By the time the world outside was shrouded in darkness, nearly ten people had gathered in the meeting room on the Guild 2F.
Since the sun had already set despite it being the peak of summer, one could easily guess just how late into the night it was. However, the Guild was technically open twenty-four hours a day, three hundred and sixty-five days a year. Magic items powered by magic stones provided illumination throughout the building, so the darkness posed no practical problem.
Nevertheless, the heat in the room was palpable. Sweat glistened on the faces of those present as they engaged in a boisterous, heated debate, occasionally cooling their throats with fruit water chilled by magic items.
Given the late hour, the honest desire of everyone in the room was likely a cold fruit wine rather than water. This was made even more true by the fact that, even now, the muffled sounds of revelry and cheers from the tavern annexed to the Guild reached their ears.
"As far as I'm concerned, Shtie is acceptable, but Robre is still too green for B-Rank," Arnihit declared, bringing a cup of cold fruit water to her lips. "The fact that our personalities didn't mesh is one thing. But if he allows personal friction to cloud his vision and dull his decisiveness, I cannot feel safe commissioning him if an emergency arises."
If the candidates who had participated in the Rank Up Exam were here to witness this, they would have been floored. Setting aside Rei, who had already deduced that her behavior was largely an act, Robre would have been especially shocked. To the wolf beastman who had clashed fundamentally with her, seeing that she didn't actually possess the arrogant disposition she had displayed during the exam would have been beyond belief.
While Arnihit was naturally a bit strict with others, she wasn't truly the haughty tyrant she had played. After all, she had come to Gilm specifically to recruit Rei into her service. Furthermore, she hadn't been purged by Egg or Marina during their operation to remove anyone likely to cause trouble for Rei. These facts alone proved that her personality during the Rank Up Exam had been a calculated performance.
"True. I understand Lord Arnihit's point," one of the guild staff members replied with a sigh.
Residence, who had been listening to the conversation, offered a wry smile. "I must say, I didn't expect him to go so far as to tell Lord Arnihit that she wasn't fit to be a noble... especially since she wasn't even the one who brought up the Bicorn bribe during the interview—that was Lady Maruka."
Since this was a formal meeting with nobles and his own superiors, Residence spoke with a polite, measured tone, a sharp departure from the casual manner he used with Rei and the others.
"There is nothing inherently wrong with being straightforward," Residence's superior interjected. "But that only holds true if one actually understands their own temperament. Acting solely on the whims of one's emotions is another matter entirely. His combat power barely reaches the passing grade for B-Rank, but his etiquette is a failure, and his judgment is equally disqualified. Even when dealing with Arnihit, the client for this exam, he couldn't even conduct a proper conversation."
Arnihit gave a pained smile at the superior's assessment. "I may have been a bit childish myself. However, even if I were to issue a nomination request in the future, I unfortunately have no intention of hiring him."
"Personally, I do not mind that sort of fiery personality," Lady Maruka added, rubbing her eyes as she took a sip of cold fruit water to fight back her drowsiness. "That said, I am reluctant to promote a selfish individual to the status of a high-rank adventurer. I agree that we should pass over this candidate for now."
Despite possessing wisdom and abilities far beyond her years, Lady Maruka’s body was still that of a seven-year-old child. She was currently locked in a fierce battle with the natural urge to sleep.
"He didn't really try to pick a fight with me," Orchidée chimed in with a yawn. "He likely possesses a reasonable degree of tolerance toward anyone he doesn't perceive as hostile."
While Arnihit had been playing a part, Orchidée's laziness was his true nature. Consequently, he had barely interacted with Robre at all. However, that distance had allowed him to observe the friction between Robre and Arnihit from a detached, objective perspective.
"I see. Well then... how did he look from your eyes?"
Residence's superior turned his gaze toward a man in his forties who had remained silent until now, simply listening to the others.
Had Rei, Robre, or Shtie been in the room, they would have been stunned. This man, currently deliberating on the exam results alongside the guild staff, was none other than the silent companion who had taken the Rank Up Exam right alongside them.
"The potential is there," the man said. "But it's too early."
"...I see. If even Onz rejects him, then it's settled."
Indeed, the man's name was Onz.
He was a silent, inconspicuous figure who had acted as an undercover examiner. Even Rei and Shtie, who had suspected Arnihit's group was hiding something, had failed to notice his true identity. It was a testament to the man's exceptional skill. In fact, he had been specifically invited from outside of Gilm to serve as an impartial judge for this particular exam.
When the committee had first gathered in this room, Lady Maruka, Koan, Arnihit, and Orchidée had all been surprised to see him. It was only after Residence explained his role that they finally understood. Arnihit, however, had looked a bit put out that she'd been fooled.
"Very well. Regarding Robre, his promotion to B-Rank is officially rejected."
With the supreme authority's word, Robre's failure was the first result to be finalized.
"Next is Shtie. She is a fox beastman and an archer. The power of her bow is quite high; of all the candidates, she was the one striking the Bicorns from the greatest range."
The committee members nodded in approval at Residence's assessment. Archers were highly valued; the ability to strike enemies from a long distance was an advantage ordinary warriors lacked, and skilled marksmen were far rarer than frontline fighters.
