"Whaaat!? Why did it turn out like this!?"

"It's an order from above, so we can't really say…"

While learning the rules of the Adventurers' Guild and thinking about the many invitations I received to join adventurer parties, the day had passed, and the sun had already set.

So, we returned to the now-crowded guild this morning.

The reason for my surprise? It came from something Moose said when I was called over.

"They're promoting you straight to fourth rank…"

Apparently, because of yesterday's fight, André raised my adventurer rank to fourth.

I was already grateful for being promoted to fifth, but things are progressing so smoothly now that I can't help but feel like there's a trap waiting for me.

I know André thought Ivy was useful, but jumping up the ranks like this will probably make some of the veterans unhappy.

From their perspective, I've essentially cheated my way to fourth rank after they've worked hard to get there.

"The Guild Master actually wanted to promote you to third or even second rank, but that was too much for the higher-ups to approve."

"No, no, fourth rank is more than enough!"

I definitely don’t want to stand out any more than this.

I shook my head vigorously, ending the discussion about further promotions.

And so, I ended up becoming a fourth-rank adventurer without having taken on a single request.

"Mii."

Ivy seems to be saying, "Why not just accept what you're given?"

Well, yeah, but it's all happening so fast that I don't have time to mentally prepare.

"Mii mii."

Oh, it's been one surprise after another since we arrived here, hasn't it?

...That’s true. Living here might require more than one heart to handle all the shocks.

"It seems like you two understand each other quite well."

"—Somehow, I just get it. Ivy understands what I’m saying too."

"Ah… I’d rather you not mention that around here."

Moose laughed a bit awkwardly, seemingly tired for some reason.

I didn’t need to ask why.

"Hey, did you hear that? Apparently, that turtle can understand human speech! Must be above second rank!"

"Damn, I should’ve gone to watch the fight. Is it too late to try to cozy up to him?"

I could hear the adventurers behind me talking in loud voices.

Moose provided some additional explanation.

While a familiar and its human can communicate, it’s not about understanding each other's thoughts or words.

The familiar connection is just a magic conduit. It doesn't mean they can fully understand each other’s thoughts or speech.

And usually, high-rank monsters capable of understanding human speech rarely become attached to humans.

I’m not fully translating everything Ivy says, but our bond is apparently unique.

At this point, I'm used to hearing people call us strange or unusual, so it doesn't faze me anymore.

"What kind of requests do fourth-rank adventurers typically take? I was mentally preparing for goblin subjugation, thinking I’d take fifth-rank requests…"

"To put it simply, the places you'll go are farther away, and the monsters are stronger. For fourth-rank adventurers, it's usually orcs, and if you're up for it, maybe even ogres. But if you don’t want to jump right into subjugation requests, starting with goblin hunts is perfectly fine."

"That makes sense."

I haven’t taken on a single request yet, so I don’t even know the basics, like how to handle subjugation tasks.

Things like pacing, taking night shifts, or what to bring—I’m clueless about all of it.

That’s why I had planned to team up with some of the veteran adventurers who invited me yesterday, to learn the ropes.

The shock of being promoted to fourth rank had temporarily driven that plan from my mind.

"When you team up with someone, do you have to form an official party?"

"Not necessarily. But it’s a good idea to discuss how to split the rewards and responsibilities beforehand, to avoid any disputes."

"Got it. I’ll be back later."

I turned around and glanced at the tables.

Quite a few people were clearly waiting for me to approach them.

I dug through my memories of yesterday, matching faces with names in my head.

I’d already discussed with Ivy who seemed trustworthy, and we had made our decision.

Looking around, I spotted the party we had in mind at the edge of my vision.

With a nod, we headed toward that party.