1
The Guildmaster’s office of the Explorers’ Guild.
Normally, it’s a place that someone like me—a perpetual F-rank explorer—wouldn’t even dare to set foot in.
Yet, due to guild regulations, there was a duty requiring the Guildmaster to personally conduct interviews, even with small fry like me.
The duty in question? Advising explorers who had become burdens to their parties to leave.
“Bash-kun. Just to confirm once more—there’s no instance, whether temporary or ongoing, where you’ve been applying buffs to your party members, artificially boosting their abilities beyond their usual potential, correct?”
“No, none at all.”
“And in that case, there’s also no chance that your departure would cause the party to gradually weaken, prompting them to later regret and beg you to return, correct?”
“No, that won’t happen either.”
Bash—that’s me.
A naked-ape humanoid.
Male.
Eighteen years old.
Class: Warrior.
I can’t use buffs or any form of magic whatsoever.
I’m a pure warrior.
As for my explorer rank? F.
Three years ago, when I turned 15 and became an adult, I left my rural hometown, borrowing the family’s long sword without permission.
I registered with the Explorers’ Guild in this city but have remained stuck at my initial rank ever since.
Explorer ranks are divided into seven levels, both for individuals and parties.
From highest to lowest, the ranks are: S, A, B, C, D, E, and F.
The conditions for a Guildmaster to advise an explorer to leave their party are twofold:
- The individual’s rank must be at least two levels lower than their party’s rank.
- Excluding the individual, the party’s calculated rank must be at least one level higher than it is with the individual included.
When an explorer meets both conditions, the Guildmaster is obligated to conduct an interview and, if necessary, encourage their departure from the party.
It’s understandable that party leaders might find it hard to directly tell a member, “You’re a burden; you’re out.”
Hence, the guild proactively steps in to handle these delicate situations.
Party ranks are calculated by summing up individual ranks, converting them into points, and dividing the total by the number of members, rounding up.
Here’s how the ranks translate into points:
- F: 1 point
- E: 2 points
- D: 4 points
- C: 8 points
- B: 16 points
- A: 32 points
- S: 64 points
The party I was in, (Peer Group), consisted of four members. While I remained an F-rank, the other three had recently been promoted to C-rank during our last expedition.
We all came to this city around the same time and registered as explorers while still amateurs.
Yet somehow, an enormous gap had formed between us.
Rising to C-rank within three years is considered a once-in-a-decade feat.
The party, thrown together out of convenience, had become a shining star with three prodigies.
Our party name was decided on a whim, during one of those “go with the flow” moments.
Typically, it takes at least five years to go from F-rank to C-rank. Reaching B-rank after another 5–10 years is where most explorers retire.
Rumors began circulating that our party might even reach A-rank someday.
…But only if I weren’t part of it.
For me, reaching even E-rank, which usually takes about six months, was still out of reach.
To put it simply, with me included, our party rank was D. Without me, it was C.
I already met the first condition for removal, and with the second condition now met, I found myself summoned to the Guildmaster’s office for a direct interview.
The rest of my party had temporarily left the city to deliver an urgent package for the guild.
During our last expedition, I’d suffered a minor injury. While I recovered, the guild had assigned them this quick two-day delivery task.
Although my injury had healed thanks to magic, I was advised to rest afterward. I’d planned to recuperate at the inn while they were away.
But on the first morning of their absence, I was summoned to the Guildmaster’s office.
Looking back, the guild had likely arranged this timing so I wouldn’t have to face my teammates after the interview.
At the end of the meeting, the Guildmaster delivered the final blow:
“Objectively speaking, your presence is a burden to your party members. While I haven’t confirmed their intentions, if you wish for their success, I recommend finding a party more suited to your rank—or perhaps retiring altogether. What do you think?”
“I’ll leave.”
And so, by my own decision—or rather, as a form of dismissal—I left the party.
