Chapter 19 - Deal

"Hey, good morning, Sifa. How are you doing today? Got any good Quests for me?" I inquired with a polite smile.

"Good morning, Jade, good to see you. I'm doing alright, thanks for asking. As for your second question, well actually, the Guildmaster wanted to speak to you, he asked me to send you up to his office when you came in," She informed me.

"Okay, uh...do you know what this is about?" I inquired warily.

"No, he didn't say. It seemed important though. Let me show you the way, right this way," She replied, stepping out from behind the reception desk and gesturing to me to follow her.

I don't have a very good feeling about this, I wonder what that old fart wants from me...

Today's the 18th of December, 1029, about a couple of weeks have passed since my fight against that Elf.

My Quest to the Orcus Grotto following that incident earned me over 80,000 Erons thanks to me providing a High Level Monster Core, so I took a few days off after that, just relaxing in my room at the inn and experimenting with cooking using various unfamiliar and cheap ingredients to see if I could make myself food that tastes better than any of the dishes that exist in this world without spending too much money on ingredients.

It was a decent way to pass the time, though it took some getting used to cooking over a fire instead of a gas or electric cooker. I'm still far from used to the massive technological downgrade of this world in comparison to my previous world, but it's not like I can do anything about it, so I've been trying to accept it. Easier said than done.

I also gained a decent amount of EXP from that Quest, especially from killing that dino-looking Monster, the Viciousaur Rex or whatever it was called. Still a very long way from gaining enough EXP to reach Level 2 though, so I've got a lot of grinding left to do before I can level up again.

Anyway, I started feeling restless again last night, so I decided to drop by the Guild today, see if there were any kill Quests available. I heard rumors of bandits showing up near the city when I went out to buy some equipment yesterday, so I'm hoping there's a Quest available to hunt down those bandits.

I haven't killed anyone since the entrance exam tournament, and I'm starting to get that itch. So, whatever the Guildmaster wants to see me for, I just hope it won't get in the way of that.

"This is it right here," Remarked Sifa, coming to a stop in front of a door on the first floor, before knocking on the door and calling out, "Excuse me, Guildmaster? Jaedfern Meraled is here to see you."

"Okay, let him in," Came the response from inside, before Sifa opened the door and prompted me to go in.

"Uh, hi. You wanted to see me?" I greeted the Guildmaster warily, as I entered the room and Sifa shut the door behind me as I walked in.

"Yes, that's right. Let's skip the formalities, I'll cut right to the chase...you've been personally requested for a certain Quest, an escort mission, to be precise. You'll be escorting a Royal Adviser to Centralis for an intercontinental conference, specifically the Head of the Royal Council of Advisers. This Councilor will be acting as a representative for Septen at this conference, so it's of utmost important.

Important individuals, people who are in positions of power, have been targeted and killed by an unknown force, there have already been six such incidents reported between all the nations, with the exception of the Demon nation, Meridion, of course.

Now, at present, there's no definitive proof that these incidents are connected, but the timing is too close to be a coincidence. That's likely what this conference is about.

Of course, Septen's representative will be escorted by the Knights, but the Knight Order has also requested that the Astaroth Guild sent some of our Adventurers to serve as additional bodyguards.

We'll be sending some of our higher ranked Adventurers and others with strong talent as well, but the Knights additionally and specifically requested your presence. Apparently, the Knights who witnessed you in action recently recommended you," Sighed the Guildmaster, not trying too hard to hide his displeasure.

"Hm...yeah, no, hard pass."

"Er, I beg your pardon...?"

"Hard pass. You know, as in, thanks but no thanks. I have no interest in an escort mission, protecting people is far from my strong suit. Killing people is more up my alley, give me a bandit hunting Quest or something instead," I stated dryly.

"I'm afraid refusal isn't an option, and as much as it pains me to do so, I must insist that you accept this request. This will benefit you as well...there are many in the Guild who aren't happy with you joining our Guild, especially since you've already been prompted to B-Rank in hardly any time at all. That's not unheard of, but that usually only happens with Arcane Class Magic users and the most exceptional of Advanced Class Magic users, certainly not someone who can't even use Magic," He remarked with a grimace.

"Jeez, why don't you tell me how you really feel?"

"My point is, many Adventurers in our Guild feel as though you didn't deserve that promotion, so why not appease the animosity directed towards you by proving your competency?" He suggested in response.

