Chapter 5

When he went to check the bulletin board, a piece of paper that had been processed with special magic was posted there.

These were the various requests sent to the Adventurer Guild.

Incidentally, "requests" were also called "quests," and they were used differently depending on the nature of the job.

【Plant Hunter】

【Glowing Poison Grass Collection】... Suitable for beginners. Please deliver as much Glowing Poison Grass as possible.

【Reward】... Basic reward: 200 Gilan

"Is this it?"

He thought the combat quests would be too difficult.

He wanted to get used to this world first.

Therefore, a delivery quest would be the safest choice.

He picked up the request paper and brought his guild card close to it. The paper emitted a small light and disappeared as if it had dissolved in the air.

"...What amazing technology. Even without the development of electrical science, if magic-based technology develops, it can maintain nature while ensuring convenience..."

When he entered the "reference room," samples of herbs and minerals that were frequently requested were displayed on the walls, and in the center of the room, a map of the nearby area with the locations where they could be collected was marked.

"...What a musty room."

It felt like no one came here often.

Perhaps there were no diligent adventurers.

Hikaru memorized the information about the Glowing Poison Grass.

The burlap bags for delivery quests were piled in a corner of the guild, so he took one.

Well, time to leave the guild—

At the counter, Jill confirmed that Hikaru's name had been automatically entered in the new "quest taker" column.

"Hmm."

She looked around the guild, but he was nowhere to be seen. He was using "Stealth," so it was more accurate to say that he couldn't be seen.

(That brat is taking on this quest, huh?)

Jill smirked.

Hikaru didn't know.

The Glowing Poison Grass delivery request was, in essence, a request to deliver what one already had.

This was because the area around Pound where Glowing Poison Grass grew was inhabited by the aggressive Green Wolf, and since these creatures lived in packs, even veteran adventurers found it difficult to drive them away. It wasn't worth the effort to go out and collect them.

(Well, if he gets scared, he probably won't become an adventurer, right?)

Green Wolves attack humans but don't eat them, so it's rare for them to take a life. It's also a good trial for beginner adventurers to undergo the baptism of adventure.

When Hikaru was about to leave the guild, he remembered something.

"Come to think of it, those adventurers might be lying in wait."

He made sure his "Stealth" skill was active.

It was a good opportunity to see how effective his skill was.

Hikaru slowly walked out of the guild, being careful not to make any noise.

"..."

On the main street.

Right next to the guild's exit, two of the adventurers from earlier were standing.

"That brat hasn't come out yet."

"Maybe he got beaten up by other adventurers?"

"Possible."

They were laughing crudely.

They didn't notice Hikaru, who was only about three meters away.

(...Is this an amazing skill?)

Hikaru walked away.

They didn't notice him at all.

(Skill trees in games don't usually have such extreme effects... but maybe this skill is different.)

If he maxed it out, he might get the "maximum" power.

If so— "Stealth" related skills might have incredible power.

No, even if he allocated points to vitality or magic, it would be amazing.

(Even if it's only one point per year, it can't be helped...)

Hikaru headed out of town. He was hungry, but he had to complete the quest and earn money.

The town had walls to prevent monsters and thieves from entering.

There were also houses outside the walls, but they were in dangerous areas. Poor farmers who couldn't afford the land tax lived outside the town and farmed.

The gatekeeper demanded identification from those entering and leaving.

Hikaru showed his guild card as identification. The guard nodded and let him through.

"Are you a novice adventurer? Don't take unnecessary risks. As long as you have your life, you can make it."

"Yes."

Hikaru bowed.

It was the first time he felt someone in this world had been kind to him.

The gatekeeper, who probably didn't expect such a polite bow, opened his eyes wide in surprise.

"Be back by evening."

He relaxed his cheeks and said that.

Hikaru walked a little down the road and then headed towards the forest on his left.

"Come to think of it... the guild card corrects abilities, right?"

The "occupation" field could be changed at any time.

If his abilities were corrected while he was outside the town, that would be better.

"If the Soul Board only gives one point per year, I should make good use of this 'occupation.'"

The "Stealth" he specialized in. It should be,

【Stealth God: Wearer of Shadows】

"Right!"

Click.

He changed his occupation.

"Hmm..."

He felt his body become as thin as air.

Of course, he could still see his hands and feet clearly.

However, if someone had been watching Hikaru from nearby, they would have noticed.

The moment he manipulated his guild card— if they weren't paying close attention, they wouldn't be able to find his position immediately.

Furthermore, Hikaru activated "Life Block," "Magic Block," and "Perception Block."

