In a span of a single day, we have finally arrived to the City of Touma which was greatly indifferent than the poor village of Raske. It was surrounded by walls rising above 30 metres in height.
From afar I could make out the entrance comprised of two gates guarded by a squad of knights. From the left side was a long line of people while from the right was a gathering of carriages pulled by various creatures besides a horse. The right gate was three times larger than the left to accommodate space for the vehicles.
「Hey Hain, what are those for?」
I pointed at the city gates flocking with many travellers besides us with an exhilarated expression. I helped myself by sitting on the driver's seat along with Hain who was sitting right next to me. Heldris, the Rafflecia Deer didn't need to take specific orders to move independently.
「Oh, those? That's where the people go inside, the entrance. It's also where thorough inspections are held. They even have a magic device that lets them see your status.」
Status?! As I thought, I really need to make a skill to hide my status for situations like this. It was the right call for me to have done it in advance the moment the"Skill Creation"skill finished earlier.
After we've reached the line of carriages, it turns out we're only ninth in the line. So I immediately called out for Alvis.
『The skill"Fake Status"has been successfully executed. 25 mana points has been used. Master is able to cancel this skill anytime to view his real status.』
A window similar to a keyboard for PC appeared right in front of me. It was colored in blue much like my status screen. Written on the screen floating a little above the keyboard were things like "Name:", "Class:", "Level" and the like which are used to indicate my power. I tested it out by typing characters in the blank name space and wrote "Arch Fern". A new button appeared next to the keyboard saying "Save". I pressed it to test it's validity and what came out from my status was:
☆
Name: Arch Fern
Class: Hero
Level: 13
Age: 11
Race: Ningen
Height: 188cm
HP: 610,000
MP: 1,200,000
STR: 458,000
AGI: 458,000
INT: 999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999
DEF: 458,000
Unique Skills:
"Skill Creation"
"Auto-Pilot"
Skills:
"High Heal"
"Dimensional Storage"
"Processing"
"Elemental Barrier"
"Craftsmanship F"
"Masquerade"
"Unattraction"
"Cooking F"
"Atmos Blade"
"Inferno Edge"
"Dominator"
"Charm F"
"Spearsmanship D"
"Blacksmithing E"
"Wind Blast"
"Swordsmanship D"
"Fake Status"
"Skill Gifting"
So it really does work!
『Ofcourse.』
I only had 8 minutes remaining so I started working on the status details. Hain who noticed me moving my hands randomly asked.
「Erm... A-Arch, what are you doing? Are you going to make the town explode?」
「O-Ofcourse not! I'm just doing... Ah! Yubizumou* by myself!」
TL Note: Yubizumou
means thumb
wrestling.
「I-I see...」
My face was drenched in an apprehensive complexion. I was feeling uneasy because I thought Hain saw the skill but seeing that she didn't even mention it, it means she didn't see anything.
7 minutes later, it was finally our turn. As a precaution, I tried to check my new status. After we have reached the inspection area, the guards made us press our hands against an aquatic crystalline cube that was accommodated and made to fit in the wall. Next to it was a slit where paper was released every time they checked my companion's status. Then after a while, it's my turn.
I raised my hand and slowly pressed my hand against the magic device, it looked as thought I was doing a difficult task that required great precision but nonetheless it was easy for everyone while I had to make up my status on the spot.
Bzzzt!
The sound of the piece of paper pushing it's way out of the magic device reverberated in the air, making me feel tense. It felt like slow motion for me. I really hope they fell for it and let me go.
「Hmm... pretty good level here you got and... Woah.」
The guard who was reading my status out loud was suddenly lost for words and stared wide eyed for a good while at the white piece of parchment in his hand which shown my status.
「H-Hey, what's the matter captain!? You! What did you do to him?」
The other man who was in the guy's squad was holding the handle of his sheathed sword ready to strike me. I glared at him in response.
「Hey stop! Theres nothing wrong.」
The guard who was looking frozen at my status finally noticed the current situation and acted to stop his men.
