Chapter 3 (1/2)
Volume 1
Atelier Tanaka Chapter 2
Adventurer’s Guild pt.1
“Here it is.”
After trying to talk to several people in the town, I finally found one who was willing to tell me where the Adventurer’s Guild was.
“Michael” was the name of the person who’d helped me. I remembered it so that in case I avoided death by hanging, I could properly thank them later.
(Time to find a quest.)
The guild had swinging wooden double doors that looked like they were from a “Western” movie. Inside, there were a lot of people with scary faces.
They were all staring at me.
(Scary!)
I shakily headed towards the counter. Standing there was a bald macho man about my age.
“Excuse me, I want to do a quest to make some money.”
He answered me frankly: “Eh? You want to become an adventurer? At your age?”
“Er, yes. I do.”
“…..”
He made a complicated face.
“…fine, write your name and such on this paper.”
“OK.”
As I brought my right hand up to the counter, I realized something.
There was still shit on it. Mercedes-chan’s poop.
(If the man at the counter saw that he’d probably take away the application sheet. That was close.)
I quickly thrust my right hand into my pocket.
(Apart from that, I smell like a bad fart right now.)
“Hey, what is it?”
“…..”
“…and hey, don’t you stink? Is that smell from you?”
He glared at me.
(Oh-oh.)
But that wasn’t my biggest problem.
I could’t read the alphabet used. Obviously, I couldn’t write it either.
“Excuse me, I can’t read and write.”
“Eh? Then just say it instead. I’ll generously transcribe for you.”
“Thanks.”
I escaped from my pinch surprisingly easily.
I told him my personal information, and he wrote it down. Occasionally he muttered something about the smell.
“Name?”
“Tanaka, Yoshio Tanaka.”
“Location?”
“Here.”
“Age?”
“36.”
“Class?”
“Uh,Class3A.”
“Huh? Never heard of that class.”
“Ah….”
(What’s a class?)
“Oh, whatever. Do you have any special skills?”
The guy at the counter clearly didn’t want to be talking to a gross guy like me. If I was in his position I’d feel the same way.
(I should finish this quickly. The information I give here doesn’t really matter anyway, right?)
“Um, I’m good with PCs.”
“PCs???”
“Yes.”
“Fine then, PCs it is.”
I could see that he’d just left a blank space on the page. With that, apparently the form was done.
“Here’s your guild badge.”
“Thanks.”
I was handed a metal plate about the size of a trading card.
“Don’t lose it.”
“OK.”
“Go hunt some goblins in the forest. If you can’t do that, go collect some medicinal herbs. The guild will pay you for both of those things. You’re rank F, so that’s the work you can do.”
“I understand.”
“Bye.”
I seemed to be done there, so there was no point in staying. I headed out to find some goblins and herbs.
I left the town with no problems. When I returned, apparently I could get through if I showed my guild badge.
After that, I walked for a while. I headed towards what looked like a thicket of trees I saw in the distance. Before too long, I arrived.
“It’s a forest.”
I had arrived at a forest. A forest!
Still with shit on my right hand.
With only the clothes I’d been wearing in prison.
(I guess I’ll look for some medicinal herbs, then.)
(But wait, I’d get shit on them. That would be bad.)
(I should wash my hands in a stream or something first.)
I was also thirsty, and really wanted to wash my clothes. I still had blood on my clothes from when I was attacked by that group of thugs.
So, I headed into the forest. Leaves crunched under my feet as I walked.
I walked on, but I didn’t see a stream. Apparently it wouldn’t be easy to find one.
After walking for about an hour, I had naively gotten lost.
“This is tough.”
How many years has it been since I walked someplace with no asphalt? It had probably been more than 10 years since I’d walked outdoors for more than an hour straight.
(What do I do?)
I had no idea which way the town was anymore.
My recovery magic had fixed the soreness in my legs, but I was still thirsty. I suspected my magic couldn’t deal with hunger either. More than goblins or herbs, I needed water to drink, food to eat, and the direction back to the town.
“Heeeeeey! Helloooooo!”