10-4. Explorer Guild
Satou’s here. I wonder why are memberships have so much pressure on the wallet. I remember that I was able to narrowly get by when I’ve become a working adult, but there were a lot of time when my wallet ran out of money during my student days.
◇
“It’s a big silver coin nanodesu.”
“Medal~?”
“Yup, I’ve got it from Giril.”
“Nn, Medallion of Attestation.”
Giril said the same thing too if I’m not mistaken. He gave this to me when I got to borrow his mansion that’s on the labyrinth city.
“Giril, mean~”
“Yes nanodesu. He didn’t let us enter his home nodesu!”
“He wasn’t being mean. I was making some dangerous drug in that mansion, so I asked him not to let Pochi and Tama in for your own safety.”
It was about when I was making the sleeping drug for the jellyfish back then. That reminds me, I’ve forgotten to made up to Pochi and Tama since various things happened then.
Arisa is banging the coachman’s box ceiling.
Be moderate with your excitement okay?
“Kya.”
“Hey, it’s a bit serious.”
The carriage makes a sudden stop as Lulu screams shortly. The front gate ahead has become noisy.
I peek outside from the carriage’s window, the golems on the gate have moved several steps ahead their original locations and kneel down with one knee taking retainer positions. Oh, it’s a fantasy-like scene.
『Master, we have awaited for your return.』
『Master, we congratulate your safe return.』
The voices are echoing on the surrounding. Voices were coming out of the medal.
“Don’t tell me, this is the reason?”
“Nn.”
Mia takes the medallion from me and holds it overhead toward the golem.
『I am acting for the master. I am happy for thou greetings. However, thou duties are important, thus swiftly come back to it.』
『Acknowledged.』
『Acknowledged.』
Mia spoke to the medallion, replies came from the golems, and they went back to their original pedestals.
“You’ve done well to know that.”
“Nn. Aze taught me.”
If possible, please tell me so before the golems moved. Giril didn’t tell anything beside that it was the key to the mansion, so he probably intended this to be a surprise. He’s an old man that’s playful in some strange point.
◇
“Did you see? The gatekeeper golems kneeled before me!”
“Ohii-sama, raising your voice that high is unbecoming of a lady.”
I heard such conversation from the white luxurious carriage that had stopped in front of us. According to the AR, she’s a princess of Norooku Kingdom. She’s of the same age as Lulu. She’s not beautiful, but she’s a cute girl with light brown hair. She’s wearing expensive-looking silk clothes. Looking at the map that I’ve photographed from the Marquis Lloyd’s mansion back then, Norooku kingdom seems to be further north of Eluett Marquisate that’s directly north from here. It’s acting as the buffer zone to the Saga Empire.
Since I don’t want to get involved with them, we quickly line up on the queue to enter the city.
The soldiers wearing red hard leather armors in front of the gate are checking the IDs of people who are entering the city. Looks like they’re checking the cargo of merchants, but it’s relatively lax. There is no tax or custom to enter unlike with other cities. Hence the queue is short, and we should be able to enter the city without using the noble privilege.
“Welcome to the labyrinth city, Selbira, Noble-sama. Excuse me, but please show me your ID.”
I show the humble soldier my ID plate.
However, how did he know that I was a noble.
“Please excuse me, Chevalier-sama. Is this your first visit to Selbira?”
“Yes, it is.”
I inadvertently used polite speech toward the courteous gatekeeper. Nina-san would have scolded me not to use polite speech toward subordinates if she heard it.
In summary, the gatekeeper told me that there is no prohibition for items that can be taken into Selbira, but there are various items that cannot be taken out of the city. Especially taking out magic cores without authorization is a serious crime, he warned me. In addition, it seems that carrying out monster meat and poison taken from monster’s poison gland is forbidden too.
“And also, even though this isn’t a prohibited matter, the stalls around the west gate only sell food made from monster meat, so it’s better for you not to eat them even if they smell good.”
We enter the city with such advice as the last one.
Just like the other cities, there is a 100 meters wide open space right after the gate. But, the one thing different is that’s there is no main street that goes through the city. According to the traveler’s journal, this city is build with monsters invasion in mind, and the streets of this city are configured like a maze in order to prevent the invading monsters reach the downtown. Due to that, there are a lot of people who get lost, even the ones who have lived here for a long time.
I change place with Arisa in order to guide Lulu.
“Lulu, I’m going to change with Arisa, so please stop the carriage.”
“Yes.”
“What’s wrong? Do you want to sightsee from the special seat?”
I receive Arisa who presents both her hands, and put her down to the ground. She doesn’t sexually harass me like usual today. Apparently, she’s too excited to do that.
“Hey, first let’s go to the guild and register as adventurers!”
Shouldn’t we get an inn first?
Moreover, it’s explorer, not adventurer.
“And then, and then! First we’re going to register as F-class adventurers! And then, an unpleasant key adventurer will pick a quarrel with you, 『This isn’t a job for women and children y’know?』, then you easily beat him up!”
I don’t think there’s a reckless guy who will pick a quarrel with a noble.
