Handling customers like receiving them courteously, greeting them, and offering your utmost patience when dealing with even troublesome clients is what being a good receptionist is.
[Say...] Across the reception is the dining area, it is clearly as busy as always, except...
[Yes?] (Matthew)
[Just in case a troublesome client indeed caused trouble, can I just punch them in the face?] I asked him while pointing at one of the adventurers trying to woo Nene at the diner from across the inn lobby
[Well, yes, punch him in the face for me] (Matthew) It's my 1st week living for free here in Quagmire Inn, and my 1st day as the temporary inn receptionist to compensate for that. Nothing is free after all, but this much is fine.
It seems that Sir Matthew is also definitely angry at the guy, but before I could even step in, another adventurer punched the guy.
[Hora?! What the fuck are you doing to Nene-chan?! You're troubling her!] (??) A baldy with a club falcon punched the guy.
[Right right! You should not bother the inn maidens!] (??) A lanky guy supported him.
The said flirtatious adventurer flew out of the inn in a ">" manner...it was rather comedic to look at, fortunately, he flew out without hitting the window.
[Thank you for doing that you two~] (Nene) She thanked them with a smile.
[Gufa!? I received the smile! Her smile!!!! Jagu I think I might die today auuuuu!!!!] (??) He fainted
[Big brother?!] (Jagu)
[.....]
[...] (Matthew) Well...the situation was solved by itself by those two, the girls seem to have a lot of fans, so they instinctively stepped in to defend them.
[It was rather unneeded huh] So they are idols huh...no wonder that the numbers of young male clients here are numerous, not that it was a bad thing.
[Hello and good day, do you have available rooms right now?] (??)
[Good day to you as well, I am Jack, and we have 3 vacant rooms in the left wing, one single room and 2 double. What room would you choose and how many days would you like to stay?]
[Let's see, how much for a single room?] (??)
[It is ----] Based on the chart I shown and taught to me, a day for a single room is 15 coppers, originally without a discount it would be 10 silvers and 5 copper coins, but for a limited time (just for this month) a 5 copper discount was implemented.
For an affluent customer, 5 coppers aren't that much, but for adventurers...it was basically the best offer they could find for a decent inn.
[Is that so!? Then a week please~] (??) She handed the exact amount, and after recounting it, I handed her a quill and the inn's logbook.
[Please write your name here, and as for the room, here is the key to single room number 11]
[Thank you~] (??)
[You're welcome]
[Say....Jack] (Matthew)
[Yes?]
[I think you should smile often] (Matthew) Was it by sheer luck, or was it because every single client I faced understood my stiff smile?
It's already been ages since I smiled normally, and the smile I have right now is the business smile that I honed during my depressing adulthood days.
My mentor, Sir Matthew, commented as he sat at the chair in the lobby while observing me.
[Was it that stiff?]
[Yes, it was] (Matthew)
[I see] Without any context, that exchange would sound perverted, but no, what he meant was my smile and not the rod between my legs.
I have already booked 6 people for the past hour as the afternoon began, and the place calmed down drastically after lunch ended. It seems that people have resumed their work right after filling their bellies after a hearty meal and some talks.
[You two should take a break now, I will handle this myself] (Alurra) Coming from the diner as she wiped her hands with the apron, she offered us a break.
[Is that so, then I will take the offer] I learned a lot of lessons just from this activity alone.
First is that a first-time impression to me leaves a lasting impression on the entire inn. For example...
"Oya? You got a son from another wife?"
"The heck? This kid is my benefactor, rather our benefactor"
"He got a stiff smile, huh, his arms look like matches"
"Then let me take you as an underling"
"Please no, I will respectfully decline"
"Huh!? For this esteemed Jad's offer to be declined?!"
Were those even first time impressions about me? I am not sure.
The last few exchanges came from the baldy who punched the flirtatious bastard, I mean the guy who did justice for Nene. He and his lanky underling were thugs before, however, they met the good food and service of this inn and diner, thus decided to be adventurers and were now regulars.
Right after Alurra took the post, 2 clients then came. Both were adventurers it seems, but what struck them the most was their distinct hair color.
[Alurra-chan?!] (??) The red-headed girl immediately halted her feet...
[Ahaha. I am now back Rynia-san] (Alurra)
[Uwaaa!!!!] (??) And immediately she flew and hugged Alurra.
Well....these two are?
[They are regulars here] (Mattew) Oh? Really? The more I look at the interaction of the red-headed woman with Alurra the more I think that perhaps sir Matthew has children from another woma--
[Gufu!] I was elbowed in my stomach.
[Stop with the rude thinking, as if I'd cheat on a fearsome wife] (Matthew) Mistress Marie is a fearsome wife? Huh? No matter how I looked at her, she looked like a motherly saint woman.
[Is that....so? Ow....my sides]
[Sup Matthew, a new kid? A kid from another woman?] (Rynia) After her assault on Alurra, she went onto us.
[Stop joking, this kid was the one that went up to save them, come on kid introduce yourself] (Matthew) He pushed me with a slap on my shoulder once again.
