On the day he was to receive the briefing for his Rank Up Exam, Rei made his way toward the guild alongside Set, just as he did every morning.
"I don't know exactly what the exam will entail, Set, but let's both do our best."
"Guruuu?"
Me too? Set tilted its head curiously, and Rei reached out to gently stroke its head as they walked.
"Yeah. Unlike last time, it seems you're allowed to come along for this exam. You want to be there too, don't you, Set?"
"Gururuuu!"
Of course! Set cried out in confirmation.
During his previous Rank Up Exam, the primary objective had been a Bandit Subjugation, and the guild had prohibited him from bringing Set. This time, however, he had heard from Guild Master Marina that it wouldn't be a problem—provided he understood that nobles would be present.
Well, a B-Rank Rank Up Exam. I wonder what it’ll be like.
With a mixture of anticipation and lingering concern, Rei arrived at the guild. He parted ways with Set as usual and stepped through the entrance.
The first thing he noticed inside was the crowd—it was unexpectedly thick for this hour.
Normally, the morning rush would have ended by now, leaving only about ten adventurers—those who had slept in or those looking for the less popular requests.
Today was different. While not exactly packed to the rafters, the number of adventurers was far higher than normal.
"This is..."
As Rei stood there, tilting his head in confusion, the adventurers began whispering to one another as they watched him.
"Hey, is that the heavy favorite? Is that Rei?"
"Yeah. Combat-wise, reaching B-Rank should be a given for him... but unlike the D-Rank exam, they aren't just judging pure fighting power this time. When you consider that, Rei might be at a slight disadvantage."
"...Now that you mention it, I’ve heard rumors that he isn't very good with people. In that case, it might actually be difficult for him."
"Who knows? No matter what anyone says, strength is the most important thing for an adventurer. Taking that into account, Rei is definitely the one to beat. I'm putting five silver coins on him."
"Who’s this 'know-it-all' idiot? It's true that high-rank adventurers are strong, but just because someone is strong doesn't mean they’re high-rank material, you know? Especially since I heard they’ve added all sorts of twists to this particular exam."
"The hell was that? You got a problem with my analysis, punk?"
"Now, now, both of you. Don't fight here. Even if the guild tacitly ignores brawls between adventurers, pulling something like that on the day of a Rank Up Exam will get you marked."
"He's an Item Box user, isn't he? That alone gives him a massive edge. Plus, he’s got his own combat power and a tamed monster like Set. ...He’s the favorite, no question. I’m putting five silver coins on Rei."
Hearing their lively banter, Rei finally understood why everyone had gathered.
They're betting on whether I’ll pass... or rather, they’re betting on which of the candidates will pass.
Rei frowned slightly. Even in the City of Gilm, widely considered the heart of the profession, there weren't many who reached B-Rank—the level recognized as a first-rate, high-rank adventurer. Consequently, the B-Rank Rank Up Exam was a prime source of entertainment, and in a way, betting on the outcome was a routine event.
"Ah, Rei-kun. Good morning. You're here for the briefing in the meeting room, right?"
Noticing Rei thanks to the other adventurers' gossip, Kenny called out to him, her animal ears twitching happily.
Unlike the professional smile she offered most adventurers, this was a grin that showed she was genuinely delighted to see him.
Many of the men who harbored feelings for Kenny watched her with captivated gazes, while others directed envious glares at Rei. However, the fact that no one actually tried anything was proof of how firmly Rei’s position in the city had been established.
"Hm? Is Lenora not here today?"
"Lenora is off today. ...Which means I get to have Rei-kun all to myself."
"All to yourself... Well, whatever. It's on the second floor, right?"
"That’s right. Good luck with the exam! I’ve got three silver coins riding on you passing, of course."
"...I see."
Through Kenny's words, Rei finally understood that the betting was guild-sanctioned—or at least tacitly permitted. He let out a small sigh and nodded before heading up the stairs toward the second floor.
As he climbed, he could still hear Kenny's cheers follow him from behind.
"Heh, so you’re the rumored Crimson? You look more ordinary than I expected. Well, I guess any idiot who judges you by your cover is in for a bad time."
"Stop that! Um, er, I'm sorry about him. I'm Shuty, and this rude man is Robre. We're the C-Rank adventurers taking the Rank Up Exam with you. Nice to meet you."
A voice called out to him the moment he entered the meeting room. Turning toward it, he found two adventurers already waiting.
The man who had first addressed Rei was a beastman in his early twenties. He wore partial armor—metal plating covering only his arms, torso, and other vital spots. Dog-like ears sprouted from his head, marking him as either a wolf or dog beastman. A spear roughly two meters long was leaned against the table beside him.
The woman was a fox beastman, with large ears and a fluffy tail extending from her waist. A bow lay on the table, and a quiver was slung across her back. She appeared to be in her early twenties, roughly the same age as Robre.
"Since you're here, I take it you’re both candidates as well?"
"That’s right. We’re your teammates. I heard there was one more person taking the exam, but it looks like they haven't arrived yet."
"Actually, we just got here way too early. Robre was so looking forward to today that since yesterday..."
As Shuty began to explain with a smile, Robre hurriedly clamped a hand over her mouth.
"Hey! Don't go telling strangers embarrassing stuff the moment we meet!"
"Mmph, mmph!"
Shuty looked up at Robre with an accusing gaze. Eventually, he slowly pulled his hand away...
"He’s been so excited since yesterday that he couldn't sleep, so he stayed up late, and because he was up, I couldn't get any sleep either!"
