Chapter 49 (1/2)

Chapter 49 – A Scene at the Guild

On the morning of the following day, I was at the Adventurers’ Guild.

What am I doing here you ask?

I was ‘looking up’ at the commissions you see.

Right, the wooden tags are lined up on the surface of a wall representing guild commissions.

The lower ones have a height of one meter and the upper ones have a height of almost over two meters, the wooden tags are arranged with regular intervals.

When I initially registered, while being buried by adventurers that came to search for commissions, I somehow found a gap so I could search but…1

I wonder when ‘that’ started?

When I came searching for commissions, I realized the adventurers cleared out an opening and I could look at the commissions from the very front.

Thanks to that, I was also able to slowly search for commissions just like that.

The upper ones?

Since I have a good eyesight, I wasn’t worried about seeing them.

When I tried take the commissions by the upper area, an unknown adventurer would pick up that wooden tag and pa.s.s it to me.

Since I had to ask someone at the reception each and every time at first, I was saved a considerable amount of trouble.

To treat a stranger like me kindly, I thought ‘adventurers sure have a strong feeling of fellows.h.i.+p’.

I had thought adventurers were mostly rude people, but it looks like it’s necessary for me to correct that viewpoint ne.

So because of that, I’m currently searching for commissions at the front row.

―――――A certain (female) adventurer’s perspective―――――

Ah, that kid, also came today na.

Before my eyes, is a small girl that shouldn’t even reach 140cm.2

A girl with very long, black hair, which is unusual around this area.

The first time I saw that kid, was a month ago I think?

I remember being terribly surprised at that time.

On that day, I came to the guild as usual, I met up with my comrades and was going to receive a commission.

My comrades, a female archer who I’d been together with since becoming an adventurer, and a male warrior and tiger beastman that we’ve somehow mobilized together with after occasionally joining up for commission, a gathering of four people.

When we found a reasonable commission and brought it to the reception, that girl turned up.

At the most crowded period in the morning, a girl that appeared around 7 years old appeared in the guild.

My eyes were first charmed by that black hair.

Tied up by a ribbon, its length could reach her knees, her straight black hair freely swayed.

The hair gave off a glossy radiance as it was struck by the morning light, just like the stars decorating the night sky, was what I thought.

I wonder what it feels like to touch it. I’d like to try touch it, was what I thought.

Next, my eyes looked towards her facial features.

A slender outline, though its slender, the eyebrows can be clearly seen. Those perfectly round eyes, with a blackness that could suck you up by looking at it. A straight bridged, small nose3. Small lips with a pink complexion.

Those well balanced arrangements, it’s makes her look slightly mature, but those cute features are suitable for that small body.4

Bishoujo.

If there were ten people, everyone, well I wouldn’t go with that, surely eight people would think, bishoujo.

The remaining two people? I think it’s their preferences.

That girl, her cheeks are slightly flushed with excitement.

Cute…!

I was captivated.

Then a question immediately came to mind, why did this girl come to this kind of place.

This place is the Adventurers’ Guild. A place where many ruffians gather, they’re by no means outlaws, but it can’t be said they have good manners.

The young girl that appeared in this sort of place, ignored the surrounding gazes and directly approached the reception.

A commission huh…?

I thought it would’ve been nice if we could accept it, but we’re already in the middle of applying for this current commission at the reception. I awfully regretted it.

But still, my curiosity surged as I wondered what sort of commission it’ll be, so I listened in on the conversation between the young girl and the receptionist.

「Good morning. I came for the registration exam.」

Like a rolling bell, it was a cute voice.

No, that’s not it!

The conversation I’m listening to right now, I don’t believe my ears.

This, small girl, is taking the registration exam?

Ahh, that’s right. Thinking back, there was a time I was also like that.

I yearned for the thing called an adventurer, when I saw an adventurer for the first time, I immediately thought to myself, ‘I want to become an adventurer’.

I guess perhaps she couldn’t contain it anymore, and unconsciously rushed into the guild.

However, as I was thinking of such things, I couldn’t believe the receptionist’s next words.

「Yes, here is the commission for your exam. Please ask if you have any questions.」

Wait wait wait wait! No matter how you look at it, she doesn’t even look 10 years old right!?

