Two days had passed since the dismantling of the Bicorns. Shortly after noon, Rei was walking down the main street toward the guild with Seto.
His reason for going was simple: he had received a message from the guild the previous day. He had been instructed to report there the following afternoon for the announcement of the Rank Up Exam results.
Back when he had taken his exam to reach Rank D, the results had been posted the very next day. However, for this B-Rank exam, five days had passed before the final verdict.
Since Rank B was a tier reserved for those considered highly skilled or first-class, Rei figured the delay was only natural.
"Phew. Rank B... I’m not worried about my strength, but I wonder how they’ll judge the other criteria."
"Guruuu."
Rei patted Seto’s head as the griffon let out a reassuring purr, then bit into a grilled skewer.
The moment he chewed, the fragrant aroma of the sauce filled his mouth, followed immediately by the rich, savory flavor of the meat.
While the sweltering summer heat had dulled the appetites of many around them, Rei was unfazed, buying snacks from various stalls and sharing them with Seto as they strolled along.
"Oh, Rei! Seto! What brings you two out today? Want something to eat?"
"Sorry, I’m actually on a tight schedule. The guild called for me, so I have to hurry," Rei told the stall owner. Despite his claim of being in a rush, he still stopped to buy a ham and vegetable sandwich.
The onlookers who witnessed this contradiction had a few choice thoughts, but they ultimately let it slide without comment.
And so, moving at what Rei considered a "hurried" pace—which involved stopping for light snacks at various stalls and shops along the way—he eventually arrived at the guild.
"Guruuuu."
Seto let out an encouraging cry before lying down in the usual tamed monster space, and Rei headed inside.
Upon entering, he noticed the guild was far more crowded than usual for midday. Even the attached pub was packed with patrons.
He didn't have to listen very long to understand why.
"If we're talking combat power alone, Rei is the favorite and Robre is the challenger."
"Yeah, but this is Rank B. You need more than just a strong arm. Thinking about it that way, that Shtie woman seems like the most sensible pick."
"What about that guy Onz?"
"Who the hell is that? I’ve been in this city a long time, but I’ve never seen anyone named Onz."
"I haven’t seen him either. Personally, I'm betting on Shtie-san because of her overall balance, so I’m not too worried."
"Idiot. There’s no profit in betting on the favorite. I put my money on the dark horse—that middle-aged guy, Onz."
"...What were you thinking? He’s a total unknown. You don't even know what he can do, yet you’re willing to bet on such a long shot? Besides, he only just took the Rank Up Exam at his age. That alone puts him at a disadvantage."
"Heh, that’s exactly why! A man’s got to bet big when it counts. For the record, I wagered the 3 silver coins I got from my last request."
"You're a fool. There’s a true fool right here."
Rei ignored the idle gossip as he approached the counter. Kenny, who had been watching for him since he entered, waved him over, leaving Lenora to organize the paperwork beside her.
"Welcome, Rei-kun. All the other exam participants are already in the meeting room. It’s rare for you to be the last one. Were you so nervous you couldn't sleep? Honestly, I barely got any sleep last night either."
"Kenny, why were you losing sleep? It has nothing to do with Rei-san's Rank Up Exam," Lenora sighed. "Hello, Rei-san. As she said, the others have already gathered. There’s still a little time left, but you should probably head up to the meeting room now."
"Well, you know... I was just worried about whether Rei-kun would make it to Rank B."
"Honestly... fine, whatever."
Rei gave a small smile at the usual bickering between the two, thanked them, and headed to the 2F.
"Rei-kun! If you pass, let's celebrate together!"
He walked away as Kenny’s invitation and the resulting envious glares from the male adventurers followed him up the stairs.
"You certainly took your time. You must be quite confident."
The moment Rei entered the meeting room, he was greeted by Robre’s voice.
For some reason, the look the wolf beastman gave him was laced with a sharp edge.
"I still made it before the deadline, didn't I?"
Two days ago, during the dismantling work, he hadn't been this hostile... Rei thought as he sat down beside Onz.
Rei had no way of knowing that Robre, possessing the keen hearing of his race, had overheard Kenny inviting him on a date and was seething with jealousy.
Of course, since Robre had a lover like Shtie, he didn't actually have any romantic designs on Kenny. Nevertheless, seeing a beauty like her show such blatant affection for Rei was enough to spark a natural sense of envy.
...And all the while, Robre remained blissfully unaware of Shtie sitting next to him, her gaze piercing right through his petty internal monologue.
Ignoring the unspoken romantic tension, Rei sat down and looked toward Onz.
"A lot happened, but I guess today is the last day we'll be working together like this."
Onz nodded silently.
Though he had been sent from another guild as an examiner, Onz had genuinely enjoyed his time acting alongside Rei and the others. He felt a small pang of guilt for having deceived them.
"...They’re here."
While the four of them were killing time with idle talk, Robre eventually muttered as he heard footsteps approaching.
In an instant, the relaxed atmosphere in the room vanished, replaced by a thick, heavy tension.
