Chapter 30

Summary of the previous chapter ------------------------------------------------------

Yuki listens to the dangers of skills from Natsuki.

They check each other's skills and try using earth magic.

"Well, it seems Yuki's earth magic is unexpectedly useful."

"Unexpectedly? That's harsh! Once you get used to it, it's really convenient, I promise!"

"Sure, sure. I'll look forward to it. But Yuki, you don't have any close combat skills, right?"

"Huh? Yeah."

Honestly, I thought I could just copy some sword skills and get by.

But reality wasn't that easy.

"To be honest, I'm worried about starting our actions like this. We don't know the security level of this town, but we are two women. Without the ability to resist... "

"Yeah, you're right. It's dangerous."

In my original world, I've been approached by weird guys before, so I learned some basic self-defense, but I understand that it's not enough to stand up to professionals.

On the other hand, Natsuki has [Spear Mastery Lv.4] and [Body Techniques Lv.3].

I think she can handle most adventurers.

I guess I'll have to rely on her protection, like a princess.

"Ms. Natsuki! I'm scared!" and then cling to her—would she protect me?

"So, Yuki, you'll learn body techniques."

"Right. We have [Skill Copy] after all."

"I'm not sure how much 'guidance' is needed, but this way, it's easier for me to teach."

"Got it. Let's try it. [Body Techniques Lv.3] with [Skill Copy]"

I don't think I need to say it out loud, but I'll say it clearly.

I don't feel any change... oh, it's been added to my status.

"[Body Techniques Lv.1] is definitely added. The text is gray, though."

Normally, my status display is a black semi-transparent window with white text, but the [Body Techniques Lv.1] part is gray.

Is this the sealed state?

"The copy worked fine. Now, for the 'guidance,' I'll teach you from the basics. Please check frequently to see at which stage it becomes effective."

"Got it."

After about 10 minutes, I guess?

Following Natsuki's instructions, I moved my body, and the status text turned white.

Or rather, my body suddenly started moving smoothly, so I checked my status and it had changed.

It wasn't just a matter of getting the hang of it; it was a bit scary.

"Less than 10 minutes, huh. It's only Level 1, but with a teacher, [Skill Copy] seems quite useful."

"Right! I didn't mess up, did I?"

"Once you learn more than 20, it turns black. By the way, I can only teach you 3 or 4 more skills for sure."

"Ugh..."

Most skills with levels start at 5 points, so Natsuki is right.

Learning multiple weapon skills would just make them all mediocre, and other skills at Level 1 wouldn't be very useful...

"Guess it's no good..."

"If we can join up with Yū and the others, things might change, so don't be too discouraged."

Natsuki says that and gently pats my hunched back, but—

"Natsuki, you're the one who finished me off?"

"I didn't mean to..."

"Okay, I'll switch gears! If Yū and the others can teach me 5 each, I'll be in the black!"

If worse comes to worst, I'll practice earth magic relentlessly and become a renowned "Master of Earth Magic."

"Besides, we don't have time to be depressed. We have limited funds, so we need to think carefully and act quickly, or we'll be in trouble!"

"You're right. Based on what Yuki told me, we should register at the Adventurer's Guild first and get a job."

We have only about 2,000 rea.

The more time we waste, the worse our financial situation will get.

"But before that, let's come up with a cover story."

"Cover story?"

"Yes. Two young women traveling with nothing but the clothes on their backs is suspicious. We need to create a story about why we're here, our immediate goals, and our destination. We might also need to make some purchases accordingly."

"Right, even when looking for a job, the type of job we choose and how we explain it to others will depend on this."

Natsuki is reliable, as always.

Without deciding this, if we go to the Adventurer's Guild and ask, "What kind of job is good?" we won't even be able to answer that.

After discussing with Natsuki, we decided that we came to this town with our companions, but they temporarily left for other business and we are waiting for their return.

A journey of two girls who don't look very strong is unnatural.

"Next, what kind of job should we look for? There are two directions, right?"

"Jobs in town or outside the city, right?"

"Right. Going outside the city is dangerous, but Natsuki, can you fight?"

"It depends on the level of danger. We don't know what kind of enemies will appear. If I can get a spear, I think I can handle it, but I'm more worried about Yuki."

"Right."

Thanks to Natsuki, I have the [Body Techniques] skill, but it's only Level 1.

Unlike in games, there's no guarantee that "only these enemies will appear in this area," so I want some leeway.

I'm especially afraid of bandits.

Two girls alone are easy targets.

Natsuki's [Spear Mastery] might handle a few bandits, but it's too much to throw her into a fight with humans so soon after arriving.

At least, I need to be able to fight a bit before that.

"For now, let's look for jobs in town..."

"Right. With our current funds, it's questionable whether we can even buy weapons."

"If we go outside the city, we should at least have weapons and armor."

"Right. Based on what Yuki said, being unarmed is too dangerous."

