Kays Translations

Chapter 29 “Everyone at their own pace”

"No, but it's quite a coincidence. It feels like fate, doesn't it?"

"Is that so? Just a mere coincidence, isn't it?"

Klaus shrugged his shoulders, evading Gain's dramatic proclamation, and adopted an indifferent attitude.

"I don't think it's just a coincidence. We, classmates, met again in this remote place after two years, you know? It doesn't seem like a mere coincidence to me."

"Sorry, but... I've been active in this remote place all this time. We met not because of fate or coincidence, but because Gain came here."

"Hahaha! Klaus, your sense of humor is still as sharp as ever."

"Sense of humor??"

Klaus looked puzzled.

"I mean, it's been two years since then, you know? No matter how incompetent an adventurer is, if they keep at this profession, they should at least be intermediate-level by now, don't you think?"

There are only intermediate and advanced adventurers, to the extent that they say. 

The majority are intermediate-level adventurers, making up almost 80% of the total. It shows how easy it is to progress from the lower ranks."

"My apologies... Thanks to you, I'm still a lower-level adventurer."

"Really?!"

Gain looked surprised

But Klaus, who knew his true nature, found his reaction quite deliberate.

"S-So, you mean... the reason you're here today is..."

"Yeah, that's right. I'm here for the promotion exam."

Huff!

Mercia, Glen, and Mika, who had been standing still with their arms crossed without a word, burst out laughing behind Gain.

"Hey, hey! It's not nice to laugh! We should be supporting our classmate who's working so hard."

His reprimanding tone would have made him appear virtuous to those who didn't know his true nature.

But in reality, it was different. 

It was none other than Gain who had orchestrated this situation to make them all laugh at Klaus.

"But, but still!! I-I mean, being a low-ranking adventurer and all... Bwahaha!!"

"Ahahaha!! I'm surprised! Even though you left the high-profile party and you're still just a low-ranker, upupupu."

Mercia and Glen both burst into laughter shamelessly, without any regard for the onlookers.

"Phew, feeling better now? Sorry, but I'm outta here."

"Oh, no, it's not that easy."

Saying so, Gain stopped Klaus as he tried to leave.

It seemed to be related to the reason why this guy had come here.

"I came to this frontier guild today for her sake."

"For her...?"

Gain said that and tried to call someone, snapping his fingers – but...

"......Huh?"

No one came ────

Snap, snap!

"............What are you doing?"

Gain stood there, frozen in a casual pose, fingers still snapping.

Normally, someone should have appeared when he called them, but... *chuckle*

Seems like the plan backfired!

Involuntarily, Klaus burst out laughing.

Gain, frozen in his pose while trying to act cool, looked truly ridiculous.

"What?! Q-quiet! W-wait, you guys! W-what about Charlotte!?"

Panicking, Gain turned around, shooting sharp glances at his companions.

His companions, including Glen, paled and looked around anxiously.

"What? W-we were supposed to meet her there..."

"Huh? She was here just a moment ago?"

"No way!? Did we lose her??"

Gain and the others instantly began to panic

They searched the entire guild frantically for this Charlotte person.

"Search everywhere!! Right now!"

They checked the second-floor meeting room,

Behind the guild counter,

"Please, non-members, stay out!!"

"Hey! That's the trash area... Ugh, it stinks!!"

Eventually, they even searched inside the kitchen's garbage bin.

They're in such a frenzy, yet she's supposed to be this important person? They should've kept a better watch on her...

"Hey, Gain... what if she's in the restroom?"

With Klaus' casual remark, a realization dawned on Gain.

Could it be?

"Hey! Charlotte!!"

*Clang!!*

“”"Eeek!! This is the ladies' restroom!!"””

Hahaha! Gotcha!! Fell for it, big time!!

Fell for it~!!

"Got you~~!"

"Pervert!!"

"He's a really creepy pervert!!"

Panic-stricken, Gain opened the door, revealing the ladies' restroom.

