Chapter 25
While looking at the face of the young man who grabbed him……Rei looked back at him with expressionless eyes while watching him.
Maybe he didn’t like that, the young man yelled at Rei with a voice louder than before.
「Answer me. I asked you what did you do to my mother.」
「……Let go.」
Rei said unpleasantly while frowning his eyebrows.
That was natural. Rei himself couldn’t recall getting mixed up with them at all.
「Just answer. If that’s your attitude, should I respond the same way? ……This is your last chance. Answer me.」
「……」
Rei judged that talking anymore would be useless. He grabbed the wrist of the young man that grabbed him in silence.
The moment he was going to crush the bone in that person’s wrist.
「Rhodes, let go. The boy genuinely didn’t do anything to me. I was only surprised when I looked at the boy.」
A cane was placed between the faces of Rei and the young man, Rhodes,.
「But mum! It’s not normal for mum to back away for no reason! I’m sure this guy did something to you.」
To the woman who spoke those words, Rhodes argued back vehemently. However, the woman spat out a sigh and smacked the cane against Rhode’s head.
Bogu~! When the sound of a blunt weapon hitting flesh echoed into the surroundings, the adventurers near Rei involuntarily winced as they imagined the pain.
「Gah~!」
As a result, Rhodes was squatting on the floor while holding his head, ignoring that, the woman lowered her head to Rei.
「I’m sorry boy. My son had been rude. Please forgive me.」
「……」
Rei returned his gaze in silence, the woman lifted up Rhodes, who was crouched on the ground, and forcibly made him bow his head.
「I understand. Rhodes will reflect on this and won’t be rude again. I’m happy if the situation can be cooled down. Of course, I’m not saying this isn’t unconditional. If you need something, the A rank party Axe of the Thunder God promises to lend our power.」
At A rank group, Rei reacted with a twitch.
As Rei hoped to battle more powerful monsters by increasing his guild rank as soon as possible, there was no loss to form a connection with an A rank party in advance. Rei judged so and gave a small nod.
「There was no harm done. I’ll accept the help from your A rank party.」
Listening to Rei’s words, the woman gave a sigh of relief.
(That moment, this boy was going to crush Rhode’s wrist, no mistake. This ridiculous magic power. I should say that we were saved that we don’t have to fight such a person.)
Muttering in her mind, she opened her mouth to speak to Rei again.
「I’m sorry, I still haven’t introduced myself. I’m Min. I’m the mother of this foolish son who quarreled with you.」
「Mum!」
Ignoring Rhode’s words, she turned his gaze to the man who was was watching the state of the 3 with interest.
「Although it’s regretful, that is my husband, Elk, who is also the leader of the Axe of the Thunder God.」
Probably hearing himself introduced. The man named Elk approached the three with a smile on his mouth.
「Oh, it was my son’s mistake to quarrel with you. Though it seems my wife has introduced me, I’m Elk. Well, my regards.」
With that, Elk gave a hearty laugh. Seeing the situation, Rei gave a light sigh,and opened his mouth.
「Rei.」
「So, is that it? There has to be something more, isn’t there? What’s your favourite food and type of girl?」
「Elk, you should keep quiet.」
After Elk heard Min’s voice, he fell silent reluctantly. Even if it was only by a bit, Rei noted in his mind that Min seemed to have the most influence in the group.
「We’ve been working as adventurers for a long time in this city of Gilm, Rei was it? However, I don’t recall seeing your face, did you come to this city recently?」
「That’s right. It’s only been a few days since I registered with the guild.」
The first person to react to those words was neither Min, who was talking, or Elk, who was behind Min. It was Rhodes, who turned his gaze from Min to Rei suspiciously.
「Ha!? You, do you even understand what the adventurers are gathered here for!?」
「The Orc subjugation?」
Though Rei lightly replied, maybe Rhodes felt that he was being looked down on. Rhodes scowled at Rei with a red-hot face.
But, at that moment, the cane in Min’s hand was swung down to the back of his head again, a loud smack was heard.
