Chapter Twenty: Let’s Register At the Adventurers’ Guild
I’m also happily partaking in the food and fruit water that arrived amidst everyone becoming even livelier with cries of "The cook is here!" While I can handle alcohol and I’m quite tolerant, I’m not particularly fond of it… I mean, it just fills my stomach, so I’d rather indulge in delicious treats.
By the way, the phantom fowl meat Mr. Ville passed to the waiter earlier was turned into a broth-like dish—something between stew and soup—with plenty of vegetables. Soups are great for filling up.
The flavor was simple saltiness. But the sweetness of the plentiful vegetables came through and it was pretty tasty overall. It’s a filling dish with boiled wheat flour lumps—those things called dumplings—so it’s satisfying for the stomach.
The complimentary fruit water also had a faint orange aroma and flavor, refreshing my mouth. I’m happy for the thoughtful touch of having some mint-like herbs floating in it.
No wonder customers keep steadily coming in… The food and drinks here are delicious, after all.
“Oh, speaking of which. If we’re gonna go outside the main gate, you need identification, Rin.”
“Come to think of it… that’s true. I was invited to the party but haven’t gotten any official documents yet…”
Mr. Ville, who had taken a sip of wine, raised his head as if remembering something. I swallowed the chewy wheat flour dumpling I had been enjoying and pondered for a moment…
Now that he mentions it, I don’t have any ID yet! If I go out on a quest like this I’ll have trouble getting back in!
“It would be best to get your identification issued at the guild while we still can. The guild should still be open.”
“You’re right. It looks like we should hurry.”
"Ohh, are you leaving already? Couldn’t we register before tomorrow’s departure and still make it on time…?”
"No, sooner is better. Knowing Ville, he might forget in his rush tomorrow.”
"More a miracle he remembered now while drinking!”
Following Mr. Ville, who emptied his glass of wine, I hurriedly finished off my soup and fruit water.
Xenon pacified Aria, who was lightly pulling on my borrowed cloak. Was it my imagination that I felt a little coldness in the eyes of Mr. Ville as he glances at him…? Mr. Ed’s words could also be considered rude depending on how one interprets them, but Mr. Ville didn't react to them in any way… or is Mr. Ville just forgetful sometimes? Of course, it’s only naturall, but it’s surprising to learn about it for the first time!
I sneak a peek at Mr. Ville, who is being thoroughly teased by the guys, but he doesn’t seem bothered at all. With a sudden snort of laughter, he takes out some money from his hidden pocket and hands it to Mr. Xenon.
“This should cover my part. What’s the plan for tomorrow?”
“Meet at 6 in front of the main gate. It’s a collection request in the nearby forest. No particularly strong monsters expected, so heavy gear isn’t required.”
“Got it. See you tomorrow then!”
Keeping each other informed is essential, isn’t it?
Mr. Xenon manages to convey everything from the meeting time and location to the mission details and precautions without needing to be asked. He’s quite capable… Being handsome and competent is unfair! Heaven gives some people too many gifts!
Having obtained the necessary information, Mr. Ville led me out of the tavern, hand in hand once more… What is it… I feel sort of… the lukewarm gazes of everyone in the party on me… He’s doing it to prevent me from wandering off! Nothing more!
Compared to the slightly crowded and warm interior, the night town outside feels rather cool. Outdoor lamps dot the area, brightly illuminating the surroundings.
While there are noticeably fewer people than in the day, the town is still lively.
But unfortunately, I don’t have the leeway to look around. Just keeping up with Mr. Ville’s brisk pace takes considerable effort. This is why people with long legs are…!
I’m practically jogging at this point.
My lack of exercise is starting to catch up with me, as I begin to huff and puff. Mr. Ville, finally noticing my struggle, looks guilty and slows down his pace.
“Sorry about that. I went too fast without thinking.”
“I… it’s… okay… if we’re… in a hurry…”
“No, I wasn’t considering your pace. That was my mistake. I apologize.”
As I gasped for breath, barely able to converse, Mr. Ville gently patted my back.
Ah… but, this isn’t quite right. Apart from being in charge of meals, I also have to carry luggage, which means I have to walk quite a distance with everyone, right? Yup. I’ll really need to build up my stamina… I should start seriously exercising.
“For now, Rin, let’s go with you being an ordinary person from afar… alright?”
“I’ll leave it to you. I don’t know anything about this world anyway, so I can’t talk well about it…”
“Got it. Hmm… how about you had that baggage porter skill, could pull large boxes in and out freely, but since you ended up alone, you decided to travel and make use of that skill… and happened to meet me during your journey.”
“It’s a bit rough but way better than honestly saying I was summoned from another world as a saint!”
When I had caught my breath and there was no one around, Mr. Ville spoke in a low voice, asking how to handle the story. But of course, I couldn’t come up with a good excuse… So, we decided to go with the scenario Mr. Ville had concocted: I was an ordinary person with the skill of being able to freely summon and withdraw a large box, and I became a porter to make use of that skill…
There’s a high chance someone might say, “Wouldn’t it be better to become a merchant with that skill?” But I’ll try to come up with something like, “I’ve just come from the countryside, I’m not young anymore, and I wanted to work where I know people…” or something like that, to try and cover it up. Just a little trick.
Oh, that’s right. Speaking of tricks…
“Come to think of it, how did you get through the main gate today?”
“I showed them my ID and said ‘This one here wants to become an adventurer’, so they let us in. That’s why we need to hurry up and get you an adventurer’s ID.”
I see! So, Mr. Ville sort of became like a guarantor or sponsor, meaning he will face some sort of penalty if I cause any trouble. That explains it a bit. Indeed, if that’s the case, I really need to get my identification sorted out soon, or else it’ll be like, "You said you wanted to become an adventurer, but you haven’t registered yet?" it certainly makes sense to hurry up about it.
