Chapter 7

After finishing breakfast, Lei and Ashley started training again in the backyard.

After a while, Ashley somehow had two wooden swords in her hands and threw one to him.

"Want to do some sparring?" she said, already taking a stance.

"I'm not much of a match, so I'll pass," he declined.

"It's just a light sparring. Besides, if you think about it, the sooner you recover your memory, the better. Since you're undoubtedly a warrior, you might remember something during training..."

He knew it would be futile, but seeing her enthusiasm,

(Whether or not I recover my memory, it won't be a waste to think about the future. Even if I'm not confident, Ashley will be satisfied, and it's better to get some experience now...)

He raised his hand to indicate he agreed and took the stance he had learned before breakfast.

At first, with Ashley holding back, he managed to keep up, but as she started to mix in feints, he quickly found himself at a loss.

Still, after about thirty minutes of sparring, he decided to let his body react naturally, and his movements started to become more fluid.

(I think I can manage. Of course, it's because Ashley is holding back, but it might be useful for self-defense...)

After about an hour of sparring, they took a break. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Ashley asked, "Do you remember anything?"

Breathing heavily, he shook his head and said, "Not yet..."

Ashley, looking at him,

(What is his true nature? In just one or two hours of training, he's already at the level of an average mercenary. I don't know what he plans to do from here, but I could stick around until he gets used to this town...)

On the other hand, Lei was thinking about how to bring up the topic of his future plans, which he had considered last night.

(I started training right away, so I lost the chance to bring it up. Should I bring it up now?)

He decided to start the conversation abruptly.

"I have something to discuss. Actually, I was thinking last night about what to do from here..."

He began to consult with her about how to earn a living, whether becoming an adventurer was the right choice, and if there were any other options.

After thinking for a moment, she replied,

"Well, Lei, I think becoming an adventurer is the most reliable option. It's difficult to join the merchant guild, and you don't have the skills to become a craftsman. While it's not impossible to serve the baron, it's probably unlikely."

"What do you mean by 'it's probably unlikely'?"

"The baron, despite his appearance, is a cautious person. Yesterday, he only said he wanted to entertain you tonight, and even during dinner, he didn't talk about the future. He probably doesn't want to take care of a 'dangerous' man who might start killing people suddenly, as you did yesterday. So, he probably gave you money as a reward."

Hearing this, Lei was speechless.

(Dangerous man... me... I guess it might look that way objectively, but it's quite a blow to hear it directly... It does seem like the money solved the problem... He might also be thinking about protecting his daughter from bad influences...)

"Right... So, becoming an adventurer seems to be the best option. Do I need to register at the guild to become an adventurer?"

"Yes. Have you remembered anything? There's a guild branch in this town, so you can register anytime. How about we go after lunch?"

He nodded and bowed, saying, "Thank you."

Just as they were about to start training again, the butler, Edward, appeared.

"Master Lei, Miss Ashley. The head of the mercenary guild, Cutler, has arrived. He has brought the magic crystals and is waiting in the baron's office. Would you please come?"

They nodded and, after returning to the room, headed to the baron's office.

The baron's office was in the back of the first floor of the mansion. The baron and a middle-aged man with sharp eyes were already seated on the sofa. The baron gestured for them to sit and began the introductions.

"This is Cutler, the head of the guild. This is Lord Lei, and I believe you know Miss Ashley."

Cutler nodded and introduced himself. Then, he scrutinized Lei.

The baron nodded at Ashley, and she took out the magic crystals from a leather bag and began explaining the attack from the previous day.

"From the capital of Laurs to the city of Sovini, nothing happened. In Sovini, the baron's direct knights suddenly fell ill, and we had no choice but to hire guards from the guild. As you can see from the magic crystals, the ten mercenaries were of the sixth rank, experienced men. On the second day out of Sovini, in the forest at the border between Sartus and Lax, they were ambushed by five knights and all killed. Immediately after, twelve bandits appeared, trying to kill the baron. If he hadn't shown up, we would have all been wiped out..."

When she finished, Cutler took out a square wooden box about thirty centimeters on each side, asked the baron's permission, and placed the magic crystals inside. A light board appeared in the air from the center of the box, and words began to float on it.

"Hmm. Tiago Alvaré, thirty years old, sixth-rank mercenary... The color indicates... Yes, it's a breach of contract. No use sugarcoating it; it's a betrayal..."

Cutler continued to check the information from the magic crystals, his expression gradually becoming more bitter, and his face turning red. After confirming all the information, he suddenly stood up, bowed deeply, and apologized.

"I am truly sorry. This is a failure of the mercenary guild. I will immediately contact the headquarters in Sartus, the capital of Laurs, and the main headquarters in Fortis, the land of mercenaries. We will thoroughly investigate any connections and, if any are found, the mercenary guild will offer a bounty to find them. It's been ten years since a guard mission ended in betrayal. We will restore the guild's honor and ensure your satisfaction."

