Vol 1 Chapter 2 (1/2)

1st Volume, 2nd Chapter 【The Beginner’s Town, Merville】

「Excuse me――where is this place?」

It was supposed to be my first conversation in this otherworld. Yet it is so pathetic.

「Where?……It can be considered Merville town, I guess.」

My reaction is just what you would expect from someone who’s hearing a name for the first time――

「……I see.」

「By the way, this area, where a certain someone was lying unconscious, is outside the town wall. Also, I don’t have time to dawdle around. If you can move your body, get inside the town.」

Body……When he mentions ‘body’, I take a look at my own body.

Although I can’t see my face, I’m sure that it doesn’t look like minced meat. Also, from the way this old-man is talking to me, I can a.s.sume that I’m a human.

When I touch all over my body, I immediately realize that there’s no change in my body from how it was in my previous life.

Rather than reincarnation, it feels more like revival.

My clothes, however, are totally different. There’s a jute jacket? Underneath is a s.h.i.+rt. Trousers are made of something stiff, like cotton? Pelted boots complete the rustic look.

Where are my comfortable shoes which I had on at the time of the accident? Also, other luggage, which I had at that time, doesn’t seem to be with me.

「You……Are you really alright?」

Rather, it’s a big relief that I can understand and speak their language.

So that staff member actually did something useful, huh?

Considering the fact that this old-man looks worried after seeing me acting strangely, he doesn’t seem to be as strict as he appears.

「Ah, I’m sorry. I’m kinda confused. Umm, what was it called, again? Merville town?」

When I look around to inspect my surroundings, I immediately notice an extraordinary stone wall.

As for its height, I’m around 175cm tall……and it’s about twice my height? It’s quite prominent. So this is the town wall of Merville, huh?

A town wall is erected in order to defend from the enemies outside.

There must exist fantasy creatures outside, I guess.

Or should I rather say demon race, perhaps?

「Like I feared……monsters……exist.」

「True. However, the town wall of Merville is quite st.u.r.dy. You’ll be p.r.o.ne to attack if you step outside, though. Were you perhaps……not aware of it? Did you encounter any monster along the way? You don’t seem to have any luggage with you.」

Does he perhaps think that I was attacked by a monster and I managed to escape with just my body intact?

Because I have no other choice, I’ll just keep on nodding.

「Such a terrible place. I have lost everything I had.」

「Is that so?……That really is terrible. N? You haven’t lost your ID, have you? If you want to enter the town, it will be required.」

「……」

Oh, G.o.d. If I’ll have to spend my first night camping outside, I quit.

「What do I do now?」

「What can you do now?……That’s right――Hey, do you know about the Adventurer’s Guild?」

「Just the name.」

It’s mandatory in case of another world. However, because I was preparing for entrance test, I didn’t read many manga or novels. Not even during the breaks.

「If you get registered with the guild, the guild guarantees you a position in the society. The guild issues a guild card. It acts as a subst.i.tute for ID. However, if you tarnish the guild’s image with your actions, it will lead to terrible consequences. Well then, if you want to enter the town, I can take you to the guild.」

「Money……Won’t I need money?」

「They can issue you a loan. Since it’s an emergency, there won’t be any problem, hopefully.」

「T-Thank you very much.」

「And this is where I work. I’m Nicholas・Hoffman. I’m a sentinel of this town.」

「I’m Agatsuma・Seiji.」

I extend my hand out to shake with his. The skin of his hand felt rugged.

So his skill, Sword Arts Lv2, isn’t for show, huh?

……What was it called, again? Intermediate?

「Agatsuma……huh? Quite an unusual name.」

「Ah, no, my name is Seiji.」

I see. So the given name comes first, huh?

「Hoffman-san, are you good with sword?」

「N? Just call me Nicholas. A kid need not be worried about honorifics.」

Kid, huh?

Well, a mere high school student is a kid, surely; but to suddenly call an elder by their first name without any honorifics is, somewhat, repugnant.

「Sword, huh? I have been training my sword for fairly long. Unlike adventurers, the opportunities to fight against different monsters here are not that many. Therefore, experiencing a real battle is rare.」

While saying so, Nicholas-san draws his sword from its sheath with burning eyes and slashes at the sky.

Quite a performance it was. The way he put the sword back to its sheath with a brisk sound looked cool to an ordinary person like me.

「If a monster dares attack this town, I’ll cut it down with this sword of mine.」

「Indeed.」

Invocation condition ① is already clear, isn’t it?

It can be invoked if I touch.

However, I hold my hand, which was about to touch Nicholas-san, back.