「*Coughs* W-Well then, there seems to be no problem here. You can proceed to the city now, Sir Fern. With your promising capabilities, please register to the guild as soon as possible.」
The inspection guard gave to me the piece of parchment that had my fake status in it and shown me a promising smile. Surely Alvis didn't put anything there to expose me as the hero. While walking, I heard him utter「What a monster...」I thought of checking my status first to see what exactly he saw out of curiosity. I gave the rest of the job to Alvis afterall since I was too lazy and tensed up at the moment.
☆
Name: Arch Fern
Class: Holy Paladin
Level: 41
Age: 19
Race: Human
Height: 188cm
HP: 13,162
MP: 35,275
STR: 3,433
AGI: 7,821
INT: 30,903
DEF: 590
Unique Skills:
"High Heal"
"Processing"
"Atmos Blade"
"Spearsmanship D"
"Inferno Edge"
Skills:
"Swordsmanship D"
"Detection Magic A"
"Poison Detection E"
"Trap Sensory E"
"Short-Distance Teleportation"
"Venom Strike"
"Magic Storage"
"Elemental Barrier"
"Shadow/Light Shift"
"Craftsmanship E"
"Meditation D"
"Reduced Fatique C"
"Increased Stamina C"
"Physical&Magic Resistance C"
"Intimidation B"
"Cooking F"
"Charm F"
"Blacksmithing E"
"Wind Blast"
So she changed my class to paladin like this. These stats are lower than myself when I was in my level 1 Hero class. Nevertheless, nothing is suspicious about it so Alvis had done a good job.
『Naturally.』
I missed that way of speaking, Alvis. Please speak to me more from now on, alright?
『Understood. However, master had already found people to interact with, therefore my existence as a chatting system has been unqualified.』
H-Hey, that's not true! I'm sorry I haven't been talkative to you all this time.
『Answer, apology accepted.』
The people who was behind us stared at me, surely there would have a been alot of attention focused on me if I shown all my skills. Hain and the Iron Trout party along with Heldris were already waiting for me inside the city. They proposed going ahead of me earlier since it was taking so long.
「What're we gonna do with this then?」
Grease asked while gesturing at the carriage we used. Now that we were inside, we had no need for this carriage anymore or else it will just give us space problems. I got an idea for that.
「Hey guys! Isn't that the monument of the hero?」
I pointed at the statue at the entrance. There was a platinum statue of a young woman holding a sword standing there. Thankfully, it seems to have worked and caught their attention even if it's only 2 seconds.
「Oh the third hero, Yuzuna Kanzaki!」
While they talked about random bullshit I didn't understand I took this opportunity to store the carriage while noone is looking.
Now Alvis!
『Understood. Activating the"Dimensional Storage"skill– Skill activation successful, 90 mana points has been used.』
I raised my left hand immediately after accelerating my thoughts and directed my palm at the carriage to suck it into the vortex emanating from my hand namely the spacial storage. By the time they have looked back at me, the carriage was already gone. Although I put Heldris in there too by accident.
「Hey, where did our transportation means go?」
「Oh, I just put it in my magic storage again.」
「Hahaha you really have a good amount of intelligence stats to hold your storage.」
Grease probably complimented me. Leaving that aside, we started strolling inside the city. According to Tuna, the entrance is normally crowded with stalls to attract costumers and the central districts were mainly comprised of homes. At the center of the city was the mansion of Baron Piedmont.
As we walked, I saw various races that I've always seen in fantasy fictions such as elves, dwarves, beastkin and even spiritkins. They seem to be speaking in other languages when talking to the same race though. Nevertheless, if I told Alvis I wanted to understand them, it'll be done in a jiffy.
「Kyaa!」
Oops, I accidentally bumped into someone. A girl with sakura colored hair and a green cloak. As usual, time slows down again. During that time, I bent and caught her in my arms. She looked at me surprisingly like a girl who've met her prince charming. It's probably due to my charm skill and my extraordinarily handsome looks.
Hm? My gaze fell upon three other giggling girls wearing the same but different colored cloaks the girl I'm holding is wearing.
「I-I'm sorry, I slipped!」
Total bullshit.
I can feel Hain's intense killing intent from behind me. It was way worse than any monster auras I've felt before. Well, I guess I'll play my part as the legendary hero.
「It's fine. Just be careful next time.」
A much more intense dazzling aura broke out from my figure which totally engulfed Hain's. For a moment there, I saw the girl's eyes switch to being hearts and the nearby girls stopped to stare at me for a while. Even Tuna got caught up, one person however remained in her own state. The mad Hain who was glaring closely to me.
