## Chapter 110 – Soul Ascension Match
After that utter mess, we finally managed to show our faces at the guild late in the afternoon.
“Alright, here’s the 50 coppers reward for the sewer quest… Hmm? What’s this?”
“Is something wrong?”
The guild employee, who was handing over the coins, checked the document and then looked at me. Was there a problem? He adjusted his monocle, seemed to examine me for a moment, and then returned his gaze to the document in his hand.
“It seems you’ll be getting promoted to D-rank soon.”
That’s what he said.
“Huh? What did you say?”
For a moment, I thought I’d misheard, and my vision started to blur.
Promoted to D-rank?
“I said you’ll be promoted to D-rank.”
“Ah, goddamn? No, that’s not it. Really?”
Promotion? Me?
I was quite taken aback by the shocking truth that had been revealed so suddenly. Of course, I thought that someone with my skills would become D-rank in the near future, but I didn’t expect the opportunity to come so quickly.
My heart pounded, and I felt nervous.
The employee handed me the document and explained.
“Significant contribution to the ogre subjugation, it says here. A very high score has been assigned. The ogre subjugation, that was the one from last time, right? The one you did with the young lady?”
“Ah, yes. There was such a thing.”
Come to think of it, there was an ogre subjugation.
To be honest, the success of that mission was almost entirely due to my efforts (bullshit). Hmm, I guess with that much contribution, it wouldn’t be strange to have accumulated quite a bit of experience.
“It seems you have considerable skill to have made such a contribution there. Anyway, it seems that if you succeed in just one more E-rank quest, you’ll be promoted right away.”
“Heh, heh…”
The employee started praising me.
I couldn’t help but let out an uncontrollable laugh.
“Hehehe… Hahaha!”
That’s right.
I, Kim Katter, was actually a goddamn prodigy.
It’s a story that others don’t know well, but I had the unbelievable, transcendent experience of being a full-term sergeant in the army from the front lines of engineering, and even trained in Taekwondo, the long-standing traditional martial art of the Korean people, up to the 3rd dan. There was no need to mention that I had survived in this other world until now.
“Hoo-ah, hahahahahahaha!!!”
It was only natural that I would become a D-rank adventurer at such a young age.
Yes, of course. There’s a saying, “the right person in the right place.” Placing the right talent in the right position is exactly what this meant.
“Haaㅡ! Hahahahahahaha!!!!!”
The memories of being a foreign worker, marked by hardship, flashed through my mind. Goodbye, my beautiful memories of E-rank. And welcome, world of D-rank.
“Katter. Don’t laugh like an idiot.”
As if pouring cold water on the atmosphere, Claudia gently struck the top of my head with the edge of her hand. The blow brought me back to my senses, and I looked at the employee’s face. He was smiling awkwardly, probably embarrassed by my sudden outburst of laughter.
“Ahem. You’ve calmed down now, I see. So, as it happens, there’s a suitable one here, would you like to try it? There’s a party currently looking for members for an E-rank quest.”
“Oh, what kind of quest is it?”
Having calmed down my soaring tension, I resolved to rise above this opportunity and become D-rank.
There are several benefits to becoming D-rank.
F-rank is just a throwaway rank that gives you insignificant jobs and tells you to build up your experience and trust on your own. E-rank offers some degree of rights protection, but that’s about it.
Becoming a true “guild member” of the Adventurer’s Guild starts from D-rank, which can be considered a veteran adventurer.
For example, the guild provides benefits such as [minor] loans and creating [savings accounts]. This is because trust has been built. Therefore, they also arrange high-paying quests with silver-level commissions.
It’s a dangerous job, but wasn’t being an adventurer all about making a living by doing tough jobs? That’s how it is. Those with experience and trust can be entrusted with more dangerous, but important tasks.
The employee continued his explanation.
“Yes. It’s a request from the Magic Tower to collect Confeito, lumpy-shaped fruits. Confeito is often used as a magical ingredient. There’s a party that hasn’t filled all its positions yet.”
Confeito, I’ve heard of it.
