When I returned to the guild, the same receptionist who had processed my request that morning was still working at the counter.
"Excuse me," I said.
"Oh, it's you... the boy from earlier."
"I'm here to report that I've completed the request."
"What? Already? It hasn't even been two hours since you left. You didn't just quit, did you?"
"I finished it," I replied, handing over the completion form.
She scanned the paper, her eyes widening. "It's true... the completion stamp is right here. And a reward increase? You’re incredible. That job isn't technically difficult, but the smell is overwhelming, and most people give up the moment they see the garbage pouring through that hole."
"I just happened to have the right magic for the job."
"I see. Well, excellent work. That’s the completion report finalized... and here is your reward: thirty medium silver coins."
She placed the tray of silver coins in front of me. I paused. It was significantly more than the amount listed on the original request.
"I knew there was an increase, but isn't this a bit much?"
"Ever since people stopped taking that job, the client, Miya-san, has been raising the reward to entice anyone to try. On top of that, she left specific instructions to give you an extra bonus, so the amount is correct."
"I see. Thank you."
"Also, the Guildmaster told me to send you to his office as soon as you returned. Would you follow me?"
"The Guildmaster wants to see me?"
The answer didn't come from the woman behind the counter, but from a man standing at the next window.
"Don't sweat it, kid. It's nothing serious. Just his usual routine."
"What do you mean? Ah... I'm Ryoma Takebayashi."
"I'm Jeff Grange," the man said. "That old man is a massive meddler. He makes a point of checking in on rookies and kids under thirteen like you to offer a hand. He looked after me too, back in the day. He’s got a mug that looks more like a bandit than an actual bandit, but there's no reason to be afraid."
"Is that so? Thank you for the heads-up."
"Don't mention it."
Right then, a gruff voice boomed from behind the counter. It was the Guildmaster himself.
"He's right. You don't need to thank a guy like him."
"Ah, Guildmaster," the receptionist said.
"Gah! It's the old man!" Jeff barked.
"Who are you calling 'Gah!'? That's no way to greet someone... And whose face looks like a bandit's, you brat?!"
"Anyone with eyes can see you look like a criminal!"
"Shut up! I can't help having a rugged face! But I don't have a wicked bone in my body!"
"If you met a woman or a child in a dark alley at night, they’d scream and run for their lives..."
"Urgh... The people in this town know better."
"Yeah, only because they’ve finally gotten used to it!"
"Gufuuh... Enough. Ryoma, follow me."
Clutching his chest as if wounded by Jeff’s words, the Guildmaster turned and retreated into the back. I gave a quick nod to Jeff and the receptionist before following him. He led me into the same office I had visited the day before.
"Have a seat anywhere. More importantly, what's with that basket? It’s incredibly conspicuous."
"Pardon me. I keep my Tamed Monsters inside this basket."
"You’re a Tamer? I figured you were a hunter or something."
"My only Tamed Monsters are slimes, so I'm barely an apprentice. I'm more of a hunter who can use taming magic. I use Sticky Slimes to set traps and coat my arrows with Poison Slime venom."
The Guildmaster let out a dark grin. "Well now... that's a pretty nasty combination you've got there."
"Do you think so? They're just slimes."
"You’re the one using them; you should know better than that. Ordinary slimes are one thing, but higher species are nothing to sneeze at. Most adventurers think slimes are weak because they lump all the types together. Don't get me wrong, most of them are weak, but an Acid Slime’s spit will ruin your gear. If you're in a long dungeon crawl, your brand-new armor could be in tatters before you reach the exit. Poison is a death sentence, Sticky Slimes are a nightmare to get off, and if another monster shows up while you're glued to the floor, you're dead. Any adventurer who's actually fought those types knows they aren't 'just' slimes."
"I see. It sounds like the Adventurer Guild is a good place to work, then. To be honest, the Tamer Guild seems to look down on anyone who uses slimes, treating them as incompetent."
"I've heard that from the old geezer who runs the Tamer Guild a few times. Is that why you came here?"
