The members of 'Red Oath' scanned the request board, uttering words that would likely anger a lower-level hunter who is busy with daily life.
Since their last mission was related to family and they had some financial leeway, they wanted a change of pace. This time, they didn't want a simple job; they wanted something interesting, something different.
However, such selfish and arrogant words would not be well-received by a party without financial leeway. They would surely be angered, thinking, "Who do you think you are?" In Mile's words from her previous life, it would be "a level where even Gandhi would run up and punch you."
Fortunately, these words were ignored, and Reina and the others continued to scan the board.
"Oh, this one..."
Reina and the other three felt a sense of déjà vu at Mile's words.
Yes, it was the same feeling they had when they found the rock lizard request...
The request Mile pointed to read:
"Wyvern Hunt, Reward: 30 gold coins"
"\"We'll take it!\""
They had never seen a wyvern hunt request before. This area was a bit far from the wyvern's habitat, and missing this opportunity meant they might never encounter another wyvern hunt request. They couldn't let this chance slip by.
"...You might want to reconsider..."
Reina and the other four felt a sense of déjà vu at the receptionist's words.
Yes, it was the same feeling they had when they tried to take the rock lizard request...
"No, we know our capabilities!"
"But even so..."
Undeterred by Reina's high-handed attitude, the receptionist continued to persuade.
"First, to hunt a wyvern, you need to bring it down to the ground. For that, you need a ranged attack with enough power, speed, accuracy, and the ability to reach high into the sky. Most parties can't meet these conditions, so they give up on the request."
"We have three mages, and all of them can use powerful attack magic, so it's not a problem!"
Ignoring Reina's counterargument, the receptionist continued.
"Even if you can deal some damage, the wyvern will flee."
"\"Eh...\""
"It's not that the wyvern will stubbornly fight to the death. If it feels threatened, it will flee and won't come out of its nest for a while. Even if it does come out after a long time, it won't return to the area where it was attacked. Wyverns have a wide hunting range and remember those who harmed them, so they won't approach hunters they've fought and suffered from before. And..."
"And?"
"Where do you plan to encounter a wyvern in a hunting range that spans dozens of kilometers?"
"\"Eh...\""
The four members of 'Red Oath' were left speechless.
"It doesn't come to the same village every day. After a long wait, you might finally encounter it, but after a fierce battle where your companions are killed or severely injured, the wyvern will quickly flee. It won't come near you again. You'll waste a lot of time, suffer great losses, fail the mission, and have to pay a penalty, as well as medical expenses and compensation to the families of the fallen... Think about why this request, which has a relatively good reward, is still available. Otherwise, you won't survive long."
"\"...\""
The receptionist's explanation continued as the four remained silent.
"No one in the local or surrounding guild branches will take it, and neither the lord nor the royal palace will intervene, so it was sent to the capital branch. This type of request, where many comrades' blood is shed and the financial loss is significant, is called... a 'red request.' Only fools, beginners, or heroes take such requests."
The receptionist's explanation ended, and the four members of 'Red Oath' looked at each other.
Then, they all nodded, and Reina spoke on their behalf.
"Since we're here, we'll take this red request!"
"Wh-What? Did you listen to my explanation? What are you thinking...?"
"Well, isn't it your job to let us take the request?"
"Ugh..."
Reina's words made the receptionist raise her voice, but she remembered her position and swallowed her words.
"Why are you taking such a request?"
"Why are you surprised? You said it yourself."
"Eh?"
Not understanding, the receptionist was confused, and Reina explained.
"Because we're fools, beginners, and... heroes!"
Ignoring the stunned receptionist, Mile called out from the side.
"Hey, Reina! Why do you look at me when you say 'fool'?"
In the end, 'Red Oath' took the wyvern hunt request.
The receptionist had the authority to warn but not to reject a legitimate request based on personal judgment. She could only reject it if there was a valid reason or if she could convince her superiors, but neither applied in this case. Thus, the receptionist, who was well-disposed towards 'Red Oath,' reluctantly processed the request.
"Let's head to the guild first."
Five days after leaving the capital, 'Red Oath' arrived in the town of Helmort, where the wyvern hunt request was issued. They headed to the guild branch and, after explaining that they had taken the wyvern hunt request, were led to the guild master's office on the second floor after a short wait.
