Chapter 13. I Got the rcenary Tag.
“Hmm.”
Swish.
I sheathed the sword.
The heated body cooled down.
Deep below.
A mory raised its head.
I didn't know, but Luke Ivers knew this swordsmanship.
Of course, it was natural.
Because it was the sword learned from his master, the Sword Saint.
Celestial Sword.
“From Cumulonimbus cos Shower. From Stratocumulus cos Mist.”
From Overcast to Rainy.
A cloudy sky leads to rain.
Cloud and rain form a pair, thus predictable yet unstoppable, like the heavens themselves.
The swordsmanship that made the Sword Saint the Sword Saint.
Knowledge I didn't possess surfaced like bubbles.
It felt natural, as if it had always been mine.
And simultaneously, frustration welled up.
What I could draw out now was only a tiny fraction ingrained in the body.
I could definitely do more.
Could have done more.
‘Insufficient.’
The Celestial Sword wasn't just this level.
The missing pieces in my mind felt so vividly clear, it felt like standing before an endless cave, lost.
“Brother……”
My thoughts were broken by Pol's voice.
Pol fidgeted as if waiting for an evaluation.
By mimicking Pol's movents, I could gauge his achievent.
This body, while far from matching Luke Ivers, was definitely not at a diocre level of learning.
Considering his young age, not yet an adult, he was quite outstanding.
Normally, praising him would be fine.
However, guessing from Luke and Pol's relationship, Luke likely wouldn't have praised him easily.
It was important for to treat Pol like Luke Ivers would.
“It was decent enough, but there are still many places to fix. Practice.”
A harsh evaluation compared to his performance.
Pol's reaction to it was…….
“Keoheuk……”
“Are you crying?!”
Did I say sothing that harsh?
Was Luke actually kind when teaching Pol?
“I'm just so happy that you praised , Brother……”
Pol said in a trembling voice.
A completely different reason than I thought.
The tears flowing down Pol's cheeks weren't of sadness, but of joy.
'Decent enough' was apparently such great praise that Pol had never heard anything like it before.
“It’s also the first ti you’ve pointed out the areas to fix in such detail……”
Touching testimonies followed one after another.
Luke Ivers.
How on earth did you teach Pol?
* * *
“Don't get cocky just because you received one word of praise.”
“I know!”
Perhaps the words added to rectify the situation sounded like encouragent instead, as stars seed to pour from Pol's eyes.
Sohow, my cheek felt itchy.
“That's enough for today.”
My current self wasn't complete.
I had only recalled a part of the body's mory; the skill I could produce now was just a fraction of Luke Ivers's.
Trying to extract more swordsmanship by keeping Pol around unnecessarily, only to reveal my own lack of depth, was disadvantageous.
“Thank you for the teaching!”
Pol bowed so deeply his head almost touched the ground.
The moon was high.
It was a pleasant night.
“By the way.”
Halfway down the wall, one thing suddenly occurred to .
“Is it right that you're using a better sword than ?”
I subtly pointed towards Pol's sword.
It was unpleasant how my sword got unilaterally worn down when they clashed during the day.
Losing due to skill is one thing, but losing due to item difference is too unfair.
“Hut! Here it is.”
Pol unfastened his sword without a shred of hesitation and offered it.
An excellent attitude for a younger brother figure.
“I'll return it when I get a better sword.”
I patted Pol's shoulder.
“No need! I can just get a new sword!”
Pol shook his head brightly.
“Do you have the money for that?”
“I'll earn it!”
Earn it?
A usable sword is quite expensive.
Requests like sli hunting or guard duty would take ages.
Eventually, he'd need to take on proper requests, but how could he accept requests without even a sword?
Being positive is good, but he's too reckless.
“Use this at least.”
I handed Pol the sword I had taken from the bandit and been using.
It had been used roughly here and there, so its condition wasn't great, but it was better than nothing.
“Thank you! The sword Brother used……! I'll treasure it forever!”
Even though his sword was swapped for a worse one, Pol was purely delighted.
“Phew.”
That sucker.
He keeps making feel pangs of conscience.
* * *
By the ti we descended from the wall, it was late at night, so it wasn't until the next day that Pol and I headed to the rcenary Guild together.
“Do you think it's right to leave saying you'll talk for a mont, then show your face only after the day changes? Without even reporting after completing a guild-assigned request. Do you think the guild is a joke?”
The Guild Master, with a displeased face, was waiting for .
His manner of speaking was such a spitting image of the departnt head at my previous company that I almost reflexively asked if he was perhaps from Korea.
“I apologize.”
I bowed my head almost automatically.
Anyway, it was true that I was at fault.
“If you apologize so ekly, what does that make ? React like a rcenary, will you?”
Not letting it go even after an apology is also typical of a workplace superior.
What exactly is a rcenary-like reaction?
Should I have snapped back, asking why he was being petty about such a thing?
“You finished the test request. Aren't you even curious about the result?”
“Hmm. I am curious.”
Truthfully, I wasn't particularly curious.
It was a test with no room for failure.
I wasn't particularly worried about receiving disadvantages for failing the test.
They could potentially make an issue of not reporting properly at the end, but I didn't need an exceptionally high evaluation either.
I wasn't going to make a living as a rcenary forever, and the more famous and widespread my na beca, the higher the chance of my identity being exposed.
Having so derit points might actually be better.
“Rank Semi-3rd. That is our guild's evaluation of you.”
The Guild Master said it as if doing a great favor.
“You should be happier!”
