Chapter 8

As the sun began to set, it was almost time for the guild to close.

The members of "Sheep's Fighting Spirit" had just returned from a mission in the Bigunoo Forest, and they had managed to slay a Manticore. The Manticore is a red-brown, lion-like creature with a venomous stinger on its tail, classified as an A-rank monster.

"I'm glad you all returned safely."

Moreover, they managed to finish so quickly. If the target had been a Manticore, it should have been a B-rank mission. A party of a lower rank might not have been able to slay it successfully. Now, from tomorrow, lower-ranked adventurers can go to the super beginner dungeon again. There's also an orphanage in this town, and the children there were the ones who reported the Manticore. They often hunt monsters in the forest and sell them to the guild to make a living. It must be a relief for them.

"It was just a regular Manticore, so there were no particular problems."

As soon as the leader said that,

"I took it down with my skill!"

The B-rank member boasted. The Manticore has a higher-level variant, but even a regular Manticore is quite strong. The forest is also a place with poor visibility. Despite his modesty, it was probably because they were "Sheep's Fighting Spirit" that they could defeat it without any injuries. I confirmed that there were no noticeable injuries using the "Appraisal" skill.

The B-rank member seemed to be using the "Convert Magic Power to Strength" skill consciously. His magic power was about half remaining. His concentration value (for adjusting power and improving accuracy) was also higher than the last time.

(That's good. As expected, when you focus, the necessary stats naturally improve.)

I wrote the completion documents at the reception counter. When I placed the leader's registration card on the magic device, the card glowed. Just like when accepting a mission, only the leader's card is needed to complete a mission. After the completion process was finished, I handed over the reward listed in the mission. This way, all party members received rank points. The gold coins were to be divided among the members by the leader. The Manticore was already being disassembled by the guild's disassembly team, and the reward for that would be given tomorrow.

"I used five magic recovery potions for your sake. I'll deduct that from the reward."

The leader, who had received the reward, scolded and glared at the B-rank member who had boasted about his achievement.

"Whaaat! No way...!"

The leader informed him of the potion's price and mercilessly deducted it from the reward. It seems that mastering the "Convert Magic Power to Strength" skill takes time. The other members were teasing him about the deduction in a playful manner.

I taught him the skill using a somewhat forceful method because he is well-liked by everyone in the party. If he were to overexert himself, they would surely stop him. I thought so because the main purpose of the party is to steadily protect this town. They are not a party that aims to gain fame by aggressively slaying monsters. They have been well-known for a long time. Currently, they seem to consider the cultivation of young members as an important aspect of the party. It's a stable party, which is why I felt reassured teaching him the skill.

"Phew, it's been a while since I saw a Manticore."

Since it's a rare monster, the guild master was also watching from the first floor.

"By the way, I heard before coming to this town that 'Sheep's Fighting Spirit' would give a harsh counterattack if underestimated. I thought they were people to avoid."

Even after handing over the reward, there were still some tasks to be done on the administrative side. I continued talking while working.

"But, everyone is so pleasant. Rumors are unreliable, after all."

If a famous party from another country were to act selfishly or behave poorly, it would quickly become known. They must be careful in their daily activities. Such rumors probably result from foolish people challenging them.

"Hmm? Ah... Charlotte, you didn't see the potion thief when he was caught, did you?"

The potion thief refers to a guild staff member who stole potions and other supplies from the guild's stock and fled the town. Two years ago, the guild master of the Ariz branch was arrested for misconduct. At that time, a guild staff member responsible for appraisals stole potions and other items to supplement his income and fled.

That staff member did not have any appraisal skills.

In other words, he was an amateur who had not studied appraisal. The guild had hired such a person. It's understandable why the guild was in decline at that time.

"When he was caught? I was out buying potions that were running low."

Since I was not familiar with the town, I used the "Exploration" skill (which I naturally have due to high mental stats) to visit each house.

The thief had stolen health recovery potions, magic recovery potions, and status recovery medicines. When the thief was caught and the items were returned, it was a relief.

"I think it was 'Sheep's Fighting Spirit' who happened to encounter him when they returned to this town and took the items back."

"It wasn't by chance. They deliberately searched for him. They said, 'Don't disgrace the guild as a member.' When I heard he was caught, he was in a terrible state."

The Adventurers' Guild cannot be underestimated. It seems that guild members can directly punish guild staff who steal potions. I see.

......Wait, I used one of the party members to conduct an experiment without permission this time. If they find out, I might be in trouble next time, right? The members of "Sheep's Fighting Spirit" were playfully teasing the B-rank member. I was nervous, thinking, "Using a party member for an experiment. Don't underestimate me!" But the nervousness soon subsided, and I didn't feel particularly threatened.

(If I get scolded, I'll apologize. Oh, the potion cost. If I pay for it, maybe it will be okay.)

I was needlessly thinking of countermeasures while tidying up the counter.