Lenora, a receptionist at the Adventurer’s Guild in the City of Gilm, twirled the ends of her ponytail as she stared gloomily at the document her superior had just handed her.
The paper was filled with bureaucratic jargon, but it boiled down to three main directives:
• Keep a close watch on the adventurer named Rei.
• If he becomes involved in any conflict with the Noble’s Faction, report it immediately.
• If he is harassed by other adventurers, report it immediately.
"Haa..."
She couldn't help but let out a long sigh as she scanned the lines.
Fortunately, the noon bell was about to ring, and the guild hall was nearly empty. The few adventurers present were already occupied with early lunches.
"What’s wrong? You’re sighing like the world is ending."
The voice came from her colleague at the next counter. It was Kenny, a cat-beastman. She stretched with a feline grace, flaunting the lithe, supple limbs characteristic of the cat-kin. The sight only worsened Lenora’s lingering complex regarding her own modest chest, sparking a flicker of jealousy.
"Here, look at this."
Lenora handed over the document, pointedly looking away from Kenny’s curves.
Kenny, clearly bored with the midday lull, took the paper without hesitation and skimmed it.
"Let’s see... Wait, what is this? What’s going on?"
Her initial curiosity turned to concern, her expression tightening as she reached the bottom of the page.
"It’s exactly what it looks like," Lenora said.
"But the guild isn't supposed to intervene in disputes between adventurers. Why are they ordering us to report everything immediately?"
"That’s strange enough, but look at the signature at the bottom."
Kenny’s eyes dropped to the final approval seal, and she froze. It took several seconds for her to find her voice again.
"Is this... the Guild Master’s personal seal?!"
"It is."
The Guild Master’s seal meant this wasn't just a suggestion from a floor manager; it was a direct order from the head of the branch.
"What did you do, Lenora?"
"I didn't do anything!" Lenora snapped, irritated by Kenny’s suspicious look.
"If you didn't do anything, then why are you getting direct orders from the boss? For that matter, what’s your relationship with this Rei guy?"
"We don’t have a 'relationship.'"
"Then why did you get this?"
"Maybe it’s because he’s human. He spoke to me when he first registered, and he’s brought all his Subjugation Requests to my counter since then."
"So he’s into you? Is he targeting you?"
Lenora shook her head. Kenny’s theory wasn't entirely baseless. The receptionists were the face of the guild, and only the most beautiful candidates were hired. Consequently, they were often the objects of the adventurers’ affection—the "flowers on a high peak" that many dreamed of dating or taking home for a night.
But Lenora, who dealt with Rei directly, didn't feel like he was wooing her at all.
Working at the guild meant being hit on was a daily occurrence. When the tavern section got rowdy, drunkards would often demand that the girls sit and pour for them. Of course, such pests were usually hauled off to the guild’s holding cells for obstructing business and forced to pay hefty fines the following morning. Rei was nothing like them.
"I really don't think that's it. Besides, the 'Rei' in this document is that boy—the one who had the incident with Falcon's Claws."
At that, Kenny’s memory clicked into place. It wasn't rare for veteran adventurers to pick on newcomers, and most rookies just swallowed their pride and played along to avoid trouble. Often, those rookies ended up as gofers for the seniors, which the guild semi-tolerated since it provided them with menial experience.
However, she had never heard of a newcomer picking a fight with a Rank D party—a group considered quite capable—and winning so decisively that he stripped them of their gold and weapons.
Every novice claimed to be hot-blooded, but the gap in combat experience between a veteran and a beginner was usually insurmountable. Rei’s performance had left a lasting impression on everyone who heard the story.
"Oh, that boy... People are saying he’s tamed a Gryphon. I guess the Guild Master sees him as a high-potential rookie."
Kenny visualized him: the hooded robe, the massive Great Scythe. He was so striking that he was easy to remember, even if his facial features remained a bit blurry in her mind thanks to that eye-catching weapon.
"Even so, would the Guild Master give a 'promising rookie' this much special treatment?"
"Hmm... exactly how strong is he?"
"He’s only completed two requests. One for Goblins, one for Soldier Ants. He turned in Proof of Subjugation Parts for nearly ten Goblins, and for the Soldier Ants, he brought in more than thirty."
"...Seriously?"
"Seriously."
Goblins were one thing, but taking down thirty Soldier Ants solo was a tall order even for a Rank C or D adventurer. It certainly wasn't something a Rank G novice should be capable of.
"Ah, right. He has the Gryphon. I suppose that makes it possible."
