Report
After that, I returned to the mansion and reported that I had achieved Rank E.
Everyone except Brother Gene and Vee was very happy.
Brother Gene said,
"So you really got Rank E from the registration test... Seriously?"
Vee said,
"For real!? I haven’t taken any requests lately, so I’m still stuck at D... Crap, I gotta head to the guild once I get back."
“By the way, Vee, are you registered with the royal capital's guild?”
“Huh? No way. I’d never register at a place like that. I’m with the Longest Guild. Look.”
He showed me his plate. It had a rapier mark on it, and underneath it was engraved ‘Longest’. For reference, my plate has a mark of crossed twin swords and is engraved with ‘Lampail’.
“Ah~ I figured. I just asked to be sure.”
“Alright! Jo, let’s go take a request tomorrow. Either way, for your first request, you’ve gotta go with someone of a higher rank.”
“Eh!? Is that how it works?”
“They explained it to you at the counter during registration, right?”
“Ah—well, there were a few complications... I didn’t register at the counter.”
“"""""""""Huh?????"""""""""”
“What do you mean by that, Joan? Explain properly.”
When Father asked, I told him everything that happened at the Adventurers’ Guild, from the beginning.
Even if I lied, they’d probably find out eventually...
The more inconvenient the truth is, the sooner it’s better to say it...
“““““““Haa~”””””””
“You’re amazing, Jo. If it were me, I’d have come back home first.”
““Pffwahahahaーーー””
““……….””
The adults sighed, Brother Noel seemed impressed, and Brother Gene and Vee burst out laughing. What’s scary is how Gray and Nancy’s eyes had gone cold...
“B-but I was approved through a merit-based system like how the Lampail Guild operatesーー”
“Joan... in situations like that, you should come back and consult us. It’s fortunate that the receptionist wasn’t injured...”
“Yes. I’m sorry, Father.”
“Oh my? But Joan isn’t the one at fault, is she?”
“Eh!? Mother?”
“Well, she clearly stated her age, and yet they just gave her juice and tried to send her home, didn’t they? And it’s not like Joan would miss a measly killer bee. Who do they think has been teaching her?”
“Well, yes, but... perhaps that receptionist thought it was dangerous because Joan is small and acted with good intentionsーー”
“Then halflings and dwarves are small too, aren’t they? Even if they’re older than us. Do they get handed juice and sent home too? Despite the guild claiming to be merit-based?”
“……”
“Stanley, give it up. Lindsay’s right. And didn’t the Guildmaster himself make a snap judgment just because she was small?”
“Well, yes, but Father. I’m sure Morgan had his own reasoningーー”
“Morgan, you say? That boy doesn’t have reasoning. He’s just a runny-nosed brat.”
“Well, he only had a runny nose as a kid... Nowadays he properly fulfills his duties as a guildmasterーー”
“If he were doing his duties properly, this wouldn’t have happened in the first place, right? … Ah, I just remembered I had business in town. Nancy, will you come with me?”
“Of course, Madam.”
“W-wait, Mother. Going so suddenly, what about sending word in advance?”
“If I send word, that boy’ll just try to run away, won’t he?”
With that, Grandmother and Nancy left the living room.
“Ahh~ This is bad… a rain of blood is coming.”
“It’s too late, dear. It’s the guild’s fault for handling things so poorly to begin with.”
“That’s right, Brother. If Mother hadn’t gone, I would’ve.”
“Eh!? Julie, you would’ve…?”
“Pardon the interruption, but everyone except Master and Sir Gilbert seems to have grievances with the guild. After all, they tried to ignore our young lady. And calling her a fruitless girl... Rest assured. Madam and Nancy will settle this debt thoroughly.”
“... Gray. Don’t tell me you too...”
“Yes, I would’ve liked to go to the guild myself. But let’s leave this to Madam and Nancy… I plan to reconnect with Morgan later. It’s been a while since we last spoke.”
“Gray...”
“Brother Noel, are there really halflings and dwarves out there?”
“Eh? That’s what you’re curious about, Joan?”
“Eh? Well, I was just stating the facts. And besides, who could stop Grandmother and Nancy?”
“Well~ you’re right... And yeah, there are halflings and dwarves. Not in our domain, but I’ve got classmates who are.”
“Really~? I hope I get classmates like that too~”
“Ahahaha. Yeah, that’d be nice if you did.”
“Hey, Joan. Show me that hidden weapon you were talking about earlier.”
“The kunai? Sure.”
“"""Eh!?"""”
“Hmm?”
“Jo, where did you just pull that from?”
“Eh? From my storage?”
“But you didn’t make any motion to search through it.”
“Ah—lately, I can just picture the item I want from my storage and it pops out.”
“"""What?"""”
“Pretty convenient, right~? Stowing stuff away too... see? It’s done in a flash.”
“Jo, is that how you beat Jackal in the exam?”
“Yes. Was that a problem?”
“No, not at all~ That’s amazing, Jo.”
Brother Noel gently patted my head.
"Hehehe~"
"Big brother..." "Big bro Noel.."
Click— As the door opened, everyone turned their gaze to see the twins peeking in.
“"Are you done talking~?”"
"Ohh, we’re done. Come here, you two—come cheer up your father."
Says their dad.
Hearing that, the twins grin brightly and—
“"Big bro~! Big sis~! Play with us~!”"
—come running toward us.
"Hugo... Lyla..."
Father looked utterly heartbroken.
"Hu, Ly, Father’s calling you, you know?"
“"But Daddy made Granny mad, right? Granny was all huffy! So she said we shouldn’t go to Daddy for a little while~ Daddy, what did you do?"”
The twins tilted their heads innocently.
[.................]"Pfft...!"
No one could muster a response to the twins' words.
Gray’s the only one who couldn’t hold back his laughter, though...
What do you think about this chapter?
