Chapter 46: Adventurer’s Guild #1

Chapter 46: Adventurer’s Guild #1

“Kid, I’m going to take the adventurer exam separately.”

Mitchell said resolutely.

Mitchell seemed to have made up her mind.

“Then do as you wish.”

“⋯Huh? Aren’t you going to ask why?”

“Because that’s the regulation.”

The Adventurer’s Guild’s selection exam only allows parties of up to two people.

This is to prevent those with mediocre skills from freeloading on the strength of a group.

Ultimately, our party is destined to be separated.

“I feel the same way as Mitchell. I’ll challenge it alone.”

Wagner said the same thing.

He believed that only by passing the exam through his own strength could he proudly stand as an adventurer.

‘Just like Mitchell and Wagner.’

If they had shown any inclination to rely on me, I would have been a little disappointed.

Even if it’s necessary to receive help from a companion, it’s usually through solving things on their own that one grows more.

“Huh? Wait a minute. Then if you two form a party…?”

Flora pointed her finger alternately at Mitchell and Wagner.

It’s a logical assumption.

It would be an ideal combination if I formed a party with Flora, and Mitchell with Wagner.

“I don’t mind.”

Wagner crossed his arms and nodded.

However, Mitchell seemed to think a little differently.

“Are you crazy? Then I’ll have to stick with this guy alone for the entire exam. I heard we have to spend two weeks in the wilderness!”

“Mitchell, you’re companions. Even though Wagner looks like a bear, he’s not a dangerous person?”

“It’s not because he’s dangerous, no- anyway, I hate it. I absolutely hate it.”

Mitchell shook her head vigorously.

Wagner’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

Even though he didn’t say anything in response, he seemed a little hurt inside.

‘The fact that she’s denying it so vehemently makes it a bit suspicious.’

I carefully examined the true intention hidden deep within Mitchell’s frowning expression.

Does she really hate it?

Isn’t she making a bigger fuss to hide some other reason?

Like an elementary school student who deliberately acts colder towards their crush…

“Mitchell, you’ll regret this later-“

“Regret what? The thought of being with the bear makes me shiver.”

“Wagner, what’s wrong with that? Then Mitchell, you party with Estel. I’ll go with Wagner.”

Flora said nonchalantly.

For a brief moment, Mitchell’s face darkened.

“Aish, what are you talking about- Never mind, just do as you originally planned.”

Mitchell instantly corrected her expression and replied with a smile as if nothing was wrong.

‘Oh, look at this.’

As expected, it’s suspicious.

Even if I don’t know about Wagner, there’s a strange aura emanating from Mitchell.

You, don’t tell me…

Wagner?

I barely swallowed the question that was rising to my throat.

It’s still too early to pry and ask.

“Don’t worry. Neither Mitchell nor I intend to go down easily. We’ll do our best and definitely pass the exam,”

Wagner said, patting his chest.

It was then.

“Do you guys want to join the Adventurer’s Guild too?”

Someone suddenly interrupted our conversation from behind.

“Who are you, suddenly?”

“Let me see-“

It was Maria, the woman I saw earlier.

Maria didn’t answer Mitchell’s sharp question and instead scrutinized our faces intently.

“Aish, you guys won’t make it. You look like mere rookies.”

Slurp.

Maria slurped the straw in her iced coffee cup obnoxiously.

She’s here in Garden as an examiner for this exam.

She must have some ability to gauge the level of adventurers, so it’s not just a baseless attempt to pick a fight.

“What? That’s too much-“

Flora pouted.

“Too much or not, it’s the truth. It’s up to the guild how many new recruits they want to select. If they think no one is good enough, it’s common for them not to select anyone at all, didn’t you know?”

“Still…”

Maria narrowed her fox-like eyes and gave a sly smile.

Maria’s words are generally correct.

However, there is one fact she deliberately omitted.

The content of the exam and the selection are entirely at the discretion of the examiner.

If you meet a lenient examiner, quite a few applicants pass that year.

‘It’s unfortunate that it’s her this year. I’ve met a nasty examiner.’

There’s nothing I can do even if I feel wronged.

The Adventurer’s Guild is not a public institution operated by the Empire.

If you fail because you met a bad-tempered examiner, there’s no one to complain to.

It’s just bad luck.

“That’s ridiculous. Do you know who we are?”

Mitchell crossed her arms and glared at Maria.

Maria didn’t back down from that gaze and looked down at Mitchell with a smug smile.

“I don’t. Who are you?”

“What? You’re acting all high and mighty, but you don’t know anything about Garden? Haven’t you heard? We’re the ones who defeated the Vigilantes. Do we look like rookies?”

Mitchell raised her voice and laughed arrogantly.

Come to think of it, she doesn’t know that Maria is the examiner for this exam.

Even if she knew, with Mitchell’s personality, she wouldn’t just ignore it.

I decided to quietly observe the situation without intervening.

It was also quite interesting to see the two, whose characters were somewhat similar, fighting.

“Ah- so you’re the party that caught some thug? Dawson or whatever.”

“What, thug?”

“So what? They only recognize you in this backwater town. Did you think you accomplished something truly great, pointy-ears?”

Maria looked down at Mitchell with a condescending gaze.

A faint vein bulged on Mitchell’s temple.

“Do not insult Mitchell.”

Wagner, who had been silently listening to the conversation, spoke up.

