As Rei and Seto soared into the sky to begin their scouting mission, the others watched in awe of the gryphon’s majestic form. Once the pair disappeared into the clouds, the group gathered to focus on the tasks at hand.
The drivers brought the carriages together in a tight cluster. Standing about ten meters away were Residence, the examiner from the guild, and the noble participants: Maruka, Arnihit, and Orchidée. Maruka’s guard, Koan, stood watch beside them. The three exam participants—Robre, Shtie, and Onz—waited in the middle ground, positioned so they could quickly rush to the aid of either the carriages or the nobles should an attack occur.
"Seriously, why do they have to huddle up so far from the wagons?" Robre muttered, thrusting the butt end of his spear into the dirt. "It would be a hell of a lot easier to protect everyone if we were all in one spot."
Shtie gave her lover a wry smile, hoping to ease his tension. "It’s out of our hands. The enemies were weak up until now, so this escort duty is almost certainly being factored into the results. Even if your personalities don't mesh, make sure you don't slack off on your protection."
"Yeah, I wouldn't slack off over something like that. More importantly..." He glanced toward Onz, who stood a short distance away with daggers drawn, eyes warily scanning the perimeter. "I’m not sure I can sync up with that guy. He doesn't say a word no matter what I say to him."
"That may be true, but he's taking the Rank Up Exam, so his skills must be reliable. Our numbers are small as it is, so we have to cooperate where we can."
"Then what about that Koan guy? Can we count on him? From what I can see, he looks like he knows his way around a fight."
"Of course he does. He’s the guard for the daughter of a duke's house, after all."
"But why is a duke's daughter just a kid...?"
To Robre and Shtie, Maruka was nothing more than a child. In reality, she was a prodigy of magic, but unlike the famous Princess General Elena, Maruka’s name was known only within specific aristocratic circles. Consequently, the two adventurers from the City of Gilm had no idea what the name Maruka Quinto truly signified.
"Now then, the main event is finally beginning. What are your thoughts?"
In the area where the nobles were gathered, Residence addressed the group.
"Well, as for me, I have no doubts regarding Rei’s abilities," Maruka answered first. She immediately vouched for her friend, and Residence nodded as if it were only natural.
"Indeed, Rei possesses more than enough strength to reach Rank B," Residence agreed. "However, as you know, a B-Rank adventurer requires more than pure combat power. They need proper etiquette toward nobles and royalty, and above all, the decisiveness to act in the interest of the city or the state during an emergency. Regarding Rei, his combat power is a guaranteed pass. However, his etiquette is... problematic. That leaves his decisiveness. I suspect he is capable of making sound judgments, but we shall see how he handles himself."
Maruka’s expression turned complicated. While she wanted her friend to pass, she couldn't deny that his manners were non-existent. Maruka herself was young and disliked stifling formalities, so Rei’s habit of speaking to nobles as equals was actually refreshing to her. However, she was well aware that she was a rare exception.
An ordinary noble would find his attitude intolerable. In fact, Arnihit—who had traveled to the City of Gilm specifically to scout Rei—was currently scowling at the mere mention of the boy’s speech.
Don’t slip up, Rei, Maruka thought.
Arnihit spoke next. "I’m leaning toward the beastman woman, Shtie. Unlike her partner, she seems to understand proper etiquette toward her social superiors. The question is her skill... how does she fare in that department?"
Residence gave a small nod. "She is a capable adventurer of Gilm. You will be able to judge her combat prowess for yourself during the Bicorn subjugation."
"Hmph. I pray she proves useful."
Orchidée, who had been yawning listlessly beside Arnihit, spoke up. "Then what about that wolf beastman, Robre?"
"He’s a no," Arnihit stated flatly.
"Being competitive isn't a bad quality for an adventurer," Arnihit continued. "However, his ego is far too large. Furthermore, his obsession—or rather, his blatant jealousy—regarding his partner is excessive. If he lets his emotions cloud his judgment like that, I can't see him being a viable recruit."
The others, including Maruka and Koan, seemed to agree, offering no objections.
If Robre had heard this conversation with his sharp beastman senses, he likely would have flown into a rage. Fortunately, Maruka had deployed a special barrier using wind magic to keep their voices from leaking out, sparing Robre the insult.
"That leaves the final one, Onz..."
A wry smile appeared on Residence’s lips, and Arnihit quickly voiced the reason for it.
"He is difficult to read. He's so laconic that I have no idea what’s going on in his head."
"True," Orchidée added with a sigh. "He seems more reliable than a flighty sort, I suppose. But considering he’s been stuck at Rank C for this long, maybe we shouldn't expect much growth from him."
