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In the bustling streets of Bellken, the weird elf and I was in front of a familiar two-story building. "Here we are, The adventurers guild!"
I looked at the building, focused on the giant wooden billboard with gibberish writing.
He kept in mind that the gibberish writing had exactly 19 letters, the same amount of letters when the word "the adventurers guild" is spelled in English. "Their writing feels awfully similar but I can't put my finger on it."
Entering the guild, I saw exactly what I expected.
At least 60% of the first floor is pretty much a tavern with chairs and circular tables while the other 40% is the very back and sides of the building. At the far end of me were a receptionist area and a door going into an area.
Looking to the side, I saw 3 wide billboards full of what I presumed are quest then my eyes turn to the second floor where I can see many doors which. 'Either inn or a meeting room...' My thoughts were soon interrupted by a couple of adventurers approaching us.
"Well if it isn't the brawler archer, last night was quite a show eh?" A man teases her.
"Oh shaddup you guys, you all know he started it" She immediately responded with an angry tone.
"Oh really? because from my perspective you threw yourself to him because he didn't want to drink with you." He teases again before he looks at me. "And who's that kid? Oi brawler archer, the fighting, we couldn't really don't care but you can't just bring a kidnap a kid you know." He said in a serious manner.
"Why are you assuming that I kidnap him! His at least above 15! you are, right?" I nodded my head as she looks at me. He waves off her angry stare and asked why I was here. "I see then what is he doing here?"
"Well..." She explains my situation to them and how I didn't know anything about this world.
"I see well I guess weirdos attract weirdos." He said teasing us and immediately, she takes an offensive stance. "Oi asshole, you wanna go?"
The so-called archer brawler cracked her knuckles and curled her hand into fists.
"No thanks, we just got a new job and besides your flat broke aren't you, it'll be best if you take one of the jobs as well, or else you'll starve in jail." The man grabs his weapon and passes and soon his other party members followed.
"Tch well I hate to admit it but your right, let's go." She admits her defeat and soon walked toward a receptionist.
"Ah! good morning miss Greenhorn." A woman with hair greeted her formally.
"It'll be great if you don't call me by my village name, just call me by my first name instead." The brawler archer suggested without the same enthusiasm as before.
"Um alright, ahem, good morning Mrs. Astoria." She speaks with a somewhat uncomfortable face.
"Good," Astoria smiles again.
"Anyway, I need you to register him." She said and pointed at me. The receptionist then looked at me a bit weirdly, it seems she never have seen clothes like mine before.
"I see then can please fill out this form." The receptionist smiles happily and then gave me a form and a pen.
Himura looks at Astoria asking for help.
"Well here's the thing..." Astoria explains my situation again to the receptionist leaving out the details about our meeting in a jail cell.
"Oh dear, if he can't even read then how will he do the quest?" She asked, worried.
"Oh don't worry about that, I'll be partying up with him, besides I've been wanting some company in my adventures." With that, the receptionist pondered about what to do but soon came to a decision. "Alright then, if you can translate everything to him then that'll be fine." She said, however, her face shows that she was still worried.
"Neat." Astoria decided to write his form for him, only leaving out my name, using some yes and no questions, she eventually found out his age and other information as well.
"Seventeen, is that right?" I nodded my head and she starts to write at a blank line that was beside a three-gibberish letter.
I noticed while she writing was the form that they use the same numbers as what I used back in my former world. 'I guess that's my age then.' I thought to myself then Astoria speaks. "As for your name, we can change it whenever we want but for now let's use an alias."
"Hmmmm how about Astoriatwo?" Immediately rejected.
"Ummmm then pen?"
Rejected again.
"Paper?"
Rejected.
"Uuuuuu I'm bad at naming things, do you have any name you want?" I think to myself for some time, trying to figure out a name that I like while also a name she would be able to figure out.
I see a piano on a podium, presumedly where bards come to perform so I walked up to it and play a single note.
