Guild Master Daniel told Ryuujin, who had passed the rank-up exam, to wait for him in his office.

As instructed, Ryuujin went to the office and waited on the sofa. After a while, Daniel and the receptionist, Leila, came in with a guild card.

Leila handed the card to Ryuujin, but her face was strangely downcast, and her voice lacked its usual energy.

Leila, "The procedures are complete. Congratulations on your rank up. You are now an…F-rank."

Hearing these words, Ryuujin looked at the guild card he was given and protested.

Ryuujin, "F-rank? I just beat a B-rank adventurer. Shouldn't I be at least B-rank?"

Leila, "No, well…"

Daniel, "I'm sorry, but it's the rules. Rank advancement isn't just about combat strength."

Ryuujin, "Rules? Did you just make up these rules in a hurry?"

Ryuujin glared at Daniel.

Daniel, "T-that's not true! Do you not trust the guild master!?"

Ryuujin looked at Leila suspiciously.

Leila, "I-it is true, officially, according to the rules…"

Daniel, "Explain it to him."

Leila, "Ryuujin-san, you haven't met the rank-up quota. To advance from F to E, you need to submit proof of having defeated a certain number of monsters and deliver their materials."

Ryuujin had only been picking herbs for three years, so he hadn't met the required monster defeat quota for a rank-up.

However, this was clearly Daniel's harassment.

F-rank is assigned to adventurers registering for the first time without an exam. Even though it was a rank-up from G-rank, it was absurd that Ryuujin, who passed a difficult exam that F-rank adventurers could never clear, was categorized as the same as a new registrant. He should have been at least E-rank.

It seemed Leila had her own thoughts on the matter, as she spoke up in protest.

Leila, "This is unfair! There have been cases in the past where even if they didn't meet the requirements, they were granted D-rank based on the Master's discretion!"

Daniel, "Quiet, stop making unnecessary comments! Rules are rules. I have decided that we will strictly follow the rules from now on!"

He chased Leila away, telling her not to say anything more, and then Daniel told Ryuujin he had something he wanted to ask him.

Daniel, "Were you hiding your strength?"

Ryuujin, "No, I wasn't hiding it."

Daniel, "Then what is it? Why did you suddenly become so strong? What happened in the dungeon?"

Ryuujin, "I became strong, or rather, I should say, I remembered."

Daniel, "Remembered what?!"

Ryuujin, "…It's a secret."

Ryuujin grinned.

Daniel, "…"

Ryuujin, "Do I need to tell you? Do you ask everyone about how they got strong every time they level up?"

Daniel, "It's not a matter of obligation…

…The guild staff needs to know what kind of abilities the adventurers they're affiliated with possess. If we know that, we can introduce them to more suitable requests or provide them with convenience.

Well, some people keep secrets that even the staff doesn't know. As guild master, I want to be aware of this information as much as possible.

Rest assured that I will keep your confidentiality."

Ryuujin, "I can't trust you."

Daniel, "You're just an F-rank adventurer, and you don't trust the guild master?"

Ryuujin, "I almost got killed! By a planned assassination sanctioned by the guild master, no less. Do you think I can trust someone who ordered my death?"

Daniel, "I didn't order anything! They were acting on their own…"

Ryuujin, "So you admit that Yulma and the others tried to kill me?"

Daniel's face fell.

Ryuujin, "So, are you going to punish Yulma and the others for attempted murder? Everyone who participated in the raid knew about it and kept quiet. They all need to be punished!"

Daniel, "That…is a separate matter. If that kind of information gets out, it'll be a credibility issue for the guild. We can't discipline someone for something without any evidence."

Ryuujin, "Hmph, it seems there's no point in talking any further."

Daniel, "Wait, this is an order from the guild master! Tell me everything honestly! If you disobey, I'll use my authority as master to punish you!"

Ryuujin, "Tell you what???"

Daniel, "Everything! How did you escape the dungeon? What's the secret to your sudden strength?"

Ryuujin, "I told you. It's a se-cret."

Daniel, "Are you sure? If you defy me, there will be a penalty. I will impose a punishment of 'indefinite request suspension' and 'material purchase ban'! You won't be able to take on requests, you won't be able to sell materials, and you won't be able to rank up!"

Ryuujin, "Hmph, I don't care. I've lost interest in ranking up. I'm fine staying F-rank. The talk is over, I'm going home."

After Ryuujin left, Daniel, blood rushing to his head, immediately notified the guild staff of Ryuujin's punishment.

'F-rank adventurer Ryuujin disobeyed the Guild Master's orders, and is therefore subject to an indefinite request suspension and material purchase ban.'

The staff members protested, saying they had never heard of such a punishment and that it was too severe, but he ignored them.

"He'll be begging for mercy soon enough. He can't accept requests or sell materials. That'll teach him," thought Daniel.

The next day, Ryuujin appeared at the guild and looked at the bulletin board where the requests were posted.

Leila came up to him and said apologetically.

Leila, "Ryuujin-san, I'm sorry. There was a notice from the Guild Master…"

Ryuujin, "The penalty, right? I know, I heard about it yesterday. Indefinite request suspension and material purchase ban, right?"

Leila, "Yes…

…But! This is absurd!

I think this is an unfair punishment that goes beyond the Guild Master's authority. I will report it to the Guild Headquarters!"

Ryuujin, "No, it's okay. Don't do anything unnecessary."

Ryuujin calmed down the angry Leila.

Ryuujin, "Even if I'm banned from accepting requests, it doesn't mean I'm banned from the guild, right? I can look at what requests are available without actually accepting them, right?"

Leila, "W-well, yes, but…"

Ryuujin, "And even if I can't sell materials to the guild, there are plenty of other places that will buy them, right?"

Ryuujin smiled.

Ryuujin, "Don't worry, Leila, I won't cause you any trouble."

Ryuujin, who had been calling Leila "Leila-san" until now, suddenly started calling her by her first name, making her flustered. She was also captivated by Ryuujin's smile, and her face turned red.

Ryuujin, "If he's going to wield his authority as guild master, I'll use the guild rules to get even, too."

Just then, an adventurer called out to them. It was Goji, a C-rank adventurer.

Goji, "Get out of my way! A G-rank trash adventurer who only picks herbs shouldn't be standing in front of the bulletin board!"