Chapter 1-5: The Guild Receptionist at the Royal Capital
I arrived at the Royal Capital.
Since it was called “The Royal Capital” I figured that there would be some sort of immigration check, but there was nothing like that.
But since you still needed to hand over some kind of identification to the gatekeeper, I had a bit of trouble.
I oh-so timidly held out my Library Card for him to see, but that just made him look at me suspiciously and it was rejected.
As I was earnestly trying to tell him that I didn’t have any other identification besides this, He told me to get on outta here and have the Government Office (Guild)[1] make one.
Truly, it was troublesome.
While recalling the likeness of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, I pa.s.sed through the extravagant gate. I swiftly paced down the cemented streets.
Vehicles that were like carriages being pulled by giant reptiles that were like horses, and vehicles that were like bicycles without pedals were countlessly pa.s.sing by each other.
Maybe because this is the Royal Capital, if I were to choose words to closely describe the scenery as a whole then I guess I would say it felt like the atmosphere of the Middle-Ages.
The people walking by as well, they did not consist of only genuine humans.
Beastkin-san with cat ears twitching as they walked by, and demons that looked like people with bluish skin were also walking past.
――And now that I think about it, that Wolf that pretty much resembled a beast[2] was also walking on two legs.
Of course there were also humans that looked exactly like me, but the color of their hair was completely out of this world.
A crimson-eyed man with swaying silver hair, and a blond-haired blue-eyed with drill locks; various kinds of people.
My own hair was black with some light-brown mixed in it, but amongst all these colorful heads it probably isn’t treated as something that especially stands out.
After all, there was also a boy with pitch-black hair the color of the night who pa.s.sed by earlier. There was even an elderly woman with grey hair as well.
This much variation, maybe it was because their ancestors were from different tribes, or maybe its because their native countries were different. Truly fascinating.
「Well then, first I’ve got to find out the value of currency」(Ayame)
Although I didn’t have to buy anything, I walked through a shopping district with many people while on my way to the Guild.
While being caught up with window-shopping from time to time, I would sneak a glance at other customers as they bought goods.
As I imagined, after handing over silver and copper coins they were able to purchase the goods.
The cost of several days worth of fruits that were more ill.u.s.trious than the one’s I had to ration: a Single copper coin.
A piece of bluish-purple jewelry that a s.e.xy Neko-Mimi Onee-san “enticed” a Demon Man into buying for her: Two Gold coins.
Salted meat left out to dry: One Silver coin.
Looks like this world has salt too huh. Perhaps they extract it from sea water.
I’m not too sure about the specifics, but it looks like a copper coin is valued similarly to a 100 Yen coin in j.a.panese currency.
Perhaps a silver coin is 1,000 Yen. Despite it being dried, that meat was pretty large after all. Compared to the meat that I stole from the Goblins it had a much better complexion as well.
The last ones are gold coins, but I can’t quite figure out how much a single one costs.
If it went by the order so far then perhaps it was worth 10,000 Yen. I tried using that as a general estimation, but even so, I doubt you would be able to buy a piece of jewelry with just 20,000 Yen.
I considered the fact that there may have been inferior goods mixed in as well, but reading too deeply into the “dark” side of things would lead to endless possibilities so let’s not.
Anyways let’s put the value of gold coins on hold. Either way, I probably won’t get the chance to use them after all.
Upon exiting the shopping district, next up were rows of residential areas. Although they were called residences, they were not single houses. Rather, they were utilized more like apartments.
Maybe it was a restaurant or I guess it could also be a bar, a beastkin Occhan with a beard was throwing out leftover food into a stone container.
Oh I see, so that’s a “trashcan”.
Everything before me was all so fascinating, I walked through the residential area while restlessly looking about.
Before long I exited the residential area, and went down a quiet street.
As it was now almost completely dark, I went to a place where buildings wouldn’t impede my view and looked up at the stars in the clear sky.
「Sure is pretty……」(Ayame)
「――! ――ah, ah――!」
Suddenly hearing a troubled female voice I turned my head, and I spotted the figure of a beastkin quietly enjoying herself while under the shade of a tree.
