Chapter 7

Led by Kalts, as I stepped into the town of Volzard, a real sense of having arrived in another world began to well up inside me. The scale of the castle walls, which stood about seven or eight meters high, was impressive, and it seemed that each side was over 500 meters long.

"Quite spacious, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but that wall is the old town's wall. The new town's wall is about three times as far from there."

"Wow, that big, huh?"

According to Kalts, the town has been expanded multiple times by building new walls around the old ones. The buildings in the town have stone foundations, wooden pillars and beams, and walls that seem to be made of concrete or something similar. The walls are pastel-colored, with a gentle hue that gives the town a feel of a European countryside.

The streets are wide enough for carriages to pass each other with ease, and they are well-paved. Upon closer inspection, there even seem to be sewers. The atmosphere is definitely that of another world, but it feels surprisingly advanced. It's much better than being dirty or smelly, right?

"Seems like the town is well-maintained."

"Do you understand? This is the farthest town from the Forest of Demons, but we don't want to be inferior to the cities inland."

"Are these roads and such really made with magic?"

"That's right. Without magic, it wouldn't be this clean."

Kalts looked at me as if to say, "What are you talking about?" It seems that magic is used quite normally in this world. I really want to see a construction site using earth magic. Conversely, if I told them that in Japan, we can build even more advanced cities without magic, they would be surprised, wouldn't they?

The first thing that caught my eye when I entered the town was the hair color of the people. Blue, light blue, green, yellow-green, pink, red... The roots of their hair are the same color, so it doesn't seem like they dye it. Also, there are a few people who look like beastfolk... Those ears, are they real? An old man wearing a cat ear headband in broad daylight? No way.

The central street is lined with various shops, displaying fabrics in colors I've never seen in Japan and tools of unknown use. Various scents, perhaps spices, also waft through the air. It feels like a bazaar in Morocco. This is what I expected from another world, and my excitement for exploration is growing.

The guild was about fifteen minutes' walk from the gate closest to the forest, heading towards the center of the town. All job listings in Volzard, from government positions to moving assistance, are gathered here. The building is made of stone, sturdy and grand, and looks like four stories from the outside.

"That's the guild, with the sign of crossed swords and a hammer."

"Feels like a mix of adventurer's rough work and craftsman's jobs, huh?"

"Exactly. Don't worry, there are simple jobs too."

"Okay, I can't handle difficult jobs right away, so I'll start with the basics."

While talking with Kalts, I was swelling with excitement for the next developments. When it comes to guilds, there's always a beautiful receptionist, right? With a beautiful receptionist taking care of your job, you might even become good friends... That's a common trope in other-world stories, right? But the person at the new registration window was an old man named Otto, who looked worn out. *Sigh*...

"Put your hand on this..."

"Um, this is..."

"Hmm? You don't know the 'Crystal of the Magic Eye'? It's a magical tool to see attributes and magic power."

"Ah, I see..."

Of course, I knew, but I had a faint hope that the results might be different because I used a lot of magic in the forest. However, as expected, it showed no reaction at all.

"Ah... that's rare... Ah... that's enough, F rank."

"Um, what does F rank mean?"

"It's the lowest rank. Well, if you can't use magic and enter the Forest of Demons, you'll die."

"Ah..."

Even though I expected it, I wanted to throw that annoying crystal ball away. However, Otto continued with unexpected words.

"Don't misunderstand. Even if you have strong magic power, without any achievements, you'll stay at E rank."

"Really?"

"Of course. Even if you can use a little magic, without experience, entering the Forest of Demons will get you killed."

After the evaluation, I filled out the necessary information on a form, and they made my guild registration card. It has a big "F" engraved on it. Well, with no magic power and no job experience, F rank is to be expected.

"By the way, do you have a place to stay?"

"No, the caravan I was with was wiped out..."

"Really? You survived the Forest of Demons?"

"Ah... yeah."

"Hmm, to survive without magic, you must be quite tough."

Indeed, I have three vicious skeletons attached to me.

"Um... about the lodging..."

"Oh, right. There's a cheap boarding house. Do you want to use it?"

"A boarding house?"

"Since this is the farthest town, human resources are valuable. To prevent new people from leaving, we provide housing."

"Does it include meals?"

"That depends on the landlord, but usually it does."

"Then, I'd like to request it. Please introduce me."

Although he was formal, Otto efficiently registered me and introduced me to the boarding house. Otto is a really good person; I'm sorry for thinking he was just a worn-out old man. When I told him I was almost penniless, he even told me about a loan system. With the map Otto gave me, I headed to the boarding house. Kalts also offered to come with me, and he's a really good person too.

Before heading to the boarding house, I decided to borrow money using the guild's loan system. I have enough money in the shadow storage to live comfortably for a while, but using it all at once would be suspicious. New guild members can borrow up to 10,000 helts interest-free for one year. I don't know how much 10,000 helts is worth, so I asked Kalts on the way.

"Kalts, how long can 10,000 helts last in this town?"

"About a month if you stay in a cheap inn."

