Two days after submitting a monster material stripping request to the guild, the figure of Rei could be seen in the guild as usual. However, it wasn’t the time when the guild was crowded, which he disliked, but early in the morning.
After completing Elena’s escort, he had taken a day off. Then yesterday, he had replenished his consumable items that been exhausted before coming to the guild today……
「Should I say my luck is bad?」
Subjugation requests, which were the main requests Rei took, had mostly been taken by other adventurers and almost none remained.
Even if there were subjugation requests that were left, they were either rank A or rank B subjugation requests or Goblin subjugation requests, that were always around.
If Rei formed a party, he would be able to receive rank B requests. Unfortunately, Rei was a solo adventurer and could only accept requests that were one rank higher. That is to say, up to C rank.
(I hope I can rank up quickly.)
Rei thought to himself as he looked at the request board.
Rank F to D was was the group with the most registered adventurers. And for that reason, there was a lot of compet.i.tion to receive D rank requests……for Rei, who was a solo adventurer, that was the most difficult problem.
Still, there were still requests that ignored ranks such as the attack on the Orc village or the nominated request in the case of Elena.
(In that case……I should take requests that are always available such as Goblin subjugation requests to familiarise myself with the new skill Set and and I obtained. If I’m lucky, I might even encounter monsters I haven’t seen before.)
While thinking like that, he turned to look at the requests that were always pinned on the board……suddenly, one request form came to his eyes.
It was a request on the C rank board. The reward for the request was 1 gold coin and 5 silver coins. Considering the rewards for requests in the frontier city of Gimuru, this was quite a hefty reward. Rei wasn’t concerned about money right now, but for some reason reason, the request form drew him in and he read on.
It was an escort request. However, the chance of being attacked by monsters or bandits close to the city was basically impossible. In addition, the client had to pay food expenses to the guards during the request. The escort duration was around 10 days. The reward was paid per day, so counting 10 days, it would become 1 platinum coin and 5 gold coins. They were looking for 5 people.
「I think it’s a well paid request……but why hasn’t it been taken?」
The remuneration was high for a rank C request, and if there were no monster attacks or bandits, the escort would simply be going on an outing.
It certainly seemed too easy for a rank C request. But on the other hand, it seemed strange that no one had taken it despite such favourable terms. As he read that request, Rei felt someone standing nearby and turned to see who it was.
It was a middle-aged woman in her mid thirties. Based on her appearance, he hesitated over whether to call her a warrior. She wore a leather armour made from some monster skin with several metal pieces attached, giving a nimble feeling overall.
The woman seemed to have noticed Rei’s look and turned to look at the request he had been looking at.
「Hm? What’s wrong boy? Do you need something from me?」
Rei didn’t think that she would ask that and was silent for a few seconds at those unexpected words. He shook his head to say that it was nothing and looked over the request again.
「Oh? Do you want to take this request boy? Rather, is your rank high enough……no, a baby faced adventurer that wears a robe. You, could you be the rumored Rei? I heard that you have a Griffon.」
「That’s right. I don’t know much about the rumors, but I’m definitely the adventurer with a Griffon.」
「Wow……we’ve been out of Gimuru for a while. We just came back not long ago, but we already started hearing rumors immediately after entering the city. Well, it’s no wonder considering you’re accompanied by a Griffon.」
「We…..？」
「Mm? Ah. I’m working in a party. There, the person drinking over there.」
Saying that, the woman indicated towards a man about 140cm tall who was drinking alcohol in the bar in the guild, even though it was still early in the morning. But even if he was short, he didn’t feel unreliable. Rather, if Rei, who was 165cm tall, stood next to him, Rei would look less reliable. Anyhow, his body was packed with muscles and a huge hammer, 1m in length, stood out as it leaned against the table. The hammer head attached to the handle was made of a pure black metal, as if sucking in light. Even though Rei couldn’t see magic power, he could still feel that it was some sort of magical metal. And what stood out more than anything else was his beard. Short with a st.u.r.dy build, a beard stretching to his chest, a drinker and using a hammer as a weapon. With those four things, Rei realised who the person in the woman’s party was.
「A Dwarf」
「Correct. If I had to saying something about him, he’s a heavy drinker, but his skill as a warrior is quite good.」
At Rei’s murmur, the woman replied.
「Oh, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Freon. That drunkard over there is Brazos. We’re a rank C party, Crus.h.i.+ng Warriors. Nice to meet you.」
Rei shook her extended hand with a smile.
「Although you seem to know me already, I’m Rei. A solo D rank adventurer.」
「Ah, my regards. So, just some advice……the request you saw. I think it would be better for you not to take it.」
For a moment, Freon glanced towards the C rank board.
「Why? You seemed to have looked at it earlier as well.」
「The person giving out the request has a considerable amount of power in the city of Gimuru……Well, to put it simply, he’s one of the higher ups in the weapons market in Gimuru. Naturally, he has power to match his position. You understand what I’m trying to say?」
Freon frowned as she saw Rei’s face filled with loathing.
