Iris approached Cyne, the adventurer she had partnered with on her inaugural mission. Since she was looking for individuals for her party, this young man was the first one that came to her mind. Considering he had already seen what she was capable of, Iris felt like she could use this as leverage in their negotiations.

(Plus, he is hungry for money.)

She stood in front of him, who was comfortably sitting in the most lit corner of the Guild while being engrossed in a book.

Ideally, Iris wanted him to see her and talk to her first. As a fellow bookworm, she disliked being interrupted by someone talking to her.

(Hmpf. He’s not reacting at all.)

"What are you reading?" she asked, striving to keep her voice casual.

Cyne glanced up from his book, his crimson eyes glinting. For a moment, he just stared at Iris, unblinking and unwavering.

"Why do you care?" He asked coldly, his eyes narrowing. "You've been ignoring me since your second day. Decided to try your luck with other parties, did you?" He snapped his book shut.

“Well… There were a few reasons. H-how did your missions go this week?”

The last she had heard, Cyne was 18 stars shy of qualifying for the next D-rank graduation exam, which would now happen in about two weeks.

"... Not as good as I'd hoped," he admitted as he sighed heavily. "Since last time, I managed to get only three stars and I even dulled my sword. At this point, becoming C-rank within this month is like a distant dream..."

"You know, I've been thinking about creating my own party. You could join me if you want..."

His answer was swift and blunt. "Don’t pity me. Besides, I can't join any party." He stared at her, daring her to challenge his decision.

"I know that," Iris said. "I know that you plan to return to your old team as soon as you hit C-rank. Even if it's only temporary, I'd be happy to have you."

"So you did hear things about me..." Cyne muttered under his breath while grumbling. “Besides, you’re fine with having me temporarily? Are you asking me to join just so you'll immediately be allowed on a mission? Am I just a tool...?"

"Er… I can't say that this invitation is completely disinterested," she admitted. "Still, you do seem like a good asset to have... Frankly, I was impressed by your sword skills while you fought that ordot. Your style was a bit like Will".

Cyne raised an eyebrow, a bit of surprise in his eyes. "... I did train under that old man. I didn't expect you to pick up on that from that quick battle."

"You know, about your sword... If you join me, I'll buy a new one for you. It'd be an investment for the party, after all."

Cyne squinted at Iris. "And where would you get the money for that? As far as I know, you're not exactly rolling in gold. And I didn't hear about you completing particularly profitable quests last week. Quite the opposite, in fact."

"Well," Iris began, a tad nervous, "I... I anticipate some incoming funds very soon. A sort of... lottery win, you could say?"

Cyne looked unconvinced by her wavering voice, and his eyes were showing even more suspicion. "A lottery win? You're not... compromising your integrity, are you…?" He knew she had the potential to be tricked into doing things without realizing the implications, so he felt obliged to ask her.

"Mmh? It's just luck," she answered, oblivious to his insinuation. "So, will you join?"

Cyne scrutinized her for a moment, reclining thoughtfully in his seat.

"I'm not entirely against it. I mean, if the Guild's bonus reward is still available, a straightforward two-star quest would earn me as much as a mid-level three-star one..."

"Are you supposed to say this to my face...? Aren't you seeing me as a tool as well?"

"Well, there is also the fact that for some reason I have a hunch you’d be able to handle any formidable foe we happen to face."

He sighed and shook his head. "I can't believe I'm even considering this... You’re the typical example of the clueless adventurer who overestimates themselves and ends up severely injured during the following year… And I can’t picture you as a party leader…”

“I assure you, I’ll learn everything there is to know to become a good leader!”

“... That would be good. Though I must tell you that I'm not joining until I've asserted something.”

“W-what?”

“You’re suspicious.” Cyne began. “A few things have been bugging me so far, but I’ve had time to think it over since we fought alongside each other last time. I think I’ve figured it out.”

(W-what did he figure out…?)

“... Care to elaborate?”

“Your lack of common sense or basic knowledge. The fact that a girl as small as you are has enough mana to exterminate multiple beasts or run for dozens of minutes if not hours at full speed, or use some magic to hide your appearance. Heck, aren't you using exactly that last one as we speak? I can't make out anything beyond your face even though we're in the most lit area of the building. The fact that you can do all of this seemingly without breaking a sweat means that you must be better than most mages here.”

“W-what if I am?”

"Besides, the very fact that you are hiding your head under this hood is strange. It's as if you're trying to hide a certain feature. When we put all of this together, it's fairly easy to guess your real identity. "

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

(... I’m busted, am I not?)

"From all those elements, I’m pretty sure you’re-”

“Don’t say it here!” Iris exclaimed as she stopped Cyne from saying it out loud. “Your deduction is entirely correct. You are right.”

