Chapter 6 – At Last! An Event Flag!
The two starts their lives at Minseia doing small works steadily. Because they don't want to attract too many attentions at this early start, they only do simple works that can be done at most by a single day. And not only focused in 1 place but as much place that they can reach. There's a reason why they did so.
That reason is that they want to get themselves well known first. And the fastest way to do so is by finishing jobs from many places.
Moreover, they got the chances to learn the town geographic situation faster by doing job here and there. Knowing the town better could be advantageous later. And also by doing works related to collecting material for each union guild can be useful for knowing more about how to keep on living in this fantasy world. Those who control information and wisdom are the one who wins the war.
With that in mind, they start learning about this world by doing odd jobs. They don't fuss much about the content of the job they took. And they finish those jobs fast with high efficiency that they can finish several jobs at once.
The result, eventhough they only do simple things like that, they start to stand out a lot.
Travelers that do whatever jobs available and always give result higher than most. While they seems to be unfamiliar with both the surrounding area and most common sense, they who smells nothing more than a novice upstart, have competency that surpass off those professionals.
With that how people recognize those two, they can't avoid being stand out.
In that matter, it was the result of putting importance in efficiency so it can't be helped. Renya obediently accept it.
"Getting things move faster is better right?"
"But even so finishing jobs in a pace that is impossible for normal human to achieve is too unreal I think"
"Of course I can do it, I'm already a god now. Ahh the feeling of happiness from doing manual labor is enveloping me!"
"You might look a bit cooler if you don't say those lines in front of that money mountain"
Those two are now having a chat in front of a bag that is filled to the brim with money. With Renya a bit intoxicated. Yup, that guy has done a lot of jobs while almost getting out of bounds. For examples, if he got an extermination job on the neighborhood forest, he will also clear all other work that is needs to be done there. When he got job for collecting material, with the mapping he done earlier, he will also do other material collecting job if that material collection point is also happen to be on his way to get it. Day and night he do part time job at different shop working earnestly (well normal people can do this though).
Just like clearing quest in a game with high efficiency, this guy keeps doing job after job without any sign of restrain.
And the result, he got called by a messenger from the government office today.
Of course it was not for complains. It was a special job request.
Those two are now inside a government office reception room. The room filled with simple furniture but it was arranged well so the inside looks nice. Inside, they sit on a sofa placed on the center of the room. In front of them is a hairy elderly man. That man is kinda plump with a charming face. Seeing that man moustache reminds Renya of a famous superintendence from some old manga. Seeing such things makes him forgot that he is now already on a different world.
That man, who is in fact this town feudal lord's agent that entrusted to manages this whole town, start speaking to them in heavy tone.
"First and foremost, I beg your forgiveness for calling suddenly and make you come all the way here"
"We don't mind such things. Even more, looking at how flustered the messenger was, the situation must be quite bad doesn't it?"
The lord's agent feeling obliged by how calm Renya replies. He doesn't really mind such small things like that and he also tries to appeal other people that he's not such a narrow minded people. 1st impression is important wherever world you are in.
"As expected of sir Renya, you understand the situation fast. Sir Renya, did you have knowledge about the western part of this town?"
"Not much. As I have only stayed on this city for a small number of days, I only know as much as the mountain range that is the border of the kingdom and a castle that guards the border"
"With that much knowledge already I think it's enough. Then I will go straight to the point. As the matter of fact, there is a rich material gathering place in the forest around that mountain base"
According to the information gathered so far, mana flows all over in this world. And according to that mana quality, the quality and variety of the materials that can be taken in an area varied. Well even in the previous world different environment will have different plants so it was natural.
From what that man says, that place yield some important material for the alchemist guild. And nowadays, the people who go there to gather material are not coming back.
"Of course not only alchemist guild, we have also dispatched a few people to gather those material. But no one that was dispatched ever came back"
It took 2 days to go to that gathering place. Even if someone spends all day to gather the material, it will take them roughly 5 day at most to go back to town. The road going there is not that bad either. Even if it was a search inside a forest, that forest isn't that vast. With proper equipment there's no way one will lost there.
"With that fact, one of the possibilities is that strong monsters have appeared in the area. We have also considered other possibilities also but the timing is bad. My lord can't move there carelessly until a bit later in the future"
Truth is, this kingdom is now having a peace treaty negotiation with the neighborhood kingdom, Rugartis kingdom. What will happen if a feudal lord army fully armed loitering around that forest that is close to the border? If the other kingdom border watch army happens to detect that army, things won't end up pretty. Not only of peace treaty negotiation will met difficulties, it might end up sparking another war. Feudal lord's agent can't take such risk just for solving this problem.
(So the place and the situation are both at the worst timing eh)
Even for Renya who are unfamiliar with politics between kingdoms, he kinda understands that moving an army on such situation is a bad move. Let say if the lord dispatched his soldier to that forest and they doesn't come back, for Rugartis Kingdom who don't know anything about it, they will only see that this kingdom has put its army on standby near the border. Having a card that put oneself at disadvantage at a negotiation is really a bad move.
Looking that man expression, Renya can somewhat see that this kingdom, Sirkaberia Kingdom is already at a disadvantage at the negotiation so they can't make situation get even worse.
But even if the government can't move the army, Renya understands that there are still other people who aren't attached to the government and have the necessary skill needed to solve this problem. Yes, it was travelers like Renya or mercenary who accept request to get reward. And for this kind of mission, a small group of elites seems to be the best choice.
"From what I hear, Sir Renya and Miss Floria are travelers who posses high ability enough to match thousands"
"Well… a thousand might be too much for us... but it is true that we are familiar with rough situation"
Who said that? When? Where? How come the rumors about them become that exaggerated? Screaming inside his mind, Renya once again realize how scary rumor can become.
