Chapter 77: Chapter 77: Provisional Adventurer Registration

Translator: ShiroiKaze/Soyokaze Translations

Notice: I changed the name “Livy” to “Levy” in this chapter as a test, with the idea being that I would switch the “Leviathan” and “Livyatan” names around in earlier chapters. If you enjoy the change, please leave a comment. If you want it back to what it was, please leave a comment. If you don’t care either way… Well, do whatever you do then. Feedback is always appreciated!

Comments were positive towards the change. Previous chapters will be revised as I get to them.

Changes complete!

The capital of Novelius, Belit.

A city spread out around the roots of the World Tree, which holds a lot of significance in this world.

Home of the Sacred Tree religion.

A legendary labyrinth.

Birthplace of the adventurer’s guild.

The place where one can see the legends of the world with their own eyes.

Consequently, many people visit, and those crowds make Solkalis’ look like nothing.

Pilgrims, here to bow their heads before the World Tree.

Adventurers, here to step foot into the labyrinth within said tree.

Merchants, here to sell products to tourists and adventurers.

It’s the very vision of a crucible for races and professions.

For me, whose jaw dropped at Solkalis, I got a taste of what it’s like to have my eyes spin.

“Whaaaaooooo…”

“C’mon Yuuri, guild’s over this-a-way.”

“Don’t get lost now. Finding you here would be a pain.”

“Marle, don’t let go of my hand.”

“R-right.”

The carriage we rode here would get in the way of traffic, so we left it at the inn.

We were going through the city on foot to apply at the guild, but the scale of things… And all the people…

“Urp…”

“H-hey now?!”

“Sorry, the crowds are making me feel sick.”

“Seriously, you…”

Saying so, Haster used [Ventilate] to send a breeze to me.

It was a kind of lukewarm breeze because of all the people around, but it made me feel a lot better.

When arriving at the adventurer’s guild with miss Levy’s guidance, we became the center of attention.

“Hey, isn’t that the “Grim Reaper” over there?”

“The hell is she doing back?”

“So those brats are the next suckers?”

“We’ll need smaller body bags this time.”

On the way into the building, she was doused in scorn and contempt. Looks like she’s had a pretty hard time of things.

However, though I understand why they want to talk, I won’t allow them to spread malicious gossip about my “companion”.

“—What did you just say?”

I faced the people jeering at her, and went into full-on intimidation mode.

“She is my companion. If you’re going to make fun of her, you better be ready for—“

“Stop it, Yuuri. You hardly need to pay attention to these small-fry.”

“What was that, you brat?!”

Haster was probably trying to remonstrate me for getting so heated, and cut into the conversation to mediate, but… He’s obviously fanning the flames, right?

Haster, who stepped in front of me, was then grabbed at the collar by an adventurer-ish man.

Seeing as he’s shorter now, he was hanging in the air.

“Try saying that ag—“

Once the man got that far, he collapsed to the floor.

Now on the ground, the man was foaming at the mouth and convulsing.

If you looked closely, you could see a black and blue mark at the bottom of his chin.

“What the hell did you do, you bastard?!”

He probably punched the guy’s chin as soon as he grabbed Haster by the collar.

Even from behind him, in this narrow space, I couldn’t see him move to attack.

“That’s a silly question. I was just protecting myself?”

“He was beaten up… By some ordinary kid?”

“And it’s exactly because he’s ordinary that you’ll be penalized if you hurt him.”

The woman behind the counter, who was watching what had happened until then, broke into the quarrel.

“Registered adventurers are much more powerful individuals than ordinary citizens. Exercising that force against ordinary people is a severely restricted action. Whether they are here to make a request, or new applicants, driving them away would cause problems for us here at the guild.”

It certainly wouldn’t be practical to their operation if requesters and rookies were chased out.

The adventurers probably didn’t want to make an enemy of the guild, so they grimaced and backed off.

“You better remember this, newbies.”

“Oh, we won’t forget. Your nasty remarks that is.”

After spitting out a canned phrase, the men left the lobby.

While I threw a return comment, we headed toward the counter.

“Now then… Welcome. How might the adventurer’s guild help you? Also, welcome back. I haven’t seen you in a year, Levy.”

For some reason, the receptionist’s eyes seemed to moisten… Does she swing that way?

No, I’m just joking.

“Sorry ’bout all the ruckus. Guidin’ some fresh faces on over.”

“I don’t mind at all. There aren’t any big requests at the moment anyway.”

Acting as if nothing had happened, miss Levy conversed back.

They seem to be acquainted.

“Who were them guys?”

“Just as that boy said, some small-fries. They’ve just been lazing around here since high noon.”

“Well ain’t that harsh of ya. Same as ya always been, Remy.”

Miss Levy had a lighthearted conversation at the counter. The woman at the counter didn’t seem to hold a bad impression of miss Levy. In fact, I suppose they seemed rather friendly?

“Are you two close?”

“Sure are. See, our names are plenty alike, and we been gettin’ along ever since I done registered.”

“This girl is careless in direct proportion to how powerful she really is, so I could hardly leave her alone.”

Saying so, she gave us a once over…

“Aren’t you all a bit young?”

“These three here are the ones registerin’, and this here girl is gonna be enterin’ the academy. An’ they may look young, but they’re pretty strong.”

“If that blow from a moment ago is any indication, I understand. Even I didn’t see it.”

The woman who appears to be called miss Remy prepared three documents and presented them to us.

“Welcome to the adventurer’s guild. All you need to do for the provisional registration is fill in these forms. However, a proper registration will require a test, okay?”

“A test?”

The counter was too high up, so I asked that question with only my head popping up behind it.

