"This Money Is So Easy to Earn."

Lamigium, Adventurer's Guild.

As usual, the Adventurer's Guild was just as noisy today.

In the guild's first-floor hall, adventurers clad in all kinds of equipment and carrying all sorts of weapons gathered in groups as though venting their emotions, devouring meat and guzzling alcohol. This seemed to have become the norm.

Of course, some people gathered in front of the notice board to pick out requests, while lines also formed before the guild staff's counters. That was likewise one of the reasons behind this bustling scene.

It was not until a certain moment that the noise in the guild noticeably died down.

The reason was simple.

A squad that stood out in every sense of the word had appeared in the guild's first-floor hall.

"Look, Vivian's Squad is back."

"Oh? That was pretty fast this time, huh?"

"Miss Vivian is as beautiful as ever."

"Little Merika is still so breathtakingly beautiful. Just what you'd expect from an elf."

"Little Lumya is adorable too, isn't she?"

"Hey, keep your voices down. If Tier hears you, you'll be in trouble."

"As expected, all the women in that squad are way too good-looking."

"I really want to join that squad."

"Look, that rookie is still with them."

"Looks like he didn't do anything too offensive."

"What a lucky guy."

Amid such murmurs, Shien's group returned to the Adventurer's Guild and once again stepped into its hall.

Naturally, Shien could hear the discussions around him and sense the appraising, even barbed gazes directed his way. He silently shrugged to himself.

As expected, nothing original.

Shien no longer took it to heart.

As for the members of Vivian's Squad, they seemed completely accustomed to such looks. Ignoring everyone around them, they went straight to a counter.

"Welcome back, Miss Vivian."

The guild employee immediately stood and greeted Vivian.

"Yes, we're back." Vivian returned her greeting with a gentle smile, but got straight to the point. "We've completed the requests we accepted earlier."

As she spoke, Vivian gestured to Merika beside her.

"Here are three bottles of spring water from a Medium Magic Power Source, as well as all the Fire Lizard Hide we collected." Merika placed a package on the counter and politely said, "Please inspect them."

"Very well. Three bottles of spring water from a Medium Magic Power Source and the hides of thirty Fire Lizards—we have indeed received them." The guild employee merely glanced inside the package before confirming the delivered request items. Whether it was because of her trust in Vivian's group or because she had the ability to quickly identify such materials, she continued, "In addition, the guild has received confirmation from the merchant caravan that the Blood Sucking Vines along the main road to Fressia have all been cleared. The three requests you accepted are confirmed complete."

The efficiency was truly impressive. As expected of the Adventurer's Guild, whose influence extended across the entire world.

"Here is your reward."

The guild employee pushed out a tray filled with glittering gold coins.

"Gold Rank Request—Collection of Spring Water—reward: twenty gold coins."

"Silver Rank Request—Fire Lizard Hide—reward: ten gold coins."

"Silver Rank Request—Clearing Blood Sucking Vines—reward: ten gold coins."

"That makes a total of forty gold coins. Please confirm."

At that, Vivian nodded. As she gathered the gold coins and handed them to Merika, she continued speaking with the guild employee.

"Are there currently any collection requests for Lizardmen Scales, Thorn Horn Demon Horns, or Hairy Spider Venom Sacs?"

"There is one request that needs Thorn Horn Demon Horns. While there is no collection request for Hairy Spider Venom Sacs, the Potion Workshop on West Street seems to need materials containing toxins. Their apprentices regularly come to the guild to post requests, so you can hand them over directly next time. As for Lizardmen Scales, there doesn't seem to be any demand yet."

"What about Purple Eye Beast Eyeballs, Gargoyle Hearts, and Fanged Salamander Tendons?"

"My apologies, someone brought in Purple Eye Beast Eyeballs this morning. The guild warehouse still had Fanged Salamander Tendons in stock, so those were handed over directly. However, Gargoyle Hearts are rare materials. There will be many people who want them, and a request could appear at any time. When that happens, we will make the exchange with the requester."

"Thank you. We also have some other materials."

"It's no trouble. These are all materials from high-level monsters, and demand is high. Someone will soon post requests to collect them."

"Then we'll leave them with you."

"Certainly."

Vivian spoke so smoothly with the guild employee, then had Lumya, who had been carrying a backpack larger than her own body, step forward and hand the backpack over.

"What are they doing?"

Shien was somewhat puzzled.

Unexpectedly, Tier, who had remained silent beside him, answered his question.

"They're checking whether there is any demand for materials we collected outside of requests," Tier said quietly. "When adventurers hunt monsters outside, they often defeat monsters unrelated to their request targets and collect their materials. Although those materials are not part of their assigned tasks, the guild may have received requests to collect those materials or defeat that type of monster. Therefore, adventurers can usually report them to the guild at times like this and complete requests they never accepted but have already fulfilled."

Shien immediately understood.

That made sense. If one collected materials from other monsters during an adventure and the guild happened to have requests for those materials, they could turn them in afterward, complete those requests, and earn extra rewards.

Even if there were currently no requests for those materials, there might be some in the future. So, it seemed adventurers would also leave certain materials with the guild for management, allowing the guild to use them directly to fulfill requests whenever ones requiring those materials appeared.

"Some people don't do that. They take the monster materials they collect to shops in town and sell them for money. What you choose to do is entirely up to you."

Tier spoke in an utterly flat tone.

"Our squad usually leaves the materials with the guild. Only especially high-level and valuable materials are kept. If you think that is inappropriate, you can make a suggestion to Vivian. Vivian will calculate the portion of materials that should go to you and let you handle it yourself. That is our squad's policy."

That was rather considerate.

Thinking so, Shien still said, "I have no objections. Let's handle it this way."

Tier nodded and said nothing more.

Before long, Vivian returned with Lumya and Merika after handling matters regarding the requests and materials.

"We got lucky. There was demand for several materials, so we completed a few additional requests and received sixty gold coins in rewards."

Vivian smiled as she held a pouch containing the divided money.

"For this mission, we earned a total of one hundred gold coins. Everyone gets exactly twenty gold coins. Here, keep it safe."

As she spoke, Vivian handed four money pouches to the others.

This money is so easy to earn.

With that thought in mind, Shien reached for the money pouch Vivian was about to hand him.

Just then, a hand suddenly reached out from the side and snatched away the money pouch Vivian had been about to give Shien.

"It wouldn't be good for a rookie to take so much reward money. Why not use it to buy everyone a drink instead?"

A voice brimming with amusement rang out and entered everyone's ears.

Congratulations to "Winged Shadow" for becoming this book's third Ally Leader! Scatter the flowers! ヾ(@^▽^@)ノ

During the new book period! I hope everyone can give it lots of support!