Chapter 3

The commercial city of Fullmoon was indeed large, and Nina thought its scale might rival the capital, Crescent City.

It was wide and bustling with many people.

What differed from the capital was the lack of well-maintained roads and fewer high-rise buildings.

Additionally, not only humans but also elves, dwarves, hobbits, and beastmen were frequently seen.

"Oooh... My back hurts."

The distance was not just a short sightseeing trip as the shared carriage driver had said; it took three days to reach Fullmoon. Thanks to this, Nina became close with the other passengers, and when she served them her home-cooked meals and tea, a man from a merchant guild, impressed by her considerate actions, invited her to work for him.

"I am a maid... and right now, I want to sightsee."

She declined. He was a decent young man, and she felt a bit guilty seeing him look dejected. Still, Nina wanted to keep some distance from "working" for now. Although her journey was a spur-of-the-moment decision, the travel sentiment was more intense than she had expected, and she began to want to see more places. Everything she saw in Fullmoon was new. The people of other races, the exotic items displayed at the stalls, and the smell of food wafting from the restaurants.

(What is this tool... Is it for cleaning?)

(These dried fruits look delicious! If they taste good, I might serve them to my guests.)

(The laundry is clean despite the dust. Do they not get dusty here?)

Nina realized that all her thoughts were related to her maid duties and smiled wryly.

"...Even though I was kicked out of the mansion..."

Returning to reality made her feel sad. Nina spent five days wandering around Fullmoon. Even so, she had not visited even a tenth of the city's tourist attractions. During this time, she heard about a mystical and beautiful spring located on the outskirts of Fullmoon. There, a flower that only blooms in early spring could be found.

"If I can only see it now, I want to see it!"

However, the outskirts were known for the appearance of monsters, and it was advisable to have an adventurer as a guard or companion. Nina decided to go to the Adventurer's Guild.

△

"Hey, perpetual rookie. Have you finally given up on being an adventurer? If you spread your legs, I'll give you a silver coin or two."

"..."

The girl glared back with burning red eyes at the man's mocking words. Her robe, embroidered with geometric patterns, was that of a mage, and she held a long staff in both hands. At 16, Emily was registered as a "mage" in the adventurer's guild.

"Move. I came here to look for a quest, not to entertain idle adventurers."

Her high, pointed nose seemed to reflect her assertive personality. Despite being a cute girl, she had a frown and an air of unapproachability.

"Ooh, scary, scary."

The man moved aside with a smirk. In the large Adventurer's Guild, no one reprimanded his behavior. Adventurers were all about "personal responsibility." Emily looked at the quest boards on the wall.

"Transport of goods (only for the strong)"

"Escort (minimum 3-person party)"

"Delivery of herbs (herb collection license required)"

"Drain cleaning (anyone can do)"

"Sword training (5+ years of combat experience)"

...

Jobs that anyone could do had low pay and did not require a mage. On the other hand, quests that required a mage had conditions like:

"Magic tutoring (3rd tier or higher)"

"Additional escort (3rd tier or higher)"

"3rd tier" was considered the "practical and combat level," and with it, one could live comfortably. However, Emily could only use "1st tier" magic, which was equivalent to an apprentice or beginner level. The potential to use magic was easily discernible, and one could get a reading at the town hall or church.

"You have the potential to reach '3rd tier.'"

Or,

"Unfortunately, you can only reach '1st tier.'"

Emily, however, had been told:

"Y-You have the potential to reach '5th tier'!"

The church priest was shocked, and the town hall official, who doubted the result, also found the same. When Emily went to the Adventurer's Guild, the guild official was equally shocked. "5th tier" potential was extremely rare, with only a few people in the country having it. Everyone wanted to form a party with Emily. But everyone quickly noticed the "problem."

"Ooh, all these quests are impossible for Emily the mage who can only use '1st tier' magic."

The male adventurer mocked her, and Emily gritted her teeth. She had the potential but could not use higher-level magic. She could only use "1st tier" magic, which allowed her to light a flame in her palm to start a fire. Throwing the flame at a monster would either be dodged or cause a minor burn at best. Initially, her adventurer companions encouraged her, saying she would soon be able to use higher-level magic, but they grew impatient when she could not progress beyond "2nd tier" and kicked her out of the party. No one wanted to form a party with her, and Emily was isolated in the Adventurer's Guild. She trained in magic every day, spent her meager savings on expensive potions, and consulted famous mages, but she still could not use higher-level magic. There was a reason she could not quit being an adventurer, though.

"You'll always be a perpetual rookie who can only use '1st tier' magic. Why don't you join our party? You have a pretty face, so we can use you for odd jobs and at night."

"Shut up."

"Huh?"

"I said, shut up!"

Emily turned to leave, but the man grabbed her arm.

"...Don't get cocky. You can't take quests and can't use magic."

"Let go of me."

"You're not an adventurer, just a woman."

"No! I am an adventurer!"

"Then take a quest right now. Here. Cleaning the drains suits you."

The man's words were met with laughter from the surrounding adventurers. He was a "dropout" with a high failure rate in the guild and mocked Emily as a "perpetual rookie" to boost his ego. Some found the exchange unpleasant but did not intervene, as adventurers were all about "personal responsibility." Those without the skills had no say—those who disliked it could quit being an adventurer.

"I am a mage... a mage with potential."

"Mages who can only use '1st tier' magic aren't called mages. Proof is, there are no quests you can take—"

Just then, a small maid stepped forward, out of place in the rough Adventurer's Guild.

"Then, I will offer a quest to this mage."

Nina smiled.