"Then, let's go to the Adventurer's Guild to look for jobs."

The Adventurer's Guild in this world also handles job placement, so it's efficient to go there to look for part-time jobs.

Job information magazines and job postings on store fronts are not common here.

Many people can't read.

"No, let's go shopping first. It's unnatural to have no luggage at all."

"Right."

If people are kind, they might assume we left our luggage at an inn—no, that won't work. We also want to get recommendations for good inns.

"Also, I think it's better to have weapons to avoid being underestimated. Natsuki can handle a spear, and as two girls, it's better to be cautious."

"Got it. Let's start with that!"

We first went to a weapon shop and bought a spear that Natsuki found "somewhat acceptable."

It cost 800 rea.

It's nearly half of our total funds, but it's considered cheap for a spear, and it's a mass-produced item.

Natsuki tried her best to choose, but there were no great deals, so we ended up with a slightly better spear.

Next, we went to a general store.

We couldn't afford a fancy bag, so we bought a cheap backpack.

Carrying nothing would be suspicious, but if we put something in the backpack, people might assume we have what we need for the journey. The contents won't be visible.

"But we only have about 1,000 rea left... That's not much."

"Right. If we choose day labor, we can't work until tomorrow, so we need money for today's lodging."

"We need 500 rea for two, so we only have 500 rea to use."

It's honestly not much.

The prices in this town are quite high.

However, we can't do much with what we have. After discussing with Natsuki, we decided to buy only spare undergarments and a towel-like cloth and put them in the backpack.

They're cheap, but there's no choice.

"But we don't have any change of clothes."

"Yes. Secondhand clothes were quite expensive. They're not mass-produced, so it's understandable, but it's tough."

"At least these clothes are simple but sturdy, which is a relief."

Based on the clothes in secondhand stores and what people around us are wearing, these clothes seem to be of a decent quality.

The fabric is solid, and the stitching is neat.

I thought about selling these clothes to buy a few secondhand ones, but I held back. The quality of secondhand clothes is a bit... They're quite dirty, and many would tear after a few washes... The difference from these clothes is too great.

"Alright, let's go look for a job!"

"Right. It's showtime."

"Right, the goal is to find a job that can earn us a living until our companions return."

◇◇◇

The Adventurer's Guild we visited based on a local's advice was a small, inconspicuous building.

The inside was quiet, with only one woman sitting at the counter.

—This is unexpected. It's so different from what I imagined.

"Hello."

"Welcome. What can I do for you?"

"We're looking for a job. Are there any adventurer jobs here?"

"Ah, not really. Look."

She pointed to a bulletin board with nothing posted.

"Those kinds of jobs are in the city of Lafan. They're rare here."

Really?

If we want to be adventurers, we need to move to that "Lafan" city?

"Are there any job placements?"

"Few. It's a small town. There are a few, but what kind of job are you looking for? We don't do prostitution."

"O-Oh, we're not looking for that kind of job!"

I felt my business smile twitch at the woman's comment.

I was in charge of negotiations, but I was worried about Natsuki's expression behind me. —No, Natsuki wouldn't change her expression if necessary. She might be furious inside.

We came to the Adventurer's Guild to find legitimate jobs.

We wouldn't come here to look for that kind of job.

"We're waiting for our companions in this town for a while and need to earn a living. The lodging is expensive."

"Hmm, that's interesting. You two might be perfect. There's an inn that's hiring waitstaff. The pay is low, but it includes room and board."

"Room and board, huh?"

Upon further inquiry, the pay is only 100 rea per day, but room and board are provided.

I saw a few other jobs, but the pay is barely enough to cover the average lodging cost in this town.

There are few jobs, so even low pay attracts people.

Hmm, maybe the conditions aren't bad?

Natsuki nodded with a resigned expression.

"Alright, we'll take it."

"Hmph, show me your guild card."

"Ah!"

Oops! I forgot about guild registration!

Should I say I lost it? —No, there's no point in lying, probably?

"New registration, please."

"Hmph? Fine. 600 rea."

"Ugh... Here."

Natsuki's gaze pierced me!

We barely had enough, and now we're broke!

I endured Natsuki's gaze, finished the registration quickly, received the job listing, and left the guild.

As soon as we left, Natsuki, who had been silent, spoke.

"Yuki? I didn't hear about the registration fee."

"Sorry! I forgot!"

When explaining the Adventurer's Guild, I completely forgot to mention the registration fee.

Without considering it, I set the budget, so the 600 rea left was just luck.

"We barely had enough, but we could have failed to register."

"Yes, that's right."

"I was trusted with [Common Sense of Another World]... "

"I'm truly sorry."

Ugh, my only advantage over Natsuki, the trust in [Common Sense of Another World], is wavering.

It's my fault for forgetting.

"I won't say more, but please be careful."

"Got it! I'll do my best."

It wasn't fatal, so she calmed down relatively quickly, but Natsuki's calm tone was scary.