Chapter 544

“‘Spearmaster,’ ‘Illusionist,’ and ‘Machinist’…
Hmm, which one should I ask about first?
Guess I’ll start with their jobs.”

“Umm, what exactly are a ‘Spearmaster,’ an ‘Illusionist,’ and a ‘Machinist’?”

“… I see. So Grandmaster Rumaja didn’t tell you about us either.”

“All I was told was that you’re a party of all Gold-ranked adventurers.”

“What did the other parties say?”

“They gave pretty safe, vague answers. Stuff like swordsman, warrior, or mage.”

“There are a few parties I can think of where everyone’s Gold-ranked, but for them to make such a bland sales pitch… Were their party names ‘Exploding Scales,’ ‘Shimmering Dance,’ and ‘Fig Blossom Bud’?”

“Uh, yes. Wait—so you didn’t know about the other parties either?”

“Grandmaster Rumaja forbade us from having any contact with the other parties. Still, she sure brought along some plain ones.”

Hmm… Were they really that plain of a party?
Well, I guess they didn’t have any particular flash, but to me they always seemed like a solid, grounded group.
Maybe just being a Gold-ranked adventurer party isn’t enough.

“Forget the others—let’s talk about us. First, my ‘Illusionist’ title comes from my staff, the Flower Staff of the Millennium Tree, which I use to make flowers and plants grow to entangle enemies or to show them illusions. If you wanted a more general term, I’d be called a mage who can also heal.”

I see, so Fanny’s specialty is fighting with illusions.
And since she can use regular magic too, it’s reassuring that she can handle enemies resistant to illusions.

“Next, Juna. What’s a Spearmaster?”

“Yes. Mine is also just a nickname—strictly speaking, I’m a warrior who uses a spear. Long ago, I saved a city by slaying an Ancient Hydra with nothing but my spear, and that name spread because of it. There was a more embarrassing title, but I pushed to spread this one before that caught on.”

“I see. By the way, what kind of monster is an Ancient Hydra?”

“Let’s see… Imagine a hydra the size of a city. It felt like it had not just eight heads but closer to a hundred, though aside from its sheer size and number of heads, it was still a hydra.”

“… Aye, that matches the description of the Ancient Hydra I know. And how’d you bring it down?”

“When I set out on my own as an adventurer, my family gifted me the magic spear Valginia. I severed all of its necks at the base, then drove my spear through the center of its body.”

“That’s the right way to kill one. Impressive you fought it alone.”

“Well, I am a Highlander.”

“High…lander?”

What’s that? Some kind of race name?

“Ah, you wouldn’t know. We look almost identical to humans, but we live up to around 500 years and have exceptional physical strength. Our magic is weaker, but we usually make up for that in other ways.”

Got it—basically an upgraded human race.
For reference, Fanny’s an elf.

“Lastly, could you tell me about the ‘Machinist,’ the one who isn’t here right now?”

“A ‘Machinist’ is like a tamer who fights by using magic-item-made creatures similar to tamed monsters. Rana developed her own unique technology, which she calls Magiscience, based on what she restored from an ancient ruin, and she fights using that. By the way, she hates it when people call her weapons or magic tools—she insists on calling them ‘Mechanisms’ instead.”

Sounds like someone with a strong sense of pride.
Rana’s also a Highlander, and apparently she’s not even considered an adult by Highlander standards.
Visually, she looks even younger than me.
Maybe about Amira’s age?

Alright, that’s enough about their jobs.
Next… I’ll ask about their past accomplishments.

What do you think about this chapter?