"Re-evaluation?"
"Yes, Re-evaluation"
A subtle silence hangs between Leo, the Guild leader of the region and Cosmo, a mysterious and strangely attractive adventurer.
"Why?" Cosmo breaks the silence with a voice that's far too deep and smooth for the way he looks.
"Where did you get your first evaluation?" Leo takes the paper and reads them again. For someone that was able to take on Kurn and his entire band, whose members number in the thirties and each were at least in the 20s, with Kurn himself being in the 50s area. It's just unbelievable for a level 8 to take them all down.
Leo was still skeptical about this person named Cosmo, if he did used powerful poisons, the alchemy division need to get involved. Yet, Leo doesn't smell any poisons, at least any that's potent enough to take down an entire band of bandits.
"Somewhere past the Chusvi border." Cosmo response. "I was abandoned and had to pick herbs around at the Wild Forests' border."
"Ah, I see." This clears up a bit more for Leo.
Chusvi kingdom is one of four kingdoms whose border runs along the edge of the ever dangerous, Wild Forest. A place of untold dangers and monsters, but also the only place in the world where Wild Herbs grows, a major ingredient used in elixirs.
"I assumed you must've found a Wild Herb?" Leo asks, knowing that finding even one would set any orphan up for years.
"Yes, and found one and got enough from it to pay for a pass out of Chusvi and got my adventure id in the first guild I came across."
"Hmmm." Leo is trying to remember what he read on Cosmo's record and that what he said fits. Orphaned, first applied for an adventure id in a northern branch of the Guild. "But why not apply for one in Chusvi? I know they have their own guild to manage Adventurers." Leo's found it odd that he didn't apply for one in his home kingdom.
"I thought about it, but most of the quests would involve the Wild Forest, and I wanted to explore more of the world." Although it was half a truth, as there was a certain people he wants to avoid.
Leo scratches his chin, remembering that it was only recent when Chusvi formed their own guild, so the Guilds around its border might've become more lazy with applications so it wouldn't be too far fetched if Cosmo was given an id haphazardly.
"Even so, with your recent achievement with freeing the girls from the Boar Bandits, a correct measurement of your strength needs to be taken so a proper record can be listed and compensation given."
Leo puts the paper down and looks at Cosmo, thinking about what to ask him.
"If you don't know, evaluation at the Guild involves written, survival and combat tests, but, since you came from the Wild Forest border, I can assume you know how to camp and survive in the wilderness?"
"Yes, picked herbs for seven years." Cosmo responds confidently.
"Ok… the combat test portion is done with a Guild instructor for general combat prowess readings and an optional member on member duals for ranking, but… that test is today and you would need to do the written test first."
"I can do the written test now, if you let me."
"What? Do you even know what the tests are about?" Leo sharply responds.
"Is it something along the lines of, knowing how to read, laws and guild rules with things like compensation and liability?"
"Yes, how did you know?"
"I took the written test at the other guild, it was quite easy actually. If I can remember correctly, it was 1 for every 10 copper for regular quests and varies with quest ranking."
Leo nods, "Yes, around that area, what about the guild rules?"
What followed was a series of Leo asking Cosmo questions about the Guild. From questions on how to interact with nobles, the use of Guild banks, reporting un-posted quests and how each quest needs proof of completion. When the questions ended, Leo was impress by how accurately Cosmo answered, but can't help but ask one more thing.
"How do you know all of this? Weren't you an orphan?"
"I grew up with good people." Cosmo smiles, as if remembering something nice.
Leo's heart skipped a beat, and shook his embarrassment when he found himself staring.
"Ahem, Since you already know more than the required amount, we can go to the combat test." Leo stands and opens the door. "Follow me, I have the instructors for test."
***
In the training hall of the Guild, a cat beastwomen is desperately swinging her dual wooden clubs at her sleepy looking opponent, a long, messy haired woman wearing a loosely fit uniform.
"Fail…" She says while yawning, dodging every swing effortlessly and after a while, she raises her wooden sword, making in an elegant arc, striking the beastwomen in her side, causing her to curl in pain. "Done…" The sleepy woman said, holding back a yawn.
The beastwoman stands, clutching her side and wobbles out the arena.
The sleepy woman walks to her party, a tall standing male barbarian, arms wrapped in chains, a book reading female wizard, floating on her staff, and a serious looking beastman, polishing his shield.
