147: The trouble with smooth sailing is that you gotta stay sharp.

I scan the remaining members.

Nine still haven’t been tested.

"Alphard, Persia, Raidock, Solal, Eva, Camille, Marilyn, Jitarou, Leifan. And Professor Jabir, right?"

I didn’t hear Professor Jabir’s name come up when I talked to Kyle, but after thinking about her contributions, I figure she deserves a reward too. I glance at Kyle, and he nods.

"Let’s test the professor too!"

Not in the plan, but no problem. Maybe she’ll get the same mark—“Alchemist of the Dusk”—like me. Or something even crazier. Something I’ve never heard of before. Something wild.

I stare at Professor Jabir, eyes bright with hope. She just smiles faintly and gives a small wave with her hand.

"No, I'll pass. I've had my aptitude checked a few times before."

"Wait, really?"

Right. To common folk it's expensive, but with a teacher's pay, you could afford a test anytime.

"Come to think of it, I only just had it done after being inspired by a student... (muttering)"

Jabir muttered something, but it sounded like she was talking to herself. I couldn't catch it.

"Uh? Did you say something?"

"Wha— Nothing! Nothing at all! Now hurry up!"

"Understood."

They say geniuses just blurt out their thoughts. Probably that's it.

Best not to interrupt the teacher's thoughts. I'll do as I'm told.

"Genelis. Take it from here."

I handed him the mana recovery potion and gestured forward.

"Ah. Then, Jitarou."

"Yes, sir!"

Jitarou raises his hand cheerfully.

Seems like the Seal Officer’s checking people in order, starting with those who don’t have a crest.

“Then… ‘Crest Aptitude Judgment’… huh? Huh? Huh?!”

The Seal Officer lets out a low groan—something he hadn’t done before, not even once in all the checks so far.

Could it be… no suitable crest exists for Jitarou?

Jitarou’s always been a show-off, but he’s got real skill as a hunter.

Everyone swallows hard, eyes locked on the Seal Officer.

“This… is rare. Jitarou shows aptitude for the ‘Mataki’ crest.”

“““Mataki?”””

A word they’ve never heard before.

“Mataki, huh?”

“Know it, do you?”

“I don’t know about the crest, but I know the job. A lone wolf hunter, right?”

“Hm. Roughly correct.”

So… a loner hunter?

Kind of fits, kind of doesn’t. He calls in hunters when he needs to. I’ve been dragged along on hunts myself, so I know.

“The Matagi as a crest—purely a matter of ability. Compared to a hunter’s crest, they’re stronger in survival, tracking, detection, have a wider variety of traps, and excel at concealment.”

That’s pretty wild, right?

“So, basically, a colored high-tier crest?”

“No. It’s a black crest, so not a high-tier one. But it’s rare—low manifestation rate, high ability. Probably only a few exist in the kingdom.”

Genelis chimes in, filling in for Jitarou.

“Even black crests can be powerful. Harder to manifest, like alchemists or Seal Officers.”

Makes sense.

“Now then, Jitarou. You want a crest?”

“Of course!”

Jitarou answers cheerfully.

Even if there’s no choice, don’t you even pretend to think about it a little?

Once the crest is carved into Jitarou, the kids start teasing him right away.

Different from before—air feels lighter!

“Thanks, everybody! Seriously, thanks!”

He bows back to the well-wishes, but yeah, still feels weirdly light!

Everyone else catches the mood—cheers turn casual: “Congrats,” “Jitarou, you’re getting bold, huh?”—all that stuff.

Yeah, totally Jitarou.

Happy that he’s got a crest too, but still… not some rare one on par with the high-tier ones. Feels a little fuzzy.

“Then, from now on, we’ll be dealing with those who already have crests. Craft, your healing potions will be draining fast. You’ll be alright?”

“Prepared plenty for today, so no problem. But… are you really going to use that much magic?”

"Yeah. There’s about twice the magic drain when you’ve got a seal on you."

"…That’s another thing."

I think I finally get why the kingdom charges so much for seal inspections.

Handing over the mana recovery potions, I silently thanked the guildmaster again for how lucky I’d been. Really lucky.

With Jitarou’s blessing (??) finally done, the Seal Officer pulled out the list.

"Next is Marilyn."

"Yesss?"

She walked, swaying with each step—don’t ask me what.

Evah and Camille are her sisters, right? But why’s she the only one with that kind of… presence?

"Then—"

The Seal Officer chanted the spell. Once more, his eyes snapped wide open, frozen in place.

What the hell… now what?

Marilyn held the priest's seal. I'd never heard of a higher priest's seal, so this might be the best fit—but the reaction was weird.

