kscans

Chapter 17 - Rare Skill

"I should check, just in case. Are you two dating? Okita Hajime-kun."

Hmm, she knows.

"Okita Hajime? Why would you think that?"

"Kaede was unusually protective of you. The person she's been closest to recently is her university senior, Okita Hajime-kun. And your Status Card matches Okita Hajime-kun's in both level and skills. That includes the ridiculous skill level of Swordsmanship Level 5. It took me, a former A-rank adventurer, eight years to finally reach that level. As if there would be two rookies who have it. What's more, yesterday, Okita Hajime-kun submitted a transfer request to the Shibuya branch as if he were running away. You get it, don't you?"

Yeah, I get it! It's suspicious!

"Hee hee, I see. But reaching level 5 in eight years is quite good, isn't it? I've been swinging a sword since I was old enough to understand things. And yet, I'm still stuck at 5. Well, I have been out of practice for eight years."

"You'd do well to remember this, rookie. The difficulty of learning skills in the Frontier and over here is completely different. It's faster in the Frontier, of course."

I should have trained in the Frontier.

"Is that so? Hmm, then I should just study and practice in the Frontier."

"It's dangerous, though."

Well, there are monsters.

"Hee hee hee."

"You are Okita Hajime-kun, aren't you?"

"Who can say?"

Kaede-chan, hurry back. I don't know if I should spill the beans.

"Worried about Kaede?"

This is hopeless.

"This is not my fault. It's Kaede-chan's fault. Yes, Kaede-chan's fault."

"So it is you... You're not going to fix the way you speak?"

"I'll probably slip up, so I'll stick with this for a while. Mysterioooous!"

"...That's probably for the best."

Guild Master-san looked down and to the side.

"So? Are you dating?"

"That's personal information."

"She's like a little sister to me."

What's that supposed to mean.

"We are not dating."

"Hmm, what about in the future?"

"Once I have enough money to live the rest of my life without working, I'd want her to become a stay at home wife... I guess?"

A housewife who only buys pre-made side dishes.

"I see... Well, whatever. I should hurry up and find a boyfriend myself. I don't want my little sister figure to beat me to it."

So that's what this is about. I thought she was vetting a bad influence on her little sister, but it's about herself.

"Excuse me."

As I was listening to the Guild Master-san's sad resolve, Kaede-chan returned to the room carrying a basket. She placed the basket on the table.

"Okita-kun, I need you to check all of these."

Guild Master-san pushed the basket that was on the table towards me.

"Call me Eleanor Ocean."

"...Senpai."

Kaede-chan's eyes were cold.

"Kaede, this is your mistake. An adventurer's transfer requires my permission. Naturally, I check their rank and skills. I found out right away."

"That's right, that's right. It's your fault."

It's not my fault.

"I was sure of it when I saw you anxiously glancing at Kaede just now."

"It's senpai's fault. No doubt about it."

Is it? I'd say it's eighty twenty you.

"Well, let's put that aside. It was something we needed to know. More importantly, I need you to check these."

"There are so many. And this is personal information."

"It's just us in here."

It's not a crime if you don't get caught, I see.

"What a pain."

"What happened to your tone?"

Oh, right.

Mindful of my speech, I decided to check the other people's Status Cards.

"Everyone's level is so low. There isn't a single one over level 10."

I took the Status Cards from the basket one by one to check them, but so far, the highest was stuck at 7. The most skills anyone had was four.

"This branch is unpopular. Well, that's only for now."

"Is that so?"

"That's the plan."

Hmm, good luck with that.

I continued checking the Status Cards, but there were really only weaklings. Well, they were still higher level than me, but there were only a few strong ones here and there. Most were rookies or barely above rookie level.

"It really is unpopular. Why don't you try making some effort, like improving the receptionists like other guilds do?"

I suggested while checking the cards.

"We don't have the money for that. Besides, just being in Tokyo makes us one of the winners. The regional guilds are much worse off."