There’s no need to be impatient, really.

I honestly want to test it as soon as possible. However, I would not like to plunder someone who helped me. Without Sword Arts skill, Nicholas-san will become weak. If he were to be killed by a monster consequently, I would not be able to sleep in peace.

What the f.u.c.k? This skill is unexpectedly difficult to use.

W-Well, it has only just begun.

First, let’s think it over.

・Even if I try to steal a skill, will I be successful?

・Even if I successfully steal the skill, will I be able to use it?

・How many times can I use the skill per day if it’s Lv1?

・How do I raise the level of the skill?

Four questions too many.

That said, there’s no other choice but to try it out eventually. But first, I have to get registered with the guild and secure accommodation for today. I have to do something about money, too. It’s disturbing that I don’t have any.

Fortunately, the sun is still up. There are still a few hours left.

I may be able to earn some without getting myself into danger.

The South Gate of the town was the closest to the location where I was. After having walked with Nicholas-san for about ten minutes, I can now see the gate.

After walking along the town wall for quite a while, I realized that this town is actually huge.

For the town wall can be traced to be round, is the structure of the town circular?

Because I was with Nicholas-san, I almost pa.s.sed through the South Gate.

Nicholas-san calls out to the sentry stationed at the gate and explains my situation, after which, we enter the town.

「Ooh……」

Merville’s townscape comprises mostly of stone-made buildings. Wooden houses can be found here and there. Streets are stone-paved. Private residences have vividly-colored, triangular roofs. It looks like a fusion of medieval and contemporary Europe.

The reason as to why I said contemporary Europe is that earthquakes are scarce in Europe, so the old constructions still exist there.

Before you start arguing, I must tell you that I only know all this from the pictures on the internet. You can’t expect a high school student to have actually toured Europe.

From the first glance, the town looks clean.

……There’s no horses.h.i.+t on the streets!

Now then, I must pull myself together and go to the guild.

Merville town is divided into different districts; including Commercial District, Residential District and Industrial District. The Adventurer’s Guild is located in the Commercial District which is situated in the southern part of the town.

For this reason, We, who entered the town from the South Gate, reached the guild before long.

There’s an orthodox signboard, featuring a s.h.i.+eld and crossed swords――This must be the signboard of the Adventurer’s Guild. It’s a splendid, two-storied, stone-made building.

Nicholas-san will probably go back after my registration is done and I receive my guild card.

He may look rough and scary but honestly, I’m glad that he’s with me.

When I open the door, what I find in front is a munic.i.p.al office which looks similar to the one I saw in the realm of afterlife. Nope, this one seems to be inferior in quality compared to that one. On the counter, the silhouette of a receptionist lady, or a man, can be seen dealing with the visitors. On the bulletin board, many quests can be found stuck. This place is br.i.m.m.i.n.g with liveliness.

It might have looked wild at first――but it’s actually not.

Well, it’s still a bit frightening but it can’t be helped. I approach the receptionist lady on the counter.

「Umm, I would like to register with the Adventurer’s Guild.」

「Very well. Is this your first time in the guild?」

「Yes.」

The receptionist lady takes a seat to conduct my interview. Nicholas-san is behind me, observing the state of my affairs.

「Well then, please fill your name, age and race in this form.」

When I was about fill in the blanks, my pen stops.

Which letters do I write in?

The moment I thought that, the content I was trying to write floats up inside my head in the letters of this world.

Huh? This is convenient.

After filling in the required information, I return the form to the receptionist lady.

「Okay, good enough. Well then, the registration fee is 1,000 Dalas.」

「I……I don’t have any money. I heard that I could borrow some from the guild.」

「Yes, you can. If you repay it within one month, no interest shall be charged. Well then, what would you like to do?」

A high school student in debt……The more the time pa.s.ses, the more it feels like another world.

「Okay.」

「Well then, the procedure… huh?」

「Is something wrong?」

「Your age is 18 years……Excuse my rudeness, are you sure there’s no mistake?」

「Eh? Yes, there’s no mistake.」

When I heard a surprised voice leak out from behind me, I turn around to find wide-eyed Nicholas-san. The receptionist lady was astonished just as well.

「Pardon my rudeness. Are you not younger?」

「I thought that you were 14-15 years old.」

The facial features of Nicholas-san and the receptionist lady are indeed strong. Although not completely, they resemble westerners. On the contrary, compared to westerners, orientals look younger than their age.

……Indirectly, they’re telling me that I have a baby-face, huh?

「I’m 18 years old.」

「Pardon my rudeness, again. Well then, let me brief to you about the Adventurer’s Guild next.」