The Unwanted Undead Adventurer: Volume 2 Read online

  For the sake of research, many scholars traveled far and wide; I supposed one had no choice but to travel after leaving behind a large-scale academic institution. As such, most scholars in her line of research were often men with higher physical abilities—at least, that was how most people saw them.

  Of course, such generalizations did not really apply to a Silver-class adventurer like Lorraine, but society would always have its opinions.

  Even so, there had been a notable rise in female scholars as of late, albeit in fields of study that did not require too much fieldwork. In Lorraine’s case, however, her study of monsters and magic often meant that she had no choice but to personally set off on exploratory journeys. Such was the nature of her work. I suppose one could say that it came with the job.

  But with that being said, Lorraine never was the type to be bothered about details like these. This was precisely why she had continued doing what she loved.

  While Lorraine could have easily avoided the gossip and judgment of the narrow-minded if she had instead presented herself as an adventurer first and foremost, the fact that she still adamantly insisted on being a scholar first goes to show just how much she was dedicated to her research. Adventurers were judged on their capabilities, after all; gender was nary a consideration.

  Although there was no shortage of adventurers who would find fault with Lorraine simply because she was a woman, their behavior perhaps said more about themselves.

  All these points made adventuring a more woman-friendly occupation than being a scholar; such was the state of affairs in this land.

  In reality, though, Lorraine was trusted by many at the guild, with her titles not being just for show.

  “I can’t... Simply. Keep imposing. I am already... Causing you a fair amount of... Trouble, Lorraine. I would not... Want to be any more of... A burden.”

  “Yes, yes. Just like you to say something like that. You should not worry too much about such things. To start, I am indebted to you in more ways than one. Do you not cook and clean? You do all that and more, no? If anything, we should be on equal footing now—well, I suppose I would still be in your debt, considering all that you have done for me in the past...” Lorraine said, smiling.

  I found those words heartwarming; indeed, they were kind words for one such as myself. But reality was quite different; if anything, I was the one indebted to Lorraine.

  Under normal circumstances, one could not exactly justify turning up at a friend’s home as a member of the walking dead and summarily live with them just because one had helped said friend with a fair number of chores. There was also the ever-present problem of potentially dangerous developments, seeing how I had once taken a bite from Lorraine’s shoulder and eaten it. There was no other way of portraying what I did.

  Under normal circumstances, one would be terrified of me—at the very least, they would be unwilling to remain in close proximity to myself. Even so, Lorraine continued to interact with me normally, treating me as an ordinary person and allowing me to live in her home.

  I was truly thankful from the bottom of my heart. And that was why I said:

  “That... Is not... True. I am only able... To remain human now... Because of your help, Lorraine...”

  “Rentt... Well, if that is all there is to it, I will happily stay where I am. If the latest developments are to be believed, you are a relative of mine, are you not? Such formalities have no place amongst family and kin.”

  To think that Lorraine had quickly utilized my made-up setting to her advantage—an impressive woman, as always.

  “Then... I suppose I will... Gladly continue accepting... Your aid, then,” I said, nodding as I did so.

  ◆◇◆◇◆

  After that conversation, Lorraine and I sat down and I gave her my report, detailing my achievements in the labyrinth today, as well as my thoughts on the capabilities of my new Thrall body. The Map of Akasha was discussed, as well, particularly how I felt about actually using it. Unfortunately, our conversation on those topics did not reveal anything new, and I instead moved on to discussing the current progress of my adventuring career.

  It was a simple affair, really, with me informing Lorraine of my Orc-slaying quest, what had occurred during the hunt, and my spoils for the day.

  The results of the hunt were just as cut-and-dry: next up, I would be accepting a class progression ranking test. To be more precise, I would be taking the test to rise to Bronze-class. This development did not surprise me very much, especially considering the fact that most adventurers did not merely start hunting Orcs successfully from the get-go after immediately signing up with the guild. The fact that I had returned with spoils from not one, but three Orcs relatively unscathed was perhaps more than enough to convince the guild that my adventurer class should be revised.

  But good adventurers were not merely defined by martial prowess: an adequate set of knowledge was required as well, hence the ranking test. Basically, it would be a written exam of sorts, with the topics in question being the guild’s rules and information on monsters, materials, and the like. Within reasonable means for a Bronze-class adventurer, at the very least.

  The test was, of course, reasonably difficult. For one such as myself, however, the test was frightfully easy. I could say that I was fully prepared, and would most likely score full marks on said test.

  The problem rested with the practical section of the test; this particular section usually differed with each candidate.

  Commonly, a Bronze-class quest would be handed out to the adventurer in question to test their mettle, but of course, this was not guaranteed. The nature of the task at hand was completely up to the whims of the guildmaster.

  This part of the test was not varied for the sake of variation. It was most likely to prevent cheating and other kinds of undesirable behaviors. With that being said, however, it was common knowledge that some particularly talented individuals would find one way or another around that veil of secrecy. That act in and of itself was commonly taken as a fair indicator of their skills, and they weren’t usually reprimanded too harshly.

