Kujonin Chapter 13

Kujonin
Author: Hanakuroko
—

I went to the Guild, handed the bag over to Receptionist Irene, and told her all about the goblin cave.
Irene immediately drew back into the inner room, gave an explanation to her superiors, and it's become a matter where they will call in a specialist from the capital in the future.

"And so, it's about the reward, but … the previous reward from the vespahornets has also not been paid in full, and this time, since you've hunted so many, the Guild's budget will be gone."
"Got it. Then, forget about this time, but can you make Balzack's living circ.u.mstances easier?"
"Naoki-sama! To make it about me!"
"We understand."(Guild/Irene)
"Right then, to release a slave, is there some sort of procedure you have to go through?"
"No, not particularly. If the master conveys that he wishes to free them, the slave becomes a freed slave."
Irene taught me.
"Alright, then as of now I release Balzack from being my slave! Thanks for everything! You've worked hard!"
"Naoki-sama! Thank you as well! From when you saved me from death…"
After that Balzack began to recite everything from when we met, so we moved to the inn and began drinking in the eating area.
The slave symbol on his shoulder was removed with a magic circle.

When the sky had become completely dark, Sera returned.
"Na..oki, sama!"
She's become completely worn out.
I had Sera drink a Recovery Potion and requested food.
Balzack talked about the extermination of the goblin den, painting it in grand colors, and lightly talked about being released from slavery.
Sera cried from happiness and gave Balzack words of grat.i.tude.
"You, are you Sera's master?"
A female swordswoman in bikini armor approached the table the three of us were drinking at and talked to us.
"That's right, is there something?"
"Have you not heard from Sera yet? We discovered that Sera's abilities with magic is surpa.s.sing excellent."
"Oo-! Is that so! Isn't that amazing?"
"I was the instructor. If you'd like, I could write her a recommendation for a magic school in the capital; how about it?"
"I'd be grateful for that. Sera, it's the capital's magic school, you know?"
"I will not be going!"
"Why?! You have that much talent, you shouldn't waste it."
The swordswoman instructor hounded her.
"I am Naoki-sama's slave. A slave that serves at her master's side. Learning magic at the capital, can you imagine that I, a slave, could do something like that?"
"Then it will be fine if I release you from slavery. Right?"
I said as I slurped liquor from a wooden cup.
"Look, your master even said so, so how about it?"
"NO! I want to be Naoki-sama's slave! I won't go to the capital!"
Looks like Sera's not in the mood to listen.
"Is that so? What a pity. Forgive me, I've hindered your meal."
The swordswoman hung her head, turned on her heels, and walked away.
Once again the three of us started our meal.
"And so, Naoki-sama is now F Rank, right?" (Sera)
"A, I forgot. What should I do?"(Naoki)
"Seriously, we did. We didn't have the opportunity to do so, after all. Certainly you've cleared the subjugation part, so you just need to have a mock battle with an instructor and you should become F Rank."
Balzack told me.
"I see. Then it should be fine for me to fight someone like that swordswoman just now."
"If it's Naoki-sama, you'd be more than enough. Did your level go up again? Your true strength is over 2 times hers, so there aren't any problems."
Looks like Sera used her Appraisal skill.
"Then I'm going to ask if I can take the test now. It's night-time, but there are probably staff members around."
I stood up, made my way to the reception area, and applied for the rank up test, but the staff members began to make a fuss.
"Um… wasn't Naoki-san not interested in ranks?"
"Yeah, it was like that, but it's in commemoration for Balzacks release from slavery. It's like, to give him peace of mind. Being made a fool of because I'm G Rank or whatever, I wondered if it wouldn't be displeasing as a former slave."
"I… I understand. Um, by the way, about your level, would you tell me what it is?"
"Let's stop with that. I don't understand all those numbers, and if it becomes something annoying, I'll be troubled."
"I understand. Do you want to take your test immediately?"
"That's right. If it's possible, I was also drinking, so a person who isn't that strong would be good."
"I will take that into account. The test fees will be reduced from the reward you are still owed."
"Thanks."
I, at that moment, had made a resolution.

—

The training grounds behind the Guild are about the size of an elementary schoolyard; even though it was evening, there were a lot of Adventurers training.
The forms of the Adventurers giving their all is blinding.
Before my eyes, the swordswoman from before appeared.
"A, from before." (Naoki)
"I am the instructor for the mock battle. I am Ayl. Thanks for having me."
"I am the G Rank Adventurer Naoki. I'll be in your care."
"Are you okay in that equipment?"
"Yes, a, would it be better if I had something like a wooden sword?"
The swordswoman was amazed and picked up a wooden sword from along the wall and threw it in my direction.
I, who caught the sword in midair, just waited for it to begin.
"Well then, we will begin!"
"Naoki-sama! Be careful!"
Sera, who came to watch, screamed.
"Naoki-sama! I'm sleepy, so do it as quickly as possible please!"
Balzack, with a liquor bottle in one hand, languidly cheered.
He's completely sauced.
"Well then, let's begin!"
"Please!"
The standard of battles is the greetings, after all.
My eyes went to the blue bikini armor on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, but she has tight six-packs at her waist, which emphasizes her b.u.t.t.
Her face is also quite beautiful.
Nono, it's not like I'm just watching those places, I'm also watching the sword's tip and movements.
Her eye movements also have a feint in them, but in the first place, even if there is a feint I can't do anything in response, just be surprised.
The instructor called Ayl attacked with a feint.
It looked very slow, and I was able to dodge.
It's probably because my high level corrected my dexterity.
Next is a reverse-diagonal slash from the right, which as long as I know that, there aren't any problems dodging.
It's just, regrettably I don't start commencing the attack from here; I haven't used a wooden sword even once before.
While I'm at a loss as to what to do, Ayl's figure suddenly disappeared.
Apparently she also used Illusion magic, I guess.
I completely see her with Search skill.
That said, a swordsman who uses Illusion magic to disappear would be a magic swordsman, right?
As expected of the Guild's instructor.

