Chapter 2: Adventurer Registration
I returned inside the Camping Barrier and, looking at my palm, focused my thoughts on (Skills).
[Hojo Shinya, 28 years old, Tamer, Ability 1, Amadeus’s Blessing, Tina’s Blessing, Life Magic – Magical Power 9/10, Search – Beginner, Presence Detection – Beginner, Stealth – Beginner]
Magical Power is 9/10… Does that mean I used one point setting up the barrier just now?
(Tina, what are Search and Presence Detection?) <
(Can I increase the strength of the Camping Barrier Magic Board?) <
So I’m useless, yet they tell me to subjugate Beasts? That’s less like a god and more like a demon.
I wish this was a dream I could wake up from, but the rumbling in my stomach demanding food suggests this is reality.
The bread? I took out of the bag made a kon kon sound when tapped with the back of my knife; it seemed far harder than a baguette.
The dried meat was rock-hard, and the solid lumps at the bottom of the bag… (What are these? …)
Silence means there’s no need to answer, huh.
Anyway, water… Life Magic is that familiar stuff from anime and light novels, right?
Feeling a little excited, I murmured
Next was Water. I prepared a cup and said
Light works too, and Clean… I guess I’ll use that when I get dirty.
Standing was getting tiring, so I sat down, only to realize there were no cushions or chairs, let alone any bedding.
The sun was high, but it wasn’t very hot, which meant it would definitely get cold at night. I realized I needed to cut the surrounding grass to make a bed and gather firewood.
(Tina, are there any dangerous Beasts nearby?) …
(Tina, can you hear me? … Tina?)
Damn, it seems she’s already gone.
I guess a useless person doesn’t warrant polite and thorough service.
For now, I need to cut grass for a soft bed tonight, but I’d at least like to know if there are any Beasts around.
I shaved off pieces of the hard bread with my knife, soaked them in water, managed to eat them, and then went outside.
How do Search and Presence Detection even work?
I scanned the surroundings from inside the Camping Barrier, and even after exiting, I proceeded cautiously.
Even if it’s just two or three wild dogs, using a spear… probably impossible. I have a feeling I’ll die if I don’t adopt the mindset of ‘a wise man avoids danger’.
Using the tip of my Short Spear, I cut only the grass near the barrier, tossing armfuls inside once gathered.
It was difficult cutting grass with the spear tip while standing and staying alert to my surroundings, so I broke out in a heavy sweat, but I managed to gather enough so it wouldn’t hurt to lie down.
I was satisfied after gathering several thin, dry branches as well and retreated inside the barrier.
Looking at it calmly, the Camping Barrier felt like a tent for three or four people.
I piled up the twigs, lit a fire, filled the Sierra cup-like mug with water, and boiled it.
I couldn’t stay here forever, but walking out onto the plains immediately was extremely dangerous.
I decided that, for as long as the food lasted, I would stay here and carefully consider what I could do before taking action.
I had 8 hard loaves of bread, 16 pieces of dried meat, and 16 solid lumps. Licking one revealed a salty taste, so I assumed it was soup base and put it in the hot water.
While I was at it, I added the dried meat and mixed it in, trying to soften the rock-hard meat even a little.
It seems I fell asleep while thinking about the future; I woke up because of the cold.
An orange moon, about three times the size of the one I was used to, shone brilliantly, illuminating the surroundings.
I heard rustling sounds (gasa goso) and pulled my spear closer, praying that the Beasts wouldn’t notice me inside the barrier.
What appeared was a boar… with horns.
Looking at the target, I thought (Tame). [Horned Boar, 19]… A Horned Boar, huh. A name that fits its appearance.
I assume 19 is the number required to Tame it, but for me with Ability 1, it’s completely impossible.
Rather, even if I fought it with just a spear, I’d probably be trampled.
It seems Taming is only possible when they’re near death, on the verge of expiring.
They shouldn’t be able to see inside the barrier where I am, but I tried turning on Light just in case. There was no reaction.
However, with the inside lit up, it was harder to see outside, so I turned it off and decided to observe what kind of Beasts appeared.
Next to appear was a rabbit, but it was large and had horns. (Tame) [Horned Rabbit, 6]
It was a bunny about the size of a Shiba Inu, but plump, with vicious-looking eyes and sharp horns.
A value of 6 means this bunny is also impossible to Tame. It looks tastier than the hard dried meat, but I don’t feel like I could win against it.
The thicket of grass was rustling, so I strained my eyes, but couldn’t see well.
After staring for a while, something moved in the corner of my vision.
A rat! It looked like a normal… sewer rat, but about twice the size. It kept sniffing the air as it approached the barrier.
(Tame) [Mouse, 4] Hmm, definitely a rat, but its number is 4, huh.
It seems like I could Tame it if I beat it up, but commanding a rat…
Watching the rat gave me an idea. I crouched down directly in front of the creature twitching its nose by the barrier wall.