  In any case, looking into the details of the test would involve too much time and effort, so I instead decided to take the test normally, passing it with my own ability.

  I could not help but wonder what trials awaited me tomorrow, and it was with these thoughts in mind that I sat, eagerly anticipating the next dawn.

  ◆◇◆◇◆

  “I have come... To take. The rank advancement test...”

  Having arrived at the adventurer’s guild on the dot, I promptly walked right up to Sheila, announcing my intent without uncertain terms. Sheila, for her part, understood what I was here for immediately.

  “Ah, yes, Mister Rentt. You’re right on time! I am most grateful,” she said, a smile on her face.

  It was perhaps strange that Sheila would be grateful for my timeliness. Considering that many adventurers had a unique perception of time, however, her feelings were not too hard to understand.

  For one thing, a fair number of ruffians and the like ended up as adventurers; it was a problem of attitude, really. While one could say that being late was not a big deal, small details like that easily distinguished a professional from a run-of-the-mill adventurer. Tardy adventurers would eventually find their bad habits catching up with them, usually in the form of a formal penalty from the guild, no less.

  In addition, adventurers often had to deal with human clients as they climbed their way up the ranks, since adventuring wasn’t all about beating up monsters, after all. As such, having a large number of tardy adventurers milling around was not good for the general reputation and public opinion of adventurers in general, hence the guild’s efforts at cultivating some semblance of punctuality in its members. In fact, showing up punctually for the test was part of the test in and of itself.

  But with that said, tardiness was not defined by a few late minutes or seconds, as such precise timekeeping instruments were not readily availabl
e to the masses, and were commonly owned by royalty or rich merchants and the like. I could possibly go out on a limb and say that top-class adventurers kept a timepiece on their being, but on that I was not certain.

  In any case, the candidate in question would basically lose points for showing up overwhelmingly late to the test. Due to me already knowing this fact, I had no qualms about showing up on time.

  Although Lorraine’s perceptions of time were painted in somewhat broad strokes, she did own a personally-crafted timepiece of sorts, if only so she would not be late for her own appointments.

  While clocks and the like were installed in public spaces for general use by townsfolk, I was able to tell the time from the comfort of Lorraine’s abode, largely due to Lorraine’s tinkering habits.

  “Of... Course. Is the... Written test... First?”

  “Yes, that is indeed the case. However... Are you sure of this? There are opportunities to take the test tomorrow, or the day after. You certainly don’t have to take it today. Have you considered taking some time off and studying for the test, at least? I would advise you to do that much...”

  I understood Sheila’s concerns; she had merely informed me of my right to take the test the day before, and was probably not expecting me to show up for it the very next day. Perhaps there was some merit in that, as it was indeed uncommon for one to apply to take the test during the next available time immediately after being informed of the right to take it.

  To begin with, more than half the questions that were commonly featured in the written test would be unanswerable by most Iron-class adventurers. In turn, most of these adventurers would take weeks, or sometimes even months off to study and gain the required knowledge to take the written part of the test.

  In my case, I had proven myself to be worthy of taking this test immediately after registering. So naturally, the guild staff wouldn’t have had the time to warn me of the knowledge required for the test.

  But I had taken the test previously in life, so while the test now might not be identical, I had firmly memorized the general types of questions and topics that awaited me: guild rules; monster information; material information; the general knowledge expected of a Bronze-class adventurer... I had more than enough time to ready myself for this test.

  In addition, the tests were not held daily, instead held usually on a monthly basis. If I were to stagnate and continue drifting about as an Iron-class adventurer, I would never fulfill my dreams. This was why I had to act when the opportunity presented itself.

  With those thoughts in mind, I offered Sheila my response: “There is no... Problem. Where should I... Go?”

  If memory served, the test was held on the second floor of the guild, in a meeting room of sorts. Even if I had known the answer to my question, I had to ask either way.

  “It will be held in the meeting room, on the second floor. This way, if you would...” Sheila said, stepping away from her counter to guide me to the relevant location.

  Upon entering the room, the eyes of a handful Iron-class adventurers glanced at me, before immediately shifting back to various papers in their hands. Each paper looked to be filled to the brim with various notes and handwriting. Some of the adventurers mumbled under their breath as they did so, as if reciting ancient spells.

  Notes, perhaps, written to aid in their test-taking efforts. The guild did loan these out to test candidates as the day drew near, but with the scope of questions having been relatively broad, the relevant information and knowledge could be squeezed onto one piece of paper as long as a smaller writing style was used.

  This knowledge, of course, expanded proportionately to the rank one aspired to: a booklet for the Silver-class; a book for the Gold-class; an encyclopedia for classes beyond; so on and so forth.

