Chapter 20
Chapter 20
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Most Problems Are Solved with One Firm Resolve (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Most problems could be solved with a single firm resolve.
Originally, he should have gone straight to the Adventurer's Guild with the girls to apply as an instructor.
But something even more urgent had come up.
The troll anomaly in Ode Swamp that Dayrun's group had mentioned earlier.
The second possibility.
'Troll Lord's appearance.'
...If that was true, it wouldn't end with just a troll anomaly.
The number of trolls would explode, filling the Ode Swamp, and soon enough...
They'd set out in search of new nests and food supplies.
And the most suitable new nest, brimming with abundant food...
...would be the nearest human city, Hasler. They'd invade it.
If thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of trolls assaulted the city...
Even a single Hero Party wouldn't make a difference.
They'd need at least active Hero Parties or five or more Hero candidate parties.
"...No, that might still not be enough."
The terrifying thing about a troll army was that no matter how many you killed, new trolls kept replenishing the ranks.
That was the Troll Lord's ability.
The bastard could apply a troll's greatest trait—its regeneration—on an army scale. No matter how many you slew, the army regenerated, keeping their numbers steady.
Trolls were already hard to kill due to their superior regeneration, and now their numbers wouldn't dwindle as they kept coming.
It was a horrific disaster.
To stop it, they'd have to find the Troll Lord.
But the Troll Lord wasn't stupid; it knew its death meant the end of the army.
So it hid deep within its territory, making itself impossible to find.
It became a war of attrition: who would collapse from exhaustion first, or would they locate and slay the Troll Lord before that?
If such a monster had truly appeared...
If the Troll Lord was real, this was a national crisis.
Not just one city destroyed—it would spread.
The wider their territory grew, the more infinitely they multiplied, and the more hiding spots the Troll Lord had, making it harder to track.
A single misstep in the initial response could lead to an entire nation being devoured by trolls. It wasn't a fantasy.
So shouldn't they contact the Imperial Army immediately and request Heroes or multiple Hero Parties?
"No... They've probably already been contacted."
They weren't idiots.
They had to have considered the second possibility... the emergence of the Troll Lord.
A Hero Party might already be in Hasler, for all he knew.
So where was he heading now?
To the city's communications department, to send a message.
Didn't he just say the Imperial Army had already been contacted?
Of course, it wasn't for them.
"...Just in case, I should at least put in a request for aid."
It was insurance, beyond the Imperial Army—just in case.
Whether they'd help or not was another matter.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Yes, we've confirmed that employer Kane has passed through Hasler's gates. You received the payment on-site... Yes! D-Rank escort request completed."
Sonya and Reina headed straight to the Adventurer's Guild to finalize the escort quest.
At first, they worried that since party leader Kogel had been arrested and expelled from the guild, it might not count toward their completion tally.
Fortunately, that wasn't the case.
Completing this quest was crucial for both of them.
"Congratulations. You've both met the criteria for D-Rank promotion. Pass the D-Rank promotion exam at any guild branch, and you'll both advance to D-Rank."
The receptionist beamed, delivering the news they'd been waiting for.
'Finally...'
'We've hit the quest point total!'
To promote from E-Rank to D-Rank, they needed 30 completion points: 1 per F-Rank, 2 per E-Rank, 3 per D-Rank.
Of course, points alone weren't enough.
They had to pass the promotion exam proving they had D-Rank caliber skills.
The good news was that up to C-Rank, local branches could handle promotions themselves.
So D- and C-Rank exams could be taken in their current city, no need to travel far.
From B-Rank up, exams were only in national capitals, forcing outer-region adventurers to trek long distances.
'The exam... a test.'
'D-Rank...'
Truth be told, they hadn't originally been D-Rank material, planning to grind a bit more under Kogel after this quest before challenging it.
But Kogel was gone, and their skills had reached a level that wouldn't shame D-Rank.
They could take the exam right away.
'This is all thanks to Instructor Kane.'
'Without him, we'd still be the same as before.'
Thinking of Kane, who had elevated them this far, they felt deep gratitude in their hearts.
"By the way... your leader, D-Rank Kogel, vanished midway, yet you two made it. Lucky break, huh?"
