“With introductions settled, we should have thine full capabilities measured immediately! Dost anybody know if Winny the Priestess is in the area?!” Eugus asks as he looks around him.

“I am here, Guild Master.”

Suddenly coming up from the side, the same light purple girl who was staring at me earlier approaches Eugus in a calm manner with her arms in her sleeves. Suddenly remembering her 85E bust from my perverted ‘Size Up’ skill, I try not to linger my eyes around that area.

“You require my assistance to measure Master Kotori’s Innate Stat Ranking, yes?”

“Indeed, but, Master Kotori, Winny?”

“I have my reasons.”

“What’s this ‘Innate Stat Ranking?’” I ask.

“My name is Winny, an Arch Imp Priestess, and black-ranked adventurer of my two-member party, ‘Phasing Moon.’ It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Master Jinma Kotori,” she introduces formally while bowing her head.

“Uh, likewise, Ms. Winny.”

“As for the ‘Innate Stat Ranking,’ it is a measure of your being that reflects your performance in battles as well as your daily living. There are six categories: Strength, Intelligence, Dexterity, Vitality, Endurance, and Charm. With the Immortals generous enough to provide assistance through their monument and using me as a bridge between the Mortal and Sacred Realms, we would see how the Immortals from above rank your prowess among those categories. It is through these measures that the guild master will decide what rank you’ll be as an adventurer. Because of the convenience and using the immortals’ precious time as well as the guild master’s, we professionally trained Priests and Priestesses who maintain the churches scattered around Padimon charge 20,000 karos per person; otherwise, registering in the guild normally and starting at the very bottom as a white-rank only costs 500 karos per person.”

“Wow, that’s quite a jump.”

“Of course. Depending on one’s rank, adventurers receive discounts for services at the guild-approved shops and inns, and they’d avoid going through all the efforts of doing numerous quests to get to where they’d currently be. They are also able to enter cities without paying for toll since the quests you’ll take will help the people and the guild itself. There are times, however, that even if the person has the money to pay for the convenience fee, they’d still not wind up as high a rank as they might expect under the Immortals’ eyes, and ultimately displeases the guild master. That’s why the one registering must prove himself worthy to spend some of the guild master’s and Immortals’ times, like what you just did pulling up all those monsters through your [Storage] Null Spell. They can’t just go up and ask for the guild master to witness it, either. They’d have to be recommended by at least one adventurer of high rank, or one with special connections to even catch the guild master’s attention. Honestly, if you hadn’t stopped Guild Master the way you did with Ms. Kalline’s word not bearing fruit, I was going to step in and vouch for you as a black rank adventurer and my place in the churches as a Holy Bishop.”

“Really?”

“I sensed a powerful presence before you even walked through those doors, and though I didn’t watch you last night, I felt something from you at quite a far distance from the square, which was completely different compared to now. When I saw you with my own eyes, I knew right away that you’re not among average adventurers. I daresay you’re more powerful than me at my level of magic.”

“Stronger than even thee, Winny?” Eugus asks her, to which she nods in response. “And thou hast traveled how far from thy home, Mr. Kotori?”

“I’m from … overseas.” I admit that isn’t true, but it isn’t completely false, either.

Eugus strokes what’s left of his beard while thinking. “Could this be a blessing to run into someone like him so soon or a sign of a foreboding disaster?” he mutters to himself before glancing over to Ms. Umeiyon standing next to me. “And thou art looking to register as an adventurer as well?”

“Is it possible to just have my Innate Stat Ranking measured and not go any further? Will there be anything else revealed to the public by the Immortals’ wills?”

“It is possible, but thou would still need to pay the fee to acquire this service. The only other things revealed along with thy true prowess is thy name, race, and current class.”

“True prowess, race, and class … is there any other way to have my adventurer’s rank be determined?”

“Well, there art guild examiners who can evaluate thy fighting capabilities, and what rank thee will get depends on that and who is willing to fight thee. This is called the Fight Evaluation Ranking. There is a fee of 10,000 karos for taking up the guild examiner’s time, but thankfully, whether thou choose that or the Innate Stat Ranking, the money required for normal registration is no longer required. Thou will have already paid quite the sum when thou art evaluated and measured.”

