Tier V Seeker ⓪
I tried to explain in detail to answer their questions.
But The Witch told me to keep it brief, so I omitted various things.
The three of them seemed convinced.
“Oh my. To think a clue to Hayarn’s Legacy would be in a place like that.”
“Hayyarn. How surprising. So he actually existed.”
“Existed?”
Shiro-san nodded.
“In Shiro’s homeland, he appears in fairy tales. Wof-kun, do you know of the ‘Three Eggs’?”
“No… I don’t.”
“My oh my, how nostalgic.”
“You know of it too, Witch?”
“Oh my. I haven’t heard of it where I’m from.”
So Alance-san didn’t know.
Shiro-san looked surprised for a moment, then began to speak, no, sing.
“Hayyarn the Alchemist~~ A dream Alchemist no one knows~♪ Hayyarn has the Three Eggs~♪♪ Mysterious, wondrous, magical~ Eggs~♪ A Sacred Egg that heals all creatures and repels evil~♪ An Egg of Life that grants all creatures long life~♪ An Egg of Soul that revives any creature~♪ Hayyarn the Alchemist~~ A dream Alchemist no one knows~♪ Hayyarn has the Three Eggs~♪♪ Mysterious, wondrous, magical~ Eggs. Where oh where are the Three Eggs now~~♪ When oh when will the Three Eggs hatch~~♪”
Her cute voice carried well; she was quite good. We couldn’t help but applaud.
Ahem, Shiro-san cleared her throat, looking embarrassed.
“Oh my. You sing quite well.”
“Yes, yes. That was a wonderful singing voice.”
“It was lovely.”
“I’m so embarrassed.”
Shiro-san turned her face away with a huff. Still, it was an intriguing children’s song.
A Sacred Egg that heals all creatures and repels evil~ That has to be the Elixir Sacred Egg.
To think the Elixir Sacred Egg would come up here.
What were the other two? Eternal life and resurrection? Surely not.
And an Alchemist. Someone who practices Alchemy.
Slightly surprised by the unexpected connection, I remembered something.
The Sacred Tree. It was carved on the front of the wooden box that held the Elixir Sacred Egg.
“Well, well, regardless of whether Hayyarn actually existed, things have gotten interesting.”
The Witch looked amused. Alance-san had a conflicted expression.
“Oh my. Now I have to quickly prepare a Tier V tag.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s not something you need to apologize for. The tag will be ready soon, so just wait a moment.”
She winked at me. Haha.
Alance-san gave instructions to a staff member. I poured tea for Shiro-san and The Witch.
“Delicious.”
“Thank you very much.”
“Yes, yes. You’ve improved your skills again.”
“Thank you very much.”
Lately, I’ve only been making tea with the Crescent Vessel.
I haven’t given up on making Potions, but making tea is fun.
And I can’t shake the feeling that this might somehow be useful for Potion-making.
“Oh my. That smells nice.”
“Please, have some.”
I poured tea for Alance-san as well.
“It’s delicious… Oh, right. It’s fine for you to accept the request, but there’s a condition.”
“A condition?”
“You must form a Party. It doesn’t have to be official. Let’s see. At least four people. That means you need three others besides yourself.”
“Three people…”
“Wof boy, Wof boy. Kon can’t participate this time.”
“Is that so?”
“But, but, I really want to join, but I have so much work piled up. Really, truly.”
“W-well, that can’t be helped. Understood.”
So The Witch is out. Then my eyes met Shiro-san’s.
“Unfortunately, Shiro can’t either. I have duties involving letters and messages.”
“Y-yes. It can’t be helped.”
I hadn’t said anything, but, I see. Shiro-san can’t make it either.
For members, I should try inviting Fang of Thunder.
Also, I need to report this to Mineha-san and Ms. Pachira.
“Oh my. Goodness, I almost forgot.”
Alance-san took a sheet from the documents on her desk and showed it to me.
What could it be?
“It’s your reward receipt. Please hand it over at counter number 5.”
I had completely forgotten.
This is bad, this is bad. Forgetting my reward makes me unfit to be a Seeker.
“Y-yes. Understood.”
“It includes the payment for subjugating the anomaly in the Dungeon last time too.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
“Well then, now that I’ve enjoyed the tea, Shiro’s business here seems to be concluded.”
With that, Shiro-san collected her crystal ball and folded up the white tea table and chair.
The chair clicked neatly into place underneath the table. It reminded me of something I’d seen in my past life memories.
Next, she secured the white tea table with a belt, tying it up. What’s going on?
Then, with a grunt, she hoisted the white tea table onto her small back. Huh?
“Hmm?”
“Well then, everyone. Fare thee well.”
“Eh, wai-”
“Is something the matter?”
“Um, couldn’t you store it in your pouch?”
“Shiro finds taking this tea table out of a pouch physiologically repulsive.”
“I-I see.”
She answered instantly without hesitation. Her words were tinged with aversion.
She must really hate it. Though I don’t understand the feeling at all.
“Well then, let us meet again if opportunity allows, Wof-kun.”
“Y-yes.”
Carrying the white tea table, she departed gracefully.
The door closed with a soft click.
“I wish she’d stop doing that. She bumped it into a wall once and scraped it.”
Alance-san muttered after she left. Ahh, it does look like it would snag on things easily.
