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“SO apparently, we can exchange these stones we got at a place called the Adventurers’ Guild for money, and that money is called ‘gaul,’” Kazuya repeats what the gatekeeper said as we walk through town.
I join him in surveying our surroundings. The buildings look like they’re out of an old-fashioned European city. Of course, nothing is tall or glassy like a skyscraper. Some streets are cobblestoned, some aren’t, but there’s no asphalt anywhere.
Everything is screaming how different it is from Japan.
Kazuya asks a passerby where the Guild is and where we can find an inn. We head for the Guild first, since we need gaul to be able to get a room at the inn.
The Adventurers’ Guild is a huge building—three stories tall, which is rare in this town. There’s a bar-type restaurant next door, with brawny men drinking together on its terrace. They look like the kind of guys who do extreme sports. Mm-hmm, they all look strong… My future husband might be here.
N-no, what am I thinking about?! I don’t even have a boyfriend yet! I’m getting ahead of myself!
Kazuya strolls into the Guild without the slightest hesitation. There are several windows at the front counter, and he sidles up to the one that says “Exchange Magic Jewels.” Strangely enough, I can read it even though it’s not written in Japanese. Obviously, Kazuya can too. Is this what the teddy bear meant about us knowing the language?
“Excuse me, this is the first time we’ve come to this town, but, um… Can I ask you to exchange these magic jewels for gaul?” Kazuya’s tone goes all buttery again as he appeals to the receptionist.
She blushes as she accepts the stones. “Yes, you can exchange them here! Let’s see, three small, and one, two, three… Five fragments in total. And…no issues with their weight and comparative density,” she says, checking them by weighing them on a scale and seeing whether they float or sink in a jar of liquid. I guess nothing’s amiss, because she faces Kazuya with a smile. “Okay, then. It’s worth 20,000 gaul total. Does that suit you?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Wonderful. Would you like to take it as two silver coins?”
Two silver coins? I make a mental note to remember that 20,000 gaul equals two silver coins, which means one silver coin is worth 10,000 gaul.
“Hmm. If it’s all right with you, I’d rather have one silver coin and get the balance in small change…” Kazuya’s meek puppy dog look makes the receptionist’s face turn red again.
My face flushes, too, because if I unclench my jaw, I’m going to burst out laughing. Kazuya’s acting so bizarrely, it’s hilarious!
Yeouch! Owww! I look down to see Kazuya stomping on my toe. He’s noticed me holding back a snicker.
I’m sorry! But it’s funny!
The receptionist is oblivious to the battle raging beneath the counter. Her blush doesn’t fade as she rummages through her counter drawer and places several coins on the countertop. “How about one silver, one half-silver, four copper, one half-copper, four iron, one half-iron, and five small iron? Or would you prefer one small iron and ten scrap iron, or ten iron?”
Ack, she just listed a whole bunch of different coins! How can I remember all of that? Let’s see, that one’s silver and that one’s copper… Um, I think I’ll leave money management to Kazuya. Yeah.
“The first option, please, but can you change one iron to ten scrap iron?” he asks.
“Certainly.” The receptionist sweeps back a small iron coin and replaces it with ten small dull-colored coins from her drawer. So that’s scrap iron? It does look scrappy.
“Thanks very much!” Kazuya says with a deviously sincere smile as he wraps the 20,000 gaul in the handkerchief. Oh, but that much money won’t fit in his pocket. We might need a coin purse.
“Oh?” The receptionist raises her eyebrows. “Don’t you have a leather pouch?”
“No, I’m afraid we dropped it when monsters chased us on our way to town,” says Kazuya.
“Oh, dear! That sounds awful. Er, would you mind waiting a moment?” She stands and goes to a back room behind the counters, then returns carrying a small leather pouch. “Here, you’re welcome to this. Sometimes adventurers leave their bags with us when they’re exchanging items. I’d be happy to let you have it.”
“Wow! Thank you so much! To think, you’re not just beautiful, but you’re kind as well! I’m so happy we came to this town,” Kazuya exclaims.
“S-Stop, it’s not that big a deal!” The receptionist giggles, clearly over the moon.
I desperately bite back a giggle. Kazuya, c’mon, man…
How can he spew such corny lines?
“That reminds me, um, I’m also looking for a job. What do you think I should do? I’ve never been to a town as big as this before, so I’m not sure where to start,” he says.
“You could ask the receptionist at the quest counter in the bar right next to here.”
“I will! Excellent! Thank you so much, truly!”
“No, it’s my pleasure. Do come again!”
The receptionist waves enthusiastically, eyes on Kazuya. From the moment we walked in, I may as well have been invisible… Oh, well. All’s well that ends well.