Chapter 10: I Became a B-Rank Adventurer

“That’s my Ao for you—truly, you got recognized as B-rank! Nice going!”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m pretty proud to be your recommender too!”

After the certification battle, Liluria and Sylha showered me with praise as I returned to them.

Based on what the guild master told us earlier, adventurer ranks go something like this. Being recognized as B-rank right off the bat is really something special:

  R-Ranker     Top 50 of A-rank
  A-Rank (0.01%) A gathering of geniuses
  B-Rank (2.99%) The limits of ordinary folks
  C-Rank (16%)  Veterans and promising youngsters
  D-Rank (42%)  Regular people
  E-Rank (31%)  Capable of handling some work
  F-Rank (5%)   Newbies
  G-Rank (3%)   Apprentices

And Liluria… I can’t believe the same person who was fussing about salaries just a moment ago. Besides, I’m not Liluria’s property.

“Come on, let’s take our money and get out of here. With that cash, we can find a place to stay for the night.”
“Dragon scales, huh? They must fetch at least a million gold.”

Gold is roughly equivalent in value to yen. In this case, that means over a million yen is coming into our pockets.

Yes! Participating in that absurd fight was totally worth it!

“Ugh, with this money I can finally get my mother’s brooch back.”
“…I’m not going back to that country with you.”
“What?! Why not? If you’re not around, who’s gonna protect me?!”
“Well, you have to protect yourself…”

We’d come all the way to Rozy, and I’m not about to go back to that place where we might get caught by the guards at any moment. Why on earth should I spend a week returning to a country where I might even be wanted?

Besides, Liluria can use magic. No matter how much misfortune seems to follow her, she should be able to handle a few stray sparks on her own.

“Who do you think is to blame for us having to let go of that brooch?!”
“Hey, it’s not all my fault, is it? You weren’t exactly flush with cash either…”

Watching our little exchange, Sylha cleared her throat.

“Well then, I’ve taken my money, so I’m off to find a place to stay. And as for the Dragon’s Village… there’s a tiny chance I might go there too, so count on me when that happens.”

Blushing slightly, Sylha said that and left the Adventurers’ Guild.

Maybe it was a mistake to tell Sylha about the Dragon’s Village? I ended up passing on the dragon’s message that if one intended to start a family, then they should come with us to the village.

But I have absolutely no intention of going to the village.
I even sold the key item for reaching the village—the dragon scales.

What will I do if Sylha suddenly decides she wants to go to the village?
I mean, wasn’t Sylha a little excited about having a baby with a dragon?!
I tried to convince myself it was just a possibility, but judging by the way she blushed, she might already be fully committed.

Hmph, having a baby with a dragon…
People from another world sure have some wild ideas…

“O-Oh, there you are! Ao! You’re broke, right? I’ve got a good job for you—won’t you take it?”

While I was still staring at the guild entrance where Sylha had disappeared, the guild master called out to me.

“Nah, with the money from the scales I can live for a while, so I’ll pass on the job.”

My goal is not to make a name for myself as an adventurer.
The ultimate aim in my life is to become a full-time NEET, living off passive income.
There’s no time to be working hard in a place like this if I want to achieve that.

“Don’t be like that! You all came from far away, right? If you complete this job, I’ll show you an old but rock-bottom property. If you plan to use Rozy as your base, having your own place isn’t such a bad idea.”

What? Now that’s something to consider.
I’ve been thinking that living in a hostel is a waste of money for a long time.
Besides, owning a home would bring me one step closer to my dream NEET life.
And with a cool million coming in at just the right time, making a big purchase here wouldn’t be so bad.

“Wait—are you seriously thinking about buying a house? Stop it, I haven’t even gotten my brooch back yet!”

Liluria, who’s been with me long enough, has pretty much figured out what I’m thinking.
She can tell right away from my expression how eager I am about buying a home.

“But don’t you want a home?”
“Y-Yeah, I do, but… I care more about getting my mother’s brooch back—”
“Living in a hostel forever is rough, you know? It costs money and is a hassle. Just go for it. Besides, there’s still time for the brooch—just save up some more money.”
“Ugh… but, but…”

Even with all that said, it still wasn’t enough.
I had no choice. I didn’t want to use this tactic, but—

“If you agree to the home purchase, I’ll pay you your salary as soon as the money comes in.”
“Deal!!”

With a firm handshake and big smiles, Liluria and I sealed the deal.
It was like taking a commemorative photo after a high-level summit.
The guild master, watching us closely, nodded and said,

“Alright, it seems everything’s settled. Now, let me brief you on the details of the job.”