The fruit, which looks like a starburst candy, is said to be used as an ingredient in various magical potions. If it’s a simple gathering quest and E-rank, it shouldn’t be too difficult.
I should quickly finish it and get promoted.
“How many members is the party looking for?”
“Hmm, it’s a 4-person party, so there’s only one spot left. Would you like to do it? Then I’ll put your name down here.”
“Huh? Only one spot?”
“Is there a problem?”
I turned to look at Claudia. If there’s only one spot, she can’t come with me.
She looked at my face and said with a smile.
“I’m fine. You could say it’s an opportunity to prove your skills, right? Go. It’ll only be a day or two anyway. I’ll be waiting.”
“R-really? Can you be okay without me, Claudia? I’m worried.”
“What do you take me for, a child? Hehe. I’ll be a little lonely, though.”
She says she’s okay, so I should go.
I’m not okay… Without Claudia, I’m just a Meat Club Man at best, right? Sigh, I’m a little uneasy, but this is a promotion match. I must complete it. I don’t want to disappoint Claudia.
Having made up my mind, I replied.
“Yes. Then I’ll take it. Can you tell me the names of the party members?”
“They’re all E-rank, the party leader is Custo, and the others are Serka and Roel.”
If they’re all E-rank, it should be fine.
I roughly understood that and accepted the quest. The meeting place is in front of the Adventurer’s Guild tomorrow morning, so I should start preparing for the expedition now.
According to the additional explanation, the place where Confeito grows naturally is a bit far away, so I should be prepared to camp out for five out of ten days.
The number of Confeito to be brought back as requested is 10 in total.
The commission is said to be 60 coppers per person. So, they’re giving a reward of 24 coppers per fruit? It seems to have great value, but I was convinced when they added that there are many monsters around.
Anyway, it’s been a long time since I’ve done a quest with complete strangers.
…Surely nothing will go wrong.
Even when Claudia wasn’t around, I ate well and lived well on my own.
“Katter, you know what happens if you fail, right? I’ll be very disappointed.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll definitely succeed. Even if I have to die, I’ll definitely succeed. You don’t have to worry about that part.”
“No, you can’t die.”
I guess I have to get promoted no matter what, even for Claudia’s sake.
I went straight to the general store and bought the usual things. Nothing special, just camping supplies, emergency items, and dried food. I even packed some jerky… Since I’m becoming D-rank, should I buy some new equipment?
For now, the equipment I have is a quilted armor called a Gambeson, which looks like a padded jacket, a steel breastplate that I’ve been using since I killed the bandit, a pair of gauntlets I bought from the blacksmith, and greaves from the Salvation Heaven Church.
I wear a sword belt with a bastard sword, and on the other side, I have a canteen and a multi-purpose pouch. Finally, I have a cloak that I bought a while ago on top of that. The cloak couldn’t withstand the ravages of time and tore, becoming shorter. I should call it a cape.
If there’s anything else I can buy here, it’s a pauldron to protect my shoulders.
“Claudia. Let’s stop by the blacksmith for a moment.”
“Is there something you want to buy?”
“My shoulders feel a bit empty. I need to buy a pauldron. A man needs shoulders.”
What I found was an armor specialty store. I went inside the blacksmith’s attached store, where armors were lined up, and a muscular blacksmith greeted me.
“Welcome, friend. What are you here to buy?”
“Do you have any good pauldrons?”
“Everything here is good. Take your pick.”
I looked around the store with Claudia, who was showing great interest in the displayed armors.
Plate armor and chainmail. And leather armor and various mysterious armors were all mixed together. I wanted plate armor so badly I was going crazy.
Looking at these things, I couldn’t help but feel an irresistible urge to buy them. Men are such pathetic creatures that no matter how old they get, they’re obsessed with swords and armor.
And while looking around at the armor, I discovered something amazing.
“Oh, oh! What’s this!”
“Huh? What is it?”
“This is bikini armor!”
What caught my eye was, no joke, real bikini armor!
A bra and panties made of gray scales!
It was a maniacal underwear that was definitely not armor.
“Mister! What is this!”
Horrified, I pointed to the hideous bikini armor worn by the female torso mannequin and called out to the owner. He approached with a very satisfied face and said with a smile.
