Unwanted Undead Adventurer - Episode 44
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- Episode 44 - New Adventurer Rentt and the Practical Exam Overview
“…The practical test will be a competition with other test takers to reach the designated point in the labyrinth. You will be competing with other adventurers, so the first one to arrive at the designated point will pass,” Sheila says, and I nod.
I remember when I took the test a long time ago, it was to collect a specified herb or something like that. I thought it was going to be easy, but when I actually took it, I found out that in order to get to where the herbs were growing, I had to kill quite a few monsters and keep track of my position in the deep forest. In fact, there were even some who couldn’t make it back and were later brought back by the adventurer’s guild… Of course, those guys all failed.
In that sense, the test that I was given this time sounds really easy. The labyrinth has a fixed number of monsters that appear, and the shortest distance to the path can be quickly found by buying a map… No, maybe not, considering it’s an exam for iron-class adventurers. The Adventurer’s Guild has a bit of a bad character.
“…I see. Is there any kind of limitation?” I ask, wondering if there’s any rule about not being able to buy a map, or a certain route we need to follow.
“…Nothing in particular,” Sheila replies, smiling. “Anything is allowed.”
The way she says it catches my attention. They must have a lot of things in store for me. It’s only by avoiding those things that you can pass the exam.
“Okay… Who are the adventurers I’ll be working with?”
“Uh… Oh, that would be those two over there. Ryze-san! Laura-san!” Sheila shouts, calling out two adventurers from the crowd of test takers hanging out on the first floor of the Adventurer’s Guild.
Then, a boy and a girl arrive. At the sight of the two faces, I think to myself, “Well, they look familiar.” I think they’re the same two who were fighting in the Labyrinth of the New Moon the other day. A swordsman boy and a healer girl. At that time, I guessed that they were iron or copper class, but it seems that I was right. The fact that they’re taking the test means that they’re iron class.
“This is Ryze Danner and Laura Sattie. And… this is Rentt Vivier.” Sheila introduces us to each other.
Ryze and Laura, huh. Ryze is an energetic looking boy with short cropped red hair, and Laura is a slightly reclusive looking girl with light purple hair. When Sheila says their names, they look at me and bow, and I do the same. I’m relieved to see that both of them seem to understand the minimum level of politeness. Adventurers are notoriously ill-mannered people, and there are always those who try to show off their abilities in places like this and never bow. I’m sure you’ll find a few of them around.
…I’m sure those guys are going to fail.
They’re stupid enough that their attitude alone makes me think so. But I won’t talk about that. I think it’s more important for us to get to know each other now. After all, we’re going into the labyrinth together. If we don’t know anything about each other, it could be fatal.
“I’m a swordsman. The only magic I can use are things like physical enchantments and shields,” I say.
Then, Ryze and Laura also explain what they can do.
“…I’m a swordsman too. I fight by using my spirit arts to boost my strength. And she’s…”
“I’m a magician… and I can use divine arts, so I’ll do my best as the rear guard.”
While watching us, Sheila says, “So, now that you’ve met, let’s move on to the details of the test.”
As she says this, our expressions tense up. If we miss this explanation, it could be fatal. We listen attentively.
“As I’ve already explained, the content of the test is to reach the designated point in the labyrinth. The designated point will be here. Is that clear?” Sheila says, pulling out a map of the Labyrinth of the New Moon and pointing to a spot on it. “I’ll give you this map, so please make use of it. Basically, that’s all there is to it. The sooner you arrive, the sooner you pass.”
Ryze and Laura nod at this. I think there’s something wrong with it… but I’ll keep my mouth shut for now.
“The deadline is until the sun goes down, so please keep that in mind. So, good luck with your exams. I’ll be rooting for you,” Sheila says, chuckling.
◇◆◇◆◇
“So, shall we head to the Labyrinth of the New Moon first? As usual, we can take a carriage… Rentt, you’ve been there before, right?” Ryze asks me, and I nod.
Apparently, he’s going to be the leader of this group. As for me, I’ve been a solo for a long time and I’m not really a leader, so I decide to leave it to him. If there’s a problem, I’ll say something, but if not, I’ll keep quiet. I don’t think there’d be any problems with going by carriage. Probably.
In fact, the carriage from Malt to the Labyrinth of the New Moon reaches the labyrinth as usual. On the way, I stared at the coachman, thinking that it’s possible that he could go the wrong way and take us somewhere else, and he smirked at me. It’s not funny to me, though, since it feels like he could have really done it if I hadn’t been looking. Ryze and Laura weren’t worried about anything, of course. Anyone would think at first that they wouldn’t be given a trick question like this. But that’s what the Adventurer’s Guild is for, and I know it.
When we arrive, Ryze and Laura immediately try to enter the labyrinth. That isn’t really a bad thing, but there’s one problem, so I speak up.
“…You two.”
“What’s up, Rentt?”
“What’s the matter, Rentt-san?”
The two tilt their heads in response.
I say, “I think we should buy a map.”
They look surprised, then pull the maps they’ve been given out of their pockets.
“No, we have a map, right?” Ryze says.
“Yes… why don’t we just look at this one?” Laura says.
But I shake my head. “…This map was published fifteen years ago. It’s not always accurate…”
“Oh… it’s true! Why is it written so small on the edge of the map?”
Ryze stares at the map and curses when he sees the year of publication listed in small letters on the edge of it.
In fact, labyrinths aren’t unchanging. They often collapse inside and change their course. But although this happens over a long period of time, such as ten or twenty years, even so, a fifteen-year-old map cannot be trusted. It would be better to use the latest one. Well, I have the Map of Acacia, so ultimately I don’t need any other map, but the problem is that it doesn’t show the places I haven’t walked yet. Unfortunately, my map doesn’t show the route to the designated point yet. So the best thing to do is to buy one.
“But who do we buy it from…?” Ryze tilts his head.
There are a lot of people who sell maps of the labyrinth, but it’s really hard to tell whose maps are worth trusting. However, I look around the labyrinth, spot a person, and say to them, “…From him.”
They frown at the person I pointed to.
“Isn’t he… awfully suspicious?” Ryze says.
“He looks suspicious…” Laura says.
I can understand why they feel that way. I pointed to a man in a black robe, who looks like he has a strange atmosphere about him. The little bit of mouth I can see is smiling in a strange twisted way, and it looks like he’s about to ask me if I want to buy a dangerous drug. …Well, I’m not one to talk. I mean, these two people are treating me fine, but I wonder if that’s a bad idea.
Anyway, I head straight for the guy. Although the two don’t seem too keen on the idea, they follow behind me.