Chapter 26 Unusual Promotion
After meeting spirits in a hidden dungeon and curing Yggdrasil, I was sent to the surface with the help of the spirits' power.
Afterwards, the dungeon was cleared, the entrance was closed, and no one could enter again.
We who emerged outside met up with the S-rank adventurers, Aerial-san, and returned to the capital city together....
Upon returning to the capital city, we were summoned to the Guild Master's room of the guild [Divine Gemstone].
The three of us, including myself, Aerial-san, and Guereu-san, reported what happened today to the Guild Master.
So, [for various reasons], I just left the room.
"Leaf-kun! Welcome back!"
On the first floor of the guild, Mercury-san and the receptionist Niina-san were waiting for us.
The rest of the guild members came closer to us with excitement.
"What was the call from the Guild Master about?"
"What about 'Henrietta-san'?"
Henrietta is the name of the Guild Master I met earlier.
Let's just say she was a very beautiful person for now.
"It was nothing, just reporting what happened today."
"Oh..."
"I see..."
Aerial-san and Guereu-san had somewhat forced smiles.
Huh, I wonder what's wrong?
Aerial-san took a breath and clapped his hands.
"Come on, stop fooling around and get back to work, everyone."
"Eh?"
"Really, nothing happened?"
"You guys cleared a secret dungeon, right?"
"There must've been something! Tell us!"
Something... There certainly was.
But I've been told it's a secret.
The Shield User, Guereu-san, waves his hand dismissively.
"Alright, scatter, scatter. We're tired. Let us rest when we get back."
"It's suspicious!"
"Leaf-kun, didn't you hear something?"
"A special reward from the Guild Master?"
"Give us a hint, a hint!!"
Wow, everyone's really curious!
Is it because we cleared the dungeon?
"By the way, how did you clear the secret dungeon?"
"Yeah, yeah! It's the highest difficulty dungeon, right?"
"How did you do it!?"
Even if you ask how...
"Well, various things happened."
"""'Various things'?! What does that even mean?!!"""
"Sorry, I've been told not to say."
"""Damn, come on!"""
So, even though we were bombarded with questions at the guild, as promised with the Guild Master, we stayed silent.
Eventually, we disbanded and left the guild.
Since it was late at night, Aerial-san sent me to stay at the Comet Workshop.
When we arrived at the shop, Mercury-san served us tea.
We sat down and reported what had happened earlier.
"So, what about Henrietta-san, Leaf-kun?"
"She said she'll make me an S-rank adventurer."
"I see...S-rank, huh?"
Mercury-san took a sip of tea, let out a sigh, and had a tired, half-smiling expression on her face.
"Why aren't you surprised, Mercury?"
Aerial-san looked surprised, but Mercury-san just weakly shook his head.
"I'm so surprised... but, I'm too tired from being surprised today... I can't even react..."
"Oh, then should you drink one? Elixir?"
"Thank you... but it's okay. There are some things that won't be cured even if I drink it... sigh"
Oh no!
There are things that even elixirs can't cure!
"Are you okay? Did you catch an incurable disease!?"
"Yeah, I'm okay, so calm down..."
"I see..."
It's amazing that there are diseases that can't be cured even with medicine.
"So... Aerial. Did Henrietta-san really say she would make Leaf-kun S-rank?"
"Oh, she did. She was dead serious."
"He was just F-rank a few days ago, and now he's S..."
Mercury-san looked at me and let out a deep sigh... but I could sense a sense of resignation somewhere.
"You really are... strange, yeah."
"Huh? Strange...? Do you mean abnormal?"
"Too strong... oh, uh, yeah. Yeah, I won't tsukkomi this time..."
Mercury seems puzzled.
I wonder what's wrong, even though I got it right...?
Aerial nods as if impressed.
"But... Henrietta-san's decision this time was surprising. I never expected her to make him go from the lowest rank to the highest in one go."
"Wait, is that even allowed...? Unlike the merit-based empire, the Kingdom Adventurers' Guild doesn't look kindly on skipping ranks. Jumping from F to S is extremely rare."
