Honorary Member in the Dead of Night
Late at night in the western outpost of the dark elf scout unit in Durigarda, Kalinia—the officer in charge and captain of the scouts—was sorting through paperwork inside a tent bathed in soft, ethereal light.
It wasn’t a task she particularly enjoyed. Even after becoming captain, she still preferred charging into the field herself over sitting behind a desk giving orders.
But without the paperwork, the unit couldn’t survive. She needed to wring every possible resource and reinforcement out of central command to keep the cowardly defense and logistics divisions from poaching her personnel.
Despite her efforts, the scout unit always suffered from chronic manpower shortages. Unlike other regions, the western part of Durigarda where her unit operated was infested with dangerous monsters, including the four elite monsters known as the Four Great Beasts.
To the north lived the Thorn Vine Executor, Juggernaut. To the south grew the Sun Flower, Solar Bloom. In the east lurked the Silent Assassin, Silent Orchid. And roaming the west was the Bewitcher, Alraune.
When her thoughts reached that final name, the human woman she had met earlier that day surfaced in Kalinia’s mind.
Her name was… Ian, wasn’t it?
Kalinia rarely bothered remembering the names of anyone outside her direct chain of command, but the impression the woman had left inside this very tent must have stuck with her. She could recall both Ian’s face and name with perfect clarity.
She shook her head.
She’s probably dead by now anyway.
From what she had observed from a distance while the unit engaged the creature, the human was undeniably strong for her kind. But the monster Kalinia had sent her after was Alraune—one of the most lethal threats the scouts faced.
Ordinary willpower could not resist its charm. The moment its voice echoed inside your head, the battle was already decided.
Unlike the other elite monsters, Alraune never stayed in one place. Its behavior was completely unpredictable, as if it had declared the entire western region its personal domain.
Because of that combination of special abilities and vast territory, countless scouts had been reduced to nothing more than its puppets.
There had been attempts to subjugate it before, of course. They had ended in horrific defeat. The previous captain had sacrificed himself to minimize the losses, giving his life so the others could live.
Because that history existed, Kalinia had held no expectations for Ian. The entire point of the request had been to dispose of an annoying outsider. Simply returning alive would have been a miracle.
At least until the commotion erupted outside.
“Aaaah! What the hell is that?”
“A human? Is it actually alive?”
“It’s coming this way!”
What’s going on?
Kalinia set down her documents and rose to her feet. Calming chaos was part of a captain’s duty. She was just about to step outside when—
Flutter!
The tent flap was thrown open. A human woman drenched in blood staggered inside.
“You’re…”
It was Ian. Unlike their first meeting, she was in terrible shape—yet she glared at Kalinia with burning eyes.
“Hey. Take this.”
Kalinia caught the object Ian tossed. The moment she saw what it was, her pupils trembled violently.
“I kept my promise.”
Thud!
Having pushed her body far beyond its limits, Ian collapsed into unconsciousness the moment the words left her mouth.
A scout who entered moments later looked down at the fallen woman and asked, “What should we do with her?”
Kalinia stared at the Alraune’s essence still clutched in her hand before issuing her orders in a crisp, military tone.
“Move her to an empty tent.”
“Ugh… ugh…”
A headache stabbed at her skull like needles. Her body felt as heavy as a waterlogged quilt.
Still weighed down by unresolved exhaustion, Ian barely managed to open her eyes.
“Where…?”
She scanned her surroundings with bleary, fatigued eyes. A hard cot, a small wardrobe that looked like standard military storage, and the same drab atmosphere. Having been inside Kalinia’s tent before, she immediately recognized this as another tent.
But who had carried her here? As the question formed, the tent flap opened and someone stepped inside.
“You’re awake.”
“Kalinia?”
The dark elf scout captain held out a cup of warm soup.
“Drink.”
Ian stared at the steaming cup for a moment. When her stomach let out a loud growl, her face flushed red and she quickly drank it.
“Huh? It’s actually pretty good.”
“It is the highest quality ingredient available in this area. Consider it a precious gift and drink with gratitude.”
Only after her stomach had settled a little did Ian realize she was wearing nothing but her underwear. She hurriedly yanked the blanket up to her chin. Kalinia tilted her head at the sudden movement.
“What are you doing?”
“It’s nothing… I’m just a little cold. But why am I naked?”
