Kays Translations

Chapter 24 "Qualifications for the Intermediate Adventurer Certification Examination"

*Sip...*

Ms.Salazar, sipping tea alone, laid out several samples of the quest items Klaus had brought along with a valuable Mandragora on the table.

By the way, Klaus had no tea.

"...Phew. I was already surprised when you brought Mandragora once. Today is the second time──and not just that"

Ms.Salazar gently flipped through the hastily created catalog of the dropped items.

"─Achieving quests in such a short period, including the pickling requests... Moreover, even though they're low-level, you managed to visit three hunting grounds?"

"Uh, well... What about it?"

Ms.Salazar stared at Klaus, who was trying to play dumb, with a sharp gaze.

"Are you seriously saying that?"

"...Of course, I am."

"Look me in the eyes when you say it."

Ms.Salazar let out a sigh as Klaus casually averted his gaze.

"Sigh... I don't know what you're in such a hurry for, but completing this many quests in such a short time─ it's not something one would normally consider possible."

The number of quests Klaus had completed was extraordinary for a solo adventurer to achieve in a single day.

...In fact, it seemed almost unprecedented.

"Hmm... Well, it's fine. It doesn't seem like you achieved this by doing anything wrong, and you also brought back the Mandragora" 

Said Ms.Salazar, gently caressing the humanoid plant.

It seemed far more important than the low-level quest items.

"And then... as you said, I sent people to the 'Valley of Lament'. A few veterans skilled in detection"

Huh?

"But they couldn't find any Mandragora there."

"Oh, I see."

Well, I suppose that's true.

Even with using automatic resource collection, there was only one of them...

“To think someone would…”

Miss Salazar had a face that seemed both amazed and amused.

But she said it with a slightly resigned expression.

“Well, whatever. Adventurers hiding their tricks is a common thing, and the guild doesn't have the authority to force them to reveal it, after all.”

In return, she hasn't disclosed that she's keeping an eye on them.

"Uh, yes, it's a trade secret."

"Yeah, a trade secret."

With a shrug of her shoulders, Ms.Salazar picked up the mandragora without saying anything more.

"I've said this before, but these are quite expensive, you know."

"Yes."

(I did it! I'm gonna get magic stones with the purchase amount!)

For a moment, Klaus's eyes lit up with dollar signs, but the next moment, he was in for a disappointment.

"But, too bad,"

"Huh?"

Gently placing the mandrake back on the table, Ms.Salazar spoke.

"The high prices were until just recently... Prices for mandragoras, antidote herbs, and magic light stones – these have significantly decreased."

"What?!"

"W-Why?!"

"Why do you think?"

"Um..."

Ka-ching.

At that moment, the door opened, and Terrine, who seemed out of breath, entered the room.

As if she had brought tea, she approached Ms.Salazar and whispered something in her ear.

Then, after giving Klaus a side-eye,

"...Klaus."

"Y-Yes..."

He was glared at with tremendous intensity, causing his spine to shiver involuntarily.

"Do you know the words 'supply and demand'?"

"Y-Yes... It's about the relationship between people who want something and people who want to sell, right?"

"That's right, that's right."

Terrine smiled, but in the next moment, her face contorted into a fierce expression, like a demon's mask, and she said

Suuuuu...

"If you bring in such a ridiculous amount, it's obvious the prices will collapse!!!"

*Keeeeeeen!*

"What?! Ah!"

Shouted at so loudly and from such a close range that it rang in his ears, Klaus could only tremble. 

He had shrunk into the well-appointed sofa in the Guild Master's room, feeling incredibly small.

"Leave it at that, Terrine."

"I-I'm sorry."

With just those words, Terrine bowed and left the room.

"I'm sorry. It's not like I had any ill intentions..."

Ms.Salazar wore a troubled expression.

"Normally, we consider achievement frequency and such to determine the purchase price of items. But when there's such a large number of items completed in one go like this..."

She let out a sigh, placing a hand on her cheek.

"Of course, we will pay you the regular quest completion fees... But please, remember."

For the first time, Ms.Salazar released an aura that was almost menacing.

"...Exercise moderation in everything you do!"

*Nikoo*

"Y-Yes, understood!"

Klaus couldn't help but bow deeply in apology. 

And though he didn't know the details at this moment, later, when he went to the guild reception to receive his success rewards, Terrine made a sarcastic remark.

"...Due to oversupply, the market prices for materials have plummeted... In other words, the guild is facing a huge deficit."

"I-I'm sorry..."

It appeared that due to the unusually large quantity of dropped items Klaus had brought in over the past few days, the prices of relatively valuable items like poison-tipped arrows and antidote herbs had crashed. 

Furthermore, Klaus had submitted drop items from quests that were supposed to be undertaken by intermediate or higher-ranked adventurers, resulting in several requests being invalidated.

Well, specifically, it's requests related to rock lizards and mandrakes...

"From now on, there might be restrictions on the number of requests we can accept... all because of someone."

"I-I'm sorry..."

Apologies over and over again...

And just as Klaus was shrinking smaller and smaller, Terrine added one more thing to further drive the point home.

"Sigh... So, Klaus, your achievements have been recognized sufficiently. You are now eligible to take the intermediate level examination."

"Huh?"

...Did you just casually mention something important?

"Could you please repeat that?"

"The guild is facing a huge deficit?"

I see

"Whatever, I don't care about that..."

"Is that sooo?!"

I-I'm sorry!!

"Sigh... You are allowed to take the intermediate certification exam."

Smoothly, a piece of paper is handed over.

There, in just a few words:

'Intermediate Exam Qualification Certificate (D-Rank Exam)'

"What... Oh... Ohhh!"

Yessssssssssssssss!