As our pace slowed down enough to talk while walking, I took the opportunity to ask about various things related to the guild and the registration process. Apparently, they use something called a Truth Assessment instead of checking status like in a manga. It’s a spell cast on the application documents and the applicant to determine if what’s written is true or false. It’s high-spec enough to properly assess even if someone else writes for the applicant.
…Oh, I get it. So that’s why he came up with that "setting." Saying I’m "from afar," becoming "alone," and deciding to "make use of the porter skill" aren’t lies. Coming from a distant place… Well, I did come from afar—another world. And I did become alone, separated from family and friends. Campy can carry baggage, too!
It’s flawless countermeasures!
As we talk, it seems we arrive at our destination.
I couldn’t make out details due to the dim surroundings, but judging by the light leaking out of the high windows, it appears to be quite a large building.
Passing through the heavy wooden door reinforced with thick planks, a world that was somehow simultaneously familiar yet unfamiliar spread out before me.
The interior design actually resembled a bank the most. There was a reception desk in the back, and simple tables and writing utensils for filling out documents in front of it. Instead of promotional or announcement posters on the walls, there are request forms posted, and rather than couches for waiting, there are simple chairs and tables arranged. Up to this point, it could pass as just a somewhat peculiar bank, but standing before me were adventurers of various races, equipped with weapons and armor. Naturally, if such individuals were in a bank, it would immediately raise suspicions of a bank robbery.
“Good evening, Mr. Ville! Are you here for guild business?”
“Yeah, Sheila. I’d like to register someone new.”
“Of course! Please fill out the application at that table!”
As I looked around bewildered, a voice called out from the corner of the reception desk. It was a somewhat adorable voice, reminiscent of a child speaking earnestly but with a slight lisp. Turning towards the voice… huh? A dog? Somehow… there was a white dog wearing a blue apron dress and a headdress standing there… Huh? Could it be… the dog just spoke!?
“It’s your first time seeing a kobold, right?”
“I’ve seen them in fiction and stories, but a real one is… certainly a first…”
Still not really comprehending what was going on, I was led to the writing table… and realized I couldn’t write the letters of this world, so Mr. Ville was writing for me.
Well… so there are even kobolds here…
Glancing sideways at the pup receptionist, I can’t help but notice how adorable she is. With her pure white, fluffy fur, perky triangular ears, neatly curled tail, and round, shiny black eyes and nose, she’s just so incredibly cute…! Even the little patch of black fur above her eyes, resembling eyebrows, adds to her charm.
“Have you finished filling out the form? Alright then, I’ll verify the information!”
“Y-Yes! Please go ahead!”
“Got it! Here we go!”
When I submitted the finished document to the kobold—apparently, her name was Sheila—she beckoned me over to the front of the desk. Standing where she indicated, I was told to place my hand over the papers—likely necessary to cast the spell on the document and applicant. When I complied, Ms. Sheila’s cute face tensed up as she swung her paws down with an adorable shout. Then, several grains of light drifted softly from her pink paw pads and were sucked one after another into me and the papers… and in the next moment, the document emitted a blue glow.
“Truth Assessment complete! No lies detected, so I will register you as a baggage porter, Ms. Rin!”
“Oh, thank you very much!”
“It’s been a while since I’ve had the pleasure of assisting a newcomer! Mr. Ville’s party are good people, so do your best!”
It seems I’ve been officially recognized as a member of the adventurers! With Ms. Sheila’s efficient hands, my adventurer’s ID is swiftly prepared. It appears to be a thin metal plate with my name, along with a brief position—like “porter” or “swordsman”—and the name of the guild I’ve registered with. Though, I can’t read it at all! I need to study reading and writing too… At least learn to recognize numbers quickly… Can’t afford to be fooled during shopping… With these complex thoughts swirling in my mind, Ms. Sheila hands me the adventurer’s badge. Her black eyes, resembling black syrup, narrow with delight as she smiles. Her wagging tail is just too adorable…
“If you need anything, don’t hesitate to consult the guild.”
Sheila waved her hand and told me those words. She proved to be an excellent receptionist, providing top-notch support for newcomers.
“You know, Sheila is a veteran with 20 years of service under her belt.”
“20 years!?”
“Kobolds don’t change much physically, and many of them tend to look a bit childish due to their race.”
I thought she was like a puppy or young adult dog!?
Truly, this world is just full of surprises!
“Come to think of it, where do you plan to stay tonight, Rin?”
“Oh, since I have no money I was going to camp out with Campy.”
“Best not go outside the town at night. And the main gate already closed too.”
“…Huh?”
“It would be bad if thieves or monsters snuck in at night, so they lower the main gate after dark.”
No way!! Really!?
It’s like those scenes in historical dramas where they talk about closing the gates, right!? Except this is on a much larger scale!
Um, but then what should I do tonight…?
I don’t have any money for lodging… I guess sleep on the streets? Set up Campy in an empty lot? Huh, what to do!?
“Rin, I’ll lend you some money. It’s better to rent a room at the Wildcat Pavilion. It’ll put my mind at ease too.”
“…Sorry… and thank you for lending…”
Seeing me fretting cluelessly, Mr. Ville took me by the hand and we wound up back at Menie Olda… the Wildcat Pavilion. He said not to worry about it but I insisted on repaying the borrowed money in installments. Monetary debts are the first step towards deteriorating relationships!
I’ll pay it back bit by bit…!
…I’ll make a note here that after this when I found out that the owner of Menie Olda is a beastman cat, my exclamation of "Like Kenji Miyazawa’s!?" failed to connect with anyone.
The translator's notes
In the last paragraph, the reference seems to be to the Night on the Galactic Railroad by Kenji Miyazawa, where the main characters are cats.
thank you <3
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