The spear Robre had been holding fell to the ground with a sharp metallic ring.
Shtie, who had been watching the duel with a worried expression, snapped back to her senses and called out.
"T-That’s enough! The winner is Rei!"
Having his weapon sent flying before being cornered from behind with the massive blade of the Death Scythe pressed against his neck, Robre had no choice but to concede. He offered no further resistance, silently admitting defeat.
"You're strong," he finally muttered.
"Of course. I just became a B-Rank adventurer, after all. I should be at least this capable."
"Hmph. You’re a sarcastic bastard. But I suppose I have to admit that your combat skills are on another level. Congratulations on the B-Rank promotion."
Robre seemed to have finally calmed the complex mixture of jealousy, admiration, and resentment swirling in his chest. A small smile played on his lips as he lightly patted Rei on the shoulder of his Dragon Robe.
"Your technique was impressive too," Rei replied. "Against a normal fighter or a standard weapon, your Penetrate Fang probably would have been unstoppable."
"Hmph. Save the flattery. You blocked it without breaking a sweat. Besides, you weren't even serious, were you? You didn't use your javelins or your magic."
Robre’s tone was frustrated, but the smile on his face told a different story. Faced with that look, Rei gave a small shrug.
"I told you—against a 'normal' fighter. I don't consider myself normal, and the Death Scythe is hardly a standard weapon."
Rei stowed the Death Scythe into the Misty Ring. Seeing this, Robre let out a sigh and retrieved his spear from the ground.
While watching him, Rei reflected on the match. The last time I used Power Slash, the impact nearly wrecked my wrist, but I felt nothing this time. Have I finally mastered the skill, or was it just because I was countering a spear? I’d prefer the former.
Rei pulled up the hood of his Dragon Robe to cover his face. The bystanders watching the duel looked on with exasperation; wearing a hood in the peak of summer seemed like madness. They didn't realize that the Dragon Robe possessed a climate control enchantment that acted like a magic air conditioner, keeping the wearer at a perfect temperature regardless of the season. It was a true outlier among magic items. If its capabilities were made public, nobles from across the Kingdom of Mireana and all the neighboring countries would be clamoring to get their hands on it.
"Man, that felt good. Going all out cleared my head," Robre said, his expression refreshed. "I don't even care about failing the exam anymore. I’m still Rank C, so I can still take B-Rank requests. And Shtie will be there with me."
Robre turned a smiling gaze toward Shtie. She met his eyes with a look of lingering exasperation, though she couldn't hide her own relief.
"Damn it, I can't take this," a nearby observer grumbled. "I need to find a good woman too."
"A lover, huh? That must be nice. I’d like one eventually..."
"Oh? Then how about me?"
"No way. I’m not dating another adventurer. Besides, you’re not my type."
Exchanging banter like that, the surrounding adventurers began heading back into the guild.
"All right! I bet on Rei, so I won! Though there's almost no profit to be had."
"Well, obviously. He was the favorite of favorites. Look at the odds. Though that doesn't mean you have to end up like that guy over there."
"Robre... I finally bet on you, and you had to go and lose..."
"Ah, that guy definitely bet on the dark horse, Onz, during the Rank Up Exam too. He got what he deserved. Honestly, anyone who parties with a guy like that is bound to face disaster."
The crowd was a mixture of joy and sorrow as they discussed their bets.
"Hm? You're back."
Inside the meeting room on the guild 2F, Residence muttered as the three of them entered. The fact that he didn't even ask who won suggested he had already predicted the outcome.
"Oh? What happened to the nobles and Onz?" Shtie asked, noticing Residence was alone.
"Their business was finished, so they went home," Residence replied with a shrug. "Being nobles, they have various errands to attend to. The same goes for Onz."
"Setting the nobles aside, Onz could have at least said goodbye," Shtie muttered sadly. Even though he was laconic, she had felt a certain degree of closeness to him after their shared struggles during the exam.
Smiling slightly at her reaction, Residence handed over the guild cards.
"Is this..." Shtie trailed off as she looked at the rank written on her card. It was officially B. Rei checked his own card and saw the same.
"From this moment on, the two of you are B-Rank," Residence announced. "Rei, you've set the record for the fastest promotion to this rank since registering with this guild. Things might get messy from here on out, so make sure to act with the awareness that you are now a first-class adventurer. Also, as I mentioned during the result announcement, Rei’s B-Rank is a limited status. Remember that the guild may provide an assistant when you handle a request from a noble."
Rei nodded. For him, having someone else handle the diplomatic headaches of dealing with nobility was a relief, not a burden. Shtie, meanwhile, was beaming as the reality of her promotion finally sank in.
Beside them, Robre opened and closed his mouth several times, looking like he wanted to say something. Finally, he worked up his courage.
"Shtie, Rei... do you want to have a B-Rank promotion celebration after this? It might be weird coming from the guy who failed, but it’s a special occasion."
"Are you sure?" Shtie asked.
"Yeah. For your sake... and for Rei’s too. Let me celebrate with you. I’m treating today."
"Are you sure about that?" Rei asked. "I eat quite a lot, you know."
"Leave it to me. Even if I failed the exam, I’m still Rank C. I’ve got plenty of savings, so this is nothing."
