Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: The Hiring Test
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Friday afternoon.
The moment student council activities wrapped up, I changed into casual civilian clothes—not my uniform or family robes.
April 24th marked Victory Day, the day the gods drove back the Abyss and the power of Tersia began. It was a worldwide holiday, and <Delaiten> granted cadets a full week off.
That was why it was called the Golden Holiday.
That left me with about ten days, combining the two weekends with the next week. More than enough time to visit the black market.
I left the dorm and walked the now-familiar streets to the Adventurer's Guild.
Holidays meant little to adventurers, apparently—the request board was swarming with them.
"Bandit extermination? The reward's pretty hefty."
"Hey, we called dibs on that one!"
"Goblins in the sewers... Pass. It reeks."
"If you're a newbie, take whatever comes."
Rain bypassed the board entirely and headed straight for the counter. The requests I wanted weren't posted publicly.
"What can I help you with?"
When my turn came, the guild receptionist asked with a professional smile.
"I'm looking for a long-distance escort job. Ideally, heading toward the <Ledacabel> area."
Her eyes lit up. The smile vanished, replaced by a serious tone.
"May I see your guild card?"
That was when I sensed it.
So... Special Investigator Doran Slade hadn't lied after all.
"Here. Bronze rank."
"Bronze... Confirmed."
The Alliance brokered illegal gigs like black market escorts, of course. Demand was steady.
But to nominally dodge imperial investigators' eyes (as Doran's case showed, they turned a blind eye anyway), they didn't advertise them openly.
They only connected clients with bronze-rank adventurers or higher—those with proven social contributions and experience.
The receptionist handed back my card, unrolled several scrolls, and frowned.
"You're a bit late. Most deadlines were yesterday."
"Nothing left at all?"
"Just one. It closes tonight. But it's not direct hire—they'll test your skills first, then decide."
They're selective, only taking the real deal... Not bad. Thorough allies for a short stint couldn't hurt.
"Sounds good. Tell me the spot."
The client had a carriage waiting for adventurers. It left in the afternoon, so head over early, they said. I left the guild.
"Hey."
As I stepped out with the request scroll, a voice called from a woman at an outdoor table.
"You there, handsome young gentleman?"
Assuming it wasn't for me, I quickened my pace. She raised an eyebrow in disbelief and strode over.
"You, yeah you. Didn't you hear me?"
Slender build, clad in mobility-focused leather armor. Twin curved swords crossed at her waist.
She smelled of the sea. A swordswoman from the Chamiron Archipelago...
Her blue hair braided back in the archipelago style sealed it.
"What?"
"No need to be so stiff! Come on, tag along. I've got the same request."
She waved the scroll as proof. Rain tilted his head curiously.
"Why together?"
"Why? Company on the road's nice."
"Not really."
"?"
"See ya."
"Wait-wait-wait! A beautiful lady offers to join you, and that's how you react? Wait, you thought I was a guy because I'm kinda cute?"
Why do women with looks always assume men lose their minds...
I tried brushing her off politely, but she wedged herself into the carriage seat beside me and started chattering about herself.
She'd sneak off like this now and then, her swordsmanship was top-notch, already bronze-rank adventurer...
"My name's Hirpien. Yours?"
"Rain."
No need to mention the family name. No intention to.
To minimize traces of a Ludwig kid hitting the black market, I'd even donned black contact lenses.
"Rain? Hmm, rings a bell. Recently, too."
What a pain. Is this what it'll be like with Seri grown up? The thought made me shudder.
The other three adventurers sat quietly in their spots.
Amid the chatter and silence, how far did the carriage travel? We left the city, passed the suburbs, entered a forest at dusk. The burly spearman spoke up.
"Hey, where are we headed exactly?"
The driver had simply said, "Where the client waits." But we stopped in a creepy forest clearing.
"Where's the client?"
A sharp-featured woman with a lithe build asked. Twin daggers at her hips screamed thieves' guild.
"The client awaits you here."
The young driver grinned, hopped down with a stack of papers, and handed one to each adventurer.
Let's see...
Rain checked—it was a map. Of a very familiar city: [Golden Rose]. The marked spot was a fancy inn near the west gate we'd left from.
The hot-tempered thief narrowed her eyes.
"What the hell? Client's back there—why drag us out here?!"
"Didn't the Alliance explain? Separate skills test before hire."
That's when something flashed in the forest.
Arrows sliced through the air. In an instant, Rain spun the staff on his back, assuming position.
Form 4: Elephant.
The staff whipped around fluidly, batting away three incoming arrows. Hirpien whistled in admiration.
"Whoa, you're a mage? Since when do mages do that?"
The other four adventurers snapped into combat stance, scanning the trees. She was the exception.
"Where?"
