CH 5

5: Strange Dog

“Good morning~!”

I went to the adventurer’s guild in the morning the next day. The building was built around the dungeon entrance. It was a large-scale facility that had places for appraisals, healing, selling, and even eating and drinking. Although it had seen better years, it was a splendid, three-story building, and to be frank, I felt like crying at how it was bigger than my family’s mansion back home.

I pushed down those feelings behind my fake smile and brightly called out to the receptionist.

“Good morning, Mr. Reggie! The weather’s nice today, isn’t it?”

“Oh, hello, Miss Sophia. While it’s true that today’s sun is blinding, your smile shines even brighter.”

“Oh, you with your jokes! So, Mr. Reggie, what materials have a high demand today?”

“Um… I wasn’t… joking…”

Reggie shrugged his shoulders as if to say, “You’ve got a tough guard up today as usual.” Just as you’d expect of someone who threw such a pickup line right away, this man was infamous for his flirting. In fact, he also worked as a waiter at a female-oriented bar, so he had more information sources than the other receptionists.

“Anyways, I believe there’s a lack of mandragora roots. That’s about it. Oh, but I also heard that a huge banquet for aristocrats was suddenly planned for tonight. If you can gather some fresh troll meat by noon, I’m sure they’ll fetch a nice price.”

“Really?! Thank you so much!”

“It’s all good. All the male adventurers look at me like I’m some kind of enemy, so they’ll go to other receptionists as long as the lines aren’t backed up. I don’t have many people to share this info with, so I hope it does you good.”

Reggie said, his face looking slightly exhausted. Well, all the male adventurers were the type who made their place in the world through their physical feats, so seeing someone like Reggie, who earned a living with his looks, probably upset them. And since adventurers were mostly male and many of the guild employees were former adventurers, he must have had a terrible time.

But Reggie seemed like he didn’t care about that. It might be because he worked in the field of hospitality, but he always talked to me even when I was gloomy and scrawny in my past round.

“Here, Miss Sophia, your dungeon pass. Have a safe trip down.”

“Yes, I’ll do my best!”

Dungeons were places to mine resources, so illegal entry was considered a serious crime. I quickly grabbed the pass from Reggie and headed to the dungeon entrance to the side of the reception area.

Alright, let’s rake in the money! There was not a second to delay. Let’s find a rich husband and live a cushy life!

With that hope in my heart, I was about to take my first step inside the dungeon when—

“Is this where the dungeon is—?!!!”

A beastly roar echoed through the building. The employees and I simultaneously looked toward the entrance and saw a brutish man with black eyes and hair wearing a tattered coat standing there. A collar, like what you would give a dog, was secured around his neck, and he even had wolf ears on his head…

Wait, he was the #1 among the “dangerous adventurers you shouldn’t approach” — the “Mad Dog” Wolf!

He was once the prince of a kingdom of beastmen, but our two nations went to war, resulting in their loss and his capture. His reputation was dragged through the mud as he became His Majesty’s pet. But one day, His Majesty told him, “Wolf, if you desire freedom, earn 500 million gold. If you can’t, you’ll be an underdog for the rest of your life.”

Thus, Wolf had a cursed collar placed on him that couldn’t be removed without the owner’s permission, became an adventurer to earn money, and caused all sorts of trouble… In about a year, he died a dog’s death. That was what my memories from my past round told me about the “Mad Dog” Wolf.

“…Oh. Now that I think about it… we’re like the same…”

I hadn’t noticed until now. Even though I was 15 in my previous round, I had no time to consider it when I was suddenly forced to become an adventurer. I never thought about going near a guy who was on edge and ready to start a fight at any time. This was probably the first time I ever looked at him this closely.

Wolf spotted the dungeon entrance next to the bewildered employees and me. He grinned, revealing his large teeth.

“Oh, over there? Alright, time to beat up some monsters and earn a fortune! Just you wait! I’m coming for you!!!”

Wolf proclaimed and rushed at the entrance with terrifying speed. Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold up! Was he planning on going straight inside without stopping by the receptionists first?! He’ll be committing a serious felony if he enters without a pass! Huh? Did he come to the adventurer’s guild without knowing that? No wonder he caused all sorts of problems and died a dog’s death!

“Oraah! Woman, move out the way!”

Gyah! He’s coming this way! Oh, well, I guess he would since I was practically standing in the middle of the entrance.

Hmm… if I was my gloomy self from back then, I would be running away in tears, but I had decided that I would change! I’ll be strong and stop a like-minded comrade from committing a serious crime! I extended both arms out to block the dungeon entrance.

“H-hey, wait a minute! You’ll get in trouble without a pass—”

“As if I care! I wanna earn my freedom as soon as possible and beat up that bastard king!!!”

Eeek! This guy wasn’t slowing down at all! Won’t he crash into me at this rate?! Argh, jeez, I guess I have to act.

“Water, strike down my enemy! [Aqua Ball]!”

“Huh—? Gweh?!”

I suddenly fired off an orb of water that crashed right into Wolf’s stomach, sending him flying high in the air. He smacked loudly against the wall, knocked out and motionless.

…Oh no, I’ve done it now!!! I overdid it!!!

“…A-amazing, Miss Sophia! Okay, everyone, restrain the strange dog who attempted to infiltrate the dungeon!”

“Aye!”

Still unconscious, Wolf had restraints wrapped all over him by Reggie and the other employees. As I watched on, I quietly whispered, “I’m sorry.”