Unfortunately, there seemed to be occupants inside.

"I-I-I-I-I'm, uh, it's a misunderstanding! I-I-I mean, this is, um—"

“”"Eeek!! Eeek!! Eeek!!"””

And there, soap and towels flew around noisily.

Gain and the others were bewildered by the successive impacts.

"S-Sorry...! I-It's not intentional... It's, it's not me──it's Klaus, you bastard!"

"Hahaha!"

I did it, and smirking──

"This damn weaklingggg!!"

Oh-oh-oh. What happened to the goody-two-shoes? You sly devilll──??

The usual hypocritical behavior.

He might be good at covering it up on the surface, but peel back the layers, and this is what you get.

"You... you tricked me, didn't you?!"

I didn't trick anyone. You opened it on your own──.

"I'll kill you!!"

Then──♪

*Click*..........

And at that moment,

The door at the back of the women's restroom opened, and a slender girl appeared, swish swish swish...

"──Did you call?"

Splash... rub, rub.

She washed her hands meticulously and approached Gain.

"Ch-Charlotte?!"

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Where were you?! Thanks to you──"

"In the restroom. I was taking a dump."

*Flush*..........

"Poo?!"

"Yeah, poo."

Charlotte seemed unfazed, as if asking, "What's the big deal?"

“”"Shhhhh."””

Gain and the others fell silent all at once.

...Seriously, don't say "shhh" with your mouth.

"You see, it was the restroom, right?"

Klaus smirked.

...And then, there was Charlotte.

Yeah, yeah... I don't know why, but I like her!!!

“Ku…. Kunuuuuu…!!”

Gain's forehead twitched with veins popping out

However, he couldn't direct his anger at Klaus, so he just waved his hands frantically.

"S-Charlotte!! Answer when you're called!"

"............Huh? From the restroom? I was busy."

*Sigh*

"Th-That's a bit much for a girl..."

"G-Gain, that's not..."

Chail and Mika received their share of criticism too.

Hahahaahahaha!

"Serves you right."

"Ku! You... you damn idiotic bastard..."

Gain trembled, his handsome image shattered.

"So? Is this girl Charlotte? Why did you bring a newcomer all the way here?"

To this countryside...

"Grrr... Th-That's right!! Charlotte, come here."

"Hmm?"

Saying that, he gestured to the girl standing idly at the back of the party.

"...Huh? I think you're──"

"Who are you?"

Ah, yes. I definitely remember her.

...No, not from the restroom,

She was one of the members in today's intermediate promotion test.

During the written exam, she arrived just before the deadline and casually said, "Is this the place?" without a hint of remorse, so she left an impression.

"Oh, right! She's the new member of the 'Special Bond Special Forces.' She's a promising talent with a unique skill that is one of a kind."

I see...

There aren't even two unique skills to begin with, though.

I see...

Hmmm.

"Another unique skill? You never change, do you?"

*Picks nose*

"That's right. Members like you, who stand out so brilliantly... And there are also many who lose their lives, so we're always recruiting new members."

Gain nonchalantly sweeps his hair upward

Though it doesn't really make him look cool considering everyone just witnessed his blunder earlier...

"Ah, I see."

"Come on, Charlotte. How about greeting your former senior?"

"Huh?... I'm Charlotte."

"Yeah. I'm Klaus."

We exchanged a handshake with smiles on their faces. What's going on here?

Even so, are you still gathering only usable pieces?

Of course, limited to those with 'rare skills' or 'unique skills,' or perhaps those with a high level...

So, the fact that you came all the way to a countryside like this means...

"I see. The promotion exam can be anything... that's how it is. As long as you clear the tasks set by the guild, it doesn't matter if you spend money or use people— that's the idea."

"Well, to put it plainly, yeah. She's promising, unlike anyone else. We should get her an intermediate or higher qualification as soon as possible and level up together in our hunting grounds. It's much more efficient that way."

Oh, I see. 

