#1230 Momoko’s S-Rank Adventurer Visit Hopping: The Married Couple’s Arc 

From Hero Momoko to S-Rank Hopeful Momoko! 

To claim the title, I’ve gotta conquer every trial thrown my way! 

“Sorry about this, Momoko. Things got a little complicated,” says Silver Wolf, looking apologetic. 

But I shake my head.  
It’s okay. Thank you for worrying about me. 

I’ve survived my fair share of tight spots.  
This kind of trouble is nothing. 

That ridiculous bat may have cooked up these so-called trials, but I’m gonna crush them all! 

I’ll live up to the trust Silver Wolf’s placed in me. So just relax and trust me like I’m a spaceship captain on a smooth cruise through the stars! 

“Oh, sure. I’m off the clock, so I’ll be heading out now.” 

Huh? 
That was fast... 

“I gotta get home and give my kid a bath. Wife’s waiting too... See ya!” 

And just like that, shoop, he’s gone. 
Oh right, Silver Wolf just became a dad, didn’t he? It seems like everyone’s got a full house these days. 

And then there’s me, still alone in this world... 
What? Can’t I have my moment? Geez! 

Hmph. Whatever! I’ll snag that S-rank title, get the approval from every S-rank adventurer, and level up already! 

Now then, who do I hit up first? 
There are five S-rank adventurers in total, right? 
That infuriating bat freak is clearly the final boss. Which leaves the other four. 
A solid route makes all the difference when clearing a game. 

Let’s see… safest, most efficient, most reliable… that leads me to... 

*** 

My first stop: Kato. 

S-Rank Adventurer Brown Kato. 

Out of the five S-rank adventurers, he’s the only one who isn’t a therian.  
Like me, he’s a summoned hero from another world. 

Back when I was still a rookie adventurer, Kato trained and taught me a lot. He helped me even more. 

These days, he’s on a break from adventuring to raise his kid. 
But he’s still technically an S-rank adventurer, which means I need his stamp of approval to be recognized as worthy of the title. 

He’s kind and easy to talk to, especially since we go way back. That’s why I’m starting here. 

Still… I hope this goes smoothly. 

It’s gonna be fine, right? 
I know Kato’s nice. He’s nothing like that petty vampire jerk. No way he’d make this harder than it needs to be. 

I show up at his place with that in mind. 

He greets me with his usual warm smile. 

“Hey, Momoko. Glad you came.” 
“I’m so happy to see you visiting us, Momoko, hmhmhm...” 

When I arrived at Kato’s place, Pink Tonton, another S-rank adventurer, was there, too.  

I mean, of course she’d be. 
Kato’s on paternity leave because Pink Tonton gave birth to their baby. They’re married.  
Obviously, they live together. 

“Ahhh, we really owe you for that time… I’ve been meaning to apologize properly.” 

Ah, that time. 
When Pink Tonton found out she was pregnant… this coward ran for it. Vanished. 

It took a whole crew to track him down and drag him back, and I was part of that crew. 
…Ugh. What a mess that was. 

“I-I caused you so much trouble back then…!” 

It’s fine.  
You’ve stepped up since then. 

I mean, really—men. One crisis and they crumble. Even an S-rank isn’t immune. 
I was seriously considering punching him back then, but he barely redeemed himself in time. Barely. 

“He’s been wonderful since the wedding. I never imagined he’d take leave from work to help raise our baby!” 
“Of course I would, honey. For you and our little guy.” 
“I love you, darling.” 

Gakkkk! 
The air just turned syrupy sweet! 

When did these two become so disgustingly lovey-dovey?! 
This started as a surprise pregnancy and now they’re like… pure honeymoon bliss?! 

This green tea tastes like it has sugar in it.  
Did they…? No. No, they didn’t. 

“Oh! The little guy’s napping right now. Sorry you won’t get to meet him.” 
“He’ll be up in two or three hours. If you’re still around, maybe you can play with him! He’s super friendly.” 

N-No thank you!  
Really, it’s okay...! 

I can’t believe how much these two have changed. 

Pink Tonton used to be this absolute powerhouse with muscles everywhere, like some female pro wrestler. Maybe even more intimidating than that. 

But now? She’s all calm and composed.  
She’s even dressed like a classy lady, radiating confidence and maternal pride. 

Her strong build now looks regal. Like a queen or something. 

I bet she knows she’s loved. That knowledge has made her glow. 

“Anyway... We already heard why you came. Silver Wolf sent word ahead.” 

Wait, he did? 
I could’ve told them myself… 

“It’s a guild-sanctioned process. He wants to make sure everything’s official. Silver Wolf might act like a rogue, but he’s serious where it counts. That’s why he got chosen as guild master.” 

Yeah… that makes sense. 
This world tends to be a little loose about formalities, so I guess it’s refreshing to see someone actually stick to protocol. 

Back in our old world, people should know better, but even then, most didn’t. 
Silver Wolf’s doing it right. 

“I can’t believe you’re already aiming for S-rank. It feels like just yesterday you were falling for basic scams. Such a clueless kid back then... Look at you now... I guess that also means I’ve aged...” 

Kato, you’re starting to sound like a dad. 
I mean, I guess you are one now. But still. 

“Honestly, the guild’s in a tight spot. We were supposed to bring in two new S-rank adventurers to stabilize the ranks...” 

Yeah, I know. The plan was for the experienced veterans, like Kato and Pink Tonton, to mentor the newbies and help run things until they caught up. 

But thanks to the usual problem child, Golden Bat, that whole plan got turned upside-down. Now he’s the last one standing. And we’re all stuck waiting for the rookies to grow into their roles. 

Still, Kato and Tonton took time off for valid reasons. No one can blame them for that... 

And hey, their kid’s already close to a year old, right? 
Maybe they’ll be ready to come back soon? 

"Well, you see... things just don’t always go according to plan...?!" 
"It's a blessing, after all. These things don't happen on our schedule..." 

Ah. 
These two just exchanged that kind of look in front of a guest. 

And those words… 
Wait. A second child? Is Pink Tonton expecting again? So soon? 

In other words, their return to active duty is going to be delayed even more. 

"So that’s why we’re really hoping you’ll become S-rank and take on the role of keeping Golden Bat in check." 
"I’ve met him once, but honestly, Corey and Murshela still aren’t ready for something like that." 
"Especially Murshela—she’s basically one of Golden Bat’s biggest fans." 

...I am extremely not thrilled that they want me to be the one dealing with all that. 

But if they’re that concerned about it, that also means they’re seriously considering approving my promotion to S-rank! 

Which means, could this be it?! 
Could I actually get a pass here without doing anything else?! 

"All right, Momoko. Let’s have a sparring match." 

Nope. The world is never that kind. 

"I really do want you to make it to S-rank. That’s the truth. But it's also our responsibility not to let anyone in who isn’t fully ready. That means we need you to prove it. Show us that you're worthy of the title of top-tier adventurer."