With her sharp and tiger-like pair of eyes, she piercing me with her gaze.
Since it would be troublesome to get involved in some conflict, Let’s pretend not to notice and quickly make my escape.
I’ve got to hurry up and find this Guild or whatever. Otherwise I won’t get identification papers issued to me.
“Maybe I can borrow some money while I’m at it,” while thinking of things like that I promptly jogged through the back alley. Then, all of a sudden, a will-o-wisp appeared before me and came flying towards me.
Not one of those “Hyuu-dorodoro[3]” ones though.
「Watch ou-」(Ayame)
「Outta the way, outta the way, outta the way――――!!!」
I reflexively crouched down to dodge.
Immediately after, the sound of a little girl’s voice resounded in my ears.
「Hey, you’re in the waaaaay――――!!!」
「Whoa!」(Ayame)
Raising my head while still crouched, a scenery mixed with colors of pink, flesh, and black came into view.
Pink colored hair that had grown out to an appropriate length, wearing thin clothes which fluttered to reveal what looked like black spats, a barefooted girl.
While kicking off the walls and trashcans, the girl dashed through the back alley like a monkey.
「……What, what is, what was」(Ayame)
「Hey, You over there!」
While searching for the girl who swiftly escaped my view and disappeared into the darkness, a voice called out from behind me.
Looking over I noticed two soldiers wearing lightweight equipment, wildly panting to catch their breath.
「Is something the matter?」(Ayame)
「Here, did a little girl with pink hair come this way?」(Soldier A)
That’s exactly what I saw.
Since I didn’t have any reason to lie, I honestly told the truth.
「She just came this way but, did something happen?」(Ayame)
「She dined and dashed. Roasted beef, a green salad, and bread too」(Soldier A)
「Yea and enough for two people. Even after cramming that much into such a small body, she sure can run huh」(Soldier B)
Coming from the other soldier, a tired and troubled complaint mixed in with a sigh.
I see, so that was the eat-and-run culprit earlier huh.
It’s a bit regrettable. Though I didn’t know the details, if caught her then maybe I could’ve gotten a reward or something…
「Although we know the hair color and age, we’ve got so little information…… Hey, let’s chase ’em」(Soldier A)
「Geeez, give me a break already-!」(Soldier B)
Spurring their listless bodies, the two soldiers disappeared into the alley.
Watching the soldiers’ backs, I suddenly realized something.
“Ahh, the way to the Guild,” Would’ve been great if I ask those people just now…
When I could now clearly see Moon-sama, I had finally arrived at the Government Office.
The Royal Capital is huge. Residential areas and shopping districts, Even with public facilities[4] like eateries that your average citizen can spend their time, it was extensively large.
The “Government Office”. That being said, I can’t see it as anything other than an Adventurer Guild that you often see in games. But regardless, I pushed through the doors and went inside.
Men and women of all ages, and various people from different races were all mixed together.
For just a moment, all conversations stopped, and all their sights gathered on me.――But, probably because my appearance wasn’t very interesting, the gazes immediately dispersed, and the conversations continued.
「Uhmm, I came here to get identification papers issued though…」(Ayame)
「Ah, yes. Issuing an ID, reissuing one will be this way!」
With a smile and splendid fox-ears, an Onee-san was holding up one hand while frantically waving it about for me to see.
Since I had confirmed beforehand that there was no one waiting in line, I headed in front of the counter where the fox-eared Onee-san was.
「Ummm, identification papers? I wish to get one issued」(Ayame)
「Yes, Please leave it to me! Well then on this paper, Your name, age, birthplace, skills, and the type of person you’d like as an ideal partner of the opposite s.e.x, please write them all here~!」(Fox-ears)
「Yes, yes I under―― Eh. T-THE TYPE OF PERSON I LIKE!?」(Ayame)
「Oh? That reaction is, does that mean you have a girl you like?」(Fox-ears)
With her golden yellow eyes slightly open, she showed herself snickering with a “Nishi-shi”. A joke huh, so it was a joke.