It’s probably sized for an adult, but… Kgh!

“Of course. A registration could be considered proof that you have our trust. So you have to show us we can count on you.”

“Even with people like those guys from before around?”

“That’s hard for me to respond to. Well, people do change… Plus even if we employ ruffians and incompetents, we at the guild don’t get penalized for it in any way, so we may have gotten a little soft I suppose.”

“So is there any real point to a test then?”

“It’s not like I am the only one who tends the counter here.”

Miss Remy put a hand to her cheek and tilted her head, looking troubled. It was a strangely sexy gesture.

When a woman who looks to be about 20 does that, the combination of cuteness and sexiness isn’t even fair… And her boobs are huge too.

“Anyway, I guess we’ll just have to take the temporary registrations for now. And we have plans after this.”

While saying something like that, Haster’s eyes were directed at her chest. I’m not letting that go.

“Yig, GO!”

“Why now?!”

“Your sexual harassment is not permitted!”

“Can everyone here write?”

“Oh, we’re fine. I’ll write for Marle.”

We completed our temporary registration amid our lively disturbance. The one-armed Alec served as Marle’s agent.

Incidentally, we had her prepare one more temporary registration card, registering Marle as well.

This way we can have her mobilize together with us and register.

It would be convenient to get all the qualifications taken care of at once.

“Okay, that makes four registrants. Umm… Al, Burn, Yuurin, and Marle then.”

She took out some kind of gadget, and typed on it while looking at the documents.

Responding to the input, the machine beat out some metallic sounds, and something like a dog tag popped out of it.

“This will serve as your temporary registration card. It will allow you to enter the first stratum of the World Tree’s labyrinth. Be aware that anything beyond there will require the full registration.”

“Oooo~”

Er, I did hear about it beforehand, but, you know, I just had to express my admiration when I saw the real thing.

“It may be a provisional registration, but on top of having rather strict punishments waiting should an adventurer directly use violence against citizens, we would also dispose of your registration, so please be careful.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Yes ma’am.”

“Provisional registrations are good for one month. Within that time you will have to clear the full registration test. If you do not, then we will dispose of your provisional registration.”

“Would we be able to re-register?”

“If you obtain a provisional registration once, you aren’t supposed to be able to re-register for a year. Basically, go train some more and come back. However, many people register using aliases, so there isn’t any real point in that I suppose?”

“I-is that so…? Aliases would be bad. Yup, wouldn’t want any aliases…”

Hearing the word “alias,” Alec twitched in response, and I shut him up with a knee kick. Haster’s tone also turned kinda stiff.

“Your full registration test is… Let’s see… Collecting herbs living in the first stratum is standard, so how about we go with that?”

“Herb gathering is even something here too… Hm? “Living”?”

“Don’t you mean “growing”?”

“No, “living”. Your target is a carnivorous seaweed-like plant called a Creeping Vine. They can walk at a slow pace and they even attack people.”

That’s the World Tree for you. Inhuman monsters right from the start.

But isn’t a sudden monster suppression mission a bit intense?

“Is it okay to leave this kind of thing to novices?”

“It should be okay, I guess? They move pretty slowly, and can be dealt with sufficiently as long as you have a bit of information on them. The mucus membrane of the part they use for predation can be decocted into a very effective salve. You’ll need to bring 10 of those mucilage per person back here. That will be the test.”

So we’ll need 40 for all of us?

Good thing we decided to have Marle apply together with us. We could hardly let her go exterminating things on her own.

“You can complete the test with as many people as you like. However, you may not have any experienced adventurers helping you. Levy will have to stay back.”

“Ain’t that a right shame.”

“I’m just glad we don’t have to do it alone. So there’s no problem with the 4 of us then.”

“That would just be asking too much. Even in this city, the only one who would enter the labyrinth solo is this girl.”

Miss Remy pointed to miss Levy with a pen and cackled.

I suppose her laughter could actually be seen as proof of her trust. Miss Levy even went with the flow saying, “don’t be pointin’ at people with pens,” and pretended to be angry.

After a bit of teasing, she continued the explanation.

“You have to bring back enough for everyone, so having a huge number of people actually makes things harder. It must be completed within a month. Thinking about it in reverse, you have a whole month to use, so don’t push it, and come head back if you don’t think you can win. With enough training, anyone should be able to achieve victory.”

“Anyone, huh? Not something I would say if I didn’t know Yuuri.”

“How rude!”

“Hm? “Yuuri”?”

“N-no uh, Yuurin! Yuuri is just a nickname.”

Alec accidentally let my real name slip, and panicked.

“That so? Also, the inside of the labyrinth is vast. If you’re heading up in floors, you’ll have to spend the night in there while climbing. Even in the first stratum you may have to camp out, so be sure to bring the proper equipment for that.”

“Is it okay for you to be telling us so much?”

“It’s fine. This is stuff you’ll probably hear anyway. I suppose that’s as far as my explanation goes though? Is there anything else you would like to ask?”

“Umm… Nothing in particular about the labyrinth. If we wanted to get into the academy, where should we go?”

“You should go to the east ward’s reception desk for that. I think the deadline for this year is a little over 3 weeks from now? There isn’t too much time. If you were to finish your full registration here first, the examiner may be more likely to accept you, so I suppose that would be convenient for you to some degree?”

“That’s a nice bit of info. Shall we take care of your full registration here first, Marle?”

“Eh? Is that okay?”

To be honest, her academic ability isn’t much different from an ordinary villager.

It’s not as if she received a gifted education like Alec has from Haster, so I was a bit worried about that.

Getting her adventurer qualifications and then applying for school will put her in a much better light.

And so, our labyrinth challenge began.