Chapter 6

I have translated the text as requested:

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I had read a certain amount about this world in Daijiro's book, but I still thought I needed to investigate things myself.

Of course, it's not that I don't trust the book, but it didn't mention things like the tax to enter the town, the crystal ball that can identify professions, or the skills of the unemployed. I believe that information only truly becomes part of you when you see and confirm it yourself. I know this from experience, having not only read about a company's profile before a job interview but also toured the factory during my private time before the interview. I'm sure of this.

Well, I was rejected in the written test before the interview at that car company.

When it comes to places where information gathers, I'd like to say a tavern, but I'm not good with alcohol. Now that I'm 20, drinking is legal, but in this era where young people are increasingly distancing themselves from alcohol, being 20 doesn't necessarily mean you drink. The atmosphere of a tavern doesn't suit me, so for information gathering, the Adventurer's Guild is probably the best place.

So, as planned, I headed for the Adventurer's Guild.

The building with the blue roof and the sign of a sword and shield was easy to spot. It was a wooden, single-story building. The door was open, and many burly men were inside. Well, there were some beautiful ladies too.

...I'm nervous.

I don't know why, but places like the Adventurer's Guild seem to have an atmosphere where someone like me would be approached nine times out of ten.

But there are many people here, so it should be fine, right? Yes, it will be fine.

No one would start a fight in broad daylight.

Why am I being so timid? Compared to the tension I felt before opening the door for a job interview, this is nothing.

So, I put on my business smile and entered the Adventurer's Guild,

"Excuse me!"

I said loudly, greeting everyone. Immediately, I regretted it.

...I messed up! I just fell back into my interview habit.

I immediately drew everyone's attention, but most of the adventurers quickly lost interest and turned away. A few adventurers were still looking at me.

But it seemed they weren't going to bother me, which was a relief.

I stepped forward to an empty counter and greeted them.

"Nice to meet you, my name is... no, Ichinoshou."

I was about to introduce myself as Kusunoki Ichinoshou, but since this is a different world, and my status is Ichinoshou, I decided to use that name.

"Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild. How may I assist you today?"

The greeting came from a beautiful receptionist with brown hair and amber eyes. Her ears, however, were not on the sides of her face but on top...

—Fox ears!

I couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. I'm not particularly into anthropomorphic characters, but there's something romantic about it.

Peeking behind the counter, I could see a tail. It was mesmerizing.

But I needed to state my business soon or I'd be suspected. Time to switch to interview mode.

"I hunted three rabbits on my way here and was told that you buy them. Can I sell them here?"

"Is that so? Please present your adventurer's license first."

"…Adventurer's license?"

"Yes, if you have chosen a combat profession at the temple, you receive an adventurer's license. I'm sorry, but we cannot purchase items from non-adventurers."

...What? So, if I remain unemployed, I can't sell items at the Adventurer's Guild?

"The fastest way to become a combat profession is to become a Hunter at level 5 as a commoner. Any adult male who has paid the required tax can become one."

"…Um, is there a way to become an adventurer without changing my profession?"

"No, there isn't."

"But I really want to use the Adventurer's Guild without changing my profession."

"I'm sorry, but it's against the rules."

...No way.

But this is a good opportunity. If I raise my unemployed level a bit, I can consider changing professions.

Think about it, this might be a positive message from the gods, telling me it's time to get a job in this different world.

"Hello, Katusha."

As I was thinking, a man called out to the receptionist from behind me.

He was a refreshing uncle with long silver hair, probably around 45.

"Hello, Matthias. Please, no soliciting inside the guild."

"Understood. Mr. Ichinoshou, right?"

How did he know my name? Oh, my voice must have been loud enough for people around to hear.

"I overheard your conversation. You want to register with the Adventurer's Guild but don't want to change your profession. There is a good solution for that."

"…What?"

A good solution? Another loophole?

"Mr. Matthias, please, no soliciting—"

"Excuse me, Katusha. I'll explain. Please, follow me. Don't worry, Katusha and I are close friends. I don't know any bad guild staff."

But there are bad people.

People who say they're not suspicious are often the most suspicious.

But is this some kind of fate? Is there a destiny trying to keep me unemployed?

We left the guild, and Matthias started explaining as we walked.

"Not just the Adventurer's Guild, but there are various guilds like the Alchemist's Guild, the Blacksmith's Guild, and the Fisherman's Guild. To join these guilds, you need to have a specific profession. However, there is a way to receive the benefits of a guild without changing professions."

Matthias raised a finger.

"You can use a proxy. For example, if you want to sell rabbits, you can ask an adventurer to sell them for you."

I see, that makes sense.

"Isn't that cheating?"

"No, no, this is a behavior that the guild tacitly allows. Of course, there will be a commission fee."

"So, there will be a fee. Does that mean you, Matthias, will sell my items for me?"

"No, no, I'm not an adventurer. I run a slave trade business."

A slave trade business?

A slave trade business... that means selling slaves?

Wow, really? Human trafficking?

I knew from Daijiro's book that slaves exist, but I thought they were a distant concept.

"Ah, but in this country, the treatment of slaves is not as bad as you might think. Providing food, clothing, and shelter is the owner's duty, and if the treatment is poor, the owner will be punished by the state."

Seeing my face turn pale, Matthias explained.

Hmm, but still.

The image of slavery is always negative.

"At our company, we not only sell slaves but also rent them out. The rental fee varies by person, but it's about 5 cents per hour. Rabbit meat sells for 10 cents per rabbit, and usually, 30% goes to the adventurer as a commission. So, if you sell three rabbits, you get 30 cents, 9 cents go to the adventurer, and 21 cents go to you. But if you rent a slave, you get 30 cents, and after paying the 5 cents rental fee, you still have 25 cents left. By the way, violence and sexual acts are strictly prohibited with rented slaves."

Ah, that doesn't sound bad.

In simple terms, it's like a temp agency.

"By the way, how much would it cost to buy one?"

"It varies by person, but for a human, it's around 10,000 to 30,000 cents."

1 to 3 gold coins... about 1 to 3 million yen.

It's not cheap, but it's not necessarily too expensive for a human.

"Of course, some have special skills, so it varies. Our most expensive slave is a half-elf, half-dwarf woman who is a master swordsmith. Her price is 10 million cents, and the rental fee is 500 cents per hour."

Rental is 50,000 yen per hour, and the purchase price is 1 billion yen.

A master swordsmith is an advanced blacksmith who can create magical swords.

"Additionally, there is an annual head tax of 1,000 cents."

10,000 yen per year... if a year in this world is 12 months, that's less than 10,000 yen per month.

Still, it might be better to pay 5 cents each time. I don't use the Adventurer's Guild every day.

Besides, my family doesn't have the means to support a slave.

The slave arc is about to begin.

That's it for today.

The next part will focus on the growth cheat.

Please look forward to it tomorrow.