Episode 26

Adventurers’ Guilds in every town aren’t that different.

There were lightly armored adventurers who covered only their vital spots, and others who were wrapped in full suits of armor—people of all kinds filled the place.

It smelled a bit sweaty—more like a distinctly male odor.

Alicia seemed a little unsettled, but it didn’t bother me much. This was the normal smell for an Adventurers’ Guild.

Upon entering, there was a reception desk straight ahead and a bulletin board installed to the left.

Requests were posted on the bulletin board. Separate from that, another bulletin board had been set up listing things like party member recruitment.

Perhaps because some adventurers couldn’t read, there were also recruitment notices using marks. They’d draw a picture of a person and write numbers beside it.

If it’s that simple, anyone who intends to be an adventurer should remember it.

Near the bulletin board were tables and chairs, where people held strategy meetings or recruited party members.

Including small talk, voices were exchanged to the point where the guild felt noisy.

The second floor served as a dining hall that registered members of the Adventurers’ Guild could use.

It seemed people also posted party recruitment notices on the bulletin board and did their recruiting there.

The reception was divided into several sections: a place to accept requests, a place to sell materials, and a place for new adventurer registrations.

I lined up to register as a new adventurer.

Fortunately, there was no one else there.

I immediately began the new adventurer registration.

The registration wasn’t difficult and finished quickly.

They asked for my name and whether I had any registration history. I had none of that, so everything was created from scratch.

They handed me a guild card and charged it with mana. That completed the registration.

“The first issuance is free, but reissues will cost money. Also, please report immediately if you lose it.”

“Understood.”

I nodded at the reception and put the guild card into my pocket.

“Please be sure to bring your guild card when accepting requests.”

“Okay.”

“That will be all. May your life as an adventurer be blessed.”

That was probably the standard greeting. I bowed in return to the reception and headed toward Alicia, who had been waiting.

When I looked, Alicia was being hassled by some adventurers.

“Hey, hey, little miss? Are you an adventurer?”

“No.”

“Then why are you here? Come on, what do you say? Want to take a request with us?”

“I’m waiting for someone.”

“I bet we’re stronger than that guy. We’re C-rank adventurers, you know?”

“How about a meal together? My treat.”

…Looks like she’s being hit on.

Alicia had her face half-hidden by a hood, but even so her beauty couldn’t be fully concealed.

Seeing Alicia’s cheeks tense, I immediately stepped in to help.

“Excuse me, our business is done, so we’ll be going now.”

Saying that, I thanked the adventurers, took Alicia’s hand, and left the Adventurers’ Guild.

The adventurers said something more, but I walked on, mostly ignoring them, and they didn’t bother us further.

Once we were outside, we both took a breath.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah… well, I’ve never had anyone talk to me like that before, so it was a little scary.”

Alicia squeezed my hand tightly. Her cool hand trembled slightly.

Knowing her smile was concealing her fear, I squeezed her hand again.

“My bad. It would have been better if you’d waited outside, huh?”

Since Refy was probably still watching over us from the shadows, if someone had bothered her outside there was a chance Refy would have come to help.

“It’s fine. I saw you coming to help.”

“…I see. Anyway, the market survey is mostly done… Want to go somewhere to hang out?”

“Is that okay?”

“Since we’re out, why don’t we grab lunch somewhere before heading back?”

“Okay.”

Alicia was only accompanying me, after all. It might be hard to take a noble like Alicia to a place that would truly satisfy her, though.