Chapter 7

"Wait, Shera."

As I was about to leave the store, I was called back. It turned out to be the store owner, Bulk. He usually avoids paperwork and runs away, but recently, since one of his staff quit, he has been reluctantly dealing with the paperwork at the reception. He often complains about the complicated procedures, so there must be quite a lot of it. As a result, he has been in a bit of a bad mood lately.

"Are you not taking any requests today?"

"There's no job that suits me."

I adjusted the brim of my pointed hat, pulling it down lower over my eyes. I'm not particularly good at talking to people.

"I think investigation jobs would suit a magician."

"It's not worth it. I'd rather write my own papers."

Bulk sighed. Most of the requests posted on the wall have been left unclaimed for a long time, as they are not worth the effort. It would be better to earn a daily wage by unloading cargo from ships. The store might want these jobs to be handled quickly, but no one wants to take on low-paying, dangerous jobs. Distinguishing good requests from bad ones is a necessary skill for adventurers.

"...It must be tough being a solo magician. Have you considered forming a party?"

Here we go again. I frowned under my hat. We've had this conversation several times.

Magicians don't like metal equipment because it makes mana control difficult, significantly reducing both power and accuracy. Therefore, they can only wear light equipment, which makes it hard to take on solo extermination requests. On the other hand, magic is useful. Even simple lighting and fire spells can aid in adventures, and many combat spells have significant effects. With the water-walking spell, you can even walk on water. However, magic is difficult to master, so there are few who can use it, and even fewer who want to become adventurers. I am one of those rare few.

Bulk probably feels it's a waste. Magicians can earn more by forming a party. The store also benefits from efficient request handling, so it's advantageous to have more well-rounded parties. Being a solo adventurer doesn't help anyone.

"None of your business."

I replied. For an adventurer, whether to form a party is a personal decision. Even the guild master has no right to interfere. Since the job involves life-threatening risks, it's important to choose your companions carefully. That's something he always says.

"...You're right. Sorry."

Bulk sighed again. He has been sighing a lot lately. I hope he doesn't go bald from stress.

"Something interesting came in."

To prevent the conversation from continuing, I changed the topic. Bulk raised an eyebrow and tilted his head before nodding, apparently not immediately understanding what I was talking about.

"That kid. He'll probably be gone by tomorrow."

Bulk sighed again. If the store owner of an adventurer's guild says so, it's likely to happen. His ability to judge people is crucial to his job. He has seen many clients and adventurers over the years, and his eyes can see through people with a precision that I could never match. He assesses the quality of clients and sometimes even rejects requests. He evaluates the skills and credibility of adventurers, decides on rank promotions or demotions, and assigns appropriate jobs. The store owner of an adventurer's guild bears significant responsibility, which is why he always keeps a sharp eye.

Therefore, both I and the other adventurers who frequent this store, though we don't say it out loud, trust his judgment. If we didn't, we would go to another store.

"Why do you think so?"

"You can tell by the handwriting."

In response to my curious question, he placed a piece of parchment from the shelf on the counter.

"Good handwriting, right? At that age, being able to read and write, and even having trained to write neatly, is impressive."

Indeed, the handwriting is beautiful. The first few lines are a bit off, probably because the writer was still getting used to the pen, but the rest is as good as the text in a church's holy book. Honestly, it's better than mine... well, magicians don't care much about the beauty of their handwriting, so many of them write in a messy scrawl.

"Children from common families who can write do exist, but none of them can write this beautifully. There's no need for it. ...So, it's almost certain that the kid was taught for a specific purpose, probably from a wealthy merchant family."

I see. That makes sense. He'll probably be gone by tomorrow.

The herb-gathering job he took is not a profitable one unless you're a specialist. Even if he does well, the money will likely be spent on cheap meals and a shared room in a cheap inn. It's a harsh reality for a child from a wealthy family. Whether he ran away or is just playing, he'll probably return home soon because he can't handle it.

...But, isn't it a bit simplistic to assume he's from a merchant family? There are other possibilities, like, for example:

"A noble's child?"

"No way. The noble's children have striking golden hair."

The store owner of an adventurer's guild needs to have a wide network. I pressed my index finger to my lips, trying to think of other possibilities but quickly gave up. It doesn't matter. I'll probably forget his face by the day after tomorrow.

"I'll be back."

Bored with the conversation, I turned my back on the store owner. If there's a job that suits me tomorrow, I'll try hard.

I wasn't called back again.

---

After walking a bit, I veered off the road into a grassy area. The gate I came out of was still visible, but Wayne had said not to go too far from town. That means there might be some growing nearby. It would be great if that's the case.

I'm glad there was a herb-gathering request. I used to go mountain vegetable picking a lot, so I know the ropes.

I would go into the mountains with my older brother, who became a hunter, and we would gather and eat edible mountain vegetables, wild herbs, fruits, and nuts. Some were delicious, some were bitter, and some had no taste at all, but the bitter ones were the most common.

"Here we go."

I climbed over a small step, putting my hands down to push myself up. From a distance, it looked like a flat meadow, but in reality, there are many small hills. The path is the only easy place to walk. The grass is about as tall as my stomach, so I have to push through it. It's a bit scary to think that monsters might be hiding in it.

I moved cautiously, searching the ground for herbs while being careful of my surroundings.

...To be honest, I didn't memorize all the herbs described in the request. There were about nine types, each with detailed instructions on how to gather and transport them, but my head wasn't working well because I was hungry, and I felt it was impossible to memorize them all at once. In the end, I only remembered four, focusing on their distinctive shapes. I might miss the other five, but sometimes it's important to know when to give up, as someone once said. ...Who was it? Probably Mr. Lehmer.

"There it is!"

I exclaimed, then quickly covered my mouth with both hands. I crouched in the grass and held my breath.

I can't make a loud noise or the monsters might hear me.

I waited for a while, making sure there was nothing around, then slowly moved.

The herb I found was about knee-high, with bright yellow-green, round, and shiny leaves. It was indeed the shape depicted in the drawing.

I did it. I can find them even near town if I look hard enough.

I rejoiced silently in my heart and took out my knife. I pulled it out of the sheath, a bit nervous. It had a slight nick but was otherwise in good condition, thin and sharp.

I gripped the handle firmly. ...I remember the method for gathering. It said to leave the bottom leaves and cut the stem above them. I don't know why the bottom leaves are left, but it must be for a good reason.

The stem is quite sturdy and strong, just as the pretty lady said. A knife is useful for this job.

You have to hold the blade firmly and use it outward to avoid cutting yourself. My older brother taught me that it's dangerous not to. ...And he also told me not to use it without permission from a family member or a priest.

There's no one around me now. I hesitated, thinking I was breaking my older brother's rules, but I couldn't go back to the village for permission. Besides, I don't even know the way back to the village.

I took a deep breath, gathered my courage, and pinched the stem just above the bottom leaves. I pressed the blade against it and slowly cut it.

That was my first herb-gathering.