[Ugh...my name is Jack, nice to meet you miss] I straightened my smile as I coped with the pain at my side and shoulder.
[Hmmmm...] (Rynia) Eh?! She's staring intently at me.
[I-Is something wrong?] I feel like a frog being death-stared by a snake as her gaze sharpened by each second.
[Nothing, nice to meet you. I am Rynia, and this is my twin brother...oi idiot, introduce yourself as well] (Rynia)
[Eh?! Me?! An Idiot?! What the fuck are you saying you bitch!?] (??)
[Aa?! Ya got a problem with that, you bastard?!] (Rynia)
[Woah woah! Wait!!! Don't brandish that stupid long weapon of yours at me!!!! Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!] (??)
In the end, I learned that his name was Ethan. Ethan and Rynia huh....the red-headed twin adventurers...
[Are they always like that?]
[Yeah, just treat it as them having what do you call that again....sibling love?] (Matthew) But all I could see is that Ethan is being dominated by his twin sister...
[Stop it...you're too strong. I give up] (Ethan)
[Hmph!] (Rynia) And there he lied on the floor, gasping for breath.
My first impression for them huh....why did I forget about that.
What is more difficult when receiving customers other than talkative ones? Don't get me wrong, talkative clients indeed wipe away the boredom after hours of silence while working...the only problem with her is that she talks too much.
[So you see, my twin brother and I went into one of these dungeons and then--] (Rynia)
Since it is technically still noon break, the twins and us basically have all the time for ourselves. Talking about experiences they have about their dungeon diving...
[A slime violated his ass] (Rynia) Pffft!!!!
[Don't tell them that!!!!!] (Ethan) I choked on the tea I was drinking.
I looked at him and he was red over his face. Well, no one would want others to know about their dark history after all.
[Ah! Big sister Rynia!] (Tanya)
[Oho?! Tanya-chan!] (Rynia) At least despite that, both of them are so well-received by the family running the inn.
[Do you want some tea?]
[Yes....yes please] (Ethan) I could only give my sympathy to the twin brother, knowing that he may have some hardships that are better not to say. Les I say it, I should have made myself clearer on the next one.
[Are you an adventurer? I haven't seen your face around here] (Ethan)
[Nah, I am just new to this place. I have yet to register, maybe for later. I do want to ask something about the guild since you are an adventurer regarding its inner workings]
I still haven't registered myself at the guild, so to gather information I asked Ethan about the guild for the meantime just to change the atmosphere.
[Let's see, the adventurers' guild is a worldwide organization that acts as the main line of defense in case a monster stampede occurs or when it comes to watching over the dungeons to prevent any future case of a dungeon breakout. It's also funded by the country hence we're paid quite well.] (Ethan) Monster stampede means it is an event where a large horde of monsters approaches any settlement or area in great speed, whereas a dungeon breakout is an accident where a dungeon is left unattended and the monsters overflows and invades the nearby area. Both are dangerous to the local fauna as well for the unaware adventurers, and losing ones life is so high when it comes to these two.
[Paid well huh]
[Not exactly for free as we have to work with our asses on the line. Once you reach a higher adventurer rank, the guild would also be able to give you a quest with a more dangerous rating, but the rewards you will reap when you completed the quest is quite a lot] (Ethan) We have moved to the diner and ordered a meal. Rynia and the girls have their topics to talk, while us here also had something to discuss.
[What I meant with a quest that has a significantly life threatening rating would be regarding dungeon incidents, monster breakouts and stampedes] (Ethan)
Why am I asking these? I have yet to register at the guild to get an official ID, and the date that I should get it needs to be sooner than later. Hence, I have bombarded Ethan with a lot of inquiries since I am also curious about becoming one.
[I do understand what it means with dungeon incidents and stampedes, but monster breakouts?]
[Ah, if you are a foreigner then that must be new to you. A monster breakout is an incident where a dungeon becomes unattended, and as more monsters get spawned each day for a very long time, the place would be overturned with monsters leading to them going out to venture in the surface. Once they reach the surface and cause chaos, that is when the term "Monster Stampede" occur.] (Ethan) Ahhhhh.
[So you would eradicate them? Correct?]
[Yes, and nothing spared] (Ethan)
The answer is a big nod and a yes. That answers it all. "Adventuring" is an odd jobs type of occupation where adventurers do what they can "legally" to earn money "legally". When told legally, that also means there are some that earned money the opposite.
[You haven't registered yet?] (Ethan) I did not told him?
[Yeah, I could not leave the place yet since I am adjusting on how things are done here]
[How about coming with us to the guild later? We have a quest completion to report] (Ethan)
[Really? Count me in then]
Just as I was about to head to the kitchen for a refill of green tea, a firm hand held unto my shoulder before it forcibly make me turn around.
[I have heard from Tanya about how you defeated a hydra] (Rynia) Shit. The look on her eyes looked like a predator finally finder the prey they have been stalking.
[Ahahaha...that was only...because of..] I tried running away only for the grip to become stronger, firmly planting me in place with the intent of not letting me run away.
[Spar with me] (Rynia) Shit.