The registration for the guild, there’s a rule where you if you’re not of age, you won’t be able to do it right?

Doesn’t this young girl not meet the requirements to take the exams!?5

However, as if the young girl and the receptionist didn’t notice my surprise, they continued their conversation.

「Well then, I’m off!」

That girl, said her farewell with an energetic voice, and left.

As I was dumbfounded, I met the gazes of the other adventurers who were in the same state that saw that…

For a short time after that, we didn’t move. No, or should I say, we couldn’t move.

The adventurers that happened to come accept commissions that didn’t know the situation, looked at us with odd eyes as we stayed like that for awhile. Coming back to my senses, I unintentionally shouted at the receptionist the girl talked to.

「Oi, what’s the meaning of testing that girl from just now!? No matter how I see it, she doesn’t meet the registration criteria! To allow that child to take the exam, what do you plan to do if something happens!」

The surrounding adventurers nod at my comment while looking at the receptionist.

However, the woman at the reception had a troubled expression, then made a surprising comment.

「Please calm down. I understand your feels but…, it’s been confirmed by the guild as well as my superiors. She fulfils the registration criteria. Even I didn’t believe it but…」

What, was that… So that means she’s 15 years or older? Being that small!?

I can’t believe it, however, the guild has said they’ve confirmed it.

The guild has no reason to lie. So that means it should be true.

Because an unfamiliar adventurer near me shouted「a legal little girl!」while I was still in shock, I unintentionally sent him flying but, well, there shouldn’t be a problem.

In the following days, I began seeing her in the guild.

It seems she completed the exam without any problems and officially became an adventurer.

It was then I happened to notice it by chance.

When I was looking at the commissions hanging on the wall as usual, I had a feeling I heard things like「au」and「can’t see」from behind me.

When I inadvertently looked back, pyonpyon, a small head jumping up and down came into view.

When I checked, it was that girl.

I’m guessing she wanted to see the commissions, she was franticly jumping up and down behind the lined up adventurers.

Without thinking, I s.h.i.+fted my body to make s.p.a.ce, pulled the girl’s hand and dragged her forwards.

The girl had a ‘I don’t understand what just happened’ sort of facial expression, but when she understood the situation, she looked up at me and,

「Thank you very much.」

said those words while smiling.

「N-No, it’s not a big deal.」

That was the best I could answer.

What is this, this throbbing? What’s happened to me!?

When I somehow calmed down after repeating deep breaths over and over, once again, I noticed that girl jumping up and down.

It appears she wants to pick a commission on the upper area.

Even when that small girl stretched out her arm, she couldn’t reach the commissions lined up at the very top.

She stretched out her arms and jumped up and down, but she’s unable to grab it even though her hand could reach it.

When I grabbed the wooden tag the girl was reaching out to and pa.s.sed it to her, she seemed slightly surprised, but immediately, she said,

「Again, thank you very much. How kind ne.」

with a limp smile.

She carried the wooden tag and ran over towards the reception with a patapata sound, but I, who remained, was unable to move from that spot.

Perhaps, no, it’s certain my face is completely red.

I unintentionally raised my head towards the ceiling, and prayed to the G.o.d I didn’t believe in.

「Aah, G.o.d… My thanks…」

Afterwards, my comrades got angry and said ‘how long are you going to look at the commissions for’, but you could say it wasn’t worth worrying about for the current me.6

From then on, whenever I happened to see her by the commission board, I would casually lend a hand.

When the other adventurers saw this, before I realized, they would also help her out.

I couldn’t tolerate others seeing that smile of hers, but since it’s to help her, I had no choice but to endure.

And today as well, there’s a figure of a single adventurer in front of the commission board looking up towards the ceiling.

In front of the commission board, I stared at one of the commissions.

On that wooden tag,「Escort: Round trip to Fluud 5 People Reward: 40 silvers Time frame: Departure on the 30th Rank: D」was written.

The town of Fluud located two days north from the Royal Capital, it’s a large city to some degree. A round trip would be 4 days. We shouldn’t be staying over there for long either. And the reward isn’t too bad…