On the outskirts of Aldor City, two small figures appeared today, walking toward the forest not far from the city.
After checking the quest board and selecting hunting missions, Tris and Rin immediately set out to fulfill them.
In truth, the two had accepted different quests, each with its own target, due to the difference in their ranks.
At the Adventurers' Guild, there is a rule allowing only a one‑rank difference when accepting quests, to prevent higher‑rank adventurers from casually sweeping away the hunting targets meant for lower‑rank adventurers.
For Rin, who had just begun and was ranked F, she needed to take F‑ or E‑rank missions to receive full rewards.
Meanwhile, Tris, already at rank C, could accept missions of rank D, C, or B.
Only once Rin reached rank E could they take on D‑rank missions together without penalty.
Still, their difference in rank had its advantages. They could hunt nearly any Magical Beast they encountered and claim the appropriate rewards.
If the prey was F‑ or E‑rank, Rin would turn in the quest; if higher, Tris would.
Yet this benefit was minor, since rewards from low‑rank beasts were negligible compared to Tris's finances.
Thus, there was no reason to keep Rin at a low rank for such a small gain. The best course was to help her rise quickly.
As they walked, Rin asked:
"Couldn't we just hunt a bunch of beasts first, then later check the quest board for matching missions and turn them in right away?"
Tris: "Of course you can. But with hunting‑type quests like these, there's usually no strict time limit for completion, and they can be canceled midway. So accepting one in advance whenever you see it doesn't hurt.
That's because requests for specific targets aren't always available. Sometimes they're needed today, but not tomorrow. It depends on which Magical Beasts are appearing in large numbers and need to be culled, or which materials the market is demanding—things like that.
And if adventurers weren't limited to a set number of quests at a time, all of these hunting quests without deadlines would have already been taken up at once by the others."
Rin nodded: "I see. And checking the quest list beforehand helps us aim for beasts with higher value, right?"
Tris: "Yes. But for a beginner like you, something matters far more than thinking about profit."
Rin: "What's that?"
Tris: "Not dying foolishly the moment you step into the forest."
Rin: "Because of suddenly encountering a high‑rank Magical Beast, or poisonous creatures?"
Tris: "That's part of it. But danger comes from many sources—the environment, plants that can attack or harm, and even low‑rank Magical Beasts. Sometimes they're more dangerous than the stronger ones."
Rin: "Why is that?"
Tris: "Numbers. Swarms of Green Bees or Fire Ants can overwhelm. Some beasts use camouflage and ambush tactics, striking suddenly. High‑rank beasts often hunt openly, which can make them less frightening than low‑rank ones that rely on surprise."
Rin: "So the danger doesn't come from raw strength, but from the tactics they use."
She recalled the strategies her Master had drilled into her—methods not only used by humans but also by beasts in the wild.
'No wonder Master emphasized tactics so thoroughly.'
Rin once again realized her Master's thoughtfulness and meticulous care when it came to safety.
Tris: "Because beginners lack experience and often die easily for all sorts of reasons the moment they step into the forest, the guild has a policy requiring a higher‑rank adventurer to accompany them."
Rin: "Then why is there no other adventurer coming with us this time?"
Tris: "This time, since I'm already rank C and insisted on refusing the guild's arrangement, they let it be."
Rin: "Wait—you're rank C already, Master?"
As far as she knew, Master had only become an adventurer not too long ago. And one of the requirements for advancing to higher ranks was to complete a large number of quests.
Rin was quite familiar with his daily activities, which usually had nothing to do with the Adventurers' Guild at all.
On many days, he spent nearly all his time shut away in his room, either studying on his own or tinkering with magical puppets.
'Could Master be using some kind of magic to complete guild quests simultaneously?' she wondered.
Tris: "There are special quests that allow faster promotion."
Rin: "They must be extremely difficult, right?"
Tris: "Yes. The kind where a bit of bad luck means you don't come back alive. If you ever see one, avoid it."
Rin: "(￣_￣|||) And you actually did one?"
Tris sighed: "By accident. I got caught up in it."
Facing cultists had been hard enough, but then he had unexpectedly encountered that terrifying man in the red cloak. Whenever he thought back on it, Tris couldn't help but lament his luck.
'Surely I won't run into someone that strong again anytime soon…' he worried.
* * * * * * * * * *
???: "Achoo."
???: "Impossible—could you actually catch a cold?"
The surprised voice belonged to a beautiful young woman with pale hair and skin, her cloak the same color.
???: "It's fine. My body is perfectly healthy. Just a tickle in my nose—probably from all the dust around here."
The speaker was another young woman, her beauty so radiant it seemed divine, making others hesitate to approach.
Her hair was split into stark halves of black and white, unforgettable to anyone who saw her.
She was none other than Rose, the woman who had once visited Count Alistair's estate.
???: "The environment in this slum is filthy and dreadful. Do you truly intend to build headquarters here?"
One of the two attendants standing beside Rose spoke up.
Right now, the three walked side by side, wandering the streets in search of a fitting place to acquire.
Not far behind them lay a group of men collapsed on the ground, their condition uncertain—whether alive or dead.
Rose: "The worse the environment, the easier it is to show improvement. And property here is cheap."
???: "Are we short on funds?"
Rose: "Not exactly. But there's no reason to waste money on a place we won't use for long."
???: "So the Church of Light will intervene?"
Rose: "I'd be more surprised if they didn't."
???: "And you don't seem at all worried that Count Alistair might reject our proposal?"
Rose: "Of course not. Our offer brings nothing but benefits and causes no harm to this territory. Besides, I'm certain Alistair would even enjoy watching us and the Church of Light clash against each other."
She answered with a faint smile.