The workshop held a great deal of clutter, and the earthquake had left everything thoroughly scattered.
Items that were intact, or broken yet still usable, were temporarily relocated to another room.
Things that were damaged beyond repair or ruined as crafting materials were thrown out.
Naturally, I checked every single item with Marina-san before tossing it into a trash bag.
◇
You have trained in [Cleaning].
Gained 1 EXP.
Progress toward skill acquisition: 52/100.
◇
The workshop cleanup was finished.
No unexpected issues arose, and Marina-san helped me clean the spots I couldn't reach while continuing to sort through her belongings.
We finished a little past noon.
I had earned a substantial amount of EXP toward [Cleaning], and at this rate, it looked like I might acquire the skill before the day was out.
"Mmh, it's so clean and refreshing! Erik-kun, thank you so much!"
"I'm here on a job, after all. It's only natural. And please, no extra reward this time, all right? The base pay was already plenty high."
Anticipating that Marina-san was rustling around to prepare something extra, I made a preemptive strike.
"...Aw~, I really can't give it to you?"
"You cannot. I've already received more than enough."
"Guess I have no choice. I'll hold back this time."
Withdrawing her hand from her clothes, she gave an airy little wave.
With that settled, I had her sign the completion form.
"...What is this?"
"Aw~, I wonder what that could be?"
When I took the form back, it felt strangely thick.
Tucked discreetly behind the parchment was a small wooden box.
"...Now, now, aren't you busy today too, Erik-kun? Be sure to take my requests again soon!"
"Next time I really won't accept it! This is the absolute last time!"
"Come again soon~!"
Without addressing my refusal, Marina-san cheerfully saw me out the door.
I hadn't checked the contents in front of Marina-san, but on my way to the Adventurer's Guild, I peeked inside the wooden box.
Inside were five silver coins.
"That's way too much. Thirty-five silver coins total, counting the base reward..."
Staring down at Marina-san's extra tip, I let out an exasperated murmur.
Before long, I arrived back at the Adventurer's Guild and handled the paperwork at the counter.
"Um, could I have the guild deposit this along with the reward from just now?"
"Oh my, she gave you an extra reward again, didn't she?"
"Yeah. I explicitly told her I wouldn't take it, but she slipped it behind the report when handing it back..."
"Marina-san in particular really thinks the world of your cleaning abilities, Erik-kun."
Leaving this morning's earnings in my pocket, I deposited all the money I had received from Marina-san.
With that, my account balance reached ninety silver coins.
"It's accumulating at an insane pace, but most of it is coming from Marina-san. Is her wallet going to be okay?"
"Well, you needn't worry about Marina-san. Her potions and medicines are potent enough that even the Adventurer's Guild keeps them in stock, so she shouldn't be hurting for money."
Reassured by Reina-san's explanation, I was about to look for my next job.
Reina-san, however, refused to show me any request forms.
"Erik-kun, you haven't eaten lunch yet, have you?"
"...I-I did, though?"
"And what did you have, I wonder?"
"Uh, um... well..."
Fixed under her sharp, probing stare, I couldn't come up with an excuse.
In the end, it was decided that I would eat lunch before taking on another request.
Instead of the usual tavern dining hall, we headed to a rather chic cafe.
Apparently, it was a shop recently opened by an acquaintance of Reina-san.
"My, look who brought a boy along! But he's so young, Reina. Did you always have that kind of taste?"
"Erik-kun, forgive her. This is Sara, an old colleague of mine. She found a husband early, quit the Adventurer's Guild, and is now the manager of this cafe."
While grinding her fist playfully into the woman's temple, Reina-san introduced her to me.
"Nice to meet you. I'm the adventurer Erik."
"Ah~, it's you! You're that adventurer who's amazing at cleaning—the one people have been whispering about in town lately, right?"
When I introduced myself, Sara-san chimed in with something entirely unexpected.
"Um, there are rumors about me?"
"They've only just started circulating, but Marina mentioned it while we were having tea—how meticulous your work is and how you make filthy rooms spotless in no time."
"...So Marina-san is the source of the rumors."
Sara-san explained that the two of them were close friends.
After that, Reina-san and I took our seats and placed our orders.
The cafe's specialties centered around bread, with various sandwiches featured on the menu.
There was also a wide selection of drinks, ranging from fruit juices to herbal and black teas.
I ordered an apple juice along with a ham and egg sandwich.
"Still, for Reina to be sharing a meal with an adventurer like this, he must be quite the favorite."
"He is. Compared to the usual adventurers I deal with lately, Erik-kun is definitely one of my absolute favorites."
"Whoa, for Reina to come right out and say it! You really do have a soft spot for him!"
Sara-san grinned, and as a new bell chimed with arriving customers, she excused herself to attend to them.