Chapter 12

The guild has something called a "party."

...Do I even need to explain this? I mean, "guild party...? A festival...?" Some people, who are almost like an endangered species, might think of something like that, so I'll explain just in case. There are some subtle differences, after all.

A party is a team-like formation made up of multiple guild members. Groups of two or more can register as a party and handle requests under the party's name when accepting or issuing them.

Think of it like the parties in games like Dragon Quest, where you have a hero, a mage, a warrior, and a priest. Imagining something like that would make it easier to understand. However, in this world, most party compositions are not as balanced as that.

If you're a swordsman, you're usually in a party of only swordsmen. If you're an archer, you're often in a party of only archers. It's easier to coordinate when taking on extermination requests. Mages and healers, on the other hand, struggle without support from melee roles, so it's rare to see solo parties of just those types. I think they exist, but I haven't seen them.

Oh, and these job-like roles aren't part of any system in this world. Combat styles are based on personal weapons and self-declaration. Of course, there's no "thief" combat style. If someone declared themselves a thief, that would be terrifying.

Now, there are a few prominent parties in this city, Regol.

One is the rugged party "Shield of the Earth," centered around swordsmen. I wonder how many members they have now... The last I heard, they had around 20, but they might have grown since then. They're equipped with traditional gear like spears, swords, shields, and armor, and they efficiently handle extermination requests, especially in Regol. They're a hardcore combat party that actively takes on requests to exterminate bandits. Their strength lies in the fact that they have several horses, allowing them to reach job sites incredibly quickly. Thanks to this, they consistently get work, but they often struggle with maintenance costs. It's a bit disappointing to envy them, given the troubles they face. Most former Halperia soldiers seem to be in this party. It's the athletic type, and I definitely don't want to join.

The next prominent party is "Sword of the Harvest." This party is favored by those who can't keep up with the rigid, athletic style of the Shield of the Earth. They have more members, over 30. However, they don't act as a cohesive group; it's more like a mutual aid society for its members. Balgar is a member of this party. They use a variety of weapons, from swords to spears, mages, and archers. There's no uniformity in their equipment, so they use patches with the party emblem to foster a sense of unity. However, it's common for close-knit groups within the large party to break off and form smaller factions. It's hard to say if they're doing well. They remind me of the large, loosely connected teams in online games I used to play. I don't particularly want to join them.

The "Artemis" party is a flashy, all-female group in Regol. Most members are archers and mages, with only two or three melee fighters. They have around 12 members. Lina and other female guild members are mostly in this party. They handle extermination requests from a distance and sometimes get job requests from the noble district. Being an all-female party has its advantages. Despite their glamorous image, some members are incredibly strong, and messing with them could get you killed. There's also one male member, but I've never seen him. I once thought someone was him, but it turned out to be a woman, and since then, I've been on Artemis's bad side. Of course, I can't join, and I don't want to.

The largest party specializing in security is the "Regol Security Force." They rarely handle extermination requests and focus on guarding buildings, people, and carriages. I don't know how many members they have, but there are a lot. Most members aren't particularly skilled in combat but want a stable job. There are middle-aged and elderly members as well. Even in Japan, there are old security guards who might not be the best at their job, but people still want guards. This is the position for those who need a steady income. Caspar is a healer in this party. It might be an easy party, but I'm the type who wants to go on extermination missions and eat game meat. I don't plan to join, at least not while I'm young and fit.

Those are the prominent parties.

There are also many small parties formed by close friends.

Young people from rural villages often come up with amusing party names like "Scythe of Death" or "Moon of the Tyrant." Just the names alone make them sound like they could be gold-ranked.

Now, with the harvest season over, the time has come for young dreamers to seek fame as guild members, coming from the countryside in droves...

"What are you looking at?"

"Ah? You're the one looking."

Young hopefuls keep coming. They're sent out to help with the harvest and then told to earn their own living elsewhere, arriving in droves...

The guild is busy with registration, and there are constant fresh fights breaking out inside the facility.

Watching Elena work hard, veins popping on her forehead, while drinking milk is quite satisfying...

"What!?"

"Are you going to do it!?"

"Hey! If you cause trouble in the guild, you'll be immediately expelled!"

They're all brash and loud, lacking manners and education. This time of year is tough for the guild. However, rejecting everyone would only cause problems later, so we have to push through.

"Look at that old man."

"He has white hair."

"Is he from Sangreale?"

Oh, I was minding my own business in the corner, and now I'm being bothered by a trio. It's fine that they're walking over, but are you okay with waiting your turn? You're causing a bottleneck in the line.

"What do you want, rookies?"

"Hey, you're bronze."

"We're rookies too, old man from Sangreale. We'll surpass your bronze rank in no time."

"I welcome that. It's tough at first, but try your best. Also, I'm from Halperia."

"Isn't there a mix of Sangreale people?"

"Yeah, but... the line is closed. Is that okay?"

"Ah!?"

"Hey, we were in line here!"

"Aah!?"

These guys are clueless. People from the countryside are all the same. Life in the countryside is relaxed, so they probably don't have much experience with queues and are struggling to adapt.

So, I try to be lenient with them, especially since they're just kids. It's a hassle to be bothered repeatedly, and if they get too cocky, I'll have to teach them a lesson.

"...Hmph. Drinking milk in a bar, old man."

"Guild members should drink alcohol. You're lame."

"You don't know. This is fresh milk from the Morina farm. Fresh milk is better than a bad ale."

I don't always drink ale or alcohol. I often enjoy fresh milk. It's a luxury that's reasonably priced, so it's hard to give up.

"Morina village... is my hometown..."

"Oh, really? Your milk is delicious. Maybe I'm drinking milk from the cows your family raised."

"...I see."

Feeling a subtle connection, they seem a bit uncomfortable and start to move to the back of the line.

They're really innocent and cute.

I wonder how many will still be guild members in two or three years. Thinking about that makes me a bit heavy-hearted, but for now, I just want to watch their young, hopeful faces.

"Alright... today is the first step of our 'Hero's Path'!"

"Hehe, let's do it!"

"Yeah!"

I also enjoy noting down the ridiculous party names they come up with and teasing them about it a few years later. It's a fun hobby.