Chapter 58

For the next few times, it will be an extra chapter.

I was walking alone on the road leading to the town of Lafan after parting ways with Mr. Higashisan—no, should I call her Haruka-san?—

It had been about two weeks since I was separated from the two people who came to this world with me.

To be honest, we weren't particularly close in our original world, but since we had spent a few days together, I was quite shaken when they died.

However, after a few days, I realized that the reason for my distress was more about the anxiety of losing someone to rely on rather than the sadness of losing an acquaintance, which led to a deep self-loathing.

Well, that self-loathing didn't last a day.

If I indulged in self-loathing, I would die of hunger.

There were limited edible things in the forest, and I couldn't start a fire, so I could only eat things that could be eaten raw.

If I could have made a bow and arrow, it might have been different, but rubbing together the branches I found on the ground didn't even turn them black.

As a result, my body grew weaker day by day, and I eventually collapsed, losing consciousness.

I thought, "Is this the end?" and closed my eyes, but when I opened them again, I thought for a moment that I had gone to the afterlife.

Because there was an incredibly handsome person in front of me.

I immediately recognized it was Nagaikun and realized it was reality.

Honestly, at that moment, I was incredibly relieved and thought, "I'm saved!" but the reality was quite harsh.

Haruka-san had told me to survive on my own.

At the time, I thought, "Why won't you help me!?" but when I thought about it calmly, it made sense.

Haruka-san and the others were also thrown into this world under the same conditions and were probably struggling to survive.

Taking on an extra burden would be too risky.

As Nagaikun pointed out, even though we were classmates, we were still strangers. There was no obligation to take care of me.

If, in our original world, a classmate had come to my house and settled in, I would have called the police.

Given that the situation here was even more difficult than in our original world, it was unreasonable of me to expect help without any reason.

Despite my complaints, Haruka-san and the others—though they said some harsh things—gave me kind advice and even lent me money in the end.

Thirty large silver coins. Three times the amount I initially had.

According to Haruka-san, it was worth about 30,000 yen.

Even though there was no prospect of repayment, they lent it to me, saying, "It's better to have some leeway."

Being alone is scary, but financially, I was four times better off than others.

It might be difficult to become someone useful as I told Haruka-san, but I want to at least work hard enough to repay the money with interest.

◇ ◇ ◇

I walked for about an hour after parting ways with Haruka-san and the others.

When I reached the town of Lafan, I paid one large silver coin to the gatekeeper and asked for directions to the Adventurer's Guild, heading there.

I peeked into shops along the way to check prices.

"The difference in prices... it depends on the item."

When I converted it to 10 yen per rare, some things felt cheap, and others felt expensive, but if I had to say, maybe the labor costs are lower?

In modern times, things that require more labor are usually more expensive, but it's different here.

For example, if I made a sugar sculpture, the cost breakdown would be mostly labor in modern times, but here it would be mostly the cost of sugar.

Processed goods are cheaper when you consider the cost of raw materials.

Street food is also quite cheap when you consider the quantity.

On the other hand, rare items like fruits and spices are quite expensive.

So expensive that I can't afford them with my current funds.

"Oh, that's the fruit Nagaikun gave me... 600 rare!? That's expensive!"

One large silver coin is 100 rare, which is about 1,000 yen, so that fruit would cost around 6,000 yen.

"I ate three of them just now..."

No one said anything, but I probably did something pretty bad...

"I ate something that could have been sold for money, even if they had picked it up somewhere."

"Ugh... They also treated me and I was quite rude..."

I once saw a social experiment where, even in modern society, most people ignore someone who has collapsed on the street.

Yet, Haruka-san and the others rescued a suspicious person who had collapsed in the forest—admitting that a bearded man is suspicious.

They were kind enough to care for a stranger even in such a state.

"Okay, if I see them again, I'll properly thank them."

To do that, I need to become independent first.

I asked for directions and headed to the Adventurer's Guild.

It was located near the south gate, not the east gate I entered, and it was quite a distance, but the Adventurer's Guild was a grand building that was easy to spot once I got close.

"Alright...!"

I opened the door and entered, feeling a bit nervous.

Before I could savor the moment, I heard a shout.

"Why didn't you introduce me?"

"Ms. Yasue, didn't you abandon your job halfway? We've received complaints from the shop."

"That's... "

"Even if there was a reason, you left without permission and didn't come to explain the situation. That's unacceptable."

"..."

Yasue?

I peeked over and saw someone who looked like a classmate arguing with the counter person.

Remembering Haruka-san's advice, I looked around and moved to a place where I wouldn't run into them.

Well, even Nagaikun and the others didn't recognize me, so I don't think there's a risk of being recognized.

The difference between my original appearance and my current appearance is too great.

The only similarity is my height, but that's a racial trait and can't be a clue.

"Anyway, we can't introduce you to any work for a while. You need to go and apologize properly to the place you worked. If you don't, we won't introduce you to any work in the future."

"I understand!"

I averted my gaze from the woman who approached with heavy footsteps and pretended to read the bulletin board by the entrance.

Even if I wasn't recognized as a classmate, getting involved would be troublesome.

"Damn! I can't use the skills I copied, and I lost my part-time job! I can't do this!"

Yasue-san muttered these complaints and stormed out, slamming the door.

—Who is Yasue-san? I only remember a few girls' first names.

