Galf and Necky entered the guild, still shaking off leaves and dust from the forest. Graham, from her sheath, hadn't stopped ranting the entire way back.
"Unacceptable! Outrageous! We fled from glory to face papers and stamps! What kind of warriors are you? Steel doesn't wait!" bellowed the cursed sword, as Galf carried her slung over his shoulder like an empty sack.
"Oh, shut up, Graham!" Necky snapped, rubbing her temples. "Do you want everyone in the guild to hear us and the Inquisition to know we're here?" She looked in all directions in case Mirabella appeared.
"You should be thanking me! I am the voice of reason among this group of cowards!"
"You're the voice of desperation," Necky retorted, giving her a scathing look.
They reached Justine's counter, who, as always, seemed completely unperturbed, even by the constant comings and goings of adventurers.
"Oh, Galf, you're alive. What a miracle," she said without looking up from the form she was filling out. Then, she raised an eyebrow. "And what brings you here, another killer goblin?"
"Something like that. We discovered a goblin settlement in the forest, a whole lot of them!" Galf said, hitting the counter with enthusiasm. "We need you to send a subjugation team immediately."
Justine put down her pen with a sigh and crossed her arms, looking at him with an incredulous expression. Her face said it all.
"A goblin settlement? And where did you get this information?"
"Well... we saw it. I... I saw it. All three of us, actually."
Justine leaned back in her chair and stared at him.
"Galf, do you remember what it means to be F-rank?"
"Uh... yes..." Galf replied nervously.
"It means your credibility is lower than a child who claims to have seen a dragon in their backyard. I cannot accept your report without verification or sponsorship from a higher-ranked adventurer."
"But it's true!" Galf protested. "There are goblins there, I swear!"
Justine looked at him with a stern expression.
"Without proof or someone to back up your story, the guild won't lift a finger."
Graham, unable to stay silent, exploded.
"We abandoned the battlefield for this?! For a bureaucratic battle?! Oh, the indignity! Oh, the betrayal of the warrior spirit!" Graham tried to shake herself, half-emerging from her sheath. "Guild damsel, heed my call..."
Justine leaned over the counter and pointed to the sheath Galf had slung over his shoulder. "What is that?"
Galf looked away and pointed at Necky.
"Is that yours?"
"Damsel, listen to my words..." Graham added with greater fervor.
Necky scratched the back of her neck as if it had nothing to do with her.
"Oh damsel, this legendary sword attests to what the coward who carries me said."
Justine raised an eyebrow upon hearing Graham's voice. She had seen familiars of some mages before, but a talking sword wasn't that common.
"Can you shut up, junk?" Necky growled, lightly hitting Graham's sheath.
"Is that your talking sword? I thought cursed artifacts had a bit more self-control."
Graham would have frowned if she had one; instead, she opened her cursed eye wide. "Self-control is for swords without passion!" Graham declared grandiloquently. "The truth must be proclaimed, even in the face of this bureaucrat!"
"I'm going to throw you into the nearest river..." Necky muttered, gritting her teeth.
Galf clutched his head in desperation.
"Please, Justine, there has to be something we can do!"
"Unless you get a C-rank adventurer or higher to validate your report, I can't do anything. It's that simple."
Necky, who until then had only been half-paying attention, snorted in boredom and rummaged in her robe until she pulled out a small golden card. She blew the dust off it.
"Here," she said, extending it to Justine.
The assistant raised an eyebrow and took the card with curiosity. As soon as she looked at it, her expression changed completely.
"B-rank license?" Justine asked, looking at Necky in surprise. "How...?"
Galf and Graham gasped.
"WHAT?!" Galf shouted. "You're B-rank?!"
"How is that possible?" Graham asked, indignant. "You are not worthy of such honor!"
Necky smiled with false modesty and shrugged.
"Do you doubt my talent, you pair of failures?" Necky retorted at their disbelief.
Galf and Graham were serious, even Justine.
"Ah... Alright. I'm a graduate of the magic academy. They give us a license upon graduating."
"What?!" Galf shouted again, unable to process it. "And why did you never tell me?"
"Because I never thought I'd need it," Necky said, shrugging. "But, seeing that we're not getting out of this without the blessed license, there you have it."
Justine inspected the license carefully, then nodded.
"It's valid. Very well, with this license, I can report the goblin settlement as an official B-rank mission."
She stood up, walked to a corner of the counter, and rang a golden bell three times. The sound resonated throughout the hall, and the adventurers there turned to look with curiosity.
"What does that bell do?" Galf whispered nervously.
"It calls the Guild Administrator to approve high-rank missions," Justine replied calmly. "It's obvious you wouldn't know it, you've never taken high-rank missions."
Galf felt a stab in his chest. He looked at Necky, still in disbelief.
"You... you have a B license?"
Necky smiled maliciously.
"What can I say? I'm an untapped talent."
Graham, indignant, began to murmur:
"A license wasted in the hands of a lazy necromancer! The guild should retract it..."
Necky hit Graham's sheath, making the demonic eye snap shut.
"Keep talking and I swear you'll end up as a wall decoration in my cabin."
At that moment, a burly, stern man entered the room. It was the Guild Administrator, dressed in a black cape and carrying a wooden tablet.
"Who is reporting a B-rank mission?" he asked in a deep voice.
Justine pointed at Necky with a neutral expression.
"Miss Necra Gravesoul, B-rank, has reported a goblin settlement in the nearby forest."
The Administrator examined Necky with a mix of respect and skepticism. He re-examined her, doubt overcoming respect, so he couldn't help but ask.
"Is this true?"
Necky nodded with an uneasy smile.
"Of course. I saw the village with my own eyes. Goblins everywhere. A perfect place for a subjugation mission."
Galf tried to speak, but Necky gave him a look that silenced him.
"Very well," said the Administrator. "I will assemble a team for the mission."
Necky feigned a cough and began to walk away.
"Oh, well... uh... I'm a bit busy with... magical matters—excuse me for leaving you. Good luck with the goblins."
"Of course she's not going to participate," Galf muttered, still incredulous.
The Administrator didn't seem surprised.
"Then, we will organize an independent team. Thank you for the information."
The man left, leaving Galf, Necky, and Justine at the counter. His enormous cape heroically swished as he passed.
"Do you know that you technically now have a record as an adventuress?" Justine said, handing her license back.
Necky smiled broadly.
"I guess so. Where's my medal?"
Galf was still looking at Necky with his jaw dropped.
"I can't believe it... You have a B license and you never used it!"
"What for?" Necky replied, shrugging. "The art of necromancy requires all my time, there's no time for missions like these."
Graham murmured something incomprehensible from her sheath, but Necky ignored her as she dragged Galf out of the guild.
"Now all you need is a sword."
Galf glanced at her sidelong; he hadn't thought of that...