“Waah-”
I forced a happy expression to et the Guild Master's expectation, but his face didn't brighten at all.
What a troubleso person.
“Is Semi-3rd rank high?”
Pol asked.
Words like Semi-3rd rank didn't seem to register well with Pol, who didn't know much about rcenaries.
“Ahem. I suppose I should explain the rcenary ranks.”
The Guild Master looked pleased to have seized the opportunity to explain.
“First, when one initially becos a rcenary, there is no rank. This period is usually called Rankless (無級) rcenary.”
The guild doesn't broker requests for Rankless rcenaries.
A Rankless rcenary is soone ambiguous, neither guaranteed anything nor clearly distinct from a thug who just wields so strength.
Requests given to Rankless rcenaries mostly involve hunting the lowest-grade monsters or being called to places needing miscellaneous force to fill numbers.
“After working as a rcenary for so ti, if the rcenary Guild judges that this person will continue being a rcenary, their na and nickna are recorded in the list, and this is the standard for Rank 4 rcenary.”
The reason a nickna is needed to be treated as a proper rcenary is for the guild to keep track of rcenary information.
Most rcenaries co from backgrounds not particularly good, lacking family nas.
A nickna is necessary to distinguish rcenaries with the sa given na, which is why having a nickna is considered an essential condition for becoming a Rank 4 rcenary.
“Rank 3 rcenaries are veteran rcenaries who have survived quite a long ti. This far encompasses the general rcenary.”
Rank 3 and Rank 4.
The image that first cos to mind when thinking of rcenaries is precisely these, and that thought isn't particularly wrong.
Because they are the absolute majority that sustains the rcenary industry.
“Rank 2 rcenaries are rcenaries renowned within their active city or region.”
Since hiring them costs a considerable amount, they undertake special requests rather than general rcenary work.
Usually, wealthy individuals or nobles hire them to ensure definite results.
“Rank 1 rcenaries refer to rcenaries whose nas are known throughout the Empire.”
The pinnacle of rcenaries.
Celebrities recognized wherever they go.
Since there are almost no requests that even Rank 2 rcenaries cannot handle, they spend their ti accepting requests that suit their fancy or building their own forces.
Then occasionally, they prove their raison d'être by being hired by the Imperial family to carry out requests comparable to disasters.
Talents irreplaceable by other rcenaries are Rank 1 rcenaries.
“And above that, there is a rank called Special Grade, but once they reach this level, they soon receive noble titles or similar, making it hard to call them rcenaries anymore. Should I say it's a rank that exists only temporarily? Among those who were Special Grade rcenaries, the most famous is undoubtedly the Sword Saint.”
Beings that even the mighty Empire cannot leash by force, but must coax and appease.
A position beyond the standard of rcenary, no…… beyond the standard of human.
“Heeh……”
Pol nodded, eyes sparkling.
Was he imagining becoming a great rcenary?
rcenary work was supposed to be just a temporary ans to earn money, yet he was excessively imrsed.
“But, what's Semi-3rd rank?”
Pol, who had been counting on his fingers for a while, belatedly pointed out the rank the Guild Master had assigned .
“Rank 4 rcenaries cannot hunt Hond Wolves. Based on skill alone, you would correspond to Rank 3, but…… for soone who has only completed a couple of requests, there isn't enough accumulated trust to make them Rank 3 yet.”
Thus, the ambiguous rank of Semi-3rd, between Rank 3 and Rank 4, was assigned.
It was certainly a convincing reason.
“You'll likely beco a Rank 3 rcenary soon enough. Since you passed the test excellently.”
The Guild Master declared confidently with a stylish smile.
“What exactly was that test anyway? It was completely aningless. We just spent ti doing nothing, and it ended.”
Pol did intrude by climbing the wall midway, but that was an issue to be buried and moved past.
After all, testing the response to soone climbing the wall when it's uncertain if anyone would even attempt it doesn't make sense.
“That's the key. Whether you cause trouble when given a thankless and boring request.”
The Guild Master answered triumphantly.
“You were the brains……?”
The intention must have been to check the reaction to stress.
Considering the pathetic patience of rcenaries, it was sowhat rational.
Sohow, it felt strange that he announced it was a test right from the start.
Patrolling the wall nervously, thinking it was a test from the Guild Master, would have made the ti feel several tis longer.
In normal situations, even guys who would ordinarily complete requests properly have a drastically increased chance of committing impulsive actions when boredom combines with tension.
“How did I beco the Guild Master? I took over the guild with this head, I tell you.”
The Guild Master tapped his temple pointedly.
Indeed, running an organization requires a lot of brainpower.
My evaluation of the Guild Master rose slightly again.
“Combat power sufficient. Patience unshaken even by aningless requests. Plus, polite manners. Very promising future. I have high expectations for our ‘Green’.”
I lowered my evaluation of the Guild Master again.
The way he spoke was exactly like Manager Park who used to tornt .
Makes want to resign.
‘I should run away as soon as I get the rcenary tag.’
This is definitely not a place to stay long.
“So when is the rcenary tag issued…….”
Just as I was about to ask the most important question right now.
Bang!!
“Ben! Green Ben! Are you here?!”
Bill burst in, kicking the door open.
Imdiately, the Guild Master put distance between himself and .
Manager Park did exactly that when a client boss stord into the office because of my mistake back then.
“Knew you were here!”
Bill spotted among the rcenaries and strode over.
“You patrolled the top of the wall last night, right?! There's a problem! Follow quickly!”
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