The D-Rank Guild Master of the Rank 1 Guild – Episode 13
It was a woman’s voice—loud, slightly husky, somewhat constricted.
“Ririt, you stay here and keep watch over Unhar.”
After giving firm instructions, I went outside the cave to see what was going on. A beautiful female character with black hair tinged in blue light was confronting Jio, a large man flanking her side.
“So you’re the subordinate of that woman called Rudel—? Tell your boss to come out.”
Had word already spread across the field that I was the leader of this lot?
Thinking about how I would become the guild master later, that kind of recognition wasn’t exactly a bad thing.
The moment Jio tried to snap something at the opponent as if she were some strange human, I grabbed his shoulder and stopped him.
“Jio, go back inside.”
Unlike the opposing woman, I didn’t bother stationing Jio behind me as a bodyguard. I was fine on my own.
Arms crossed, I sized up the opponent for a moment.
Deep blue hair coiled around her voluptuous figure, contrasting against a slender nape and pale skin.
When she stepped to the side, smooth legs were revealed through the deeply parted slit of her skirt.
I quietly admired her inwardly. Her appearance was almost on par with Lirit’s.
Yet she exuded a mature, sensual vibe that was leagues apart from Lirit. The thought crossed my mind that the two of them together would be quite a sight.
“What do you want?”
As I spoke, I subtly glanced over her status window.
[Name] Syemarin / [Level] 40
[Gender] Female / [Age] 25
[Intellect] High / [Killing Intent] Upper-Medium
“I came because you’re the one who took my wolf—.”
She drawled, dragging out the end of her sentence in her characteristic low voice. Then, twirling her hair around her finger, she looked straight at me.
If she meant a wolf… Unhar?
“Why do you claim that wolf is yours?”
At my tone, which seemed to demand an explanation, the corners of Syemarin’s eyes rose slightly.
“I don’t know if you were aware, but that wolf you caught is a human. A man to my liking. That’s why I was going to add him to my harem, you see?”
My expression turned inscrutable.
“A harem……?”
“My men.”
I’d known for a while that the characters’ romantic emotions were intact, but to think there was a queen character practically pushing the boundaries of an adult rating.
Having no intention of interfering with this character’s unconventional outlook on life, I retorted with a different angle.
“Did you ask the wolf for his opinion? Did he say he wanted to enter your harem?”
“I doubt it. That’s exactly why he ran away.”
“Then you have no right to look for him. People must have their free will respected. Go back.”
I put strength into my voice and raised my hand—a signal that if she didn’t comply obediently, I would resort to a show of force.
“Hear me out. Even I don’t force someone to serve me unless he’s a man who wants me of his own free will. The reason I’m chasing Unhar is because that man committed a ‘crime’ against me. He stole something of mine.”
“……Surely you aren’t going to say he stole your heart, or something like that?”
At my words, Syemarin immediately glared at me as if in contempt. So it wasn’t that.
Realizing my remark had been childish, I apologized without hesitation.
“Unhar first seduced me, then stole an item and ran.”
Syemarin let out a short breath that somehow sounded charming, as if the memory alone still exasperated her.
“Then he got caught by my men. Normally, he’s so insolent that killing him wouldn’t be enough, but since I liked his face, I was going to forgive his crime by having him serve me in my harem. Is that so absurd of me—?”
Syemarin raised her smooth arm as if to say, “You be the judge.”
Having listened patiently without interrupting, I pondered with my arms crossed.
Nothing came to mind to logically poke a hole in her argument.
To think he had seduced her to his heart’s content with that face, then stolen an item and run. Even I would probably punish him for this…….
Even if I tried to argue that killing him or throwing him into some harem was too extreme, this was a matter of differing personal values…….
Besides, in a death game where people killed each other, I couldn’t exactly argue that murder was wrong.
Come to think of it, Unhar’s behavior—seducing a woman to get something out of her—felt oddly familiar.
For now, I needed to know what the stolen item was before any negotiation could happen.
“Might I know what the stolen item is?”
Syemarin faintly raised the corners of her lips, as if she had finally met someone who could be reasoned with.
“If you hear it, you’ll agree that my chasing Unhar is justified—.”
She paused for a moment, then continued with a smile.
“What he stole is an item that can awaken a unique ability. He promptly ate it and gained the ability to transform into a magnificent wolf, so now he can’t even return what he stole—.”
“……!”
My mind began to race.
An item that awakens a unique ability when eaten? It was obviously a baseless rumor, but I still needed to know what it was.
“Hmph. I don’t feel like it.”
Syemarin immediately stepped back. Perhaps she didn’t want to give away too much information.
I didn’t bother pressing her.