"...I literally killed a fucking High Level Monster, all on my own," I frowned in exasperation.

Why should anyone give two shits about whether I can use Magic or not!? It's not like it affects them what my abilities are, I don't understand why they're so hung up on me.

Focus on earning your own promotion instead of getting triggered over me getting a promotion, Jesus fucking Christ.

"Be that as it may, continuing to earn the ire of most of the other Adventurers will be detrimental to you in the long run. This is a highly important assignment, it's a good opportunity to prove how capable you are and justify your promotion and current rank," He pointed out, before adding, "If you refuse this request, it'll only convince those who doubt you that you are undeserving of the promotion you received. Furthermore, it may keep you from getting another promotion, at least any time soon."

"Huh? Was that a fucking threat?" I inquired icily, opening one of my Item Box Slots and reaching for a gun as I added, "Listen, you old shit, threaten me at your own peril, because that's not something I'm going to take too kindly to. I will not be told what to do by some beta cuck, got it? Let alone be threatened by one. So, care to repeat what you said? Just to confirm..."

"H-hold on, let's be calm about this. Y-you have absolutely nothing to gain by attacking me, all I have done is state the facts of the situation, nothing more!" He waved his hands out in front of himself with a nervous look on his face.

"Tch...guess you've got a point there. I wouldn't be able to take on any Quests here if I killed you, and I'd lose my source of income. Yeah, the benefits of letting you live outweigh the drawbacks, so I'll let it slide this time...but threaten me again and you won't be so lucky," I sighed as I reluctantly relented, shutting the portal and standing down.

"Ahem...back to the matter at hand, let me say it again. Accept this request and join the escort mission."

Damn it...I really don't want to, this sounds like a huge pain. Protecting others just isn't my style. But creating more friction with the Guild could severely impact me in the future, especially if I'm left stuck at B-Rank for a prolonged period of time.

Once people's opinions, biases and prejudices become strong enough, it's almost impossible to change the way they feel about whatever they're apprehensive or hostile towards.

At my core, I couldn't care less what a bunch of random losers think about me, but if their opinions towards me become irreversibly negative, it almost definitely will be detrimental to my work as an Adventurer.

That's a can of worms that's best left unopened. I hate letting people control me in any way, I don't like feeling like a pushover, but I'm also not an idiot, and needlessly making an enemy of the Guild would be foolish...alright, fine, but if I'm doing this, it had better be worth my while, I might as well gain something of real substance from this...

"Alright, fine, I'll do the stupid Quest. On one condition...if the mission is completed successfully, I want a promotion to A-Rank, and that's non-negotiable," I stated firmly.

"Huh? I'm sorry, but are you out of your mind? It's barely been two weeks since you joined the Guild, only the most exceptional cases get promoted to A-Rank in such a short amount of time, it usually takes at least a year before most can even be considered for a promotion to A-Rank!" He protested incredulously.

"And I should care about that, why? Actually, it doesn't necessarily have to be a promotion...at the very least, give me the authorization to take on Quests reserved for A-Ranks, that's what I'm really after, anyway. So, either promote me to A-Rank or let me take on A-Ranked Quests, your choice," I shrugged indifferently.

"There's no precedent for such a thing! Authorizing a lower ranked Adventurer to take on Quests above their rank is unheard of!" He shot back indignantly.

"In other words, it isn't against the rules, it's just that it's never been done before, right? Well, if there's no precedent, then let's set the precedent right here and now. Let's hammer out the details and specifics of this condition, shall we...if I successfully complete this assignment, you'll authorize me to take on A-Rank Quests.

As for what specifically I need to achieve for this task to be deemed a success, how about this...the person I'm suppose to help escort, the Royal Councilor or whatever, makes it to Centralis for the conference and then makes it back to Septen alive, that's the condition for this mission being a success, at least as far as I'm concerned.

If that happens, I'll be allowed to take on A-Ranked Quests. And then, once I've successfully completed, say, ten A-Ranked Quests with a success rate of, let's see, maybe something like over seventy percent, I'll officially be promoted to A-Rank. I think that's a fair deal, if I prove myself capable of clearing A-Ranked Quests on a regular basis, then it only makes sense that I be promoted and ranked accordingly, right?