So they're leveling up newbies like that, forcibly pushing them to high levels, huh?

"Hmph. I know what you're thinking, but—unfortunately, she's skilled enough even without our help."

"Oh, okay."

I couldn't care less. 

I mean, there's no way to tell if a kid who just activated their skills at the age of 15 is truly skilled or not.

"...Well, it's no use chatting away before the exam, huh? You're probably nervous since it's your first exam and all. You should probably start preparing soon."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll do that."

With a wave, Gain grinned as if he wanted to say something.

However, whether Klaus realized he only wanted to talk or not, he simply said his piece, then swiftly pulled the girl's shoulder and retreated into the depths of the guild.

The Guildmaster's room should be beyond that point, but... It seems like he's receiving some special treatment.

"What's going on? Are you... an acquaintance of the 'special bond'?"

"Oh! ...Y-You're still here?"

He demanded food... That annoying brat, Merim, was still there.

"Who are you? Who are youu?! I am Merim!! The wizard Merim!! It's rude to ignore your companions, you know."

"I know. Stop introducing yourself multiple times... Who even said we're companions?"

*sniff sniff...*

──Huh?

"...Uwaaaaaaah!!"

"Kyaaaaaa!!"

As Merim attempted to cling to his leg, a girl tried to pull him away, bringing her nose uncomfortably close to Klaus in the process.

She had a vacant look in her eyes, making it unclear what she was thinking, but upon closer inspection...

So,

"Oh, you're the same one from earlier? Um, ah..."

"Yeah, I'm Charlotte."

Saying that, Charlotte started sniffing Klaus's scent again, going, "Sniff, sniff..."

"What's up? Gain is the guild master's room, you know."

"I know."

"Then!"

*Sniff, sniff...*

Charlotte made a gesture as if she were sniffing Klaus's scent, her nose twitching...

"Hey, eww! What are you doing? Is sniffing normal?!"

*Sniff...* "Well, hmm, let's see... Appearance, equipment—besides, the impression I had from what I heard. But above all... the scent."

"Huh?"

Saying that, Charlotte chuckled lightly and danced away from Klaus.

"...The scent of a strong person. It smells like someone who would crawl and rise up even after being beaten down, even if they have to eat dirt."

"Are you picking a fight?"

Shaking her head vigorously, the girl, Charlotte, seemed to indicate otherwise.

"Mmm... It's a bit of a rumor within the clan. They make us listen to the old tales, you know, to keep the newcomers in check... In other words, we often hear stories about Klaus."

Hmm, I see...

"Hey, hey, Klaus, what's up? You look pale."

Well, I was annoyed, you see.

"...Nothing much. He's just a useless jerk who goes home on time without doing anything... and even now, he's shamelessly a low-ranking adventurer with a unique skill."

Hahaha.

Haha...

"I knew it! That bastard! I had a feeling!"

I didn't know he was still working as a low-ranking adventurer...

"But... I still had a hunch. Klaus doesn't seem like that kind of person. I have a sharp intuition, you know? And a keen sense of smell too."

She grinned.

Huh?

Sense of smell...?

...Huh?

*Sniff, sniff...* "Am I smelling something?"

Being the new member of the 'Special Bond Special Forces,' this girl was quite different.

I hope she doesn't turn as scheming as Gain, at least.

"Hehe. Klaus. Klaus~♪ This scent, the scent of a strong person...!"

Charlotte rubbed her head against Klaus's stomach.

She seemed oddly attached, like a stray cat that had taken a liking to him.

"Hmph. If I were strong, I wouldn't have been a low-ranking adventurer for three years... Fine, just go already. I don't want Gain to say anything to me."

Gain must have come to this town specifically to mock Klaus's miserable state. In cities crowded with intermediate and higher-level adventurers like the capital, even the intermediate promotion exams tend to be challenging. So, taking the promotion exam in a regional area isn't all that unusual.

Right.