“I see. In that case, Jinma Kotori may have himself evaluated through the Immortals and get his adventurer’s rank first. I will then fight—”

“No,” I cut in before Ms. Umeiyon could finish.

She looks at me with surprise and confusion for a moment before patting a fist to her hand as if she understood. “I see. Even though you’ll be my mate, you don’t have to worry about me. I will not hold anything against you coming at me full strength as I will do the same.”

““Mate?!”” I guess everyone in the guild heard her, including the girls who’re with us. I had to hold myself back from groaning or flinching being called her mate again.

“That’s not the issue. I’ll fight if I need to, but I’d rather avoid fighting needlessly if I had the choice. I don’t want to get involved with someone who’d fight me with such a pointless reason like ‘proving one’s strength.’ They can bother someone else for that.”

“And yet, not even five minutes ago, thou were willing to fight the guild master, my uncle, to do such a thing,” Ms. Gallofree retorts with a quirked brow.

“Hey, I thought he was talking you down for judging me wrong. I wanted to back you up, I didn’t even know the two of you were related. Anyway, I’m talking about being pointless if they approach me for a fight to prove themselves, there’s a difference between who starts and who receives.”

“That aside, I would not even allow the two of thee to fight each other, or any pairing where both are potentially becoming adventurers of the same party,” Eugus intervenes. “It must be done with someone who is already registered.”

Ms. Umeiyon clicks her tongue at the decline. I guess she doesn’t want to risk her true identity be revealed through the Immortals’ evaluation, especially if the ranks are high enough to cause panic within the city. I’m glad to know she’s being conscious of that much even though she may not understand the common sense outside of her own just yet.

“My older twin brother may be able to spar with you for your evaluation,” Ms. Winny suddenly says. “He’s unfortunately dumb enough to not realize what he’ll get into until it hits him in the face, but Brother will take any excuse to fight so long as it would help make him stronger. Is that okay with you, Ms. Umeiyon?”

“… Is he a black rank like yourself?”

“Brother is red, two ranks below me, but it’s still high enough to consider one a veteran adventurer.”

Wait, but he’s the older twin brother, right? Is he the other member of her party? Shouldn’t they be in the same rank right now if they’ve done quests together up to this point?

“I guess that will do for now,” Ms. Umeiyon says while shrugging.

“So, one Innate Stat Ranking and one Fight Evaluation Ranking. Unless both of thee will pay for thine selves, it will be a total of 30,000 karos,” Eugus says.

Volunteering to pay for both of us, I take 3 gold coins from my [Storage] and pass it to Eugus.

“Raize, have a guild examiner prepared for Umeiyon on our return.”

“Yes, Guild Master, and I guess I’ll see you later, Mr. Jinma?”

“Uh, yeah, sure.”

With that, Ms. Raize leaves while the rest of the patrons talk amongst themselves.

“Oh, right, I should probably store the monsters back to be dealt with later—”

“Please wait, Master!”

“?!” Surprised, I turn around and see Ren and Erizora quickly approaching me

“And the two of thee art …?” Eugus trails off in a question.

“Ren of the White Werewolves and Erizora of the Ogres, reporting for duty as Master Jinma Kotori’s slaves, Guild Master, sir,” Ren introduces as she and Erizora stand at salute side by side.

“… Ah, you two were with him last night, right? I was wondering why you were sticking around. I’m not very familiar with this custom, but you are basically Jinma Kotori’s servants, yes?” Ms. Umeiyon asks.

“Yes, ma’am! We were just redeemed as Master’s first official slaves less than an hour ago! Which is why, Master! Please give us the order of dismantling your monsters while you have your ‘Innate Stat Ranking’ be judged! Eri and I are properly trained in the ‘Dismantling’ skill for this task and assure that you will get the most of this game to be sold to the guild!”

“Dismantling, huh?” I do recall Ms. Obina mentioning how places use Mon Crystals as energy sources of sorts and I assume they have values that vary between monsters. Not only that, but the materials from the game could be used for a variety of things.