『Hmph.』
「What do you think you're doing?」
「Uh, I just helped her up.」
「I would have liked it if you let her fall. Better if you kicked her.」
Cruel. She's scary and definitely not a sister figure when she's mad! And did I just hear Alvis "Hmph." there? I hope it's just my imagination.
We soon arrived at the front door of a large building at the Western District of Touma. It was the Adventurer's Guild I've always thought of joining when going in an isekai adventure, the best job I could ever ask for which I couldn't gain in the previous world. All seven of us went inside the guild with I being the last.
The guild was full of interesting people wearing different kinds of outfits. One could tell their classes from their weapons and choice of clothes but they were all in different colors or shapes.
「We're back, Audrey-san!」
Eek! Is that a macho girl? No wait... There's a bulge in that place! It's definitely a guy!
「Oh! Welcome back Clint-kun and the Iron Trout party, is it?」
Despite his scary looks, he seems like a good person. The macho guy had long dark brown hair and brown eyes. The most noticeable part of him was his armor that looked more like a bikini with iron plates! He's literally half-naked right now and people just shrug it off as normal! As expected of another world!
「We've completed the herb collection quest for the Jeorial Flower requested by Baron Piedmont.」
「Oh my! Well done, you guys. Noone but you five were the ones to first reach out to the quest when noone else volunteered.」
「W-Well, we can't just ignore it after finding out someone's life is on the line.」
「Despite being Low-Tier G Ranks, you're more capable than any D Ranks out there who only care about the money. I should recommend a rank up for your whole party to the guildmaster.」
From being a nonchalant lemon Clint, he became a tomato Clint. Overcome with joy, the Iron Trout party shouted in chorus their own party name.
I'm really happy for them. Even I can feel their overflowing emotions. Seconds later I noticed they all started crying tears of joy but I thought it best not to ruin the mood.
「Hain.」
「What?」
How cold! She became cold just from earlier. She's been standing behind me quietly this whole time. And, eh?
This is the first time I've seen Hain remove her Veil. Crimson hair and peridot eyes in contrast to her beautiful face and body. I didn't make a mistake on which girl I should get to choose afterall.
『Hmph.』
Huh? What is this situation? It's like two girls are hating me for interacting with a single girl. One girl is a skill in the first place!
「I have to talk to you about something.」
「What is it?」
「Hain, you specialize in healing right? Are you able to fight?」
「No, I don't have any offensive magic or any martial arts skills.」
As I thought. I wonder if she's okay with fighting, I want to see her fighting and not healing. Her expression changed to be a bit calmer when I asked.
「What if you had the power to? Would you fight?」
「Eh? Yeah. I've always wanted to fight and not heal, I think it's a bit boring.」
Ah, so she's that kind of girl. My face was wrapped in a tensed up expression of purple from this girl's fighting spirit. Certainly just from her killing intent I can feel her potential if she weren't a healing class but a fighter.
「Hain, I'll make you a swordsman by tomorrow. Is that okay with you?」
「Wh-What? I-I mean, if it's you who can do anything I'm sure you can without a doubt. I agree, please make me a swordsman.」
Since when did I make a phrase like that? Anyway, she's not against it and even agreed.
I let out a sigh in relief while still hearing the non-stop sobbing of the Iron Trout party.
「But first, let's register as adventurers.」
We approached the guild receptionist, Audrey-san.
「Oh my, who might this handsome lad and young beautiful lady be? Are you here to become adventurers?」
「Yes we are.」
The guild receptionist took out two thick pieces of paper small enough to be fit in a wallet. He slipped in one of the two inside a printer looking magic device and asked us our class and place our hands on the blue glowing screen. I was the first to do so and the moment I placed my hand on the screen. The thick paper Audrey-san picked, slipped out of a slit from the magic device which Audrey-san picked up dramatically.
「This is a Guildcard Maker. It's a very complicated magic item that costed the guildmaster six gold coins to procure. It's found in every guild branch across the country. Please read the guild rules in the guild card system or else you might make a rule breaking. Ofcourse, no excuses~.」
I swallowed my saliva.. The guild receptionist winked at me while handing me my Guild Card which made me feel uneasy. But still, six gold coins is something else. A gold coin is atleast 100 silver coins afterall. So 6 gold coins is enough to let a person live for 3 years luxuriously in this world.
