“I’m back,” I called out, but only silence met me.
The Rimul Birds were all out on their own. The slimes were here, of course, but they weren't exactly conversational. My voice echoed hollowly through the abandoned mine as I finished organizing my gear and feeding them.
“Now then, next is...”
I decided to expand the kiln for the Cleaner Slimes I had just obtained—the ones that had started eating charcoal.
“This spot should work.”
I picked a section of the rock wall right next to my house, specifically a space between two of the neatly lined-up tunnel entrances.
Using Earth Magic, I began digging a new hole parallel to the existing tunnels. I started with a narrow entrance and gradually widened it, carving out a spacious, roughly oval-shaped area. Since I only had to reinforce the structure with Rock occasionally as I went, the task didn't take much effort. By the time I finished, I had a space with a ceiling high enough for a child to walk upright and a floor area roughly the size of a two-person tent.
From here, I let the slimes take over.
I summoned an Earth Slime and had it ride atop a Huge Scavenger, which hoisted it toward the ceiling. From there, the Earth Slime converted parts of the ceiling into loose soil, letting it rain down. The Scavenger then pushed the Earth Slime higher into the newly opened space, repeating the cycle until they eventually broke through to the surface.
“Good! Well done!”
I stepped out of the passage and headed to the row of tunnels directly above the one where I had made the entrance. The slimes had successfully punched through. Since they still seemed to have energy to spare, I had them reinforce the walls as they worked their way back down. With that, the flue was finished, and the bulk of the charcoal kiln was complete.
It was so easy that I wondered if it was really alright for it to be this simple, but the structure was perfectly functional. There were many ways to make charcoal, ranging from the traditional, laborious method of digging deep pits and burying wood under soil to using drum cans or even open fires. The most important factor was the ability to slow-cook the wood while preventing heat from escaping and carefully controlling the airflow.
After that, I just needed to prepare a lid for the flue. For the air adjustment, I only needed some red earth kneaded with stones and water.
I paused my work there and decided it was time for a patrol of the mine.
Because the area hadn't been well-managed, the sections further from my house were still overgrown with weeds. However, if viewed as fuel, these weeds weren't so bad. Even the ones tall enough to hide a person could be used as kindling if I cut them down and left them in the sun to dry.
Since they could also be used for charcoal making, I spent some time cutting back the grass during my patrol, until...
“Pirororororo!”
“Pi-piroro!”
“Hmm?”
I heard the cries of the Rimul Birds. Looking up, I saw my entire flock flying together. However, their behavior was a little different than usual.
“A flock of birds?”
The backlight made it hard to see, but I could tell there were many small creatures other than the Rimul Birds in the air. My birds were flying in a formation that surrounded them. They might have been using magic as well, because the targets couldn't seem to escape the enclosure. Then...
“Kukee! Kukee! Kukee!”
Once the opponents' movements were restricted, Eins let out a piercing cry. Immediately after, the small shadows began plummeting toward the earth.
“...So they were hunting.”
Their tactics reminded me of dolphins, despite them being birds. They surrounded the prey as a group and then unleashed a Mental Attack, a signature move of the Nightmare Rimul Bird. The targets appeared to have lost consciousness, losing control one after another as they fell. I even saw a few birds snatching prey out of the air. Maybe they were having a mid-air snack?
“I'll go take a look.”
On a whim, I headed toward the summit of the mine where the prey had fallen.
“Oh, there they are. Hey!”
“Piro!”
“Piroro!”
“You can finish eating first...”
I felt bad for making them reply mid-meal; the prey that fell from their beaks made for a bit of a grizzly scene. Upon closer inspection, the prey were Cave Bats.
“Where did you find these?”
“...Piro!!”
As soon as I asked, one bird took flight, let out a sharp cry in front of a specific tunnel entrance, and then returned. Apparently, the bats had taken up residence there. It wasn't as large a colony as before, but it seemed they had moved in during the few days I was away.
“...Pirororo?”
“No, you don't have to bring it to me.”
Drei flew over with a bat in its beak, likely thinking I wanted one because I was watching them. I didn't really have an appetite for bats. If there were leftovers, I wouldn't mind preserving them, but since they were the ones who did the work, they had the right to the meal.
It was helpful to have the pests cleared out, so I told them to keep up the good work and headed back.
Still, I hadn't realized the Rimul Birds were capable of group hunting. I had seen them hunt several times before, but it had always been a solitary affair. This was a surprising development.
