“What a terrible instructor I had,” Ul muttered with a bitter expression, having listened to Calme and Guren, Silver Rank adventurers, talk about their experiences while sitting down. Ul had known it was a ridiculously rough method, but to have it confirmed as truly rough by a Silver Rank adventurer was something else.
Calme’s advice, “Know when to quit,” was likely genuine. If Guren’s methods continued, Ul might not be so lucky as to only get injured if she didn’t pull out at the right time.
However, it was only the first day, and she had rushed into the labyrinth without any proper guidance. Quitting now would be too soon. Ul reconsidered.
“So, Lord Ul, shall we return to the Training Hall?”
“No, first we need to cash in these magic stones.”
Without money, one dies. Why else had she desperately gathered magic stones?
After that, on the way to retrieve the magic stones, she had encountered three more gremlins. While picking up magic stones, she ran into one, and on the way back, she encountered two monsters called “Shadow Wolves.” In the end, she had faced and defeated over twenty monsters in total.
She had desperately collected the magic stones, but towards the end, she didn’t have the luxury and had to flee. Moreover, upon counting, the number was clearly less than what she had picked up, meaning she had likely dropped some somewhere. Dropping magic stones was equivalent to dropping money. She had dropped money.
“Money…”
“The damage is more serious than you thought.”
“It’s a matter of life and death… you too.”
“I won’t drop any next time.”
Shizuku nodded with a serious expression. Seeing her earnest face, Ul’s tension eased, and she slowly sat down on the ground near the exit. Every part of her body ached. The parts not protected by her leather armor had been scratched and bitten by claws and fangs.
“Oh, you managed to return safely. I’m impressed,” a female healer said, approaching them. She sat beside Ul and began to examine Ul’s body with practiced movements. After confirming the locations of her injuries, she activated a healing magic.
“【Heal】”
“…Warm.”
A faint, warm green light emanated from the healer’s hands, slowly enveloping Ul. The aching and injured parts became warm and healed. Ul sighed, feeling as comfortable as if she had soaked her entire body in a warm bath.
“This time it’s free because the Adventurer’s Guild is covering it, but it’ll be charged from next time onwards.”
“You’re ruining a good mood.”
“You’ll be charged more because you’re 【Nameless】, so make sure you earn enough.”
“Stop rubbing salt in my wounds!”
Shizuku was also being healed by another healer’s magic. This generous care would only last for today.
“Don’t you have services like free treatment at the Training Hall?”
“No. This is a first-time bonus. It’s charged from the next time onwards.”
“I see…”
This time, she was lucky, but from next time onwards, it would cost money. As the healer said, Nameless individuals had to pay more for treatment compared to citizens. In the end, everything came down to money.
“…I should cash in these magic stones.”
“If so, it’s over there. The place where that shady old man is.”
“Who are you calling shady, you ill-mannered woman!”
In response to the healer’s gesture, an old man at the magic stone exchange near the entrance glared at them as he appraised several magic stones. “I see,” Ul thought and headed towards him, presenting the magic stones she had desperately gathered.
Seeing the number of magic stones, the appraiser smiled.
“Well, it’s not bad. At least compared to those idiots.”
“If this isn’t bad, what state were they in? Those thugs.”
“Some managed to complete their tasks safely, but others couldn’t even gather anything and fled. There were even those who were extorting others,” the old man said, laughing. “It’s forbidden for adventurers to fight each other within the labyrinth, yet they were so foolish.”
Shizuku, who had quietly joined them, exclaimed in surprise.
“There are rules in the labyrinth? I didn’t think there would be anyone to monitor it.”
The old man scoffed without taking his eyes off the magic stones.
“Adventurers themselves are the monitors. The Knights of the city guard can’t reach deep into the labyrinth, so adventurers are the ones who capture the villains rampant within to maintain order in the labyrinth. It’s a hassle if you’re the one causing the disruption.”
“What happens if an adventurer commits a crime?”
“They get caught by the Knights. Well, most of them get dealt with within the Guild before that. The Adventurer’s Guild’s purges are severe.”