Robre, Shtie, and Rei all believed they had the strength required for Rank B. However, if it were that easy to rank up, B-Rank Adventurers wouldn't be such a rare breed.
Knowing this, they all braced themselves.
"It seems everyone is here."
Residence entered the room and gave everyone a quick once-over.
Following him were Maruka, Koan, Arnihit, and Orchidée. Everyone present understood that these four had also participated in the evaluation process.
Residence wasted no time and got straight to the point.
"Well, there's no sense in dragging this out. I will now announce the results of the Rank Up Exam. The successful candidates are... Shtie and Rei. Robre has failed."
"I failed!?"
The first to react was, predictably, Robre.
Given his absolute confidence in his own strength, his outburst was hardly surprising.
"...That is correct. While your combat power barely met the passing criteria, we were forced to fail you based on other factors."
"Wait a minute! What other factors!?"
"First, your personality. Being aggressive isn't necessarily bad, but you can't control it. Regarding Lord Arnihit, regardless of whether your personalities clashed, you practically ignored him. That is not the proper attitude to take with a client. Furthermore, during the discussion regarding the Bicorn spoils, you were the first to prioritize your own profit. And during the interview, you expressed more suspicion toward Lord Arnihit than Lady Maruka, even though it was her request that led to the discovery. There are several other minor points, but that is the gist of it."
"..."
The sound of Robre grinding his teeth echoed through the room.
"Now, moving on..."
Having deemed the matter with Robre finished, Residence moved to the next topic.
"Please wait. I have a question."
"If it’s about Robre’s results, the decision was made by guild upper management. It cannot be overturned."
"No, it’s not that."
Shtie cast a worried glance at her lover for a moment, but then her eyes shifted back to Onz—the silent man who had been mentioned as neither passing nor failing.
"Ah, right. I haven't told you all yet. Onz isn't an exam participant. He is an examiner."
"...What?"
Shtie stared at Onz in stunned silence. The revelation was a great enough shock that even Robre temporarily forgot his failure. Rei, too, looked at Onz with an expression of pure surprise.
"..."
Onz met their stunned gazes and nodded silently.
Robre opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately remained quiet. The indignation over his own results had faded, replaced by sheer bewilderment.
"Onz is an adventurer we brought in from another guild specifically for this exam. Believe it or not, he is a Rank B adventurer."
"What? But his guild card... Ah, I see."
Shtie whispered, realization dawning on her. Since it was an official guild request, producing a dummy guild card would have been simple.
"I take it you understand now. Moving on. Shtie, regarding your combat power, it is honestly a bit lacking for Rank B. However, taking your role as an archer into account, you just barely reached a passing grade. Your etiquette, on the other hand, was the highest in the group—though that is partly because Robre and Rei scored so poorly. You also advocated for Onz’s contributions during the loot distribution, and your cooking skills during lunch were quite good. During the interview, it took you a little too long to report the secret deal offered by Lord Orchidée, which was a negative point, but it wasn't a fatal flaw. However, as a Rank B, there will be times when requests from the state or a noble require urgent judgment. I won't say you need to be instantaneous, but you must learn to make decisions more quickly. Also, if you’re going to survive as Rank B, you need to train harder and increase your combat power."
"Yes. I will take it to heart."
Shtie nodded obediently at Residence’s lengthy critique.
Residence nodded back with satisfaction before finally turning to Rei.
"Rei. First, your combat power is beyond reproach. Honestly, it exceeds the standard for Rank B. Though, considering you are an Alias Holder, I suppose that is only to be expected."
The nobles, led by Maruka, nodded in silent agreement. Onz did the same.
"Furthermore, despite the fact that you and Seto defeated more than half the Bicorns, you proposed an equal distribution for the entire party. This is highly commendable. Then there is your decisiveness. You reported the secret deal from Lord Arnihit immediately during your interview. This is also praiseworthy. And as a side note, the water you provided when making lunch was... well, it had a taste so exquisite it wouldn't have been out of place on a royal table."
Everyone in the room seemed to momentarily drift away as they recalled the flavor of the water produced by the Dagger of Flowing Water.
"Additionally, though I prohibited it during the exam itself, you possess an Item Box. Your ability to transport massive amounts of supplies, including food, is an undeniable advantage."
Up to this point, it had been nothing but glowing praise. Rei and everyone else in the room were certain that his promotion was guaranteed.
However...
"But your etiquette toward nobility... you lose massive points here. Even if you share a friendship with Lady Maruka, you must maintain a proper attitude in front of other nobles. Furthermore, since it was your first meeting with Lord Arnihit and Lord Orchidée, your conduct should have been far more formal."
"I do not think there is any need to worry about it so much," Maruka interjected.
"Lady Maruka, that would set a poor example as a noble," Residence countered, shaking his head slightly. He turned his focus back to Rei. "However, given Rei’s overall capabilities, it would be absurd to keep him at Rank C. Therefore, we have decided to treat him as a Limited B-Rank Adventurer."
Residence’s final verdict echoed through the meeting room.