Renya didn't realize that it was all indeed because of what he's done that the rumor become exaggerated like this. There are events where he saved a caravan from monster attack on his way back from doing a job, or when he rescue a novice warrior guild member after he inadvertently provoke a monster nest, or when some veteran warriors, upon hearing rumor about him, asked him for a match only to be beaten down completely without leaving a single one standing.
In truth, Renya simply had done too many jobs that he can't relate from which job that rumor source from. Renya doesn't realize those happenings one after another stacked up and bloats rumor about him. To add that, all those evens happen in such a short span of time making the rumor fin and tail even harder to track.
And by the way, Floria is also, by her own way, doing similar thing to here and there. Those two actions pattern is pretty similar in the end.
"Currently, the said problem has become a rumor in the town. Because of that, no one is willing to accept the job related to that forest now. But seeing that it might also bring harm to this town, we can't just leave this problem alone untouched. In that matter, I would humbly request your assistance. Would Sir Renya and Miss Floria help us for this matter?"
"Certainly it won't be a big loss for this city if travelers like us who haven't stayed for long failed the mission and never return"
"...… If I have to be honest, I can't deny that we don't consider that point also"
Wow such honesty! Renya is shocked by the lord's agent confession. But well, he doesn't see the necessities to blame the man. With such situation, he understands by just pondering about it a bit that in the end, people who accept this job would be treated as sacrificial pawn. But well, that man doesn't have any intention of making us one, if he does then Renya would already deny the request instantly. And what more, that man being honest about the risk involved is also a plus in this negotiation.
"No problem then, Okay we will accept that job"
"Oh! I really appreciate it! Thank you!"
"And then what about the other? From what I hear, this job requires a small group of people right?"
"Ah yes, peoples from warrior guild that were staying in this city and a few handpicked elites"
"...… Could it be"
"Ah! No! Not those people who challenged Sir Renya recently"
Misunderstanding Renya's point, the man in panic tries to deny things that might harm Renya's mood. Renya doesn't hold any grudge or anything against them anyway. "Eh? They also going to? Wouldn't they be useless?" is how he really worried about.
"It was the commander of a warrior group that was staying here with a few of his assistants"
"In short, the best warriors that the warrior guild has now yes? Any other?"
Then those people must be 1st class warriors who have enough skills and experience to deal with the problem. If he should have problem with them it would only be related to their personality atleast… As Renya evaluates his would be team mate from lord's agent information, He urge the man for other team mate information. Even if he says a few handpicked elites, according to the situation, he might ask for more combatants just to make sure.
"She was same people like Sir Renya and Miss Floria, a traveler. Even though she still young, she is quite a skillful magician. It was only her that accept this job immediately without many questioning"
"Hee… a magician eh?"
For your information, where Renya focused just now is not the 'magician' part but the 'still young' part. He subconsciously tries to hide that fact and says magician instead.
"... seems like at last a flag will come"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Ah no. Just talking to myself"
After having discussion about the detailed arrangement, they left the government office. It was already night by the time they left. Walking at the street in the night, they went back to their inn.
At the way back, Floria who had been silent all the time atlast speak up.
"5000 yen for an advance pay. Such generosity! And they pay this much to the other 4 people too right?"
"It can't be helped. After all, this job related to the material the alchemist guild needed when compounding medicine. With no material their work will be delayed, if it was delayed that means no medicine produced, with no medicine general store can't get their stock, doctor will be troubled when treating their patients, all the traveler and mercenary who depend on it will also be troubled. Ultimately it will give a big hit on the city economy and the industry around. It's a situation where they had to sacrifice even the city fund for solving this trouble."
Currently, the mid class inn where they stay charges 200 yen for a day. This world calendar system is not much different from earth. That means it will cost 6000 yen to stay for a month. Getting an advance pay that is close to 1 month worth of inn cost shows that those government official are already at their wits end.
"This will be the 1st interesting job since coming here, I can hardly wait"
"You liar~ the part that you can hardly wait is the meeting with that 'might be a beauty' magician girl right?
""Hahaha, isn't that natural? Is there a man that can sit still after hearing the key words 'young magician girl'? The reward for me is just a bonus you know a bonus"
"Directly retorting back shamelessly like this is also amazing in a sense..."
Astounded, with also a bit of jealousy flame sparked, Floria pinches Renya sides. GYAA! Renya scream in a weird way from Floria pinch and wither away in a weird way also. The sour stomach she feels before disappears instantly after seeing that.
"D Don't worry! My number one will always be you Floria! There's no doubt in it"
"Really~? Won't my position fall down once you got a new harem member? I'm just the 'old' wife after all"
"Where did you learn that notion? Well unfortunately even if my harem increases my number one will always be you Floria, the other will all be in the same rank of number 2. Yup no problem"
Such arrogance! Who made this guy a god? The world will end soon if this situation continues.
"Well it was my idea at first and Renya is not the type of guy that will add harem carelessly anyway"
"Honestly I also feel that way… I'm too much used to do thing slowly and steadily"
"I think it was better that way. Because if you don't, only girls that aims for your money or status will come. No one will love the real you that way. Rather than dumping those trash in the end its better not to start anything at all right?"
While smiling brightly Floria says such a frightening thing. Her standard and common sense are different as she is a pure goddess from start. Those differences sometimes give Renya the shivers.
"Anyway, looks like this job wouldn't be a simple one"
"Oh so you felt it too?"
"Well, let's just do our best, we are gods after all"
"Yup let's do our best, I am a goddess after all"
On the way home to their inn, even the shadow of those two that is illuminated by the street light looks like flirting to each other.