It seemed to be an organization with a functioning self-purification system. At least, Ul had no intention of committing any crimes herself. After that, the old man fell silent. Sensing his desire not to be disturbed while working, Ul and Shizuku waited in silence. The old man skillfully appraised the magic stones one after another, sorting and storing them in the magic stone containment box behind him.
“One, two, three… Here, take your payment.”
After the appraisal was complete, the old man tossed them one Silver Coin and twenty Copper Coins.
“Hmm,” Ul mused.
One Silver Coin was worth thirty Copper Coins, making a total of fifty Copper Coins.
With strict moderation, one day’s meals could be covered by ten Copper Coins. This meant it was enough for five days of meals, obtained in just a few hours. However, she had nearly died two or three times for it. And this was for both Shizuku and Ul, meaning it had to be split, so it was barely enough for two and a half days. That was a rough estimate. Currently, she was apparently allowed to stay at the Training Hall for free, but what would happen if that was no longer the case…
“This isn’t worth it,” Ul sighed. Naturally, she couldn’t continue living like this. If she got injured or sick even once, her life would immediately fall apart. Before that, she needed to stabilize her living situation or increase her income.
“You look rather dejected, future Gold Rank.”
A familiar voice called out.
Ul had a bad feeling and wanted to ignore it, but she couldn’t, so she turned her head. Dazzling gold greeted her eyes. It was the debt collector woman from Goldin Phoenix. She approached Ul with a radiant smile.
“…Why are you here?”
“I came to look for you. Last time, you fainted, and we couldn’t talk properly, remember?”
“What about Akane?”
“She’s here.”
“Brother!!”
A crimson liquid splashed onto Ul’s face. It was Akane. When she got excited, she couldn’t maintain her form. Ul peeled her off her face, gently returned her to her cat form at her feet, and stroked her head.
“I’m glad you’re alive, Akane. Did this woman do anything terrible to you?”
“Ate food and got weird, then slept in bed.”
“Oh, your situation is better than mine.”
“I’m one to take care of what’s mine. Me.”
The blonde woman giggled. Annoyingly, her demeanor was that of a cute young girl. However, she held the fate of Ul and her family in her hands.
“So, did my plea reach you? Um…”
“You can call me Diz. And what was it again?”
“I’ll cry.”
“Just kidding. The story about becoming an adventurer to buy back your sister, right?”
Diz, as the woman called herself, seemed amused. Ul, naturally, was not. Her next decision would determine Ul’s entire fate. Buying back her sister was Ul’s only hope. If Diz refused, Akane’s fate would be sealed, and Ul’s desperate efforts in the labyrinth would be in vain. This was more heart-wrenching than being chased by monsters.
“I don’t have a hobby of tormenting people, so I’ll give you the answer quickly. Your proposal is approved, with conditions.”
“Conditions.”
Ul suppressed her urge to throw her hands up at the word “approved.” Ul understood that she was making an outrageous demand. She was asking for her sister back, who had been taken through a formal transaction, without any leverage. The conditions to get her demand met would surely not be easy.
“So, what are they?”
When asked, she raised a single finger.
“Obtain the Bronze Ring within a month.”
“—That’s…”
Ul hesitated. Should she protest or accept it silently? To obtain something that Guren had dangled before her as bait. Within a month. She knew it was an extremely difficult condition, but she lacked the knowledge to fully grasp just how difficult it was.
“Hahaha! That woman is asking for the impossible! There’s no way you can do it!!”
At that, the old appraiser butted in, or rather, interjected with a laugh. It seemed he thought it was a joke. The appraiser, who saw many adventurers every day, considered it a “joke” of a difficulty level.
However, this woman was serious. Her mouth smiled, but her eyes were completely devoid of laughter, not even for a moment. She stared at Ul with a piercing gaze. The appraiser, who had been laughing, seemed to realize that she was serious. He frowned and peered at her face.
“…No, it’s impossible, right?”
