The D-Rank Guild Master of the Number One Guild, Episode 11
Because Jio saw that Ririt was following me, he too obeyed me absolutely.
Soon, he followed behind, matching my pace with sulky steps.
Good, good. Very desirable.
Then, as we crossed through the forest, branches came showering down above our heads.
“......!”
It happened so suddenly that neither Ririt nor I could dodge. But contrary to expectations, nothing fell on our bodies.
When I looked up, a large man was shielding us with his broad back, then looked down at (Ririt) with gentle eyes.
“You okay?”
Oh, that was very, very slightly cool just now. For an idiot.
As expected, it was worth rolling around the forest to bring him here. Jio is quite an excellent bodyguard even without a unique ability.
Now, Jio has completely become Ririt’s. And Ririt is mine.
Which means Jio is also mine, by extension.
I smiled smugly to myself.
But before long, Jio started rebelling against me.
“Liar. You said you’d let me eat my fill every day, and now you’re starving me on the second day already.”
“That single meal you just ate was 3.5 servings.”
“Still a lie.”
Jio had changed, but I had changed too.
Unlike in the forest yesterday, I completely changed my expression and sharply cocked my chin.
That’s right, I’m an exploitative boss. I don’t bother putting in effort for a fish I’ve already caught.
* * *
Now the characters all seem to be moving in groups.
They’re frequently targeting groups that look easy in order to score group kills and collect points.
It’s a relief Jio is fairly large. I almost caused another casualty with this flame of mine.
Those who have unlocked unique abilities are also appearing in succession.
However, it seems those who have successfully unlocked Pure Nature have become even rarer because of the rumors I spread. It’s a rare ability group to begin with, so it’s become scarcer still.
But the remaining two ability groups have been actively awakening.
However, these remaining two ability groups were the problem.
Right now, rumors are circulating that you have to eat a “specific item” to unlock the corresponding unique ability.
This is something Jio told me. He’d overheard it somewhere.
“Jio, how did you happen to hear this?”
“I heard it because it’s something you eat. But I guess it tastes bad.”
“......I see.”
Anyway, just like the false rumors I spread, this is an ominous flow of change.
An item for unique ability awakening? There’s no such thing. Such a rumor must have randomly attached itself to some food.
But with the truth of the rumor unverified and continuing to grow, before anyone knew it, the characters had become more desperate to get their hands on that item than to reduce the number of survivors.
Could this actually be a rumor spread by the GM? Just to entertain the viewers?
What should I do? Should I try to get that item too, just once? I need to know why such a rumor started.
“I wonder how we could get that item...... I feel like I’m putting too much burden on Rudel alone. Do you have any good ideas?”
Ririt was worried that she and Jio were the only ones without unique abilities.
The truth was, it wasn’t that she couldn’t unlock hers, but that I hadn’t let her yet because the time wasn’t right.
I figured it would be better to unlock Ririt’s unique ability before she came to believe that rumor was true.
Of course, I couldn’t let it be known that I knew the unlock conditions not just for Pure Nature but for other ability groups as well, so it all had to be under the guise of mere “coincidence.”
I merely waited for a situation to arise naturally.
We had moved for some time before deciding to take a brief rest against a tree trunk.
Feeling peckish, I took out cream bread and divided it into equal portions, but Jio quickly ate his and started complaining again.
“Give me yours.”
He immediately set his sights on mine.
These days, after feeding Jio three meals, the inventory I’d stuffed full in the morning was nearly empty.
Meaning, if not for the rewards that came in at night from viewer votes and collection points, there’d be nothing to eat tomorrow.
In other words, I was living hand to mouth.
Perhaps because making Jio submit(?) had been entertaining, viewer reactions had once been passionate, and rewards had poured in.
But that food had long since run out.
I had to create something similar to fill this beast’s stomach.
I hurriedly shoved the fist-sized piece of remaining bread into my mouth, filling my cheeks and chewing with difficulty before showing him my empty hands.
Jio looked annoyed.
Ririt glanced over and split her bread in half, holding it out.
“Do you want to eat more of this......?”
“Ah, no. Ririt.”
Jio flushed red, overwhelmed. I shouted at him on top of that.
“Eat your own!”
At that moment, when Ririt looked at me with an incredibly troubled face, a thought flashed through my mind.
Found it—the timing for Ririt’s unlock.
“I just...... wanted to give it to you......”
Ririt faltered, trailing off as if she’d done something wrong. In that instant, I was caught off guard.
