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Chapter 2: The Strongest Onmyoji Gets a Rank (Part one)
“Adventurer grade?”
A few days had passed since I answered Fiona.
While I was having a late breakfast alone in the guild cafeteria, Amiyu and the others came running up to me when they saw me and leaned over to ask me something like this.
“Have you heard about the adventurer grade yet?”
I asked back, digging up the information.
“I think that’s the …… adventurer rating, What about it?”
“Our grades have finally been decided!”
Amiyu, who sat down in the chair in front of me without ordering, said in a bubbly voice.
I tilted my head, not understanding what she meant.
“What do you mean …… that it has finally been decided?”
“What do you mean, Seika-kun? I heard that adventurers are graded according to their achievements and years of experience.”
I listened to her explanation with a little bit of concern for the waiter as she sat down next to Amiyu.
“And?”
“Last year at the Stampede, we all killed a lot of monsters, didn’t we?　And, you know, the guild has been discussing how to grade the people who fought at the Stampede.”
“The achievements that count toward promotion are based on the types of monsters a party has killed, butt since Stampede was a melee battle that didn’t involve a party, there was a dispute over how much of it would count as an achievement.”
Amiyu said to supplement Ifa’s explanation.
“It’s like …… whether to raise everyone to the second or third level because there were higher level monsters in the mix, or whether to not recognize them as achievements at all because of the special circumstances, or whether to take a pause and make them the fourth or fifth level.”
“Hah …….”
I was not quite sure what to think, so I decided to ask the fundamental question for the time being.
“What exactly is it that you are talking about in terms of experience and accomplishments that will get you a higher grade?”
“Well…”
Amiyu stares into the air as if trying to remember.
“The first grade is the tenth grade, and if you can defeat a lower level monster, you get to the ninth grade. From there, every year of experience you gain, you move up one level to level six. But if you can defeat a medium-level monster, at that point you are fifth level, regardless of how many years of experience you have. If you have more than five years of experience, you are fourth level. If you can defeat a high-ranking monster, you are third level, and if you have more than ten years of experience, you are second level.”
I see.
The system seems to be a grading system that evaluates both ability and experience.
The second level requires 10 years of experience as an adventurer in addition to the third level. If he could survive that long while taking on powerful enemies, he must be a very old and strong man.
But then a question came to my mind.
“Well then, what should I do to become first class?”
“First-class and second-class can’t be obtained unless the guild specifically approves them. Mayor Silas seems to be first-class, but I don’t think there are any others in Lakana.”
“Then, is it an honorary title?”
“So, in reality, the second class is the pinnacle of adventurers?”
And then Amiyu added.
“However, apart from that, there is also the rank of the party, and there are quite a few sub-first ranks there. Papa’s party was the same, and both Zamlug’s “Red Wings” and Lloyd’s “Linked Tree Alliance” are also that class. It should have been first-class.
“It’s confusing… but I got it for the most part.”
A party’s ranking is also essentially something that can be obtained through fame. This doesn’t seem too important either. If you’re not good at it, even if you don’t have any achievements, you might get it with money or politics.
Leaving the discussion of grades aside, I return to the topic.
“So, it was about acknowledging the battle in the stampede as an achievement. What have they decided to do?”
“Fufufu… Jajan! This is the answer!”
Amiyu chuckled and held out a small metal plate.
The yellowish metal plate, which could be picked up with a finger, had a small chain attached to it to hang it around one’s neck. On the surface of the plate was the number five, the Adventurers’ Guild crest, and Amiyu’s name.
All the adventurers who fought in the Stampede are now classified as having killed medium-ranked monsters. We are all fifth class now!
The metal plate was apparently a fifth-grade certificate, and if you look closely, you’ll see that Ifa and Mabel also have the same one around their necks.
“Hmmm …… can I have a look at it?”
I borrowed the certificate from Amiyu.
The yellowish metal is probably brass. The imprint is more carefully done than I expected. Aside from the number of the grade and the guild’s emblem to prevent counterfeiting, the fact that the name is even included is probably to prevent theft and unsolicited sales.
I looked at the number five stamped on it for a moment, and when I silently returned it to him, Amiyu’s lips twitched in dissatisfaction.
“What’s with that boring response? Don’t you have any feedback?”
“No. ……”
I have no choice but to explain the reason why I feel ambivalent.
“I thought it was 5th class… Because you defeated Lesser Demons and Nagas, right? Wasn’t that a high-ranking monster? 　In truth, it should have been 3rd class.”
“It can’t be helped”
Amiyu said while hanging her certificate from her neck.
“At that time, I didn’t defeat them as an adventurer, and I was only twelve years old.”
“Ah… come to think of it, it wasn’t until you  turn fifteen that you are  officially recognized as an adventurer.”
In fact, some adventurers are younger than that, but Amiyu once told me that they can only officially register with the guild once they have reached adulthood.
Amiyu said with a sly grin.
“Besides, you just have to make the grade!　When the dungeon is restored, let’s go kill some high orcs at random. Or even Elder Trent, since he ran away once without being defeated.”
Despite the lower grade, Amiyu seemed to be in a much better mood.
Amiyu, who had been an adventurer since she was a child, had not been able to officially join the guild before because of her age, and this was the first time she had been graded.
Maybe that’s why she was so happy.
And then I realized something.
“Wait, wait. Then maybe I’m the only one who won’t be recognized for my achievements?”
“Why”
“Even at the time of the stampede, I was only fourteen. My birthday was in the fall.
“This guy……”
Amiyu said in amazement.
“Since you’ve done so much, there’s no reason why you can’t be recognized for your achievements for such a trivial reason. Generally, if it’s around one or two years, a lot of people fake it.”
“That’s good”
I breathe a sigh of relief.
“I don’t care about grades, but… as expected, it’s kind of uncool to be the only person below these kids.”
I return my gaze to the table and mutter to myself as I eat the leftovers from my breakfast.
“Then I can become level 5. In that case, I have to go get the certificate… Can I receive it at the guild? Will there be a fee?”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“What’s wrong? All three of you.”