Chapter 16: D-Rank Hunter, Yoschua Verdi

The next morning, in front of the Hunter Association Office bulletin board.

“Hoo…”

Deneb let out a heavy sigh.

He had a dilemma on his mind.

He wanted to fulfill his older brother’s request to bring a girl named Yoschua Verdi into his guild.

But no matter how he thought about it, it wasn’t easy.

Deneb had already been turned down when he invited Verdi to join his party.

In that situation, if he asked her to join the guild, would Verdi actually agree?

The answer was obviously no. Deneb sensed it was obvious without even having to ask her directly.

Would it be okay if he at least showed the sincerity of having tried?

But how could he prove that?

Stuck on a problem that wouldn’t resolve itself, Deneb kept sighing heavily in front of the bulletin board.

That was when it happened. The office door opened, and all the Hunters’ gazes, including Deneb’s, turned to one spot.

‘Still as pretty as ever…’

The silver-haired mage girl, Yoschua Verdi.

The girl his brother wanted had appeared.

‘Ah, this isn’t the time for that.’

Verdi was only a D-Rank Hunter, but she belonged to a fairly famous category.

Even now, as he looked around the office, he could see a few figures checking their surroundings.

They were probably Hunters like him, looking to invite Verdi into their guild or party.

His brother wasn’t the only one after Verdi.

That girl’s Rank Advancement Exam video had become a huge topic in the Hunter industry, and now she was a rising prospect everyone was after.

Deneb checked his surroundings and let out a sigh. But this time, unlike before, it was a sigh of relief.

When he introduced himself last time, Deneb had deliberately emphasized his surname, Lucius.

There was hardly a Hunter who didn’t know the name of his older brother, Lucius Wilhelm.

The master of Royal Knights, one of the Five Great Guilds with the largest scale in the country, and an S-Rank Hunter.

Wouldn’t Verdi know too? No matter how new she was with little experience, there was no one in this business who didn’t know an S-Rank Hunter’s name.

‘The problem is that kid didn’t seem interested at all…’

Even if it wasn’t the S-Rank Hunter himself, his own brother had personally invited her to join a party and was flatly rejected. There was no way she’d agree to any Hunter from the office inviting her.

“Alright.”

…Or so he thought.

Huh?

What did she just say?

“I’ll join.”

The moment a completely unexpected word came out of Verdi’s mouth as she talked to someone, Deneb’s eyes went wide.

“Really?”

“Yeah, but just for today.”

The girl he thought was an absolute fortress was accepting a party invitation from some gold-haired, tanned-skinned man?!

At that sight, Deneb didn’t think twice and hurried over to the two of them.

“Ex-excuse me!”

The gold-haired tanned man and Verdi’s gazes both turned to Deneb at the same time.

The moment he saw Verdi, Deneb felt his stomach churn as the memory of being rejected yesterday came back, but he recalled his brother’s words about expecting him to try and barely managed to open his mouth.

“Could I join that party too?!”

* * *

‘Ah, I’m sleepy…’

After last night’s events, I’d lost sleep, so a yawn naturally slipped out.

I was tired enough that if I didn’t pay even a little attention, my eyes would close right away, but that didn’t mean I could rest.

To get rid of this shitty debt-ridden life, I had to save up as much money as possible.

Anyway, D-Rank Gates were pushovers.

Even if I somehow fell asleep inside the Gate, if I put up a top-level Mana Shield, there was no way my body would get hurt.

The moment I stepped into the office with a light heart.

I felt everyone inside’s gazes pierce into me.

‘If it weren’t for that damn supervisor and that squinty-eyed bastard…!’

Anger surged up rapidly. Those two were the cause of all this attention.

Of course, the reason they’d acted that way was because I’d sliced the Mandragora in one hit during the Rank Advancement Exam.

‘No, that’s not it.’

Thinking again, it wasn’t my fault.

The problem was those guys making a fuss over a mere Mandragora.

‘Let it go. I won’t be seeing those guys again anyway.’

If the gazes on me grew to an unpleasant level, I planned to move to another office. Even if it was a bit farther, I couldn’t help it.

The office was a place I had to visit every day, and I didn’t want to get this kind of pointless attention every time I came.

‘Hnng…’

Just as I was trying to hold back a yawn that slipped out because of everyone’s stares.

A group of people approached me. From the way their gazes were fixed directly on me, it seemed they had some business with me.

“Miss, could I have a word with you for a moment?”

“…”

I wanted to say “Huh?” out loud, but I held back after seeing the other person’s appearance.

A muscular man with gold hair and tanned skin, built pretty big — I instinctively shrank back a little.

‘Ugh, dealing with people is such a pain…’

This is the type I hate the most. And I’m already tired, too.

Back in the day, I would’ve just cursed him out or blown him away, but I can’t do that now.

“It’s nothing big, but I’m a C-Rank Hunter.”

‘And I care why?’

Figures, this is a low-level place. Going around bragging about being C-Rank.

…No, that’s not it.

What business does a Hunter ranked higher than me have with me?

“How about joining our party?”

“…?”

At the sudden proposal, I just answered by giving him a suspicious look.

A C-Rank Hunter inviting a D-Rank Hunter to a party?

Why the hell?

Obviously, unless you’re a healer, a D-Rank Hunter going into a Gate that C-Rank Hunters enter would just be dead weight.

I’m not a healer. Depending on the situation, I’m a mage who could genuinely be dead weight to the party.

If a mage, who’s supposed to handle the firepower in a party, can’t output that firepower, they’re completely useless.

