Chapter 2

Jiga is a country with a broad, flat map, bordered by the sea to the north and surrounded by sacred peaks on the remaining three sides, making it difficult for other nations to invade. Peace has continued for over two hundred years.

In the southwestern part, near the Restoa Mountains, there is a town.

Iron General Street, Giyan, is a gathering place of blood and iron where rough men congregate to hunt the monsters that come down from the mountains.

Today, as usual, the Giyan Adventurers' Guild was enveloped in noise and shouts.

"Please, it's impossible. Don't interfere with my work anymore."

"W-What? Just give me a break, one or two dates won't hurt, right?"

My patience is wearing thin! While inwardly cursing, the receptionist maintained a very pleasant demeanor on the surface.

"Sorry, my work is my lover right now."

"Come on, Mies-chan, don't say that."

She shook her wavy golden hair, which seemed fragile like white waves. Her malachite eyes, sharp enough to see through everything but with a hint of kindness, still firmly met the gaze of the man in front of her.

Mies, a popular receptionist, was once again politely fending off a male adventurer who was trying to hit on her.

When she made a sad face and trembled her eyelids, the man, who had been in high spirits a moment ago, panicked, apologized, and hurriedly left the guild.

Watching the man run away with a pale face, Mies sighed inwardly.

Being a receptionist is not as easy as it seems. To make adventurers feel good about their work while maintaining a relationship that makes them hesitate to get too close, they have to put in considerable effort.

With her counter free, she shifted her gaze to the attached tavern.

There, she saw the figures of men drinking, shouting, and crying.

...It's always the ones like that who come on to me.

Many adventurers prefer a carefree lifestyle. They don't keep money overnight and live day by day, so the idea of having a partner never even crosses their minds.

When they rank up and earn more, they can save money.

If they climb to the top, they can acquire wealth that will last for generations.

Mies, nodding to herself, couldn't help but gasp when she caught a whiff of a foul odor. In front of her stood an adventurer.

"Hey, let's go for a drink somewhere."

From the smell of alcohol on his breath, Mies instantly knew the man was drunk.

Judging from his red face and unfocused gaze, he was likely severely intoxicated.

"Sorry, I have work to do..."

"Hey, you can't even listen to me?! Who do you think feeds you, huh?!"

She felt a sharp pain in her wrist and couldn't help but cry out.

As expected of an adventurer, his grip was so strong that a single woman couldn't break free.

Fighting in the guild is strictly forbidden.

If this happens, the man's life is almost certainly over.

At best, he'll become a slave; at worst, he'll be executed on the spot.

The guild's penalties are severe, which is why adventurers follow the rules to a minimum.

Before long, the guards, alerted to the disturbance, would likely arrive and restrain him.

"Can't you hear me, this C-rank adventurer?!"

The man's strength increased as he leaned over the counter, and the captured arm began to creak.

Seeing the arm turn red, Margal smiled darkly.

Mies felt a pain she had never experienced before and sniffled.

"Ow! I'm sorry, please forgive me!"

Margal's words and the guild's rules no longer registered in Mies's mind.

The fact that the guards would arrive did nothing to comfort her.

What if they were too late?

What if her purity was already lost by then?

Such a desperate future clung to her mind.

Tears streamed down her face as she looked around at the people in the room.

She realized no one was going to help her and felt utterly hopeless.

Witnessing the misconduct of a C-rank adventurer, the highest rank a civilian can achieve, everyone was thinking of their own lives.

They would rather let her die than risk their own lives.

Among those who took such a passive attitude were men who usually hit on Mies.

"Hey, come here!"

Realizing no one would help her, Mies didn't even try to resist.

She followed the man out of the counter, her trembling body struggling to keep up.

Her pace was very slow due to fear and disgust, and Margal slapped her cheek hard when he saw this.

"Ow!"

"Move faster!"

The dull pain in her cheek, the pressure on her arm, and the despair of no one helping her all gnawed at her heart.

She rubbed her eyes with her free hand, feeling trapped in darkness.

Mies lamented the world's injustice and wished with all her heart.

...Someone...

For a knight in shining armor to appear and rescue her.

For someone to risk their life for her and protect her... even if it was an impossible hope.

...Someone, please...

It might be an escape, a weakness due to her inability to face reality.

But Mies couldn't help but wish.

No matter how skilled she was with men, she was still a young woman under twenty. She wasn't strong enough to stand up to injustice.

...Please, help me...

Her weak, feeble words echoed in her mind.

Just as she was about to give up and follow Margal through the door, they both stopped.

In front of them stood an old man.

With his frail appearance, a wooden sword at his waist, and a bent back, he looked like a typical old man, not the kind who would visit an adventurers' guild.

The pressure on Mies's arm suddenly disappeared.

"Huh?"

"No matter the circumstances, you shouldn't make a girl cry. When a girl cries, whoever is at fault must apologize."

The old man's withered hand gently took hers. It was the weakest of all, yet the most comforting hand Mies had ever felt.

"...Hey, old man, is that your last words?"

"I've already written my will, I'm fully prepared to die."

"Is that so... Hey!"

Margal, his face as red as a boiled lobster, instantly drew his axe from his waist and swung it horizontally.

The speed was so fast that Mies could hardly follow it with her eyes, a clear sign of his formidable strength.

However, what she expected didn't happen.

The old man quickly crouched, placed his wooden sword on Margal's index finger to stop the attack, and then struck his head with the back of the sword.

Without a word, Margal's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed unconscious.

"But, I don't want to die yet. I want to live until my grandson gets married."

Despite not being injured, the old man let out a small groan.

Shaking her head to reassure Mies, he took her hand again.

"I'm sorry for the rough treatment from your boyfriend."

"......No, no... it's different..."

"My name is Dil, what's yours?"

"...I'm Mies..."

"That's a nice name."

Unable to find the right words, Mies squeezed Dil's hand a little tighter.

The man who appeared before her wasn't a prince with shining white teeth.

The one who took her hand was just a bent old man.

His arm, which seemed to be nothing but bone and skin, looked as if it could break at any moment.

But to her, it felt stronger and more resilient than anything in the world.

Dil gently patted her head, making her feel ticklish.

"Do you have an age limit for becoming an adventurer?"

"No... it's fine, Mr. Dil."

To hide her embarrassment, Mies tilted her head slightly.

She smiled at Dil and said in her bell-like voice,

Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild...