“All this talk ’bout the itty-bitty things you consider is great and all,” interjected one of the workers in the back, his voice resounding through the hushed room, “but I don’t care much about their potential and put more value into whether they can beat me. That’s my standard. And if they don’t like that, I tell ’em they can just go somewhere else.”
“Well, there’s certainly something to that,” I replied. “Proctors do have a say on whether someone has passed or not, despite their numerical results. That is definitely part of the exam in its own way.”
The man nodded with satisfaction. Unfortunately for him, I wasn’t done yet.
“However, if you do that, you risk the possibility of overlooking talent. And it may be presumptuous to say, but mistakes like that are why I’m here lecturing you.”
“If an adventurer can’t fight, they’ll get killed out there!”
“No one’s strong at first. Those with the desire to improve will do so through hard work.”
“Those are some nice words, but they won’t do you much good as a proctor. The only reason you go ’round spouting that logic is ’cause you’re a weakling who lost an arm.”
“Yes, I only have one arm, so I’m not particularly strong,” I said, attempting to defuse the situation. Unfortunately, a terrific surge of mana erupted from my feet.
“That man… I shall not let him off easy…!”
“Calm down, you fool.” I gave the shadow a good prod with my toe.
“Wh-what was that just now…?!”
“It came from the lecturer…”
Everyone was staring right at me, looking pale—they’d sensed Rila’s mana.
“I am weak, but—”
“Then why’re you acting all snooty, huh?”
I invoked my skill and instantly made my way from the front of the room all the way to the back and gripped the man’s neck from behind.
“Huh?”
“I can, at the very least, crush your windpipe so you won’t talk again,” I whispered into the man’s ear. The other workers moved away in surprise.
“Huh? H-he disappeared? Whe—?”
“If you have something to add, please raise your hand.”
I could feel him trembling and breaking into a cold sweat.
“I-I-I’m sorry… I-I’ve apologized, s-so p-please let me go…”
I released the man like he asked. He faced me slowly, fear plain in his expression.
“I said to please raise your hand for any comments, didn’t I? Do you think you can do that from now on?”
“Y-yessir…!”
“I’m glad we’ve got that settled. I apologize for the interruption. Let’s continue.”
Once the lecture was over, Rila requested that we go to a tavern, so I found one near the headquarters.
Evening quickly turned to night.
The tavern seemed to be doing well, and I saw a few people from the headquarters enjoying themselves after work.
“The pressure from your mana can sometimes manifest through your shadow based on your emotions. Be careful.”
The shadow sat on my lap holding a glass in both hands. It tilted the cup to sip some liquor.
“Hmph. Do you not feel any emotion when someone slights you?”
Rila herself couldn’t taste anything, since the shadow was the one drinking. I guess she was just in the mood for the experience.
I drank from my cup, holding it with one hand.
“Those who make comments on my missing arm and believe I’m weak because of it are bound by stereotypes. I could be using a skill or magic to hide my arm to catch opponents off guard. Anyone who thinks less of someone missing a limb will realize their mistake when they’re on the ground dying.”
If I were in a battle with a one-armed foe, I’d be wary of why my opponent was missing a limb. There was a possibility they simply had just the one arm, but it could also be invisible. That would make the fight challenging, to say the least.
“That may be so, but we are not speaking of combat situations!”
Rila had been fuming since the outburst during the lesson.
“It’s a matter of your honor… I shall allow no one to besmirch you.”
“I don’t have enough honor for anyone to besmirch,” I replied.
“Why do you think so low of yourself?”
Rila’s shadow grabbed some bar snacks and munched on them.
“So regarding Wawok’s proposal…what do you intend to do?”
“You mean about my right arm? I don’t mind not having one. In fact, I’ve gotten used to it.”
“While I commend your adaptability…I prefer your two arms squeezing around…”
“Squeezing around what?”
The shadow fidgeted on top of my lap.
“Excuse me. You’re Mr. Argan, the lecturer from earlier, right? May I?” A young female guild employee indicated the seat next to mine. I nodded.
“Hmm?” the shadow intoned.
The chair was empty, so the woman could have sat down without bothering to ask me.
“Oh, good. Are you alone?”
“Yes. Did you attend the lecture?”
“I did. I wanted to ask about some things you discussed.”
Apparently, she was quite passionate about her work and approached to ask more specific questions about my adventurer examinations. I thought it was wonderful she took her work so seriously. Honestly, I could take a page from her book when it came to my professional attitude.
We spoke for a while, then left the tavern as the night wore on.
“Um, so…if you have the time, would you like to accompany me somewhere else? I know a very quiet venue.”
“I’m sorry. I’m afraid that I have to bow out now for today. Thank you for the invitation.”
I gave her a quick bow and left.
“Grrr. Is it your face?! The glasses? Or perhaps the one arm gives you a counterintuitive enigmatic allure?! Those women!”
I looked back to see the guild employee waving good-bye.
“It’s not about allure—I simply stand out, so I leave an impression.”
“I am not so convinced,” Rila said.
Evidently, I wasn’t cut out to be an assassin anymore. Leaving a strong impression meant I couldn’t do my job.
“What were you going to say before? Something about squeezing something?”
“I—I do not recall…”
“Then let me know once you do.”
I placed the shadow on my shoulder and walked down the street.
“Amy still has yet to awaken. How do you feel?”
“I’m not sure. Without her skill, she’s less of a threat, but her technical assassination methods don’t depend on her skill or magic. I’d be uneasy if we let her loose.”
“Then shall we kill her while she sleeps?”
“…”
“I jest. I will not allow you to kill her. I simply wished to hear you turn down the suggestion.”
I felt relief somewhere inside me.
My plan to weaken Amy was supposed to involve me dying. Maybe that’s why I didn’t know what to do with her now. I never expected to still be alive.
“Once she’s awake, I’d like to talk with her.”
“Naturally, I plan to inform you as soon as she stirs. You needn’t worry.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“I must also thank her.”
“Thank her? Why’s that?”
“If not for her, I wouldn’t have met you.”
I glanced at the shadow, but it had fled to my blind spot.
“When did you become so sappy?”
“I—I am simply tipsy.”
The shadow did the drinking, not Rila herself.
I kept that to myself, though, shrugging instead.
“What do you intend to do now?”
“Return to the inn and prepare for the lecture the day after tomorrow.”
“That’s not what I mean. That tiger man with the round face requested a favor, did he not?”
Tiger? Rila had to be describing Tallow. At least she got the first letter in his name correct.
“Oh, that.”
To put it simply, there were apparently some in the Adventurer Association who didn’t approve of Tallow, an adventurer, rising to the position of guild master.
“A dreary coup d’état? How droll.”
“These things can happen in any organization.”
Even the Welger Company disposed of its original head via a nefarious plot.
Unfortunately, this issue was a bit more complicated.