Chapter 26

It was early winter, and today, as usual, I was getting bored of staying at the inn, so I decided to visit the Adventurer's Guild. How are you doing these days? This is Herman. I should just rest, but after three days off, I start to worry about all sorts of things. So, I decided to go to the Adventurer's Guild to pass the time. After wasting some time, I'll take on the rat-catching request, so please forgive me.

So, I arrived at the Adventurer's Square... What's this? Did a disaster-level gale blow through yesterday? I don't think so. It was quiet when I was at the inn. But the mess in the Adventurer's Square tells a story of a storm that has passed. Tents are all knocked down. What happened? ...I'll go to the Adventurer's Guild to gather information. Today's adventurers might not be in the mood for requests, and the reception at the Adventurer's Guild will probably be free. Let's see what happened.

As expected, there were no adventurers at the Adventurer's Guild. ...There are no request slips, so they must have gone to work. Despite such a mess. Maybe the other adventurers are cleaning up. The fact that the adventurers weren't shaken suggests that this is a regular occurrence, but I don't know what happened. I have to ask. However, I can't ask the adventurers. They seemed to have a sense of resignation along with familiarity. It would be wiser to ask at the Adventurer's Guild.

"Hello, did something happen at the Adventurer's Square?"

"?? Nothing in particular?"

"Um, the outside is in a terrible state."

"Oh, there was almost a fire. That's why it's like this. You're staying at an inn, right? Then don't worry about it. It happens often."

A fire, huh? Well, it happens occasionally in the church square of Darling Village too. But it wouldn't cause such a mess. I would understand if there were ashes spread around, but it looks like a storm has passed. It felt like a pyroclastic flow had gone through, with everything knocked down. ...There was no soil or debris like a pyroclastic flow, though.

"Um, I don't think a fire alone could cause such a mess. When there was a fire in the village, it was bad, but I don't think it would knock down tents like a storm had passed..."

"Yes, there was no fire. It just almost happened. A few tents might have caught fire, but the mages put it out, so it's fine."

"Mages put it out?"

"Yes, the mages used a Mailstrom to extinguish the fire. It's a good thing they put it out before it became a big fire. If there were no water-element mages at the Mage Guild, the damage would have been much worse. ...Well, I understand what you mean. The damage was minor. Some people might get rowdy tonight, but it's nothing to worry about. It happens all the time."

"Couldn't the mages have put it out more precisely? It's really pitiful..."

"It could have been... I think the mages were irritated. It happens several times a year, and it happened a few times last year too. If you didn't know, you were either not in town during that period or holed up at the inn, right? Well, don't worry about it. It's a good thing there was almost no damage."

"Is that so? By the way, why are there mages at the Mage Guild instead of magicians?"

"Ah, that's a bit complicated. Basically, it's a matter of talent. Mages use elements, while magicians use arrays. Some people say that mages have talents for specific elements, like water magic or fire magic. So, mages usually have one of the six elements. Occasionally, someone has multiple elemental talents, but it's rare. Generally, mages are called mages if they use one element. On the other hand, magicians don't choose elements. To put it simply, magicians' talents are not bound by elements. However, unlike mages, magicians need preparation. They can't use magic without a magic array. They have to prepare the array using materials and magic stones from the Alchemy Guild. That's what magicians do. Mages use their own magic power to cast spells, but magicians use the magic power in nature, so some researchers say they are different. Mages are convenient but struggle with their own magic power, while magicians, who don't use their own magic power, struggle with their wallets. Each has its pros and cons. The mage who put out the fire before the fire started was a water mage. A magician would have left it alone. Magic arrays cost money, and there's no reward for using disposable arrays, so they would definitely leave it alone. It's a good thing there was a water mage."

"That's quite complicated... So, there's only one guild for both mages and magicians?"

"Ah, that's also a bit complicated. When the guild was established, the research wasn't advanced enough, so it became one guild. By the time it was discovered that they were different, they were already coexisting. Now, it's impossible to split into two guilds. Even the Magic Academy, which was established for mages, is open to magicians. Some people say it should be split to match the current era, but they are still arguing about how to distribute the money from the government, so it remains as it is. ...The higher-ups are still arguing, though."

"...Miss, you seem to know a lot about magicians and mages."

