He successfully completed the rank-up examination and received a pass, and his rank rose to D rank.Then, after the breakup... there was a voice that stopped Ray when he was about to leave the meeting room.This is Gran, who was also an examiner for the rank-up examination.

"Did you do anything wrong in your promotion?"

　Gran shook his head to Ray, who asked.He glanced at the staff who brought the guild card, nodded as if he had agreed, and left the conference room.
　Seeing off his back, Gran sits down to the place where Ray and his colleagues had just sat, making sure the conference room door was properly closed.

"Ray, I have something important to say."

　Ray soon discovered that his face was not the sort of shamanism.Therefore, he sits on the chair in front of Gran without saying anything in particularly.

"And what do you mean?"
"Oh, well... what should I say first?"Well, at first, it's still from now on.Congratulations on passing the rank-up exam."
"I feel embarrassed when you say something out of the ordinary, but... I'll say thank you, and you didn't leave it to congratulate me?"
"Of course, let me get right to the point.As you know, adventurers can take requests from the board, but there are several other options.One of them is a request for nomination.Did you hear that when you registered the guild?"

　I remember hearing from Lenora when he registered in the guild in Gran's words, but he shook his head because he hadn't heard about it.

"No, I haven't heard of the nomination.Well, I can guess what it is from its name.You don't leave it to the unspecified majority, like a request board, but leave it to the adventurer you designate?"
"That's about right.Of course, there are some things that are difficult or subject to a confidentiality obligation because they are designated and requested.or the circumstances of the client."

　As he spoke, Gran looked slightly bitter.That way, Ray felt that he didn't have a good impression on the nomination request.

"And if you're going to tell me the story now..."
"That's a good answer. Ray, I have a request for your nomination."
"...well, I know that from the flow of the conversation, but why me? I've only just reached Rank D today."
"Yes, you're certainly a newcomer who just made it to Rank D today.In the eyes of many adventurers, he would be nothing more than a chick in the middle of a rank D.At the same time, however, you have the power to defeat Rank B Monster Oak King on your own, and you are taming Rank A Monster's Gryphon.In other words, if you look at combat power alone, you can't fit into the rank D category."
"Do you need such a special Rank D adventurer?"

　Gran nods to Ray's question.

"Moreover, it was the great man in the town who nominated Ray at this request."
"...is that the expression a noble?"

　There are some aristocrats in the town of Gilm.It is not only the neutral faction to which Larkus, the lord of the town of Gilm, belongs, but also the royal faction and the aristocracy faction.The town of Gilm is the only town in the territory of the frontier Count Larx, which means you need to see the threat of monsters living in the frontier first hand, or because of the frontier, there are talented adventurers and, if possible, the purpose of scouting them.Ray asked Gran if such a request had been made by such nobles.

"Well, when you think of aristocrats, you must be aristocrats.for he is the lord of the town of Gilm."
"...what?"
"So I am telling you that it was Larkus, the lord of the town of Gillum, who appointed you at this request."
"Why did such a great man... not to mention me?"

　He asked Gran, and immediately agreed and smiled bitterly.
　for, as Gran said, he has the ability to follow the Gryphon of the Rank A Monster and even defeat the Oak King.that someone might have thought strange and reported it to the lord.

"You seem to have understood it.It seems that the Count of Frontiers L'Arcus has been interested in you for a long time.for the rank-up examination itself seems to have been conducted directly by the lord.""Are you going to tie me up?"

　That was the only reason for Ray that the lord of the city would be so convenient to him.
　It's not surprising to think that he has extraordinary ability as a newcomer who has just registered in the guild.

"Well, I don't know about that.In any case, among aristocrats, Henga-haku is a person with a higher rank.I'm only a guild staff member, so I'm sure I'll understand what such a person is thinking."However, if you think about it as a possibility, I think it is expected to be an important military force for this city rather than a tie."...the aristocracy of this country is divided into three main powers.Do you know that?"
"Yes, it was in a book in the library.the King, the Lords, and the Neutral?"
"Yes, and the smallest of them is the Neutralist, and the lord of the manor, Larkus, is recognized as a great figure among them.In other words, pulling out a strong military force from the city of Gilm has the same meaning as lowering the neutral military force.I think you're wary of that....well, it's just an illusory assumption as a guild employee.You don't have to worry too much."

　Gran says so with a wry smile, but it was a helpful opinion for Ray, so he nods deeply.

"Well, you were off the subject.As for the nomination, in about a week's time the only daughter and her party of Duke Kelebel, one of the most important figures in the nobility, will come to the town of Gillum."
"...to send the only daughter of a leading figure in the aristocracy into the streets of the factions against her?"
"Yes, but this time it seems that he is not planning to do anything about factional strife.-- at least you don't have to worry too much about it, as they've made it so clear."
"Why, then, would such a noble daughter come all the way to such a frontier?"
"But the purpose seems to be a dungeon,"
"Dungeon?"
"Yes. Do you remember what Reno was talking about when you had a quarrel with the Falcon's claws?"

　His name, Reno, came to mind as the face of a man in good form, who was the only one who could care less for himself when Falcon's claws and Ray were at odds with each other.

"I think he has a magical eye that can see magic directly."
"Yes, that's it.And when you had a fight with the Falcon's claws, it was a successful launch for your search in the dungeon, wasn't it?"
"Now that you mention it, you were saying such a thing.Is that the Duchess's purpose?"

　Ray looked at Gran as if he were dumbfounded.
　But Gran shakes his head with a wry smile at Ray.

