Black Iron Magician

The inside of the guild is just as thriving as before, with people gathering in front of the giant request board and a large number of adventurers standing in line at the reception counter. The girls in charge of the reception are working busily and every counter seems to be very busy.

――――Although it seems that there’s a person with spare time as usual.

「Gramps Gior, hello!」

「Oh, you’re Deris’s disciple.」

「Yes. I’m Katsuragi Haruna. Shishou is always taking care of me.」

「…… I wonder how could that Deris produce a polite girl like you?」

「?」

Giorgia removed his reading glasses and pressed his inner corner of the eyes. It seems there’s something in his mind, but Haruna has no idea what he’s thinking. She tilts her head a bit and waits for a response from the sentimental Giorgia.

「Oops, sorry. I’m just glad that a youngster like Haruna-chan came to this senile old man’s place. So, what do you need today? Was yesterday’s request still difficult for you?」

In contrast to his usual tone towards Deris, Giorgia talks to Haruna with a gentle atmosphere. The receptionist next to him, who was working busily, shook her shoulder because she was enduring her laughter when she saw his state.

「No, I’m here to report that the nest has been exterminated!」

「…… Is that true? Hohoho. That damn Deris, he helped you despite what he said. He sure wasn’t honest. Hohoho――」

「Umm, he told me the nest’s location, but he didn’t help me defeat them, you know? I had a hard time, but I somehow managed to do it myself.」

「――Hoho, huh?」

Giorgia got a better opinion of Deris just a little, but he was bewildered a bit when Haruna denied it. A level 1 magician exterminated ash kobold’s nest alone. Normally, it would be impossible and would be laughed at as a newbie adventurer’s joke. However, he didn’t see that indication from Haruna, who’s standing in front of him, and felt that she was seriously telling the truth.

「Um, Gramps Gior? What should I do about their tails?」

「A-ahh… can you put those on this tray?

「Um, I’m sorry. There’s a lot, so please prepare a slightly larger one…」

She didn’t even fall for the standard small tray that was put out to test whether she was bluffing or not. With her reaction, Giorgia was convinced about it. The little girl in front of him really returned here after exterminating the ash kobolds.

「Especially, I brought Boss-san wholly, so it’s dangerous if there’s no space enough for one room. It’s very big.」

「… Boss-san?」

The moment he reassessed it, his thoughts stopped due to Haruna’s unexpected words. The target of the nest’s extermination was supposed to be only the ash kobolds, and the existence of their boss wasn’t confirmed by the guild. Depending on the situation, even the normal ash kobold request should be done by level 2 or 3. The ash kobold boss is a ferocious monster that can’t be dealt with even by a level 3 party, and can barely be dealt with by a level 4 strong person. It’s unprecedented to beat it at level 1 and alone. However, it’s hard to think that Haruna is lying.

「… Hey, this is urgent. Prepare the appraisal room now.」

Giorgia, who made up his mind, said so to the guild staff working in the office room behind the counter.

「Eh? Guild Master, there are other plans right now…」

「I don’t mind, I’ll handle it later. Just prepare the room now.」

「Y-yes!」

The staff member hurriedly half run from the office to the adjacent room. The unusual atmosphere attracted the eyes of the people around them, wondering what’s going on. The newbie adventurer next to Haruna made a different face like others that as if saying ‘This person was the guild master?’.

「Now, Haruna-chan. This place is quite small for a big monster. Also, you can’t just let people see what you’re dealing with. Can you come with me?」

「Understood!」

Despite such attention, Haruna didn’t mind about it and followed Giorgia with her usual mood.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the appraisal room, three guild staff members were waiting for Haruna. Since they are wearing a hood and mask, their faces are only visible around their eyes. The only thing you can tell is that they are all women. When Giorgia and Haruna entered the room, the three of them bowed lightly, but they didn’t speak.

「They are professionals at dismantling materials from monsters. Many who can’t dismantle by themselves when the monsters are big, so they bring the monsters here. Their job is to take on such tasks or take on the request from the royal castle.」

「Oh, I know. It’s the dismantling skill!」

「Umu, that’s right. You sure are very dedicated to your studies.」

「E-ehehe….」

Haruna, who couldn’t say ‘I just happened to know it’, could only laugh bitterly.

「So, can you take out the boss you talked about?」

「Ah, yes. I have it in this bag. Please step away for a bit.」

「Umu. All of you should get back to the wall.」

After confirming that everyone is in a safe position, Haruna opens the pouch and searching inside it. Then, as if the time were flowing in reverse of when it entered, the huge body of the ash kobold boss appeared. At that moment, blood began to flow from all over the body, and a pool of blood gradually formed on the floor of the room.

「This is… amazing. Haruna-chan, it’s good to see you’re okay.」

「I was fine as long it didn’t hit me.」

「No, well, I suppose that’s true…. There are cuts all over the body and some parts are discolored.」

「Are those bruises? I guess that’s because I threw the boss quite a bit.」

「You threw it!?」

「Or maybe the effect of the poison…? I killed it by poison, so don’t eat the meat.」

「You poisoned it!?」

There are too many tsukkomi points and Giorgia can’t keep up with it. When the staff members confirmed the body, all of them nodded in affirmation. There was no lie in Haruna’s words.

「… Haruna-chan, you were a magician, right?」

「Yes! I’m still an apprentice who has just reached level 2, but I’m a magician!」

Just in which world that an apprentice magician throws and poisons such a ferocious monster? You mustn’t be fooled by her cute appearance. She’s a fine warrior. Giorgia decided to think of it that way.

「U-umu. This guild master, Giorgia, has indeed confirmed it. You’ve accomplished the request.」

「Wah, thank you very much.」

「Also, Haruna-chan. There’s one thing I have to apologize for on behalf of the guild. Originally, this request did not include the subjugation of this ash Kobolt boss in the content. It was the guild’s fault for the half-baked prior investigation, I hereby apologize to you. I’m sorry.」

Following Giorgia, who bowed deeply, the three people behind him also bow slightly like the first greeting.

「E-err….」

Confused about what to do in this sudden event, Haruna was even more confused as she was handed the penalty fee that was paid in advance and a large sum of money that was 10 times the reward that was initially set.

Aside from the fact that she is Deris’s disciple, her ability is recognized as a real deal and she is guaranteed that she will be given preferential treatment in the future. Thus, Haruna was welcomed with open arms as an adventurer.

Haruna, who had no idea what to do with the large sum of money, added a side dish to that day’s dinner for the time being.