"Well, I'm a graduate of the Magic Academy and was a noble, so I was sent there because I had earth magic talent. I didn't really want to use magic for anything, and it was decided that I would become a commoner. There's no rule that says I have to join the Mage Guild just because I graduated from the Magic Academy. So, I ended up working at the Adventurer's Guild. It's also related to my family. Nobles are really complicated. Even the movements of daughters who become commoners need to be watched. ...Well, my children are living as ordinary commoners, but I'm under surveillance."

"Speaking of nobles, there's the title of Magician, right? I think it's related to mages and magicians, but what is it?"

"Ah, it's a one-generation title. Do you understand that it's something that the nobles of a territory can give to mages or magicians who have distinguished themselves in the magical realm?"

"One generation only?"

"Yes. Even if they have children, the talent isn't necessarily passed on. The title of Magician is always one generation only."

"Can both mages and magicians receive the title of Magician?"

"Both can. Each magical realm has a quest like 'Defeat this to get the title.' ...Well, many people don't even know they can get it if they can't read. But there are benefits to getting it. The government pays a noble pension, and the nobles of the territory are honored for producing knights or magicians. However, it's said that the lord of this territory isn't very proactive about it, and I don't really understand why."

"Does that mean the lord of this territory isn't competent?"

"Hmm, I can't say that outright, but considering that he's a viscount despite having so many sacred sites and magical realms, he might not be very capable. It's possible that the territory might be stripped away someday. It's also related to the neighboring territories. Well, it's not something we commoners should worry about."

"In this territory, the magical realms are the Forest of Sant and the Salt Springs of Jema, right?"

"Yes. You've studied well. To be precise, the Salt Springs of Jema are in this territory, but the Forest of Sant spans multiple territories. Magical realms that span territories are usually troublesome. Sacred sites often span territories too, but magical realms are a source of conflict for granting titles like knights or magicians. However, the fact that we don't hear such stories at the Adventurer's Guild suggests that the lord of this territory isn't very proactive."

Hmm, there are various types of nobles. I wonder if the lord of this territory is just average. I don't really understand how nobles are evaluated, though. ...Well, it doesn't matter how the nobles are evaluated.

"By the way, I haven't heard your purpose for coming here. What brings you here? You didn't come just to chat, did you?"

"No, I'm here to chat, too. It's boring in the inn during winter. ...If it's a bother, I'll go catch rats."

"Oh, is that so? I'm free now, so it's a good way to pass the time. ...But if you're staying at an inn, you must be earning money. You don't have to catch rats."

"If I don't move my body, I get bored. I'm not good at sitting still. I usually take on rat-catching requests because there are always extras."

"Well, the rat-catching request is a good one no matter how many people take it. Not many adventurers want to do it, though. Rats won't disappear, so it's fine."

"...Rats won't disappear?"

"Yes, they won't disappear."

"? Why not?"

"Because rats are generated from the stagnation of magic. ? Did the alchemists set up a barrier to prevent the stagnation of magic?"

"Yes, the barrier is the reason, or rather, thanks to the barrier, rats don't decrease."

"? I don't understand. Can you explain from the beginning?"

"Sure. The barrier set up by the alchemists intentionally creates stagnation of magic to generate rats. I don't know why they chose rats, but one theory is that they wanted to convert the stagnation of magic into food. Goblins can't be eaten, and stronger monsters would be difficult to defeat. Rats eat each other, so their numbers don't exceed a certain point, and they can be food if caught. They thought rats were just right to generate. ...Another theory is that only unclean things can be generated by magic, so rats were the only option. Anyway, if the stagnation is completely eliminated, it will stagnate outside the barrier, so rats are generated to intentionally resolve it. That's why rat extermination is done in the Free City. The stagnation is intentionally created there. The barrier is also designed to prevent rats from escaping. The more rats you hunt, the less stagnation forms outside the city. However, if the number of rats increases too much, the stagnation will form outside the city, and it's impossible to completely prevent natural stagnation, so occasionally goblins or stronger monsters are generated."

"Isn't the number of adventurers who catch rats small?"

"Yes, it's not that many. But it's good if they hunt a certain number year-round. It would be fine if they hunted them all, but the stagnation will form again. I'm not an alchemist, but I think thinning out about 1,000 rats a year is good."

"...I caught 50 rats every two days last year, and they didn't disappear. Is that why?"