"I don't know what you imagined, but the Duchess of Quelevel is different from the princesses of the nobility.If you sign up for the guild as an adventurer, you'll be able to get as good as Rank B... if you're not good at it, you'll be as good as Rank A."
"...just to ask you, she's a Duchess, isn'
"Oh,"
"When I think of the noble lady I imagine, I think of butterflies, flowers, and a daughter in a box who was brought up... Is there anything wrong?"
"Well, in the main, it's not wrong.In fact, most of the ladies of the nobles in the royal capital are just as you imagine.But the Duchess of Quelevel is different.for in a skirmish with the Empire of Bestia two years ago he himself led the Knights of the Duke of Quebel, and eventually killed the enemy general in a one-on-one battle."

　The Empire of Bestia, one of the neighboring countries of the Kingdom of Milliana, is one of the largest countries on this continent.Compared to the kingdom of Milliana, which is one of the greatest powers on the continent, its expansionary policies can be seen in the fact that it is gradually taking over small neighboring countries.
　Of course, Ray is learning about the country he is in in the library, so he knows that the Empire of Bestia has been at odds with the Kingdom of Milliana for many years.
　but it was the first time I had heard of a Duchess running about the battlefield.

"Is that really a Duchess? It's too different from my image."
"Well, it's true that it's quite unusual.It seems that even in the Empire of Bestia, she was called Hime Shogun and feared.and the name has spread to the kingdom of Milliana.""General Hime,"Is it acceptable for the nobles to call themselves princesses?"
"You may say that to me.If you say so, say it to the people of the Vestian Empire.But I don't think she's wrong, as she's a princess of the nobility.So, back to the point.I don't know why, but it seems that the princess general comes to the dungeon with only a few attendants.and that is why the Duke of Kelebel commissioned the Earl of Larkes."

　Gran's words convinced her, but she frowns slightly.

"Then wouldn't it be better to hire a bunch of rank A or B, even if they weren't rank D? Or a bandit like a culotte because they're dungeons."

　It's a natural question.He sends his beloved daughter to a dangerous place called Dungeon.If you hire an adventurer as a bodyguard, you'll feel more secure if you're a high-ranking adventurer with proven ability.You don't have to hire Ray, who just got into rank D.

"I haven't heard much about it, but it seems that no adventurer above rank C is allowed."
"...it's plainly suspicious, isn't it?"
"Well, but if the duke were to be commissioned by his presence, he wouldn't be able to refuse it without a definite reason."

　In fact, there was a big difference between the neutral faction and the aristocratic faction in terms of power, so there was no doubt that the neutral faction would be cornered as soon as they acted rashly.and the difference in social status between the count and the duke meant that he had no choice but to accept it as a count of Larkes.

"And Larkus was obliged to accept the request, and if the Duchess, also known as the Princess General, who was famous both at home and abroad, should ever die in her own territory, you know what will happen?"
"Worst of all, there could be no aristocrat called Larkus himself?"
"Yes, I'm sure we'll lose a good deal of territory, if the best result.-- well, since it is in fact the territory of the Earl of Larcks and the town is only this town of Gillum, it will be no problem how many other places you may take.But if I were to be robbed of this town of Guilm..."

　He breathes deeply at Gran's words.

"So I was chosen as a good bodyguard despite my rank D."
"That's right. She was called Hime Shogun in the first place and went out to the battlefield, and even considering that she had defeated the enemy Shogun in a one-on-one battle, it is certain that she was quite good at it.That's probably why Ray's presence is just in case of emergency.and in your case, you have a Gryphon."
"I'll ask you just in case, can you refuse a nomination?"
"That's what you expect, isn't it? Normally, it's possible to turn down a nomination request, and it's not that unusual.but this time the client was Larkus, the lord of the town.I can't refuse it."

　After listening to Gran's words, he secretly thinks about his request.

(Is it impossible to say no?However, this request is an opportunity for me, who wanted to go to dungeon once.Some of the monsters in the dungeon seem to be quite high-ranking, so you can expect some quality and quantity of magical stones.The question is, will you suspect me not to sell it? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the Duchess of the Royal City.I don't know what I have to do to get to the dungeon, but when I'm done, I'll be back from this frontier.Then it is unlikely that you will notice the unnaturalness that I will not sell magic stones.)

"By the way, can the dungeon bring Seto in? Or more precisely, is there a sizeable dungeon that can fight with Seto's huge body?"
"There is no problem about that.Basically, some dungeons are bigger than your Gryphon Seto.It's secured enough space for them to be comfortable.
"Well, then what can we do?"
"You mean you're going to accept a request when you said.
"Who said he couldn't say no more than he asked.

　Gran couldn't help but smile bitterly at Ray's words.

"That's true, but the will of the person is important, isn't it?So you mean to take it?"
"And what shall I do? Should I come to the guild a week after the princess comes?""Yes, I think we will soon be able to talk about it in detail.Please keep yourself in shape.It's not fashionable to say that I was injured when I was asked to do so.If possible, it would be helpful if you could not ask me to kill you for the past week."
"...is it necessary to do that?"

　Gran nods very seriously in response to the question.

"Yes, for the safety of the Duchess, and the fate of the town of Gillum, are at stake.You're going to be like that, too."
"... oh, I see.By the way, what's your reward?"
"A reward for success, but two gold coins."
"...are you serious?"

　Two gold coins, which are rarely paid for by a single request even in Rank A.

"As I have said many times, it is an important request.Keep that in mind."

　Thus, Ray, who had just risen to rank D, was forced to accept a sudden request for nomination.
　And this request is a major turning point for Ray, but he never knew it.