12. Promotion Exam
Rudy and his entourage—the so-called Crow Brothers or whatever—took the lead toward the goblin village that was the target of the promotion exam quest. One of the Crow Brothers' party members must have been a mage, because even under the scorching sun, they cast a shadow-manipulating spell to darken their path, strolling along quite comfortably in the cool shade.
Walking beside them were Aaron, Scully, and some guy named Widro. I trailed a few steps behind, holding back Dina, who looked ready to explode at any moment.
“If that rude bastard spouts one more word calling me a brat, I'll rip his fucking mouth off right then and there.”
“...Yeah, sure. I won't stop you if he does.”
Thankfully, the disaster I feared—Dina going berserk—didn't happen, and we managed to calm things down. Unlike Bella, who ignored me no matter what I said, Dina at least listened when I intervened directly. Of course, that didn't mean her murderous intent toward Rudy had faded one bit; she was just biding her time, waiting for an excuse.
Whatever. I'd already spared him once, so if karma came calling next, that was on him.
“As Yeonja knows well, arrogant fools need to be put in their place. Especially when they're talentless weaklings strutting around without a clue! Don't you agree, Yeonja?”
“Exactly. Dina's got it right.”
I nodded, stroking Dina's head. Dr. Oh, the authority on pampered kids, once said: Always affirm a child's words first. When it came to golden children like her, the man's advice was gospel.
“Aww, so cute. Our little Dina.”
“Hee-hee... Feels good, Yeonja. You can pet more. I permit it.”
Did that yapping idiot up ahead have any idea? That a Chihuahua several times deadlier than the adventurer parties surrounding me to protect him was gunning for his throat?
“Tch... Figures these filthy low-rank adventurers reek. Get lost and walk behind us.”
“Y-Yes? Oh, yes... Sorry. Let's hang back, Scully. You too, Mr. Widro.”
“Got it.”
“Uh, yeah.”
“Hey, you there—the girl can walk beside me. Nice looks on her.”
“P-Pardon? No, I...”
“You questioning the words of Jefferson Barony's eldest son?”
“It's fine, Scully. Just do it.”
“Aaron...”
Due to Rudy's bullying, Aaron and Widro ended up falling back a bit to walk near us. Widro glanced at me and edged even farther away.
“...Ahem.”
...What the hell's his problem? I wasn't thrilled about cozying up to someone who clearly disliked me either. Ignoring Widro, I turned to Aaron. He glanced at Dina, who was purring under my hand, and asked,
“Lady Dina... have you calmed down a bit?”
“Yeah, well... As you can see.”
Meanwhile, Rudy, striding ahead, eyed Scully up and down and beckoned her to his side.
“Come here next to me.”
“S-Sorry...”
“Huh...?”
Scully shook her head reluctantly, but Rudy scowled in displeasure.
Her lively expression vanished; now she was glancing nervously at the Crow Brothers' party, terror etched on her face. Aaron bit his lip watching Rudy's antics.
“Ngh...”
Undeterred, Rudy draped an arm around Scully's waist, pulling her close and groping her slyly. Come to think of it, with that blond hair, a tan would make him a dead ringer for a golden sun—shallow as they come. Aaron could only spit curses in frustration.
“...Damn it.”
Yeah, Aaron's issue. Not my business.
“Dina, hold up a sec.”
“Hm? What is it, Yeonja?”
“Look, I don't mind a lot of things, but NTR's not my jam.”
“NTR...? What's that?”
“Something kids don't need to know.”
“Yeonja, I'm not a kid... Yeonja?”
I quickened my pace, shoving through their group. The adventurers guarding Rudy glared daggers, but I ignored them. As if they'd stop me.
“Excuse me, coming through.”
“What the hell are you?”
“What else? You don't know me? I'm kinda famous in the city. You guys operate there too, right? You really clueless, or playing dumb?”
“Heard of you vaguely. Ian.”
“Then make way. You know who's behind me, yeah?”
“If you cause the young master any trouble, we won't—”
“Won't let me off? A threat? Should I relay that straight to Bella?”
“...N-No, we...”
Mentioning Bella shut them up instantly, lips sealed. Like their glares scared me. What could they do? With Cheong-ah and Bella behind me, they couldn't touch me. Worst case, Dina too.
“Or just move. Or I'll head back to the city first. You know I won't return alone.”
“...F-Fine, got it.”
They backed off at my request. Listen when spoken to, huh?
I pried Rudy's arm from Scully's waist and wedged myself between them. She looked at me in surprise. I winked and jerked my chin backward.
“Eek...?”
“Whoa, hold on.”
“W-What the? Who are you?”
“Ah, you wait. Scully, Dina wants to chat with you.”
“L-Lady Dina? Me?”
“Yeah, go keep her company. She's bored.”
“Y-Yes! Right away!”
