Chapter 272: After the Fight (2/2)

“Those with a certain degree of strength and experience can gauge a person’s strength without needing to fight. Though, there are indeed a lot of people that can’t do that much… Even among the new recruits of the knights, particularly, those with half-baked skills, would often cause trouble.” [Schieber]

“The less they’re able to gauge a person’s strength and rely on appearance, the more they’re likely to pick a fight. I remember that too. People like those won’t pick a fight with people stronger than them, though, so they’ll immediately run away if you just show them your strength in an obvious manner. And if you do give them a good beating, they’ll never approach you again.” [Remilie]

“Yes. I have hobgoblins equipped in ostentatious armor inside my dimension magic. Whenever there’s someone doubting me, I would take them out and that’ll usually be the end of it. Most of the people picking a fight would usually leave. But sometimes there are people that just won’t relent. For those cases, it’s legitimate self-defense, so I’d just defend myself and the problem will be solved easily… Cases like that guild I mentioned are rare.” [Ryouma]

In that sense, the match I had for my promotion exam was actually easy.

“So, from what I gather, the guild master wanted to make it out so that he was just ‘trying to confirm your achievements and pass up your promotion under the excuse that your abilities were lacking’.” [Schieber]

“We only have one side of the story, so it’s hard to judge, but that guild master’s response seems to be out of line. It’s true that someone without the qualifications to take the exam can’t take the promotion exam, so he certainly needs to confirm the examinee’s qualification, but arrest or expulsion without proper investigation is unacceptable.” [Reinbach]

“I told him to check my achievements with the other guilds, but he seemed to think I’d run away if I were to be given time. He really caused me a lot of problems.” [Ryouma]

If not for that, the first exam wouldn’t have ended in such a tragedy…

“Tragedy? Did something happen there too?” [Remilie]

“I used a dark magic spell to keep my opponent in check, but it was too effective, and the examiner ended up screaming hysterically. Sweat, tears, drool… All sorts of fluids gushed out from every hole of his body as he writhed about and lost consciousness… It was truly pandemonium.” [Ryouma]

The examiner was so hysteric that for a moment I felt like I was watching a failed sanity check (TRPG) in real life.

Well, the examiner collapsed in the end, so that served as proof of my abilities. But as a result, the mood in the training area was terrible. Even today, the people at the guild looked at me with terrified eyes. Though, I can understand how they feel since they had to witness that.

“To make things worse, they held that exam in the training area connected to the guild. They didn’t even bother to clear the place of people, so a lot of people witnessed the whole thing… It would have probably been better if I just beat him up…” [Ryouma]

In a sense, what I did might have been worse than if I just killed the man. He did run his mouth off at me a little too, but whenever I think back to how sorry he looked, I can’t help but feel a little guilty.

“Well, in any case, I managed to prove my abilities, so I was able to take the promotion exam and pass. I have no plans of employing the services of that guild again, so I doubt I’ll ever meet that guild master again. They might send a letter of apology to the duke’s family in the not-so-distant future, but I’ve already spoken to Reinhart-san about that.” [Ryouma]

“Oh, did you do something to get back at them?” [Remilie]

Remilie-san happily asked with a mischievous smile, but I’ll have to disappoint her.

“I just sold a large amount of ingredients and spoils from my hunts during my travels to the merchant guild.” [Ryouma]

The sale of ingredients and spoils is an important source of income to adventurers. Most adventurers don’t just get their spoils from their targets. They would also hunt other prey when they could and exchange the spoils from those for money. That increases their income, and sometimes when fortune favors them, there would be a job requesting for one of the spoils they have on hand, allowing them to gain more points.

As someone hoping to rank up, that was something I did as well. That’s why I had a lot of spoils accumulated, but because of the trouble that came up, I couldn’t sell them at the adventurers guild anymore and decided to just sell them to the merchant guild.

Of course, they told me stuff like… ‘why do you have so many spoils on you?’ ‘if you’re an adventurer, then why didn’t you just sell to the adventurers guild?’

