The day after he made the promise to entrust Seto to Scorching Wind, Rei was walking down the main street toward the main gate with Seto, well before the nine o'clock bell rang.
Seeing Seto on the main street, the townspeople and adventurers who knew the Gryphon tried to offer him his favorite treats like dried meat, bread, or fruit. But today, Seto merely gave a low cry and refused to take anything.
"Hey, did something happen to Seto? He usually loves my dried meat," a boy around ten asked worriedly.
Rei smiled wryly and looked down at his partner. "It’s just that… well, I have to be away from Seto for a while for a request, so he’s feeling lonely. Talk to him, kid. It’ll help cheer him up. Don’t be discouraged, and keep playing with him, okay?"
"Okay!"
Watching the boy run off after a cheerful reply, Rei gave Seto’s head a little scratch.
"Seto, pull yourself together. Like I told you yesterday, a week will pass in no time. Besides, if things go smoothly, we should be back in about five days."
"Guruuu..." Seto let out a low, mournful cry from the back of his throat.
Rei stroked Seto’s back, following the scratch on his head, to soothe him. Enjoying the silk-like texture of the feathers, he proceeded down the main street until the main gate finally came into view.
"Ah, Rei. Are you on a request today as well?" Ranga, seeing Rei, walked straight over to greet him.
"No, it’s for my Rank Up exam. But wait a moment. My meeting is right here..."
"Seto-chan! Have you been well? Oh, and Rei, haven't seen you since yesterday."
As if on cue, Rei noticed that Mirene, the leader of Scorching Wind—the party he was entrusting Seto to—was already hugging Seto, stroking his head and back.
"Mmm, the same wonderful feel as always… But he really does seem down, doesn't he? It must be lonely to be away from Rei, but please look after us for the next few days, Seto-chan."
"Oh, Mirene... 'Away from Rei,' you say?" Ranga asked.
"Actually, Rei is about to take his Rank Up exam, but it seems the Guild told him a Gryphon would be excessive force. However, he thought it would be pitiful to keep Seto locked up in the inn's stables for nearly a week, so we’re going to look after him while the exam is being held," Surnin explained to Ranga, who hadn't quite grasped the situation.
Ranga showed a look of understanding at the explanation, but he still turned to Rei to fulfill his duties.
"Entrusting a Tamed Monster to an acquaintance is fine, but since you are the one who registered him, you’ll be held responsible if anything happens, Rei… Are you aware of that?"
"I heard the details from Surnin yesterday. I’ve judged that I can leave Seto in their hands with peace of mind."
"I see. If you’re aware of the risks, then I have nothing more to say. Please show me your Guild Card and Tamed Monster's Necklace."
Following Ranga’s instructions, Rei took his Guild Card out of the Misty Ring and handed over the Tamed Monster's Necklace that had been around Seto’s neck.
"Yes, everything is in order. Well then, please be very careful."
Leaving the Tamed Monster's Necklace with Ranga, Rei took back only his Guild Card and headed outside the main gate with Scorching Wind.
"Well then, we have a Treant subjugation request, so we’ll take our leave here. We’ll be as careful as possible with Seto-chan, so you make sure to work hard on your Rank Up exam, Rei. Look, your group is over there, right?"
Following Mirene’s finger, Rei saw a single, somewhat large carriage. Standing next to it were Gran, the examiner, and Superbia, who would be his teammate for the duration of the mission.
"Yeah. I’m counting on you to look after Seto. Seto, I’m looking forward to seeing you again in a week."
"Guruuu..." Seto rubbed his head against Rei’s chest lonely, but Rei gave his head one last light pat before walking toward Gran.
"Guruuu!"
Giving one last cry, as if to say 'do your best,' Seto set off down the highway with Scorching Wind.
"Is that Gryphon the Tamed Monster you mentioned yesterday? ...He certainly has an incredible presence," Superbia said as Rei approached the carriage.
"Yeah. He’s my irreplaceable partner. More importantly, you’re early."
"I am. My daily sword training every morning is part of my routine, so I’ve naturally become an early riser." Superbia gave the longsword at his waist a light pat.
"I see. So, Gran. Is this the carriage the Guild prepared?" Rei asked, turning his gaze toward the vehicle.
In terms of size, it was the same model as the one they had used for the Orc subjugation. It might be a bit cramped for seven people—the six candidates plus Gran—but since they had to provide their own driver and lookout, there would be no practical inconvenience. However, there was one glaring difference from the Orc mission.
"They're small."
Rei was looking at the horses. They weren't the warhorses used for the Orc subjugation, but perfectly ordinary horses. To Rei, who still had a strong impression of the powerful warhorses, they felt small and unreliable. Although, perhaps as a compromise, there were three horses hitched to the carriage instead of two.
Sensing Rei's thoughts, Gran gave a wry smile as he stroked the back of one of the horses.
"I know what you're comparing them to, but warhorses are valuable assets for the Guild. Even if I were to submit a request for them for a D-Rank Rank Up exam, it would only be rejected."
