Chapter 10: Chapter 9: The First Job

When I wake up in the morning, Allen and Elena were already up. They are clinging on both of my sides staring at my face fixedly.

This has become a habit since our first camping in the forest.

“...... Morning.”

“”......Mor... ning...””

“!!”

They greeted me!! Allen and Elena spoke!

What adorable voices!

I who was greatly impressed hugged the two children reflexively.

◇ ◇ ◇

After having my fill of embracing the two, I finished preparations and we went to the guild.

It’s full of people, unlike yesterday. I go towards the low-rank Request Board while Allen and Elena are tightly sticking to me in order to not get separated.

A low-rank male and female adventurers around my age are gazing at the board.

A great number of Requests are closely packed together on the board.

There are three main types of Requests.

Gathering Request――A gathering job of a specific medicinal plant or monster material.

Subjugation Request――A job to defeat a designated monster. After defeating it, a part of its body is necessary as a subjugation proof.

Escort Request――A job to escort a person/item from a town to a town or protect them in a specific location.

There are little to nothing Escort Requests for low-rankers. So I will be choosing between gathering and subjugation.

N~ what should I pick...... Would taking a gathering medicinal plants request at first be better? With that, Allen and Elena can go with me...

Thinking that, I pick one of the Requests and stand in the queue at the counter.

“Next person.”

“Thank you.”

My turn finally came.

The receptionist behind the counter is the same that took care of us yesterday, Luna-san.

“Ara, Takumi-san. Good morning. A Request?”

“Good morning. This is the Request, please.”

“Excuse me...... A gathering of Lilie Grass, I see. Your Guild Card, please.”

I hand the Request I picked to Luna-san after light greetings.

Luna-san confirmed the contents of the Request, received my Guild Card and quickly operated the crystal.

“10 Lilie Grasses is considered a batch so please be careful. The time limit is until three days later.”

Luna-san explains the important points of the Request.

“Thank you very much.”

While saying my thanks, I received back my Guild Card and we leave the Guild.

We go towards the south gate at once.

There is a small forest in the south of Shirin. There are no monsters aside from E, F Rank slimes, and wolves. It’s a relatively safe area so it’s just the right place for newcomers and unskilled adventurers.

“Allen, Elena. This is the Lilie Grass.”

After getting to the forest, I immediately find the Lilie Grass and show it to children. It has a dark green stalk with several jagged maple-like leaves.

The Lilie roots aren’t necessary so I cut the stalk and pick it up without the roots.

“If you find it, gather it like this. Understood?”

After Allen and Elena nod, they start searching the area for Lilie Grass at once.

They found it immediately. They timidly hold it in their tiny hands and trot over to me.

They uneasily look at me while holding out the Lilie Grass to me.

“It’s all right, this is the one. You did great~”

I pat the two children’s heads and receive the Lilie Grass while praising them.

Happy for being praised, kya, kya they make a merry and run off looking for another Lilie Grass.

I’m glad. It seems that their emotions and voices are returning little by little.

I feel relieved that they are growing in the right direction.

Now then, I should also start looking around~

I found the plant right after I began the search.

Oh, Cren Grass and Maryoku Grass are also there. There was a request for that too if I’m not mistaken. Let’s gather that too. Even if the Request won’t be there anymore, I can just store it in the Infinite Storage for the time being.

Thinking that, I gather one plant after another.

Along the way, Allen and Elena learned the characteristics of the various plants I was picking and also started looking for them.

Our gathering in the forest continues until the noon and the prepared jute bag was full of gathered medicinal plants.

We gathered a sufficient amount.

“Allen, Elena. Let’s stop for today.”

When I call the two, they trot over to me with hands full of medicinal plants.

“You both gathered so much~ Amazing~”

When I praise them after receiving the plants, the two children make joyful expressions.

So cute~ The two laughed a lot today.

“All right, let’s return to town after eating a meal.”

We left the forest, sat in the middle of a meadow with great scenery, and returned to the town after eating the food I bought at the stall in the town.

◇ ◇ ◇

When we return to the Guild, I go straight to the Request Board and look for Requests with other medicinal plants.

Umm... Cren Grass, Maryoku Grass, oh, Fenze Grass is also there.

I pick the Requests after comparing the gathered plants with the Requests. I have many plants that are insufficient numbers so I decide to store them in《Infinite Storage》and go to the counter.

“Welcome back.”

The one who greeted me at the counter was Luna-san again.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“We have returned. These Requests in addition to the Request we have received this morning.”

“I will confirm. Put the materials in this basket please.”

After exchanging greetings, I put the Guild Card together with the new Requests on the counter. Luna-san received them and took out a basket.

I place the medicinal plants into that basket. Because all kinds of medicinal plants were in the 10 Requests I picked, I line them up while counting.

“... Y, you have quite a lot. It’s quite difficult to gather this much in half a day...”

“It’s because the children did their best.”

The medicinal plants turned into a heap because the basket is unexpectedly small.

Luna-san was slightly surprised at the number of medicinal plants I took out, but she promptly started checking the medicinal plants.

“This is this time’s reward.”

Once the confirmation of the medicinal plants is done, the reward money is presented. I confirm the amount of money at the counter and put them into a bag.

And when I think of returning――

“Why are brats in here!”

A large, bald adventurer comes over while shouting.