Chapter 4

"Is this... the Adventurer's Guild..."

I slip through the door of the Adventurer's Guild, feeling nervous. After all, adventurers are people who specialize in rough jobs.

They take on tasks that ordinary people can't do, such as monster hunting and material collection, in exchange for high rewards. To pay off the family's debt and send Seria to study in the capital, this was the only way left.

As I slip through the door, a few people look over. Their eyes are sharp, and they give off a different aura from ordinary people living in the city. I feel nervous under their gaze as I approach the reception desk.

"Excuse me, I'd like to register as an adventurer."

"Yes... you, huh?"

"Yes, that's right."

The receptionist observes my attire.

"Your equipment doesn't seem to fit properly, does it?"

The sword and armor I'm wearing are from when my father used to be an adventurer. I pulled them out from the shed in our house, but my father was well-built, so they're a bit loose on me.

"These... I borrowed them from my parents..."

As I make my excuse,

"Why would a rookie who can't even afford proper equipment register as an adventurer?"

A voice calls out from behind me.

"Zig, stop picking on the newbies, okay?"

"Hey, I'm just telling the truth."

Zig is a man in his twenties, wearing expensive-looking swords and armor. Clearly a veteran adventurer, I don't know how to handle his interference.

"The explanation will be given shortly, so if you have no other business, please step aside."

The receptionist warns Zig with a look of annoyance.

"Alright, alright, we're off on a job, then."

With that, Zig waves his hand, mocks me, and leaves with his companions.

"Please fill out this form."

She hands me the necessary documents for adventurer registration. I write down my name, assigned position, and skills.

The assigned position is useful when forming a party to find members. It's important to avoid overlapping roles.

As for skills, there's nothing particular to write. If I had high magic power and could use certain spells, or if I were skilled with a sword, I could write that down, but I don't have any of those.

I do have the skill 'Hatching,' but writing it down at this stage would just make people look at me strangely. After all, it's a rather awkward ability that allows me to force eggs to hatch, which would otherwise hatch naturally if left alone.

"I'm done."

I quickly fill out the form and return it to the receptionist.

"Mr. Claus... Your assigned position is front-line, and since your weapon is a sword, you'll be a swordsman, right?"

"Yes, that's correct."

I've been learning swordsmanship from my father since childhood, and my strength, stamina, and agility are all E according to my status. Since the average for ordinary people is F, the only role I can take as an adventurer is front-line.

"There are quite a few front-line adventurers... It might be difficult to form a party immediately."

"I see, but can I take on jobs right away?"

I've heard that many people who can use magic are rare, so most people who want to make a living as adventurers end up being front-line.

"Yes, there are solo jobs, but they are limited to tasks like goblin hunting and herb collection."

"That's fine!"

Right now, I need money desperately. I can't afford to wait around until I can form a party.

"Understood. Let me explain the details—"

At my prompting, the receptionist begins to explain the Adventurer's Guild.

There are eight ranks for adventurers, with S being the highest and G the lowest. These eight ranks are apparently aligned with the 'Status' magic, and the letters displayed in the status indicate the adventurer's suitability rank.

Based on this, I seem to be an E-rank adventurer at the moment.

After hearing the explanation,

"Do you have any questions?"

"Is there a limit to the number of regular jobs I can take?"

"No, goblins are monsters that need to be controlled to prevent damage to farms and villages, and herbs are ingredients for potions, so there's no limit to how many can be bought."

The reward for each goblin and herb is the same as what I would earn for a day's work. If I can handle a large number, I could potentially earn a significant income.

"However, you might only find a few goblins in a day of walking through the plains, and there aren't many herbs either. Some adventurers keep the locations of herbs secret and pick them while on other jobs."

It seems there's a reason for the high rewards. The demand for potions is high, and the more you make, the more you can sell, so there's currently a shortage of herbs.

With renewed hope that I might be able to pay off the debt,

"I understand. I'll go right away."

To repay my parents and Seria, I head out of the city and into the forest.