While they were talking, Culotte and Schola soon appeared from the main gate.
"Good morning. I'll be in your care for a while."
"I look forward to working with you."
The two of them approached and bowed their heads in greeting. Their behavior had undergone a complete transformation from the day before; they were now quite demure. It was hard to believe they were the same people who had snapped at Rei with such intensity during the briefing.
Sensing Rei's confusion, Schola approached him and Superbia while Culotte spoke with Gran.
"You're surprised because Culotte's acting differently than yesterday, right?"
"Yeah."
"It certainly is quite a change," Superbia added.
Schola gave a wry smile. "Actually, despite how she looks, Culotte gets terrible stage fright. This is her first Rank Up exam, and her enthusiasm just ended up running wild."
The three of them looked at Culotte as she spoke with Gran, surprised by Schola's words. Now that it had been mentioned, Rei could see that Culotte was still carrying quite a bit of tension.
(A thief acting as the eyes of the party being this stiff isn't very reassuring. If Seto were here, I wouldn't have to worry about that.)
Seto's senses were fitting for his rank—literally in the realm of the superhuman. Whenever Rei and Seto took a request, Seto was always the one to discover enemies or sense approaching presences. As the newly appointed party leader, Culotte's current state was a concern for Rei.
"Oh, everyone is early. Am I the last one? Good morning."
A new voice called out. It was Filma, the elf, carrying her bow and a quiver slung over her back.
After they all exchanged greetings and discussed the upcoming exam, the nine o'clock bell finally rang out.
(...Where is Arrogan?)
Rei looked around, but there were only six of them including Gran. The others noticed as well and began searching the area with their eyes. Sensing the silent pressure on him as the party leader, Rei turned to Gran.
"Arrogan hasn't shown up despite the nine o'clock bell. What happens in a case like this?"
"Ah—well. I didn't exactly anticipate this. However, for an adventurer, being late for the start of a request is a massive negative point. If someone is late on the actual day of the exam, they can hardly expect to reach a higher rank..."
Just as Gran was about to declare Arrogan disqualified, the man appeared, walking leisurely from the main gate.
"My bad, am I late?" he asked in a light, unapologetic tone.
"Hey… is that all you have to say?" Superbia asked, his voice tight.
"Huh? What? It's fine since we haven't even left yet, isn't it?"
"Wait, you!" Culotte snapped, unable to take his attitude any longer. "It might not matter to you what happens to your exam, but we're serious about this! What's with that attitude when you're the one who kept us waiting!"
Arrogan just laughed at her. "Hmph. You've got a lot of nerve for someone who couldn't even touch me in yesterday's mock battle."
"What!"
As Culotte prepared to snap back, Schola held her back, while Superbia and Filma glared at Arrogan with icy stares. Rei let out a long sigh.
(In the first place, Culotte is a thief, not a warrior. Winning in his own specialty of combat isn't exactly something to brag about.)
Rei caught Gran's eye. The examiner’s gaze was clear: You're the party leader. Fix it.
Sighing again, Rei pulled the Death Scythe out of the Misty Ring. With a speed that defied the eye, he pressed the blade against Arrogan's throat.
"You were saying something about her not being able to touch you, but have you already forgotten what happened six days ago? Who was it that picked a fight with me in front of the Guild, only to be unable to touch me and have their prized magic sword sent flying?"
"..."
With a massive blade pressed against his neck, Arrogan's bluster vanished instantly. He stared at Rei in silence. The trauma of their previous encounter had clearly left a mark; he couldn't muster the same arrogance he had shown Culotte.
Rei stared him down with a gaze as cold as Filma’s and Superbia’s. "You have something to say, don't you?"
"...I'm sorry I was late. I'll be careful from now on."
Reluctantly, Arrogan muttered his apology. Rei withdrew the Death Scythe into the Misty Ring.
"This isn't an individual exam; it's a party mission. It's your choice to ruin your own chances, but understand that your actions affect everyone else as well. ...Are we clear?"
"...Yeah."
Seeing Arrogan nod, Rei turned back to Gran. "I'd like to set off now."
"From here on, you make the decisions. I'll guide you to the bandit hideout, but I won't offer any advice or assistance otherwise."
Rei nodded and addressed the group. "First, is there anyone here with experience driving a carriage?"
Culotte, Schola, and Superbia raised their hands.
"Alright. The three of you will take turns as the driver. Filma, Arrogan, and I will be the lookouts, watching for monsters. ...However, Arrogan. As a penalty for your lateness, you'll be doing more watch duty than anyone else. If you slack off and we get hit by a surprise attack... the next thing flying through the air won't be your magic sword, it'll be your head. Understand?"
Arrogan saw the lethal seriousness in Rei's eyes and nodded gravely.
"Good. Let's move. Schola, you're the first driver. Arrogan, you're on watch. Everyone else, get the luggage in the back."
With that declaration, the members of the Rank Up exam climbed into the carriage and began their journey.