“That’s my masterpiece. How about it? Won’t you buy it?”
What the hell are you talking about!
“No, why would anyone buy this? Wouldn’t a woman wearing something like this just get hit by a sword or teeth and die?”
“I hear that often, but that’s only for weak people.”
“Huh? Weak people? What the hell are you talking about?”
The blacksmith, expressing his doubts, explained to me that armor of this sexy form is not worn by ordinary women, but by high-level women who can strengthen their bodies using mana.
Since they can strengthen their bodies with mana to protect their skin, the form of the armor doesn’t really matter. It sounds plausible at first glance, but if that’s the case, it would be more efficient to just wear armor and use mana elsewhere.
“That’s why knightesses often wear them.”
He was rambling on about that kind of explanation as if he was making excuses for his hideous hobby. Bikini armor was just a decoration with no practical use, but his explanation was that there was some demand for it.
“Claudia, do you think that makes sense? Fighting in something like that?”
I asked the opinion of the female warrior right next to me.
“Hmm, it wasn’t that uncommon in my hometown. I could fight in it if I had to, but I wouldn’t want to.”
She ran her fingertips over the bra part of the bikini armor, then suddenly smiled and looked at my face.
“Why, do you want me to wear it?”
“What!”
Second shock.
I imagined Claudia wearing only bikini armor in my head. Her brown body barely covered by a silver, shimmering scale bra… I see. I think I know the purpose of bikini armor.
Every time she shook her body, the scales would sparkle and make a metallic sound, which would be very exciting.
“Hehe, are you imagining it? I was wondering why anyone would wear something like this, but that’s what it was. The desire to be seen by the other person? Katter, I’d wear it for you if it would make you happy…”
“Stop.”
I stopped her from taking the bikini armor off the mannequin as if she was really going to wear it.
“I wouldn’t mind if only I could see it, but I’d never let other guys see it.”
“…Ah.”
“Mister shopkeeper. How much is this pauldron?”
“That’ll be 5 silver.”
“Oh, that’s really expensive. Can’t you give me a discount?”
“I can’t give a discount to someone who doesn’t know the awesomeness of bikini armor.”
“Damn it.”
Anyway, I bought a pair of pauldrons. They were made of a material called hard leather, which had been hardened. They weren’t very heavy, and they were comfortable to wear. They should be able to block the teeth of monsters and the sword attacks of bandits.
When I returned to the inn, it was sunset again. It was natural since I had slept in the morning and afternoon and then gone out to do my work. Still, I was tired, so burning the midnight oil is enough as a youthful folly.
I took a shower first and waited for Claudia, and she came out with a large towel wrapped around her body. What’s this? Usually, she just comes out and I pounce on her.
“Hey, Katter.”
“Yeah?”
She said, her face flushed for some reason. She seemed a little anxious and strangely embarrassed, and I couldn’t understand what it meant. That’s when it happened. That’s when the change occurred.
ㅡRustle.
“It’s not exactly bikini armor, but how about this?”
I screamed as if to shatter this world. She wasn’t naked after unwrapping the towel.
“No!”
She was only wearing underwear.
And it was very lewd underwear!
Pure white!
The frilly panties had already lost their identity as panties, with a design that completely exposed her genitals and used extremely little fabric, and the bra was also small or designed in such a way that her nipples were half-protruding. Even the inside was see-through.
She said softly.
“…How is it?”
Hesitatingly, Claudia, her face seriously red, started to avoid my gaze as if she was very embarrassed even though she had shown it to me.
“W-where did you buy something like that!”
“…It’s a little old. Remember when you were busy getting lessons at the swordsmanship guild last time, and I went out alone? I was going to take a quick look around the city, and it happened to catch my eye… I thought you might like it if I showed it to you, so I b-bought it…”
She even said, trembling her shoulders in that outfit.
“I-I’ve been a little embarrassed, so I haven’t been able to wear it… Hey, does it suit me? Do you like it?”
I quietly gave her a thumbs up and declared, “It’s the best.”
It was the best encouragement.