“Naturally, I had to answer their questions. It was just a one-time thing, but I was dealing with merchants, and I didn’t think I was at fault, so I didn’t bother to hide anything. I also told them that they were free to confirm the matter.” [Ryouma]

As a result, the merchant guild were understanding of my situation and even told me, ‘if that’s the case, then how about selling us the spoils you get from your second exam?’

But unfortunately, I had no idea what the adventurers guild would do, so I couldn’t promise anything. Instead, I just told them that I’d drop by if the guild master were to apologize.

“So if you don’t drop by again, the merchant guild will think that you couldn’t reconcile with the adventurers guild.” [Sebasu]

“I’m guessing you didn’t get that apology.” [Schieber]

“I didn’t even see the face of the guild master. The receptionist lady just bowed her head for her superior in front of a huge crowd, so I told her that i wasn’t looking for an apology.” [Ryouma]

“But you didn’t say anything about forgiving them, huh. In other words, you didn’t let them apologize.” [Remilie]

“Remilie-san, when you put it so happily like that, you make it sound like I’m scheming something. I meant it when I said I wasn’t looking for an apology.” [Ryouma]

The receptionist had been suspicious of me too, but that’s understandable. Her relying on her superior since she couldn’t make a decision on her own was also something I could understand. That’s why I didn’t think that badly of her.

She didn’t really seem to feel guilty either, or maybe she just wanted to get rid of me as soon as possible, because when I rejected the apology and said that I didn’t have any intentions of making any further demands, she didn’t apologize any further. So in that sense, you could argue that I haven’t really received my apology.

Besides, if they wanted to apologize, then the guild master ought to come out and apologize himself. He doesn’t have to apologize in front of a crowd or give me a dogeza, but he could at least talk to me in a separate room like they did when they found fault with me.

But all they did was to have the receptionist bow to me at her desk. He just sent his subordinate and wouldn’t even meet me. They can call it an apology all they want, but I didn’t really feel it. It’s not sincere, and I don’t trust them. That’s why I didn’t demand anything.

“If he intends to wrap up the matter with just that, then so be it. But of course, it’s another story altogether whether the people around him will agree. Anyhow, whatever happen won’t be my responsibility.” [Ryouma]

Given how he was the sort of person to lose all his energy the moment he heard I was a specialist of the duke and immediately allowed me to take the exam, I’m sure he would find it much more painful for his reputation to take a hit than for him to bow his head to me.

When I added that, everyone other than Remilie-san wryly smiled.

“Well, I’m sure the guild master’s reputation will be affected.” [Sebasu]

“I don’t know what they’ll be doing officially, but the merchant guild has always been quick-eared…” [Reinbach]

“You might have just left, but it sure seems like you got back at them.” [Schieber]

“Isn’t it fine? If that guild master really is correct, then it shouldn’t bother him at all.” [Remilie]

“I wasn’t particularly disadvantaged too. Though I might be unable to use my adventurers guild card until I get back to Gimuru. It would be troublesome if some weird information had been put in it like a false history of having cheated.” [Ryouma]

I have my guild card from the merchant guild, so I can go in and out of town without any problem, but I can’t use the guilds on the way back home. I’ve finally become a C Rank adventurer, so I was hoping to get a C Rank job on the way back, but I’ll have to put it off till later.

“In that case, how about dropping by Teressa’s adventurers guild. They’ll be able to check your card immediately.” [Sebasu]

“Oh, that’s a good idea. It’ll be easy to talk to them too if we were to vouch for his skills. Let’s do it.” [Remilie]

“The guild in this town is not far from the gate, so we can drop by before going back to the inn.” [Schieber]

“In that case, let’s return to town for now.” [Reinbach]

“T-Thank you very much!” [Ryouma]

Suddenly, we were headed for the adventurers guild in Teressa. With everyone vouching for me, I’m sure everything will go fine. Not only did they provide me with a place to stay after our reunion, they tested my skills, and even promised to teach me magic. They’re so considerate that I have nothing but gratitude for them.

Sometimes I get involved with problematic people, but there are kind people like them too. As I was reminded of that once again, Sebasu’s dimension magic activated, and before I knew it, we were back right in front of the gate.