It wasn’t as if I’d be frustrated just because Syemarin wouldn’t tell me. I could just ask Unhar directly.
Even if I were in her shoes, I wouldn’t hand over information to someone who wasn’t my ally.
“For now, Unhar is under my protection.”
This was effectively a summit meeting between our two groups. Therefore, before earning Syemarin’s antipathy, I decided to offer my information honestly as well.
Syemarin raised her dark eyes. She was such a bewitching character that even such a minute gesture was enough to rattle the other party.
I followed up with a proposal that might tempt her.
“You said Unhar stole a unique ability awakening item? He can’t return it, but what if I unlock your unique ability in exchange?”
Perhaps because my words sounded quite attractive, Syemarin raised her eyebrows.
In a situation like this, Lirit would have just widened her eyes roundly, but as befitting a character with a mature, provocative feel, even her surprised reaction overflowed with charisma.
“If you possess the unique ability of ‘Pure Nature’ or ‘Soul,’ I can unlock it for you. If I succeed, will you consider Unhar’s debt repaid in full?”
Instead of asking bluntly what kind of unique ability she had, I first laid out the conditions I could manage.
Pure Nature or Soul—the two ability groups for which I could pass off an explanation, saying I or Lirit had personally experienced them.
(Of course, I knew the unlock conditions for Switch too, but publicly I had to pretend otherwise.)
And naturally, to me, Syemarin’s unique ability type was plainly visible.
[Name] Syemarin
* * *
[Ability Group] Soul
[Unique Ability (Locked)] ■■
[Potential Grade] A+
It was a relief that it was Soul. If it had been Pure Nature, I might have had to say, “I’ll awaken your ability!” and then scorch her with fire until she was on the brink of death.
But since it was Soul, the condition was relatively simple: realize oneself and swear an oath of conviction.
I just had to talk.
“But why—? Why are you paying off Unhar’s debt for him?”
Syemarin smoothly changed the subject.
Smiling impishly, she seemed to be probing with her expression, as if to ask, “Oh, have you fallen for him—?”
“Just on the level of recruiting a comrade.”
I gave a vague nod at that noncommittal remark.
If I had to be specific, I had fallen for the dramatic showcase that Unhar’s unstable wolf ability might bring.
Syemarin furrowed her brow as if gauging whether my words were true.
“……Soul.”
Syemarin, her expression sharpening, whispered quietly.
She didn’t forget to threaten me, now that I knew her secret.
“If you’re lying, I’ll drag you away along with Unhar.”
So the large man stationed behind her had been for dragging Unhar away?
I glanced at the man behind her. He was as big as Jio.
With Unhar and me added in, he would be more than capable of dragging us both off.
“Is this man also part of your harem?”
Treating him as if he couldn’t hear, I hooked a thumb slightly in his direction and cast a line at Syemarin.
Now, with a few provocations and leading questions, I should be able to easily draw out Syemarin’s conviction.
The man flinched, but perhaps having promised Syemarin to keep his mouth shut here, he showed no other reaction.
Syemarin answered nonchalantly, unperturbed.
“Yes.”
“How many more are there besides this one?”
“That’s a secret—.”
“Anyway, it’s at least five, right?”
I deliberately narrowed my eyes in a belittling look.
“I don’t get it. Isn’t it vulgar to cling to several people at once like that?”
Syemarin bit the bait immediately. Her lushly lashed eyes shot up sharply.
“Why don’t you take that back—?”
I faced her calmly, wondering what words I should use to get under her skin and draw out more of a reaction.
But there was no need. Syemarin glared at me intently and fired right back.
“I may keep several men at once, but if someone I truly consider perfect appears, I’m ready to let them all go. My boys all know I think this way. They follow me despite knowing. You can call me vulgar, but you can’t say that to my boys—.”
Thrum.
The surroundings wavered like a heat haze as an unfamiliar wave spread outward.
Soon, tough green vines began surging up from below, snaking up my legs.
[Name] Syemarin
* * *
[Ability Group] Soul
[Unique Ability] Poison Vine
[Potential Grade] A+
[Congratulations! Your unique ability has been unlocked.]
Following the system broadcast, the character’s exclusive line for Syemarin also played.
[‘I’m searching for the best man. Until then, to the men who pass through me, I suppose I can offer as much help as I want as a sign of gratitude.’]
……The character called Syemarin—I hadn’t realized because of her soft curves, but looking at her status window, she was a character with base stats of A+.
Even stronger than Iseupan or Jio.
She was a queen in both name and truth—a truly strong queen who bore the ambition to protect all the men who came under her command.
I had been skeptical, but to think a life conviction could really revolve around such a subject.
Well, I suppose it can.