You’ll find an Adventurers Guild in every video game. It’s an organization that helps adventurers find work or otherwise supports them. It’s basically a fantasy-world version of Hello Work, that government employment service.
The Guild was housed in a fairly large building, and the smell of food drifted from within.
There was a rough lot inside, no doubt. People who might not think twice about jumping some newcomers.
I steeled myself for conflict as I entered…
…and was greeted by a waitress with short red hair, who said sweetly, “Oh, welcome! If you’re looking for work, go to the counter inside. If you’re here for a meal, please take any open seat.”
The dim interior looked to be home to a tavern.
People in armor wandered here and there, but no one seemed especially out to cause trouble.
We did seem to be getting a lot of attention, though. At first I thought maybe they didn’t get many newcomers here.
Then it dawned on me.
“Hey, I don’t like the way they’re looking at me,” Aqua said. “I know! It’s the goddess aura I exude—they’ve figured out who I really am!”
Everyone was checking out the goddess who stood beside me, spewing inanities. It made sense that she would attract attention. After all, she would be really beautiful, if she could keep her mouth shut.
I decided to ignore the stares and pursue my original objective.
“Listen, Aqua. Once we register, the Guild will give us some tutorials, teaching us how to survive as new adventurers. They should lend us enough money to go on an adventure and get us work that’ll keep food on the table even though we’re just starting out. Maybe they’ll let us know where the best inns are. Most games start this way. Normally I’d say it was your job to make sure we had the basic necessities for life in this world, but…never mind. Today, let’s just get registered, make sure we’ve got enough money for starter equipment, and find somewhere to sleep.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. My job is to send dead people to this world. But, fine. I don’t know anything about video games, but I take it this is how you get started in this kind of world. I just have to register as an adventurer, right?”
“That’s right. Let’s go!”
I pulled Aqua along toward the counter.
There were four receptionists.
Two were women.
I went to the prettier of the two.
“Hey, we could’ve gone to any of the other three and not had to wait in line,” Aqua said from behind me. “Why’d you pick this one? Wait, I get it. It’s because she’s the prettiest, isn’t it? Sheesh, just when I think maybe I can count on you for something…”
She doesn’t know anything. I turned to her and said in a whisper, “Lesson one, be on good terms with the girl at the Guild. Lesson two, the pretty ones always have a backstory. There’s gotta be an event flag waiting. Someday we’ll find out that girl used to be a renowned hunter or something.”
“Come to think of it, I’ve seen that sort of thing in comic books, too. Sorry. I’ll just stand in line here.”
The receptionists at the open windows all glared at us for deliberately lining up at this one, but I ignored them.
Finally it was our turn.
“Hello, how can I help you today?” The receptionist seemed very gentle and was certainly very beautiful. Her wavy hair and generous bosom gave her a mature look.
“Um, we’d like to become adventurers, but we just got here from the countryside and don’t have any idea what to do…”
If I dropped in a bit about being from the sticks or some other land, the receptionist would presumably take the initiative to tell us what we needed to know.
“I see… Well, a registration fee is required. Will that be all right?”
There you go. A tutorial, just like that.
Now we just had to do what she’d told us, and…
✦ ✦ ✦
…Registration fee?
✦ ✦ ✦
“…Hey, Aqua, you got any cash?”
“What do you think? As if I had time to grab my wallet when you dragged me off here!”
What were we going to do? Maybe we could get a loan for starters, or postpone the fee?
Aqua and I stepped away from the window to plan our strategy.
“What’re we gonna do now? We’ve been at this for five minutes and we’ve already hit a roadblock! In a game, you usually just start with some basic equipment, or at least a little money.”
“Gosh, what happened to that manly confidence you had a few minutes ago? Oh well, I guess it can’t be helped. You are a hikikomori. Fine, my turn. You just watch. I’ll show you what it means to be a goddess.”
A man was sitting nearby in what seemed to be priest’s vestments, ratty and worn though they were. Aqua boldly strode up to him.
“You, priest! State your denomination! I am Aqua! Yes, Aqua, she who is venerated by the Church of Axis! If you be among my followers……it would…really help if you could…lend me some money.”
I couldn’t tell if she was commanding or begging.
“I’m afraid I’m of the Eris sect…”
“Oh, is that so? Sorry to bother you, then…”
I guess he wasn’t one of her followers.
Aqua turned dejectedly and made to leave, but the priest called out to her.
“Oh, miss…! You’re a follower of the Axis sect? In the old stories, the goddesses Aqua and Eris were said to be senior and junior to each other. It must be fate that brought you to me. I saw you didn’t have enough money to pay the registration fee. Here, let me give you enough for that. Call it Eris’s blessing. But, miss—however devoted a follower you may be, you shouldn’t call yourself a goddess!”
“Oh…right. Sorry. Thank you very much…”