It's not unusual, but there's no particular reason it had to be this town. ...Still, in the end, that must be the reason he chose this town.

"An adventurer's rank doesn't matter, you know? Klaus is much stronger than Gain and the others."

"That's just foolish..."

Stronger than Gain, who boasts an exceptional unique skill? 

Can he really defeat Gain's 'Temporal Manipulation Timer'?

"Haha, that's impossible..."

"Mmm... You don't believe me?"

"Well, not really... given his personality, but his skills are genuine."

That's right; Gain's unique skill, the 'Temporal Manipulation Timer,' is indeed extraordinary. 

It's an invincible ability to manipulate time.

Well, it's almost like a myth or a cheat-level power.

"Hmm... I don't trust you..." 

Charlotte, who had been pouting in dissatisfaction, suddenly clapped her hands as if she had come up with an idea.

"What? Do you still need something—"

"Hey, hey, after the exam is over... can I team up with you, Klaus?"

"What?"

...What is this girl talking about?

"What the hell are you saying?! I-I'm the one who noticed him first!" 

Merim promptly snapped back.

...What are you even saying?

"Ha, first come, first served! Klaus is teaming up with me!"

"That's not true!"

*Swish!* A chop landed on the top of the head, making them let go.

"You can just ignore this guy. By the way, are you Charlotte? You joined the 'Special Bond Special Forces,' right? Gain may be like that, but the party itself provides the best foundation, I believe. So—"

"The best?"

Charlotte looked puzzled.

"Well, it's, uh... I mean, there might be various factors, but..."

...If it were the best foundation, Klaus wouldn't be here in the first place.

"...Yeah. Maybe in terms of money and the number of members, it's the best. But if that's all it takes to be the best, there are plenty of other places like that, right?"

"Well, yeah..."

There are knights of the kingdom, the imperial guard

Parties directly affiliated with major guilds, among others, that have economic power and members surpassing Gain's.

"I joined Gain's party because I thought I might find companions."

"Companions...?"

"Yeah, companions—"

"Hey, Charlotte! What are you doing? Instead of talking to someone like that, listen to the exam instructions!"

Someone like that... Gain's true nature is showing.

"Sigh... Well, think about it. I want to team up with Klaus."

"You can't!!"

...Why am I so against it?

And Merim, I never even considered teaming up with someone like you!!

Also, pay back the money you owe for food!

"Hehe~ Teaming up as a trio sounds like fun♪"

*Sniff, sniff...*

"No, I mean—"

Charlotte sniffed Merim's scent and grinned mischievously.

"Hmm?... You have a different scent too? Yeah, it's very different."

...You're the one who's different.

"Grrrrrrr! Woof woof woof woof!"

Are you a dog or something?!

For some reason, Merim bared his teeth at Charlotte.

"Ugh... What is even happening here— Can I just go home?"

Klaus looked up at the ceiling, feeling the atmosphere becoming somewhat chaotic.

However, when he lowered his gaze, Charlotte had already disappeared into the guild master's room with a vague expression.

"What's up with her? She's so weird."

"You're plenty weird yourself—enough, just back off. I'm not teaming up with anyone."

I have no intention of teaming up with Merim, let alone Charlotte.

After all, Klaus's unique skill...

"Alright, everyone! Thank you for waiting! It's time for the practical session in the afternoon, so please line up in order of your examination numbers."

Terrine's cheerful voice brought Klaus's focus back to the exam.

That's right...

I have to focus on passing the exam today.

"Well then, please bring the items for the exam quest by the deadline~!"

Saying that, Terrine distributed sheets with randomly listed quest items written on them.

"...Oh, by the way, Klaus."

"Hmm?"

Nervous, Merim fidgeted.

"Um, umm... Do I... do I smell weird?"

"I don't knooww!"

Merim blushed and sniffed his own scent anxiously. 

It seemed he was a bit shocked from being sniffed by Charlotte.

While saying that...

"...Umm, do I... do I smell bad??"

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