With this, the surrounding creatures could hardly recognize his existence.

Birds and insects that had been holding back their chirping because of the presence of humans started singing all at once.

"Amazing."

It felt like he had become invisible.

He walked and entered the forest.

For Hikaru, who grew up in Tokyo, the forest was not something familiar.

He had watched outdoor camping videos on video sites, but he watched them precisely because he couldn't do it himself.

However, how about this?

Such lush trees, dappled sunlight, and bird songs— stepping into the forest himself.

Moreover, a forest that hadn't been much touched by human hands, different from the forests in Japan!

Feeling excited, Hikaru started walking, but then,

"!"

He saw a green wolf in the distance.

That must be a Green Wolf. It was green, but more like it was covered in moss and grass.

"Big... but it doesn't seem to have noticed me."

It was about three meters long.

Hikaru walked quietly to avoid being noticed.

Roland had little knowledge about monsters.

So it was understandable that Hikaru would make a mistake.

The Green Wolf's perception range was about 200 meters, and of course, Hikaru's current location was within that range.

In fact, the Green Wolf had come here because it had sensed Hikaru approaching the edge of the forest.

It was confused because Hikaru's presence suddenly disappeared.

"...I should have researched more about monsters."

If such dangerous monsters were near the town, there should be consolidated danger information.

"There, that's the herb."

Hikaru walked around, looking for Glowing Poison Grass at his own pace.

It had a shape similar to lilies of the valley, and the flowers were divided into four colors.

It was said to glow at night, making it easier to find, but staying in the forest until night was too scary.

"The parts needed for collection are the young shoots and petals."

He pinched and tore them off with his nails.

He didn't strip all the parts from one plant.

This way, it would grow back.

"Thanks, outdoor videos. They came in handy in this different world."

* * *

In the evening, at the Adventurer Guild.

Jill at the counter was irritated.

She was supposed to finish work by noon, but because of another receptionist's schedule, she had to work overtime until evening.

She was already in a bad mood.

That wasn't all.

The boy who had left in the morning— she thought he would be brought in after being bitten by a Green Wolf, but no such information came in. The reception desk of the Adventurer Guild was where all information passed through, so it was impossible for him to slip through unnoticed.

If so, did the boy not go to collect the Glowing Poison Grass?

That seemed most likely. After all, there was no way a Green Wolf would let a beginner adventurer go, especially a solo one.

If so, the quest failed.

Adventurers were all like that.

"..."

Jill had a secret.

She had a distant ancestor who was a "fox spirit." Because of the slight fox spirit blood, she was sensitive to others' ulterior motives.

Thanks to her good looks, men with ulterior motives swarmed around her. At 18, Jill was already disillusioned. She had decided to use men.

Therefore, what she sought in men was "status." Here, "status" meant "money," "position," and "ability."

Since they valued her "looks," she would also value their "status."

"Could he... not be dead?"

Such thoughts crept into her mind.

If he was dead, it would be a terrible start to the day. It would be even worse if she felt responsible for his death. If an adventurer died because the receptionist didn't provide proper information...

"..."

Worry sprouted in Jill's heart.

Green Wolves don't kill humans, but what if there were other monsters? Or bandits?

"What should I do? If he's dead... is it my fault? Seriously? Isn't that bad?"

"Excuse me."

"Should I send someone to investigate now? But what should I say—"

"Excuse me, are you listening?"

All the adventurers knew Jill was in a terrible mood, so her usual group of men wasn't around.

Therefore, the boy appeared in front of her.

"Huh?"

He came.

The boy from this morning was right in front of her.

Huh? He came?

Jill's mind was in chaos.

So, if he's safe, that means—

"You brat, you were just wandering around, weren't you?! What nerve do you have to come here!!"

Jill's scream echoed.

The other adventurers whispered— "Quest failure?" "What's with that kid?" "Jill is really pissed off."

"? What are you talking about?"

"Adventuring isn't a game! You're lowering the reputation of the Adventurer Guild!"

"If it's not a game, then check it quickly."

"What do you mean check? We already know you took the quest—"

Jill stopped.

Her gaze went to Hikaru's feet.

A bag bulging with collected items.

The Glowing Poison Grass was sticking out.

"...Huh?"

Jill couldn't believe her eyes.

Glowing Poison Grass collection— yes, the quest this boy had taken.

"...You collected it?"

"Of course."

"...What about the Green Wolves?"

"They were there. If there was such dangerous information, I wish you had told me."

