- Orc! -

'Knock knock', sounds from the door knocked by someone, then it creaks open even without any answer from Roselia. Kyou came into the room and closing back the door after. We turned our head at his direction. He's walking right at us and sat on the single seat. The seat was on the right from my direction whose sitting on the long seating with Grace. The long seat was customed for 3 people. I sat on the middle part, Grace on the right.

Our eyes following his movement silently. He sat there acting like nothing happened with his plain face expression and eyes.

"Hmm?", he mumbled. "Something's wrong?", he asked blankantly. Felt like he's feeling innocent or something like that.

"Er..", I started in a confused state. "No?", I replied, in an unsure manner.

"Don't mind him.", Rose said blankantly, still maintaining her serious looks. "He's always like that.", she implied more.

"Have you decided her rank, yet?", Kyou asked Roselia directly.

"No, not yet.", she shaked her head with eyes closed. "I was about to. Then, you came out of nowhere.", she opened back her eyes as she implied more.

"I see. Carry on then.", Kyou replied, plainly, like always.

"Since there are no [Magic] used, I can't give any reviews on her [Magic] powers. But just by seeing how she moves her body like that, she deserves at least A ranked for that to me.", Grace said it casually while holding dearly on my shoulders. This felt more like a parent consult than discussing.

"Hmm. I see.", Roselia mumbled.

"I agree.", Kyou added. "Her strength itself is quite promising. Yet, the movements are dull and too direct. People with more experiences may read her movements easily despite her obviously strong raw strength.", he implied additional explanation.

"So, what do you think of her rank?", Rose asked Kyou blankantly.

"C or B is enough.", he replied immediately in a plain way.

"Well, I actually wanting to see her magic.", Grace said cadually in wondered manner.

"If your guessing was true Grace-dono, I believe the village doesn't have the proper place for you and her exchanging blows using [Magic].", Rose faceplaming her right eye as she sakd that.

"That, I agree.", Kyou nodded.

"Er..", I timidly started to say something. "Can I just start it from F?", I asked them. All of them quite shocked.

"F?", Rose asked back in a confused face expression. Raising her eyebrows.

"Umu.", I nodded, twice.

"People trying to get Kyou's recognition to skip ranks. While you, asking for not being skipped.", Rose shaked her head as she facepalmed herself after.

"Fufufu.", Grace laughed slightly. "Now that kind of behaviour and thinking deserved an S rank.", she smiled at me casually. Kyou just remained in silence. When I move my sight at his direction, he just plainly raised his shoulders.

"No, I really wish to start from F rank.", I insisted on Grace.

"Hmm.", she mumbled while closing her eyes. Covering her face with her right hand fingers which wearing an iron [Gauntlet], thinking. It took some time. Then she clenched her hand as she pulled it down, and put it on her chin while looking straight at me.

"Okay, fine.", she raised her shoulders with eyes closed, carefreely. "But in time of needs, up to A rank requests can be taken or assigned to you. Covertly or publicly depending on the circumtances. If it's an emergency, I'd prefer not to covert anything up as it might be inefficient for me.", she implied.

"Umu.", I nodded in agreement. "Fair enough.", I said.

"Your rank will be just adjusted just like Kyou's. Colored in Golden color which means you're actually above your written rank. You can leave your [Guild Card] here. I, or anyone from us, will come sending it to you or asking you to come here to fetch it by tomorrow.", she explained. I called out my [Guild Card] from my [Inventory] with my right hand.

"Okay.", I agreed while looking at the card.

"You can just place and leave it on the table.", Rose said. I looked at her eyes after. She smiled, I nodded and put the card on the table.

"Now.", Grace said in a smooth intonation. "Since you're requesting the rank, it makes us easier to determine your rank. So the discussion is done.", she implied.

"I see.", I looked at her. "So I'll wait until tomorrow?", I asked.

"Basically, yes.", Kyou answered. "But, we're in the middle of something, and Grace did recommended that you should tag along with us.", he said plainly said while looking at my direction with his plain face. I looked back at him.

"Me?", I asked while pointing myself.

"Yes.", Rose answered immediately. I turned my head at Rose's. "After seeing your battle prowess? Definitely a Yes.", she answered carefreely with her eyes closed while raising her shoulders with her hands opened on both sides.

"What kind of something you're talking about?", I asked.

"Hmm.", Rose mumbled. "Who's going to give her a briefing?", she asked in a thinking pose while her eyes closed.

"Let it be me.", Kyou offered.