"...So, you're the hunters from the capital who took the wyvern hunt request..."
The guild master greeted the four members of 'Red Oath,' who were led in by the receptionist, with a disappointed and slightly angry look.
"Did you take this request knowing what it entails? Did you receive a proper explanation from the capital guild staff?"
The old guild master's words made Reina slightly irritated, but she thought it was out of concern for the young, inexperienced girls and decided to let it slide.
"...If hunters from the capital die needlessly, my evaluation will drop. And if four young, attractive women die, I'll be the subject of gossip everywhere. What am I supposed to do?"
"\"...\""
It seemed he was more concerned about his reputation.
"We are 'Red Oath,' C-rank hunters from the capital."
Mavis, who was intimidated by the guild master's words, remained silent, so Reina spoke for her.
Reina, who has a relatively low boiling point, is aware of her appearance. She recognizes when someone looks down on her based on her looks, but she doesn't get angry over it.
...It's not that she's tolerant. She's just used to it. Besides, now she has Mile. Thinking that she's looked down on because of Mile is good for Reina's mental health.
"What, 'Red Oath'?"
The guild master looked slightly surprised at Reina's self-introduction, which ignored his words.
"You are... those..."
It seemed he had heard some rumors. Whether it was about the mock battle during the graduation exam, the bandit hunt, or the evil merchant... No, the last one was the work of the mysterious party 'Red Blood is Good!' and not 'Red Oath'... It's unclear how much he knew.
Moreover, the last rumor would have to flow from the town to the capital and then to other regions, so it would take time to spread among the common people.
"I don't know what you mean, but we are 'Red Oath.'"
This time, Mavis spoke. She is the party leader, though it's easy to forget sometimes.
"...I've heard some rumors about you. Your magical abilities and sword skills... You might be able to deal a blow to the wyvern or finish it off if it falls, but I'm not sure if you can deal enough damage to bring it down. It might just be a waste of effort. You'll suffer losses and have to pay a penalty..."
"But we've already taken the request!"
The guild master chuckled at Mile's words.
After that, the members of 'Red Oath' received a detailed explanation of the request from the guild master, who recognized them as not ordinary new hunters. The gist was explained at the capital guild branch, but the request document was a simplified summary, and there was new information since the request was made. Normally, the receptionist would handle the details, but since this was an important request and it was sent from the Helmort branch to the capital, the guild master took charge. Even so, the receptionist would usually take over after the guild master's initial explanation, but it seemed the guild master was interested in 'Red Oath,' leading to the unusual situation where he explained everything himself. The content was somewhat ominous, and as the guild master spoke honestly, the expressions of the 'Red Oath' members grew increasingly serious...
"Let's summarize."
After leaving the guild, 'Red Oath' took a room at an inn and held a meeting to discuss their next steps. Reina, as usual, took the lead.
"First, the client is the lord. However, the lord only provides the reward and leaves the details to the guild, so we don't need to worry about it. We don't need to meet the client either."
This was explained by the guild master. The lord, being of noble birth, would not deign to meet mere hunters. This was normal. It was the lord, Amros, who met with the bandits that was somewhat unusual.
For 'Red Oath,' this was more relaxed. Only Mavis, who was used to such situations, wouldn't find it tiring. Mile, who had little experience talking to or dining with nobles outside her family, found it stressful, especially since her consciousness was centered on her past life. She was tense, even though others didn't notice.
"The damage affects about 30% of this territory and part of the neighboring territory. The neighboring territory is mostly border regions, and most of the damage is in this territory, so they're leaving it to us. It's a reasonable decision for the lord. Wasting soldiers and budget is not a good strategy."
The other three nodded.
While they had heard the guild master's explanation, it was important to restate and confirm the details in a meeting. It reduces errors and aligns everyone's thinking, making the discussion smoother.
"...So, the problem is this."
Reina spread out the copy of the materials given by the guild master on the table.
It was a simple map of the territory and the neighboring territory, with the villages and locations where the wyvern was sighted, along with the dates and times.
The sightings were concentrated in a roughly circular area. This was normal. However...
"That's strange, right?"
"Yeah, it's a bit unnatural."
"It doesn't match the general behavior of wyverns we heard about in the capital..."
As Pauline, Mavis, and Mile pointed out, there were some oddities in the wyvern sighting data.