In the meantime, if anyone complains, you can frame it like this to the those who want me gone or demoted or whatever; just say that you're giving me increasingly dangerous and suicidal missions to get rid of me, or something along those lines. That way, if I keep clearing jobs that they presume to be beyond my capabilities, it should make them more accepting of any promotions I receive. So, what do you say, old man? Seems like a fair deal to me," I prompted him with a raised eyebrow as I finished laying out the terms of the deal I was proposing.

"Tch...I can't believe I'm about to say this, but...very well. I accept those terms...but first, a few adjustments. If you successfully complete this Quest, then yes, I will authorize you to take on A-Ranked Quests. But you need to clear fifteen such Quests to be officially promoted to A-Rank, and at a success rate of seventy-five percent.

Furthermore, you will only be allowed to take on one A-Ranked Quest per week, and you must take one on every week. In other words, you will have a maximum of twenty weeks to meet the quota, you will be allowed to take on twenty A-Ranked Quests in that time, and clear at least fifteen of them. If you fail to do so...you will be demoted down to C-Rank. Is that acceptable to you?"

Asshole. He's not giving me much choice, especially now that I've come this far. I'll have my work cut out for me, but so be it...I'll just look forward to seeing the expression on his face when I clear those requirements.

"Yeah, sure, it's a deal. Oh, but if, say, there aren't any A-Ranked Quests available during a given week, I get an extra week added onto the time limit," I responded firmly.

"Tch...very well, that's only fair, I suppose."

This shithead, he was totally planning on using that loophole to screw me over, wasn't he? Good thing I said something...

"Alright then, it's settled. Oh, and if you break your word, you will regret it. Is that clear, old man?" I stated coldly.

"Crystal."

"Good, glad we could sort things out. So, when is this Quest supposed to take place, anyway?" I inquired, relaxing and stretching my arms up.

"In two days. All the details relevant to this assignment are in here," He replied, as he took out a folder and handed it to me.

"Cool. Alright, if that's all, then I'm out of here. Later, old man," I responded as I took the folder and turned around, starting to head for the door.

"As an Adventurer, you shouldn't disrespect your Guildmaster...do not address me as 'old man' again," He frowned apprehensively as I glanced back at him as he spoke.

"Fine, guess that's not big deal. Uh, what's your name again? Huh, actually, I don't think I ever learnt your name at any point," I realized with an amused chuckle.

"Wha-...tch, it's Leed Dair."

"Got it. Well, later, Old Man Dair."

"You little shit..."

...

...

I let out a yawn as I dragged my feet through the streets, sipping on an Energy Potion as I let out a stifled yawn. These work the same way as energy drinks, but stronger, and you don't crash as hard afterwards once it wears off, unless you drink more than two bottles in a single sitting.

Coffee does exist in this world, but it's a bit pricey and pretty low in quality, all watery and kinda earthy. So, Energy Potions are the preferable, and cheaper, option.

It's the 20th of December today, and I was heading out to the designated meeting spot for the Quest that had essentially been forced on me. It's 6 AM in the morning, and I'm very much not a morning person.

I usually prefer to wake up around 10-11 AM, maybe around 9 AM at the very earliest, so this is way too fucking early in the morning for my liking. And since I'm supposed to be playing the role of bodyguard, it's not like I can sleep during the journey.

Ugh, I hate this already. Traveling wears me out like nothing else, so I'm probably gonna be in a state of perpetual fatigue for the duration of this job...

We're supposed to depart at 6:30 AM, but I figured I might as well arrive a bit early to avoid any tension. Waking up this early puts me in a bad mood, not sure I'd be able to hold myself back if someone provokes me or something.

Hm?

"Oh, hey. You're going to be a part of this Quest too?" A voice greeted me, as I arrived at the meeting spot.

"Hey yourself, Aura, been a while. Don't think I've seen you since the tournament. Yeah, I'd prefer not to be here, but as you can see, things didn't work out that way," I sighed in response.

There are a few others here too, a couple of them are kinda giving me the stink eye. I really wanna kill them, that'd probably help ease some of this tension and help me relax a bit...

"You seem kinda grumpy. Ah, not a morning person, are you? By the way, I heard you got promoted to B-Rank, congrats. That makes two of us," She replied with a smug smile on her face.

Huh, her subtle brag with that cocky smile is kinda cute.

