Chapter 78

"Congratulations on your promotion to the White Hard Rank, Mr. Taur."

Enna, the receptionist, smiled warmly, and Taur lightly scratched his chin in response. The woman in the green uniform then waited a moment, but it seemed that was all the response she was going to get. Reluctantly, Enna's gaze, filled with admiration and praise, turned to the two people sitting on either side of the unresponsive man.

"Congratulations on your promotion, Sora and Mumu."

"Yes, thank you! Yay, we're promoted again, Taur!"

"Maybe it's because Muu worked too hard. Should I have taken it easier, Taur?"

A black-haired girl swayed happily, and a young child with a blank expression but sparkling purple eyes. Seeing the responses she had imagined, Enna finally smiled from the bottom of her heart.

"Hehe, especially Mumu, who is the youngest and has achieved the promotion in the shortest time, breaking the records of the authority."

"Ah, don't overpraise her, Enna. She gets carried away easily."

"Because of Muu, Sora is only second. So disappointing, moo."

"Look, she's getting carried away. Ugh!"

The girl reached out and gently pulled on Muu's cheeks, who was sitting on the other side of Taur. The child laughed softly and fell onto the knee of the man sitting next to her. With her head on Taur's thigh, Muu started touching his stubbly chin with her hand.

"Taur, does it itch here? I'll scratch it for you."

"Hey, Mumu, that's not polite."

Yuril, who had been watching calmly, quickly sat up and buried her face in the woman's ample chest. The beautiful woman with long silver hair, which she had braided and tied back, smiled in a troubled manner. Today, Yuril had her side hair braided and tied back, making her long ears stand out. Taur, who had been petting the unruly curls of the restless child, encouraged the receptionist, who was looking at him with interest, to continue.

"Come on, behave. So, what's the talk about?"

Currently, Taur and the others were in a corner of the Adventurer Bureau's lobby, in a semi-private area. Enna was on the other side of the oak table, and Taur and the others were seated on the near side. It was close to summer, and strong sunlight was streaming in through the windows.

"First, I'll talk about the most important point regarding your promotion to D Rank."

"Um, the adventurer's mindset, right?"

At Sora's off-the-mark response, the receptionist wore an expression of "What are you talking about now?" Taur had the same look, and Yuril gazed lovingly at the girl's naivety. Seeing the unexpected reactions of the three, the girl hurriedly continued.

"Wait, was I wrong? But it's important, right?"

"I'll leave that to Taur. Today's important talk is about the rights and obligations that come with D Rank and above."

The receptionist, who had cut to the chase, took a breath and, after confirming that she had everyone's attention, continued.

"Which should I explain first?"

"Start with the obligations."

"Yes, the less enjoyable part first. There are two main obligations: missions and taxes. Missions include guarding, searching, and investigating. These are given in the form of requests, and you can refuse them. However, if you refuse too many times—"

"It affects the evaluation, and in the worst case, it could lead to a demotion."

"Yes, no matter what the circumstances, it will not be considered, so please be very careful."

When acting as a group, it's not always possible to be on the same page. The advice is to take care of what needs to be done while there is still room to breathe.

"Next, about taxes, this only applies to Mumu and Yuril."

"Wait, it doesn't apply to me and Taur?"

"Yes, since your affiliated temples are unknown... Mumu will receive a request for a contribution from the Court Temple, and Yuril from the Exploration Temple."

The skill trees granted to Taur and Sora, according to the girl's grandfather, are the blessings of the Time God and the Sky God. While they are somewhat worshipped in the countryside of the central country, they are almost unknown and do not have large shrines. The main reason for this is that there are few people with skill trees.

In contrast, the temples of the six major gods, such as the Thunder God Gijiro and the Ice God Strajin, which grant a wide range of blessings, are said to be found in almost every town due to their widespread faith. However, the maintenance and management of these temples require considerable expenses, so they take a firm stance on collecting from those who benefit from their blessings. For example, E Rank and below, who only have lower-level skills, are treated similarly to general believers.

"Also, I have a message that you will be granted the rank of priest and are requested to visit soon."

"Yes, noted. Thank you for your trouble."

Noticing that there was no response, Taur looked to the side and saw that Muu was still buried in Yuril's chest, breathing softly. The receptionist signaled with her eyes to leave her be. Taur nodded, and Enna, lowering her eyes slightly, continued.

"Next, about the rights. From D Rank, we will offer discounts or free use of the Adventurer Bureau's facilities. Please feel free to use them."

This includes discounted or free rental of magic stones and other equipment, as well as carriage fares. For example, the fare for a carriage to the Blood Flowing River, which used to cost one silver coin per person, will now be free. However, for the next hunting ground, the Wasteland of Broken Winds, a carriage and driver can be rented for five silver coins, even with the discount. There are also other benefits, such as discounts at officially recognized stores and half-price admission to public baths.

After explaining the rights and obligations, Enna, with a slightly troubled look, moved on to the next topic.

"By the way, Mr. Taur, are you planning to move to the next hunting ground?"