Well for now, let’s hurry up and write down my name and age――――――.
I can read the letters, but perhaps I can’t write them.
Now that you mention it, that Magic Textbook that I’ve been reading… I can read the words written in it, but I was unable to write them.
I was able to reproduce the words for the Magic Formation to a certain extent, but I’m not exactly sure how to write my name as “Kazami Ayame”.
「Ah, Perhaps you cannot write the letters? Fufufu, It will be fine. I can write it for you after all. Not being able to write the letters, it’s absolutely nothing to be ashamed of」(Fox-ears)
Soaking the pen in ink, she turned towards me with a gaze that said “Come on, bring it!”
Having a female stare at me so intensely is a sensation I haven’t felt in a long time, but I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be.
It’s probably because of that. Her way of dealing with people is kinda feels like an Oba-chan in a western barbershop…… Even though she’s a young and quite pretty person.
「My name is Kazami Ayame. Age is 18. Birthplace is―― “Nippon[5]“. Special skills are, let’s see…… Cleaning」(Ayame)
It’s not like I’m especially fond of cleanliness, but I’m skilled at cleaning.
No matter how many books I buy and leave in my room, I have never once been told by my parents that I need to tidy it up.
Truth be told, I’m a bit proud of it.
「Got it. Skilled at cleaning and 18 years old born in Nippon, Kazami Ayame-san. Uuu-, You have such a pretty name!」(Fox-ears)
The Fox-eared Onee-san was nodding as she reread the doc.u.ment that she herself had written, and stored it on the shelf behind her.
Then she took out a single card, and after swiftly writing something down on it, she placed it on the counter.
「This will act as your identification papers. Don’t go losing it, Please be extra careful with it.―― That being said, since it’s a crime to go around town using someone else’s ID card, I doubt there’s anyone who would try and steal it from you, Nee~」(Fox-ears)
Having been given the card, I carefully looked it over.
Not much was written down. Under the name, 『Kazami Ayame』 was handwritten on it.
Huh? What about the skills, or birthplace, or age? Why was that information necessary?
I still had plenty of questions, but for now at least I’ve got my hands on identification.
For some reason, I felt like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
「Alright. And with that, the issue fee will be 5 copper coins please」(Fox-ears)
With a smile as bright as the sun, she held out her hand. In such a situation, with the card in my hand as if it was st.i.tched on, I completely froze up.
Extra TL note: You know, fox-ears said “don’t be embara.s.sed that you can’t write” but only after she smugly laughed at him with a “fufuu”… Makes me feel sorry for Ayame.
Also that “tiger girl” wasn’t “enjoying herself” in that way (or least I hope not). It was more like she was enjoying the stars by herself and then Ayame suddenly showed up and ruined the mood so she chased him off with her sharp staring.
General TL note: In case you didn’t know, Here’s what the “names” such as Onee-san and Occhan generally stand for.
Onee-san: young woman/lady
Occhan: “old man”, “uncle”, middle-aged man.
Danshi: “young man”, translated above as man
Oba-chan: “aunty”, older lady
Shounen: translated as “boy”
Rouba: translated as “elderly woman”
1.
TL note: The word for Guild is written as “Government Office”. After mentioning it here, the actual word “Guild” is only used once, but since saying “Government Office” over and over again was awkward I subst.i.tuted it for Guild.
2.
TL note: The distinction between the Beastkin/Half-Animal/Therianthrope and the other “Beast” is that half-beasts are human with animal appearances (or just ears and probably tails) while the Beast is closer to an animal in the first place.
3.
TL note: Hyuu-dorodoro are “creepy ghost sounds”. Here’s an example on youtube (I regret watching this at 4 in the morning… spooky)
4.
TL note: the word here is the same word for “government office”/Guild. I’m not really sure how to translate that it into context so I went with “public places”/”public facilities”.
5.
TL note: Nippon is “j.a.pan” but since it’s spelled with katakana I left it as a phonetic.