Koan, the former A-Rank adventurer, raised an objection. "Actually, reaching Rank B is a hurdle that many fail to clear. The fact that he's even here at his age proves he has persistence."
"So there is still potential for growth," Maruka added.
"Yes," Residence said. "The guild guarantees his skill. You needn't worry on that front."
"Hmm. In that case, the only mystery is his etiquette. Since he rarely speaks, his manners are an unknown. The same goes for his decisiveness."
As they spoke, the nobles began assigning internal scores to each of the exam participants.
Meanwhile, five minutes away by air, Rei and Seto circled the sky.
"...There's no mistake. Those are Bicorns," Rei muttered, looking down at the pack of horse-type monsters. Each creature possessed two wicked horns growing from its forehead.
"Guruuuu." Seto let out a low, perplexed trill.
They were watching a pack of about thirty Bicorns as they descended upon a group of Goblins. The Bicorns utilized their numbers to slaughter the smaller monsters. They gored them with their twin horns or trampled them underhoof, their prey’s movements slowed by the poison spreading through even the slightest scratches.
The scene was particularly gruesome for the leader-like Goblin. The Bicorns crowded around it, tearing out and devouring its shoulders, arms, and internal organs.
Rei had imagined Bicorns to be something like a subspecies of Unicorn. In reality, the fangs protruding from their mouths were sharp and clearly designed for tearing flesh. Even though Rei knew of carnivorous horses, the sheer ferocity of these creatures exceeded his expectations.
I guess it shouldn't be that surprising, he thought, forcing his nerves to settle. If there are killer rabbits like Gamelions out here, there can certainly be carnivorous horses.
Having confirmed the target’s location, Rei turned back toward the group.
It was only a five-minute flight for a gryphon, but it would likely take an hour by carriage or several on foot. His greatest concern was whether the pack would move, but fortunately, the Bicorns were lying down to rest after their feast.
They should be stationary for a while. And even if they move, they'll likely charge at us the moment they catch the scent of meat approaching, Rei thought. But what should I do about Seto?
He stroked the gryphon’s back. It was obvious that even the ferocious Bicorns would recognize the threat posed by an A-Rank monster and flee if they sensed Seto's presence.
Maybe Marina let me bring Seto along just to see how I'd handle this handicap? It’s possible. Without Seto, finding the pack would have been a massive pain... actually, with a thief and beastmen in the party, they probably could have tracked them eventually. Either way, I need to consult the others.
Rei signaled Seto and glided back toward the wagons.
Amidst the tense atmosphere, the first person to notice their approach was not the beastmen, but Onz. The thief spotted the shape in the clouds and lightly tapped Robre on the shoulder.
"Hm? What is it? An enemy?" Robre asked, his hand tightening on his spear's shaft.
Onz silently pointed toward the sky.
Robre leveled his spear reflexively, only to breathe a sigh of relief when he recognized the familiar silhouettes. "It’s Rei. If he’s back, he must have found them."
"I hope so," Shtie said. "Let's get ready to move. I'll go inform the nobles, though I’m sure they’ve already noticed."
By the time she turned, Koan was already pointing Rei out to Maruka. Arnihit, Orchidée, and Residence all turned their attention to the descending gryphon.
"Bicorns aren't particularly high-rank monsters, so the fight itself should be manageable," Robre muttered. "Unless the clients end up dragging us down."
"Don't start that," Shtie scolded. "Handling the clients is part of the exam. If it were just a matter of killing the monsters, the guild would have just posted a simple subjugation request on the board."
Onz nodded silently in agreement. Robre didn't argue further, and the group waited in silence as Rei and Seto touched down.
"I found the pack," Rei announced as he stepped off Seto’s back.
The expressions of everyone present tightened. The hunt was officially on.
"They’re straight south from here. It’s about an hour's drive by carriage. They just finished eating a group of Goblins and are resting now. There are about thirty of them. What’s the plan?"
Rei addressed only the exam participants. Residence and the nobles stood a short distance away, watching and listening intently.
This is the real test, Shtie realized, her mind racing. How we choose to handle the pack will determine our scores. We can't afford a mistake.
"There's one more thing," Rei added. "If we initiate the attack as a group, the Bicorns will likely sense Seto’s presence and run. Based on my experience, it’s almost a certainty."
"They'll flee if they sense Seto, huh?" Shtie mused. "Fortunately, Bicorns are pack-driven monsters. We can use that. I have an idea..."
As Rei watched, Shtie began to lay out the strategy she had devised.