Normally, I’d want to dismantle this stuff with them so I could learn the skill and speed up the process while not leaving them with all of the work; however, if we want to make the most of our time today getting everything done and if I’m going to be these girls’ leader of the adventuring party as well as their owner, I should probably start acting like them.

“Guild Master, is there a work station of sorts where they can do their dismantling?” I ask Eugus.

“There art stations at the very right corner as thou get to the training grounds. They art open to anyone to use when they art vacant.”

“Then, I will leave the dismantling to you two while I’m gone. Please get whatever you can out of them.”

“Yes, Master! Looks like we got our first job work cut out for us, Eri. Let’s start moving the bodies to the station,” Ren says.

“Right.” Erizora then lugs the Toxic Troll corpse over her shoulder with ease, despite the smell, before picking up one of the Horned Boars to carry under her free arm. She heads to the back with both, but then stops before turning around. “I almost forgot, but you were meeting Ms. Umeiyon to discuss with her being your mate, right, Master? You have my congratulations.”

“Ah, yes! It’s impressive you have already won the hearts of two beautiful females wanting to be your wives within a day, as expected of Master! You can be sure that we will give full support to your matrimonies!”

“It hasn’t been decided yet! Don’t jump to conclusions that quickly!” Also, two wives? Are they referring to Ms. Tephalia as the other one? I thought we already cleared up to take it slow with that? Shit, now I’m getting death stares from some of the people here … actually, don’t that group of humans over there look like they want to kill me?

Great … more bothersome people I have to avoid, and one of them is a woman on top of it. Hope the girls don’t get into any trouble with them.

~~

With our tasks set, Eugus and Ms. Winny lead the way to the church where I’d be measured in my ‘Innate Stat Ranking’ first.

“I can understand Ms. Umeiyon wanting to come along, but why art thou joining us, Ms. Lili?” [Kalline]

“Well, seeing him in action last night, I’m curious to see what his full potential is. I’m just glad Mr. Gallofree and Ms. Winny sees us enough as Jinma’s acquaintances to allow us to come along, since this is a seriously private deal. I’m also wanting to know more of the story with Ms. Umeiyon being Jinma’s new ‘mate.’” [Lili]

“I admit, I am rather curious of that myself, among other things.” [Kalline]

Meanwhile, Ms. Gallofree, Lili, and Ms. Umeiyon walk in front of me talking among themselves like I’m not here as I’m walking a couple paces behind the group.

“It is as you’ve heard. Jinma Kotori will be my mate, and as such, his worries and businesses will also be my own, and I will be listening in on what the fuss is about.” [Umeiyon]

“… Jinma, you better explain what the hell is going on soon,” Lili says while looking over her shoulder and furrowing her six eyes.

“I’ll … explain what I can when we have a moment to ourselves.”

Nyra asks.

You have nooooooo idea. I wonder if my ridiculously high defenses will be enough to prepare me for what lies ahead.

~~

“Thou used thy ‘Magic Sense’ on them, right? How do those two measure?” Eugus asks Winny in a whisper as they walk far enough ahead to be out of the others’ hearing.

“I wasn’t lying when I said Master Kotori’s stronger than me in magic, but what was most peculiar was his magical aura.”

“Thou mean what differentiates between the three kin?”

Winny nods. “One would expect him to have the same kind of aura as other humans, but … his aura resembles all of the three kin.”

“Is that even possible?”

“The only other similar case I’ve seen in my life is the Ogre slave earlier, that was a surprise for me. Though she has a little magic affinity, she bears both auras of a Demon-Kin and Human-Kin.”

“That is surprising. And what of Umeiyon, the Lizardman?”

“That’s just it. She’s the most peculiar one as I don’t sense any of the three kin’s auras from her at all. Also, whatever Master Kotori did to afflict ‘stun’ on you and the other adventurers at the guild, she did not flinch in the slightest. I did, however, happen to see her sending one of the infiltrators from last night flying with just one punch.”

“… It seems we have quite the strange ones this time around,” Eugus concludes. He then thinks about how one or both of the soon-to-be adventurers may be what he exactly needs for the ‘important matter’ that was dropped on his lap before his return.