Since they can use Wind Magic, I wonder if they could use something like a Sound Bomb if I taught them? If they could pull that off, it would be a huge asset for hunting. I’ll have to try teaching them soon.
The following day.
“Good morning.”
“Oh, Ryoma-kun. Are you working at the guild today?”
When I arrived at the Adventurer Guild that morning, Meilyne was busy posting request forms on the bulletin board.
“Yes. Things at the shop have settled down for the most part, so I’d like to resume my work as an adventurer in earnest.”
“Oh! Really? That’s great news. Well then, what kind of request are you looking for?”
“Actually, there are some specific things I need to do, so I was hoping I could consult with you for a bit?”
“Of course. Our job is to support adventurers, after all. I’m always happy to listen, though whether I can actually help depends on the details. Once I'm done with this...”
“N-No, you can't!”
I heard a sudden commotion over at the reception desk.
“Oh... excuse me for a moment,” Meilyne muttered with a sigh, heading toward a counter where two men were hovering over an unfamiliar receptionist.
“Alright, you two! Don't tease her so much.”
“Oh, Meilyne-san.”
“Sorry, sorry. I guess we went a bit too far.”
The two men were a bit flippant, but they apologized and made themselves scarce. The new receptionist began bowing repeatedly to Meilyne in apology. Meilyne beckoned me over.
“What happened?” I asked.
“Let me introduce you first. This is Paena-chan. she joined us just last week.”
“I-I’m Paena. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“I'm Ryoma Takebayashi. Nice to meet you as well.”
“As you can probably tell,” Meilyne said, “she’s a bit on the timid side. It makes her an easy target for the younger men to pick on.”
“Uu... I’m so sorry.”
Paena looked to be around high school age. She was Human, but her small stature gave her the aura of a small animal. Compared to the glamorous Meilyne, she was quite plain, but her features were gentle and welcoming. She definitely seemed like the type who would get hassled by troublemakers.
She was already starting to look depressed, so I decided to change the subject.
“Meilyne-san, why did you call me over?”
“Like I said, consulting with adventurers is part of our job. I thought I'd let her handle your case. I’ll sit in as well and help out if things get tricky.”
“That’s perfectly fine with me. Paena-san, I look forward to working with you.”
“Y-Yes! I-I’ll do my very best...!”
With that, I was led to a small side room. It wasn't very large, but it was furnished with a desk and chairs—plenty for a private discussion.
“I didn't know the guild had rooms like this.”
“Yes. It’s a multipurpose room. They use it for training newcomers like me, or for questioning adventurers who’ve broken the rules... Ah! Please, have a seat. I'll go get some tea...”
“Oh, please don't go to any trouble...”
“Sorry to keep you waiting. I brought drinks, so let’s get started.”
Meilyne, having finished her work at the bulletin board, arrived with a tray of drinks and encouraged us to begin.
“Well then,” Paena said, her voice small. “What can we help you with today?”
“It's about my future as an adventurer. I’ve set a goal for myself. I’m currently E-Rank, but I need to reach C-Rank eventually. Also, as I work toward that, I’m looking for requests that involve the monsters on this list.”
“Let me see... Trent, Mad Salamander, Calif Monkey...”
I handed over the paper I had prepared, which listed the monsters I’d likely encounter in the Shulls Great Forest. She began comparing it to the reference materials she had brought.
“...Some of these monsters are restricted for E-Rank adventurers,” she noted.
“I understand. I'm fine with waiting until I’ve raised my rank to the appropriate level before taking those on. However, I want to gather as much information as possible in advance. I heard the guild provides documentation on geography and monsters. Is it possible to get those as formal reports?”
“Yes! It will require a fee, and if the volume is large, it will take a few days to compile, but it is certainly possible. How much detail would you like?”
“I’d like basic information on the ecology and habitats of the monsters on that list. I want the information to be as up-to-date as possible, but I don't need things that lose their relevance quickly, like temporary sightings outside their usual ranges. Just give me as much as you can provide under those conditions. Also, I’d like a similar report on the region of the Shulls Great Forest itself and every monster known to inhabit it.”
“Wait a second,” Meilyne interrupted.
“Is something wrong?”
“The Shulls Great Forest... and looking at this list again... Ryoma-kun, do you actually plan on going into that jungle?”
“That’s the goal.”
I gave her the same explanation I had given Serge and the others.
“...And that’s the situation.”