I took a glance at my first ever Guild Card. Come to think of it, it's not really soft like I expected it to be and it had a golden frame around it now which it didn't have before being modified by the Guildcard Maker. And it had something really interesting in it that piqued my interest.
Name: Arch Fern
Age: 19
Level: 41
Gender: Male
Class: Healer
Rank: Low-Tier G Rank
ID: 71638509
∆ Call ∆ Quests ∆ Send Message
∆ Scan ID ∆ Monster Encyclopedia
∆ Map ∆ Guild Rules
That's right, this is some kind of phone system isn't it? To satisfy my curiosity, I pressed the "∆ Scan ID" letters and it made the right side of the guildcard transparent.
「Arch, I have a guild card too now!」
Perfect timing.
I gripped the hand Hain was holding her guildcard in and scanned her Guild Card's ID using mine. For a brief moment, both the "∆ Call" and "∆ Send Message" letters made a faint glow. So I guess that means I can contact Hain using this guildcard now.
We paid the guild receptionist, Audrey-san 3 Silver and 30 Coppers each and it seemed like the Iron Trout party is already finished with their drama and had already received their quest rewards from the guild staff.
「We're done registering as adventurers.」
「That's great, Sir Fern. You'll surely surpass our ranks in no time without a doubt.」
「Thanks, and would you like to exchange contacts?」
After scanning all the ID's of our fellow adventurers namely the Iron Trout party, I and Hain went around the city to search for an inn that Clint recommended us to go to.
This new inn wasn't so bad from the one at Murasaka, although this was less lively as there was only a dozen people here which are all parties of adventurers.
「Welcome to the "Poker Inn" dear customers.」
A cat-eared girl in a maid outfit greeted us. This is the first time I saw them at close, they looked exactly like a human except their ears were that of an animal.
「We're adventurers. One inn for two people please. We'll be paying for a month's worth.」
「Adventurer's, is it? And a month? Um...」
She started counting with her fingers. I was a bit taken aback and surprised, if she counts Sigils it's going to take her forever so I guess I, a former earthling should help her out.
「How much is a night?」
「W-Well, that's 90 Copper coins. But since you're adventurers, it will be 15% less...」
I see, she's really bad at mathematics from how she's looking and talking. I smiled wryly and answered by asking Alvis. Ofcourse because I'm bad at math too!
「13,950 Sigils or 1 silver coin and 186 Copper coins.」
I answered confidently, even Hain was bewildered from how good I am in calculating all that in mere seconds like a professional.
「Y-Your heart is not lying so you didn't cheat me just now.」
「Eh? How did you know I wasn't lying?」
「I have a hearing enhancement skill. If paired with my racial traits, I can tell truth apart from lies.」
What a really useful ability. I underestimated the hearing skill probably because I was just dumb enough to know how to use it.
「So 1 silver coin and 186 copper coins, is it?」
「It's 2 silver coins and 372 copper if we add my wife.」
I slithered my left hand behind Hain to hold her waist and pull her closer to me. She was a bit surprised and startled but didn't really make any noise apart from a cute surprised "Eh?".
「I see– eh? You have a wife?」
She "Eh?" too!
I looked at her with a puzzled expression. She turned red and looked away, as I thought I could tease her like that. Hain seems to be liking me touching her this much though.
「I-I mean, please follow me.」
She led us to the fourth floor of the inn through a few flights of stairs and led us to a room with a "36C" written on it's door.
It was a surprisingly luxurious room despite it's fair price. I inspected the bed and it's soft, I checked the furnitures and their gaps and there was no dust to be seen. This is a high quality inn not to be looked down upon. Shortly after, Alvis spoke a few minutes after the cat-eared maid left the room.
『Master, please sleep.』
This is a first for Alvis to tell me to sleep. Well, it is already 8pm already and we arrived here in Touma earlier at 6pm, even Hain is already resting right next to me. A bed for two is really the best! I don't sleep around this time in my previous world but it seems this world has a different concept and time of sleep for people. Geez, I'm really tired...