「Gah! Mum. Don’t hit my head so hard that it makes a pon~ sound. I mean, that cane is a magic assistance item not a club.」
「Shut up, don’t talk while I’m speaking without my permission. 」
「But!」
When Rhodes was just about to argue further, the man that had shouted out about the urgent quest entered the room.
Min, who might have judged that it was time, pulled her husband and son and sat down in the chairs near to Rei.
「Everyone, thanks for gathering. The number of people is……」
Saying so, the man looked around the meeting room.
「30 people or so.」
There were only about 20 people when Rei came into the meeting room but a few more people seemed to have come while talking with Rhodes, Min and Elk.
After confirming that, he started to speak.
「I’m Hobbes and I’m responsible for this current quest. The rough contents of the quest were as said before, it is to subjugate Orcs. A 5 gold coin reward will be given as an advance. 2 platinum coins will be given at the end of the request. In addition, you will be given bonuses based on your contribution level. At the same time, the right ears, which are the proof of subjugation, are worth 5 silver coins for the participants of the mission instead of the normal 3 silver coins. Everyone good so far?」
Everyone nodded to Hobbes’ words.
「The place where the Orc have made a settlement is about a day’s distance from Gilm. There are at least 50 Orcs. ……All good?! The minimum number is 50. Naturally, assume that there will be more than that. Moreover, make no mistake, there will be a rare species or higher rank species leading. The departure time is today, in the afternoon. When ready, gather in front of the gate. It will be an overnight journey and and will arrive in the vicinity of the settlement tomorrow afternoon. We will then take a break until night and will make a night attack on the settlement at midnight. Are there any questions?」
When asked if there were any questions, one adventurer asked.
「Is the existence of Orc mages confirmed?」
「It hasn’t been confirmed but you better expect them.」
「What is the contribution level to to the guild when this quest is completed?」
「Naturally I will consider it when you go up a rank. However, its limited to people who played an active part. It’s not just participating in this quest.」
「Has the guild provided a wagon for transport to the settlement?」
「Ah. Yes, however, you can provide your own, I don’t mind. In that case, goods will be loaded in the empty space.」
「Are the supplies given by the guild?」
「That’s right. However, we do not mind if wish to prepare things yourself.」
「The chain of command?」
「For the commander, I am in charge.」
Hobbes answered the questions from the adventurers without pausing.
Rei, who heard the questions, raised his hand.
「I think I can help with the transportation of supplies, but will it add to the contribution points?」
「Helping with the transportation of the slides? By what means?」
To the words of Hobbes, Rei showed the Misty Ring on his right hand.
「This Misty Ring is a kind of item box. There won’t be any problem with the transportation of goods with this.」
While saying so, he took out a potion from the Misty Ring and stored it back into the Misty Ring after that.
「An item box……is it real!?」
「This is the first time I’ve seen one.」
「We…I mean, usually, is it even possible to such an expensive magic item in our lifetime? 」
The people in the conference room seemed to know about the dispute between Rei and the Claws of the Hawk, however, it seems that the number of people who knew that the item box was used in the bet was fewer.
As a result, among the people who knew, several of them observed Rei with a sharp glance.
Intentionally pretending not to notice the gazes, Rei directed his sight to Hobbes.
「……All right. If you help the guild transport goods using the item box, you will get credit for it.」
Hobbes answered another detailed question.
「Okay, any more questions……no? Then at the end please tell me what skills you have. Naturally I don’t mind if you wish to conceal it. We’ll start from those near the door.」
Hearing his words, a group of 4 adventurers went ahead and described their skills to Hobbes.
The guild wanted to know the skills of the adventurers for the quest, but outside of the request, they probably didn’t wan to tell their skills to other adventurers, who could potentially be their rivals. In that way, Hobbes was generous and said that they could hide their skills if they didn’t want it to be known.
(In the end, I’m the only solo person.)
He murmered in his mind while looking at the state of the surroundings. All people except Rei was a member of a party, Rei was the only person in the room by himself.
「Rei, may I call you that?」
Min called out to Rei, who was observing the surroundings. Rei nodded to those words.