The few I remember?

Well, the cute girls.

It's natural for guys, right?

Names like Haruka-san, Shito-san, and Komiya-san, who are always with Haruka-san, are probably known by all the guys in the class.

I don't know Yasue-san, so she's probably not one of those girls... but I think I've seen her face before.

—But, she said "copy," right?

Yeah, I see, that's a landmine.

She seems like a landmine as a person, before even considering her skills.

It seems she copied someone's skills without permission and complained to the guild.

Getting fired from a part-time job for abandoning it halfway is to be expected.

In this world, trust is even more important than in our original world.

Without resumes or references, stores don't want to hire untrustworthy people.

Thinking about it, it might be quite difficult for me to become an apprentice blacksmith.

If the person you hire as an apprentice turns into a robber, it's a risk.

Even in modern times, if you were to live and work in someone's home, you'd need to be hired through a connection to feel safe.

Oh, I came here to register with the guild.

I need to find a place to stay, so I'll register early.

I approached the counter lady, who looked a bit tired from dealing with troubled people.

"Hello, miss."

"Hello. What can I do for you today?"

"I'd like to register."

"Sure, registration. It costs 300 rare."

"Here you go."

I handed over three large silver coins.

At this point, I had four left, with six remaining. If Haruka-san hadn't lent me the money...

This is indeed tough.

"Thank you. Do you need an explanation?"

"Please."

While listening to the lady's explanation about the Adventurer's Guild, I filled out the form.

I only needed to write my name, race, and a self-introduction.

I wrote, "I'm strong and confident in my durability."

I wanted to write, "I have a talent for blacksmithing," but since there's no way to verify skills in this world, I avoided it. I didn't want to seem like an overly confident weirdo.

The guild card I received was quite simple and had no special functions, which was a bit disappointing.

In stories about being transported to another world, the guild card is usually incredibly convenient.

"Is there anything else you'd like to ask?"

"No, that's all. I'd like to be introduced to a job."

"Right, you're looking for a job, not an adventurer's quest, correct?"

"Yes."

To be honest, I want to do things like gathering and fighting enemies outside the city like Nagaikun and the others, but I don't think I can do that right now.

In novels, a boy who is transported to another world becomes an adventurer and rises to the top alone, but how much courage does he have?

Even in Japan, it takes courage to venture into an uninhabited mountain alone, and it's even more dangerous in this world... I can't understand it.

If you think, "That's no big deal," try spending a night in the mountains in the countryside, not in a campsite.

"Tommy, the jobs I can recommend will likely be physical labor. To be honest, the good jobs are in high demand."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Everyone comes early in the morning and lines up. It's a bit difficult to say, but the jobs left here are the ones no one wanted..."

"Would it be better to come tomorrow to get a good job?"

"It's not guaranteed, but the chances are higher."

So, it's a competition.

I need to work immediately if I don't have money, but fortunately, I have 3,600 rare left. I should have some leeway...

"By the way, do I need to line up every day to get a job?"

"No, if you take a daily job, you can continue it until it ends or you quit. That's why everyone is so eager to find good jobs."

I see.

The first job you get determines your success.

If you can't get a good job, you could change jobs every day, but you'd have to line up each time, and it's uncertain if you'd gain trust.

"By the way, is there a way to become an apprentice blacksmith? I want to become a blacksmith in the future."

"An apprentice... hmm..."

The lady looked thoughtful.

"To be honest, it's quite difficult. Generally, blacksmiths only take apprentices through introductions. Usually, it's through family connections, but since you asked, you don't have those connections, right?"

"Yes."

I don't have any family, and my only normal acquaintances are Kanzaki-kun, Nagaikun, and Haruka-san. Even if I include the not-so-normal ones, like "Yasue-san," it doesn't help.

"One way is to work daily jobs, make connections, gain trust, and have someone with connections to a blacksmith introduce you. It's quite difficult, though."

Work diligently and make connections, right?

It's like having a guarantor, so it's quite difficult, as expected.

Even in our original world, I wouldn't become a guarantor for a coworker. My parents even taught me, "Never be a guarantor."

"Another way is to become a higher-ranked adventurer. Right now, you're registered, so your rank is 0, but if you reach 5 or 6, you'll be seen as a trustworthy person. At that point, a blacksmith might take you as an apprentice. Of course, there's no guarantee."

"I see... Thank you."

It's not that easy, as expected.

I think I could do the job if I became an apprentice because of my [Blacksmithing Talent] and [Blacksmithing Lv.3], but the initial hurdle is incredibly high.

This is definitely easier in our original world, even if I can't make a living from it.

In my case, having a parent with a stable job is valuable enough for employment.

"I'll try to find a job tomorrow, but can you recommend a cheap inn?"

"An inn, huh. What kind of inn are you looking for? There are various levels in terms of food, safety, and facilities."

"The cheaper, the better. A shared room is fine as long as it's relatively safe."

"In that case, how about this one? It includes breakfast and dinner for about 100 rare. It's a very basic inn, but it's not a strange place."

The lady showed me a map of the town and pointed out the location.

It's a backstreet inn away from the town center, quite far from here.

I memorized the location and name with effort. "Pillow of Wood"... a bit of a strange name.

But now I have a plan.

"Thank you. I'll see you again tomorrow."

"Sure, take care."

With the lady's smile, I left the Adventurer's Guild.