’Here. Sign this.’

At the guild office, Ian was handed a set of documents.

They were rank recognition papers stamped with an official seal.

Unlike D-rank, where advancement was granted based on reasonable achievements, C-rank required a proper evaluation, so there were various procedures involved.

Camilla, who handed over the documents, spoke up.

’Any issues in the dungeon?’

’There was one insect that was particularly tough at the end.’

’You only met one? You were lucky.’

’....’

Camilla asked Ian about the state of the dungeon and jotted a few things down in the maintenance log.

Since it was an abandoned dungeon with no profit to be made, it seemed they had no choice but to check on its status through mercenaries who entered for exams like this.

Camilla finished all the records and finally presented Ian with a new mercenary plaque.

’The Ian Mercenary Group is officially a C-rank mercenary group as of today.’

Normally, that would be the end of it for a promotion exam, but Camilla held out one more token.

’And.... I’m also authorizing your entry into the Labyrinth.’

A Labyrinth entry permit.

The application for entry that he had submitted alongside the promotion request had also been processed.

’When you enter the Labyrinth, make sure to apply at the guild in advance.’

Ian nodded as he accepted the permit.

While heading down the stairs, Ian ran into a familiar face.

A one-eyed mercenary wearing an eyepatch. It was Chris.

’I heard you’re going into the Labyrinth?’

’Yes. Once we’re ready.’

Chris glanced at Ian and spoke.

Seeing as he struck up a conversation right on the stairs, it seemed he had known Ian was coming and waited on purpose to meet him.

Chris looked at the token in Ian’s hand and gave a bitter smile.

’I thought that might be the case. You have the same look in your eyes as our former captain.’

’...What do you mean by my eyes?’

At Ian’s question, Chris didn’t answer and just smiled.

Instead, Chris held something out to Ian.

It was a journal that mercenaries often carried around.

An old journal. Ian flipped through it briefly and realized it was a record of Labyrinth explorations.

’Is it really okay for you to give this to me?’

’It should be used by someone who needs it.’

Better that than letting it rot in the room of a has-been.

Chris left behind those words and turned around.

Then, as if he suddenly thought of one more thing he wanted to say to Ian, he paused for a moment.

’...It’s not my place to say this, but don’t make choices you’ll regret in that place.’

Chris turned his head slightly and muttered.

’Even if it’s not the ’best’ choice. Do what you won’t regret.’

With that said, Chris walked away without another word.

＊ ＊ ＊

A monster’s massive roar echoed in every direction.

The air vibrated, sending a skin-crawling chill through the body.

’Attacks aren’t working at all! What do we do?’

’At this rate, there’s no way....’

When everyone was struggling against a monster that seemed immune to their strikes, Mika, standing in the rear, raised her staff and shouted.

’Everyone, move!’

’Ah, Mika!’

’We’re counting on you!’

Mana gathered at the tip of the staff Mika held aloft, surging with an energy so vivid it was visible to the naked eye.

’...Hah!’

As she thrust the staff forward, a massive stream of flames poured toward the monster like a tidal wave.

Intense heat surged, and the monster went up in flames.

Soon the fire subsided, leaving nothing but a pile of ash where the monster had stood.

’Great job, Mika!’

’This is why you need a mage.’

Listening to her party members’ cheers, Mika opened her eyes in bed.

’....’

Lying in bed, Mika quickly scanned her surroundings.

There was no one nearby, and even if there were, they wouldn’t have been able to see her dream, but....

Mika’s face flushed red for no reason.

No.... Why a dream like that?

Mika got out of bed, covering her still-burning face with her hands.

After a moment, a calmed Mika came down to the lounge.

Mika looked around the lounge, but only Rin was there.

Did everyone else go out?

Mika looked around and approached the common area.

Since they had been taking a long break following the last dungeon expedition, everyone was spending their time in their own way.

Today, it seemed everyone except Rin had gone out.

’Hehe....’

Lin, lying on the sofa, was staring at her mercenary plaque that had ’C-rank’ written on it.

Since successfully moving up to C-rank after passing the evaluation together, Rin would gaze at her plaque like this whenever she had a spare moment.

Discovering Mika coming down to the lounge, Rin snapped her head up and spoke.

’Hm? What’s up, D-rank mercenary?’

’...I’ll be moving up soon too. You only barely made the cut yourself.’

’What was that? I can’t really hear what D-ranks are saying.’