"No killing intent."
The spearman glanced at a broken arrow, eyes narrowing.
"Real arrows."
The driver smiled.
"Naturally. It's the test. Escape the forest unharmed and reach him—everyone who does gets hired."
"......!"
"Those not up for it, back in the carriage. No attacks on it."
The adventurers eyed each other, but none climbed aboard.
Interesting... Adventurers facing tests like this now? The world's changing in fun ways.
The thief sighed, dropped to one knee, touched the ground, and closed her eyes.
"Let's see... Big setup, but the fancy client's pinching pennies too."
"......?"
"Five presences besides us. Testing us with just five?"
Impressive. Presence detection was thieves' and archers' specialty.
Thieves honed senses for stealth; archers read life and wind flows. They sniffed out foes mages and warriors missed.
But this was next-level... Her guild card glinted silver at her waist. Silver-rank, like Bart.
"Hey. If the testers are out to kill us, we can kill them back, right?"
The silver-rank spearman asked the driver.
Oddly, the driver glanced at Rain, then nodded as if to say of course.
The spearman gripped his weapon, swung fiercely. A whirlwind from the tip scattered leaves from the surrounding giant trees, clearing the view.
'Oh, not bad.'
Rista would've slashed the trees with sword aura... But sword aura and ki were pinnacle symbols.
In magic terms, sword ki was 5-star, aura 6-star?
Hard to say without wielding a blade, but swordsmen mastering them etched names in history like great mages. FakeWarriors all wielded sword ki, supposedly.
"Name's Willis. Short partnership, but let's smash through and grab that pay."
He scanned the newly cleared sightlines.
"Our testers already bailed. Let's move."
"No, hold up."
That was when Rain extended his palm. Elegant rays wove into dual magic circles.
'Oh, this guy...'
'2-star high-speed casting... Yorhen type...?!"
'Hmph, bronze-rank...?'
The adventurers marveled inwardly, but it was a bluff. Behind the contacts, Bell Sidias's bloodline limit flashed.
01010100101010010100101010101.
His vision flooded with equations; all surrounding mana parsed into math, beaming straight to his brain.
"No killing intent on those arrows—figures, not human-fired."
"......?!"
"Tons of telekinesis traps around. One of those, probably."
Bell Quirius could've wiped them instantly, but it'd drain mana and scream "Ludwig here!"—pass.
"Got it. Coordinates?"
The woman with the massive leather pack spoke up.
Her white jade necklace and earrings boosting magic power had tipped mage already.
Rain nodded, marked coordinates on a branch with his staff. She unbuttoned the pack, pulled something out.
"......?!"
"......?!"
"......?!"
A koto. Four silk strings over pale summerwood planks.
"Whoa, Rigwind-type mage?!"
"Yes."
Sound-catalyst mages were Rigwind types.
It started with Rigwind, first disciple of magic progenitor Emitsa Page. Emitsa named him "melody," birthing the school.
Few students, but potent influence.
Notably, their Eight Great Academy rep, Harimun Academy, used seven-stringed qins; Rigwind's Solond royal line, flutes.
"Hope my playing's decent..."
She cleared her throat shyly and plucked.
Clear, sharp sound waves formed circles, spreading deep into the forest. Traps winked out one by one.
Precision magic at a high level. Amateurs not even invited? Getting more intriguing.
"Every mage I've met was either sleazy or cowardly. This crew's different."
Willis grinned, slinging his spear over his shoulder. The thief nodded.
"Agreed. Shall we go punch some tester faces? Knock 'em out, test over?"
Hirpien, who'd done zilch till now, stepped up then. She laughed brightly, clapped, and wagged her head.
"Need to? Nah, don't think so."
"What're you on? Gotta catch 'em to end it."
"Test's already over."
"Who says?"
"Me. I say it's over, it is. I'm running the test."
Rain and the adventurers gawked at her like she'd lost it, heads tilting.
We were still in the forest—half a day to the city.
But Hirpien beamed, beckoning the loitering driver.
"Tain, bring the contracts. Like all four here. Skilled and fun."
Jaws dropped.
What the...? That glance from the driver earlier... At her, not me?
Not just Rain—everyone blinked in confusion as contracts were passed out.
Only Hirpien grinned like sunshine. The driver sighed awkwardly and explained.
"Correct. This is Hirpien Dialr, eldest daughter of the Dialr family—one of Chamiron's top three noble houses."
Dialr family? Rain wasn't one to talk, but she had zero noble poise.
That's why I'd bought her adventurer claim hook, line, and sinker... Fake guild card? Illegal?
But it seemed legit. Hirpien clapped delightedly, winking.
"Nothing beats up-close judgment for skills. Hehe, looking forward to your escort work, my capable adventurer pals!"