I spoke unconsciously.
“There really are all sorts of people, aren’t there?”
“Well, well, there certainly are all sorts.”
“First Class Seekers are like an exhibition of eccentrics, oddballs, and weirdos.”
“But surely not all of them are like that.”
Alance-san chuckled softly and gestured towards The Witch with her eyes.
I went “Ahhh…” in understanding.
And so, after waiting for several tens of minutes, I received my Tier V Seeker tag.
The tag was made of specially processed metal.
My name and rank were on the front. The manufacturing date was engraved on the back.
“Alright then, I’ll explain various things.”
“Um, excuse me, may I ask one thing?”
“Oh my. What is it?”
“…Um, I have become a Seeker, right?”
“That’s right. You became one through a special exception. What about it?”
I stated clearly.
“Starting from that point, I haven’t been told anything.”
“What did you say?”
Alance-san glared sharply at The Witch.
The Witch averted her gaze. Alance-san sighed.
“First of all, I heard there’s an exam to become a Seeker through a special exception.”
“That’s right.”
“But I haven’t taken any exam.”
“Oh my. You really haven’t been told anything, have you?”
“Absolutely nothing.”
Alance-san glared at The Witch again.
The Witch averted her gaze once more. She let out a deep sigh.
“Haaah, first, let’s talk about what this ‘special exception’ entails. The conditions for the special exception are strict. You don’t necessarily need to meet all of them, but there are various requirements. For example, money. Becoming a Seeker via special exception costs more than double the usual amount. There are other difficult conditions too. Hey, doesn’t it seem strange? Anyone can easily become a Seeker once they’re an adult. But the hurdles are set incredibly high for a child to become one.”
“Certainly…”
I don’t know the details, but Seekers just need to register once they become adults.
For it to be this strict just because someone isn’t an adult seems odd.
“It’s not for nothing. It’s to secure talented individuals. That’s why Seekers under the special exception start at Tier III.”
“From the very beginning?”
“That’s right. That’s why the conditions and the exam are so strict.”
I see. So that’s why Mineha-san is Tier III. Wait, but.
“I started from Tier VI, though.”
“That, that was because Kon requested it.”
“The Witch did?”
“First, first, I apologize for keeping quiet about it. I wanted to surprise you.”
I thought it might be something like that.
Very typical of The Witch.
“That’s fine now. But why did I start from Tier VI?”
“Yes, yes. That’s because I thought Wof boy wouldn’t be satisfied with being Tier III. Besides, since Kon hasn’t formally trained you as a Seeker, I thought skipping ranks might not be appropriate.”
“I see.”
If I were suddenly told I was a Tier III Seeker, I would… just be bewildered, not happy.
I know nothing about being a Seeker and have no experience, so having a high rank wouldn’t sit right with me.
There’s also the matter of standing out. I’m already conspicuous without realizing it just by being The Witch’s disciple.
I don’t want any more reasons to attract attention.
“But I haven’t taken the exam.”
“Oh my. You did take it.”
“Eh?”
“See, the investigation in That Forest this time.”
“That was it?”
“There was also the condition that all of The Witch’s merits from this case would be nullified in exchange.”
“Eh? Witch, is that true?”
No merits. That means no reward either. That can’t be right, that’s ridiculous.
The Witch laughed.
“It’s nothing, it’s nothing. It’s fine if it serves as nourishment for my disciple’s experience.”
“…Alance-san. Is The Witch’s reward really zero?”
“Oh my. Zero is impossible, of course. It was applied to the fee for this special exception. The remainder was donated to the Relic Royal Research Institute, just as requested.”
So that basically means her reward was zero. And what’s more.
“The fee for the special exception… for me?”
“Yes, yes. Please forgive me for keeping quiet about it with this.”
“Of course, I forgive you. Thank you very much. But…”
“Yes, yes. Do your best with the Hayyarn exploration.”
“Y-yes…”
Now I owe her even more. This is troubling. I haven’t repaid a single favor yet.
After that, I received a simple explanation about being a Seeker.
Since I jumped straight from Tier VI to Tier V, I don’t have to do the basic requests required for Tier VI.
Basic Quests are mandatory quests that must be undertaken upon reaching Tier VI. One can choose from three types: ‘Gathering,’ ‘Subjugation,’ or ‘Exploration.’
I also quickly understood why Alhazardo Abramelin had made me Tier V.
Due to an ancient law in Hydrangea, Tier VI Seekers cannot explore the city’s Dungeon below the 10th floor.
That’s why he promoted me to Tier V, apparently. What a strange restriction.
After that, I parted ways with The Witch, who had finished her work for the day. When I received my reward at the reception desk, I was utterly dumbfounded.
Huh? What is this amount…? 1,600,000!?
No, wait, this is just too much… Uh, what am I supposed to do with this?
“Um, Seekers can deposit their earnings with the Guild, you know.”
“Really?”
“Yes. An account was automatically created for you when your tag was issued and registered.”
“Then, please do that for me.”
“Shall I deposit this entire reward?”
“Yes. Ah, actually… I’ll keep 150,000 Oro on me.”
“Understood. We will deposit 1,450,000 Oro for you.”
I put just the 150,000 Oro into my pouch.
Whew. So, starting today, I’m a Tier V Seeker, huh.