「I see, that is to say, he’s a typical idiotic n.o.ble.」
「It’s worse than that. In any case, because Margrave Rowlocks is an outstanding lord, there are very few stupid n.o.bles around. That’s why this person’s tyranny stands out more.」
「……After hearing about that, it certainly sounds better not to take the request even though the reward is high.」
「Even so, because more adventurers are becoming aware of his personality, less people are taking up his requests. No matter how much power he has, in the end, it’s strictly limited to the streets of Gimuru. Once he takes a single step out of the city, his power has no effect if he is attacked by monsters or bandits. ……No, in the case of bandits, he might even be captured and held ransom. Well, if he was captured, there’s a high chance he would just be ignored by the people here.」
「In the first place, why is someone who sells weapons doing something like this? And if he’s so bad, why hasn’t anything been done about him?」
Rei’s question to Freon was reasonable, but Freon shook her head bitterly.
「His family has managed weapons shops for several generations and while he is high handed, he also wholesales weapons made from monster materials to other cities. The taxes he pays are also quite considerable. As long as he is producing results, there won’t be any serious moves to eliminate him.」
「……How troublesome. Not an incompetent and idiotic n.o.ble but a capable and idiotic n.o.ble.」
「That’s right. As you’ve become very conspicuous recently, it’s possible you’ll come to his attention. I recommend that you don’t accept any nominated requests from Bolton. Ah, incidentally, Bolton’s company is written in the request form, Azoth Firm.」
Hearing Freon’s words, he turned to look at the request form he had been considering. The client’s name was certainly Azoth Firm.
「I understand. I’ll watch out for that. Thank’s for your explanation.」
「What, if Rei is really the adventurer as rumored, you don’t need to mind my advise that much, I might even have told you all that just so I could ask for your help if I took a difficult request. ……Ah, if you don’t mind, I would like to introduce you to that drunkard.」
For a moment, she turned to look at the Dwarf, Brazos, who was drinking heartily.
(I don’t like alcohol that much but……well, I don’t have any particular requests to do right now. I’m also curious about what kind of Dwarf he is like.)
Rei thought for several seconds before nodding.
「Ahh, no problem. Anyhow, I haven’t taken any requests today. I wish there was a good subjugation request I could take.」
「Hahaha. I also heard from rumors that you mainly took subjugation requests. Well, we’re the same as well.」
「……If you have a Dwarf, couldn’t you do blacksmithing requests?」
At Rei’s honest question, Freon looked back with an amazed look.
「About that. Although Dwarves are usually thought of as blacksmiths, at the same time, not all Dwarves are blacksmiths you know? I mean, if all Dwarves were metalworking masters, how would they be able to live in a village. What? Can you use a hammer to knead bread?」
「……I see.」
Rei understood Freon’s explanation. From the manga and novels he had read in j.a.pan, he had been convinced that Dwarves = Blacksmith.
「Because of that, please don’t talk about blacksmithing in front of Brazos. Actually, he had wanted to become a blacksmith, but it seems that he didn’t make it.」
As they headed towards the bar, Freon whispered quietly into his ear and Rei nodded.
It should be noted that the catkin receptionist had been watching them with a vicious look, but had been quietly suppressed by the ponytail receptionist beside her.
「Hey, Brazos. You’ve been drinking since early morning, that’s enough. We’re going to head out for a request……」
As Freon reached the Dwarf Brazos, she started complaining with a sigh.
However, Brazos seemed to be unconcerned as he poured some sake from a small barrel into a cup, before drinking it.
「What are you saying. For Dwarves, drinking alcohol is like Humans drinking water. Freon, could I stop you from drinking water?」
「Don’t be stupid. How can alcohol be treated as water. Seriously, this drunkard……」
Freon gave an amazed sigh, but at those words, Brazos smacked his cup down on to the table.
「Come on Freon. Do you think that drunkards could get get drunk from this kind of liquor? I really hope you don’t underestimate me.」
「Yes, yes. I know, I know. It’s strange to start drinking before starting a request. I’m trying to work in a party with you.」
「Keh. I think I’m just thankful to be in a party with an unmarried woman like you.
「Hey, you.」
As the two of them started to argue with each other, Rei gave a sigh as he sat down on an empty seat.
Noticing Rei, Brazos stopped arguing with Freon and turned to look at him.
「Freon, who’s this boy?」
「I met him a little while ago. Hey, did you hear that about that rumor since we came back to the city? The adventurer which was supposed to have a Griffon following him. He’s the one.」
At Freon’s words, Brazos looked at Rei with interest.
When he looked at Rei, as the person himself had said, Rei couldn’t feel any sense of drunkenness from him.
「Hou~, so you’re the one with the Griffon. ……You certainly don’t give off the feeling of an ordinary person.」
While saying that, Brazos poured a cup of sake and held it out towards Rei.
「Here, drink first. A drink for meeting with you for the first time. It’s the Dwarven style. Hahahaha.」
「Ah, I don’t like to drink liquor that much……」
Looking at the wooden cup, Rei gave a sigh as he turned to look at Freon.
However, Freon averted her eyes slightly and gently spoke when Rei looked towards her.
「That is, I’m sorry, but please go along with him for now. When Brazos invites you to drink, it means that he likes you.」
In that way, he was made to keep them company, drinking sake until noon.
Lenora eventually rescued Rei and the other two, Freon and Brazos, started their request after finis.h.i.+ng drinking.
It should be noted that Freon had become accustomed to Brazos’s drinking and had hardly drank anything herself while Brazos didn’t even look drunk. Both of them walked away with a steady gait.
……Rei was just helplessly drunk and was unable to take any requests.