  Unfortunately, the candidates were unable to use said papers during the test, but perhaps they should consider it a blessing that the guild would loan them such resources in the first place. There was, however, a penalty to pay should they lose it, with the piece of paper in question costing one silver coin; an affordable price for even Iron-class adventurers. After all, if one dedicated at least a week or two’s worth of time to studying for the Bronze-class test, one would naturally obtain enough knowledge to score a passing grade.

  Honestly speaking, it wasn’t too much to worry about.

  It was worth noting, though, that for the greater half of the adventurers in this room, written tests such as this one would be a first in their lives. This fact perhaps accounted for the tense atmosphere—to think that I was once amongst their number! Any individual who did not take the time to prepare would surely be nervous.

  On another note, while I had decided to take the written exam, there were other methods of testing available, such as an oral question-and-answer format. In fact, in kingdoms and countries with a lower literacy rate, that was the more common format of testing.

  This was the reason as to why there were only a few adventurers in this room: due to the nature of the oral testing process, it was conducted in a separate area, with higher waiting times as well due to the fact that participants had to be tested individually. And so, those who did not enjoy waiting often took to the written version of the test instead.

  After I made myself comfortable at my seat, Sheila, who had left the room after guiding me here, returned with a sheaf of roughly-hewn papers and quill pens in her arms.

  “Well, then, let us begin the test. I am under the impression you are all literate and capable of writing, so I will not engage in unnecessary explanations. However...as a reminder, this set of papers contains the questions that candidates must answer. Candidates are to write their answers on this answer sheet, with the provided quill pens. The test will formally end when the sand in the upper chamber of this hourglass runs out. Are there any questions?”

  I suppose what Sheila said made sense: all the candidates in attendance could indeed write. Even I had used a quill pen before.

  As expected, there were no questions from the gathered adventurers in the room.

  “Then I will now hand out the question and answer sheets, as well as the quill pens. I will also be retrieving the test revision sheets loaned to you by the guild.

  “The question and answer sheets are one-sided only, and will be placed face-down on your tables. Please only turn them around when I instruct you to.”

  Saying so, Sheila began making her rounds, distributing the appropriate pens and papers as she did so.

  A strange aura of muted tension filled the air. For me, it was a nostalgic feeling. I did not have much time to reminisce, however. Sheila was already done with her rounds, and she now stood at the front of the room.

  With a deft motion, Sheila turned a large hourglass over, setting it back down gently on her desk.

  “...You may begin.”

  And so the test began.

  ◆◇◆◇◆

  As expected, the test progressed smoothly, ending on a relatively inconsequential note. It was a given by this point, perhaps—after all, I had taken this test once before in life.

  With that being said, however, the questions themselves were different, but the relevant area of knowledge largely stayed the same. It would have been quite strange if I did poorly.

  The other candidates in the room, while looking uneasy, would probably pass the test without too many issues, as well. This was plain to see from the fact that they could read and write. They were clearly blessed with a fair amount of education in their lives.

  In turn, it would not be too difficult to memorize the required facts for this test, given the narrow scope of tested knowledge. Empirical evidence to back up my observations did exist: it was public knowledge that the oral test had a much lower pass rate than the written one.

  My literacy was gifted to me by my village elder and herbalist, as they were the ones who taught me how to read and write. My motivations back then were far simpler, as to me, a proper adventurer should at the very least be literate. This, to
o, contributed to my unchanging dream, that of becoming a Mithril-class adventurer.

  We did not wait very long for our results to be published. The test papers were sent back after a short while, perhaps due to the smaller pool of candidates. If one’s name was read, one would be among those who passed. I, of course...

  “Rentt. Mister Rentt Vivie,” Sheila continued as I stood, walking up to her desk in the front of the room. “...You have passed the written test. Well, actually, you received full marks! While it’s not exactly a difficult test, a result like this is somewhat rare. You’re something else, Mister Rentt.”

  I suppose my performance was worthy of praise. Sheila’s choice of words suggested that other candidates had received full marks from time to time, too. Personally, I would not consider it such a great achievement.

  Thinking back upon it, I realized that I had not scored full marks when I first took the test. I lacked experience, forgot the answers to some questions, and made some stupid mistakes. I kept all that to myself, of course, as one could not exactly tell the guild’s administrative staff that one had taken the test before.

  “...I see. It is... Great. That I passed. What should I do... Next?” That was my relatively subdued answer as I asked Sheila about the next step; mainly, the practical, hands-on segment of the test.

  ◆◇◆◇◆

  “...Next up is the practical assessment, where you will cooperate with some of your fellow candidates and reach a certain point in the labyrinth. This will still be a competition of sorts, however, and the first group of candidates to reach the designated point wins.”

  I nodded in response to Sheila’s words. I vaguely remembered collecting medicinal herbs and the like for my first practical assessment all those years ago. While the assignment sounded relatively simple in passing, I ended up having to defeat a fair number of monsters while making my way to the area where the herb grew. The entire time I took great pains to not get lost in the dense undergrowth of the forest I had ventured into. All in all, it was mostly an unpleasant experience, to say the least.