"Ah..."
The receptionist meant no harm.
If two E-Ranks claimed a 10-day escort, 90% would react like that: Lucky, must've just run into a few goblins.
But reality was different.
They'd faced not just goblin packs, but swifter, stronger gray wolf packs and even hobgoblins.
Yet by honing abilities suited to their aptitudes, they'd dispatched D-Rank party-level monsters with ease.
"......"
But explaining now would be pointless.
No one would believe them anyway.
The same went for claiming Kane had made them stronger.
With their strength unproven, it held no sway.
So they'd have to prove it themselves.
"Can we sign up for the exam right away?"
"Of course. There's one scheduled shortly. Shall I slot you in? Or is that too soon—maybe a few days later...?"
"Yes, today, please."
Perfect timing—an exam soon.
'If we show our growth and credit Instructor Kane's teachings, no one can argue.'
'That'll lock in his instructor credentials!'
They vowed to make Kane an instructor at the Hasler Adventurer's Guild branch.
And to receive more guidance, they planned to settle in Hasler permanently.
"Then... please wait at the guild in 30 minutes."
The receptionist glanced at the clock and said so.
Just 30 minutes.
No time to prepare.
For a moment, they regretted rushing into today, anxiety flaring.
But...
'No, it has to be today or it loses meaning.'
'Instructor Kane's applying today too.'
Recalling their goal steadied their resolve.
Thus, 30 minutes flew by.
"Everyone taking promotion exams today, come in! Starting with D-Rank! C-Rank exam after D-Rank finishes!"
A guild staffer came down from the second floor and shouted.
A few rose and headed upstairs, Sonya and Reina among them.
"Whew, I'm nervous."
"Yeah..."
"First time for the D-Rank promotion exam?"
As they calmed their nerves, a male adventurer nearby spoke up.
The man, late 20s, sported a bushy beard that gave a grubby impression.
"Ah, yes."
"Our first."
Hearing it was their first, the man smirked smugly.
"This is my third try. Last time was so close—I barely failed. This time, I'm sure I'll pass. Heh, impressive, right? Passing on the third go. That's pretty fast, you know."
He boasted like he was superior, but passing on the third try was indeed quick.
From D-Rank on, you were a proper adventurer with real quests, so the exam was tough.
Unlike E-Rank, where points alone sufficed.
No wonder C-Rank exams were said to be easier than D-Rank.
"Oh, I see."
"Yeah..."
They replied tepidly and quickly slipped away from the bearded adventurer.
They had an inexplicable hunch he'd keep yapping if they stayed.
"Haha, I know the exam inside out. Want me to tell you—"
Sure enough, he was already cornering another female adventurer, bragging away.
They sighed in relief at escaping fast.
But then worry crept in.
'What if we fail too?'
'If it's that hard... even with skill, we might flop?'
Per Kane, with more experience and knowledge, they could handle C-Rank.
They trusted him, but jitters hit hard before the exam.
"Alright, written test first."
Gulp—
They opened the test papers with bated breath.
'Huh?'
'Hm?'
But the questions weren't as brutal as feared.
Some they already knew.
Others were basic morality checks anyone decent could ace.
Of course, tough ones existed.
Many demanded real adventurer experience and expertise.
With a 70-point cutoff, it looked stringent.
But...
'Instructor Kane taught us this.'
'Poisonous plant ID... leaf shape, right?'
To them, armed with Kane's survival tips and knowledge, it was manageable.
Result.
✅ EXAM RESULTS ✅ Sonya: 90 points
Reina: 88 points
Both cleared the cutoff with room to spare.
"No way! 67 points?! This is bullshit! I demand a recount!!"
The bushy-bearded man who'd bragged about passing screamed and thrashed.
"Drag him out."
"Argh! Next time for sure!"
Guild staff subdued and hauled him out in seconds.
"......"
Watching, they thought, 'Couldn't even pass the written test, yet he talked big?'
Not that the written was easy.
Half of the eight examinees—four—failed.
But the real test was next.
"Now, moving to the practical exam."
They still had to prove their skills matched D-Rank.