CH 7

December 21, 2022

When you enter the guild, inside there is a counter to the left of the door that divides the room in two.

There is a gap between the counter and the wall at both ends of the counter, a gap large enough for a person to pass through. As in the inn, there was no way to flip the countertops or doors installed.

On the wall to the right there are several sheets of paper, probably those containing the details of the requests, pasted all over the place. As the innkeeper had told me.

The papermaking technology must be advanced.

As I thought when I was with Dawn and the others, I realized that paper seems to be relatively cheap in this world.

The walls are covered with applications.

Also, if there are so many applications left, presumably there are either not many Explorers, or the demand is so good that they are not running out of applications.

In any case, there seems to be no shortage of work.

It may be a better city than I thought.

On this side of the counter there were about 40 people looking like scouts.

Maybe it was because it was mid-morning, but there were more people around than the innkeeper had told me.

The woman at the reception desk and some of the scouts looked at us and showed mild surprise. I suppose it is inevitable that the meaning of surprise is different for women and men. Their glances go back and forth between Marielle, who hovers above me, and me.

The meaning of each reaction was told to me earlier by the owner of the clothing store.

The most important reason for this surprise, common to both sexes, is that fairies do not wear bondage collars.

A bondage collar is simply a magical device to compel a slave to do as one says.

The absence of it proves that the wild fairy accompanies you willingly.

The fact that a wild fairy accompanies you means that the amount of magical power of its companion is extremely high.

It is said that a wild fairy will not even look at you unless you have more than ten times the amount of magic power of an average person.

In other words, people around the guild would assume that an unknown mage with a large amount of magic power suddenly came to the guild.

A mage with a large amount of magical power alone would be an object of interest and caution.

If he seems to be useful, he will be investigated. If he seems dangerous, they will keep their distance. Is it too embarrassing to think that people have that kind of thought about me?

I headed straight for the window where the senior receptionist was standing, heedless of the curious and surprised eyes of those around me.

Of course, internally , I was praying that I wouldn't fight with her or tangle with her, she's very tempting.

However, I was sure I wouldn't get into a fight so easily.

"Sorry, I'd like to register as a scout.  I just came out of the field, so there are a lot of things I don't understand, could you explain them to me?".

When I got to the senior receptionist, I tried to look as polite as possible and spoke to her.

She said, "Yes, we will take care of everything here. Please ask me if there is anything I don't understand. Excuse me, but how well do you read and write? 

He was probably doing some paperwork while he had some free time, and he smiled at me as he put aside the papers he was working on.

I had made the right decision. I was right to choose the older woman. I didn't get flustered or stumble over my words, and she handled the situation in a familiar way.

"Thank you very much for your help. Please start with the registration. I can read and write perfectly."

I guess they thought I was illiterate because I told them I was from the countryside.

I remember Dawn's story.

She was saying that in urban areas the literacy rate is over 60%, but in the countryside there are many people who cannot read or write.

In terms of calculus, the situation is even more serious.

There are a good number of people who know how to add and subtract, but when it comes to multiplication and division, even in urban areas, less than 20% of the population can do it.

People working in the royal palace and gentlemen can do simple multiplication and division.

Only merchants, government workers and those in the upper echelons of the royal court are said to be able to perform complex calculations.

It seems that those of us who have moved on to a new world where we are valued only because we can do arithmetic operations.

"Then please fill in the necessary information here."

The woman at the reception desk smiled at me and offered me a sheet of A4 paper, a pen and ink.

I thanked her and glanced at the form.  There were only four fields to fill in: name, age, gender and specialties.

"What should I write in the "specialties" column?"

"If you know how to use magic, write the magic attribute, and if you have a weapon you're good at, write it. If you have other skills, such as production or special skills, write those in as well."

"I don't have to write it all down honestly, do I?"

The receptionist responded with a soft tone and an expression that said, "I know what you're talking about."

Of course, this is also based on the information I got from the old man at the inn.

"Yes, of course. It is enough that you provide the guild with the information you think they should know. However, depending on what skills the guild knows you have mastered, we can appoint someone to you . "

He must have thought I didn't know anything about it, so he told me without expressing surprise.

The explanation was the same as what I had heard from the innkeeper beforehand.

"Thank you very much. Now, please register with this." 

I filled out the form and returned the sheet , pen and ink to the woman at the counter at the front desk.

Name: Michinaga Fujiwara

Age: 18 years old

Sex: male

Specialties: light magic, fire magic, wind magic, swordsmanship, shield techniques.

"Thank you very much. Please wait a moment. I will issue your guild card now."

The woman at the reception desk looked at me in surprise for a moment as she checked the form, then turned her gaze back to the form and instructed me what to do without taking her eyes off the form.

Crap. I forgot to ask her how long it would take.