“If I had laid you on the bed in that blood-soaked state, it would have been ruined. I cleaned your body, but you should still bathe properly.”
“Wait… you cleaned me?”
“Hmph. Humans get embarrassed over the strangest things.”
Deciding that this must simply be how human women were, Kalinia didn’t press the issue. There were far more important matters to discuss.
“So it is true that you killed the Alraune?”
Ian, still sipping the last of the soup, nodded.
“I brought you the proof, didn’t I?”
“You did. I received it clearly.”
Her memories before passing out were hazy, but she definitely remembered handing over the Alraune’s essence. Kalinia nodded, knowing this.
Still, she frowned.
“I don’t understand. It doesn’t appear you received help from anyone…”
Countless scouts had tried and failed to subjugate that monster. Yet she had done it alone? Her mind could accept the facts, but her heart refused to believe them.
“Exactly what method did you use?”
Ian shrugged.
“I just burned it. The charm was pretty dangerous, but I managed to shake it off somehow.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“That’s really all there was to it.”
Of course there had been many steps, and she had nearly crossed death’s threshold at the end, but Ian’s statement itself wasn’t wrong. Against Alraune specifically, magic had proven more effective than the sword in overcoming the crisis.
“…I see.”
It still felt off, but there was no trace of deception in Ian’s expression. She had truly accomplished a feat no one else had managed.
Kalinia bowed her head.
“Understood. As captain of the scouts, I offer my gratitude. I also apologize for my previous rudeness.”
Only then did a smile finally appear on Ian’s face.
“Then I can move around freely now?”
“Yes. Moreover, I hereby appoint you, Ian, as an honorary scout member. On my name and the honor of the entire scout unit, no one in Durigarda—or anywhere across Rimbahitam—will dare disrespect you.”
The moment Kalinia finished speaking, a window appeared before Ian’s eyes.
The Captain’s Test
You have slain Alraune, the ancient nemesis of the dark elves in western Durigarda. Your magnificent achievement has earned the recognition of the dark elves.
Reward Acquired
Level increased!
Status points acquired.
Ian immediately opened her status window.
Level 20… It went up more than I expected.
If she hadn’t faced an elite monster and received the quest, would she have leveled at all? No—she would have stayed exactly where she was. Ian shook her head inwardly.
Quests really are the best way to level up.
The harder the quest, the more explosive the experience gain. Once you surpassed a monster’s level, quests gave the highest returns.
But at the same time—
Should I call this good luck or bad luck?
She had nearly died completing this one. If her proficiency hadn’t reached 150, or if she hadn’t stored up enough experience beforehand, the full-dive machine connecting her to Arcadia would have delivered a death sentence.
Ian let out a long breath.
No. Don’t overthink it.
She had decided not to think about death the moment she stepped onto this battlefield. She would focus only on getting stronger. That was the resolve she had made.
So as long as she had grown stronger, that was enough. She could think about distributing her stats later. With that thought, she closed the window.
The tension finally draining away, a huge yawn escaped her.
“Haaam…”
“Are you still very tired?”
“A little. My head’s still fuzzy.”
Her body had recovered, but her mind hadn’t yet shaken off the aftereffects of that brutal battle. Even while talking to Kalinia, she had to fight to keep her eyes from closing.
Kalinia nodded.
“I’ve troubled you. Rest.”
As Kalinia turned to leave, Ian quickly called out to her.
“Ah, wait—do you have any spare clothes? As you can see, mine are…”
She pointed at the rags hanging on a hook. Her beloved cloak had burned away long ago. The torn top was stained with blood and filth, and the bottoms were so shredded that her underwear was clearly visible.
Looking at them now, it was a miracle she had made it this far. The clothes had completely lost their function as clothing. She had grown somewhat attached to them, but she needed a proper new set.
Still, this was a dark elf outpost in a harsh environment. She hadn’t expected much. Any wearable rag would have been fine.
“You worry about pointless things. Did I not tell you? You are now an honorary member of our scout unit.”
What does that have to do with clothes? Ian thought, puzzled. Then, for the first time, Kalinia smiled at her.
“If you wait, I will have a proper uniform brought to you.”
“A… uniform?”
“Be proud. You will be the only human who has ever worn it. Now rest.”
With those words, Kalinia left the tent.
Ian stared at the spot where she had disappeared for a long time before muttering under her breath.
Should I run away?