"Oh, it looks like the City of Gilm has finally come into view."
Maruka raised her voice in a cheerful lilt from inside the carriage.
It had been several hours since they had finished their lunch—a meal prepared on the spot with the meat of the Bicorns they had just hunted—and had taken a short rest before resuming their journey. By the time the sky began to take on the hues of early evening, Rei and the others had arrived at the gates of Gilm.
The atmosphere inside Duke Quento's House carriage remained lively. Still riding the high of their successful meal, Maruka spoke animatedly about the dishes they had enjoyed and the water Rei had provided—water more delicious than any she had ever tasted in her life.
Furthermore, when Maruka had borrowed the Dagger of Flowing Water from Rei to try producing water herself, the result had been a clear, crisp liquid. Though it lacked the sheer refinement of the water Rei produced, the success had delighted her nonetheless.
However...
"I say, Rei. Would you truly not consider parting with that Dagger of Flowing Water? I am not asking for a handout, mind you. If there is a price I can pay, I shall provide whatever sum you require."
Having taken an extreme liking to the dagger, Maruka had spent the last few hours making repeated offers to buy it.
But for Rei, the Dagger of Flowing Water was a prize he had no intention of losing. It produced an endless supply of water simply by channeling magic power—an incredibly convenient utility for an adventurer. While it wasn't strictly indispensable—he could easily carry barrels of water in his Misty Ring like any other adventurer with high-capacity storage—the sheer quality and taste of the water produced by the dagger were in a league of their own. Rei saw no reason to accept her offers.
"I’m sorry, but I have no intention of letting go of this."
"Young Lady, if you persist any further, Rei-san might truly start to dislike you," Koan interjected gently. "And if that happens, you won't be allowed to play with Seto anymore..."
"M-Mm. That would indeed be a grave problem. ...Very well, I suppose it cannot be helped. I shall have to inquire around Ozos to see if any similar magic items are available."
Ozos. As a city known as the Magic City, it was a bustling hub for the trade of magic items. Having personally witnessed the Bestia Empire's formidable advancements in alchemy during the previous war, the King's Faction of the Kingdom of Mireana was currently working to strengthen its ties with the city. As the only daughter of Duke Quento, one of the faction's most influential leaders, Maruka’s plan to use her connections there was a logical step.
"That's probably for the best," Rei said. "If items like this become more common, it'll make camping much easier for adventurers in general."
"Hmm, perhaps. However, setting aside items for everyday use, I doubt an ordinary adventurer could ever afford such a high-tier magic item."
As Maruka tilted her head thoughtfully, the carriage continued through the gate procedures and headed toward the Guild.
...Meanwhile, Shuty remained in a state of quiet despondency. Despite the fact that his results were aided by a magic item, her pride as a cook had taken a hit when her best efforts were overshadowed by Rei's "mere water."
In the carriage that Rei had once described as being in poor taste sat Robre, Shuty, Arnihit, and Orchidée. The tension was palpable; Robre and Arnihit were fundamentally incompatible and spent the journey pointedly ignoring each other. Orchidée was leaning against the carriage wall, blissfully asleep. Usually, Shuty would have taken the lead in maintaining a conversation to lighten the mood, as she had that morning, but in her current state, such a thing was impossible. Consequently, a strange, heavy silence hung over the interior.
A similar silence occupied the Guild's carriage carrying Onzu and Residence. In their case, however, neither man was the type to find silence uncomfortable, making it a far less awkward journey.
These varied atmospheres—one lively, two silent—finally dissolved as the three carriages pulled up in front of the Guild.
The core of the Rank Up Exam, the Bicorn Subjugation, was complete. All that remained was the final stage: the individual interview.
As everyone stepped out of the carriages, Seto moved toward the Tamed Monster Space and lay down to rest without needing a single word of instruction.
Residence watched the gryphon for a brief moment before turning to the group.
"First of all, good work on the Bicorn Subjugation. As I informed you earlier, the final part of the exam is the individual interview. I will call you one by one from the meeting room."
Without waiting for a response, Residence turned and walked into the Guild.
The others followed him inside, immediately drawing the attention of the adventurers in the common area.
"Oh, they're back. So, how'd it go?"
"Hmm, looking at them... is that Shuty? She looks like she’s lost her spirit. Did she mess up the hunt?"
"That guy Robre looks pretty down too. It was just Bicorns, right? Hard to imagine someone on the verge of B-Rank failing a hunt like that."
"No, I don't think that's it. I know Robre a bit; he wouldn't get that depressed over a single failure."
"Then what is it?"
"How should I know?"
"What about Rei? Can't see much past the hood, but he seems normal enough."
"Well, his pure combat ability isn't something you can measure by C or B-Rank standards anyway. It's still weird having a C-Rank who’s already an Alias Holder."
"True. If Rei fails, it's going to be because of the other requirements, not the fighting..."
Listening to the idle gossip, the group bypassed the counter and headed up to the 2F.
Lenora and Kenny both noticed Rei’s arrival, but the evening rush was in full swing. They were swamped with paying out rewards for completed commissions and processing the paperwork for failed parties. They didn't even have a moment to call out to him.
Kenny let out a long, regretful sigh as she watched Rei disappear up the stairs, but her disappointment was short-lived. Lenora immediately struck her over the head with a rolled document, forcing her back to the mountain of paperwork on her desk.