“This is advice for you. I want to let you know that those who looked down on Mitchell as a pointy-ear did not end well.”

There was no lie in Wagner’s words.

Dawson and the Vigilantes are now all cold corpses buried underground.

Maria was momentarily speechless at Wagner’s solemn words.

“Really? Okay, I’ll keep that in mind. But do you guys know this?”

Maria, who had lost the momentum for a moment, soon counterattacked.

As if genuinely angered now, her voice tone had risen considerably.

“I’m the examiner, so what are you going to do?”

“⋯What?”

“What are you surprised about, pointy-ear? Didn’t you understand? I’m in charge of this exam. And you’re all disqualified from here.”

“No- wait a minute.”

“What reason should I use? Right, arguing with the examiner. That should be enough, right?”

“Are you crazy? You started the argument-“

“Shut up, disqualified- Everyone go home. Don’t even come near the guild entrance.”

Maria spoke like a Gatling gun.

‘Sigh.’

This is why it’s troublesome if she’s the examiner.

Her skills are excellent, but her childish and immature personality.

She’s one step ahead of Mitchell.

“Is it okay to handle the guild’s selection process so arbitrarily?”

Wagner’s anger also flared up, and he stared intently at Maria with a fearsome gaze.

“Yeah, it’s okay to do it arbitrarily. I’m in charge, so what are you going to do? If you’re so pissed off, you be the examiner-“

“Maria!”

A thunderous roar came from behind.

Maria, who had been blabbering excitedly, flinched and hunched her shoulders.

Maria then glanced back, finally noticing.

Behind her stood another examiner, Jack, with a stern expression.

“Do not let personal feelings interfere with the exam.”

“No, Jack, that’s-“

“I understand that you’re tired from coming all the way to this remote border region amidst a busy schedule. However, the new adventurer exam is an important matter for the guild. It doesn’t exist for you to take out your frustrations.”

“I know that too, but-“

“Maria.”

When Jack called her name again, Maria finally closed her mouth tightly.

Unlike Maria, Jack is a steadfast and principled adventurer.

The guild’s decision to pair them together seemed rational.

Jack gestured towards the entrance.

“Let’s go.”

“Ugh…”

Maria, still looking displeased, grumbled to herself and turned her head sharply.

“Alright, alright. I don’t need to disqualify them myself anyway. These riff-raff have no hope.”

She’s the type who can’t feel at ease without saying something sharp until the very end.

It’s utterly childish.

Mitchell, who was provoked, put her hands on the table and stood up.

“This is too much.”

I grabbed Mitchell’s wrist as she was about to lunge.

There’s no need to fight.

Unlike Dawson, Maria is not an enemy. Even though she’s annoying.

“Hey, Mr. Examiner.”

When I called out, Maria frowned and looked back.

“Why.”

“In your opinion, we’re all going to be disqualified, right?”

“Yeah. Have a problem with that?”

“No. Then how about a bet?”

“⋯A bet?”

Maria’s eyes sparkled.

“Yes. Let’s bet on whether any of us will pass the exam.”

“It’s too obvious a bet. Didn’t you hear? You’re all disqualified without a doubt.”

“Then I’ll bet on the opposite.”

“What are you betting on?”

“Hmm, let’s see. What would be good?”

I deliberately paused for a moment, bringing the flow of conversation to my side.

“How about this: the loser pays for the entire trip to Nirvana? Of course, including food and accommodation expenses.”

“Not bad. I don’t deal with cheap carriages or food, but is that okay with you?”

Maria smiled slyly.

The cost of traveling to Nirvana, the large city where the Adventurer’s Guild headquarters is located, is not small.

If she can travel using someone else’s money, there’s no reason to refuse.

Of course, the same applies to me.

Since I have to go to the big city anyway, I planned to travel luxuriously using Maria’s money.

“And one more thing. The loser has to bow their head and apologize. Saying, ‘I’m sorry for talking nonsense without knowing my place.'”

“Ha. You’re so presumptuous, aren’t you?”

Maria chuckled dismissively.

“Don’t regret it later. I have no intention of backing down.”

“But make sure of one thing. You won’t use your position as an examiner to play unfair tricks. Otherwise, the bet won’t be valid, right?”

“Yes, well, that much is fine. As I said earlier, you’ll be disqualified even if I don’t interfere.”

Jack leaned close to Maria’s ear and whispered something.

Maria shook her head with a confident expression.

“Aish, what are you talking about? I’ll never lose. Those guys are idiots.”

“⋯You’re responsible for the aftermath. I know nothing about it.”

Jack shook his head and left the cafe first.

Maria, following behind him, lifted her chin and looked down at us.

An arrogant face that knows no defeat.

It’s always more satisfying to break a face like that.

“Alright, heroes of the backwater town. See you in two weeks, then?”

Maria followed Jack, her heels clicking.

“⋯I’m really motivated now.”

Mitchell stroked my head.

“Good job, kid. Let’s give that rude woman a taste of her own medicine together.”

“There were some twists and turns, but since it’s come to this, let’s all do our best.”

Wagner’s eyes also showed firm determination.

‘Maria. You will regret this.’

It’s too late to lament that I should have thought more carefully before making the bet.

‘Then, shall we start preparing?’

The goal has been set. The stakes have been laid.

Now, let’s make efficient use of the two weeks remaining until the adventurer exam.