She blurted it all out in a single, rapid-fire breath.
"Shuty!"
"Hmph. Did you think I couldn't read you, Robre? Being together all these years isn't just for show, you know."
...I see.
Watching their exchange, Rei immediately grasped the nature of their relationship. They were a couple who had formed a party together.
"L-L-Look! Just because you’re an Alias Holder doesn't mean I’m going to hold back during the Rank Up Exam! If I’d been in the war, I would’ve earned an alias or two myself..."
Robre’s face was flushed as he spoke, but it was Shuty who replied.
"Oh, hush. It’s not that easy to earn an alias. Besides, the only reason we couldn't participate in the war was because Robre accepted that escort request, wasn't it? Even though we knew the war was starting soon."
"No, well, that was... I spent a bit too much over the winter, and we were short on funds..."
"In other words, it was your own fault. Honestly, you should think about what I have to put up with because of you."
"...Sorry."
From an outsider's perspective, it seemed like Robre held the initiative, but in reality, Shuty clearly held the upper hand.
Rei was slightly surprised by their dynamic, but he suddenly sensed someone else at the door and turned his head.
A human man in his forties stepped into the room.
"Oh, is that person part of the exam too?"
"Hah. To finally be taking the B-Rank exam at that age, he must have no talent at all."
Perhaps thinking he could shift the focus away from his own embarrassment, Robre spoke in a provocative tone, only for Shuty's fist to immediately descend upon his head.
"I-I'm so sorry! Our idiot here... er, he doesn't really mean any harm, he just has a big mouth... I'm sorry! Come on, Robre, you apologize too!"
"Ow!"
Seeing the sheer strength in Shuty's arms as she forcibly pushed the wolf-eared head down, Rei wore a complicated expression.
A fox beastman stronger than a wolf beastman... Well, maybe it's only because they’re a couple.
"Don't worry about it."
The middle-aged man said only that. His rugged face, framed by a thick beard, didn't twitch as he walked past and sat down next to Rei.
He wore leather armor crafted from the hide of some snake-type monster, and his only visible weapons were the two daggers at his waist. At a glance, he looked like a typical thief.
Still, if he’s aiming for B-Rank, it wouldn't be strange if he had some kind of trump card.
As Rei mused on this, Shuty stood up and approached the man.
"Um, I’m really sorry. Truly. Robre didn't mean anything by it. So, could you please forgive him?"
Judging by the man’s brusque manner, she likely assumed he was still angry. Robre, the cause of his lover's bowing and scraping, sat awkwardly scratching his cheek.
As Shuty said, he probably hadn't intended any malice. But since he couldn't take the words back, he had no choice but to watch the situation unfold.
The man gave a small, silent shake of his head before opening his mouth.
"I’m not offended. I’m just a man of few words."
"...Is that so?"
"Yeah."
"Um, if it's okay, could I ask your name?"
"It's Onzu."
Shuty bowed her head once more to the man named Onzu.
"I believe we’ll be working together for this exam, so I look forward to it."
"..."
Onzu nodded silently but said nothing more, sinking back into his quiet vigil.
Robre wore a somewhat dissatisfied expression but refrained from saying anything else, looking away toward the entrance.
"They're here."
At his words, Rei and Shuty also turned their attention to the door. Thirty seconds later, five figures entered the meeting room.
Leading them was a middle-aged man in his late thirties or early forties wearing a guild staff uniform. Everyone present could easily guess that he was the examiner.
Among the remaining four were a girl not yet ten years old and a smiling young man in his twenties.
Rei knew them well. After all, they were people he had befriended only a few days ago.
The two following them into the room were clearly nobles as well.
"Maruka and Koan?"
"Eh? You know them?"
Rei gave a small nod in response to Robre’s question, but before he could say more, the man in the guild uniform spoke.
"Now then, let's begin. I’m Residence. As you can see from my attire, I’m a member of the guild staff and your examiner for this session."
At Residence's words, Robre and Shuty’s expressions turned serious. Rei and Onzu remained neutral as they listened.
"And these are the nobles who have provided the requests for this Rank Up Exam."
As Residence introduced them, one of the noblemen Rei didn't recognize stepped forward. He was a man in his twenties with striking blue hair that reminded one of a clear summer sky.
"I am Arnihit Alwe. I am the heir to a barony, so I expect your conduct to be commensurate with my station. Furthermore, I want you to understand that I am only here because of the guild's persistent requests; normally, I would have no business interacting with people like you."
Arnihit glanced at the adventurers, his gaze suggesting he was looking at stones on the side of the road rather than fellow humans. Robre’s brow furrowed in irritation, but Shuty quietly reached over to squeeze his hand, keeping him in check.
Arnihit likely didn't notice their interaction under the table, but he gave a derisive snort and stepped back.
The next to step forward was the man beside him.
"Orchidée Daphne. Second son of an earl. Nice to meet you."
Orchidée, also in his twenties, spoke with a lazy drawl. He idly toyed with his brown hair, looking at the candidates with an air of profound boredom.
Finally, the young girl stepped forward. It was Maruka Quinto.
"I am Maruka Quinto. I shall be accompanying you for this Rank Up Exam. I look forward to it! This is Koan, my guard. Though he is a former A-Rank adventurer, he will be fulfilling his duties strictly as my protector for this journey."
Maruka spoke with her chest puffed out with pride, while beside her, Koan offered the group a graceful, smiling bow.