"Yes. Slimes aren't exactly built for heavy lifting, so I came here looking for work that requires something other than raw strength."
Wogan nodded several times, looking satisfied with my explanation.
"Makes sense... Anyway, about work. I heard you took a job first thing this morning. I take it it went well?"
"Yes, the client was very pleased. I even received a bonus."
"Hoh, quite the start for your first day. I only heard it was a cleaning job, but which one was it?"
"Cleaning the home of a client named Miya-san."
The Guildmaster’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. "You cleaned that house?"
"You know of it?"
"Miya is an adventurer here. She’s in the guild all the time, so I know her well."
"I see."
"But... if you completed the request, that means you actually managed to clean it?"
"Yes."
"I didn't think there was a soul alive who could get that place clean. How'd you do it?"
"I know a specific magic that was perfect for the situation. It isn't very well known because it consumes a lot of mana, making it impractical for most people."
"Is that so? Well, in that case, there's another job I'd like you to consider..."
I had a feeling I knew where this was going. "Is it the request to clean the town's public toilets?"
"What, you already heard about it?"
"Yes. I was actually debating between that and Miya-san's request this morning."
"Then we can skip the preamble. The Town Office dumped that request on us and then had the gall to tell the residents that the filth was the guild's fault. Complaints are piling up. But the real problem is that the office started being stingy with the people from the Slum."
"The receptionist mentioned that. Is it true?"
"Yeah, no doubt about it. You know the town's income has been dropping the last few years?"
"Something about the iron ore output from the Mine decreasing, right?"
"Exactly. The Town Office tried to cut costs to compensate, but they mostly slashed the city management budget, and the burden fell right on the people."
According to Wogan, the residents of the Slum were hit the hardest.
Previously, the office had cut personnel costs by gradually reducing the number of people they hired for city maintenance. When the work inevitably piled up, the officials blamed the workers, claiming they were lazy and using that as an excuse to withhold pay or drastically lower their wages. Once residents began complaining about the mess, the office tried to hire Slum residents for next to nothing, claiming they weren't "serious workers" anyway. Eventually, everyone in the Slum refused to take the work.
"No matter how desperate they are for coin, the Slum folks won't work if the math doesn't add up. It's not like they're demanding a king's ransom. They live on the edge, so if they catch a disease from the filth, the cost of treatment will ruin them. For the pittance the office is offering, the risk is just too high."
That made perfect sense. It was a rational decision on their part.
"I understand," I said. "I'll make the necessary preparations and take the job soon. Tomorrow, at the earliest."
"That would be a huge help. I’ll make sure you’re well-compensated."
"Thank you. I look forward to it."
I figured I should mention this to Reinhardt and the others. They held the most authority in the region, after all. Besides, they were bound to ask what I had done during my first day as an adventurer. If they learned the truth of the situation, they would likely take action.
"...Boy, what’s going through that head of yours?"
Did it show on my face?
"Nothing much. I was just thinking that since I was on my own today, the people who helped me register yesterday will probably want to hear all about what I did."
The Guildmaster grinned again. Seeing it now, I realized Jeff was right—he really did look like a bandit when he smiled like that.
"You've got quite the personality, don't you? So... do you think they'll move?"
"I think if they know the facts, they won't be able to ignore it."
"And why is that?"
"It's not exactly proof, but... I was an orphan with nowhere to go, living in the woods, and they looked after me from the moment we met. I was a complete stranger to them. They might not be able to treat every person in the Slum the same way they treated me, but they aren't the kind of people who can look at a situation like this and feel nothing."
"I see. I'll keep my fingers crossed, then."
"Right. If that's all, may I head out? I'd like to prepare for tomorrow."
"Yeah, I'll leave it to you. I'll tell the staff to prioritize you for that job the moment you walk in. Not that anyone else is lining up for it."
"I suppose not."
We shared a quick laugh, and then I left the guild to head back to the inn. On the way, I stopped at a shop to buy a set of cheap cloth and sewing tools. I also picked up several empty wooden spools.