"Hey? Are there not many adventurers? I had the impression there were more."

"Many people have a license. Even students can get one, and as you know, the screening process is ridiculously lax. But everyone quits. The number of active adventurers in Japan is only about ten thousand."

Monsters... The public is excited about adventurers, but it's a fact that people get killed or injured. In a prosperous country like this, people would normally choose a safe job.

"Hmm..."

I froze as I looked at one Status Card.

"What is it?"

"Senpai?"

--------------------
Name: Yokokawa Nanaka
Level: 8
Job: Mage
Skills:
≪Fire Magic Lv2≫
☆≪Clairvoyance Lv1≫
--------------------

Hmm, there it is.

"Here. This person."

I handed the Status Card to the Guild Master-san.

"Yokokawa? Oh, that girl."

"It's Nanaka-chan, isn't it."

It seemed they both knew her.

"You know her?"

I asked, just in case.

"She was promising. She became an adventurer in her third year of high school and got to this point in just a few months."

"But she stopped coming once she went to college."

Well, college life is fun.

"Did she come here before graduating high school?"

"Yes, she did."

Hmm.

"This girl didn't study for her entrance exams, did she."

"That's right. She was always here on weekends... But she said she got into a pretty good university."

"I'm sure she did."

She has Clairvoyance, after all.

"Okita-kun, what is Yokokawa's skill?"

"Eleanor Ocean."

"...Eleanor, what is Yokokawa's skill?"

The Guild Master-san asked again, looking annoyed.

"Clairvoyance. Unlimited cheating potential."

Nice. I mean, it's a good thing a girl got it. Damn it! I want a Clairvoyance Potion!

"Clairvoyance, huh."

"No one would report that. Especially not a student preparing for exams..."

No one would.

"She's the only one in this guild. There are no others."

After checking all the Status Cards, I pushed the basket on the table forward.

"Guild Master-san, what should we do?"

"Hmm, she hasn't been coming recently, has she?"

"No. It's common for people to stop coming after a change in environment."

A college life without having to study must be really fun.

"I'll ask Yokokawa about it. We have leverage over her. She'll likely comply quietly."

She probably cheated, and she wouldn't want to lose that advantage.

"It seems likely there are others in other branches."

"The high-rankers are suspicious. That said, we can't check other guilds."

"Um... Shouldn't we stop senpai's transfer?"

"...You think so too?"

The two of them were talking with serious faces.

"Why? Explain it so I can understand too."

I don't want to be left out!

"It means there's a possibility that other guilds are checking like we are now. In that case, Okita-kun's Alchemy will be exposed."

I see...

"I think so too. The reason this... rare skill? hasn't come to light until now is probably because each branch is hiding it without reporting to headquarters, isn't it?"

That's possible. The fact that it hasn't appeared on the internet in this day and age probably means someone is keeping it under wraps.

"You're right. If I was found out this quickly, other people would be too."

"No, senpai, you're a special case. Because you're an idiot."

"Kaede-chan, want to drink this?"

I took a Sleeping Potion out of my bag.

"Stop trying to make me sleep. Stop trying to touch my boobs."

Why does she just assume I'm going to touch her boobs? I think that's slander. But I probably would touch them.

"Save the lovers' quarrel for later... Eleanor, I'm sorry, but Okita-kun's transfer is off."

Goodbye, former gravure idol receptionist. Sorry, but I have Kaede-chan.

"What about the linked Status Cards?"

"I'm in charge of managing the Status Cards. There's an annual audit from the government, but I'll hide it."

A bold declaration of misconduct. Not that it's new at this point.

"I don't care if I'm in Shibuya or here, so that's fine with me."

"Senpai, please make sure to come to my desk."

"Yes, yes."

I'll come to your desk even if you don't tell me to.

"Alright! Eleanor, I want to move on to the next topic. Let's talk business, the main issue."

Money! Hurry up and buy my stuff!