Even if I know what direction they're coming from, I don't know what kind of attacks are coming, so I take a few hits.
It's just they all hit the coverall with magic circles drawn on it, so there wasn't any damage.
It's probably good now.
Balzack also said to do it quickly, so let's take a chance.
Drawing a magic circle to make someone faint, I approached the front of Ayl using the Search skill and hit out horizontally.
Because if I did it vertically she could dodge.
It's an attack that's good as long as it hits.

The wooden sword got a clean hit on Ayl's shoulder, the Illusion magic was dissolved and Ayl crumbled to the ground.
I erased the magic circle on the wooden sword and held Ayl's body in order to wake her.
With the restoratives that Sera had handed over, when Ayl smelled them, she got up, startled.
Ayl gripped her sword, standing against me, but suddenly she understood what was going on and lowered her sword.
"So I lost."
"Did I pa.s.s?"
"You won against an instructor, so of course."
Ayl went trudging into the Guild, dispirited.
While seeing off that back,
"I wonder if I've done something bad…"
"As expected of Naoki-sama!"
At Sera's words, the training grounds suddenly exploded in energy.
Looks like the Adventurers who were training were watching the test.
Balzack quietly handed over the liquor bottle in his hands.
"Won't you have a victory drink?"
"That's true. It was my first personal battle, but it didn't really feel like I was facing it."
"Take all of those thoughts and drown it in liquor."
"Haha, your sophistication hasn't lost itself with age. Balzack."
"Yes, it's because I'm Naoki-sama's former slave."
"From now on you can say you're the former slave of an F Rank Adventurer."
"Yes, thank you very much. However, from now on Naoki-sama will go many ranks."
"Well, it doesn't matter to me, though."
Balzack and I joined shoulders and returned to the eating area.
Because she's the receptionist, Irene came to tell me to hand over my Adventurer Card.
It seems they'll make the card F Ranked.
When that happens, my level will be found out.
"Irene-san, do you think you could keep my level a secret?"
I begged her with my hands pressed together like I'm praying and showed her my Adventurer Card.
"S,seventy-…!? … I can't show anyone this. It's not the level of an F Rank Adventurer."
"Thanks."
Irene received my Adventurer Card and returned to the reception area; she quickly made it an F Rank and returned.
"Is this alright? With this you are now an F Rank Adventurer. The requests that will take you outside of the town will increase, but please carry them out responsibly."
"Right. I understand."
I received my Adventurer Card from Irene.
"And from now on, please take care not to break the pride of Guild staff members."
"A, as I thought, I did something bad to that instructor from before, huh?"
"… Yes. Well, Naoki-san, who won, hasn't done anything wrong, so she's just dissatisfied, though."
"Sorry. A, that's right, can I use this F Rank Card anywhere?"
"E? Y,yes, because this card is something that is common all over the world. Please do not lose it."
"Is that so, then, when I see that Balzack can work normally, I am going to leave this town."
"Wha!? I,is that so?"
While Irene is startled, she came to an understanding.
"Whwhwhwhwhwhwhwhwhat do you mean!?"
Sera is visibly agitated.
"I decided on it before the test. Sera, go to the capital's magic school. This is your master's final order. At the moment you reach the magic school, I release you from being my slave. As for the tuition, Irene, could it come out of my reward's payment? If it's not enough just tell me."
"Not at all, there are absolutely no problems."
Irene said.
"I absolutely don't want to leave Naoki-sama!"
"Nope, that's no good. From now on I'll leave on a journey. The weak you will slow me down. Sera."
"N-n-n-n-no way!"
Sera sobbed while she screamed.
"How long is it for graduation at the magic school?"
"Probably 7 years, I believe."
Irene told me.
"Then, let's meet again in 7 years. If at that time Sera is stronger, then we'll journey together."
"Se… seven years!? It's too long!"
"If you show your superiority, it's possible to skip grades, you know."
"Sob sob … I understand. Is that how it is? You're throwing me away, right? Then I'll show you and graduate in 2 years! Naoki-sama, the next time we meet we'll have a match. If I win, you have to take me along with you!!"
The crying Sera's fighting spirit burned and she made an earth-shaking declaration.
"Well, good luck! So, the two of us have left the nest! Let's drink!" (Balzack)
"Congratulations on Naoki-sama's promotion to F Rank, too!"(also Balzack)
Balzack gave a loud toast and began drinking.
After that, everyone got dead drunk, and that day all three of us stayed over in the Guild's inn.

I just figured I'd throw these up while I'm translating.
Oh thank goodness. If Sera stayed as a tag along, I was seriously considering dropping the series… Well, I a.s.sumed she wasn't going to stay around constantly because of the MCs personality, but I was getting worried…>