"I think the fact that he has a Gryphon following him is proof enough of his strength," Lenora added.
"So the Guild Master isn't just looking at a 'promising rookie.' They’re monitoring him because he’s already a major combat asset."
"That seems like the most logical explanation."
"I heard he’s only fifteen," Kenny mused. "With that kind of power at his age, he’s a shoe-in for S-Class eventually."
Rank S. There were only three such individuals in the world, beings of inhuman power. The thought that she was tasked with watching over a future legend sent a shiver down Lenora’s spine.
"So, is Rei-kun coming in today? I haven't seen him yet."
"He took subjugation requests two days in a row," Lenora replied, ignoring the casual suffix Kenny had added to his name. "He’s probably resting today."
"Makes sense. Thirty Soldier Ants is a lot of work."
"Wait, why are you calling him 'Rei-kun' all of a sudden?"
"Well, if he’s a rising star, I want to get on his good side. An older wife has her charms, right? Besides, I’ve got the kind of body men can’t resist."
Kenny smiled smugly, using her arms to emphasize her ample cleavage.
A vein throbbed in Lenora’s temple, but she managed to keep her voice level and her smile thin.
"You might think so, Kenny, but he might have different tastes. And even if he does have talent, he’s still just G-Rank. By the time he reaches S-Rank, you’ll be a total old maid left on the shelf."
Now it was Kenny’s turn for a vein to throb.
"My, my. I suppose girls with scrawny bodies are cursed with scrawny imaginations too."
"...Kenny, are you picking a fight?"
"You’re the one who started it, Lenora."
The tension between them was at a breaking point, but the noon bell saved them, ringing out across the district.
The other guild staff, accustomed to their bickering, hurried off for lunch. Only the unlucky few assigned to the noon shift remained, leaving Lenora and Kenny to glare at one another with their pride on the line.
They were the sort of friends who fought because they were close, or perhaps because they were too similar for their own good. Regardless, the guild’s daily life—neither perfectly peaceful nor truly dangerous—continued on.
"So this is a Potion."
While a war of words was being waged at the guild, Rei was sitting on his bed at the inn, examining a beaker. A blue liquid swirled inside the glass.
Outside, the summer sky was clear and the sun was blazing, but Rei had decided to take the day off from the guild.
He wanted to research the materials he could harvest from the rare Goblin and the Queen Ant. He had spent the morning at a bookstore, dropping several gold coins on a few specialized volumes. On his way back, he had stopped by a tool shop. They sold the usual staples: Potions for physical health, Mana Potions for magic power, and cures for status ailments like poison and paralysis. They even had hunting gear like Tiger Traps.
Since he already had the Death Scythe and the Dragon Robe, he didn't need equipment, but his Misty Ring was lacking in consumables. He had decided to stock up.
The reason the Misty Ring hadn't contained potions was simple: alchemy had only truly advanced after Zephyle’s era. Takumu, drawing on his knowledge of games, had tried to push the field forward, but research had been slow during his lifetime. Back then, potions were rare items that commoners and minor nobles could never hope to afford.
"Drink it or pour it, huh?" Rei muttered, eyeing the blue liquid.
The shopkeeper had explained that use was simple. You could either swallow it or apply it directly to a wound.
Drinking was far more effective. The recovery would spread through the entire body, the effect would last longer, and it even restored a bit of stamina. Applying it topically would heal the specific wound it touched, but that was it—no sustained healing, no stamina boost.
However, most people in this world chose to pour it on. Very few actually drank it. The reason was simple: Potions tasted horrific.
"Ugh... Yeah, I’d rather not drink this if I can help it."
Rei had licked a single drop from his finger to test the shopkeeper’s warning. He winced, his face twisting in disgust.
It tasted like the "green juice" health drinks from Japan, but concentrated to a nauseating degree.
"If I have to choke this down in the middle of a fight, I’ll take the lower efficiency of pouring it on any day."
Even with the superior effects, the risk of being incapacitated by the foul taste made drinking it seem like a suicidal move in combat.
Apparently, there were eccentrics in the world who actually enjoyed the taste, but Rei found that impossible to believe.
Still, having a means of recovery was better than having none, so he tucked the bottles away into the Misty Ring. He had considered looking for an accessory with a passive health regeneration effect—like the one he’d given to Set—but a quick search through his mental list of Zephyle’s treasures revealed that no such item existed.
Rei spent the rest of his day off studying his new books, learning about monster ecology and the valuable parts of a Queen Ant.