The Adventurer's Guild was about a five-minute walk from the inn.
From the outside, the building was much larger than the inn, both in width and height.
Even though it was still morning, all sorts of people were coming and going.
"Um... Ah, could that be her?"
Stepping inside the Adventurer's Guild, I found a massive crowd.
To handle them all, a long row of reception counters stretched across the hall.
Among them, at a counter with barely any queue, I spotted the person matching the description I had been given.
As I started heading toward her, hushed whispers began buzzing around me for some reason.
"Hey. Isn't that squirt heading straight for the Ice Woman?"
"Whoa... Even if he's a cute kid, did he really get lured in by Reina's looks?"
"I've got a gold coin that says the brat leaves in tears!"
"Come on, man. Who's gonna bet against a sure thing?!"
I could even hear people placing bets on my chances.
Doing my best to tune out the surrounding chatter, I walked up to the counter.
"Excuse me. I was referred by Amanda-san."
"I see. Starting with adventurer registration, I presume? Have you read the Adventurer's Guide?"
"I borrowed it at the inn yesterday and started reading, but I haven't finished it yet. I've only gotten through about half."
"...Half is plenty. I'm impressed you managed to read that much of such a thick book in a single day."
Her initial response had felt rather chilly.
However, once she learned I had been reading the Adventurer's Guide, Reina-san's demeanor seemed to soften just a bit.
"I enjoy reading, you see."
"I see. That's a good thing."
With that, Reina-san took out a registration form and handed it to me.
Registering as an adventurer turned out to be surprisingly straightforward.
You simply filled in the required details on the form and paid a single silver coin.
With just that, registration was complete.
"You have a special skill, I see."
"Yes, but that's really all I have. I don't have any other skills, so I'm thinking of starting with gathering medicinal herbs or taking on odd jobs around town."
"A sound idea. Taking on adventures is important for an adventurer, but an adventurer who survives is one who doesn't take reckless risks. If you want to make a name for yourself, go adventuring; if you want to stay alive, avoid reckless ventures."
"I want to stay alive, so I'll avoid reckless adventures as much as possible."
Hearing that, the corners of Reina-san's mouth softened slightly.
And the moment a smile touched her lips, the noisy guild fell dead silent.
"R-Reina smiled...?"
"N-No way, right? I've never seen Reina smile before!"
From the stunned silence, a low murmur of voices gradually swelled again.
Ignoring the commotion, we proceeded with the registration.
Once the paperwork was done, Reina-san produced a small metal plate.
"This is your adventurer card. Drop a single speck of blood onto it, and it will be registered to you."
She handed me the card along with a needle.
I pricked my fingertip, letting a drop of blood fall onto the metal, and it briefly flashed with light.
My name and adventurer rank appeared on the surface.
There were five adventurer ranks in total:
Iron Rank, Bronze Rank, Silver Rank, Gold Rank, and Platinum Rank.
Mine was inscribed with "Iron Rank."
"Will you be taking on a request today?"
"Yes. I don't have much in savings, so is there anything you'd recommend for a novice adventurer?"
"My recommendations differ depending on whether you want work inside or outside the city."
"...Inside the city, please. I don't have any gear yet."
At my response, Reina-san stepped into the back room.
About five minutes later, she returned carrying several request forms.
She laid out sheets for tasks like helping with housework, searching for lost items, and running errands.
"All of these are well suited for novice adventurers. There is no danger, but in return, the pay isn't particularly high."
"Still, it looks like enough to get by on. Can I accept multiple requests at once?"
"That depends on your rank. At the lowest rank, you can only take one at a time. However, as soon as you finish and file your report, you can take on another right away."
"Understood. For now, I'll start with this housework. It looks like it's just cleaning."
Housework assistance, reward: one silver coin.
That alone would cover the cost of my inn.
My entire current fortune amounted to three silver coins.
Before leaving the village, I had ten.
Three went to the carriage fare, one for clothes, two for the inn, and one had vanished for the guild registration fee.
Looking at it that way, the clothes seemed expensive.
However, having an outfit that kept me from being laughed at here at the guild had ultimately been a necessity.
If I had tried to buy them at retail price, they were clothes easily worth several silver coins.
"Housework, then. It says they need someone capable of cleaning—can you do that?"
"Yes. I've been doing chores ever since I lived in my village, so I can handle it. Heavy lifting might be tough, but since the request doesn't mention moving furniture, I think I'll be fine."
"So you read the details carefully before deciding. In that case, very well."
Nodding in approval that I had actually checked the requirements, Reina-san processed the paperwork for the request.
"This is the report form. When the job is done, have the client fill it out."
For city requests like this, the client was required to complete a report form upon completion.
Usually, only a signature was needed, but doing good work would earn you an evaluation score.
A high rating would directly contribute to your standing with the guild.
Reina explained that if I wanted to raise my rank quickly, delivering meticulous work was essential.
With the report form in hand, I left the guildhall and set off toward the client's residence.