“That’s not for you to decide, old man.”
“Are you going to decide it?”
“No, he will.”
Upon hearing that, Ul almost flinched. She couldn’t casually say “I can do it” just with words. She could easily imagine that she would immediately see through it and take away the condition. She knew that unless she showed her heartfelt resolve, she would never be satisfied.
But, could she do it? Could she, who until a moment ago was desperately running and fleeing from gremlins, and had just managed to secure magic stones for the first time, do it?
Her ignorance of adventurers and her understanding of her own inadequacy made Ul hesitate. But…
“Brother…”
Seeing Akane, who looked up at her worriedly from her feet, her panicked and insignificant heart calmed down.
Her sister would die. Her family with whom she shared a bond would disappear. As a Nameless wanderer, with no home or hometown to return to, she had only Akane left. What would be the point of her surviving alone if she lost even her?
“I’ll do it.”
“That’s excellent.”
Diz smiled at Ul’s answer. She smiled and then raised her arm, and before Ul knew it, Akane was in her arms. Ul’s eyes widened in surprise. Akane should have been clinging to her.
“Ngh? Huh?”
Akane, held in Diz’s arms, also seemed surprised, but Diz soothed her by stroking her head, and she became calm. It seemed she was accustomed to being held. Diz, still holding Akane, turned her back to Ul.
“Let’s look forward to a month from now. Future Gold Rank. Entertain me?”
“Brother!! Don’t die!!”
While listening to Diz’s provocation and her sister’s voice, Ul watched them until they disappeared from sight. Once they were gone, she let out a large, deep sigh.
“…I feel like throwing up.”
“Are you alright? Should I rub your back?”
“…Please do.”
Ul felt a slight, albeit misplaced, gratitude for Shizuku’s concern. She was in a lot of trouble, but she also didn’t have time to despair.
**Quest Issued**
**Acquire the proof of a Bronze Rank adventurer from the Adventurer’s Guild.**
***
**Training Hall**
“What, you’re late, you brats.”
“If I ask you to give me a Bronze Ring right now, will you give it to me?”
“Sounds fun, so go ahead and explode into pieces. I’ll laugh.”
Her plea, made on a whim, was, as expected, rejected.
Having faced the first exploration of the Great Sin Labyrinth and the transaction with Diz, Ul returned to the Training Hall battered and bruised. However, she noticed that there were surprisingly few people around.
“Hee… hee…”
“I’m gonna die… I’m gonna die…”
As Guren had foretold before the labyrinth, the thugs were now running around endlessly in the small hall within the Training Hall. However, their numbers were clearly fewer.
The thugs, who had been lying in heaps, were indeed mostly injured, but none seemed permanently incapacitated, and their minor injuries should have been healed by magic. So, where had about half of them gone?
“Ah, they left.”
“Indeed.”
“Completely lacking in spirit. More work will pile up, great.”
“Try not to hide your true feelings.”
There certainly were terrible instructors. Just as the Silver Rank adventurer had said, he seemed to be an extremely unconventional instructor. However, this man possessed the Bronze Ring and the authority to bestow it. Even if it was just bait to entice risky wannabe adventurers, it was a fact that he had said it. Therefore…
“Guren, if you acknowledge me, will you give me the Bronze Ring?”
“No way in hell will I give it to you, are you out of your mind?”
“You dropped the pretense entirely.”
“I wish you’d at least keep your word.”
“That’s not it, Lord Guren. Lord Ul is earnestly seeking the Bronze Ring.”
Shizuku interjected. She had maintained her composure during the encounter with Diz, stepping back and not saying a word, but she must have heard about Ul’s situation. Even if she didn’t know the details, she understood that Ul wasn’t joking about this.
“To save her sister, she urgently needs to acquire the 【Bronze Ring】.”
“How urgently?”
“One month.”
“Hahaha, can you even do that, you idiot?”
Guren’s fist landed on Ul’s head. It hurt.
“I didn’t propose this condition. The one who said it was her sister’s keeper.”