「That, if it’s possible, could you show me the item box for future reference? Of course, because you are showing such a valuable item, we will repay you correspondingly later.」
「I don’t mind, the Misty Ring can’t be used by anyone other than me.」
「Ah, that’s still okay. Certainly, by all means.」
He pushed the bracelet off his arm, seemingly with brute force.
「Heeh, this……indeed, I can certainly feel a strong magic power.」
Next to Min, who was admiring it, Rhodes was looking at Rei suspiciously.
「Fun~, are you strong just because you rely on a magic and not because of your ability? If so, even I……gah!」
Before his words could finish, Elk’s fist was swung down on his head.
「What, Dad……」
「You, getting sulky just because Min took an interest in someone else.」
「Dad, It’s not really!?」
「It’s obvious if look at it from the sides. Seriously. ……Sorry Rei. As you can see, although this guy is older than you, he can’t seem to part from his mother.」
To Elk’s words, Rei turned his eyes to Min, who was eagerly examining the Misty Ring. The calmness from when they first met had completely disappeared, Min had the appearance of sparkling eyes.
「Don’t worry. I don’t mind his mother complex.」
「Mother complex?」
「Ah. Basically a term for a guy that loves their mum.」
「Kuku~, I understand. Well, Rhodes certainly has a mother complex.」
「Dad! You stop it too. You’re speaking so insolently to a C rank like me even though you just registered with the guild.」
And Elk’s fist was swung down on Rhodes head again, making him crouch on the floor.
「Seriously, don’t get so agitated just because it hit the mark.」
「Oh, I’m not really……」
Though Rhodes started to speak while holding his head, the loud voice of Hobbes sounded through the meeting room.
「Next, you with the item box!」
To that voice, Rei looked around, the number of people in the meeting room had already dropped to half. After finishing the conversation with Hobbes, they had already begun preparing for departure.
「Um, sorry. It’s useful.」
Receiving the Misty Ring from Min, he put it back onto his right arm and went to Hobbes, past Rhodes who wanted to say something while holding his head.
「Your name?」
「Rei.」
「Rank?」
「G rank.」
As soon as Rei told his rank, Hobbes frowned.
「You know that the minimum requirements of this quest is to be able to beat an Orc right?」
「Ah. I’m still G rank because I only registered with the guild a few days ago, I have the ability to beat a Water Bear.」
「……What?」
「If you want, you can ask the guild staff Gran if there is any unease, you should be able to understand if he explains it.」
「……I understand. I check with Gran later, in the end, it’s your own responsibility to accept the request. If you don’t have the power, you can’t complain, okay?」
Rei gave a small nod to Hobbes’ words.
「……All right. So, what are you good at?」
「Fire magic and close combat. Other than that, I can also tame monsters.」
Rei plainly stated his abilities. Hobbes took notes of something on to the paper in his hand as he heard it.
「If you can use magic and close combat, can I classify you as a Magic Swordsman?」
「That is right. But I’m more of a Magic Warrior than a Magic Swordsman. 」
「……The difference?」
To the words of Hobbes, he took out the Death Scythe from the Misty Ring.
The length of the handle was over 2m, the blade of the Death Scythe was over 1m. Hobbes, who saw the huge weapon appear from nowhere, had his eyes grow wide.
The few people who were still in the meeting room were dumbfounded by the scythe which suddenly appeared.
「As you see, my weapon isn’t something that can really be called a sword.」
「……I understand. With that, may I expect you to transport the supplies?」
「Ah. No problem. I want to raise my guild rank as soon as possible.」
「Then after this, please come to the guild before noon after you’re ready. I’ll need you to collect the supplies.」
He nodded at Hobbes’ words while patting the Misty Ring.
「By the way, may I take a tamed monster with me?」
「Ah, there are no problems at all. An increase in combat power is always welcome. However, what I don’t want is injuries to other adventurers.」
「Because Set is clever, if he isn’t messed with, he won’t hurt others.」
「Right, you may go. Don’t forget to come before noon.」
Nodding to Hobbes’ words, Rei directly left the meeting room.