Moreover, F she said. It’s not like alphabet is not known, but honestly, it’s a minor letter set, so I don’t think they’re using it.
“Then! After attracting attentions, the newbie who has entered the labyrinth produces an unbelievable results, and the receptionist onee-san gets drawn to him.”
What would you do if she does.
“Then, a rare or peculiar species is found among the result, and you get called to the guildmaster room and specially ranked up to C or B rank in one go~”
The youth troupe is clapping their hands undivided toward Arisa who’s rattling on with rough breathing while staring at the air. Lulu is having small claps soundlessly with a warm smile.
“Master, if we’re going to the guild, should I ask the gatekeeper the way?”
I tell Liza who has gotten off the horse that it’s alright.
Even without asking, the three-story white stone building in front of us is the Explorer Guild.
It can’t be helped, if we’re going to the inn like this, the excited Arisa will attack me. It’s still morning anyway, I decide to go to the Explorer Guild ahead.
◇
I tell Lulu to bring the carriage to the parking lot behind the Explorer Guild.
A guild worker who seems to be the horse caretaker guides the carriage to an free space.
“I’m going first~”
“Wait~”
“Nanodesu!”
“Sly.”
Lured by Arisa who couldn’t keep calm, Pochi, Tama and Mia ran like, ta-ta-ta, toward the front door. I leave the horses that have been dismounted to the little child-like girl, and tell Liza and Nana to go ahead.
Looks like the coachmen of other carriages are staying.
“I’m sorry, we’ve come here to register those girls. Can I leave the carriage to you for a while?”
“Yes, Shire. Sire.”
The little girl casts her eyes down while turning red as she seems embarrassed. I pat her head lightly, and asks, “Please take care of it okay.” I’ll give her some tips later.
I go together with Lulu to the front door of the Explorer Guild.
The inside is nice and cold, wonder if they’re using cooling magic.
The floor is using marble, and it feels like a lobby of some kind of a big company.
There’s a meeting booth-like place on the right side after the entrance, guild staff-like people and merchant-like people are negotiating there.
In the interior, there are bank-like counters, and only two among the eight counters that have receptionists. The receptionists are only a career woman-like woman on her twenties, and a handsome man who’s over thirties.
Somehow, Arisa and the others are talking with the woman. Did she not like a man over thirties even though he’s handsome. Since there’s no other customer, the male staff is looking at Arisa and the others with a warm smile.
“Quickly, quickly!”
“Master~”
“Here nanodesu!”
“Here.”
I go to the counter where the noisy little girls are calling. The staff onee-san is smiling wryly.
“Nice to meet you Chevalier-sama. Please allow me to be the one responsible today. My name is Kena. You’re going to register for this occasion right, but is it going to be the normal registration? Or is it going to be the special registration?”
Now then? I’ve never heard such thing from Sir Zotor and the explorers whom I’ve gotten along in the duchy capital though?
“What’s the difference?”
“For special registration, the explorer ID you’re going to get is the golden plate one from the beginning. Of course, the charge will be different than the normal registration, but it’s a magic tool that sends signal of its specific location at fixed intervals. When you’re entering the labyrinth, you have to write down the planned return time of your exploration, and if you haven’t returned after the grace period, the rescue team will rush to the place where that signal is sent.”
Something like specifying location, no thank you.
Moreover, rather than rescuing, I feel that it’s for collecting mementos of the dead.
“Since I’m not planning to go that deep, the normal registration please.”
“Yes, I understand. Then, please write everyone’s name here.”
I was going to take my ID from my chest, but is it unnecessary?
“You don’t need the ID?”
“Yes, it’s fine with the name only for your first registration. Although few, there are some explorers who register with alias or house name.”
Fumu, looks like the management is loose. Even though they’re letting people in to the place that’s like a national mine that produces resources, is it fine without control?
After we have told her our names, she hands over wooden plates with strings attached. The wood plates are drawn with 3 digits, 2 digits, and 4 digits numbers. Of course they’re not arabic numeral, but numeral that Shiga Kingdom uses. As for our plates, the first five digits on our plates are the same, and the last four digits are in serial. Apparently, the first three digits, and the two digits are for years and months respectively.
“These wood plates are going to be your IDs for the time being. Wood plates are mark of apprentice explorers, after you’ve brought back five magic cores from the labyrinth, we’re going to give you the true explorer plate of Bronze.”
There are five IDs: Wood, Bronze, Red Iron, Mithril, and Gold. It seems that the Red Iron plate is given to main explorers who can collect several magic cores monthly, and the Mithril plate is only for first-class explorers who have defeated the Floor Master. Looks like Gold plate is only for wealthy people like nobles or someone who has paid great amount of money.
“Hey, can we enter the labyrinth once we get this?”
“Yes, it’s alright.”
The female receptionist answers with a smile to Arisa’s question, and gives a warning to Arisa and the others.
“However, do it after you’ve straightened your equipments okay?”
“Ye~s!”
“A~ye”
“Yes, nanodesu!”
“Nn.”
Continuing after the excited voice of Arisa, the excited voices of the youth troupe resound in the guild.
Now then, shall we enter the labyrinth.