"Regarding her etiquette toward nobles, she is in a different league than Robre," Arnihit added. "She seemed a bit unaccustomed to formal conversation, but that is something she will grow into once she begins working as a B-Rank adventurer."
With her combat skills and etiquette receiving high marks, it seemed as though her promotion was a certainty. But then...
"However, her decisiveness is somewhat lacking," Residence noted. "Regarding the Bicorn matter that Lord Arnihit and the other nobles proposed... I believe Lord Orchidée was the one who approached her?"
Residence looked toward Orchidée, who nodded and spoke up.
"Yeah, that was me. She turned me down when I made the offer, but she hesitated. It wasn't that she was considering letting the Bicorns go, but she seemed to be overthinking the situation entirely."
"Is thinking not a virtue?" one of the guild staff members argued. "I believe it's far better than accepting or refusing blindly."
Orchidée shook his head slightly. "In a normal situation, perhaps. But judging by her behavior at the time, it looked as though she was trying to find a way to settle things half-heartedly. That's just my impression, of course... but how did the interview go?"
Orchidée stifled another small yawn as he looked toward Residence. The examiner nodded, looking a bit conflicted.
"Well, during the interview, I gave her the chance to speak freely, but she spent quite a while testing the waters before saying anything. Eventually, she did confess that Lord Orchidée had approached her to let the Bicorns escape, but it took a significant amount of time to get it out of her. Given that, I have some lingering doubts about her ability to make split-second decisions in a crisis."
"But she did speak up in the end. I believe that's enough to consider it a pass," the guild staff member insisted, and several others nodded in agreement.
"Onz, what about you? Is Shtie fit for B-Rank?"
At the superior's question, every eye in the room turned to the taciturn man. Onz gave a short nod.
"Her raw power is a bit of a concern, but her latent potential is high. More importantly, unlike Robre, she doesn't let her blood boil. She is the type who excels at coordinating with and utilizing others."
"Oho. That is quite the high praise compared to your review of Robre," Lady Maruka said with a small smile, still rubbing her sleepy eyes.
"Does anyone else have anything to add regarding Shtie?"
"She undeniably functions as the social glue for her party," Arnihit noted. "Also, I'm not sure if this is a requirement for B-Rank, but her cooking is decent. Even if she were to travel with a noble, her food wouldn't necessarily satisfy, but it certainly wouldn't be inedible."
"...Was it? I don't really remember the food," Orchidée admitted. "That water Rei provided was so incredible it's all I can recall."
At Arnihit's mention of the meal, Orchidée spoke the truth. The lunch Shtie had prepared was actually quite good for a field meal made with limited ingredients. However, because the water Rei had produced using his magic power and the Dagger of Flowing Water tasted like celestial nectar, her cooking had been relegated to the status of a forgettable side dish.
"Indeed, that water was exquisite," Lady Maruka agreed. "I doubt even the Royal Family has tasted anything quite like it."
Lady Maruka was the daughter of Duke Quento and a high-ranking noble of the King's Faction. Hearing her praise the water so highly made the guild staff members who hadn't tasted it gulp in wonder. It was difficult for them to imagine water being so flavorful that it left such a lasting impression on a noble.
Sensing the discussion was veering off-track, Residence's superior cleared his throat. "Regardless, while Shtie still has some maturing to do, I judge her capable of functioning at B-Rank. Any objections?"
Silence filled the room. No one spoke up.
"Then Shtie's promotion to B-Rank is approved. Now... finally, there is the matter of Rei."
The moment the name was spoken, the atmosphere in the room shifted. Some people frowned openly, while others wore grins as if they found the whole thing entertaining.
Residence, as the one who had spent the most time with him, took the lead. "To be blunt, his combat capability is not an issue. He is more than qualified for B-Rank; in fact, I believe he could hold his own at A-Rank."
"...Indeed," a guild staff member agreed. "Considering he is an alias holder, his strength is beyond doubt."
Everyone in the room was well aware of Rei's prowess. Many of the guild staff had watched him since his first day in Gilm. He had slain an Orc King as a G-Rank just to get his permit to leave the city. More recently, he had single-handedly decimated the Bestia Empire's lead unit to earn his alias, and he had even taken down a Lemures—a monster so massive and powerful it bordered on A-Rank status.
"So the only remaining criteria are things other than combat. How does he fare there?"
At his superior's question, Residence hesitated for a moment. "His judgment seems sound. During the interview, he reported Lord Arnihit's bribe attempt immediately. He could have perhaps been a bit more tactful, but at the very least, I don't believe he would ever make a choice that would harm the country, the Guild, or the city of Gilm."
"I see. Then the final hurdle is his etiquette..."
"That... is complicated," Residence admitted. "To be honest, it's subtle at best. However, I didn't sense any actual malice from him. I've heard he was raised by a master deep in the mountains, so his lack of polish is likely inevitable."
Most of the officials fell into deep thought at Residence's words. Aside from his manners, Rei was overqualified for B-Rank. But those manners were the sticking point.
The committee continued to debate Rei's promotion for another hour. By the time they finally reached a verdict, midnight had already passed over the city.