Chapter 45 (1/2)

「Set-chan, has become so popular in the city.」

As Rei was looking at the request board, a person suddenly called out to him.

When Rei turned face the the voice, he saw the figure of Milein, the leader of Scorching Wind from the Orc subjugation force, who had fought the Orc King’s group with him.

「Are you also looking for requests over here?」

「Requests……as expected of Rei?　Normally, after a large request, most would take a one week break……」

While saying that, Milein’s eyes glanced over the request forms that were attached to the board.

After looking at them, Milein turned her eyes back and gave a slightly embarrassed but bitter smile.

「Ahh, to tell the truth, our armour and weapons were damaged during the Orc subjugation. ……And not just mine, Ecryll and Sulunin’s weapons and armour were also damaged. So, almost all of our rewards were spent repairing or buying replacements. ……Well, it’s still a good opportunity as we were thinking of getting new weapons and armour. Because of that, we were looking at doing a new request as soon as possible. 」

Listening to Milein’s words, Rei directed his gaze to her armour and the weapon at her waist.

Certainly, the equipment was different from the ones he had seen at the time of the Orc subjugation, if Milein’s words were to be believed, they were of a higher quality than before.

A little bit further away, Ecryll and Sulunin could be seen looking at the request board like Milein. When they noticed Rei, Ecryll waved in greeting while Sulunin gave a polite nod.

And while returning the greeting to the two, Milein suddenly hugged Rei from behind.

「Hey, Rei. If you’re looking for a request, why don’t you do a quest together with us?　Come on, Set-chan ……I mean, Rei’s ability is dependable.」

Realising Milein’s plan from her words, Rei gave a wry smile.

If you excluded Axe of the Thunder God, Milein was probably the first adventurer to befriend Set, at the same time, Milein was also one of Set’s favourites.

However, Rei wasn’t able to immediately agree to Milein’s words.

After all, Rei primary and secondary purposes were the magic stones of monsters and and the materials and rewards from them. And if he partied with other adventurers, if Rei wanted the magic stones, it was likely that there would be trouble. Basically, excluding some special exceptions, the magic stone was the most valuable part of the monster.

「Milein, you shouldn’t be so unreasonable to others. Every person has their own circumstances.」

Seeing Rei’s troubled face, Sulunin chided Milein.

「That’s right. Though Milein likes Set a lot, you shouldn’t be excessively unreasonable.」

「Muu~……but you know.」

As Milein was chided by not just Sulunin but Ecryll as well, Rei found a certain request form.

The contents of the request was the investigation of another forest near the Forest of Magic, there was no rank requirement but it required 5 people.

(Should I accept this quest with Scorching Wind?　Fortunately, as the Seed of Contract has been placed inside of them, even if I ask for the magic stones, they probably won’t inquire much further about it.)

「Milein, what you think of taking this request together?」

「Huh?　Really!?　Which request?」

Milein looked at the request form at Rei’s words, smiling ear to ear. However, her expression clouded immediately.

「Hmm, a forest investigation……the reward is large for such a request. However, because not much is know about that place, hence the investigation, I don’t know what kind of monsters will appear there. However, I want to be with Set, and there’s also Rei’s fighting power……hmm……what do Ecryll and Sulunin think?」

Milein asked her party members while staring at the request form.

In the first place, Scorching Wind was a rank C party while Rei was a rank E adventurer. Normally, they wouldn’t be able to receive a quest together unless the request had no rank requirements, like the one Milein was looking at. Though technically speaking, Scorching Wind could receive a rank E request, to receive a low rank request with low rewards was pointless if they wanted to earn money.

As for requests that had no rank requirements, their rewards were often either extremely low or high with a matching risk. In this case, concerning the investigation into the forest near the Forest of Monsters, if anything, it was the latter kind as what monsters would appear was unknown.

The request to subjugate the Orc settlement, which Rei and Scorching Wind participated in, was also categorized in this group.

「I’m sorry but I would like to object. I have not yet become familiar with the cane I just bought and the degree of risk is unknown, I would like to refrain from this request.」

「That’s true. I’m sorry Milein-san. I also haven’t completely mastered the new bow I bought either.」

While looking apologetic, Milein let out a sigh at the two who were shaking the necks.

「Is that right. Well, if you say it can’t be helped then it can’t be helped. There’s no helping it, we’ll have to give up on it. I’m sorry Rei. It’s impossible for us.」

「No, I don’t mind. Because I’m staying at the Dusk Wheat, Set is staying at the stables. You can play with him there if you have free time.」

「Yep, I’ll visit for sure. Well, we’re in the area. Unless we earnestly search for a good request, we won’t be able to pay the rent for the inn.」

Milein let out a regretful sigh and went to the rank C request board with Sulunin and Ecryll.

Seeing their backs off, he started looking for a good request for himself……while he was thinking about it, he again noticed someone approaching him.

If you saw him approach while obviously looking at Rei, anyone would understand that he was looking for Rei.

He was in his late teens to early twenties. For an adventurer, the equipment he was wearing wasn’t particularly high quality. However, the sword equipped at his waist was different, it was something that attracted a lot of looks.

(A Magic sword, is it?）

It was like the battle axe which Vargas from the Claws of the Hawk had or the great sword that the Orc King used. They were all weapons with hidden magic power. In other words, a magic item. Because of the magic power they contained, they tended to attract looks from the public eye, that was why even Rei, who couldn’t sense foreign magic power, could tell if it was a magic item.

As for the sword at the waist of the man approaching him, the sword gave off an atmosphere of a magic item, that was why he was able to judge that it was a magic sword.

「You are Rei, right?」

Rei gave a small nod as the man stopped in front of Rei and asked.

「Ah. And you are?」

「I’m Arogan. A rank E adventurer.」

Rank E adventurer. In other words, he was at the same rank as Rei.

However, Rei was a rookie who had just become rank E the day before.

「So, Arogan, do you need me for something?」

「Ah. I had gone out of the city of Gilm for a request, though I came back this morning……and I heard a strange rumor here and there.」

「Strange rumor?」

「An impossibly crazy rumor that a G rank adventurer defeated an Orc King.」

You don’t believe it?　As Rei looked back, saying so with his face, it was clear that he didn’t believe Rei, the adventurer in the rumor, had defeated the Orc King.

(Jealousy, is it?　Well, either way, he’s not a decent opponent for me.)