Receptionist Alina Clover liked things peaceful.
She didn’t want to live in a big mansion. She wasn’t interested in getting rich or marrying into money. She didn’t need a life full of drama or ups and downs, either. It was enough for her to make a decent living, enjoy her time, and lead a leisurely day-to-day existence.
That was why she’d chosen to work as a receptionist. Her job was to send adventurers off into dangerous dungeons. On top of being stable and secure, it was a public sector position, so she wouldn’t ever need to worry about being fired or losing her salary.
Yes, Alina had assumed she would be guaranteed a peaceful life the moment she became a receptionist.
Dressed up in a cute receptionist’s uniform, she would take it easy at the quest counter while the adventurers were risking their lives in dangerous dungeons day in and day out. She’d take her time with her office work and head home once the workday was over…
…or so she’d thought.
Right up until the moment she actually started working.
“Next, please!!” Alina half yelled in an aggressive tone that was about a hundred times away from the ideal.
Her long black hair was in disarray. Her bangs were askew, but she didn’t even have the time to fix them as she glared menacingly at the adventurers. She didn’t look anything like a refined receptionist taking her time on her clerical duties.
“Next!! Please!!” Alina’s yell swept over the heads of the jostling adventurers.
Mind you, she wasn’t angry in the slightest. Receptionists took quest orders from adventurers with a smile before kindly sending them on their way, so she would never be like that—however, now was not the time to be so heedlessly optimistic. She needed to raise her voice, or she wouldn’t get anywhere with processing.
There were a number of quest offices in the great city of Iffole, and Iffole Counter was the biggest of them. Right now, the place was so packed with adventurers that taking even a single step forward was a struggle. It was as turbulent as a battlefield.
But in this horribly crowded office building, the sole adventurer who responded to Alina’s call sidled up to the reception window like nothing was out of the ordinary.
“So it’s finally my turn.”
Heavy iron armor rattling like he was trying to show it off, the large warrior approached. A slickly shining, well-used black battle-ax sat on his back, advertising that he was a seasoned adventurer.
“Hey, is that…?”
“Isn’t that Ganz the Raging Blade…?!”
“Whoa! He’s a guild elite! This is the first time I’ve seen him!”
Suddenly, murmurs rippled through the crowd of adventurers as they realized who he was.
The man they’d called Ganz hid his face with an iron helmet, but the black-lacquered battle-ax he carried gave away his identity to Alina. A recognizable magic sigil in the shape of a sun was carved on his battle-ax, making it flicker with a pale light. Items of its caliber could not be created with modern smithing techniques. It was clearly a cut above the mass-produced weapons that were in general circulation.
✦ ✦ ✦
His ax was one of the highest ranked weapons around: a relic arma. Of course, no ordinary adventurer could carry that thing. Only one who had braved a dangerous dungeon and defeated deadly monsters would possess such a unique treasure.
But Alina didn’t need an attention-grabbing item to recognize him. Being a receptionist, she was in contact with adventurers every day. She couldn’t have forgotten what the most famous of them looked like if she tried.
Stop dragging your butt and just get over heeeeeeere!
That was all Alina thought when she laid eyes on him, cursing her poor luck all the while. There were four other reception windows aside from hers. Of all the times this old braggart could come to my window, why did it have to be when I’m so damn busy?
Some nasty complaints momentarily crossed her mind, but she didn’t let them get past her plastered-on business smile. She just swished her unkempt hair and said in a slightly higher tone of voice, “Welcome. Please choose the quest you would like to accept.”
“Defeating the second-floor boss in the Belfla Underground Ruins, Hellflame Dragon. Thanks.”
The adventurers were all raptly watching Ganz, oohing as they started chattering loudly to one another.
“The guild’s elite party is finally headed out to defeat the boss in the Underground Ruins!”
“So they’re bringing out the big names to clear the dungeon…!”
“There’s nothing that Raging Blade Ganz can’t cut down!”
Ganz listened in satisfaction for a while, puffing out his chest so far his nose was pointed up to the ceiling. On his armor flashed a crest of two swords crossing. That was the insignia of the Silver Sword, an elite party selected from a handful of the most powerful adventurers.
“Seems like people are expecting great things from me. Guess it makes sense with how long it’s taking to clear this dungeon. Damn right you’d turn to Silver Sword.”
“Umm, yes, of course.” Alina casually ignored him as she quickly prepared the quest form. Then, soft enough that Ganz couldn’t hear, she muttered, “It’s taking them forever to get through this dungeon!”
“Huh?”
“Oh no, it’s nothing. Well then, participating in a four-member party requires a second-class license card while going solo requires a first-class license card. Please present your card and sign the quest form.” Alina rattled off the usual instructions as fast as a tongue twister and thrust the quest form at him. She just wanted him to fill it out already.
But beneath his iron helmet, Ganz simply snorted with pride, making no move to pick up the feather pen. “I’m from Silver Sword. If you’re a receptionist here, shouldn’t you know my class without having to bother checking my license?”
So annoooooying!
“Of course, I know. But no matter what your class is, that doesn’t change the fact that adventurers always deal with danger”—it was taking some serious restraint for Alina to keep her smile on—“and it’s our job as receptionists to prevent them from needlessly risking their lives by confirming whether their skills are appropriate for the dungeons they enter. Asking you to present your license is how we keep everyone safe.”
Alina obviously knew Ganz’s rank. The relic arma battle-ax clearly indicated who he was.
Relic arma were creations of the ancients, a people who were said to have flourished on this continent before meeting destruction in a single night. Constructed with the ancients’ incredible technology, this class of weapon outclassed their modern counterparts in both attack power and durability.
Ganz was Silver Sword’s frontline attacker. He’d used his relic arma to slice countless bosses to pieces, just as his nickname—the Raging Blade—implied. He also had a second-class adventurer license.
But the regulations stipulated that she couldn’t assign quests to those who had not presented their license.
“…I see. So then…”
It seemed that Ganz was mildly satisfied with Alina’s thorough and kind explanation, as he stripped off his helmet and set it on the counter with a thunk. This revealed a man with deep-set features and a thick beard. “How about this?”
“Please present your license.”
“…I am Gan—”
“Please present your license.”
“…”
“Please present your license.”
She said it three times for good measure. Ganz finally gave in and pulled out his license. She didn’t care whether he was an elite or if he had a fancy nickname. Alina had to get through all the many adventurers who were waiting to receive their quests.
“…Hmph, a newbie… Guess I have to.”
Alina passed her gaze over the silver card that he placed on the counter. “Thank you for presenting your license. Well then, until level two with a party. If this is all correct, then please sign the quest form.”
She shoved the feather pen and the quest form at Ganz before he could protest. Ganz seemed reluctant as he signed the quest form.
“Have a nice adventure!” Accepting the form he’d filled out, Alina flashed Ganz her plastered-on business smile and tossed the form into the box at her side. There was actually still more to fill in, but after looking at the long and winding line behind him, she decided there was no time for that.
“Sorry for the wait! Next, please!”