Despite the late hour, the summer sun was still high, casting plenty of light through the windows of the meeting room on the Guild 2F.
There were nine people gathered in the room: the candidates led by Rei, the examiner Residence, and the nobles led by Maruka.
Once everyone was seated, Residence addressed the candidates.
"As I said, I'll be conducting individual interviews now. I'm the only one who will be questioning you, so you can relax."
Robre let out a visible sigh of relief. Given his intense distaste for Arnihit, the news that he wouldn't have to face the nobles during his interview was clearly a weight off his shoulders.
Residence glanced at Robre and made his decision.
"Good timing. Robre, you're first. The rest of you wait here. The interview will be held in the private room adjacent to this meeting room. Robre, follow me."
"Eh? Oh, right. Understood."
"Good luck, Robre," Shuty called out.
Taking courage from her words, Robre gave a small nod and followed Residence out of the room.
"...I hope he'll be okay. He's never been good at this sort of thing," Shuty murmured.
"Indeed," Maruka said as she settled into the chair Koan had prepared for her. "However, once one's rank rises, encounters with the nobility will only become more frequent. Though, as a B-Rank, one might still avoid them depending on the party's composition."
"True," Shuty replied. "If you're in a party, you can always leave the formal negotiations to another member."
"Elk from the Axe of the Thunder God is a perfect example of that," Rei remarked.
He recalled the face of the A-Rank adventurer—a man who looked like a delinquent who had simply gotten older and stronger. Rei had heard enough stories from Elk himself to know how much he avoided formal ceremonies.
"I certainly can't imagine Elk-san worrying about his manners," Shuty agreed with a faint smile.
"He likely knows the bare minimum," Rei added. "But more than that, he possesses something that far outweighs the need for etiquette."
That "something" was obviously his overwhelming combat power and his unwavering reliability toward his clients.
"Still, I believe a modicum of etiquette is essential," Arnihit chimed in. "Especially if one hopes to be commissioned by the nobility or the royal family."
Maruka and Koan nodded in agreement. While combat might be the primary driver of rank, it was undeniable that social graces opened doors that raw strength could not. In the end, there were very few people as much of an outlier as Elk.
"Whatever. Etiquette and manners are just a hassle," Orchidée muttered lazily. "I can't stand being all stiff and formal."
"Hmph. You should at least try to have some pride as a noble..."
The group continued to talk to pass the time until, about 20 minutes later, Robre returned to the meeting room. He flinched momentarily at the concentrated gaze of everyone in the room before speaking up.
"Rei, you're next."
"...Me?" Rei asked, surprised. He had assumed Shuty would be called next since she was Robre's teammate.
But Robre simply nodded. Understanding that this was the order Residence had chosen, Rei stood up and left the meeting room, feeling the eyes of the others following him.
"Now then, take a seat."
The room next door was a modest space, about six tatami mats in size—perfect for a private consultation. Rei sat in the chair as Residence gestured.
"We're going to begin your interview... but before we get into the formalities, tell me. Is there anything you felt or thought during this Rank Up Exam?"
"Anything at all?" Rei asked.
"Yes, of course."
Rei stared at Residence for a moment, weighing his words, before finally speaking.
"While Seto was herding the Bicorns, Arnihit approached me with a strange proposal. Was that part of the exam?"
Residence’s expression shifted. "...A strange proposal? No, I didn't give any such instructions. What exactly was the nature of this proposal?"
Rei hesitated for a few seconds. Should he report it or stay silent? He weighed the possibilities, but ultimately decided that if this was indeed a test of his character, silence would be the wrong answer.
"She offered to pay me a separate reward if I intentionally let the Bicorns escape. Apparently, she wanted to prevent materials exclusive to the region around Gilm from reaching the rest of the Kingdom of Mireana."
"Are you certain of this?"
"I am."
Residence asked with a tone that conveyed incredulity rather than simple doubt. Rei didn't flinch.
"Listen, I need to be clear. If you are attempting to frame a noble, the consequences will be severe. Are you making this statement with that understanding?"
"I'm not trying to frame anyone. I'm simply reporting a conversation that occurred."
As he spoke, Rei became more convinced that the entire interaction with Arnihit had been a setup—a staged event to test how he would handle corruption.
(Besides, Arnihit's arrogant personality seems almost too perfectly crafted for this exam. If that's the case, then reporting her here is the only correct response.)
"I see. Very well. We will conduct our own investigation into the matter... but I will ask you one last time. Are you absolutely sure? Once this is on the record, there is no going back. You cannot claim it was a joke or a misunderstanding later."
Residence was giving him a final out, implying that if the investigation proved Rei's claim groundless, it would be his own career on the line.
"I’m sure," Rei replied firmly. "If I’m wrong, I’ll take the punishment."
"...Fine. Since you're that certain, I won't say anything more. You'll be informed of the results later. Keep that in mind."
With the matter of Arnihit settled for the moment, the rest of the interview proceeded smoothly. Rei gave his impressions of the exam and his thoughts on his teammates, Robre, Shuty, and Onzu.
The final results of the Rank Up Exam would be revealed in five days. Until then, Rei and the other candidates would have to wait in a state of restless anticipation.