episode_0017

“Yoo! No! Aaaaaaah!”

As soon as I entered the guild, Meruru came running towards me, her large ears flapping.

Having just finished her training as a receptionist, she was now officially starting her work at the guild today.

“Hey! People are watching! Back off!”

Meruru hopped around, clinging to my back with her legs wrapped around me.

I could feel the stares of the people inside the guild focused on us.

“Oh my, you two always get along so well.”

Tina smiled as she looked at me and Meruru.

“Meruru, are you feeling free today?”

With that, Tina said a few words to Meruru.

Surprisingly, Meruru quietly glanced around, then got off my back and went back behind the counter.

Meruru actually listens so well.

I wonder what happened during her receptionist training.

Anyway, the reason I came to the guild today was to receive a promotion request to become a Bronze-ranked adventurer.

“Alright, please sign here, and here…”

Tina placed several documents on the counter and kindly pointed out where to sign with her finger.

There’s so much paperwork to do in the guild if you want to do anything.

Without even looking at the details written on the documents, I quickly signed them.

“Tina, is everything done now?”

“Yes. This time, Yunoa will participate in the monster subjugation mission.”

Monster subjugation? Just like that?

Even though I’m just a novice-ranked adventurer, they’re assigning me such a task?

Seeing my puzzled expression, Tina explained the mission orally.

“Lately, large-scale monster dens have been appearing all over the continent. So the guild is mobilizing adventurers to eliminate dens that are too close to villages.”

“You want me to eliminate a large-scale monster den?”

“Oh, Yunoa will just participate in the subjugation team. Other adventurers will actually do the subjugation. You will be responsible for supporting the team from behind, like supplying…”

I see.

They want me to participate as a laborer in the subjugation team.

Well, I don’t have any complaints about it now.

It’s actually a bigger deal to directly participate in the front lines of monster subjugation.

If that were the case, my role as a novice adventurer would be as a meat shield.

“Since even Gold-ranked adventurers will be joining the subjugation team, it will be a good experience for you. After the subjugation mission is completed without any major issues, you can be promoted to Bronze rank after the evaluation.”

“Alright. So, where do I go and what do I do?”

“You really didn’t read any of the documents.”

Tina let out a small sigh.

Seeing her like that, I felt a bit sorry for not reading a few lines, but it couldn’t be helped.

Where would you find an adventurer who reads all the documents given by receptionists at the guild?

I’ve never seen an adventurer take more than 10 seconds to receive and sign documents at this guild.

They probably could change all the documents into waivers and force them on adventurers without them even looking.

“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t make out the words.”

“It’s okay. Everyone does the same.”

Tina looked a bit tired.

Receptionist work must not be that easy after all.

Well, there’s a saying that service jobs require a lot of mental strength.

“Wait at the north entrance of Kubele tomorrow, and join the subjugation team when they depart. Just follow the instructions on-site, and everything should be fine.”

And so, I ended up participating in the monster subjugation team as part of my promotion request to Bronze rank.

* * *

“Hey! You there, bro! Move those boxes to the cart over here!”

“Yes, yes! I’ll do it right away!”

“Hey, young man over there! Wait! You’re strong, take one more!”

The muscular bald man placed another box on top of the box I was holding, patting me on the back and giving me a signal.

As I participated in the monster subjugation team as a promotion request, I was helping to move and load luggage onto the supply wagon at the waiting area.

Around me, several adventurers were watching as laborers and I moved the luggage around the wagon.

In reality, novice adventurers were not even treated as adventurers.

“Phew….”

The amount of goods being loaded onto the supply wagon was enormous.

This was because it included supplies for those who could not go far outside the village due to the monsters.

There were a total of 13 adventurers participating in the subjugation team, including myself.

In actual combat, there were 12 adventurers participating.

I heard that the adventurer in charge of the subjugation team was a gold-ranked adventurer, a well-known figure in the guild that everyone knew.

Of course, I had no idea who that was.

“Hey! Brother, adventurers are truly different! Putting in effort is not ordinary!”

The muscular bald man praised me as I returned after loading the luggage onto the supply wagon.

It was truly fortunate that I had enhanced my strength through magic conversion.

Initially, when this man approached me to assign work, I was in the dark.