"Congrats to you too, then," I yawned, before glancing up as I heard footsteps approaching.

"Ah, you must be Jaedfern Meraled, yes? I've heard promising things about you, I look forward to working with you," A young woman greeted me with a friendly smile, holding her hand out towards me as she introduced herself, "My name is Livia Vive, I'm a Captain of the Knight Order. It's very nice to meet you. I arrived here ahead of my squad to greet you Adventurers, we greatly appreciate your assistance on this mission."

She's a captain? She doesn't appear to be any more than five years older than me though. Hm...she's pretty hot too.

She pinkish red hair tied up in floppy twintails, bright, pale green eyes, and an attractive, slender physique with a fair complexion. She was about average height, and had a floral tattoo spiraling across her left forearm.

"Uh, yeah, likewise...," I responded, as I shook her hand, before adding, "By the way, are you the one who specifically requested me for this job?"

"Sort of, I recommended you after hearing about what you did a couple of weeks ago, I felt that you might prove useful on this mission. What about it?" She replied with an oblivious smile and slight tilt of her head.

Tch.

"I see. Nothing, just checking," I muttered dryly.

"If I may ask a question too, why'd you pick the Astaroth Guild to hire Adventurers from? Why not the Valefar Guild in the Capital, it's supposed to be the best Guild in the nation, right?" Chimed in Aura curiously.

"Oh, that's simple, there's a couple of reasons for that. The main reason being that the Astaroth Guild has the most members, and on top of that, they recruited the largest number of new members during this year's round of Guild entrance exams among all the Guilds. So, the Astaroth Guild would be the least short-staffed during this mission. The second reason is you, Jaedfern."

"That begs the question, why me? I mean, I've only been an Adventurer for a little over two weeks now," I pointed out in bemusement.

"Like I said, I learnt of what you're capable of from the Knights who witnessed your battle against that Elf, Icaro Tieldac. I was impressed by your tenacity and ability to remain calm under pressure, an ability that's unfortunately lacking among the Knight Order. Someone who can keep a cool head and logically assess and analyze things even in a dire situation is valuable, though most people don't seem to grasp the significance of that value.

But I know how important a person's mindset can be, especially under pressure. Strong willpower and tenacity are rare traits, and traits that I can certainly appreciate. I'm currently the only Captain in the Knight Order with an Ordinary Magic Class, and it's Support Magic at that, so I had to work hard to get where I am. You see, I grew up in a small orphanage in Bael Town, where-...," She began to recount her backstory, much to my exasperation.

She trailed off as someone's shoulder suddenly bumped into me from behind, causing me to stumble forward a couple of steps. I glanced back, meeting the gaze of a man who was glaring at me.

"Tch, watch where you're standing. You're in my way," Growled the guy venomously as he walked past me.

The fuck? Ohh, hell no...

"[Open Slot 25]. Now, die," I chanted murderously, drawing out a handgun and starting to take aim-...

"W-woah, woah, woah!" Exclaimed Livia in alarm, stepping out in front of me.

"Move. That guy's dead," I growled icily.

"I think he's one of the S-Ranked Adventurers in our Guild. His Mystic Pressure is pretty impressive," Mused Aura thoughtfully.

"And I should care, why?"

"He's a part of this mission too, you'll only be making the job harder for yourself if you kill him!" Pointed out Livia.

Hm...yeah, I suppose that could be true. And if this Quest ends in failure, my deal with the Guildmaster will be void. Tch, fine, I won't shoot. It'd be a waste of a bullet anyway.

"Fine, but if he pisses me off again, I won't hold back," I relented, putting the gun away.

"It won't hurt you to be a bit more tolerant, you know," She replied as she let out a sigh of relief.

"It won't hurt him to be a bit less of an asshole, you know."

"...fair enough. But still, try to keep a cool head, okay?"

"No promises."

"Anyway, so...why'd you pick me? I'm a pretty new Adventurer like Jade too, after all," Remarked Aura curiously.

"Hm? Oh, because you almost defeated him in the tournament. And because Arcane Classes are so rare and powerful, and based on your Mystic Pressure, you've mastered your Magic to a rather advanced level already," She explained, before glancing ahead and adding as a large carriage, along with a squad of Knights on horseback-...or maybe I should say Unicornback...-came into sight, "Ah, looks like they're here. We'll be departing shortly, so get ready."

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