"Okay, agreed.", Rose nodded while opening her eyes back. "Grace-dono, let's talk over some matters near my desk.", she requested Grace as she looked at her.

"Okay.", Grace agreed while standing up from her seats. Her gentle hands leaving my body gently, I looked at her. She blinked and smile as a respond.

"Here's the file.", Rose pushed the map on the table until it slides away at Kyou's direction. Kyou catching it with placing his palm on it. "If needed.", she implied as she stands up and walks away to her desk with Grace. Kyou said nothing. He looks at me after.

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"Eh?", I bent my head a bit to the side. "Something's wrong?", I asked in a slightly confused expression.

"No.", he replied immediately with his plain face at me. "To be straight on points, our village's [Scouts] detected some pulse of [Mana] on the [Orc] settlement in the forest near the beach far to the east from here.", he explained blankantly.

"Umu.", I nodded. "How far is it?", I asked.

"1 day away in carriage.", he replied.

"I see. Then, why me?", I asked again.

"I dunno.", he shaked his head twice slightly with eyes closed, and opened back after as he replied. "Ask Grace for more precise answer. I only have guesses.", he implied.

"Sigh. Okay.", I sighed with eyes closed. I raised my shoulders and palms on both sides as I agreed.

"So, then.", Kyou started to explain more. "I know you're strong. But the area we're talking about is classified as [B rank]-ed area. Meanwhile, though this village is peaceful But those neutral animals and monsters are classified as [A rank]. They can use both [Unique abilities] and [Magic] to achieve such.", he implied some of the topic and some out.

"I see.", I rubs my chin with my right hand as I replied. "So, all of us going to go there?", I asked again.

"No.", he replied immediately. "Perhaps, Grace wanting to investigate it with you. But her circumtances not allowing her to for now. So, I think it will be you and me.", he implied as he took the map inside his [Spatial Magic]. I looked at the magic circle which swallowing the mapped file, never get enough of it. Well, it's [Magic]. It doesn't exist in my previous life. Ofcourse I'm kind of awed everytime I see it.

"Next.", he turned his head at my direction. "You should know, my main weapon is a [Tachi]. Those [Blades] were just for show.", he said.

"Um?", I looked back at him. "Uh.. Okay?", I replied confusedly as to why he opens up with me.

"Good.", he turns his head away. "Now that you know, everything is ready.", he said while he stands himself up.

"Uh? Ready?", confused as I asked.

"Uh-huh.", he nodded, ignoring to explain any answers. He walks to the door. "We're leaving for the task.", he said to Grace and Rose whose talking about something while standing infront of Rose's desk. Rose stands in a carefree manner with her bum leaned agains the desk. Her hands crossed. Rose only replied with a nod. Grace paused her words and turns her back at Kyou. Looking at Kyou whose opening the door and me, whose standing up from my seat and catching up to Kyou.

"Okay. Be safe out there.", she waved. I nodded at her as a reply. Kyou only mumbled with 'Uh-huh' as he walks out the room. I closed the door and catch up with him after. We walked out from the guild and went right to the eastern gate after.

A carriage spotted infront the gate, making me remembered those duo who has been helping me since the very start of my life here. The carriage was different from the one used by Fuyumi and Grim. This one, all of them were made from woods. Some simple carving arts used for the window and the [Guild]-'s logo below it. It's not a fancy one, just a normal carriage which can be used for carrying goods or people like Fuyumi's. The different is just this one doesn't use animal skin as its covers. I bet, we will be traveling the spoken destination with this carriage. We walk ourselves until we got near to it.

"Wait here.", Kyou said without looking back while walking. I obeyed and wait for him there, standing behind the carriage where the entrance into it is.

He walked to the front sife of the carriage, talking to the guards and a person whose likely will be our driver. The man wearing normal people clothes like villagers. But, he also wears a vest like [Leather Armor] with [Winter Rose]-'s insignia on the top, right side. I guess he's been working with the guild as well. There are 3 guards standing there. After a while, an [Elf] Guard with [Elven Armor] set, a [Shield] on his back, hanged, and a [Short Sword] seathed in a scabbard on his left belt. Together with Kyou and our 'possible candidate' for the driver coming towards my direction.

"Greetings, young lady. I am Claeron, the guard who will be escorting the [Wagon master] for the guild.", he puts his right hand on his chest, bowing slightly with eyes closed in a gentle manner for introducing himself to me.