"Yes, that's the plan."

While the group that had worked with them on the bridge, like Rorolf, were still staying upstream of the Blood Flowing River, Taur and the others were ready to wrap up the hippo hunt and move on to the new hunting ground. This way, they could finally be with Yuril, whom they had been waiting for. Seeing the obvious relief on Enna's face, she quickly resumed the conversation.

"Then I'll explain the next hunting ground."

The previous hunting ground, the Blood Flowing River, was reached by bypassing the Goblin Forest to the north. This time, the Wasteland of Broken Winds is to the south, about seven or eight hours east by carriage.

"Hey, Taur, is the hunting ground only there? It's getting further from the city, isn't it?"

"Of course, the closer to the Great Hole, the stronger the monsters."

"But the miasma is vast. Wouldn't it be better to go to a place with fewer people and more monsters?"

"Well, Sora, to put it simply, there are places where monsters are more likely to spawn. We call these spawn points. Currently, the confirmed spawn points are the Goblin Forest, the Blood Flowing River, the Wasteland of Broken Winds, and the Miasma Enchanted Swamp. If you go to other areas, you'll be in the jurisdiction of other border towns."

"Really, just those four?"

"Of course, they can spawn in other places, but the numbers are small, and they hardly move from their territories, so they are generally left alone. You can hunt them freely, but it's said that after a day of driving around in a carriage, you might only find a few, so it's not recommended."

"I see. Hmm, there's no easy way, is there?"

"Then, let me give you a detailed explanation..."

After about an hour of detailed instruction on the new hunting ground, Taur and the others had a general understanding of the content. Unlike the Blood Flowing River, where they received less information, the detailed information provided this time was likely due to the high expectations for D Rank and above. However, the knowledge about monsters was still somewhat vague, as usual.

"That concludes the explanation. Do you understand the general idea?"

"Thanks, it was very helpful."

"Yes, Enna, I got it!"

"Your explanation was excellent. I'd give it a double circle."

Praised by all, Enna blushed and then smoothly pulled out a small booklet. She quickly spread it out on the table, maintaining her smile.

"Now that you understand the dangers of the wasteland, let me introduce this last topic."

The heading that danced under the receptionist's finger read "Safe and Secure Adventurer Insurance." Below it, a list of fees was neatly lined up.

"What is this...?"

"This is the support we can provide to adventurers who fight in tough situations, a kind of invisible shield."

"...It seems to be paid."

"Yes, can you trust someone who offers support for free? If you want real support, you need to pay, Taur!"

"Well, that's true, but..."

"My recommendation is the Location Insurance. The Adventurer Bureau will always know your location and will immediately send a search party if something happens."

"It seems quite expensive, though?"

"Yes, it's a bit more expensive because it involves high-rank requests to ensure thoroughness. However, if you choose a short-term, non-renewable plan, it will be more affordable."

"Can I think about it?"

"Everyone seems to have some resistance at first. But if you start with something close to you, like the Equipment Insurance. This is also highly recommended—"

She then proceeded to recommend various other insurances, such as the Healing Temple's support plan, carriage insurance, and more. However, since most of these were unnecessary due to Taur's skills, the conversation ended with rejections.

"Unfortunately, Taur and the others are special, so it can't be helped."

"Sorry. If we need it, we'll consult you."

"Yes, I'll be waiting. I wish you all a good adventure."

After the meeting, as the four left the table, the receptionist, while tidying up the materials, recalled with concern. The next place they were heading, the Wasteland of Broken Winds, was a very difficult area, known by an ominous name: the Wasteland of Disappointment.

In just under two months since their formation, Taur's party had become a topic of conversation. Despite being stuck at the lowest rank for over twenty years, Taur had the skills to easily defeat a B Rank. A mysterious girl with unique magic had suddenly appeared. A nine-year-old genius thunder user who was said to have single-handedly slaughtered a group of armor boars. And a stunningly skilled beauty who had joined the C Rank ranks in a flash.

Moreover, with their striking appearances and impressive achievements, numerous rumors circulated. They had reportedly wiped out nearly a hundred hobgoblins, frozen an entire herd of rampaging hippos, and rapidly climbed three ranks in a short time. The fact that the group overseeing the Blood Flowing River had been completely replaced also added to the credibility of these rumors.

However, despite the high praise, Taur's attitude remained unchanged from when he was known as a "mud fisher." The energetic and friendly Sora, the amusing Mumu, and the motherly Yuril were far from the high-rank adventurers with their intense gazes. Secretly, the receptionists had become fans of Taur and his group, and Enna was proud to be the first among them.

So, she had tried to recommend various insurances, but it seemed to be of little use, and she sighed quietly. Of course, there were also targets for insurance sales, but that was a separate issue. Enna, with a worried face, recalled one thing that gave her hope. It was a superstition she believed in: parties that chose the obligations before the rights almost always returned safely.

Erasing her sigh, Enna whispered with determination.

"Please come back safely, everyone."