Old Burke

"The registration paperwork costs five silver coins. If you can't write, we can fill it out for you, but you'll need to pay a five-copper fee for the service. Also, being an adventurer is dangerous work. We provide some basic training to make sure you don't lose your life too quickly. That said, the Guild won't be responsible for your safety."

Ishupe looked over the young man standing before her. He was plain-looking and not particularly strong. In a mechanical tone, she recited the same lines she had said countless times before.

She didn't need to think twice. Judging by his clothes, the young man was probably a farmer. Perhaps he'd picked up a discarded weapon from some battlefield and, in a fit of enthusiasm, decided he wanted to become an adventurer.

People like that weren't uncommon. In fact, there were plenty of them. Some country folk came across a decent weapon and decided to try their luck in a big city, but things usually didn't end well. Being an adventurer wasn't easy.

That was why she had to make certain things clear up front. It might scare off the more timid ones.

"Please fill it out for me," Hades said. He could understand written words through Tongue of the Heavens, but that didn't mean he could write.

He found the existence of an organization like this incredible, but whatever. All he needed was somewhere that could help him learn about the world while concealing his identity.

If he found a safe way to make money later, what did it matter whether he remained an adventurer? Still, if he could use this platform to find some helpers, he might as well stay.

"Your name?" Ishupe asked.

Less than half the people in the Kingdom could read and write. From her observations, she had already concluded that the young man would need the scribe service, and had taken up her pen in advance.

"Mikiha," Hades replied without hesitation. He'd reversed the fake name he'd used before, making it sound much like a name from this world.

"Mm." Ishupe nodded and wrote Mikiha on the form.

"Then let's begin your basic training in adventurer knowledge," Ishupe said.

"Now?" Hades nodded. "All right, let's get started."

This was also a chance to learn about the world. Ishupe led him to a room on the second floor, where a middle-aged man was waiting. She nodded to him and left, leaving Hades alone with the man.

"Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild. I'll be giving you some basic training. If you decide during this time that you don't want to be an adventurer, you can apply to withdraw, but the paperwork fee won't be refunded. Once the training is finished, Ishupe will bring you your adventurer's tag. Now, let's begin."

The man spoke like a machine gun, sounding practiced but somewhat impatient. Perhaps he'd repeated these words too many times. As he spoke, he didn't look at Hades at all, instead reading from the booklet in his hands.

Hades didn't mind. He spotted a sofa in the room and sat down, then said, "Understood. I have a few questions I'd like to ask, too."

Over the next hour, Hades interrupted the man several times, making him answer a few questions that struck him as bizarre. But the man didn't get angry. Instead, he seemed quite interested, probably because he didn't have to keep repeating the same mechanical speech.

From the man's explanations, Hades gained a basic understanding of this world.

He also understood why the Adventurer's Guild had been able to keep operating.

Hades hadn't expected humanity in this world to be in such a sorry state. Vast regions were occupied by demi-humans and heteromorphic creatures, while humans barely managed to survive in the northwest corner of the continent.

When he'd seen Tier Magic used by the natives, he'd vaguely suspected that this world might also have creatures like monsters. But he truly hadn't expected the situation to be this bad. He'd always taken it for granted that humans were the masters of all things.

No wonder the Adventurer's Guild could survive despite only producing fighters. It was inseparable from the threat monsters posed to humanity. Even the countries issued quests to the Adventurer's Guild to clear monsters from the surrounding areas.

Hades realized he'd oversimplified this world. He hadn't known anything about it at the time, but he'd read plenty of works of fiction and had naturally formed some expectations. Now that he knew more, it seemed that life was pretty hard for the humans here.

"I understand. Thank you very much." Hades stood and addressed the man.

"Don't mention it. But now that I think about it, you're not from around here, are you? Why do you want to become an adventurer? You look like... Well, adventurer work isn't easy. I'd recommend not rushing into any quests. Find some companions first; that'll improve your chances of survival."

The man rambled on and on. Hades figured he was the talkative sort, but had grown numb from repeating the same things all the time. Hades's constant questions had given him a chance to let it all out.

"Because I'm short on money," Hades said casually. Just as he was about to leave, the man called after him.

"Young man, if you're short on money, I can lend you some. You look like you're from the countryside. Adventurers don't earn much at first, but there are plenty of expenses. You can pay me back once you start making money."

As he spoke, the man opened a drawer and took out ten silver coins. He came over and held them out to Hades. "It's not much, but it should cover a month at the inn where adventurers usually stay. You might be able to find companions there, too."

"This..." Hades froze, staring at the man with graying hair at his temples, at a loss for what to do.

He'd never encountered anything like this in his original world. Deception and self-interest were the norm in people's relationships, so he hadn't liked associating with them. They were only trying to profit from him, after all.

Hades could say with certainty that if he'd been an ordinary person, those people wouldn't have spared him a second glance. That was why he had no friends, let alone any kindness from a stranger.

"Take it. A young man like you has a long road ahead of him. Hard times don't last forever. Besides, it's a loan." This time, the man didn't ramble on. He pressed the money into Hades's hand, then turned and went back to his desk.

"May I know your name?" Hades asked.

"Just call me Old Burke," the man said.

"Thank you, Old Burke." Hades left the room with the ten silver coins in hand.

Old Burke stared blankly after Hades for a moment, then returned to the documents in front of him. He'd once had a son who was always asking him all sorts of strange questions.

His son had died in an accident, and his wife, unable to bear the blow, had sunk into depression and passed away. If his son were still alive, he'd probably be about as old as that young man.