Chapter 11
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: 2. Got a Job at the General Store.
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"W-Wait..."
"Yes, just a moment."
Drag, drag...
Suddenly, one of the people taking the test with me beside me was grabbed by the chairwoman's bodyguard and dragged out.
He'd been glancing around suspiciously the whole time.
Did he get disqualified for cheating?
Thinking that, I glanced at Chairwoman Mureos.
She just gave me a gentle smile.
Well, none of my business.
If anything, one less competitor is a good thing.
That guy looked pretty skilled out of everyone here.
...But why would someone like that cheat?
Hmm, no idea.
"20 minutes remaining."
Oh no, no time for idle thoughts.
This is the final step for the poison potion, the last one, but since it's an attack potion, every single process needs utmost care.
One wrong move and it could explode, putting everyone in danger.
The final mixing stage is crucial.
Especially with attack potions—even a slight miscalculation in ratios could put me at risk.
And with all these people here for the test, they could be in danger too...
Maybe I shouldn't have picked poison potion...
Still, I haven't made a mistake yet.
I'll be extra careful with the mixing ratios this time too.
Done—complete!
This came out as good as usual.
I don't know if it'll stand out against the other alchemists... but it's the best I can do, so I'll submit it.
"Good work, everyone. Please submit your finished products and provide your current address. We'll contact those who pass the first round three days from now at 10 a.m. See you at the interview."
The test was finally over.
There's still the interview, but one big hurdle down.
"Phew... that was tense."
"Who'd have thought the chairwoman would come herself."
"I-I didn't mess up, right?"
The others seemed relieved too as they filed out of the multipurpose room.
That's when I felt eyes on me from behind and turned.
Chairwoman Mureos was smiling beautifully at me.
Our eyes met, and she carefully mouthed something.
See you... later?
See you later... at the interview?
If I make it to the interview, maybe I'll get to see her for sure.
Huh, but that guy who got dragged out earlier is gone.
Real cheating, I guess.
Even so, that's pushing it.
Cheating right in front of experts who teach at the Adventurer Academy.
With Chairwoman Mureos there too.
Lost in those thoughts as I headed down.
"...Huh!"
"...?"
Lately, I've been hearing a lot of familiar voices.
But this one wasn't welcome at all.
"What the hell are you doing? Why are you up on the third floor?"
A man's voice, dripping with irritation.
This time, no need to turn—I ran right into them on the stairs down.
"......"
Claude, Mary, Sophia.
Hadn't seen them in days, and I wasn't missing them one bit.
Why are they here...? The fourth floor up is just the branch chief's office.
"This bastard ignoring me now? Finally a man, huh?"
He seemed pissed off.
Whatever, not my problem.
And yeah, a man...?
After you kicked me out saying you didn't need me.
I tried ignoring him and heading down, but he ground his teeth and approached.
"You fucking bastard, you ruined my mood already...!"
Of course, no dramatic scene where I suddenly stand tall, dodge his swing, and counter.
My shoulder got grabbed.
As long as he doesn't kill me, I'll take the hit.
This is the Adventurer Guild.
Beating another adventurer here for no reason is basically advertising you want to get kicked out.
Ah, but with that Hero title, maybe he won't get expelled right away?
As those thoughts crossed my mind, Claude raised his fist.
...He won't actually try to kill me, right?
No way he's that crazy, but you never know.
Just as fear started creeping in.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Whoosh—!
A voice rang out, and suddenly an immense pressure flooded the hallway.
"...?!"
"Ugh..."
The terrifying pressure froze not just Claude gripping my shoulder, but Mary and Sophia watching from behind too.
It wasn't aimed at me—the pressure on me vanished.
But Claude and the Hero Party were rigid, sweating bullets.
"I asked what you're doing."
The voice echoed again.
The same one from before.
Chairwoman Mureos.
She was glaring at Claude, who had my shoulder in his grip and his fist raised.
#
Mureos Avantredin rushed out at the commotion from outside.
As her mana sensed, Hero Claude had raised his fist to strike the shoulder of her chosen next Academy general store merchant.
She immediately fired a mana wave to paralyze him.
Then glared and spoke.
"I asked what you're doing."
Daring to raise a fist at the next Academy general store merchant—the very talent she was protecting on his path to becoming a great alchemy master.
And this was the Adventurer Guild branch building, no less.
The Preta branch, practically headquarters!
Attempting to assault a lower-rank adventurer here for no reason.
No one with any sense would do that.
'As expected, not punishing him properly last time caused this.'
Mureos had ears everywhere.
She already knew the Guild HQ's slap-on-the-wrist punishment for them.
A mere feather duster.
That's why he was acting up.
He figured he'd get away with no real consequences.
'Yeah, you're right. The higher-ups coddle brats like you.'
A meteoric Hero.
High priests bridging to the church.
Heirs of influential nobles aiding the guild elders' power plays.
Untouchable adventurers.
'If it were me, I'd have chopped off limbs and thrown them in a cell by now...'
Over 20 villagers dead.
26 lives they could never repay.
She believed they deserved harsh punishment.
But she couldn't decide alone.
The elders had ruled.
Can't defy the elders.
Though she was stronger than them.
She could crush a few if she wanted—one of the world's top powerhouses.
But the world isn't just about raw strength.
As mentioned, they had thick ties to the church.
And influential nobles across nations.
Mutual aid with guild elders.
A symbiotic relationship.
Defying elders meant making enemies of the church's elite and nobles everywhere.
'But caught red-handed like this... even I have grounds to act.'
This case was different.
She held the Adventurer Academy chairwoman position—not as high as elders, but significant.
One of the world's strongest mages, with her own web of connections eager to align.
In plausible deniability cases like this, she could mete out punishment at her discretion.
"Daring to swing violence at my subordinate... no, a lower-rank adventurer. And in this Adventurer Guild branch, no less."
Her true feelings nearly slipped, but she shook it off and extended her hand.
"Mu-Mureos...!?"
Branch Chief Vito Takmin hurried down, sensing the noise and mana wave.
"Don't interfere. They tried assaulting a lower-rank adventurer inside the Guild branch."
Vito clamped his mouth shut at her words.
'No, I wasn't going to.'
Just startled into rushing out.
He'd love to grind up those baldness-inducing pests himself.
As if responding, Mureos gathered mana in her hand.
No intent for direct harm, of course.
That would cross the line, even with justification.
But non-lethal torment for a few days? Fine.
'I'll hit them with a month-long insomnia curse. They'll learn how precious peaceful sleep is.'
Best ways to break a person: thirst, hunger, sleeplessness.
Sleeplessness torments longest.
Thirst and hunger kill quicker.
Sleeplessness kills too, but he's an A-Rank Adventurer.
A month awake won't kill him.
Just shatter his mind.
"W-Wait...!"
Fully paralyzed by her mana, Claude desperately shouted.
"I-Is this okay...? I haven't even hit him yet."
Mureos let out a hollow laugh at his lame excuse, sweat pouring.
"Not acceptable. One week extra for insolence. Your party too—two weeks sleepless by association."
"Wh-What?! Wait...!"
"Why me?!"
Ignoring their protests, Mureos ensnared Mary and Sophia too in the insomnia curse.