"Seems Marilyn has the potential to become a High Priest."

Again, something I'd never heard of. Isn't this just a regular higher seal?

"Also known as the 'Arch Bishop' seal. I expect you've guessed it—this is a colored higher seal. There's another seal with equal compatibility… Marilyn, listen closely."

"Yesss?"

The Seal Officer whispered something into her ear. Her cheeks flushed.

"That's… not necessary, really…"

"Ah. I see."

The Seal Officer nodded.

Wait—what?! What's going on?!

I'm dying to know, but it might be personal stuff. …Now I'm imagining all kinds of things!

"Marilyn, do you wish to claim the seal?"

"Please, I'd love it~"

"Then… Seal Conversion! Its name is High Priest!"

Marilyn's left hand glowed, and the seal was rewritten.

"Amazing. I can feel the power surging through me~"

"Good for you, Marilyn."

"Congratulations."

Marilyn, beaming with joy, received congratulations from Ev and Camille.

I knew she was strong, but I never thought she’d actually get a top-tier seal.

…Huh?

Top-tier seal… Marilyn?

Considering the rest of the team’s strength…

Something bad was about to happen. I could feel it.

Of course, my gut was right.

While celebrating together, they handed the potion to the Seal Officer.

"Next, Camille."

"……Hm."

Camille stepped forward—slender, quiet. She carried the warrior’s seal, but fought with speed, using ambush tactics.

Honestly, a ranger or thief’s seal would suit her better.

Still, getting a top-tier seal? Probably not likely.

By the time I’d finished thinking, the aptitude test was over.

The Seal Officer fell silent again.

Hey!

What now!?

“U-um. This many in a row… even I’m starting to get confused.”

“Genelis-san. Did something come up?”

“No, my apologies. Camille seems to have the potential for a ‘kunoichi’ seal.”

“““Kunoichi?”””

Again, something I’d never heard of.

Is this some kind of rare seal parade or what?

“Hmm. It’s a high-tier colored seal, but there’s no record of it appearing in the kingdom.”

“Could it be elsewhere?”

The Seal Officer’s teacher threw out the question.

“Hmm. Rumored to appear occasionally in the Mizoho Shrine Nation—the strongest among the small states. But since Seal Officers don’t often cross national borders, it’s not confirmed.”

“Hm. So, Seal Officer Palace, do you know what this ‘kunoichi’ seal actually does?”

“It’s fine,” the kunoichi has a unique tattoo only women can receive, making her more of an elite assassin type. Seems she picks up skills with short swords and throwing knives easily. She’s said to suit combat that values speed and volume of attacks. Good at ambushes, apparently.”

Same with any crest—after that, it’ll just fill in the gaps with knowledge flowing from the mark.

"Camille. You want the sigil, do you?"

Hmm. Of course.

Genelis’s magic rewrote Camille’s crest.

Congrats. But I still don’t get what a kunoichi even is. Think Camille can handle it?

Hmm. Perfect.

Camille answers Evah’s worry with a V-sign. Looks like she’s managed to secure the crest’s whisper, safe and sound.

Camille, beaming with joy at everyone's congratulations.

Not much talk, not much change in expression, but even he could tell that much.

Two of the Cassper sisters had secured upper-tier sigils. Now, what about the eldest, Eva?

...Now that’s the real worry. What if she doesn’t get one?

Ah. Right.

In the future, when they start testing the children’s sigil aptitude, one might come up with none at all.

Better think ahead about what to do if that happens.

Lost in thought, Genelis, having regained his magic, calls out to Eva.

"Then let’s check it."

"Please."

Eva’s expression was clearly tense.

Yeah, if she were the only one without a matching sigil, her position as elder sister’d be shaky...

Please, let her get something amazing, too!

Genelis’s eyes widened. He shouted.

“Fuh!?!”

Fuh!?

Wait, that reaction’s weird, isn’t it!?

“Uh… Genelis. Is there something wrong with my sigil…?”

“S-sorry. I was just startled. Didn’t expect to see such an incredible aptitude.”

No, startled isn’t the word. “Fuh!?!” That’s not even a real reaction. “Uh… Genelis. Is there something wrong with my sigil…?”

Genelis glanced over at me. Our eyes met.

No way. The Twilight Alchemist?

Genelis turned back to Eva, and spoke slowly.

“Eva’s truest sigil is Wysman… the Seeker of Magic… meaning… the ‘Scholar’.”

“““Scholar!?”””

A bomb just exploded in the air.

Sure, Grand Mage sounds impressive, but Scholar? That’s just a fancy way of saying “nerd.” (Wrong.)