"I see... but it's still hard to grasp. How much does the boarding house cost? I should have asked earlier..."

I decided to ask at the boarding house since going back to the guild would be a hassle. If it's not enough, I'll deal with it when it comes to that. The boarding house was a couple of streets back from the main road. The first floor is a restaurant, but it was past lunchtime, so it was closed for the afternoon. However, the door, which had a "Preparing" sign, was unlocked.

"Um, hello... Is this Amanda's place?"

"Sorry, lunch service is over. Come back in the evening."

I called out from the entrance, and a cheerful voice came from the kitchen.

"No, I'm here because the guild introduced me to a boarding house..."

"Oh, that's it. Wait a moment... Put this here... Okay, sorry for the wait. I'm Amanda. Oh, you're with the guard, too?"

Amanda, who wiped her wet hands on her apron, appeared. She looked like a typical tough woman. She was about 170 cm tall, and her broad build made her seem even larger. Her measurements were probably around 120, 140, 130. She looked like a beer barrel, but maybe she's pregnant? I can't ask, though. Her reddish-brown hair was tied back, and her eyes were sharp.

"No, I'm just accompanying him. The one looking for a boarding house is Kent."

"Kent, nice to meet you."

"Wow, you're quite slender..."

"Kent tried to cross the forest and was the only survivor of a caravan attacked by monsters."

"Oh, that's terrible. It must have been hard..."

After hearing the story, Amanda hugged me. The smell of sweat and spices mixed together, which must be the smell of a mother in Volzard. *Choking*...

"Ugh... mmm... phew..."

"Sorry, so you're Kent. Do you have money? Any job skills?"

"Yes, I borrowed money from the guild. I helped a healer, but it was just odd jobs, so I don't have a proper job..."

"I see... Since it's only half the month, you can pay for next month. The monthly rent is 2,500 helts, and if you want meals, it's an additional 500 helts, making it 3,000 helts a month."

"Thank you. I'll pay for two months in advance with meals included..."

"No, you can pay at the end of each month."

"But I'd like to pay in advance..."

"Well, if you insist, that's fine. I'll even throw in this month's food for free. You're a rare one..."

I later learned that in this world, payments are usually made after the fact. For guild requests, the full payment is made after the job is completed, not half upfront. In return, not paying or trying to haggle is a major breach of etiquette, and you can't complain even if you can't make requests to the guild anymore.

Given that, the evil princess's claim about returning to the original world might not be entirely false.

After paying two months' rent, just as I was about to be shown to my room, my stomach growled loudly. I feel like using magic makes me hungry more quickly.

"Oh, you haven't had lunch, have you? Why don't we have lunch together? How about you, guard?"

"Sure, if it's okay, I'll join you..."

"Sit at this table. Meisa! Four for lunch!"

"Whaaat, why four all of a sudden..."

A girl who looked a couple of years younger than me appeared from the kitchen. Her hair color was the same as Amanda's, but she was thin and had big green eyes.

"Who is this...?"

"Kent, who's staying here from today... Say hello."

"Whaaat, isn't he just going to die soon?"

"Stupid! What are you saying? That's bad luck..."

"Um... did the previous residents...?"

After a grim expression, Amanda told me the story.

"Eventually, you'll find out. The previous resident went into the dungeon not long after moving in and never came back..."

"Ah, there's a dungeon?"

"Yes, but don't go in. It's not a good place!"

"Really?"

Kalts nodded.

"The dungeon is not recommended unless you're a skilled adventurer. Especially for an F-rank like Kent, it's impossible."

"But the shallow parts..."

"No way! What are you saying? If you go in with a light heart, you'll just become monster food. If you're staying here, I won't let you go into the dungeon as long as I'm around. If you don't like it, leave!"

"I understand, I understand. I won't go in. Besides, I can't go in now anyway."

Pressed by Amanda's sternness, I promised not to go into the dungeon. But, dungeons are a big part of other-world stories, and I really want to go in. While having lunch, I started thinking about how to get into the dungeon.

The room I was shown to was right next to the stairs. It had a bed, a wardrobe, and a table, and was about three tatami mats in size. There was a small window on the far wall, but the sunlight... I can't expect much. The bed, wardrobe, and table were all made from wooden boxes. The bed was just five boxes in two rows with a futon on top, the wardrobe was four boxes stacked vertically, and the table was two boxes stacked.

"Ah, the previous residents left their things in the boxes. You can use anything that's useful."

"Ah, I see..."

Hmm, I thought they were just boxes, but they turned out to be storage furniture. But, the previous residents died in the dungeon, didn't they? Well, the things in my shadow storage are from a carriage attacked by monsters, so I can't be picky. In this world, using things efficiently is the norm. So, being summoned and then abandoned... that's really harsh.

I parted ways with Kalts, the guard.

"Kent, if you need anything, come to me anytime."

"Thank you for everything. I really appreciate it."

"No problem, that's my job. Take it easy and stay strong."

"Sure, I'll come back when I settle in."

We shook hands firmly and promised to meet again. Kalts was incredibly kind, even though I have a lot of secrets. I need to thank him properly later.