The Paper User: Exiled for a ‘Trash Skill,’ Awakens True Power and Rises with Two Unique Skills - Chapter 55

Epilogue Part 2

---

“Oh dear, you really made him mad,”

Elena, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.

“Well, it’s natural to get angry when your salary is cut in half.”

“I’m the one who’s angry,” Kilsas replied, turning his gaze to Elena.

“Because of Gardi’s failure, three major commissions were canceled. Plus, we now have to replenish our lost members.”

“That’s right. Three days ago, if we put out a recruitment call, people would gather quickly, but the situation is different now. There are voices doubting the Seiken Guild’s strength.”

“…If the Moonlight Guild hadn’t defeated the demon, the Seiken Guild’s reputation wouldn’t have dropped.”

Kilsas pressed his temple with his finger and exhaled softly.

“If this was going to happen, I should have gone to the front lines myself. Maybe then I could have befriended Shirfeel.”

“Oh? You’re interested in the High Elf?”

“Not the race, but because she is one of the Twelve Heroes. As someone who will become the thirteenth hero, it’s wise to get acquainted.”

“Hmph. That’s quite a claim — thirteenth hero, huh?”

“That’s because I have that much power,” Kilsas smirked.

“Well, if I become a hero, I’ll quickly restore the Seiken Guild’s reputation after this failure.”

“Let’s hope so.”

Elena touched her glossy golden hair.

“By the way, I was surprised to learn Yakumo is in Kinako’s party.”

“Yeah. Maybe he’s just doing menial tasks.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Huh? Why not?”

Kilsas tilted his head.

“Why do you think that?”

“The E-rank promotion exam recently.”

“What about it?”

“You said Albert scored second best, right?”

“Yes, I remember. What does that have to do with Yakumo?”

“Yakumo got the top score.”

“…Yakumo?”

Kilsas’s cheek twitched.

“I haven’t heard that from Albert.”

“Well, Albert wouldn’t say. Because it means he lost to Yakumo.”

Elena shrugged.

“The exam was about collecting monster materials, and Yakumo apparently defeated an armored centipede.”

“Yakumo defeated an armored centipede?”

“Yes. Even B-rank adventurers struggle with those. Yakumo did it alone.”

“Impossible! Yakumo only has paper-based skills. That can’t be!”

“Even if you say it’s impossible, that info came from guild staff. Yakumo handed the head of the armored centipede to the staff.”

“The armored centipede’s head…”

Kilsas pondered for a few seconds.

“So the staff didn’t actually see Yakumo kill it?”

“Exactly. There were over a hundred adventurers gathering materials in the forest, so no one was watching him the whole time.”

“I see… ha… haha.”

Kilsas covered his mouth and laughed, making Elena curious.

“What’s so funny all of a sudden?”

“I figured out how Yakumo cheated.”

“Cheated? Yakumo cheated?”

“Yes. He prepared the armored centipede’s head beforehand. Probably Kinako killed the monster.”

“But the exam contents are announced the day of the test, right?”

“There were similar exams before, so he predicted this. He hid the head in a magic pouch.”

Kilsas touched the magic pouch hanging from his waist.

“Materials don’t degrade in a magic pouch. Making it look like he killed the armored centipede on the test day wasn’t hard.”

“But would he go that far for a mere E-rank exam?”

“Some clients avoid parties with F-rank members. Yakumo must have desperately wanted to be E-rank. So he asked Kinako for help.”

“Would Yakumo really do that? He seemed serious.”

“He was kicked out of the Seiken Guild. He’s desperate. Or maybe it was the party leader’s idea.”

“Hmm… that’s possible.”

Elena tilted her head.

“Maybe Yakumo really did kill it?”

“If it was an old or seriously injured armored centipede, maybe. But that kind of luck on an exam? Unlikely.”

“So cheating seems more likely.”

“Yes. I already said Yakumo has no future. He won’t even be a second-rate adventurer. There’s no way he killed an armored centipede.”

“So if Yakumo asks to rejoin the Seiken Guild after hearing about recruitment, we can refuse, right?”

“Of course.”

Kilsas smiled as he replied.

“No point in letting in someone without potential.”

“Someone with potential, huh…”

— Though I doubt anyone like that would join the Seiken Guild now.

Elena touched her pointed ear and gazed at Kilsas for a few seconds.

“…Alright. I’ll prepare for recruiting new members.”

As Elena left the room, Albert, Dazzle, and Camilla entered.

“Kilsas, the goblin extermination job at Itato Village is complete.”

Albert handed Kilsas a report.

Kilsas reviewed it.

“…No problems, it seems.”

“Yes. There were over eighty goblins, more than expected, but it was easy.”

Albert puffed out his chest proudly.

“With our current strength, the three of us could even take down an ogre!”

“Ogre…”

Kilsas put the report on the desk and looked at them.

“Albert, Dazzle, Camilla. You know that due to Gardi’s mistake, twenty-eight members died. So you can’t act like newcomers. You are the Seiken Guild’s mid-level members, and eventually, you must become executives.”

“E-executives?”

Albert’s voice was shocked.

“Yes. If you grow stronger and prove yourself, that’s the path. And I’m counting on you.”

“I’ll become an executive!”

Albert clenched his fist.

“I’ll become one too.”

“Me as well.”

Dazzle and Camilla spoke together.

“I believe in you.”

Kilsas placed his hands on their shoulders one by one.

— They’re still inexperienced, but they have multiple combat skills and ambition. If they reach D-rank soon, they’ll be valuable. Dangling the executive position will motivate them. Also…

A fleeting image of Yakumo crossed Kilsas’s mind.

— If these three can’t outperform Yakumo, my judgment was wrong. But that’s impossible.

Kilsas glanced at them with a grin.

---

← Previous Chapter | Index | Next Chapter →

---