"Were, were there?! If they were there, you should have been attacked—"

She stopped mid-sentence.

If she had known and not warned him, it would be the guild's fault.

Jill made up her mind. —The Green Wolves came close to Hikaru but didn't attack him. If they could recognize humans, they would have known by now. Hikaru was just lucky.

"...Is this all Glowing Poison Grass?"

Hikaru nodded and placed the bag on the counter.

Jill's eyes widened again.

She thought he had pulled the plants out whole.

But, look.

Only the required petals and young shoots were there.

"...How far into the forest— no, were you in the forest all day?"

"I want you to check it quickly. I'm starving."

"Ah, s-sorry."

Jill's mind was still in chaos.

But she was certain.

Hikaru must have been in the forest all day, hungry and trembling in fear of the Green Wolves, searching for Glowing Poison Grass— Jill felt uncomfortable.

In reality, he had taken it easy, even taking a nap while collecting the herbs.

"—I'll check it right away."

Jill hurried to finish the evaluation.

"Calculation complete. The basic reward for delivering Glowing Poison Grass is 200 Gilan."

Gilan is the currency unit of this country.

"Phew... This will last me for a while."

Hikaru sighed in relief.

He said he was hungry. He must really be short on money.

A cheap meal from a street vendor costs about 20 Gilan, and a more expensive one about 40 Gilan.

At a cheap place, he could eat 10 meals.

Finally, Hikaru looked his age, and Jill felt a warm feeling.

Mostly because of her misunderstanding.

"By the way, this is the basic reward. 200 Gilan."

"...And the evaluation of the Glowing Poison Grass?"

"Correct. Don't guess so easily. It's boring."

Hikaru shrugged.

Hmm, he's still a brat.

"Here are the evaluation results. The amount of Glowing Poison Grass you delivered is 19 bundles, so 1,000 Gilan per bundle, 19,000 Gilan. Adding the success incentive for a large delivery— just rounding up the decimal. Together with the basic reward, it's 20,000 Gilan."

"...I see."

"Why are you so flustered?"

"I'm not flustered."

They ended up having the same conversation as with the guild card.

"If you deliver this much, I don't think there will be any more Glowing Poison Grass delivery requests for a while, but if there are, please come again. Hopeful boy."

"...I'm not that special."

Hikaru's face turned cold as he took the money.

"By the way— I have some questions."

"What?"

Hikaru asked a few questions, and Jill answered them.

* * *

To make it easier to use, he got a few gold coins and the rest in silver and copper coins.

He put the reward bag deep in his pocket and kept the small change in a pocket for easy access.

"20,000 Gilan..."

He felt his cheeks relax with a smile.

Actually, Hikaru didn't dislike making money.

He had an account for stock trading and did online trading.

He enjoyed the feeling of fighting in the adult world.

His parents seemed worried about their son who didn't make friends and stayed in his room.

"But why... was she so nice? To me, a troublesome kid?"

Hikaru couldn't understand the receptionist's feelings of self-reproach for possibly killing the boy due to her mistake.

"...Hopeful, huh?"

Thinking about his parents' expectations, "Hikaru," and being called "Hopeful," he didn't know how to react.

The sun was about to set.

Most street vendors closed at sunset.

Most of the vendors had already packed up.

"Trouble."

If the street vendors were out, he would have to go to a bar or restaurant.

That was too much.

He would have to stay in the shop for a long time. If someone who knew his clothes saw him, it would be a problem.

"Is it okay?"

"Hmm? We're already closed."

All the other shops were completely closed.

This was the only stall that was about to close.

"Everywhere is closed. You should have come earlier."

"Is that so..."

There was no choice.

He had money, but he had to go to bed hungry— when he thought that,

Grrrr...

His stomach growled.

"Ah."

"Oh? ...Haha! Why, why is your stomach making such a pitiful sound? I can't help it, but I'll sell you this for 10 Gilan?"

The vendor offered leftover fried noodles.

They were wrapped in large leaves that resembled bamboo.

"Is that okay?"

"Come back when the shop is open next time. See you."

It was a treasure. The best treasure.

Hikaru walked with the warm fried noodles.

Unable to resist, he entered a back alley.

He made sure no one was watching and sat behind a barrel.

He opened the leaves.

The aroma of spices rose, and his stomach growled again.

He buried his face in the fried noodles and ate them.

"...Delicious."

Hunger is the best seasoning.

It was so delicious that his tongue tingled.

The meat juice and fat were raging in his mouth.

"Delicious, Roland..."

Hikaru told the body's original owner, who only existed in his memory.