He continued,

"Regarding compensation for the baron, the main headquarters will decide, but for now, we will pay ten times the contract amount, one hundred thousand krona. Of course, the head of the Sovini branch will be severely punished, but for now, we ask for your forgiveness."

Then, he turned to Ashley,

"I'm sorry for this. You are also a victim, so we will provide compensation."

Finally, he turned to Lei,

"Lord Lei. If you hadn't been there, the mercenary guild would have lost all its credibility. I will offer you a reward. I am truly grateful."

Lei, unable to follow the situation, only said, "A reward?"

"Is there anything you hope for? We will do our best to meet your wishes."

Lei looked to Ashley for help. She nodded and said,

"Head Cutler, he has lost his memory. It might be better to wait until the situation is clearer."

Cutler nodded and said, "Understood. It can wait until later," then turned to Ashley,

"I will keep the magic crystals. Regarding the bounty for the bandits, the purchase of equipment and magic crystals, can we transfer the money to you?"

She nodded, and the baron and Cutler continued their conversation, so they left the room.

Outside, Lei asked Ashley, "Was that okay?"

"What about the reward? Should we ask for cash? Usually, that's what you get."

"Yes, in Lei's case, cash would be best... According to Ashley, mercenaries can also request rare weapons from the guild or permanent residency in Fortis, the land of mercenaries. However, since he already has sufficient weapons and isn't a mercenary, permanent residency isn't necessary. If he makes too difficult a request, it might affect the guild's impression, so it's safer to take the cash they offer. She estimated that ten thousand C would be a sure thing."

(Ten thousand C... ten million yen!? Combined with the two thousand C from the baron, I can live for two to three years. If I can find a way back during that time...)

At this point, he faced the question of whether he, a mere high school student, could survive in this world.

(With my current half-baked knowledge, I might be tricked out of money. I don't want to rely on Ashley's kindness, but I need to stick with her until I gain confidence in my ability to survive.)

He decided to tell the mercenary guild later that he wanted the reward in cash, and they set out for the city.

First, they went to the Moulton branch of the adventurer guild to get an identity card. Moulton is a town on a hill about a hundred meters high. It is surrounded by a wall about five meters high, with farmland to the south, a large lake to the north, and deep forests to the east and west. The guild branch is located in a relatively low area near the main gate on the south side of the town, which is a commercial district with many carts loaded with goods coming and going.

The guild branch is a three-story building with an orange roof and white walls, similar to other buildings in the town. Even before noon, there is a fair amount of traffic in and out of the building. Lei was excited to see the adventurer guild for the first time.

(The classic adventurer guild in a fantasy world... I'm still excited even in this situation)

Inside, the building was bright, with several wooden counters and tables. A few adventurers—humans, elves, and beastmen resembling dogs or wolves—were talking to the receptionist, a woman behind the counter.

When Lei entered and looked around, the receptionist and the adventurers focused their attention on him. They seemed to find it strange to see a man in white plate armor with a metal spear.

Ashley, sensing the atmosphere, told Lei, "Don't look around," and then went to an available counter. The receptionist, a young woman in her early twenties with bright blonde hair, smiled and asked, "What can I do for you today?"

Ashley, who knew the receptionist, responded,

"I want to register him. He has lost his memory and doesn't have an orb. I would like to register him as a new member."

"Who will vouch for his identity? Would Miss Ashley be the guarantor?"

Ashley nodded and said, "Yes, that's fine." The receptionist then turned to Lei,

"My name is Ethel Wadler. Let's proceed with the registration. The registration fee is five C, but the guild can cover it. Can you pay?"

"I can," he replied, handing over a gold coin. Ethel's eyes widened for a moment at his casual payment, but she quickly gave him change and resumed the procedure.

"First, you need to fill out this form. Do you need help writing?"

Lei was surprised to realize he could read the script of this world and was momentarily stunned.

(Why can I read this? It was strange that I could speak, but reading is even stranger. The script looks like the alphabet, and the grammar is somewhat similar to English, but it's a completely unknown language...)

Seeing his dazed expression, Ethel asked if he needed help writing, and he snapped back to reality, saying, "No, I don't need help."

The necessary information included name, age, race, and place of origin. He filled in what he knew.

(Name: "Lei," age: eighteen, race: human, place of origin: ... Since I have amnesia, can I leave it blank?)

"Excuse me, I can't remember my place of origin. Can I leave it blank?"

"I apologize for not explaining earlier. Even if you leave it blank, the information can be extracted from the magic crystal, so it's fine to write what you can..."

She explained that the information on the form would be visible to anyone with an orb, so if he didn't want his family name to be known, he could just write his first name.

(I wish she had said that earlier... I think it was set up that way...)

At the end of the form, there was a statement: "I swear not to violate the guild's regulations," which he signed.

(If I violate the regulations, it will be recorded in the magic crystal. I think it was set up that way when the orb was created...)

When he handed over the completed form, Ethel said, "I will extract the information from the magic crystal. Please follow me to another room."

In the other room, there was a wooden box about three meters high, one and a half meters wide, and one meter deep. She explained that he