| Author: Sasaki Ichiro | Original Source: Syosetu |
| Translator: Mab | English Source: Re:Library |
| Editor(s): Silva | |
“The Adventurer’s Guild”—there’s no need to explain what that is at this point. It’s an institution for adventurers, run by adventurers, to which almost all adventurers on this continent belong.
Its activities range from subjugating calamity-class monsters to cleaning sewers, and typically, there are large headquarters in most capital cities, along with branches of considerable size in major towns. Near ancient ruins called “Dungeons” where adventurers venture and areas inhabited by monsters, there are almost always outpost offices. Because of this, not only the general public, who mistakenly perceive it as a gigantic organization closely tied to people’s lives on a global scale but also some of the adventurers themselves misunderstand its nature.
However, in reality, there isn’t a single clearly defined organization bearing that name, and except for a few cases (such as when it was established by the original authorities or when influential nobles became patrons), there are no extralegal privileges in a state governed by law.
To begin with, these were originally vigilante groups or self-governing organizations, which, in exchange for tax breaks, preferential treatment in social status, and permission to carry weapons within the country, were tasked with maintaining domestic security and subcontracting menial tasks… Furthermore, to put it bluntly, they were organized within the civilian populace as disposable pawns for use in times of need —After all, official armies and soldiers are often seen as money-eating pests in times of peace— essentially providing a carrot-and-stick approach, allowing them to be used as expendable assets when necessary. That’s the establishment of the “Adventurer’s Guild” in a nutshell.
In essence, there were originally gatherings akin to mutual aid societies, each existing individually. They were then given roles similar to third-party institutions of the country, and as a result, they barely managed to establish some lateral connections. Despite the nominal claim that ‘the Adventurers Guild operates independently and freely as an assembly of free individuals,’ the reality was that it was a small-scale organization formed by a motley crew, lacking much influence or authority.
However, at present, the continent has been pacified by the unified state known as the ‘Cardinal Rose Empire’, and with the absence of large-scale wars for the past century or so, the role of militia and reserve forces has become largely nominal, apart from local conflicts and disputes with monsters. As a result, the Adventurers Guild has been reorganized and strengthened as a civilian institution to maintain a certain level of formality.
As a result, guilds across the land were constantly bustling with activity throughout the day, as clients brought in delicate matters that were too subtle for official government intervention and adventurers sought work— such as “please exterminate the raccoon monster settled in the mountain” or “please tell my husband who went to work in the mine since three years ago about his baby that was born just this year1 ”— thus keeping the guilds lively all day long.
That’s also the case here— in the capital city of Cilento, the central nation of the Livitium Imperial Kingdom
Being the capital, there are branches of the adventurer’s guild scattered throughout, in addition to the main guild headquarters. However, they are not all part of the same organization. The headquarters oversees several guilds that operate independently on a self-financing basis, while the individual branches operate by paying a fee to the headquarters to obtain the branch label. As a result, there were even completely separate organizations that did not display the branch label, and in some cases, guilds that were not official adventurer guilds, to the extent that even criminals or escaped slaves (free laborers) could join such makeshift guilds.
On this evening, just before the crowded hours began, two young adventurers, seeming barely adults, visited one of those guild branches. It was the “Adventurer Guild – Cilento South Branch II,” which held priority access to the officially recognized dungeon “Princess’s Ballroom.”
♦♢♦
“—I’ve confirmed it. Twenty-three Polepole Mushrooms and five Dabadaba Cedars. The price is one silver coin and one-half silver coin per Polepole Mushroom, and three silver coins and one-half silver coin per Dabadaba Cedar. So, it totals twenty-two silver coins.”2
A seventeen-year-old girl with short brown hair, from which dog ears peeked out, smiled cheerfully with a professional smile as she handed over a change tray filled with silver coins across the counter.
With three silver coins, a family could get by for a day, so just this amount could sustain the two young adventurers for a week of meals. For a boy of this age, it was a decent earning for a day, but considering the inherent dangers of working in pairs and the need for replenishing consumables and inspections, it left so much to be desired.