“I see,” Meilyne said softly. “I’m sorry for jumping in. If you’re willing to put in the work to raise your rank and make the proper preparations, the guild has no reason to stop you. Please, continue.”
“Thank you. How much will the information fee be?”
“With this much content,” Paena said, looking worried, “I think it will be quite expensive... I'm sorry, senpai, how should we calculate this?”
“For formal documents,” Meilyne explained, “we charge for the paper and ink, plus a processing fee for the staff. Given the scope of your request, it will take between two weeks and a month to verify the data and create the reports. It will cost at least a few small gold coins, and likely won't exceed ten. That’s my best estimate for now.”
“That’s fine. I’d rather pay for accuracy than have insufficient information because I tried to haggle. As long as the data is solid, I’m willing to pay whatever it takes.”
“The guild will guarantee the accuracy. And since we know you're good for the money... Paena-chan, go get the necessary paperwork for the contract. You remember the procedure, right?”
“Yes!”
As we watched her hurry out of the room, only Meilyne and I remained.
“Still, to think you were actually raised in that area,” she mused.
“Are you familiar with the Great Forest?”
“Only to a certain extent because of the job. Mostly just that it’s incredibly dangerous. But it makes sense now.”
“What does?”
“Well, you’ve always been way too capable compared to other kids your age. Between your work in the abandoned mine, being placed in a B-Rank party, and then fighting off that goblin horde... you were a hot topic among the staff for a while.”
“I-I see...” The idea of being a 'topic of conversation' was a bit nerve-wracking.
“Ufufu... No need to look so worried. It was all positive. People were impressed by your skill and how you cleared out those long-negated miscellaneous requests. You have a very high reputation here.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
“As for your strength... if you were trained to survive that forest alone, then I suppose it’s only natural you can do what you do. I’ve heard that the monsters there are on a different level entirely from normal ones, both in power and aggression.”
“Sorry to keep you waiting!”
Paena returned. I thought she might have forgotten something, but she was already handing over a set of completed documents.
“...Yes, this is perfect. Good job,” Meilyne said, looking impressed.
“Thank you! Um, could you check the contents and sign here and here?”
I looked over the papers. There wasn't a single error. All the requirements we had just discussed were clearly laid out.
“Here you go.”
“Thank you! It’s all set. Here is your exchange receipt. You'll need this to collect the documents, so please don't lose it.”
“I understand. Item Box.”
I tucked the receipt into my spatial storage. There was no way I'd lose it now.
“That settles that,” Paena said, sounding a bit more confident. “Next... would you like to take on a request today?”
“Yes. I need to start working on my rank. If there’s anything nearby that’s a bit demanding but doesn't take too long, I’d appreciate it. Ideally, something that helps me rank up quickly.”
“If you're willing to take on tough work, there should be... Ah, wait a moment, let me check.”
Paena hurried out again and returned with a single request form.
“Sorry for the wait! I found one. Just to confirm, you used Space Magic just now, didn't you? If you have the capacity for it, how about this?”
“A transport quest... to Kereban? I know that city. Isn't there a Magic Tool Fair starting there soon? But the deadline says 'as soon as possible'?”
“Well,” Paena explained, “it seems that after they sent off the main carriage with their goods, they realized they’d forgotten several items. They’re hoping to have them delivered by noon the day after tomorrow to meet their deadline, but they’ve specified that they won't hold the adventurer liable even if it arrives later. Since it was the requester's own mistake, as long as the items aren't lost or damaged, they won't count it as a failure. They were just hoping to find someone before they were forced to prepare a second carriage... I thought that if you can use Space Magic, you might be able to make the deadline... um... I’m sorry if I overstepped...”
“You don't have to apologize! You didn't do anything wrong. In fact, you've been incredibly helpful.”
Her paperwork was lightning-fast, and she had managed to find a request that perfectly utilized the Space Magic I’d casually shown her. Even with a standard format, her speed was impressive, and she couldn't have picked that specific quest unless she had an amazing grasp of the current postings. I had pegged her as a bit of a klutz, but for someone who had only been on the job for a week, wasn't she actually incredibly capable?
I glanced at Meilyne, who gave me a knowing smile and a nod.
“She’s very good at the work,” Meilyne said. “She’s just shy. I keep telling her she should be more confident.”
“I’m sorry...” Paena whispered.
She really was a difficult person to read.
Still, the request she recommended was perfect, so I accepted it with a smile.