Chapter 89: My New Rank.
Without saying anything.
Nathan smiled wider.
*That reaction—surely she can’t process my superiority.*
*And apparently she’s already confirmed it.*
*I’m going to be A-Rank. Or A-plus. Or who knows. Probably something more specifically considerable—after all, my class says it’s SSS Extinction, it must be for something.*
*I’m going to be able to accept this mission.*
*I’m going to prove I’m too great.*
Mira took the card out of the device.
She handed it back to him.
And with a specifically calm voice:
"Mm-hmm, Hunter Voss."
"Yes."
"Your rank is F."
Nathan froze.
"What?"
"F-Rank. Still F-Rank. No update."
"Mira."
"Yes."
"Honestly, that can’t be right."
"It’s right."
"Honestly, over the past few weeks I eliminated a considerable number of D-Rank creatures. I eliminated a semi-corrupted slug of level fifteen. I survived an entire dungeon. I defeated a C-Rank warrior in a Magic Plaza in Rendel. I have three new derived skills that probably don’t appear in any kingdom catalog. Honestly, I should be A-Rank. Or at least B-Rank."
"Hunter Voss."
"Yes."
"The system says F."
"Why?"
"I don’t know."
Nathan stood still for a moment.
With his cynical smile slightly collapsed.
With the raw feeling of disappointment he hadn’t anticipated at all—his mood shifting from jokey to serious.
*F-Rank.*
*Apparently still F-Rank.*
*After everything.*
*F-Rank.*
Liaraen intervened with a calm voice.
Apparently noticing the disappointment on his face.
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"Apparently the guild’s ranking system doesn’t recognize your Class."
"Why not?"
"Because your Class belongs to a god that doesn’t appear in the official catalog. And apparently the rank evaluation system is calibrated on the sixteen gods of the official Pantheon. If your signature doesn’t match any of the sixteen, apparently the system can’t properly evaluate your abilities. Apparently by default it classifies you as F-Rank because that’s the classification for unevaluable adventurers."
Nathan looked at her.
Then at Mira.
Then at the card she’d handed back to him.
"Understood."
"Understood as well," Mira said. "Apparently that could be a technically valid explanation."
Nathan looked at Mira.
"Right—you probably didn’t know that, but thanks for understanding."
"Honestly, I don’t care where your power comes from. I already filled out the paperwork with what I deduced when I met you, and I’m not going to redo everything just to show off a power that would get you nailed to a cross and set on fire."
"Thanks, I think..."
"There’s no way to update the system?"
"Apparently not. The human kingdom’s rank system operates with the sixteen gods. If your Class belongs to some weird unregistered god, the system doesn’t process it."
"Understood."
"However, Nathan."
"Yes."
"You can still accept missions. They’ll just be officially classified as F-Rank, which limits what you can formally accept. You can accept F-Rank up to low D-Rank. Not high D-Rank. And definitely not C-Rank and above."
Nathan sighed.
With his cynical smile restored to "I’m going to accept this absurd situation with resignation" mode.
"Understood."
He turned to the board.
He returned the A-Rank mission. He looked for a low D-Rank mission. He found one that was apparently elimination of minor creatures in a forest a day’s travel from Greywall. Nothing dramatic. He took it from the board.
He returned to the counter.
He placed the new parchment in front of Mira.
Mira reviewed it.
"Low D-Rank. Four minor creatures. Elimination. Payment: forty silver coins. Do you accept?"
"I accept."
"Are you sure?"
Nathan nodded.
"Yes. At least with missions like this, I can do useful work, and Liaraen can accompany me and practice with the sword under controlled conditions."
Mira looked at Liaraen.
Then at Nathan again.
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"Considering that Lady Liaraen is apparently a minor, apparently you’re responsible for whatever happens to her if you take her with you on missions."
"Understood."
"And apparently she can’t formally register with the guild to do so on her own. Even though she’s over a hundred years old, apparently she’s still a minor for her race. And apparently the human kingdom’s laws respect each race’s rules regarding the age of majority."
"Understood."
"So then the legal responsibility for her well-being during missions falls on you."
Nathan nodded.
With a calm voice.
"Acceptable. I’m going to take responsibility for the sprout."
Liaraen’s pale green eyes widened slightly.
Her cheeks flushed very subtly.
And with a voice specifically controlled to "I’m keeping calm but considerably" mode:
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"You don’t have to say it like that."
"Like what?"
"In a way that sounded specifically different from how it should sound."
"Sprout."
"Quiet, Nathan."
Mira observed the exchange with a specifically interested expression.
With a smile gradually developing on her face.
And with a voice set to "I’m going to tease to annoy" mode:
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"Apparently you look specifically paternal right now."
"Mira."
"And that makes any girl fall for you. Honestly. Even me, if we consider that you’re apparently showing attractive responsibility."
Liaraen turned to Mira with the speed of someone who’d registered the last phrase with considerably more attention than she’d shown externally.
Her pale green eyes narrowed.
Mira smiled.
With her calm calibrated to maximum.
Liaraen extended her right hand.
She took Nathan’s left hand.
And with a specifically firm voice she hadn’t used in Greywall yet:
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"Let’s go."
"Let’s go?"
"Let’s go."
And without further warning, Liaraen pulled Nathan by the hand away from the counter. Toward the main door. With the superhuman strength of suddenly a sixteen-year-old girl who had internally decided that the interaction with Mira had already exceeded her tolerance threshold for the day.
Nathan let himself be led.
With a cynical smile.
*I’m not going to interfere in this sequence.*
And with Mira from the counter, watching them leave with the satisfied smile of someone who’d achieved the effect she’d been aiming for, calling out with a calm voice:
"Nathan! Don’t forget the mission!"
Nathan shouted over his shoulder:
"I won’t forget!"
And they left the guild.
With approximately fifty adventurers watching their exit.
With considerable specific whispers following them to the door.
And with Liaraen still holding Nathan’s left hand firmly.
An adventurer approached Mira with a mission sheet and handed it to her.
"Excuse me, Mira—I think you made a mistake and placed a wrong mission on the A-Rank board."
Mira looked at the mission sheet and immediately realized it was the B-Rank sheet Nathan had taken and was surprised.
*When did he... Hunter Voss!!*