Noir, do we really have to go?
Well, Lola's our designated receptionist.
What?! Who do you think you are?!
I've had enough of you!
Lola, calm down!
Let go! Let go of me!
S-Sounds like something's going on...
I hope everything's okay.
You... You...
I... I have to slug her!
I won't be satisfied until I do!
#07 "The Receptionist Ranking"
Morning!
Morning, Emma.
I see that you're as, uh... bouncy as ever.
Jeez, my face is up here, you perv!
Noir Stardia
Y-You can let go now... I've recovered some LP.
Really? You might need a little more.
Uh... but...
It's a little embarrassing...
Oh, fine.
Okay, let's go.
Sure.
Th-This is embarrassing for me, too...
Morning!
Hey, morning.
Good day, Noir and Emma.
Thank you for the other day.
No problem at all. Miss Maria, you seem to have recovered completely.
Yes. It's all thanks to you, Noir.
Huh?
U-Um...
Anyway, I'm glad she got better before our exam began.
Indeed.
Huh? Exam?
All right, pipe down and get to your seats!
Before we start class, I'll explain your exam.
This is your first exam after entering this school,
but it's not gonna be easy, so listen carefully.
Yes, ma'am!
The exam period starts today and lasts for the next two weeks.
You'll be gathering the monster materials listed here.
Lizardman tail
3,500 points
50,000 points
300,000 points
Dragon fang
Unicorn horn
You can obtain these materials however you'd like.
Seriously?
They're all rare monsters.
A dragon? No way!
Just so you know...
If you don't reach 10,000 points, you'll take supplementary classes
every day of summer vacation.
What?
You're kidding, right?
It's not easy becoming a hero.
You must always be diligent!
Let's gather the materials for the exam together.
Of course. But they'll all be pretty difficult to get.
Yeah. The materials listed in our assignment don't show up on the market.
What are you going for, Emma?
A dragon, of course!
If we work together, we'll be unstoppable.
Rawr!
R-Right... At least, that's what we can hope for.
I guess it will be difficult, though.
Yeah, but...
We have someone we can rely on.
You don't mean...
Right here!
Damn it. I knew it was that woman.
Well, Lola's our designated receptionist.
What?! Who do you think you are?!
I've had enough of you!
Lola, calm down!
Let go! Let go of me!
S-Sounds like something's going on...
I hope everything's okay.
You... You...
I... I have to slug her!
I won't be satisfied until I do!
Wh-What happened?
Hello, Noir. You came at the perfect time.
This wench Sarah stole my adventurers from me! Twice!
My, I'd rather you not accuse me of such things, dear.
You lack charm, so your adventurers don't need you anymore.
Isn't that the truth of the matter?
Shut your stupid mouth!
I know you did something rotten to take them!
Dear, dear. You shouldn't be mad at me for your inability to perform.
Lola
Sarah
The receptionists' quotas?
At the guild, receptionists' marks go up
when adventurers they're in charge of perform well,
and their pay and treatment improve.
But the adventurers are the ones who choose their receptionist,
and of course, they can switch at any time.
It's an unspoken rule that receptionists don't take each other's adventurers.
But Sarah seduces adventurers into switching their receptionists.
Seduces them? How?
Like...
Doing lewd things?
Again...
Where's your proof?
Well, I don't have any proof.
If you're that mad about it, why don't you beat me at least once?
What
Fine! You're on!
If I win, you'll never take any of my adventurers ever again!
"Never take any of my adventurers ever again!"
I've never taken any of your adventurers, but I accept.
On one condition.
If I win, I'll be taking one of your adventurers.
Huh?
Noir Stardia, I'm so excited for the day that I get to be your receptionist.
You're the star rookie of Odin.
If I become your receptionist, I can take you even higher.
What kind of person is Sarah, anyway?!
I'll use my Discerning Eye!
Sarah
Job: Receptionist Skills [Charm] [Winning People Over] [Sadist] Skills [Taking It on Your Lap (Grade A] Skills [Straddling (Grade A)] Skills [Sitting on Your Face (Grade A)]
H-Her skills are certainly, uh, specific!
No wonder she's so popular.
Hey, you aren't getting...
...any funny ideas, are you?
