Chapter 1: Transference, and Becoming an Adventurer – 02
The first floor of the Adventurers’ Guild was a spacious lobby.
To the left, there was a bulletin board where two parties of adventurers were gathered, while on the right side, a counter was manned by several staff members. The atmosphere was reminiscent of a game I had played long ago.
I walked across the wooden floor towards the counter.
As I approached, a young woman—clearly in her late teens—greeted me.
“Nice to meet you. How may I assist you today?”
“Nice to meet you too. My name is Okuno Soushi. I was told by someone in town to come here…”
“Oh, could it be that you have just undergone your ‘Awakening’?”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t quite understand what ‘Awakening’ entails.”
“Understood. In that case, let me explain the adventurer system from the beginning. Please follow me.”
She smoothly guided me to a counter with chairs at the back.
“Um, so it’s Okuno Soushi, right? Your surname is Soushi, correct?”
“Oh, no, my surname is Okuno.”
In this world—or perhaps this country—surnames seem to come after given names.
“Very well, Okuno-san. Please hold this plate.”
Following her instructions, I grasped the slender metal plate she produced.
As I did, a portion of the plate glowed faintly red.
“Yes, confirmation complete. You are indeed an ‘Awakened One,’ Okuno-san. Awakened Ones are required to operate as ‘Adventurers’ in all countries across this continent.”
“I see…”
“Oh, I apologize. It seems you are unfamiliar with ‘Awakening,’ so let me explain from the start.”
With that, she began her explanation.
To summarize her points:
- ‘Awakening’ is when an ordinary human gains the ability to use powerful ‘Skills.’
- The conditions for Awakening are entirely unknown. It occurs at a low probability regardless of gender, mostly manifesting between the ages of 15 and 25.
- Once someone has Awakened, they must become an Adventurer.
- Adventurers earn their living by battling monsters, primarily operating within Dungeons.
In essence, it seemed I had been thrown into this world as a player character from a role-playing game.
As I absorbed the situation I found myself in, I asked the receptionist a question.
“I was thrown here with nothing but the clothes on my back. What should I do next?”
“Yes, many people find themselves in similar situations. The Guild offers loans for such cases. Repayment will be deducted from the rewards you earn, but if that works for you, please let me know.”
“I see, that’s a relief.”
It seemed I was being treated better than the descendants of heroes from games I had played long ago.
I asked the receptionist various questions, received my Adventurer Card, and finally borrowed some funds before leaving the Guild.
That day, I followed the beginner’s guide available at the Adventurers’ Guild to purchase supplies and decided to stay at the cheaper of the two inns in this town, which was called Tolson.
If I hadn’t been able to borrow money from the Guild, I would have ended up sleeping in a stable, so this was a fortunate turn of events.
The inn room was simple, with just a single bed, but it was far better than sleeping outdoors. Rumor had it that wild dogs and bandits roamed outside the town.
I sat on the hard bed and checked the equipment I had bought today.
I had a backpack, a dagger, a water flask, portable rations, a cloth that could serve as a towel, a one-handed length club, a small shield that could also be wielded with one hand, and a hat that resembled a half-helmet.
All of these items looked ancient, almost like antiques to me, but I supposed this was the norm in this world.
“However, weapons…”
Needless to say, as a modern Japanese person, I had never held a real weapon.
For instance, the club—a mace—was given to me by the weapon shop owner, who said it was the best choice for beginners. I could certainly imagine that being struck with it would not end well.
Conversely, I would have to use this weapon to strike down unseen monsters, and as I sat here calmly contemplating, an overwhelming sense of anxiety washed over me.
Of course, the very fact that I had been transported to this world was a source of anxiety in itself.
“Well, I guess I should eat and get some rest for today.”
I stowed my gear in the backpack and headed down to the inn’s dining area on the first floor.
The dining area was about sixty percent full.
It seemed that most of the guests at this inn were either traveling merchants or adventurers, and from the looks of it, they were about evenly split.
Among them, many appeared to be fledgling adventurers—newbies like me. The difference was that they were all accompanied by party members.
I took a seat at an empty table and ordered my meal from the innkeeper, waiting for my food to arrive.
“Hey there, old man, are you perhaps an adventurer?”
The voice that broke my reverie belonged to a young man in his twenties. His flushed cheeks suggested he had been drinking.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Wow, it’s rare to see someone your age as an adventurer. Right, everyone?”
As he called out, his companions—also in their twenties—nodded with a lack of enthusiasm.
From their demeanor, it seemed this young man had a tendency to get chatty when intoxicated.
“So, old man, are you strong? …Not that it matters, I guess. If you were strong, you wouldn’t be staying at this inn.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course! If you were strong, you’d be making money, and if you made money, you’d be staying at a better inn.”
“I see. What about you? You look pretty strong to me.”
Flattery is the best way to deal with a drunk… and it was true that he seemed stronger than I was.
Though our heights were similar, his arms were significantly thicker. The gear he wore also looked well-used.
“Huh? I’m not that impressive. I’m still just E-Rank. I’m not a complete beginner, but I’m not anything special either.”
“If you’re E-Rank, then it must be quite difficult to rank up as an adventurer.”
Upon hearing this, he seemed to take it as a roundabout compliment, his face lighting up with joy.
“Haha, well, that’s true. It took me two months just to reach E-Rank, but apparently, that’s considered fast. You should do your best too, old man.”
Satisfied with his own words, he returned to his table. One of his companions, a girl who looked like she was in her teens, bowed her head apologetically, suggesting that they were more approachable than I had initially thought.
But the adventurer ranks… According to the receptionist, there are ranks from A to F, and they increase based on achievements. I was a beginner at F, but with effort, I could reach E in about three months. So, he was indeed quite skilled.
“Here you go!”
At that moment, the innkeeper brought my meal.
It appeared to be a stew made with vegetables and meat. As I took a bite, it had a flavor and aroma that felt both familiar and new.
In any case, it was mildly seasoned but not bad. As a Japanese person, food is directly tied to my motivation, so it was a relief to know I could manage in this world when it came to meals.