Chapter 36
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: 7. Greenback Forest
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“Ah, you’ve come. This way, Teacher Edin.”
After finishing my preparations and heading to Preta’s west gate, Teacher Rasen was waiting there.
This practical session was being led by Teacher Rasen, just like the one three days ago.
That made sense, since today’s external training location was the same Greenback Forest as before.
“So, it’s been re-rated after all?”
I’d heard that after the previous anomaly, the Adventurer Guild had held a re-deliberation.
When I asked Teacher Rasen about it, he summed up the situation so far.
“Ah, well...”
After discovering the Goblin Warrior previously, they’d deliberated for about a day and predicted the emergence of an upper-tier goblin species.
They’d also taken into account the orcs suddenly appearing in Greenback Forest, reassessing the difficulty to B-Rank in case it was a more serious situation.
But the villagers weren’t flush enough with funds to cover that level of request fee.
In the end, the job had rolled over to us students, who could handle it for cheap... and that was the current state of affairs.
“There was talk of the teachers handling it ourselves... but since cases like this are rare, it seemed perfect for giving the students some real experience.”
Teacher Rasen said that and glanced back over his shoulder.
There were three people there, radiating an aura far stronger than the first-years I’d seen before.
They were dressed in combat gear like armor or robes for the training, but they were still students.
That said, they were on an entirely different plane from the first-year intermediate class.
These were third-year advanced class students.
Word was, they were an elite party handpicked from the absolute top ranks, their provisional A-Rank registrations gleaming.
Students guaranteed a B-Rank upon graduation—the highest rank academy grads could get.
Claude had been part of that group back when he attended the academy.
“That aside, is Teacher Edin alright with this? We bumped it to B-Rank factoring in the variables... but it’s still a B-Rank request.”
Teacher Rasen eyed me with a hint of concern.
He had a reputation for being pretty strict with students, so it felt a little strange.
On top of that, being called “Teacher” by him—as with the students—was even more embarrassing.
...Just “sundries shop uncle” would’ve been fine.
Anyway, B-Rank requests weren’t all that common.
Things like anomaly investigations and subjugations with multiple overlapping variables, like this one.
Or wiping out a Red Orc village—an upper orc settlement—or escorting through the Forest of Death, where mid-to-high-tier monsters lurked even on the safer routes.
They weren’t something you ran into every day, but compared to A-Rank or S-Rank, they cropped up more often than you’d think.
I’d tackled a few back when I was with Claude’s party.
With Claude’s overwhelming firepower plus a bit of support, they never felt all that tough.
Well... Claude was prodigy material who could’ve hit S-Rank anyway.
Looking back now, my potions had worked pretty well on B-Rank monsters too.
I’d chalked it up to Claude being amazing, but my potions breezed through B-Ranks just fine.
With smart timing on potion use, I could probably handle B-Rank adventurer work solo.
Honestly, up till now, I’d just looked weak next to Claude.
Out from under his shadow and with folks praising me, I was finally getting a sense of my own capabilities.
“I’m good. I’ve done a few before.”
“I see. No need to worry. We’ve got no intention of letting the academy’s premium talent get hurt.”
“Premium talent? You’re too kind.”
There were far more incredible people at the academy than me.
Even if I was better than I’d thought, I still felt a bit lacking compared to the academy’s star instructors.
“Word’s spreading like wildfire already. A genius alchemist peddling top-shelf potions.”
“......”
No doubt Lunarin and Saella were behind it.
Why go around hyping me up like that without asking?
The embarrassment’s all mine...
Anyway, wrapping up the brief chat, Teacher Rasen led me over to the students.
“Say hello. Some of you might know him already, but this is Teacher Edin, tagging along today.”
“Nice to meet you. Not an official teacher or anything... just the sundries shop guy. Haha.”
I gave an awkward greeting while sizing up the students.
“Hello. I’m Qumel Satirios. Looking forward to working with you today.”