I'm very much looking forward to seeing your results in a month!
All of my adventurers have already been disciplined.
You'll never get proof that I stole them!
Mistress Sarah!
Tease me more!
Oink!
I can't believe she's targeting you, too, Noir.
If Lola loses, Sarah will be my receptionist...
Noir...
Excellent work today.
Smooch.
Oh, what a tragedy.
Noir?
L-Lola, any chance of winning?
D-Don't worry. We'll help you out!
Noir...
Coincidentally, we have to go get some rare materials for our exam at school.
So let us take care of any high-grade quests!
We'll even work hard to take down some dragons!
Th-Then I'd love for you to help!
I'll go with you, as well.
Wait, you're coming with us, Luna?
You see, I'm also an adventurer.
I didn't want to be hit with Cowardice while on a quest with others,
I don't want to die
so I'd been working solo for years.
So that's why you joined Odin?
Yes. I still do my clerical duties as I take care of quests.
So I would love to be your slave...
That is, I would love to join your party.
I'm pretty sure I just heard her say "slave"!
O-Of course! I'd be honored to go on adventures with you, Luna!
Really? Thank you!
Sh-She's so close!
Anyway, we can't let that chick take Noir!
Yes! Let's show Sarah who's boss!
Yeah!
Thus we completed Lola's quests, one after another,
and tried to come up with a plan to take down a dragon
as we gathered materials for our exam.
According to an adventurer I met in the mountains,
it was an Earth Dragon.
But I heard they hate humans and will try to kill them without warning.
Rawr!
It'd be dangerous to fight one head-on...
What about using a pitfall?
Hey, that's a great idea!
If we're going to attack it after it falls in,
using a spear would probably be optimal.
We're gonna stab it to death!
So then we used the money we received from the duke
to buy long spears and such.
Noir Stardia
I gathered LP by getting close with Emma, Luna, and Alice.
Noir Stardia
Emma Brightness
Skills [Dual-Wielded Daggers (Grade B)] Skills [Wind Strike] Skills [Dragonslayer]
new!
Luna Heela
Skills [Magical Firearms (Grade B)] Skills [Energy Shot] Skills [Healing Shot] Skills [Cowardice] [Lift Curse] Skills [Dragonslayer]
new!
Noir Stardia
Skills [Great Sage] [Get Creative] [Editor] Skills [Bestow] [LP Conversion] [Stone Bullet] Skills [Discerning Eye] [Headache Immunity] Skills [Pocket Dimension (Grade C)] Skills [Improved Back Step] Skills [Passive Defense] [Shoulder Rub] Skills [Lucky Lecher] Skills [Dungeon Elevator] [Blinding Light] Skills [Night Vision] [Dragonslayer]
new!
We got a skill to deal with a dragon, and now we're fully prepared!
Tigerson gave us a ride to Treasure Mountain,
where the dragons live.
Beware of Dragons!
Okay, I'm going to find out where our enemy is.
Answer my query, Great Sage.
Where is the dragon closest to here?
There is one 665 meters north of here.
That's closer than I thouвЂ”
Noir!
Wh-Wh-Wh-What are you doing?!
It's a long story...
We need to do this for his headaches.
I highly doubt that.
A-Anyway, I know where the dragon is!
Let's put our plan into motion!
Yeah!
We're done!
It's perfect.
But of course!
Hopefully.
I'll take care of the rest.
Okay, first...
Earth Dragon Lv.28
Skills [Rock Breath] [Lightning Weakness (Grade B)] [Menace] [Roar] [Charge]
I wonder if I can nullify any of its skills.
Earth Dragon
Skills
[Rock Breath]
[Lightning Weakness (Grade B)]
Needed to Erase
Needed to use Editor
It's no use. They take too much LP.
We'll just have to do this as we planned.
Time to wake up!
Crap! I was aiming for its tail!
I need to hide.
The Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter.
This way!
Follow me!
Noir...
Here it comes.
Let's go!
Let's do this!
I'll help, too.
Noir!
Noir! Are you okay?
Are you going to die and leave me all alone?
Ow... Don't be so dramatic.
Healing Shot.
Sorry I'm so pathetic.
Don't worry. You're doing fine.
Don't talk like that! We won, after all.