But oh well. There's still time to eat. Let's go look at the requests on the board to kill time.

There are three large chalkboards on the wall. Each of them is filled with requests.

I see that the requests are sorted and placed on each board.

"Hey, are you a fairy lover too?"

says a voice behind me, not very loud, but clear.

I turn to the voice and see a man in his 30's carrying a fairy on his left shoulder. Was it the same man who had just called out to me? I answer the man.

"Yes, I'm a beginner."

You can tell by the way the fairy is dressed.

The man with the fairy on his left shoulder laughs and continues.

"I'm Thor, do you plan to stay here long, brother? There's a fairy lovers' meeting next month. If you feel like it, give me a call."

The man who introduced himself as Thor sketched a good-natured smile.

"I'm not sure how long I'll be here yet, but if you're going to be here, I'd appreciate it."

I replied kindly. Relationships are important. Especially this guy, he seems nice.

"Excuse me, Mr. Thor. I'd like to talk to him, if that's okay."

"Hmm?  Oh, sure. See you later, brother."

Mr. Thor waves his hand slightly, flashes a friendly smile and exits the place.

A young boy interrupts the conversation and steps in front of me.　

Compared to Mr. Thor, he is much smaller and thinner.

"Hey, you," he says to me, "you're a beginner, right?  I'll let you join my group if you want to."

The boy, who looked to be about fourteen or fifteen, began with a cocky face and tone of voice without any introduction, let alone a greeting.

A fourteen or fifteen year old boy calling me "you" without knowing me? I'm supposed to be eighteen, so I'm older than you.

Well, I'm at an age where I want to grow up, so I'll tolerate it.

"Thank you. But you guys seem like beginners, not that different from me."

I was going to be indulgent, but when I saw his impish face, my mischievousness kicked in and my tone turned mocking. Forgive me, boy.

My words were followed by the chilling voices of the people around me.

"They're unmasking you, Roddy."

"Until last week, you were apprentices and only allowed to work as a baggage handler."

"They're taking advantage of you, Roddy."

"You'll never have a party of your own if you keep this up."

The boy they called Roddy blushed at the jeers and agitation of the people around him.

It seems I hit the nail on the head and he was a beginner himself.

However, I do feel a little sorry for him.

"You humiliated me because you thought I was younger than you! I'll give you some practice. Come to the training ground."

Suddenly he raised his voice and started walking towards the door leading to the training room.

I was surprised by his sudden reaction.

Oh yeah?　

Suddenly he got into a fight with an unknown wizard. Is it possible that I'm wrong? Maybe wizards aren't something that pose a danger.

There were about three people following Roddy. So he had friends.

Just to be sure, I evaluate Roddy, but he only has basic combat skills.

Really? ......

I'm impressed that you would get into fights with this, I was at a level where it didn't matter if the other guy was a mage or not.

Scary to be an unprincipled young man, isn't it?

But still, you got entangled in a guild according to the environment, but the other side ...... seems weaker than you, and a child. I can't help but feel that I have a terrible stench of little coming from me.

But I couldn't stop thinking about what I was doing and how to do it.

And all I could hear around me was the sound of people screaming. Everybody having a good time.

◇ ◇

"You're late."

I walked out onto the training field, depressed by the faint smell emanating from me, and was greeted by my opponents yelling at me.

People followed me onto the training field. I was pushed into the center of the training area by the crowd of people exiting one after another.

It's a big place.

Walking slowly, I look around the training field. It was probably bigger than a soccer field.

I had imagined that the training field would be modeled after various terrains and equipped with training equipment, but it was nothing more than a simple open space.

"I'll make it easy on you as a reward."

Perhaps it was a phrase he had been told himself. He spoke to me with an air of smugness.

No, that's enough. Don't say anything, I'm getting embarrassed listening to this.

Besides, this is just a fight between kids, isn't it?

Let's get it over with.

I take the wooden sword and leather shield they gave me earlier.

No, wait. I'm going to test my skill with the level 1 sword and shield.

"Guys, get out of my way! Get out of my way!"

Shouts and murmurs came from the guild door.

"Guys, the fun is over. Now they're going to duel us, holy so get out of the way. "

A bald man entered with a stern voice.

"Is Zack in trouble again?"

"-Who is it?　I'm sorry."

"I don't like him, but he's a good man."

I had a feeling I didn't like him very much, but that was to be expected.

When I looked at Roddy, he was in the field and looked pale.

Well, he seems to know the world a little. He's not as unprincipled as you might think.

I sized up Zack, a man of low sentience, and he's strong. He only has level 1 fire magic, but his martial skills are level 2 across the board: sword, spear, bow, axe, and shield.

I wonder if I'll be able to steal at least one of his skills. Thinking about this, I grabbed Marielle and entered the camp.