Chapter 14: The Reward
“Phew… I managed… to not get found out, right?”
I returned to the Guild and finally took off my helmet.
It would be a pain if Ghuftok-san realized it was me, so I went out of my way to buy new armor just for this.
It’s a full Darkness Armor Set, said to dramatically increase the wearer’s attack power.
It was a bit pricey, but I’m not exactly short on money.
Well, Ghuftok-san is an idiot and stubborn, so he probably wouldn’t think I saved him, and even if he did, he wouldn’t admit it…
I even had my weapon camouflaged with a rush job of painting and detailing before I went, so there’s no way he’d recognize it.
It might lead to a lot of trouble if he finds out later, but if that happens, I’ll just sneak out of town…
As I was thinking about such things, Salina-san came over with a drink for me.
Perhaps it was her way of showing appreciation.
I gratefully accepted it.
“Thank you very much, Roine-san.”
“No, I’m glad I could be of help to you, Salina-san.”
I never imagined I’d be able to cleave an Elder Golem in two with a single stroke.
I mean, even an A-Rank party couldn’t make a dent in it, right?
And yet… I…
I still can’t believe it.
“I believed you could do it, Roine-san.”
“Haha… I’m happy to hear that.”
“With this, a significant increase in your Adventurer Rank is guaranteed!”
“…Ah!”
Right, Adventurer Rank…!
I’d forgotten…
Today is the last day of the month.
Meaning, Adventurer Ranks will be updated.
Did Salina-san know that…!?
“…So, I… Will my rank really go up by a lot…?”
“It will…! Roine-san, you’ve had some incredible achievements this month!”
Well, I did retrieve the super rare item, Demonite Ore…
And I did cut a mutated, dungeon-class massive Elder Golem clean in half…
Achievements that people wouldn’t believe if you told them.
And I, currently at the lowest Adventurer Rank, accomplished all that in a single month.
Just how much will my rank rise…?
“Well… A-Rank is pretty much a certainty…”
“Eh, A-Rank…!? Just like that!?”
“I mean, you soloed an enemy that even an A-Rank party couldn’t defeat, cutting it in two with one blow… Perhaps even S-Rank isn’t just a dream… maybe…?”
“Oh man, this is a problem…”
“Why is that…? Isn’t it something amazing!?”
“Well… standing out seems like it would lead to all sorts of trouble…”
Right now, even though I’m succeeding in quests, I’m still at the lowest rank.
So no one is paying attention to me, and only the Guild staff probably know my true abilities.
But once the Adventurer Ranks are posted, all adventurers will see them.
What would happen if an unknown, nameless solo adventurer suddenly appeared around A-Rank with a bang?
Naturally, it would draw a ton of attention.
People would be asking, “Who is that guy?” and rumors about my achievements would spread like wildfire.
If that happens, Ghuftok-san might find out that I was the one who defeated the Golem.
“Can’t something be done about it…?”
“No, it can’t…! It’s fine, isn’t it? You’re that strong, Roine-san, so if anyone says anything, just tell them off sharply!”
“Even if you say that…”
“Fufu… You’re very kind, Roine-san.”
No, it’s not just Ghuftok-san; I might get hassled by other people too.
Suspected of rigging the rankings, or challenged by muscle-brained idiots wanting to test their strength.
Well, if that happens, I’ll really leave town.
Adventurer Ranks are determined by each guild, so if I go to a guild in another town, I can avoid some of the attention.
After all, this is the Metropolis Mirage, where adventurers gather.
The adventurers in Mirage have a deep talent pool, so its rankings are highly valued and attract a lot of attention.
If I go to another town, I can probably fudge things a bit more.
“Still, it’s strange, isn’t it…?”
“What is…?”
“Well, the Golem I defeated before had also grown gigantic in the same way.”
“Eh… Is that so!? This… is a matter that requires investigation. I’ll report it to the Guild Master for you.”
“Please do.”
Perhaps, unbeknownst to us, something incredible is happening.
There might be some connection…
“Ah… That’s right, Roine-san.”
“Yes…?”
“Tonight, do you… happen to have time…?”
“Heh…!? H-Hye, yes!”
I was so surprised, I blurted out something weird.
For some reason, Salina-san was blushing too.
Th-This… What kind of invitation is this…!?
“Um… As a thank you for today, how about… a meal or something?”
“O-O-O-O-Of course! With pleasure!”
“That’s great!”
A… A meal with Salina-saaaaaaaan!?
I felt like doing a little happy dance inside.
To think that someone like me, who just a while ago was being worried over and given a blanket by Salina-san…
Would be invited to a meal by Salina-san…!?
“All riiiiiight!”
The moment I left the Guild, I shouted that out loud, all alone.
Maybe… after the meal…
No, let’s not have any wicked thoughts.
For now, I need to focus on what’s right in front of me…!
Right then and there, I went to buy some stylish clothes to wear tonight.
Since I have plenty of money, I’ll buy the best outfit I can find.
Come to think of it, I’ve only ever spent money on armor and weapons; I’ve never bought fashionable clothes.
And then, I enjoyed the meal with Salina-san to the fullest!
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By the way, this was the rare drop I got from the Elder Golem.
《Sacred Mother’s Aegis》
Rarity ★★★★★★★★
Drop Rate 0.001%
Description: Accessory Item.
Dramatically improves the wearer’s survival rate.
Nullifies instant death.
For me, whose durability was a weak point, this could be called the best reward.