Allrounders!! - Chapter 29: Day of the C-Rank Exam (I got Picked on Again)! - Part 2

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Next, the other girls from her party arrived.

"Do you remember having heard the party name 【Crimson Lilies Are a Girl's Oath】?" A girl that screamed swordswoman asked while glaring at us. 

(T/N: Lily written as yuri, but not with the spelling used for the lesbian term. Still, it’s kind of a wordplay by the author I guess.)

"...Parties have names? I hear about this for the first time now."

Feeling astounded, I looked up to Sword, asking for an explanation, "Hey, we've made a party, haven't we? You didn’t stick such a...pathetic name to our party, did you?"

""What was that!?""

Sword caressed me with a sigh.

"Don't worry, I haven't named our party. Rather, I don't quite get why you girls would cry here. Is there any reason to become so teary-eyed?"

"Uncool, scary."

When they started to tremble, "...I'm sorry for bein' uncool, 'kay?"

The other party got angry.

...But yep, I know this is also partly my fault.

"Ah. ...mmh, everyone has different tastes. It just didn't agree with my tastes. Don't mind it."

""We do mind it!!""

They thundered at me.

"You, can you finally give it a rest with the condescending attitude!? Don't get so cocky just because you've got an S-Rank as a teacher!!"

I was told once more.

"Sword isn't my teacher, okay? This guy hasn't taught me a single thing. ...Ou-ouuuch!"

My temples were ground.

"Should I have the nickname of Natural-born Agitator added to you?"

"No!"

That's so uncool!

"We've been active at the town of Ys." The girl, who seemed to be the calmest among the three, started to explain. "We've worked our way up to E-Rank by steadily completing requests. But, at some point we talked about bolstering our numbers with a vanguard since things would become difficult for just the three of us going forward. As if fitting perfectly, we were told by the guild about a kid they'd like us to take care of.

They told us that she was a beginner at adventuring, and yet should possess the necessary abilities since an S-Rank had been taking care of her. Thus they wanted us to teach her the ropes. Hearing that the girl would be able to attack enemies or assist our party members since she could use the sword and magic, it was just the position we'd been looking for to fill for our party. We felt a bit uneasy since she was a beginner, but decided to give it a try anyway... When I saw her show up, I got anxious, but since my two partners were brimming with motivation to train her, I forced back my worries, and tried to call out to her. ......Just to get ignored."

Ooohh, from back then, huh?

When I looked up to Sword he'd started to fidget around while looking quite awkward.

"I see. Sorry about that. Back then Sword had dragged me to that place after I had never left my mansion...err, my house and the woods around it. After he had suddenly announced that we'd split up there since he was a big shot right after we got there, I was quite sulky. It was a time when I pondered whether I should turn the whole region into a death zone with a big, taboo spell. You weren't the only ones I ignored at that time, so please forgive me."

Sword also apologized while scratching his head.

"Your definitely right...I did somethin' bad to you girls. You see, I'd planned various things, but it all went up in smoke because of my mistake. I thought that it'd be great for girls her age to teach her 'bout adventurin' since she was a perfectly sheltered little lady, but...yep, it's completely my fault! Please forgive me! And, I'm sorry, but I don't plan to party with anyone other than her anymore!"

The composed girl shook her head.

"That's not an issue anymore. Actually, we'd be actually troubled if you asked us to let you join now. But, after that "he" suddenly rose up to D-Rank, so we couldn't really...come to terms with that."

I'm not a "he," but a "she."

Hmm, why is everyone so eager to make a man out of me? Just now Sword described me as a sheltered "little lady," and yet she ignored it altogether? Besides, boys with such slender contours don't exist, okay? The men in this world are kinda like buffed foreigners, aren't they?

Sword is on the more slender side, but even he is quite the macho. I don't think that it's anywhere close to my slenderness. Or rather, I consider myself to be a beautiful girl, you know!?

Sword also treats me somewhat like a brat, but I'm a beautiful girl, am I not!?

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...As I got pissed off in my mind like that, the other two girls joined the conversation as well.

"Yes, she's absolutely right! Suddenly becoming a D-Rank without doing anything just because you've got an S-Rank as a teacher!? What do you think how much time and effort it took us to climb all the way to E-Rank!?"

"In the first place, isn't it an unprecedented, special treatment to ask E-Ranks to look after a G-Rank!? On top of that, you ignored us when we called out to you from our side!! And then you became a D-Rank without any achievements! You believe such selfishness will be forgiven just like that!?"

Even if you tell me all that...

"I apologized moments ago for having ignored you. Since most of it is Sword's fault, bring up your complaints with him. Also, the guild master raised my rank to D on his own accord. If you have a problem with it, sort it out with the guild master. If you want, I'll bring him in front of you next time."

After shortly being at a loss for words, she gritted her teeth in anger, "...I hate that part about you. Throwing your weight around while just borrowing the power of a great man totally sucks!"

Eeeehh?

"...Who is the great man you're talking about?"

"Me, it's me. That's why I've told you that I'm not a self-alleged 『bigshot』. Did you finally get it, idiot?"

I see, Sword was great, huh? I don't know in what area, but it'd sure help if it's in regards to political power.

"Let's leave it at that."

"Hey, don't ignore things as you please." He told me in a huff.

I feigned ignorance, "Throwing my weight around while just borrowing Sword's power, you say? I don't recall having said something cute like, "I'll tattle to Sword on you if you don't do as I say," though. ...Oh well, I suppose that's the same misinterpretation as turning the threat to beat someone up into having tried to come to a rescue. I suppose it makes sense in that sense. ...Sword, the "friends" you tried to allocate to me are girls like these? Would you be able to become friends with them, loner coot?"

"I know, I know, I'm sorry, okay? Also, don't add "coot" to loner!"

I ignored him. Looking at the girl trembling in rage, I sighed.

"Don't be so edgy. The exam is going to start anytime soon, and it's a waste of your cute face."

I tried to pacify her by saying that, but...

"It's a really tough call whether that line was agitation or a sleazy, old man comment."

...Sword butted in.