Scully beamed gratefully, bowed to me, and hurried back to Aaron and Dina.
“You bastard! Do you know who I—?!”
I cut off his barking with a grin.
“Who? My quest partner, duh. Oh, we haven't introduced ourselves properly. Kinda rude, no? We're partying up.”
“Why the hell would I introduce myself to trash like—”
“No worries. I heard your name—Rudy Jefferson. Good memory on me. Jefferson Barony, right? Impressive~!”
Of course, I had no clue where that barony was. Probably loaded, though.
“Hah, you commoner scum, what the fuck do you think you're—”
I slung my arm over his shoulder. He flinched. The Crows glared, but didn't intervene. My words worked wonders.
“Where do you think you're putting that arm?! Get it off—?!”
“Jeez. Name's Ian. Iron-rank adventurer. Teaming up for the promotion exam. Nice to meet ya.”
I gripped both his shoulders hard, interrupting nonstop and monologuing. Without mana, it shouldn't seem threatening.
“What the hell are you—?!”
“Just a friendly hello.”
“Wha...?”
If he had mana like me, maybe. But he probably did—a little, anyway. Or couldn't control it. If he could...
“G-Guhhh...! You filthy cur...!”
“Whoa, milord's shoulders are knotted up bad!”
No way just squeezing would make him scream like that. I tightened my grip; Rudy buckled to his knees. The group halted.
“Gahhh...! You idiots! What are you staring at?! Kill this mutt— Aaaagh...!”
“Easy now! First time's always rough. Massages hurt at first! They know that, so they're not interfering, right? All 'cause your shoulders are so tense! Got it?! Just bear it!”
“What bullshit—IIIISSHHH...!!!!”
His hires just watched him wail. They couldn't do shit anyway.
“See? You guys—the Crow Brothers? Good memory, told ya! They're jealous! Shoulder rubs feel amazing, swear!”
“Gaaah...! Let gooo...! Uwaaagh!”
Messing with me risked their necks if they pissed me off. So I leisurely gave this bratty noble some education.
“Kkhk, hngh... I won't let this slide. You... I'll make you pay... Damn it, hngh.”
“Aw, why cry? I was just excited to meet you.”
“Shut up... Nghk, this humiliation...”
“Tch. Hurt my feelings.”
No clue if the lesson stuck. But I felt better, so good enough.
“Alright, shall we get moving again?”
Try NTR in front of me? Drop dead.
§
After Ian's not-quite-education session on Rudy, the group resumed marching. Rudy trembled with humiliation amid his Crow Brothers' escorts.
When had he ever suffered such treatment? House Jefferson was nobility running a thriving merchant company—impressive for a mere barony. No vast lands, but generations of success peaked under his father, the current baron.
Born the eldest son, Rudy wanted for nothing. Spoiled rotten by his doting parents, he did as he pleased from childhood. This bred an arrogant bully: servile to superiors, vicious to inferiors. Dim-witted but cunning, a classic strong-against-weak materialist punk.
Such a guy getting manhandled by Iron-rank adventurers—bottom-feeders barely scraping Bronze promotion? Unthinkable.
Damn, damn, damn, damn...
That loser with the weird kid, daring to treat me like this...! Rudy gnashed his teeth at Ian, then vented on his silent escorts.
“Useless fucks! Why'd you just stand there?! Think my father paid you to do nothing?!”
Thwack! Rudy kicked the leader of the Crow Brothers, Elio, in the shin—his feeble best, from a mana-mismanaging thug.
Elio overplayed it, clutching his leg and feigning agony to soothe him.
“Agh... Owow... Sorry, young master. But we couldn't.”
“Couldn't? What bullshit is that?!”
“That guy's backed by folks we can't handle.”
“Can't handle? Who the hell is he?”
“You've heard, right? Leventen has two Platinum-rank adventurers.”
“Platinum? Oh yeah. Hot pieces of ass, right?”
Elio's words conjured the two women he'd glimpsed recently: Cheong-ah's elegant Eastern beauty and purity, Bella's fiery red allure—scarred eye aside, rose-like.
Rudy's eyes burned with lust. Elio smirked inwardly at the clueless brat's folly—Doesn't even know about the Fallen Princess?
Fallen princess aside, she was royalty. Exiled but tied to Tronen's princess—heir apparent Aria. Laughable, ogling a Platinum-rank like meat. Her father must be a saint to sire such an idiot. Elio pondered child-rearing.
“Yes, that guy's in their party.”
“What? Hah, no shit? That parasite! Rings a bell!”
“So we couldn't touch—”
“Then grab him hostage! Those bitches dote on him? Heh-heh... Revenge and those beauties in my grasp...”
Elio stared at Rudy's delusions, muttering,
“Holy shit...”
How does a brain-dead moron even conceive that? Elio weighed killing him versus massive breach fees.