"Music?" I shake my head.
"Piano?" I shake my head again.
"Ah! Note!"
Finally, I nod my head, confirming her guess and Astoria immediately writes it on my form.
Upon completing the form, I receive a brown circular insignia with a small hole above it.
"Here," Astoria hands me a string so I tied my insignia around my neck.
"Alright, let's go on an adventure!" Astoria declares, rushing to the billboards, as I was about to follow her the same receptionist called for me.
"Mr. Note, a word of advice with Astoria. She's really forceful when it comes to doing what she wants no matter how bad of an idea it is so if you don't want to do want she wants I suggest returning her forcefulness. I nod at her suggestions and had an idea of why she was a solo adventurer.
I soon saw Astoria looking at a couple of quests in front of her.
Looking at the billboard myself, other than the gibberish writing, I also saw star-like symbols below every writing. 'That should be the representation of how difficult a quest is.'
"How about this? We just have to kill a couple of ogres, it's easy enough for me to kill them so I can definitely help you when you're in trouble."
I nod with her in agreement noticing that it only had 3 starlike symbols.
But there is one problem, I had no weapon. I tap on Astoria's shoulder and tried to say that I have no weapon. "Oh right! We can buy an adventurer starter kit in the merchant branch of the guild." Astoria says happily.
I tried to convey my lack of money and again, Astoria smiles.
"Don't worry about it, The adventurer's starter kit is cheap for a newbie adventurer like you so I can easily pay for it, oh but remember to pay me back!" I nod but I was reminded of what the male adventurer said earlier about her being broke. 'Could they mean that Astoria wastes most of her money on alcohol?'
We arrive at a small building near the adventurer guild, inside the building there wasn't as much activity as the adventurers guild had, only a couple of adventurers buying supplies. "Yo!" Astoria greeted the receptionist energetically.
"Hmm?" A bored receptionist only looked at uz waiting for them to buy something.
She bought rations enough for a day or two for both of us and of course, the adventurer's starter kit as well.
The starter kit was a small pack filled with a grappling hook, a long knife both to take someone's life or to cut something, and a waterskin.
Going to the receptionist she pays for the rations and starter kit and I prepared to leave. "Hey, you forgot your weapon!" She shouts, beckoning me to come to her.
I looked back, quite confused. "You can get a free weapon in this rack that comes with the starter kit, the knife is more of a knife to cut the meats of animals, it's not commonly used to kill." She explained.
I nod, taking a look at the rack of weapons and armor. There was an iron axe, bow, mace, shield, longsword, and twin blades.
Although I wanted a single-edged blade like a katana similar to my wooden blade, I shake my head to clear such a thought. I was already lucky to have met Astoria so I didn't want to push my luck.
I grabbed the twin blade first, although I wanted the long sword, I knew that a long weapon could be detrimental if I am fighting inside a small cave which was where the ogre was said to be. "Good choice."
The receptionist commented, it seems that Astoria told him about our quest. The receptionist followed up by giving a common trivia.
"Shorter blades are more versatile since they can work in small spaces although it will be harder when fighting since it has a shorter range."
The twin blades were more of a pair of long knives.
Nodding to him, we left and headed outside the gate, the guards there acknowledge us and let us through.
"It says here that we need to go west from here." Looking at where she's pointing, I saw the same forest that I went through last night so I silently sign in relief that I didn't encounter any of them.
"Shall we?" Astoria asked me. After a deep breath, I readied myself and then he nod at her.
"Haha, relax this is just a three-star quest you'll be fine." I couldn't help but smile a little, as her laugh was very contagious.
"Smile very weird you know that. You smile but also not smile at the same time."
'Well I don't really smile a lot, I never liked my smiling face, it felt weird.' I drop my smile and looked away.
"Oh sorry..." She apologizes but I shake my head telling her that it's no trouble.
"Alright then, let's go!" Astoria smiles again not caring what dangers might appear in this quest. I nod and we headed to the forest.