“Did you accept that condition?”
“I did.”
“Then it’s your own fault for accepting such a disadvantageous condition,” Guren said, swinging his fist down again. Ul felt her already bad head getting worse.
“It can’t be helped, I had no other choice.”
“No, I don’t get it. And why are you in a situation where you have to accept such an unfavorable condition? Explain it from the start.”
“Stop hitting me.”
Ul explained her situation to Guren. As a result, Guren ended up punching her in the head three times.
***
After hearing everything, Guren wore a rare (though they had only met for less than half a day) somber expression and looked at Ul as if pitying her.
“…You should have asked for more… conditions, you know…”
“I was out of options.”
“Even so, you… Gold Rank… and Bronze Ring in one month…”
Guren muttered to himself for a while, then looked up with a somber face and patted Ul’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry about your sister.”
“You’re consoling me based on the assumption that she’s dead.”
Her sister was not dead. She was still alive. She wouldn’t give up that easily. However, Guren continued to look at Ul with pity.
“It’s impossible. Give up.”
“Reason?”
“It’s like a newborn infant saying, ‘I’m going to go slay a dragon right now.’ That’s essentially what you’re saying by aiming for Gold Rank. And? A Bronze Ring in a month?”
It’s impossible. Guren stated emphatically. There are several conditions for acquiring a Bronze Ring, one of which is “more than one year of adventurer experience.” One year. At this point, it was impossible. It was a matter of being impossible, regardless of skill or talent.
“I’m sure that woman, Diz, gave you that ridiculous condition to make you give up. It’s impossible for someone like you to—”
Guren was calmly trying to persuade her, but…
“So, does that mean there is a way to obtain it within a month?”
Shizuku interjected, entering the conversation.
“…Huh?”
“You said it was impossible for Lord Ul, so I was wondering if it’s possible for others.”
Guren frowned and fell silent at Shizuku’s remark. His expression clearly indicated that he had let his guard down. Shizuku, who had asked the question, smiled but didn’t look away from Guren. A strange silence ensued, with Ul herself being ignored, and then Guren sighed in resignation.
“It’s not that there aren’t ‘special treatments.'”
In any situation, there are talented newcomers. The world of adventurers is no exception. Or, those who have accumulated considerable experience in monster subjugation, such as those in the Knights, and then changed careers to become adventurers. The Adventurer’s Guild does have preferential treatment for promising individuals and capable veterans. In essence, it’s to secure those talents early on before others can claim them. Of course, the conditions for them to receive a Bronze Ring are relaxed, and if there are no issues with their character and abilities, it is true that they can be awarded it within a month. However…
“This is if you have talent or ability. Do you have either?”
“No.”
“Then give up…”
“I refuse.”
Guren’s head began to ache again. He contorted his face as if trying to make her give up, but all he saw in Ul’s eyes was stubbornness.
“…Then, I’ll test you.”
“Test me?”
“To see if you have the ability to obtain the Bronze Ring.”
“First,” Guren said, pointing to the ground. “Run like the others. But at full speed.”
“Wh-Where to?”
“Until you collapse. Infuse your magic power as quickly as possible. Go.”
Ul almost protested for a moment but fell silent when she saw Guren’s serious eyes. Then, she ran towards the ground at full speed.
***
Having seen Ul start running, Guren looked up at the sky.
“Ah well… a particularly troublesome person has arrived…”
“This must be difficult.”
Shizuku, who was the ultimate cause of this situation, agreed. Ul was a strange man, but this woman was also quite strange. Her appearance alone was abnormally striking, but somehow, she seemed quick-witted. Ul didn’t understand why such a person would want to become an adventurer.
“Then I’ll run too. Should I run at full speed?”
“No, that’s only for that kid.”
“But full speed infuses magic power faster, right?”
“…Well, that’s true.”
“Then,” she said, and started running. Her pace was slightly slower than Ul’s, but she began circling the ground at her own full speed.
“…Two strange people have arrived.”
Guren sighed again, predicting that this job would take a while.
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