"Yeah... that's the problem. In the tradition-respecting Kingdom Adventurers' Guild, such an abnormal rank up won't be accepted... and also..."
"And also?"
Aerial-san looks hesitant to speak.
While tilting her head, Mercury-san urges, "What is it?"
"Um... well, Leaf-kun refused to be promoted to S rank."
"..........Huh?"
Mercury-san's eyes light up.
I sip my tea. Hmm, it's pretty good.
"Wait, what? EHHHHHHH?!"
"Whoa, Mercury-san, why are you suddenly shouting..."
"You've been shouting ever since you came here...!!!"
"True."
"It's true, BUT WAITTTTT!!!"
Mercury-san grabs my collar and shakes me vigorously.
"Why?! Why did you decline the S-rank promotion?!!!"
"C-Calm down..."
"How can I calm down?! Why?!"
"B-because... I didn't do anything for this quest."
"You did NOTHINGGGGGGG?! Cough, cough!"
Mercury-san starts coughing.
I quickly take out an Elixir.
"You need to drink this!"
"Plop," the bottled elixir was smacked, so I drank it all before it hit the ground.
Aerial-san looked tense as he said,
"Hey, what did you just do?"
"Huh? I opened the lid and drank the contents before the bottle fell, then used magic to clean it with water and put it in my magic bag. I did all that in just one second."
"I don't know where to start anymore...!!!"
Aerial-san also seemed at a loss, holding his head.
"What do you mean nothing!? You just made a big contribution! You did nothing!? What, are you being sarcastic!? Is this your sarcasm towards me for not doing anything even though I accompanied you!?!?!?"
"No, it's not like that... Let me explain, please calm down. Here's the elixir."
I took out two elixirs and handed them to Aerial-san and Mercury-san.
"I... recently this elixir has started to seem like drinking water to me."
"I feel the same... Even though this is a super rare recovery item..."
"Huh? In my village, it's like drinking water."
""THERE'S NO WAY THAT'S TRUEEE...!!!""
After a pause,
I explained to Mercury-san,
"Well, for this request, I just went along. The rescue request came to Aerial-san and the others [Twilight Dragon], not to me."
"Even so, breaking through the dungeon, seeing through all the traps, healing the injured, even reviving the dead, defeating the boss of the hidden dungeon with one hit, and even healing the Yggdrasil affected by miasma... Ah."
In the middle of it, Mercury-san's expression changed as if she realized something.
Aerial-san also nodded along.
"I see... I understand what the Guild Master wants to say now..."
"You think so? That's why, technically, he's still F-rank. By going on this mission, he's technically moved up one rank to E-rank."
"Yeah... you're right. We really have no choice..."
Mercury-san sighed deeply.
"Huh? What? Why did you agree?"
"Leaf-kun, didn't you get an explanation from Henrietta-san?"
"No, it was too complicated."
"Ah, I see... so basically..."
Mercury-san took a breath.
"Your actions in the hidden dungeon... were just too abnormal."
"Yeah, what you did was too out of this world, nobody believes it. Even if it's true."
Abnormal? Out of this world...?
"What are you talking about? What I did wasn't that big of a deal, right?"
"No, that's not what I meant..."
"But, I just saved the world, isn't that normal enough?"
Mercury-san and the others were speechless.
But Old Man Arthur and Granny Merlin have saved the world from danger many times.
The elderly people in Dead End Village have also overcome many difficulties.
The world has faced crises many times, and each time, the old men and grannies saved the day.
It's really not a big deal.
""......""
Mercury-san and the others are trembling.
"Do you have a cold? Would you like to drink some Elixir?"
Both of them have veins showing on their foreheads.
And then...
""YOU'RE SO WEIRD...!!!!"
"Weird? Oh, you mean I'm still weaker compared to the old men and grannies? Got it. Just saving the world once won't make me get cocky."
They both shout loudly from the bottom of their hearts.
""IT MEANS YOU'RE TOO STRONGGGGGG!!!!"
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