We told Mable everything about our situation.

And…

What’s up with this?

She came up with a countermeasure for everything.

All kinds of curses from that guy…

All of Cana’s minions…

And even three different methods to fight someone who turns into fog!

I should be happy that we gained such a powerful and intelligent ally…

But…

Just…

Just who WAS she in her previous life?!

An army commander?

A mafia boss?

A professional interrogator?

She won’t tell me when I ask!

‘Let the past be the past’.

That’s all she says.

Ugh…

Fine…

Let’s just stop thinking about it…

She’s my ally now, and that’s all that matters.

“So? Anything else?”

“I… think that’s everything. Wow…”

Even Ignis is amazed.

Well, of course she would be.

No matter what kind of weird curse she came up with, Mable had an idea on how to deal with it.

Seriously…

Should I call her admiral ape now?

Or the gorilla commander?

“Well, then that’s that. Now we just need to wait for them to come to us.”

But I guess even she can’t predict where their new base would be.

Though, she did say she had a hunch…

“Yeah… so, what now? Are we finally gonna go and turn in that quest?”

Right…

We should do that, shouldn’t we?

It’s been delayed long enough.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

“I guess I’m going with you, since you are my ‘guards’ and all.”

Oh right…

That was our setting to get in here.

So if we were to leave all by ourselves…

That wouldn’t really work, would it?

“Alright! Off to the guild!”

And so, we left.

We met that old woman on our way, but she didn’t really approach us.

She just stared at me with a frown.

What is it?

Are my cat ears bothering you?

Well, don’t worry.

They are fake.

This time, there are students running around.

I guess the classes finished and now they are on a break.

But with students running around, that means…

“Oi there gorilla! Where’s your princess?”

Ah, bullies.

The biggest human failures, who think kicking others down makes them better.

Truly, the worst parasites of human society.

“What’s this? You brought along some real cuties!”

Hmm?

Wait, I recognize them.

This guy…

He’s the one I met when I was on my guarding mission.

I think his name was Greg…?

Well, whatever.

Didn’t I scare him off with cat soul last time?

Why is he picking a fight again?

I thought he would learn from that.

“Get lost, Greg!”

“Oh, man! Are those cat ears under that cat?! I’ve never seen a beast girl! She would make a nice pet!”

…

If I remember correctly, I still owe you eight punches into the face, don’t I?

Well, let’s just add three more for what you just said.

“The hell are you! Get away from us, creep!”

Yeah, you tell him, Ignis!

And you Kuro, hiss more!

…

Not that it’s gonna have any effect, though.

“Look at YOU, dressing up as a mage! Come on! Show me some magic tricks!”

…

Did he just give Ignis a permission to burn him?

Wrong move, boy.

She’s already firing up.

“If it’s magic tricks you wanna see…! Gah?!”

Ah…

The hug machine pacified her again.

Too bad…

“Calm down… don’t murder them.”

…

I guess Mable is right.

We should calm down.

I mean…

Even if they are complete human failures worth less than a dead cockroach…

Murder is just not goo-

“Nina, you murder them instead!”

Oi.

Weren’t you supposed to be the voice of reason?!

“Burning them is too messy! It’s easier to dispose of the bodies if they are killed by poison!”

…

Well, you aren’t wrong, but what the heck?!

Seriously?!

I really don’t like the dark expression you have on your face right now!

“What’re you mumbling about?”

…

Nothing.

Let us proceed.

Cat soul.

Activate.

That’s right.

I remember now.

Last time we met, I was in a disguise.

That’s why you didn’t recognize me.

“W-wha-”

But now, you do.

So, do you still want to make me into your pet?

“Y-you…?”

Well, I said this last time as well, but…

“Scram.”

And just like mice chased by a cat, they desperately ran away.

That’s what I like to see.

“Aw, you didn’t kill them…”

Shut up, you!

If you want them dead so badly, then do it yourself!

I mean…

They are noble kids!

If I do anything to them, I’m gonna be a wanted criminal!

It’s not worth it!

Hmm…?

Ignis?

What’s wrong?

