Kuro no Maou

「Welcome Back Kurono-sama, congratulations on completing the quests! With this you are now Rank 3!!」

Erina’s smile this time was, for the first time since she started working in guild, from her heart.

「Ah, Yes, thank you very much」

Kurono was taken aback seeing the cute smile and taking unexpected words of compliment, but somehow managed to safely respond.

「Err, so please have your way with it」

Erina took the three Guild Cards forwarded by Kurono with a smile, and started to operate the magic item for updating the Guild Card.

「You’re increasing rank at an unbelievable pace, it completely surprised me」

「You are right, me and the party members have somewhat ability」

Without any difficulties, easily reaching Rank 3 doesn’t mean their ability is ‘somewhat’ level.

For instance, if a skilled Rank 3 adventurer starts from Rank 1 again, and can reach to Rank 3 within a month, well pipe dreams.

Though it might Rank 2 monsters subjugation quests, with their ability of a Rank 3, they would need to make elaborate preliminary arrangements and need to be careful while moving around at the actual place.

At times, leaving the target even after discovering it because of their large crowd or the movements of nearby monsters is also common.

In that case, it would take quite lot of time to complete the quests.

In spite of that, the fact that they reached Rank 3 with just a little over 1 month while accepting all the quests means, that they swiftly ended the quests, there’s no other proof.

As a bonus, this party called as Element Master brings the monsters counting more than requested in the quest.

This truly is the truth and evidence that their ability is enough to squash monsters even if they form crowds.

Erina is already convinced that Element Master has ability of Rank 4 or above.

「Ufufu, What were you doing before becoming an adventurer?」

「Sorry, that is a secret」

「No, it’s my fault for trying to pry unneeded」

Even with this casual conversation, Erina deepens her conviction that Kurono isn’t a country bumpkin from Irz Village, but just as he said someone great with a secret.

Thinking further, the party members, Lily the fairy and Fiona the witch, these two from the same village cannot be childhood friends.

(Perhaps, he was an Elite Knight of Deadalus?)

Thinking back, the history of participation in the emergency quest for escaping from Daedalus to Spada also seems fishy.

Thinking of them not as just adventurers, but the survivors of the defeated Daedalus army who, for protecting the civilians, took on the rear guard, thinking like that is more coherent.

After running to Spada, the knight having his motherland destroyed tried to live his life as an adventurer, this choice seems plausible.

(Hmm, a Knight of a ruined country, isn’t this situation quite stimulating)

She was about to get drowned in her own delusions, but Erina, being an Elite receptionist, completed her work, in other words the updating of Guild Card was finished.

「Yes, the updation is now over」

Like that, the bronze started shining like Silver, handing the now silvery-shining Guild Card to Kurono, Erina said words of congratulations and encouragement.

Being praised from words and smile from her heart, Kurono showed his bashfulness as if to say he was embarrassed.

Depending on person that scene could be called dreadful, but seeing his cold sharp face smiling broadly, Erina’s heart was tormented by the so-called ‘Gap-moe’.

(Shit, he’s just too good......)

Erina was about to drool and have a nosebleed, but thanks to the steeled reasoning power, which every Elf has, she was able to feign composure.

「By the way, what would you do about quests, Kurono-sama?」

Judging from past experiences, the next lines would be to see all the Rank 3 quests needed for reaching up to Rank 4.

「No, Quests are postponed for sometime」

「Oh, is that so?」

Hearing the unexpected answer, Erina felt disappointment and stopped the listing of Rank 3 quests within her mind.

「Yes, I’ve been thinking of taking Adventurer Course of the Academy」

「I see, so that’s the reason」

Though Erina said that, lots of doubts rose in her head.

(Why as of this time? His ability is more than enough, he’s even reached Rank 3 means that he knows the ABC’s of adventurers, moreover, if he was truly a Knight then he would also be fairly educated)

Adventurers’ Course has reading and writing, elementary math, brief history, theology etc, the subjects that could be learned for education are all basic ones.

Even if Daedalus happened to be a developing country, there’s no way that the Knight, who would carry the country, didn’t learn all that.

(Just what does he intends to learn in the Adventurers’ Course?)

Erina, who couldn’t get an answer out, even thought that Kurono wasn’t a Knight of Daedalus, in the end, she returned to the starting point about Kurono’s identity, absolutely nothing.

「Um, can I ask one thing?」

When her head was about to be filled with question marks, this time, Kurono called out to her.

「Yes, what it might be?」

In a flash Erina replied with a perfect smile, though the inside of her head is like that, she doesn’t disturb her outward appearance, she’s only been working for 2 continuous years, but ability wise she was already in the realm of professionals.

「I had heard that upon reaching Rank 3, various information on monsters is unbanned, can I inspect that」

「Yes, you have heard right, upon reaching Rank 3, most of information can be inspected, The information’s are on the second floor—–」

Rank 3 is a rank when one can be considered a skilled adventurer.

Hence, from now onwards fighting monsters above their rank is their own freedom, or so the Guild thinks.

Fighting recklessly would only end up as dying, but fighting with power, for aiming more higher, and then it’s needed to take some risks.

In that judgment, Guild has authorized all the information, except classified information, to be displayed to adventurers’ of Rank 3 or above.

「I see, thank you」

Seeing Kurono giving thanks to her kind, careful and thorough explanation, her heartbeats rises up a notch again.

「Well then, in near future I will be back for quests」

Kurono who was leaving that place by saying his thanks,

「Please wait, Kurono-sama」

Was stopped by Erina.

「Huh?」

Maybe he didn’t thought to be stopped, Kurono showed a little perplexed expression.

「I’m sorry, but this is a little personal, I just wanted to give my thanks to you」

「......Thanks?」

‘Of What?’ Before Kurono asked, Erina bowed deeply and spoke.

「I’m really grateful for saving me in my peril. If Kurono-sama didn’t enter at the right time, I would have lost my life to that murderer」

「Huh, Huuuh, Murderer, you mean——eh, uh, don’t tell me, you’re the victim from that time?」

To Kurono, who showed a truly surprised expression, Erina continued her words in a sarcastic manner.

「Did you by chance, not recognize who I was at that time?」

「Ah, no......I’m sorry, at that time I was quite desperate myself, so I didn’t had composure to confirm the face」

「No, it’s alright, that situation just popped out of blue after all, and I even had a different hairstyle at that time. But, I immediately understood, that you were Kurono-sama at that time」

That’s right that was the reason why Erina, like a young pubescent girl, was making her heartbeat increase when she talked with Kurono.

Kurono is the knight for her, who saved her in her peril from Joto the serial killer.

「I’m sorry, but, it’s good that you’re fine」

「That should be my line, I called the Law Guardians immediately, but I didn’t knew if they made it in time or not......At the time of interrogation I finally heard all the details and was relieved」

Erina knew later about the situation currently, that Kurono was approved of appearing a day later because he was tired.

Erina knew that Kurono saved her, but she didn’t know where he lived.

Then she finally thought that they would only be able to meet in Guild, and right now that is exactly happening.

「It was helpful that you called the Law Guardians, thank you very much」

After exchanging some words confirming the health of each other, this time, Kurono truly left the Guild.

While gazing at the masculine back wrapped in the black robe, Erina muttered.

「Ufufu, Kurono-san, I’m giving you 100 points」

The marks for Kurono she had held back for sometime were now recorded as 100 points, a perfect score, and the highest marks for Erina.

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

Kurono acquired 100 points!

20-04-2012

This time, I received illustration from Irareba-san! I have pasted the URL to『Mitemin』in the Character Introductions, so please take a look at that.