The mercenary group had become C-rank, but Mika and Tanya, who had joined late, were still D-rank because their individual achievements were slightly lacking.

According to Ian, both of them didn’t have much left to go, but they would remain in this state for the time being.

After seeing Rin act like this for a few days, Mika wasn’t even annoyed anymore.

Mika sat on the sofa, mostly ignoring Rin’s words.

But she ultimately let out a sigh.

To think the first person she saw upon waking up was Rin.

And on a day when she had such a strange dream....

Mika, grumbling to herself, thought back to the battle in the dungeon the other day.

During the fight, everyone seemed busy moving around, but Mika had just been standing quietly in the rear on standby.

Of course, that was originally the role of a mage.

It couldn’t be helped, as a mage can’t exactly run around in the front Rines.

However, the more she thought about it, the more it felt different from the mage she had imagined.

Pondering the reason, Mika concluded it was because the only magic she could use was a barrier spell.

The mage Mika imagined was, well, *that*. You know.

Something more flashy, more powerful....

Something that handled the most core role of the battle.

To do that, she definitely needed new magic.

Mika suddenly sprang up from the sofa.

Seeing Mika stand up abruptly as if she were heading out, Rin asked.

’Oh? Where are you going?’

’I’m going to the market.’

’The market? Then I’m coming too.’

Watching Rin try to get up, Mika added.

’I’m going to go magic tome hunting.’

’...Ah. Then I’m not going.’

Lin, who had intended to go play together after hearing she was going to the market, wrinkled her nose and laid back down on the sofa at the mention of magic tome hunting.

What Mika called ’magic tome hunting’ meant endlessly wandering the market and opening every book that looked remotely promising.

She was trying to find a magic tome hidden in an antique shop or an old bookstore that no one had recognized the value of yet.

Of course, she hadn’t managed to find a single real magic tome that way so far.

’I’m definitely finding one today!’

’Have fun....’

Mika, wrapped in her robe, gave Rin a determined nod and dashed out.

＊ ＊ ＊

Mika walked through the market for a long time.

’...Not this one either.’

She opened a book with a fancy-looking cover that had caught her eye just now, but it was just a diary.

She read it a bit closely, wondering if a mage had hidden their research notes in code, but in the end, it was just unremarkable content.

Seeing Mika stand still reading a book for a long time, the merchant’s expression only soured.

Mika eventually struck out for the third time today and walked down the street.

She had discovered a few old books that looked promising, but they were duds as always.

Should I just buy a real magic tome instead?

That thought crossed her mind from time to time.

Since they were earning quite a bit more money compared to before, she could easily afford something like a low-tier elemental attack from a magic shop.

But learning something like that now wouldn’t even match a single sword strike from Lia.

That would truly be a waste of money and mana.

...And solving it with money somehow felt like losing.

Of course, compared to before, this was a luxury problem.

Thanks to Ian gifting her a precious magic tome for nothing in return, Mika, who used to be an empty-shell mage who didn’t know a single spell, was now a real mage that no one could deny.

Still, something was lacking.

She was truly grateful for the barrier magic she received from the Captain, but....

The mage Mika dreamed of was one who used things like lightning storms or grand explosions.

But there was no way such an expensive magic tome would be in a market street like this.

Letting out a secret sigh, Mika trudged along, intending to return to the base.

In the middle of that, Mika’s footsteps paused.

A quiet alleyway slightly removed from the main market street.

There, merchants who had set up street stalls were laying out their goods.

They weren’t people doing business with official permits, but just peddlers who sold things in random spots and ran away when inspectors came.

Due to that nature, most items were poor quality or illegal.

Mika knew that too, so she had intended to just pass by without giving them any attention.

’...?!’

While passing between them, Mika’s eyes caught sight of a suspicious person.

Right.... A suspicious person.

A suspicious person huddled under a robe so their face couldn’t be seen.

Memories of the past flashed through Mika’s mind like lightning.

The barrier magic the Captain bought for her—it was sold by someone similar to this.

When Mika stopped in front of him, the suspicious peddler in the robe caught her eye and tilted his head slightly.

The merchant, realizing she was interested in his wares, quickly spoke up.

’Hehe, missy. Is there something that catches your eye?’

’That... well.’

Mika’s eyes were fixed on an old book laid out on the stall.

The merchant noticed this and carefully lifted the book.

’Ah, this. It’s a good item. But it’s a bit expensive.... Hehe.’

Mika couldn’t take her eyes off that old book and swallowed hard.