“Well, I’ve read a lot about your kind, so it only makes sense that I would recognize one when I see one. Plus, people often say that I’m perceptive.”

“I see… I suppose you will not join my party anymore, then,” Iris said dejectedly. “May I ask you not to tell others about my real identity?”

“Mmh? I don’t see this as a reason not to join. On the contrary, that means you’re a professional at magic and have a lot more experience than I thought you did. I feel like I can trust my back on you a little more than before.”

“... Is that right? This is good to hear…”

"Honestly, I’m a bit happy to meet one in my lifetime.”

“Is that really an achievement…?” Iris doubtfully asked.

Overall, Cyne’s reaction was unexpected. It wasn’t anything like the one the guild staff had had, with them prostrating themselves in fear of being punished for their familiarity. If, as he said, he had read about nobles to the point of recognizing one who was disguising themselves, he shouldn't be so casual.

“You bet it is. Your kind usually doesn’t live in this kind of place. So, could you put down your hood, now that I figured you out?”

“H-here? I can't possibly do this…”

“Right, there are too many people nearby… You can show me later, then. Still, how long are they? Maybe you can tell me right now.”

(Huh...?)

“... What do you mean, how long? What are you referring to?”

“Don’t make me say it out loud when you want to hide it…” Cyne began as he pointed to his ears with a grin. "I read that they don’t stop growing during your lifetime. With your apparent age, they have to be about the same size as mine, right?”

“...”

(Perceptive, my ass! What the heck? He’s totally mistaking me for an elf, isn’t he?! ... Well, I mean, most of his observations check out, but still…)

Her morals were urging her to quickly resolve this misunderstanding. However, if she did so and told him she was in fact a human noble, would he still say he didn’t mind her true identity? Or would he finally react like Will and Melisandre, fearing for his life and getting uncomfortable with speaking casually with her from now on?

(Albeit Melis was awfully quick to revert to being casual with me... But that might not be the case for Cyne.)

Should she go along and pretend to be an elf, then? At this point, impersonation wouldn't be the greatest offense she had done toward the elves.

After a long pause, Iris sighed and finally answered Cyne. “... Right. About the same.”

“I see, I see. Can’t wait to see their pointiness!”

(Ah. Now he's getting excited because he thinks I'll actually show him. But I've got perfectly round ears just like everyone in Ouronia...)

“About that… I can’t show you. My… clan forbids its members to show their ears to humans while they're still so short."

"Oh. What if you do it anyway without being seen by your clan?"

"Um... My pride won't allow it. If I were to show them to you willingly, I'd be obliged to take my own life afterward.”

“You'd choose to die for that...? That’s way too harsh… Well, keep that on your head then.”

(So gullible… Then again, he had already convinced himself before we even had this conversation...)

"Now that I've told you about me, will you join? Having someone loved by spirits like me doesn't sound like a bad deal, does it?"

"Alright. I'll try my chance with you for a few more missions at least. And if things seem to go well, I'll stay as long as I'm D-rank."

"It's a pleasure to welcome you in my party, then! Let's decide on a quest!"

"I want to clarify that, even though you're probably way older than you look, I maintain that you're a complete novice when it comes to adventuring. I'll have the last word on what mission we choose."

"... Fine."

Iris and her fresh recruit advanced towards the mission board, pinned with dozens of detailed descriptions.

Within moments, Iris enthusiastically proposed a four-star mission and Cyne rebuked her. “See?! I just knew you’d immediately choose the most dangerous one! Didn't you see the requirement part?! Your party has to contain at least five experienced D-ranks!"

"R-right..."

"You should show the staff that you have a grasp of the dangerousness of a quest as soon as possible if you want them to build trust in your skills.”

“... Yes.”

Eventually, Cyne selected a quest and unpinned the sheet before showing it to Iris. “This one is much better. It's only a two-star quest, but it should be a valuable experience for you."

“What is it about?”

“We would accompany a noble towards another city tomorrow around noon. I was thinking it would be a good opportunity for you to try out some guarding missions instead of just hunting ones.”

“Guarding a noble, huh? What’s their title?”

“It isn’t mentioned,” Cyne indicated as he handed her the paper.

“Mmh… They’re recruiting two D-rank parties… Must be a baron.”

“A baron? Yeah, maybe. Hey, you seem knowledgeable about adventuring, for once. Way to go.”

(I only am when it comes to nobility, though…)

"Iris...!" the receptionist cried out as she ran through the building. "Someone is looking for you at the entrance!"

"W-who is it?"

"It is a woman, but she has a similar long robe to hide herself..."

"Another elf from her clan...?" Cyne was mumbling to himself, falling even deeper into the lie as he worriedly glanced at Iris.

(... What will I do with him? Should I tell him the truth someday...?)