"Umu.", I nodded in awe, hidden deep in my thought. "I am Irumi. I will be in your care, Claeron-san.", I bowed back as I introduced myself at him. 'I can't believe I can see a live action knight-hood!', I murmured my awe in my mind after.

"Likewise.", he stands firmly and opening his eyes before saying. He smiled after.

"So..", the man started timidly. "I..I am Weils, driving the ride.", he introduced in a timid character. He's an ordinary human, by the way. Seems a nice guy, too nice, perhaps?

"Yes, Weils-san.", I replied. "We all will be in your care.", I implief with a sincere attitude. He saw through my actions, starting to feel at ease.

"Y-Yes.", he answered while scratching his back of the head. "Hop on then, Irumi-dono.", he implied after. Kyou just stood there without a word. Then, he start walking and hoping on to the carriage after Weils said it. I nodded at Weils, following Kyou after.

Claeron sits on the front with Weils. There's a gap inside between the carriage and the front seat divided by half wooden wall which makes us can see them on the front from shoulders to upside if it doesn't covered by anythjng. Then, there's a thin cloth used as a cover. Long seatings on both sides inside the carriage. Ofcourse, made from wood. But there are some [Hays] tied together neatly on top of it which intended to give more comfort for the passengers. Which is nice. I sat on the right, Kyou on the left. he didn't bring out any weapon by then. After that, the carriage started to move. The sounds of the horseshoe clanking the dirt can be heard from the front. And the march towards the [Orc] settlement, started. I'm looking at the back of the carriage as it moves.

"So.", Kyou opened up. "Do you have any other weapons than that black [Blade]?", he asked. I turned my face at his direction when he asked.

"Not much. For now, just some throwing daggers.", I replied.

"I see.", he leaned his back against the wall with eyes closed when he answered. He opened them back after, looking at me with a curious looks that trying to ask me something but he held it back.

"What?", I asked in a plain expression.

"Hmph!", he snorted with a smirk. "Nothing.", he shaked his head while smiling.

"Uh. Okay?", I turned my head after replying him. I look at the gate which passed and getting further away from us.

"Why throwing daggers?", he asked suddenly after some time. I turned my face back looking at him.

"Nothing special. I just don't know what to use, for now.", I answered.

"Hmm?", he mumbled with thinking pose. "You know that you could learn [Skills] by training yourself on the spoken subject, right?", he asked.

"Train?", I asked in wonder.

"Uh-huh.", he nodded. "Like, if you swing a [Sword] and trained with it for sometime, you will get a [Sword mastery] like [Skill] with you. Though you mastered it or not, the [Art] of swinging the [Sword] is another problem.", he explained.

"Hooo. I see.", I attentively hearing his explanation. "So it's like a [Style], [Stance] or anything related is different from mastering the weapon mastery?", I asked to confirm.

"Yes, indeed.", he raised his shoulders as he answered. "Though the gap can between experienced and inexperienced individual can be closed with a [Skill] which comes after the mastery. To obtain a [Skill] that can be used actively, the requirements my vary. But, the downside of a [Skill] is just, there is some specific time needed to use it again after using it. But, you can imitate the moves.", he explained more.

"So it was like a 'cooldown'?, I asked.

"Coolda-what?", he asked back. He doesn't understand the word.

"No. Nevermind.", I shaked my head. "So, after using a [Skill], we can use the same [skill] again after some time, correct?", I asked to confirm.

"Uh- Okay.", he bent his head a little in a carefree way. "Uh-huh. Somewhat like that.", he answered.

"But, Imitating the moves?", I wondered.

"Yes.", he nodded once. "We imitate the moves from the [skills], but the output depends on how your bodyworks are done. You can make it moves faster, or even slower with different power of force. Meanwhile, by using a skill, you need to limit the [Skill]-'s level to reduce the output. Since [Skills] will activated the maximum potential of your current state, body, mind, weapons, and any other related stuffs. Like when you hit me with those [Energy blades] back at the training area.", he explained.

"Uh-.. what?", I was confused by the very end of his explanation.

"What, what?", he asked.

"[Energy Blades]?", I asked back.

"Uh?", he also confused. "Don't tell me you don't even know how that last [Skill] worked.", he said. I shaked my head sever times innocently.

"Ugh.", he facepalmed himself. "When we camp tonight near the [Orc Forest], I'll tell you more about that.", he shaked his head and then, he began lying down on the seat, resting himself.

"Tehee. Okay, Kyou senpai!", I am getting hyped by his words.

"Awh shut up!", he flicked his tongue before saying it. Then, the journey to the [Orc Forest], continues.