"Sasha, how was the cat?" The beastman asks without looking up.
"Strong, but easily agitated." She responds as she flops onto the ground.
"Hahaha, that's because you kept yawning!" The barbarian shouts "Any warrior would get mad!"
"Quite Hussler, the other can hear you" The wizard interjects.
"That's funny coming from you, Fess, They're still thawing the last mage you fought." the barbarian laughs, his attempt to elbow Fess met with a invisible barrier.
"That's because that runt was bragging about his ice magic so as a senior in the magical arts, I needed to show him not to be such a show off." Fess scoffs as she flips a page in her book. The barbarian laughs even louder.
"His face though!" His laugh is loud as it echoed though the hall as he remembers the funny face the other mage made when frozen.
"Nail! Tell Hussler to be quiet, I'm trying to sleep!" Sasha complains to the beastmen, causing him to finally look up.
"Hussler, quite, Fess, did you set a warming spell for the mage?" He said sharply.
"Yes," Fess sighs. "He should be free from 'Ice Tomb' any minute now."
"Good." Nail then looks at the group of newbie adventures in front of him. "Again, you lot can pick who to fight."
"Not me… I'm trying… to…." Sasha speaks up but quickly goes quieter as she falls asleep.
"Damn it!" The cat women finally stands, her legs weak. "Why'd they pick 'Ghosts' to be the instructors!" The cat woman cries while wobbling out the stage.
For evaluation, the Guild sometimes pick a party to help with it. Unfortunately for this batch of adventurers, the Guild picked a A-rank party known as 'Ghosts', famous for their high completion rate with quest turn-in and power.
Sasha, a swordswomen, rumored to've been kicked from the knights' order.
Hussler, a wasteland barbarian, master at making anything a weapon.
Fess, a Scholar Wizard, her book holding hundreds of spells with thousands of combinations.
And Nail, a Canine Beastmen, leader of the party, known for being able to sniff out fortune and danger in any situation.
These four formed the party 'Ghosts' or unofficially known by their more infamous name, 'Money Hounds'.
This title came from their reputation doing quests with the most coins, buying quests from other parties and somehow turn a profit with completion. The party would stalk the quest board and even reserve the rights to certain requests.
Of course the other adventurers hate the 'Ghost' party for their greedy ways but their performance and completion rate made it so most of their antics goes unpunished.
The Guild is aware of 'Money Hound' reputation and worries that the tension between them and the other adventures was reaching a critical point, so they'd hoped that by having them participate in this month's evaluation would give the other adventures a chance to air out their grievances with them.
The only thing they didn't foresee was how strong each of them really were, with all 24 matches ending with a one-sided victory and 7 of them quitting before they fight.
"Come on, we get paid one gold coin per fight." Nail announces, looking disappointed. "This lot is weak, so I can see why Hussler was laughing."
Aside from the cat women losing, only 5 were left, and each was too scared to even refute Nail's obvious taunting.
"Efficient as ever I see." Nail turns to the voice and sees Leo.
"Of course, this is a simple and quick way to make a decent coins." He stands and faces Leo. "Remember the deal, if we do this without a single loss, we get exclusive right to high-end quests for the next six-months."
"Yes, yes…" Leo sighs, remembering the tiresome haggling of Nail. He still can't believe the Guild board agreed with the whole 'Gold per win' thing. The Guild Board assumed that at least one of the 37 participants could beat one of them. Some of participants happens to be veterans going for a promotion, but each one were beaten within moments.
Leo turns to the remaining adventures, and sees that they're too scared to try. He lets out another sigh.
"I know this is on short notice, but I have one more to test." He turns to present Cosmo.
"Who?" Nail looks behind him and sees no one.
"What the-" Leo looks around frantically and finally sees Cosmo, handing the cat woman some ointment.
"T-Thanks…" The cat woman studders while looks down, to shy meet Cosmo's eyes.
"You're welcome." Cosmo says sweetly, causing not only her but the remaining adventures to blush more. Cosmo looks at the adventures laying and recovering on the room floor. "Can you please share it with rest, if you can of course."
"Y-yeah…" The cat woman was fidgeting the container in her hands, embarrass by her own stuttering.
"Cosmo!" Leo shouts.
"Sorry, I just wanted to help!" Cosmo responds before gracefully hopping onto the stage and turning to the 'Ghosts'.
"Who's first?"