Chapter 167 – Flipping Pages.

“A written exam?”

“Of course. You’ll have to pay the fee to take the test first.”

“A fee?”

Rusty tilted his metallic head at her. His voice carried the curious tone humans often used when they were confused.

“How much?”

“Two silver.”

She answered while already pulling out the necessary forms. There was a strange glint in her eyes, the kind that suggested she had just roped in a sucker. Rusty would soon realize that passing the adventurer test would cost more than just two silver.

“This is only for the initial written exam. You’ll have to pay another two for the combat portion later. That’s standard procedure.”

“Standard procedure? Are there any more fees?”

Rusty sensed something off about the conversation, and as he suspected, the payments were far from over.

“Oh, silly me. I almost forgot. After the test, there will be a fee for issuing your new adventurer card.”

“Let me guess. Another two silver coins?”

“Oh, how did you know?”

“It was a guess…”

Rusty muttered his answer while touching the satchel where he kept his coin purse. He had spent most of his money acquiring his lair and had only received a single silver coin for defending the city. Fortunately, he still had just enough to cover the fees, though it would leave him with only a few copper coins.

‘I won’t have anything left to buy materials for my smithy.’

‘I have to hand it to these adventurers. They’re truly ruthless when it comes to things like this. No wonder the only requirement is money.’

Aburdon commented with a cackle. Before coming here, Rusty had been worried he might be turned away. In the previous city, the adventurer’s guild evaluated a person’s level to determine whether they were a worthwhile candidate. With his possession skill, he could display the status of his human head, which was still only at the level of an E-rank adventurer. Fortunately, there didn’t seem to be any such requirement in this city. As long as he paid, he was allowed to take the test.

‘So they just let anyone sign up without limits just to collect all these fees?’

‘Of course. That’s the entire scheme, dear Rusty. Look how pleased that woman is to take your money. These tests aren’t really about finding capable adventurers. They’re about generating income for the guild. I wouldn’t be surprised if they deliberately made the tests harder than necessary.’

Rusty already knew the humanoids leaned heavily into their obsession with money. As a monster, he saw currency as nothing more than a tool. But to these people, it seemed to be their entire purpose. He didn’t really understand why so many of them hoarded vast amounts of coins without any intention of spending them or using them to improve themselves. For him, money had value only because it could be traded to enhance his weapons, strengthen his body, or expand his magical abilities. It had no other meaning, and he didn’t need it just to survive.

‘That’s not true. The guild needs money to operate. These fees are just a way to make sure adventurers take it seriously. Not every city has enough funds for identification devices.’

At last, Alexander had heard enough and chose to speak up. It was true that the Identification skill was rare and usually had to be replicated through magical means. The higher a person’s level, the more advanced the magical device needed to verify it, and those devices were quite expensive.

‘This is just the lesser evil. The guild already employs adventurers, and this system gives them a chance to guide new prospects and help train them.’

‘Hah. Of course you’d defend these greedy lesser races, hero, but we both know that’s not the real reason.’

Rusty wasn’t sure whether it was simple greed or a calculated precaution, but either way, this was the only path forward. He had just enough money to get through the process, yet the first hurdle already felt steep. Compared to him, everyone else seemed older and more experienced. He had spent time in the Soul Forge reading books, but most of his study had been focused on crafting and magical research. When it came to adventuring, he still knew very little.

“Should I sign you up for today’s test then, Mr. Edmund?”

“Today?”

As Rusty considered whether he should study for the test, the woman’s next words hit him like a bombshell.

“The test is today?”

“Yes. Isn’t that why you’re here, to take the test?”

“Um… when does it start, exactly?”

“In about four hours. If you’d like to use the guild library to review the material, you may enter after paying the fee.”

Rusty looked in the direction she pointed. A door stood there with a drawing of a book on it.

“What if I fail the test? When would the next one be?”

“Oh, if you fail, you may retake it next month.”

“A whole month?”

“Yes. We’re understaffed here, so that’s as often as we can administer the tests.”

The woman replied while fixing her glasses and soon continued while hovering with a pen over some paper.

“So, should I sign you up?”

She asked again with a smile. Rusty hadn’t expected this sudden turn of events, and the situation was far from ideal. As things stood, he doubted he would pass the written exam without at least some knowledge of the material. Just as he was hesitating, one of his guides raised his voice.

‘Have you forgotten in whose presence you are, my dear Rusty?’

‘Hmm?’

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

Aburdon was hinting at something, and after a moment, Rusty understood what he meant.

‘Oh right, there was that way. Are you confident you can do it?’

‘Hah, who do you think I am? One glance is enough!’

‘What are you two talking about?’

Alexander didn’t seem to realize what Rusty and Aburdon were talking about, but a decision had been made. Even if Rusty failed, it would only cost two silver coins, and the next test wouldn’t be available for another month. Earning money through selling monster parts was an option, so there was no reason to turn it down, especially since he had a way to get through it right away.

“Sign me up.”

The woman nodded and used his card credentials to add his name to the list. From a quick glance, he could tell there were a few other participants already signed up.

“Very well. You have four hours. You’ll find the study room past that door. Also, if your tamed monster eats any of the books, you will be held accountable.”