I’m glad you aren’t scared like these bully-shaped chickens from earlier, but…

Why do you look so concerned?

Hey, don’t avoid my gaze!

Tell me what’s wrong!

“Well, let’s just go now…”

Fine…

Whatever.

I’m sure she’ll get over it.

We walked outside the school grounds past the gate guard and continued to the guild.

Before reaching it though, Mable separated from us, saying she had some stuff to do.

And so, we went on without her.

Once we arrived at the guild, we made our way straight to the same receptionist, who we accepted the quest at.

“Oh? You two? Didn’t you accept a quest few days ago?”

“Yeah, about that.”

“What? Don’t tell me you failed!”

“What? No! We finished it!”

“… huh? Wait… Do I have the right people?”

The woman held her head and browsed through her papers.

“Ignis and Nina, right?”

Oh, she remembers our names.

“Yeah…?”

“Sorry… I think I made some kind of mistake…”

Huh?

“What? What mistake?”

“Well… I mistakenly gave you a quest to subjugate a blue ogre near Rennie village…. so, ummm, what was the quest you actually did?”

What are you talking about?

“What? But that’s the quest we did!”

“… look here, there’s no way you got there, defeated that ogre and came back this quickly.”

Oooh, so that’s what this is about.

Well, I get what she means.

If we were to go by carriage, it would take at least a few more days.

But that doesn’t apply to Nina express!

“Well, we have the proof!”

Ignis reaches into her item bag and pulls out some paper.

It’s the confirmation of completed request from the Rennie village’s chief.

The receptionist takes it and reads through it.

Huh?

I didn’t even know we got that.

I thought the ‘proof’ was meant to be the ogre.

“… indeed, it doesn’t seem to be fake.”

That’s right.

Now stop trying to find grammar errors in that text and give us our reward.

“So, what did you do with the ogre?”

“We have it with us!(You do have it, right?)”

What’s with that uncertain whisper?

Of course I do!

…

Well not me.

This cat on my head does.

“You have the ogre…? Oh, I see. You have item bags.”

“Yeah.”

“Hmmm, then could you take it out now?”

I don’t think that’s a good idea.

There isn’t enough space for the whole ogre.

“Well? What are you waiting for?”

“We have the whole ogre… you know?”

“… then let us move to the dismantling room.”

Yep, let’s do that.

We move to a big warehouse-like room through a door in the guild and she points us at a big empty table in the corner.

I poke Kuro to synchronize with me and pretend to pull out the ogre from my bag while he brings it out with his skill.

“… are you kidding me?”

What?

Did you doubt we had it?

“Marty! Gasan!”

She yells at two guys sitting in the opposite corner and they come over.

She then tells them to start dismantling the giant mass of blue flesh before turning to me.

“Well, I heard you needed to complete a C rank quest to be promoted to C rank. So, congratulations! You’ve been promoted to C rank!”

Yay.

Finally.

I feel like it’s long overdue…

…

Huh?

I’m being arrogant?

No no, there’s a difference between arrogance and confidence!

“Congrats, partner! Now that we are both C rank, we can be rivals for real!”

Partner or rival?

Which one do you want me to be?

Is it even possible to be both?

I don’t get you.

“Hey, what’s this? What happened to it?”

A voice came from one of the men dismantling the ogre.

He was pointing at the black spots on the ogre’s skin.

It’s left shoulder, back and head.

Oh…

Those are the spots I shot when I was in panther soul mode…

It left a mark.

“… secret.”

But I won’t tell them that!

I can’t just blurt out a detailed description of my abilities to everyone!

How does the saying go?

A smart cat keeps her claws hidden!

…

Or was it a hawk?

Eh, whatever…

“Is that so…”

Yep.

Not telling anything.

Hmm?

What’s up Ignis?

You look nervous looking at those black… spots…

Oh…

Bad memories, huh?

Don’t worry…

I won’t use panther soul again…

Well, unless I’m in a pinch, that is.

We then walked back to the guild and I finally got an official rank up.

A shiny new C rank adventurer’s card!

Let the adventures begin!

…

After we deal with sir cursealot, of course.