If an ordinary person without magic in their body had done it, they would have collapsed within a day due to the workload.

However, once I actually lifted the boxes, aside from not being able to see in front of me due to stacking several boxes to move, it was easier than I had thought.

Given enough time, even without the other laborers, I could fill the supply wagon alone, as my body was strong enough.

Even the men with muscles all over their bodies were struggling to move one box, while I effortlessly lifted and moved two boxes, earning praise from the bald man who was the work supervisor.

If the life of an adventurer becomes difficult, I could always work as a porter without any problem.

“Oh, Miss Yunoa!”

As I tossed the last box onto the supply wagon, a familiar voice came from behind.

It was the bronze adventurer, Oren.

“Oh, Oren, are you also participating in the monster subjugation team?”

“It’s more surprising that Miss Yunoa is here.”

Well, that’s true.

“I’m just a novice, as you can see, just a laborer.”

“When you’re done with work, come here and rest. The subjugation team will be departing soon.”

After scanning the situation of the supply wagon with his eyes, Oren said to me.

I accepted his suggestion and sat with Oren, chatting until the subjugation team departed.

“The world is getting more dangerous. Monster dens are appearing even close to villages. There have been cases where hundreds of goblins have attacked and turned a village into ruins. Even weak monsters like goblins can become a serious problem when they gather in such numbers.”

“Is Oren going to fight the monsters directly this time?”

“Yes. The vanguard will be made up of gold and silver-ranked adventurers, while bronze-ranked adventurers like me will probably handle the rear.”

It seems the roles in the subjugation team are divided by the adventurers’ ranks.

Oren said with a self-deprecating tone.

What am I then?

Even bronze adventurers are great adventurers, so have more confidence.

I had a brief thought like that, but bronze is bronze, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

After this request is over, Oren and I will become the same bronze adventurers.

That’s how the world changes perspectives.

Before registering as an adventurer, I admired the profession of being an adventurer, and after becoming one, I admired Oren.

What will I see in front of me once I upgrade to bronze rank?

I couldn’t know before becoming one.

“The leader of this expedition is said to be a famous gold adventurer.”

Trying to change the mood a bit, I brought up a different topic.

Oren nodded his head and spoke up.

“Oh, you mean the female swordsman Milaia. Don’t you know her?”

“No, this is the first time I’ve heard of her…”

“She’s known for her magical transformations and living in deep mountains.”

“Haha…”

She didn’t live in deep mountains, but rather came from a different world.

Milaia, the female swordsman…

I’ve never seen a silver-ranked adventurer fight, so I wonder how strong a gold-ranked one would be.

Honestly, I’m curious.

Oren, a bronze-ranked adventurer, looked cool fighting against a horde of slimes, but the thought of a gold-ranked adventurer fighting in a monster’s lair was unimaginable.

If I’m lucky, maybe I’ll get a chance to see it with my own eyes.

No, I’m just a laborer participating in the expedition, so I probably won’t get to see it.

It’s a shame.

“The leader of the expedition has arrived!”

At that moment, someone shouted loudly from where the adventurers were gathered.

Looking at where the adventurers’ gazes were focused, I saw a black-haired woman walking towards us.

“Hey, that’s the expedition leader Milaia.”

Oren nudged my side with his elbow and said.

Gold-ranked adventurer and expedition leader Milaia.

Wearing a long skirt-like armor and carrying a longsword at her waist, she walked towards the front of the expedition without any expression.

With her long black hair reaching her waist, she was a tall beauty, not muscular but taller than most women.

Honestly, just by looking at her appearance, I couldn’t quite believe she was the leader of this expedition.

But judging by the reactions and gazes of the adventurers towards Milaia, she definitely seemed like a skilled individual.

Just moments ago, the adventurers were busy chatting with each other, but as soon as she appeared, they fell silent as if they had made a promise, and some even let out quiet gasps of admiration.

Expedition leader Milaia checked the state of the supply-laden carriage and then mounted the horse prepared at the entrance, taking her place at the front.

The carriages waiting behind her also began to move.

Other adventurers either mounted their horses or climbed onto the carriages, following behind.

“Let’s go too.”

Oren climbed onto the back of the supply carriage and reached out his hand to me.

I took his hand and climbed onto the carriage as well.