A sturdy-looking warrior lad in half-plate armor, giving off a resolute vibe.
Early twenties, platinum blond hair, handsome with a commanding presence.
Given his refined looks, he was probably from nobility.
His voice had real depth to it—overall, a very masculine type.
“Whoa, it’s that guy from before. The one who knew all sorts of stuff! Great to see you again. I’m the mage, Shunero!”
This one was the total opposite of the guy—a bubbly young woman.
Slightly wavy short brown hair, a vibrant beauty.
Probably early twenties like the others.
Baggy gray robe and a hefty wooden staff pegged her as a mage.
“...Rin.”
Last up, an archer girl with a bow.
The super quiet, stoic sort.
Deep maroon hair, with bangs so long they practically shrouded her face—hard to make out details.
High nose bridge, small red lips: she had to be a knockout under there... but could she even shoot straight like that?
Her field of vision had to be shot...
According to Teacher Rasen, they were the top tank, runner-up mage, and top archer—strongest elite party around.
...Top archer, even with her vision blocked like that.
Anyway, with introductions done...
We passed through the west gate and headed for Ivenshuphev Village, same as last time.
Chatting with them on the way, they seemed totally normal.
I hate drawing lines between normal and not, but the last party we’d gone out with... well, they’d all been expelled by now.
They sure as hell weren’t normal.
Qumel was noble-born but didn’t act stuck-up at all—in fact, he treated people politely, like fellow adventurers.
“My goal’s to become an A-Rank tanker like Teacher Suiven. Ah, how’s she doing? I heard she transferred there recently.”
“Oh, yeah. Ever since they hired a new teacher, she’s practically living at my shop. Looks like she’s thrilled to have achieved her dream.”
“I see. Nothing better than hitting a life milestone. Makes me happy to be charging toward my own.”
Hmm, maybe qualifying it with “noble-born yet...” was off-base.
Mary was the weirdo, not nobles in general—adventurer nobles don’t go around flaunting their status.
Most took pride in ditching noble life for the free adventurer path.
Some even hated being treated like nobility.
Yeah, it was Mary Blaze who’d warped my view after all that time around her.
That was normal.
Shunero matched her first impression: super perky.
She talked the most, not just to her party but to Teacher Rasen and me too.
“So, Teacher Edin, why’d you become an alchemist? You know just about everything.”
“Felt like the best way to put all that knowledge to use. It’s the one area I’ve got real talent in, too.”
“Ooh, gotcha. Explains the killer potions, huh? Folks say even same-rank stuff from you is leagues better.”
“I appreciate that.”
She chattered nonstop all day, but it never felt annoying or loud.
More like... she lifted spirits.
The type who’d have tons of friends.
And finally, Rin...
“...Here, water.”
“Ah, thanks.”
Not much for words, but sharp-eyed and great at looking after others.
The reliable type who helps quietly from the rear.
...Kinda relatable, somehow.
And she was top archer despite those vision-blocking bangs... with eagle eyes to boot.
The more I learned, the more intriguing she got.
Before we knew it, yakking away about this and that, we’d arrived at Ivenshuphev Village.
“Alright, it’s been three whole days already. The orcs might’ve multiplied, or the goblin superiors expanded their turf. Let’s gear up fast.”
“Yep.”
“Yessir~”
“......”
No sooner had we hit the village than we jumped into prep.
Rechecked weapons and gear, body status.
Confirmed no issues from the trip.
As expected of third-years—everything flowed smoothly.
Could’ve passed for active adventurers.
“Hehe, time to try out Teacher Edin’s potions for real.”
Shunero said that with a grin, holding the diluted version of my Sticky Potion.
Come to think of it, this was the third-years’ first training since I started helping out.
They hadn’t used them for personal requests yet either, apparently.
Well... as top rankers, they probably didn’t need usage tips from me anyway.
I’d just focus on doing my part from the sidelines.