The Exiled Knight Takes Up Life as an Adventurer — A Former Captain's Secret Power and His Carefree Days in a Distant Land - Chapter 5

At dawn the next day, I finished preparing and left the inn.

“Oww… damn muscle aches…”

The aftermath of yesterday’s exam had finally hit me.
I rubbed my sore arms and thighs as I made my way to the Adventurers’ Guild.

“Good morning, Mr. Mardin!”

The receptionist greeted me with a bright smile.

“Morning. I’ll be in your care today.”

“Yes. Then, may I have the exam fee of fifty gold coins?”

“Sure thing.”

I placed a leather pouch filled with gold coins onto the counter.
The receptionist opened it and began counting.

“That’s exactly fifty gold coins. Thank you.”

It had been years since I last spent that much money at once—
the last time being when I commissioned a custom weapon from a famous blacksmith.

I suppose that’s how valuable an Adventurer Card is considered.

Still, I had just spent half my entire fortune.
If I failed the exam, it would be a massive loss.

No choice but to give it everything I’ve got.

“Mr. Mardin, these three will be your examiners today.”

The subjugation test is conducted under observation by three examiners for safety.

The head instructor was a former B-rank adventurer, a man in his fifties with silver hair.
The second was a currently active B-rank adventurer in his twenties.
The third, a woman in her forties, was an instructor for dismantlers and porters, taking the test alongside us.

“I’m Mardin. Pleased to meet you.”

I shook hands with the white-haired chief instructor.

“Mr. Mardin, your target for today’s trial is the Snow-Swimming Lizard, Cagwell.”

“Snow-Swimming Lizard, Cagwell?”

“Yes, it’s a D-rank monster. Your task is to hunt three of them.”

I mentally recalled what I’d read in the monster compendium.

◆◆◆

Snow-Swimming Lizard – Cagwell
Rank: D
Class: Quadrupedal Reptilian

Length: Approximately 2 medelt (meters)
A small-sized reptilian monster.

Habitat: Cold-climate forests.
During snowy seasons, it uses its short limbs and long tail to move through deep snow as though swimming.
Its entire body is covered in shimmering blue-white scales.

Its jaw measures about 50 sedelt (centimeters), lined with countless small fangs.
These are designed to prevent prey from escaping once bitten.
It feeds on small animals, fish, and small monsters, swallowing them whole.

As a winter-active species, it enters a state of hibernation—from spring through autumn.

The Snow-Swimming Lizard is a winter-active monster.
Given that it’s early summer, they should already be in hibernation.

“Isn’t it currently hibernating?”

“That’s correct. Which means your task will include locating their habitat, identifying their dens, and then proceeding to the hunt.
Quest basics, you know—survey, discovery, tracking, subjugation, and report.”

“I see. Are there any restrictions on how I hunt them?”

“None in particular. You’re free to either hunt or capture them.
Once you’ve taken down three, the test is complete.
However, since this exam also involves dismantler and porter certification, we’d appreciate it if you could keep the damage to a minimum. Hahaha.”

“Understood. I’ll do my best.”

“We’ve set aside about a week for the exam, so please take your time.”

“A week, huh… I’ll try to wrap it up much sooner if I can.”

I had a deadline—exile enforcement.
I needed to finish and return within five days at the latest.

“Oh, by the way, Mr. Mardin—what weapon will you be using?”

“Ah, well… truth is, I don’t have one. It’s a bit embarrassing.”

“…You don’t have a weapon?”

About to embark on a subjugation exam, and I didn’t even have a blade.
Since the new lord’s arrival, I hadn’t been allowed to wear a sword,
and with my property seized, everything I owned—armor, weapons—was gone.

I still had my Threadfil, but on its own, it wasn’t exactly combat-ready.

“There’s a guild-operated tool shop right next door. They sell a variety of weapons there.”

“Is that so? Well, if it’s just the Snow-Swimming Lizards, I should be fine even without a proper weapon.
Still… I should probably have at least a Cortello harvesting knife with me—just in case. I’ll go pick one up real quick.”

“…Understood. In the meantime, I’ll proceed with the exam preparations.”

I stepped into the tool shop next door and purchased the cheapest Cortello harvesting knife they had.

The Cortello was a versatile short-bladed knife, commonly used for material gathering and dismantling.
Its wide, sturdy blade made it suitable not only for carving but also for chopping small trees or digging into the ground.

Price: five silver coins.

It was a cheap model, but as long as it lasted through the test, it would be enough.

I also picked up a few supplies for the hunt—smoke bombs, rope, and flint.
All the tools together cost just one silver coin.

The guild’s tool shop had surprisingly reasonable prices. Very fair, actually.