Could that piece of bread have been a sign of affection for Jio rather than simple kindness?
‘Don’t tell me Ririt is also...... to Jio......’
......But Ririt’s face was far too bright and innocent. She still looked too young to harbor romantic feelings for the man before her.
Relieved, I sat down close to Ririt.
“Ririt, you need to fix your habit of giving away anything and everything. You’ll only lose out in life.”
Then Ririt gazed steadily at my face, and soon smiled an angelic smile so beautiful that I couldn’t help but fall silent for a moment.
“Sorry for worrying you. But I can’t help it. This is who I am. And it’s fine to give everything to you and Jio, isn’t it?”
Ding.
A small sound effect rang out, and a broadcast announcement was heard.
[Congratulations! Your unique ability has been liberated!]
Ririt’s eyes went wide and her mouth fell open. I put on a suitably bewildered act in front of her.
The truth was, unlocking the ‘Soul’ ability group was really no big deal. Yet while it was no big deal, it was also extremely difficult. It might truly be hard for some people.
Namely—
‘Realizing oneself and making an oath upon the conviction of one’s life.’
The game broadcast celebrated the unlocking of Ririt’s unique ability and put forth her exclusive line.
[“I want to give love, and I want to receive love. I like this world.”]
A thought that only a kind child could have.
I let out a snicker.
“Yeah, that’s you, Ririt. It’s your undeniable soul.”
To mention a soul to a character. I thought it was strange myself, but I decided to let this level of grammatical error slide for now.
After all, I needed to check what Ririt’s unique ability was.
Jio was watching us from above with wide eyes too.
A brief silence passed.
Don’t unique abilities usually manifest automatically when they’re liberated? Like when my ability awakened and I spewed fire at Iseupan?
But all I could feel around Ririt was......
A slightly warm energy. Nothing more than a hot wind, like a heater.
Unable to hold back, I opened Ririt’s unique ability status window.
[Ability Group] Soul
[Unique Ability] Warmth
[Potential Rank] D
Looking at the result on Ririt’s status window once again, I was at a loss for words.
This thing called ‘Warmth’ is nothing more than a really slightly warm energy.
“Ah...... I’m sorry, Rudel. I unlocked my unique ability too, but it seems like an ability that only makes things warmer and can’t do anything. I don’t know what this is. I’m no help at all until the end......”
“No!”
Jio shouted, jumping up at the last part despite not really understanding.
That’s right, it’s not. It’s fine. Although it’s truly a useless ability in combat, it’s good enough to use instead of a heater, right?
If I research it properly later, there might be a hidden reversal to the ‘Warmth’ ability......
“I think the ability group called ‘Soul’ is unlocked when you ‘say something you believe about yourself.’ Because I just did that.”
Ririt analyzed it enthusiastically on her own.
Not that I wouldn’t know that, but it was admirable that she was trying to be helpful.
Jio scratched his head. Then, after thinking a little—so Jio is capable of thought, huh—he opened his mouth.
“Then that method won’t work for me. My ability is—”
I covered Jio’s mouth.
“Wait, don’t say it out loud.”
You never know where, who, or how someone might overhear.
I glanced around the surroundings and cautioned Jio.
“Just don’t worry about it. When the time comes for your ability, I’ll take care of everything. You trust me, right?”
What Jio does best is ‘living without thinking.’ Jio nodded obediently.
“Good, since you understood me well, eat this candy instead.”
* * *
It seemed someone somewhere had unlocked their unique ability again.
An awakening line belonging to someone I didn’t know flowed out over the broadcast.
[“May someone appear who shakes me to my very core.”]
It was the low, rich baritone of a man.
At that moment, Ririt, Jio, and I happened to be resting in the shade of a large tree.
I was wondering what kind of ability had just been unlocked when I suddenly saw a huge, dark figure charging from afar.
“......?”
If I wasn’t mistaken, it was gradually getting closer to us.
When it was close enough to identify its form, I realized the opponent was a giant wolf.
The moment I was about to shout for the kids to dodge, Ririt—who had also noticed the beast’s presence—let out a scream.
Jio reacted immediately to Ririt’s scream.
Whoosh—!
As if a gust of wind had blown, Jio leaped into a tree with Ririt tucked under his arm. He jumped so high it looked like he was flying.
Jio climbed onto the tree overhead to avoid the wolf’s charge.
Wait a minute.
‘Does he not care if I get devoured by the wolf or not?’