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MT - 75 The Commission
🕑 Added 2025-01-02 03:34:38 +0000 UTCRoy tilted his head slightly and asked Maeve, "How are adventurer ranks classified?"
Maeve covered her mouth, chuckling softly as she teased him, "You really don't know much, do you?"
Roy smiled awkwardly. It wasn't that he knew nothing—he just wanted to ask more questions. Maeve continued, "The ranks are divided from lowest to highest as E, D, C, B, A, and the pinnacle, S. Generally speaking, a B-rank adventurer is already considered a top-tier expert. A-rankers are rare, and S-rankers are the absolute elite of the continent."
Roy, curious, inquired further, "What's the standard for a B-rank team?"
Maeve looked slightly troubled. "That's a bit of a broad question," she replied. "Even among B-rank teams, there are differences. But if I had to generalize, their swordsmanship would likely be at the level of intermediate swordsmen, and their magic at a similar proficiency."
Roy frowned. "Just at the level of intermediate swordsmen?"
Maeve furrowed her brow as well, sensing a deeper meaning behind his use of just. Her eyes examined Roy's physique. He wasn't particularly bulky, but his build exuded strength—the kind of lean frame that hid power beneath the surface.
Curious, she asked, "What level is your swordsmanship?"
Roy answered casually, "Probably at the level of an advanced swordsman. My swordsmanship primarily follows the Sword God style."
Maeve's expression showed a hint of surprise. She hadn't expected this boy, who looked around fourteen, to possess such advanced skill.
As if an afterthought, Roy added, "Oh, and I'm actually a magic swordsman."
Maeve's astonishment grew. Magic swordsmen, known for combining magic and swordsmanship, were formidable individuals capable of surpassing their limits to defeat enemies. They often unleashed unexpected power, making them more dangerous than pure swordsmen and more adaptable than pure mages.
She asked, "What's your level in magic?"
Roy shook his head. Confused, Maeve pressed further.
"I don't know," he replied.
Don't know? What does that even mean?
Roy explained, "You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you. It's roughly at the level of being able to cast Saint-level water magic."
Maeve's expression was filled with disbelief. She suspected the boy was boasting, but his clear, sincere eyes made it hard to associate him with the usual braggarts among adventurers.
Still, this was far too extraordinary.
Cautiously, she asked, "Are you an elf?"
Roy gave her a puzzled look. "Do I look like an elf?"
Maeve shook her head, considering other possibilities. Perhaps he was some long-lived humanoid race? Either this boy was a brazen liar, or he was some unknown immortal being disguised as a youth.
Roy waved his hand dismissively, shaking his head in exasperation.
See? This is why being honest gets you nowhere.
Turning serious, he rubbed his hands together and made a small request. "So, given my abilities, is it possible for me to skip starting as a D-rank adventurer?"
Unexpectedly, Maeve, who had seemed amicable moments ago, shook her head vigorously. With a troubled expression, she explained, "No matter how skilled you are, if you're registering for the first time, you must start as an E-rank adventurer."
Roy fell silent, reluctantly accepting the badge symbolizing a novice adventurer.
He asked Maeve, "What kind of tasks can I take on?"
Maeve pointed to a board across the room. Roy looked over and saw a wall covered with commission notices, ranging from S-rank at the top to D-rank at the bottom. S-rank missions involved tasks outside the kingdom, A-rank missions were few and far between—things like hunting wyverns or other dangerous creatures. Most of the tasks were B- and C-rank, with a smattering of lower-level ones.
Roy casually picked a B-rank mission and approached the counter to ask if he could take it.
Maeve shook her head, and Roy sighed, turning his attention to the remaining options.
One task caught his eye.
D-rank Commission: Find the dog named Honey
Description: A small brown dog with a scar near its eye, approximately 20 centimeters tall. Last seen near the tavern.
Reward: Three Copper Coins
Posted By: John
Roy's face twisted as if he'd seen a ghost. He turned to Maeve and asked, "Why is there a commission for finding a dog?"
He scanned the rest of the board. Most of the tasks were similar—searching for lost items, or occasionally cleaning up messes. If it wasn't about finding a cat or a dog, it was something like tidying storage rooms.
Is this an adventurer's guild or a babysitting agency?
Roy pointed at the D-rank mission at the bottom of the board, then gestured to himself. His expression clearly asked, Are you seriously expecting me to handle something this ridiculous?
Maeve gave an embarrassed smile, thinking for a moment before responding. "Actually, you could join another adventurer's team. That way, you'd be able to take on higher-level missions and raise your rank faster."
Roy tilted his head. "Is that so?"
Maeve nodded firmly. "Exactly. Low-level missions are designed to train young adventurers' patience and judgment. Every year, we see plenty of reckless individuals bite off more than they can chew by taking on extremely dangerous tasks. These beginner missions are meant to ground them and teach restraint."
Roy nodded in understanding but soon frowned again. "But I'm a newbie. Who would want to team up with me?"
Maeve chuckled. "You're a magic swordsman, right? People like you are highly sought after in any team."
"Is that true?"
"You really don't know much, do you?" Maeve teased, covering her mouth as she laughed softly again.
"So, should I just wait here for someone to approach me?" Roy asked.
Maeve nodded.
Roy sat down on one of the guild's chairs, idly chatting with Maeve while keeping an eye on the time. But as the minutes ticked by, he realized that waiting wasn't getting him anywhere.
Why do I need a team in the first place?
After some thought, Roy decided it'd be simpler to work alone. With a resigned sigh, he took up the dog-finding mission.
As he accepted the task, Roy silently grumbled to himself, This dog better count its blessings. It's not every day that someone like me—destined to become the strongest in the world and one of the Seven Great Powers—personally sets out to find it.
This mutt must have accumulated karma across eight lifetimes to be this lucky.
Using the task's details, Roy quickly located the area where the dog was last seen. Activating his sensory field, he pinpointed its exact location within moments. With a surge of magic, he conjured a giant ethereal hand, effortlessly grabbing the little dog.
Less than ten minutes later, Roy returned to the adventurer's guild, holding the tightly secured dog in one hand.
Placing the dog on the counter in front of Maeve, he watched as she blinked in surprise. With a small laugh, she quipped, "Sir, even dog sellers don't work as fast as you."
Despite her teasing, Maeve carefully inspected the dog against the posted description. After confirming it was the correct one, she handed Roy the reward—a humble three copper coins.
Roy casually pocketed the coins and turned his gaze back to Maeve. Stepping closer, he locked eyes with her and asked, "Are you sure there aren't any… real missions?"
Maeve's cheeks turned a faint shade of red. She muttered under her breath, "What do you mean by 'real' missions? Honestly…"
After a moment's hesitation, she decided to bend the rules slightly for Roy. If his claims about his strength were even remotely true, asking him to handle trivial tasks like this was indeed overkill.
If Rudeus were here, though, he'd probably scoff at the notion. Overkill? This isn't a cannon shooting at mosquitoes—it's a star-destroying weapon vaporizing them.