Our bonds gave us this victory.
Yes.
Wow, you actually killed a dragon.
Excellent work, Noir.
We successfully took down a dragon and turned in the materials required for the exam.
We gave the rest of the materials to Lola, and then,
it was time for the announcement of the midterm results in the receptionists' battle.
Whoa!
Incredible!
A dragon!
I haven't seen one in forever.
I know!
Squee! Amazing work, Noir!
Well, it's all thanks to Emma and Luna helping me out.
With these materials...
Lola
Sarah
All right!
Yay!
Guild Master.
I'll need you to add in my points, too. Otherwise, it's just not fair.
Oh, right.
Sarah's points... Let's see...
Lola
Sarah
Huh?
No way!
This isn't fair! I know she's cheating!
There's no mistake in the materials I checked.
B-But
It's just not enough.
You're just lacking.
You don't have that undying thirst to win.
M-Mistress Sarah...
Oh, my.
M-Mistress Sarah...
We've reached...
...today's quota.
Th-They're Sarah's...
They're basically zombies!
Mistress Sarah!
R-Reward us!
Please!
Yes, yes, yes. Work a little harder,
and as promised, I will reward you... heartily.
What is this reward?
Noir!
Huh? Wait... Lola?
Um... Lola?
Huh?!
Here are your "Touch Me Anywhere" coupons.
Touch me anywhere?
They're especially for you.
We'll save the "Touch Lola Anywhere" one for another day.
Would you like to redeem those now?
S-Sure...
Now, just relax and leave this to me.
Th-This is...
Sho amazhing...
Noir Stardia
Noir...
Yes?
I don't believe having the adventurers do everything is what a receptionist should do.
I do my absolute best to support adventurers, both body and soul.
Lola...
So that adventurers can work even harder tomorrow...
I'm worried about you.
You take on far too much responsibility.
Feel free to vent whenever you need to.
I'll be happy to listen as long as you need me to.
Those words alone are enough to make me happy.
All right, that completes this treatment.
Uh-huh, I see. So...
You want to collect some rare items so that receptionist can turn the tables.
Yes.
Don't worry. I'm sure Floor 7 won't disappoint.
Really?
The seventh floors of dungeons are usually bonus stages.
But since you've got a chance at rare items, it'll be hard to clear.
Then I need to get even stronger.
Are there any skills you'd recommend?
Fire, water, and lightning.
Why don't you Get Creative and make magic skills with those three attributes?
Magic skills with those three attributes?
First, there's Holy Flame.
It has the holy attribute, too, so it's great for frying up zombies.
Next, there's Water Drop.
You can hit things with water,
and also use it as potable drinking water when you're lost.
And finally, Lightning Strike.
Usually, you use it to protect yourself,
but you can use Editor to customize it and make it even stronger.
Th-They all sound amazing.
Okay, I'll get started.
LP. 3000
Noir Stardia Lv.62
Get Creative and Make Skills [Holy Flame] [Water Drop] [Lightning Strike]
LP. 1700
Okay, that should take care of the prep.
Now for the good part.
The most important skill is this!
It's called Magic Fusion.
Magic Fusion?
Yup!
You can combine magic skills that you've gained previously
Water Drop
Stone Bullet
Lightning Strike
Holy Flame
to make an ultimate spell that only you can use!
An ultimate spell...
Dungeon Floor 6
I'll take Stone Bullet and Holy Flame...
And then, Magic Fusion!
It's so powerful!
Thanks a lot, Master!
Thanks to this, I've become more powerful today.
I'm sure I'll be able to become even stronger in the future.
Just thinking about that is a bit... scary.
Yet I'm super excited.
The sun and a forest?
This is the seventh floor?
Alice Theater
Luna Theater.
Delicious meals also help increase LP.
And that's exactly why I went for dinner with Luna, but...
Noir... I feel wonderful right now.
Y-You've had too much to drink.
I'll walk you home.
Okay, I'll be going now.
L-Luna?
Put...
Put...?
Put it in me...
Huh?!
I mean... Thank you for... putting me in your party...
L-Luna?
G-Goodnight...
Now what do I do?
Next time, "A Little Girl's Wish."
#08 "A Little Girl's Wish"
Illustration: Saeki Sola