"Well, anyway... We should head to the guild and get you signed up." It was Han who broke the silence with hesitation. I nodded my agreement and the girls agreed as well.
"Well see ya later, guys," Ellie called after us as we walked out. "See ya soon, Kichi!" She singled my name out of everyone's to personally say goodbye.
"See ya,." I waved a hand without turning around.
The doors shut and we made our to the guild.
On our way there, the trio told me about old quests they had done before and the close calls they had with monsters. In general, they all seemed excited. I, however, just blinked slowly as they spoke.
The walk wasn't too long. In fact, the Guild was actually pretty close to the Plaza, which was rather convenient.
The inside of the Guild was what you'd expect from a guild if you ever played an MMORPG. There were wooden tables set across one another with a quest bored in the far corner, as well as a receptionist in the middle of it all behind a desk.
"Hey, Ez." Han said as we approached the receptionist.
"It's Ezra, not Ez." She said with a sweet smile. The smile was a lie. It was obvious behind it she said "Call me that again and see what happens."
Of course, Han didn't realize this. But to me, a trained shut-in, it was quite obvious. On top of that when I was in school, before dropping out, I was a loner. So I had plenty of time to master the art of reading people.
"Okay. Okay." Han waved off her correction like it was a fly buzzing around his head. "Anyway, we have a quest to turn it." He handed her the form.
"…..what's this?" She asked as she looked at it then Han.
"The quest we com-"
"I know that. I'm saying why is it a B ranked quest when your party rank is D? More or less I'm asking how did you complete it." Her eyes narrowed as her gazed turned to me. My eyes immediately turned to the ground. Her gaze was too frightening for me to handle. "Did you carry them?" She asked, her voice cold.
"No," I replied instantly out of habit.
She was the dominant one, so it was obvious I had to submit to her will and answer every question immediately. Such is the law of Kichirou, as I like to call it. Play along with the superiors and don't argue and you get out of trouble faster.
"Actually, Kichirou here saved all of us. If not for him we would have died in that cave. But his level is actually lower than ours, so it's not like we were carried. We still barely escaped by the skin of our teeth." Han immediately added. The atmosphere grew calmer and the gaze that was cast on me vanished and went to Han.
"I see...and that's something to brag about?" She asked with a sneer. "Being saved by a lower level?"
"Ngh! Well....no, not really." Han replied.
"But the fact of the matter is he did save us. And we completed the quest. We're just letting you know so you can, you know," Sora smirked. "Raise our party rank and increase our pay."
Ah, so in this world adventurers were paid based off of quests they completed but also directly from the guild based off their party rank. It makes sense.
What if you're a low level party and get crap quests and rewards? The guild also pays you a fair amount so as to help you get better gear and hopefully someday raise the parties rank. It was a simple capital growth system.
With a sigh, Ez did as told. The parties rank was raised from D to B. I had my doubts about that, but like always, I said nothing. Mostly because I didn't want to, also because I didn't know how to word it, and the little was because I knew it was bad to underestimate people. Who knows what they could all accomplish.
"So, since Mr....," she looked at me. To any normal person, it was obvious she was asking a name, and she expected one. But instead she got a blank stare from me as I looked away from her terrifying gaze. I heard her make a snorting sound.
"Kichirou. His name's Kichirou Saiyaku." Han jumped to the rescue, though it wasn't really needed. Even in my old life, that was how people reacted to my silence and ignorance.
"Okay, and can I see his adventuring ID so I can confirm and add him to your parties information ballet?" I could feel her eyes on me.
"Oh...about that...he actually needs one." Han laughed nervously.
"...." She went silent for a second before speaking. "You're telling me he was out questing without an ID?" She narrowed her eyes even more. This was bad. It was illegal to quest without an ID.
I sighed heavily. It was fun while it lasted...
It was the end for me. I'd spend the rest of my life in prison, a sentence worse than death. Just as things seemed to be at the worst, I felt a tug on my sleeve. I turned around to see a short boy...girl? Whatever they were, they were... CUTE!
They were only five foot one with a small nose, red eyes, short silver hair, and small frame. I just wanted to protect them! NO, even more, I wanted to marry them and have them greet me every morning!
They'd poke my nose softly to wake me up and say in a soft sweet voice to wake up and that they made breakfast. I had it all planned out.
Whoever this person was, they stared into my eyes. "...Like a dead fish," they said.
Wait...I'd heard that somewhere before...what was that anime again? My youth something? Whatever. The fact of the matter is that they weren't wrong.