After talking and separating Rin-hwa from Adhel, each went to an inn. I thought they would have some trouble finding a place to sleep, but fortunately there weren't many. These problems arose later.
The next morning, they went to obtain their adventurer permits and ranks. The first problem came with the permit itself. This is a key document for any adventurer and is also printed on their ID. Its main function is to grant access to dungeons and the sale of materials. We were very surprised when we were notified that they would not have their permits for another two full weeks.
The second problem arose with their ranks. You can only accept missions up to one rank above your own, so when we saw that they only got a D rank, I knew they would have problems with this.
"...What are we going to do now?"
Anna asked, tapping her finger repeatedly on the table.
"We'll have to take on other jobs. Fortunately, this city is a major trading hub. We'll offer our services as guards."
Ghislaine replied, her voice tired as she buried her face in her hands.
These two were the ones who had reacted best to the news of the delay.
"I hope there won't be any problems, especially now that these three have limited permissions,"
Anna said angrily, turning to the other three in front of me.
Goon-woo, Adhel, and Cedric argued with the managers about the delay and ended up being dragged out of the guild by the guards. This was accompanied by a one-week punishment of inactivity and a deduction of 20 loyalty points from their accounts, meaning they would not be able to work as adventurers for three weeks.
By the way, loyalty points are used to take out loans or borrow equipment from the guild. A normal person starts with 10 loyalty points and a limit of 200. So now they are starting below the rest.
"Good thing I'm waiting for you outside,"
I let out a small laugh, accompanied by a mocking smile. This was not welcomed by any of the five, as they looked at me with clear intentions to hit me.
Before they got up and hit me, I decided to stand up, leaving a few silver coins to cover the place.
"I'm sorry, but I have to go complete some missions. I took too much time off."
Surprised by my words, they looked up, staring at me with raised eyebrows.
"You only had one day off. You were supposed to guide us around the city."
"Yes... It turns out that, with today, I haven't worked in five days. It's time for me to start taking on some missions."
I told them, as I turned around and waved goodbye. Obviously, none of them stood idly by, and they all threw small pieces of wood at my head. None of them were difficult to dodge, so I teased them one last time and stuck my tongue out at them before returning to the guild.
<<>>
Once I arrived at this place, I went straight to the board where missions were posted. Thanks to my C rank, I had a long list of things to do. Even so, I wouldn't accept any type of B rank mission. The difference in power was extremely large between each rank, so accepting a mission of this style would be a sure death
As I looked through each sheet, I saw a hooded girl holding a staff looking for a group. I was about to call her, but the mission I had accepted was a B-rank one. I certainly didn't know what the point of it was, but the simple fact of knowing its classification made me back off.
I decided to ignore her and return to the bulletin board. My disappointment quickly became apparent; none of the papers had high requirements, so the rewards weren't great either.
After a few minutes, I had to turn around and approach the girl. Being a B-rank mission, it would pay extremely well, so I had no choice but to do it with her and other people.
"Hi, I saw you're looking for a group."
I approached her from behind and put my hand on her shoulder to get her attention.
"Huh? Y-yes, I'm looking for a group."
I think I scared her. She turned around with a jump and let her hood fall. This exposed her face, which revealed small insectoid jaws in her mouth, as well as elongated antennae protruding from her head. Finally, I could see that her eyes were black, accompanied by green pupils.
hmmmm... it's from the insectoid race, but which one? Not wanting to investigate another person, I shook my head and dismissed this doubt. I had already seen several people from the insect race, so I wasn't surprised to see one more.
"O-hey, you don't have any problems with the mission?"
He asked, handing me the paper with the order on it.
On it, I could see that the objective was seven sacks of Abrepetalos bile. It was a carnivorous plant five meters long that always grew in groups. Its sacks could be used to make perfumes and aphrodisiacs, so it was highly coveted. The reward was one gold coin, such a large amount that I seriously doubted whether it was true.
Ishhhhh... What a mission. Abrepetalos were difficult to hunt, whether because of their strength, size, number, or the poison they release. Normally, I wouldn't accept a mission like this, but since others may have money problems, I have no choice but to take it.
"Don't worry, it will be difficult, but I think we can do it."
I tried to sound as confident as possible, in an attempt to convince myself as well.
"By the way, what's your name?"
I asked, in an attempt to resume the conversation. She looked nervous and uncomfortable, so the best way to break the ice was to get to know each other.
"Right... My name is Ysera."
"Ysera, huh? My name is Conan."
I extended my hand, which she accepted and shook.
"Ysera, you're a mage, right? What kind of magic do you specialize in?"
"I mainly work as a healer, but I can switch to offensive mage."
A healer? That's a good thing. Even more so knowing that she can act as an offensive mage. Over the years, I've learned that healers don't usually have a good affinity for offensive magic, so finding one who does is like finding a needle in a haystack.
We both agreed to look for more members, as it was risky to do it on our own at our level.
Surprisingly, this was difficult. Even though the guild had a considerable number of people and it was mid-morning, one of the peak hours, everyone who saw Ysera avoided her. At first, I understood, because I thought they were scared off by the rank of the mission. This thought vanished as soon as B-rank adventurers refused to participate, knowing the reward.
By the afternoon, we were still at the guild. No one agreed to join, avoiding us like the plague. I had to resort to asking some acquaintances if they wanted to join, but I was rejected in the same way.
"Ugh... why won't anyone accept...?"
I asked myself, scratching my head in frustration.
It seemed like we wouldn't be able to take the mission, so I was starting to get frustrated. Interrupting my thoughts, someone called me from behind with a tap on the shoulder. When I turned around, I saw a familiar face.
"Ah, it's you, Bibian."
"That's right. You're an unpleasant person. We haven't seen each other in months, and this is how you greet me?"
she said angrily, before kicking me out of my chair.
I fell to the floor with a thud. Bibian was the reason I never talked about the forest. After all, she was a goblin. Although she didn't look anything like the ones I had seen before, I didn't want to sound disrespectful, so I kept quiet about this event.
"Are you looking for another member?"
I asked Ysera, who nodded tremulously.
"Y-yes, are you interested?"
"Of course, that's why I asked, isn't it?"
There goes her attitude. Bibian was known for her constant aggressiveness, as well as for participating in street fights.
"Are you an offensive mage?"
Bibian asked, and I interjected into the conversation.
"Yes, but I also have an affinity for healing."
At my words, Bibian smiled at us before standing up and handing the mission to the manager.
"It's decided, let's go get the bags,"
she said decisively, leaving no room for discussion. Or so I thought.
"W-wait! That mission is dangerous. Isn't it better to wait for a fourth member?"
Hearing Ysera, Bibian turned around and looked at her with a smile.
"No need, we already have the important positions covered. That guy was in the middle, you're behind as
backup, and I'll take the lead."
"Y-you take the lead...? But that spot is for a tank."
At this point, I had to intervene and clarify to Ysera.
"Exactly, Bibian is a tank. I'm surprised not to see her with her hammer."
I muttered the last part, trying to think why she would leave it behind. An adventurer's heart is their weapon, so it's strange not to see one carrying theirs.
"I left it at the blacksmith's to be cleaned. Stop worrying about it, we'll meet at the city exit in a few hours, buy what you need!"