Chapter 102.1

Chapter 102.1. I’m An Apprentice Adventurer

“Yes, I’m now an apprentice adventurer!”

At the Adventurer’s Guild reception desk, my application to become an adventurer is finally approved. The woman at the reception desk smiles and hands me a card.

It’s a card made of magic metal, with my name on it. There is no photo because I’m a noble. Nobles don’t put their portraits on their cards. Ordinary adventurers put their portraits on their cards, so the nobles probably don’t want to show their faces too much. Of course, I proved my identity in the private room reserved for nobles.

“You did it, Em-chan!”

“Yeah! You’re finally an adventurer.”

“Hmm, I’m just an apprentice, though.”

“Now you can play in a wider range of activities!”

“Yes, yes, yes.”

Let’s take a break, shall we?

Sei-chan was about to head for the vending machine, but everyone took each other’s hands and jumped up and down with joy.

“Congratulations, guys. You are now apprentice adventurers.”

Mashiro clapped a small round of applause behind me. His black hair is lustrous, and his skin is beautiful and smooth. He doesn’t even have a beard, and he has a small, pretty face.

He’s smiling, and his atmosphere is that of a girl. I guess it’s the world of novels that he’s natural and looks like a girl. I wonder what’s going on with his skeleton or something.

“Thank you, onii-sama.”

Yamiyo bows to Mashiro with a ladylike gesture.

“Now, may I explain the adventurers to the apprentices?”

“Yes!”

Leaning over the reception counter with her petite body, Mii-chan, and the others are excited to listen to the guild mistress. It’s the promised template adventurer’s guild.

“Adventurers are ranked according to the size of the taxes they pay. We withhold taxes at source, we will provide you with a certificate for tax deductions.”

It wasn’t a template one. It was gutsy and realistic. If you clear a big request, you get a big reward, so this system is not strange.

“The highest rank is S, and the rest are from A to G. The request window is taken at window 5 and the terminal. The application window for insurance is window 8, and for dependent care deductions and change of address, you can go to …….”

Well, I hope I’ve heard what you wanted to hear already. There’s a lot I don’t know when people explain things to a 10 year old. Let’s make sure we follow the law, shall we? What a different turn of events than I was expecting.

The rest of the explanation is handed over to the old Martini man, and Mii-chan’s army moves to the request board, moving its short arms and legs with a pote-pote-pote motion.

Many adventurers are gathered in front of the electronic board where the requests are written. They are carrying swords, and it is a fantastical scene, with chainmail, warriors in iron breastplates, and magicians in robes with staffs in hand.

“I don’t see many people equipped with magic armor.”

Because it’s a fantasy scene, I notice that it’s uncomfortable. Most people aren’t wearing magic armor. Only occasionally do you see someone who looks like a party leader wearing it?

“Oh, magic armor, which is also a piece of magical equipment, is expensive. Even a used one cost 2 million. It’s hard for a commoner to afford.”

The old Martini man stops listening to my explanation, catches up with me, and tells me in a whisper.

“Most people here can’t use production magic, and they’re not very good at combat either. Most of them are from the commoner class, and the rest are the third and fourth sons of lower-class nobles. They have very little magic power.”

“Only the strong nobles think about dungeon exploits, and they don’t show up at the guild. And the party that uses the magic armor won’t visit the guild, because they want to show the gap between them. They’ll let the servants look for requests.”

I agree with what the old man and Tsubame said. Ah, so that’s how it is.

“After completing compulsory education up to elementary school, magicians in need have a dream. They dream of rising from this place. The chances of success are better than others. With an elementary school diploma, it’s hard to find a good job. We’re the ones who made it.

“Magic armor has to be maintained, and it breaks easily in battle. It’s a money pit. But without the [Magic Barrier], I would be just like the adventurers of yesterday. That’s why guys with magic armor are top class here.”

Kongo-oneesan gets a little sad. This fantasy scene isn’t a fantasy scene at all. The fact that money is involved is realistic.

In this world, compulsory education is up to elementary school. Therefore, it’s a crammed education. They teach up to the junior high school level in the previous life.

This is because they have completed their first year of school. Once they graduate from elementary school and reach 12, they’re counted as a full-fledged family member. This is also where the magic comes into play. If there is magic, minors can easily outperform adults in the workforce.

Nevertheless, most people go on to high school. So do commoners, of course. But people in need are different. Commoner magicians, in particular, are said to become adventurers after graduating from elementary school to rise to the ranks of nobility. Most of them aren’t counted as magicians who can fight.

I know how you feel. If I could shoot a fireball the size of my palm, I might consider becoming an adventurer. Even though I say that solidity is the best, the power of magic makes you want to chase your dreams. Even if the amount of magic power you can use is only about three times a day.

[Hugin, analyze.]

I ask the mysterious crow that rides on the fluorescent light on the ceiling, unnoticed by anyone. I borrowed it from Grandpa Odin. It is Mii-chan, who borrows everything. With a single cry of caw, Hugin uses [Analyze].

[Warrior: level 7]

[Wizard: level 8]

[Hunter: level 5].

I frown slightly at the result. I wondered if they were at that level after putting on their equipment.

This is what Yamiyo and others look like.

[Teijo Yamiyo: Level 30]

[Aburage Tamamo: level 25]

[Harukaze Hoku: level 14]

[Akita Sei: level 21]

[Natsui Nan: level 14]

It’s a sad disparity. Today, since we went to the trouble of starting over, now everyone is wearing magic armor. It’s a mass-production type, though. Yamiyo and Tamamo’s levels are low because they aren’t wearing their usual magic armor.