Chapter 43

And so, I finally got to take the A-rank adventurer promotion exam without any issues!

It's all thanks to Noem's powerful negotiation skills. I have to be grateful for her expertise!

"We have to pass this together, or it won't mean anything! The real challenge is just beginning! Let's do our best!"

Noem was full of determination.

She had just finished processing the aftermath of the five thousand monsters I had defeated in a short time. It's amazing what Noem can do!

"It's thanks to the cooperation of the local Craft Guilds. We worked in parallel while you were fighting, and I left the specifics to them, so I didn't really do anything."

That's a lie...!?

Well, anyway, thanks to this incident, the Craft Guilds unintentionally acquired a large amount of materials and didn't have to pay extra fees through the Adventurer Guild, so they were overjoyed.

On the other hand, the Adventurer Guild lost a business opportunity and was in a bad state, having lost several months' to several years' worth of monster hunting quests.

Who's to blame?

Is it me, who went on a rampage like a god of destruction? Is it Noem, who encouraged me? Or is it the monsters, who are inherently harmful?

Let's blame the master of the Ryubrum Kingdom's Adventurer Guild.

That should be good for everyone's mental health.

"Well... what should we do now?"

"According to the information, the A-rank promotion exam will be held a few days from now. Some of the examinees haven't arrived yet."

So, we'll have a few idle days.

What should we do with our time?

No, no, it's precisely because we have this unexpected free time that how we use it will determine our success or failure.

We have to make the most of this time to prepare for the upcoming A-rank promotion exam, or we might fail even if we could have passed!

We have a lot to do, like scouting the exam venue, researching past exams to predict trends, and more! Success comes to those who don't neglect the accumulation of daily efforts!

"That's right, what you should do first is...!"

Abinion said.

"I think you should wash your bodies."

"Eh...!?"

Why such a mundane suggestion?

"Well, both of you... it's hard to say, but you both smell quite a bit. It's probably due to that monster-attracting effect. The smell has really soaked into your bodies."

Are you serious!?

I remember the monster-attracting potion had a strong smell, which is why it attracted so many monsters, but I didn't realize it had transferred to us so thoroughly!?

"Ryuya, do I smell?"

"I can't tell! We've probably gotten used to it with our own noses!"

That's probably the case.

I remember the smell was so strong it made my nose curl when we first opened the potion, but now I don't notice it at all, thinking it had just dispersed.

If that's not the case?

We've been walking around the city, spreading that smell that made us gag!?

"People have been looking back at you as you walked by. It's because of the smell!!"

"No, they were probably just curious about you!?"

You followed us without becoming transparent, you ghost woman!

But this isn't the time to argue. We need to wash off this smell as soon as possible.

What should we do?

To wash our bodies... we need water!

◆

So, we decided to go to the beach.

Ryubrum Kingdom is by the sea, and part of the coastline is open for swimming.

I, who grew up inland, thought, "Can we really swim in the sea!?" but it's perfect for our current situation.

We'll soak our clothes in a strong detergent developed by Noem, and wash our bodies with the saltwater of the sea.

"I have a deodorizing cleanser for the human body, so let's wash with that before going into the sea."

"If you had it, why didn't you use it from the start!?"

In the end, we ended up having a regular beach day.

For a beach day, there's apparently a specific type of clothing.

It's called a swimsuit.

As an adventurer who has completed various quests and saved up some money, I could easily buy a swimsuit on the spot.

Noem, on the other hand, should have even more money from selling the alchemical products she created to the Craft Guild, so getting a swimsuit should be even easier for her.

But it took her a while.

I bought my swimsuit quickly and headed to the beach, but Noem didn't show up no matter how long I waited.

Just when I was getting anxious, Noem finally appeared.

"Sorry to keep you waiting...!"

She was almost naked.

What a scandalous outfit!? She was only covering her chest and private parts, with everything else exposed.

Her navel, back, and thighs were all visible!

It's like she's wearing underwear!?

How can a maiden before her wedding be so shameless!?

"I know! I'm embarrassed too!"

Then why are you wearing such a perverted outfit!?

"Because the store clerk said this is a normal swimsuit! Since you're going into the water, you should wear as little fabric as possible!"

What!?

To confirm, I looked around.

There were many other beachgoers besides us.

...Indeed, there were others. Other female beachgoers were also wearing outfits that seemed to say, "Are they naked!?" They were only covering their chests and crotches with small pieces of fabric.

Some were even wearing more revealing swimsuits that made you think, "Is that even fabric, or just strings?" and were walking around the beach confidently.

"Don't look! You can't look!"

"What!? Why!?"

Noem covered my eyes.

Why?

"Master doesn't understand the heart of a maiden. Noem went to great lengths to get you to look. What will you do if you get distracted in front of her?"

Abinion was there, and I was still having my eyes covered.

"Noem's swimsuit is a type called a 'separate' or 'bikini.' The 'boy-cut' style she chose is less revealing, and it's the best compromise for Noem, who was trying a bikini for the first time. It's a big adventure for her, who has never worn a swimsuit before, so you should praise her more."

What is this, a spell?

None of the terms Abinion used made any sense to me, and it only added to my confusion.

...Noem, can you please let go of my eyes now that you have my full attention?

Ah, it's off?

Can I see?

Eeeeeeeeeeeeh!?

"Even Abinion is in a swimsuit!?"

The ghost woman, who usually wears a flowing dress, was now in a nearly naked swimsuit on the beach!

"Hehehe, surprised, aren't you!? I didn't buy this from a store, but the ectoplasm that forms me can change shape freely. My usual dress is just a shaped form of ectoplasm. As long as I remember the form, I can recreate it anytime."

But that swimsuit is still too revealing!?

The fabric covering her crotch is almost triangular!

The fabric covering her chest has a central cutout! The cleavage!

"Look, Noem, did you see how flustered Master got? Temptation works best when it's bold. If you do it half-heartedly like you did, it's just a waste of skin!"

"I, I understand... but please don't try to seduce Ryuya in such a public place!"

The power of a demon spirit is formidable.

It's not just about high levels; it can easily capture and manipulate people's hearts.

In the end, we decided to go swimming since we were already at the beach and ready to swim, so we swam.

However, neither Noem nor I, who grew up inland, knew how to swim, so we had to learn from Abinion. When we tried the crawl stroke as instructed, the force of our movements split the sea.

All the way to the horizon.

I realized that when your level exceeds the limit, you need to be careful with your everyday strength.

While all this was happening, the day of the A-rank promotion exam arrived.

In the end, we only played around.