Casting spells takes a long time, and focusing on magic lowers mobility.

That’s why mage-type Hunters are the number one most likely to die in dungeons, right after healers.

If he were a newbie, maybe, but a C-Rank Hunter should have enough experience to know that.

Is he up to something?

At that thought, my eyes naturally narrowed.

“Whoa, don’t look at me like that. Our party’s a mix of C-Rank and D-Rank. It’s nothing special — we just have an open spot today. We’re heading to a C-Rank Gate, and you looked like you were alone.”

The man pointed his thumb at his companions behind him.

‘A mixed-rank party?’

That was unexpected.

Unless it’s a guild party or a party of High-Rank Hunters with small numbers, it’s rare to see mixed ranks in a party of lower-Mid-Rank Hunters who can easily fill spots.

‘Brings back memories.’

Come to think of it, the party I used to carry was like that too — everyone else was F-Rank while I was the only E-Rank.

Is this party the same case?

Getting stronger slowly by helping each other…

“You’re a mage, right? Just hang back and provide rear support. We’ll handle the rest.”

Hmm, what should I do.

“We’ll split evenly.”

“Alright.”

At the word “evenly,” I quickly erased my hesitation and answered.

“Uh… really?”

At my immediate reply, the man looked a bit stunned.

You idiot, this is a chance! Did you think I’d hesitate over this opportunity?

Even accounting for the split, the profit from a C-Rank Gate is overwhelmingly higher than from a D-Rank Gate.

Plus, he probably meant it when he said to just do the bare minimum.

A D-Rank mage-type Hunter who’s not even a healer and just chants incantations would only be dead weight in a C-Rank Gate.

They want something else.

For example, my future potential.

I’m a D-Rank Hunter for now, but the future is uncertain.

I can confidently say I’ve become pretty famous around here thanks to that damn supervisor and that slit-eyed bastard.

No doubt after today’s Gate subjugation, he’ll suggest partying up again next time.

They plan to keep partying like that and make me a fixed member. It’s obvious without even looking.

Hmph, you think I’d fall for that trick?

“Sure, but just for today.”

If I say it like this, I can be indebted to them for today and then be a stranger again as soon as it’s over.

I was admiring my own perfect strategy when—

“E-excuse me!”

Hm? That voice?

I turned my head toward the sound and saw a familiar face coming this way.

‘Deneb?’

What’s he doing here all of a sudden?

“Could I join that party too?!”

‘Ah.’

The moment I heard that, I felt a sinking feeling.

I just said yesterday that I prefer being alone and turned down a party invitation, and now I’m joining someone else’s party.

From the perspective of the person who got rejected, that’s gotta feel like shit, right?

Once that thought crossed my mind, just being here started to feel uncomfortable.

I discreetly studied Deneb’s expression.

Then my eyes met Deneb’s.

I tried to look away right away, but surprisingly, Deneb was looking at me with a faint smile.

I don’t know what that smile means, but it doesn’t seem like mockery.

If that’s the case… I don’t like it, but I can’t help it.

“Hey.”

“Hm?”

“Let’s bring this kid along too.”

I pointed at Deneb with my finger and said to the tanned guy.

“Sure. Nice to work with you, then.”

The tanned guy rested his chin on his hand, thought about it for a moment, then nodded and said.

“Should we start with introductions? I’m Mariano.”

“Yoschua Verdi.”

At the tanned guy—Mariano’s—words, I said my name and gave a slight bow.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Deneb!”

Meanwhile, Deneb bowed his head politely and greeted the people who would be his party members for today.

This kid’s still got that easygoing charm. He’d fit in anywhere without a problem.

‘He’s the complete opposite of his brother.’

Not a single thing in common with that uptight bastard. Are they really brothers?

After finishing his greetings to everyone, Deneb came over to me.

“Nice to work with—”

“…A C-Rank Gate.”

“Huh?”

“I joined because they said I could experience a C-Rank Gate.”

I said it before he could get the wrong idea.

“Ah, I see. A C-Rank Gate…”

At the mention of C-Rank, Deneb swallowed nervously, his face stiffening as if he was a bit tense.

“Aren’t you scared, Ms. Verdi?”

“…?”

Instead of asking ‘of what?’, I tilted my head.

“We’re D-Rank Hunters, and it’s our first time going into a C-Rank Gate, right?”

“Not really. Either way, you have to risk your life going into any Gate, don’t you?”

“Oh…”

Deneb’s eyes lit up at my answer. This kid’s reactions are still cute.

No matter the rank, going into a Gate means risking your life either way.

It’s just a difference of how dangerous it is or isn’t.

And I, Verdiol, former S-Rank Hunter, can say this for sure.

A C-Rank Gate is fucking easy.

“Hey, let’s hurry up and go.”

“Yes!”

At another party member’s call, Deneb quickly ran off, and I followed behind him.

Watching Deneb’s back, I recalled a conversation I’d had with him before.

—Verdiol hyung-nim!

—What.

It was when I ran into Deneb on my way back to the lodging after finishing my work.

He suddenly came up to me and asked this question.

—Why do people hate you, hyung-nim?

The question was so ridiculous that at first I thought about smacking him, but then, for some reason, I said this.

—They’re jealous. People like to tear down those who are better than them.

—But Verdiol hyung-nim saved Hunters’ lives too. You’re their lifesaver…

—Things like that, people always forget over time.

—I’ll never forget! Even if everyone else forgets Verdiol hyung-nim!

…Hmph.

If something happens, I guess I’ll protect that kid.