the stables.」
「Yes. We heard in the guild yesterday that Rei-kun had come back, so it seems she misses Set even more.」
「So, that’s the reason she rushed to the stables. ……Well, that’s fine. She’ll come in here to drink sooner or later」
「That’s right. I think that’s highly likely. Then, to celebrate everyone’s promising promotion, we’ll pay tonight.」
「……Are you sure?　I thought you said you had no money a little while ago.」
「What, we were able to take out the Treants without much effort because of Set. We have enough to spare now.」

In this way, the festivities continued.

During the feast, Scorching Wind, Firuma and the other 5 threw away all their reservations as they relaxed in their own ways.

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