Robre pounded his chest over his armor. Watching him, Shtie smiled at her lover's consideration.
"Thanks. I'll be counting on you."
The matter was settled, but as they turned to leave, Residence called out again.
"Wait a moment. Rei, I still have business with you."
"Business?"
"Yeah. I don't know if you're aware, but right now, several nobles are in the city hoping to have you enter service under them. It's regarding that."
Robre and Shtie looked surprised at the mention of noble recruitment, but Rei shook his head without hesitation.
"I have no intention of quitting my life as an adventurer."
"I know. Until recently, many of them were insisting on meeting you regardless, but..."
"But?"
"It seems your friend pulled some strings. Most of the nobles have given up, and quite a few of them have already left the city."
When Residence mentioned a friend pulling strings, Maruka’s face immediately crossed Rei’s mind.
"In that case, there's no business to discuss, right?"
"No, there are still a few who insist on meeting you even if Duke Quento's House is off-limits."
"What a pain."
Rei muttered, and Residence offered a sympathetic shrug.
"That’s the price of becoming a B-Rank adventurer and an alias holder. I’m not asking you to meet them multiple times. We’ll finish everyone at once, so it won't be too much trouble."
"Everyone at once? That would certainly help... but are they okay with that? I don't want to get caught in the middle of noble feuds."
"It’s fine. They would have preferred a private meeting, of course, but the Guild Master told them that if they pushed too hard, Rei would just get fed up and run away."
"Ah... I see." Rei couldn't argue with that logic; he likely would have done exactly that.
"So, the Guild Master proposed a single joint meeting. The result is already obvious, but I still have to bring the offer to you—such is the life of those who deal with the nobility. At the moment, we’re adjusting their schedules. Once that’s done, just meet them once. Is that all right?"
Rei agreed, though his expression made it clear how much of a chore he found it. Robre and Shtie both looked at him with pitying eyes.
"That's all. You can go now. ...Oh, wait."
Rei and the others turned to leave for a third time, only to be stopped again. Rei let out a heavy sigh of annoyance, but as he turned back, he sensed something flying toward him and caught it reflexively. It was a hard, metallic object. He opened his hand to find a single gold coin.
"What's this?"
"It’s... er, a promotion gift. With that much, you should be able to eat and drink as much as you like."
The one who looked most delighted at this was Robre. He had been secretly worried about whether his savings would actually cover a feast that included both Rei and Seto.
"That helps! Thanks!"
"Thank you very much."
"I’m grateful."
The three of them voiced their thanks and finally left the room. Residence watched them go, and once they were out of sight, he clutched his head in his hands.
I was planning to give them a silver coin... why did I throw gold? I’m going to have to starve for the rest of the week...
Downstairs, after receiving a small reward for the Bicorn subjugation at the counter, the celebration began. Robre raised his cup with a grin.
"To celebrate Shtie and Rei's B-Rank promotion... Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
The three clinked their cups together.
"Congratulations!"
"Robre, do your best on the next exam!"
"Shtie, I love you! Go out with me!"
Since the party was in the tavern attached to the guild, other adventurers who knew the results joined in with cheers, consolations, and playful teasing.
"Who’s the drunkard hitting on Shtie?!" Robre barked.
"Calm down," Shtie said, holding him back as he reached for his spear. "It's just drunk talk."
Rei watched the scene with a smile while sipping wine diluted with water.
"Rei-kun, congratulations on passing the exam."
Rei turned to see Kenny standing there. She held out a plate with a massive, steaming pie that filled the air with a savory aroma.
"That looks delicious. I’ll gladly take it, but... shouldn't you be working?"
Rei couldn't see the reception counter from his seat, but he could easily imagine a stern Lenora scolding her. Kenny just smiled.
"It’s fine. It’s not busy right now, and I’ve already finished my share of the work. I can only slip away for about five minutes, though."
Rei was surprised the serious Lenora had allowed it, but he didn't hesitate to take the pie. It had already been sliced into portions.
"Whoa... this is amazing."
As he pulled a piece away, the rich scent of seasoned meat wafted out. It was a proper meat pie, not a dessert. He took a bite; the buttery, flaky crust crunched between his teeth, followed immediately by the flavor of large chunks of meat. Normally, meat pies were made with ground meat, but this one was packed with small, steak-like cubes along with mushrooms and onions.
"Ehehe. It’s a family recipe. I finished the prep work this morning as a promotion celebration for you, Rei-kun."
"You did? But you didn't know we'd be celebrating here."
"I figured if you weren't here, I’d just deliver it to wherever you were. So? My cooking isn't bad, right?"
Kenny gave him a flirtatious glance, but Rei was already entirely focused on the pie.
There are onions in this... is she okay eating them since she's a cat beastman? Well, if it’s a family recipe, I guess they’ve adapted to it over the generations.
Rei continued to devour the pie, piece after piece.
The celebration lasted until late into the night. Rei eventually brought out some Lemures meat for everyone in the tavern to share, and thanks to the gold coin from Residence, Seto was treated to a mountain of food as well. Ultimately, even with the unexpected windfall, Robre's wallet ended up looking quite thin by the time the night was over.