I took a deep breath and shouted
Neither light nor sound from inside leaks out. It seems to be quite an excellent barrier, which is a relief.
But it can only withstand attacks from Orcs or maybe buffaloes? So I can’t be too relieved, I guess.
What emerged from the rustling grass was a Slime. (Tame) [Slime, 5]
It seems just right for Taming practice, but why is its number higher than the rat’s?
Observing all night, I was able to see Horned Boars, Horned Rabbits, Mice, Slimes, Flame Dogs, Goblins, Gray Wolves, and Big Cats.
The Tame number for Horned Rabbits varied from 5 to 9 depending on the individual. It was the same for Slimes and Goblins, which was useful information for the future.
Slimes ranged from 3 to 9, with the larger ones having higher numbers.
There was a pack of 7 Goblins with numbers from 7 to 15, but one individual with a 6 was clearly immature, like a child.
Mice were 4 to 8, Flame Dogs 18 to 23, and Gray Wolves 29 to 38 – numbers fitting for a higher-tier species than Flame Dogs.
The one I read as 38 was particularly large; it must have been the pack leader.
The Big Cat was jet black and looked like a giant tiger. Seeing its number, 47, sent a chill down my spine.
I waited for dawn, furtively gathered kindling, and then holed up in the barrier to sleep, observing Beasts at night.
Even though I was inside the barrier, after three days of waiting for Beasts to approach, I strangely started to get a sense of their presence, or rather, the direction they were in.
I guess this is also thanks to the gods’ blessings, but more than blessings, I wish they’d send me back to my original world. Since that first time, there’s been no response when I call out.
I could sense the presence of even small Beasts like Mice, so on the fourth day, I decided to wait outside the barrier to test my Stealth.
That said, I stood right by the barrier wall, ready to jump back inside instantly.
Even if I didn’t make it in time, if I fell, I should end up inside the barrier, so I probably wouldn’t die. Probably.
I didn’t want to deal with anything big, so my targets were Mice, Slimes, and Horned Rabbits.
Holding my Short Spear like a staff, I waited without moving a muscle, chanting (I am a standing tree, I am a standing tree) like a mantra.
It reminded me of how, when camping, I used to pretend to be a tree so as not to startle the small animals, dogs, cats, and birds I encountered when playing near mountains or rivers.
However, not even a single rat approached, let alone a kitten.
I stood there all night, taking occasional breaks, but it was no good.
My position was downwind, so it shouldn’t be my scent. While gnawing on hard bread and wondering whether to continue tonight, I had an idea.
Bait! I’d cut the surrounding grass, so there was no food for the Mice. I didn’t know what Slimes ate, but for now, I decided to put out some of the rock-hard bread.
I placed bread fragments and stood there all night again, but nothing came close. I only sensed presences; it was a total bust.
I kept this up for seven days, but my skills only improved slightly: Search to about 30 meters and Presence Detection to around 20 meters.
I had 3 hard loaves of bread and 5 pieces of dried meat left. I had to get somewhere inhabited before I ran out of food, or I’d starve.
The sign for the Adventurers Guild depicted crossed spears and swords over a shield with a double circle.
Just as I’d heard at the town entrance.
A surly guard told me that if I was looking for work, I should register at the Adventurers Guild.
When he took the two Copper coins for the town entrance fee, he gestured with his fingers, demanding an additional payment.
It was amusing how needing to pay for information seems to be the same in any world.
Paying one Copper coin for that information yielded something useful: hearing that the entrance fee is waived if you have a Guild card.
Pushing open the swinging doors, like something out of a Western, I entered and my eyes met with the old guy at the reception counter in front of me.
In light novels, it’s supposed to be a cute girl, but reality is harsh.
“I’d like to register as an Adventurer, please.”
“Write the necessary information here. And the registration fee is 2 copper coins.”
Looking at the form he handed me, I tilted my head, but I could somehow read it—or rather, I understood the meaning.
I wondered if I could write it, but even when I thought in Japanese and tried to write, I could smoothly pen down characters that looked like Greek or Russian.
Name: Shinya. Age: 28. As for the granted magic and skills section… this part is embarrassing, so I’ll leave it blank.
Place of birth… “In the forest” should be fine.
When I handed over the form along with 2 copper coins, he took out a crystal ball and told me to place my hand on it.
This is that familiar thing from light novels and anime, isn’t it?
Full of excitement, I placed my hand on it, and the old guy went, “Hmm?” then started comparing the form and the crystal ball.
“What do you mean 28? You’re 18! Can’t you read or write? Hmm, a Tamer with Ability 1, huh? No wonder you were too embarrassed to write it down. But why does someone with Ability 1 have a divine blessing?! Where did you come from?”
“I came from a house in the forest. I heard that if I walked east, I’d reach the highway…”
“No criminal record, so I guess it’s fine. I’ll register you here in Zandra.”