"Yes, even if you catch them at a rate that would make them disappear, new rats will be generated from the stagnation. I welcome anyone who hunts rats. The more they hunt, the fewer goblins will be generated outside the city. ...It would be bad to leave rat hunting until goblins or stronger monsters are generated. ...But rats can be hunted by people who use the Free City. Some people hunt them for snacks. Well, you can't catch them just by chasing them around; you need some talent. Rat hunting is surprisingly difficult."

"I'm grateful that I can catch them easily thanks to my talent. It's just right for moving my body."

"That's good. Many adventurers have some talent but still can't catch them. You can make a living just by catching rats. The guild has considered that. However, many adventurers don't try to learn to read and write, which is a problem."

"Why don't they try to learn? Aren't the adventurers who don't try to learn mostly from villages?"

"Not necessarily. Even non-heirs from towns don't try to learn, and fewer people from towns try to learn. In villages, children are often sent out at age 7, so some are willing to learn to read and write. Many drop out, though. In towns, people leave home at 13, so it's hard to make them learn. Many adventurers who can't earn money are from villages, but there are also many from towns. However, if everyone learned to read and write, there would be no one to do odd jobs. It's a difficult balance. Well, it would be good if a few more people could read and write."

"It won't be the right number. Does the guild just warn them at the beginning and then leave them alone?"

"Not exactly. I think they are told more often at the purchase counter than at the reception. If you want to earn more, you should learn to read and write. ...If you can make a living by catching rats, you might not be told. That's why you weren't told. If you can deliver 50 rats, you can stay in a dormitory at an inn."

"Ah... The standard is whether you can stay in a dormitory in winter?"

"Yes, a dormitory is a legitimate inn. If you can stay in a dormitory, you won't be told to learn to read and write. We need such adventurers. ...As odd job workers. There are too many odd job workers now. I think about it every year, but it's difficult to change."

"...It seems quite difficult. I'm from a village near York's Forest, and there are always adventurers who stay over the winter."

"Yes, it would be nice if they could stay at an inn during the winter. ...Clearing up the bodies of those who freeze to death is the job of the Adventurer's Guild and the church. It's depressing to have them every year. The number of tents doesn't decrease throughout the year, and I wonder if the less intelligent adventurers can't figure it out."

"The number of tents doesn't increase or decrease?"

"It does increase. From spring to autumn, people who stay at inns come out. But I'm talking about the tents in front of the Adventurer's Guild. Even though the location of the tents doesn't affect joining the guild, they all gather in front of the Adventurer's Guild, causing fires. If they went to the front of other guilds, the square would be wider, and fires would only affect their own tents. Why do they all gather in front of the Adventurer's Guild? Are they stupid? Oh, they are."

"They are self-contained... By the way, what kind of requests does the Adventurer's Guild have? I don't know much because they are always fought over."

"Basically, we have all kinds. The most common is patrolling the capital. It's like checking routes from certain places. The main focus is to make sure adventurers don't cause trouble. Also, making sure children don't go to dangerous places, checking if anyone is squatting in abandoned houses, and so on. These are the most common. There are also requests like preparing vegetables for restaurants and feeding livestock for farmers."

"There are restaurants in this town?"

"Yes, the townspeople and adventurers use them. They are usually cheap, but it's convenient when it's too much trouble to cook. Even adventurers who stay in dormitories eat at restaurants. What? Have you been cooking for yourself all this time?"

"I eat the meals at the inn when I'm there. Otherwise, I usually cook at sacred sites."

"If the inn serves meals, you must be staying at a decent place. Many inns have only rooms without meals. But if you can earn enough to gather materials at sacred sites, I understand. Why are you catching rats? Take a break."

"I thought catching rats was a form of taking a break. I just wander around the Free City, and I catch a lot of rats."

"Working too much from a young age can have a big backlash. Start practicing taking breaks now."

"That's why I'm chatting today. ...I was planning to go catch rats when I ran out of things to talk about."

"Then chat all day today. I'm free for the rest of the day, so it's perfect."

"Okay. What else should we talk about?"

Today, I spent the whole day chatting with the receptionist at the Adventurer's Guild. ...Well, it's winter, and I'm earning money, so it's fine to take a break. So, I watched the adventurers return one by one and went back to the inn. ...Maybe I'll go to a restaurant after breakfast at the inn next time. I'm curious about what they serve. It's probably simpler than the inn's meals. But I'm glad I stayed at a good inn.

Whether you found it interesting or not, I would appreciate your feedback.

If you could point out any issues in your review, it would help me improve my writing.

...Probably.