“I guess this is all we can get for the usual collection requests. We’ll use it all up if we buy two healing potions.”
A black-haired boy, equipped like a reasonably trained swordsman with a medium-sized sword, divided the reward he received with a somewhat dissatisfied attitude. He then handed half of it to a slender, grass-haired, androgynous-looking boy who was standing beside him.
“It can’t be helped, Senior. If we want more serious earning, we’d need to hunt higher-level monsters or delve into dungeons, but that’s too dangerous for a duo of E-rank adventurers. That’s why we have to earn steadily.”
The other boy —or rather, judging from the voice, a girl dressing as one— bashfully received her share but then tilted her head with a puzzled expression.
“But then, we’re still serving in Lady Jill’s guard under Captain Norman, right? It’s just three days a week, but we’re still getting paid for it. The captain said our salary would increase if we became full-time guards. Shouldn’t we do that instead?”
“…Well, the terms are great for us rookies, but unlike us, the captain is already at an age to consider retirement. I still want us to advance further as adventurers.”
Norman is a senior adventurer who hasn’t even reached forty yet in terms of age, but for them, still thirteen, even someone in their forties seems old—in fact, adventurers are said to peak around their thirties—so thinking about a solid life plan is still a distant concern.
“I’d like to at least form a party and gain some practical experience, but it’s not like we can rely on the captain and his team that much, and I’d also like to challenge a dungeon if possible. Juggling guard duty and dungeon exploration would be impossible.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Even during training, they said if you spend a day in a dungeon, you should rest for at least two to three days.”
Entering a dungeon typically takes a toll on both mind and body. Therefore, it’s necessary to take a solid rest to recuperate and allocate time to repair or replenish worn-out equipment. Hence, adventurers dedicated to dungeon exploration usually don’t have much leeway to take on other jobs.
“I’ve finally come to such a big city, I want to hone my skills instead of just being a hanger-on forever. I also want to see Jill and Eren… Ah, no, I want to see Captain Norman again. Don’t you too, Lynn?”
“…Well, I’m still indebted to him too.”
The cross-dressing girl, Lynn, nodded with a lonely smile.3
The receptionist, who had been smiling wistfully behind the counter as she observed the exchange, suddenly decided to act on a whim—partly out of boredom. She shifted her gaze to a young black-haired boy, similar in age to the adventurers, who was engaged in a serious discussion with a male staff member at a counter a short distance away.
“Come to think of it, Father Lowe. Weren’t you also looking for a partner to delve into the dungeon? If so, why not team up with them? With your ability to use magic art—my apologies, talisman art—and Bruno here, who can wield a shield along with his sword, and Lynn, who, despite being a light warrior, also possesses ranger skills, I believe the three of you would make for a perfect combination.”
Startled by the sudden suggestion, Bruno and Lynn first glanced at the receptionist with a surprised look—she winked at them as if to say, “Leave it to me”—then turned their attention to the disheveled boy with messy black hair and a drowsy look in his eyes, who was wearing what seemed to be the uniform of the Imperial Academy, albeit a bit worn out.
“…”
The one called out by name, this Father Lowe or whatever he was, remained silent as he scrutinized Bruno and the adjacent Lynn with a rather impolite gaze. Then, in a tone that seemed annoyed, he uttered a single phrase: “I don’t have time to babysit kids.”
“Say that again, punk!”
“S-, senior, hold on, fighting inside the guild is against the rules!”
Bruno snapped and Lynn held him back by the sleeve. Meanwhile, Lowe the priest seemed to have lost interest in them and diverted his gaze. The receptionist, seeming accustomed to such commotions, chuckled and intervened, saying, “Now, now, at least hear me out first.”
With hands raised, she tried to mediate the situation.
Author’s note:
There are many other types of guilds, such as “Commercial Guild,” “Industrial Guild,” “Trade Guild,” and “Thieves’ Guild.