"It... It's hereeeeeeeeeee!"

This! This is what I wanted!

"Heh... quite an ecstatic reaction. Well, for ordinary adventurers, it takes 1 to 2 years to get certified. If you're exceptional... it could take as little as six months."

Terrine said disinterestedly, resting her chin on the counter.

There's a subtle emphasis on "exceptional," isn't there...?

...I'm really sorry! I'm not exceptional at all!!

"So, what will you do? The exam is in three days. If you're not prepared, you can reschedule for another day..."

"I'll do it!!"

I'll do it, I'll do it!

I will do it!!!

"Ahh, well... You're certainly enthusiastic. Did you really want to advance that badly?"

Well, of course.

Who willingly wants to stay at the lower ranks?

"I'd like to return all the gossip from the veteran lower-rank adventurers! It's only natural, isn't it?"

"I see. Well, in that case, I'll register you. Your examination number is... 45. Report to the guild first thing in the morning in three days."

Oh, things are progressing smoothly!

"Then, I'll be counting on you on the day of the exam... Oh, and,"

*Jarin♪*

"Here are today's quest fees... Please pay."

A glittering pile of gold and silver coins~...

~ Guild Rewards ~

['Harvesting Antidote Herbs' (Quota: 10) × 10 sheets ⇒ 100 silver coins

['Harvesting Petrify Grass' (Quota: 5) × 3 sheets ⇒ 45 silver coins

['Harvesting Paralyze Grass' (Quota: 5) × 3 sheets ⇒ 45 silver coins

['Collecting Burning Water' (Quota: 5 jars) × 3 sheets ⇒ 75 silver coins

['Collecting Bubble Water' (Quota: 5 jars) × 3 sheets ⇒ 45 silver coins

['Slaying Poison Frog Poison Frogs' (Quota: 5) ⇒ 5 silver coins + additional reward, 4 silver coins

['Slaying Swamp Slimes' (Quota: 5) ⇒ 5 silver coins + additional reward, 50 copper coins

['Harvesting Poison-Tipped Arrows' (Quota: 5) × 3 sheets ⇒ 7 gold coins, 50 silver coins

['Harvesting Poison Mushrooms' (Quota: 20) × 10 sheets ⇒ 400 silver coins

['Wailing Rock Moss' (Quota: 3) × 1 sheet ⇒ 6 gold coins

['Head Parasite Fire Grass' (Quota: 1) × 1 sheet ⇒ 8 gold coins

['Mining Magic Light Stones (Extra Large)' (Quota: 3) × 5 ⇒ 30 silver coins

['Mining Magic Light Stones (Very Large)' (Quota: 1) × 3 ⇒ 60 silver coins

['Mining Magic Light Stones (Large)' (Quota: 10) × 40 ⇒ 2000 copper coins]

Subtotal: 21 gold coins, 864 silver coins, 2050 copper coins.

That's all!!

Additionally, the exchange fees for materials sum up to 59 gold coins, 31 silver coins, and 70 copper coins.

(Details: Poison Frog's Poison Gland = 130 copper coins, 

Sperm Whale's Material = 4 silver coins, 

Giant Demon Dragonfly's Material = 13 silver coins, 

Marsh Slime's Material = 350 copper coins, 

Crawling Peat's Material = 1 gold coin, 

Swamp Ghoul's Material = 150 silver coins, 

Running Mushroom's Material = 300 copper coins, 

Squeaking Lizard's Material = 26 silver coins, 

Valley Cape Slime's Material = 90 copper coins, 

Twisting Haze's Material = 5 gold coins, 

Lesser Evil Bat's Material = 80 silver coins, 

Mandrake = 40 gold coins, 

Total for Colored Magic Stones = 10 gold coins and 50 silver coins.)

When you add everything up...

*Huff, puff, wheeze...*

...

"Ge...! 89 gold coins, 16 silver coins, and 20 copper coins?!"

"Yes, it was a really difficult calculation!"

Uh, yes. I'm really sorry...

Terrine had a drained expression on her face. 

And the guild staff, who were roped into helping, seemed equally exhausted.

I felt an intense stare piercing through me.

They all seemed utterly drained...

"Then, until another day..."

By the way, for the guild staff, their work was far from over. 

They had to submit the quest items to the clients, handle paperwork, and negotiate prices with wholesalers for materials.

There was still plenty of work left, including processing to maintain the quality of the items...

"Ah, ahahaha... Sorry about that."

Ignoring the guild staff who seemed completely burned out, Klaus made a swift exit.

*Clang-clang~*

Following the light sound of Klaus's cowbell,

"Mi-lady~..."

*Clunk...*

Tierra, looking disheveled, appeared from the back door of the guild.

"Oh my, Tierra. You're quite late—"

She glared with a sharp look, but it seemed Tierra couldn't muster the energy to argue back.

"I-It can't be helped! Do you know how much ground I covered today? Do you, mila-dy!!"

"You only visited three lower-level hunting grounds. Even if you're rotting, you're still intermediate. Stop whining about such trivial matters and report to the Guild Master."

Ugh...

"Mil-lady, who exactly is he? I mean, he's just... ugh."

"Isn't it your job to investigate? Hurry up and report!"

"Y-Yes..."

With teary eyes, the dark elf with pointed ears drooped slightly. And then, dejectedly...

"Tierra."

"Yes?"

*Smirk.*

"Look forward to assisting with the next intermediate exam!"

"Eeeeeeek!!"

The adventurer guild's promotion exams were said to be harder on the examiners than the examinees. 

When Tiera was tasked with the prestigious (almost slave-like) duty of being an examiner, she either did or didn't raise a voice of joy due to her overwhelming happiness...

"I dooon't waaaant toooooo!!"

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