Chapter 43: [Arc 2] Chapter 3: Velantas and the Union

"Alright, here are your temporary City Passes. Bring them to a guard station when you have obtained some of your own to get back the silvers you just used. And don't go rowing this late at night. We were thinking that one of those freak-fishes had penetrated the barrier. Got that?" - Guard

"...Yes." - Garami

W-what a pain...

After paying the guard 1 silver each, we obtained a wooden card inscribed with some sort of runes.

It's the dawn of a new day, but to start the first day in my civilized life with a scolding is damping my enthusiasm...

We did manage to reach the city of Velantas without any problems, but the guards started making a fuss over us due to appearing waaaaayyyyy too early in the morning. I'm not saying that they're wrong, but seriously, cut a demon some slack...

"You should look into a mirror. That face you're making now is worth a hundred of those temporary City Passes." - Gust

"Shut it!" is not what I'm gonna say to him, cause I'm too busy taking in the scenery. Where's an Omni-sight skill when you need it?

The city's located in the middle of the Lake and consists of seven towers. Six of them and their bridges make a circle around the seventh and final tower... I think. All the six circle-towers are as big as a small city on their own, with all the bridges and floors added to the equation.

In other words, they're too big to see the whole city! I only know this since I spent most of the time being scolded by the guard to remember the map over the city there.

But still, this place's amazing! I was expecting something like Venezia, but this is more like a space colony on Earth. Or rather, with how the towers shrink in width the higher they go, the bridges on the higher levels remind me of those terraces used by the Incas for their agriculture.

It still retains some fantastic art fashion, such as the large sculpture showing off a warrior-type character armed with a sword and shield at the start of the road.

"Hey, don't get swallowed by the scenery, you country bumpkin." - Gust

"Not 'country'. Dungeon bumpkin." - Garami

"Eh, right... What I meant is, do you know where we are supposed to go? You wanted to enter the Adventurer's Union?" - Gust

The Adventurer's Union. Essentially this world's version of the adventurers guild one could see often in fantasy stories. They call it a Union to differ them from regular Guilds that anyone can create, as long as one has a Guild Emblem item. There's also a Merchant Union and Chef Union, just to name a few.

As for why I wanna enter the Union... money. I've got no talents from my previous life, maybe sans my taste for character creation. So unless I take some kind of Weaver class, the only way a nobody like me can earn money is through adventuring. More specifically a Mercenary Adventurer.

As for why I'm wanna specialize as a Mercenary, which focuses on quelling down the monster population, is because it's the easiest way to rack up corpses, aka Materials. I can take other Quests, but considering my Sub Class... right?

"...Forgot to ask for the way." - Garami

Hey, bird! What's that facepalm for? You also forgot to ask after that scolding from hell!

Damn, what a pain... in that case,

"Gust, your turn." - Garami

"......" - Gust

Hmm? Didn't he get it? This is your cue to ask people for help.

"Hey, Garami. Mind if I ask you, what are you supposed to do when I return to the Library Tower?" - Gust

What's he talking about so suddenly. What a heartless bastard.

"A Celestial continent is located high in the sky. Is a cave-born like you alright with coming along to such a place?" - Gust

...A continent in the sky......

Hmm? For some reason, I felt as if having eaten something sour. Like, sour.

"See? Demons are instinctively disgusted by the thought of living on Celestial continents. Our deal was that you should help me home, but that doesn't extend to you having to live there yourself, even if it means we do not need to drift apart after that. The point is, what are you supposed to do when you do not have me to help you with social interaction?" - Gust

"......*Sweat*... H-have an undead....... sorry. Got nothing. So don't stare like that." - Garami

"I knew it. Therefore, we are initiating the 'De-anti-socialize Garami'-project right now!" - Gust

!?!?!? Now I'm feeling like I ate something that's turned so bad, it came back alive, then died again!

"The first point of this quest is: obtain information about the Adventurer's Union from the townspeople!" - Gust

And suddenly I got a mission impossible!! Grr, don't expect to get any letters from me after you get back home!

---

I grumbled a little while after hearing Gust's plans, but he's got a point... unfortunately. I need to at least be able to ask the townspeople for that kinda information. It would be too pitiable if I couldn't.

It's early in the morning, but there should be some shops or stands or whatever that's open now. The fantasy troupe cliche is to ask a vendor for information while buying some of their products.

*Growl~*... which reminds me, I've yet to eat breakfast. Then, we'll ask someplace that sells food... those skewers over there...*Slurp*.

N-no biggie. Just think of it as your first errand in your second life Garami. Go and talk to that vendor on the count of ten, got it? I said; you got it!? Yes, ma'am, I got it!!

Alright, ten, nine, eight, seven-!?

"Welcome sweetie~. Do you want some scewers~?" - Vendor

I couldn't answer. I completely froze in fear when the vendor suddenly started the conversation.

In my defense, it's NOT because of my incapability of communication with humans. The proof of my claim is Gust here to my left, frozen in the same way as me... or rather, I think he took more damage. That's how shocking this guy is to one's mind!

Hunting Titles:

Status Titles:

This guy(?) named Slein has the body of a bodybuilder clad in simple clothes and an apron, but his face's covered with just enough cosmetic to make that Maiden of Heart title of his true. 

A macho-builder with the heart of a woman...

"Aww, don't be scared, sweetie~. Here, want a skewer?" - Rassel

G-G-G-Garami! L-l-let's go somewhere else!! - Gust

I got that telepathic message alright, but something of an unparalleled strength is preventing me from leaving.

*Groooooowl~*

"Ten skewers." - Garami

"Don't be bought off with food! And how much are you planning on eating!?" - Gust

---

ElevenGot one as a freebie skewers later, on the bench beside the skewer-stall.

"A-ha-ha-ha~! You sure can eat sweetie~." - Rassel

It's food, for Pete's sake! Real food! Not some raw monster meat contaminated by poison or whatever, nor any dishes created by moisty Sahuagin hands. Meat grilled to a perfect, juicy grade, with just a sprinkle of salt. To think something this easily made would taste so heavenly... 

"Don't go crying for real. And what is this meat? It tastes kind of funny..." - Gust

"Deathwalker meat~! We want to empty our reserves now since it's no longer possible to obtain them from the wild~." - Rassel

Gust put down his skewer when he heard that. Eh, not gonna finish yours? Then allow me~.

"Sweetie, you sure aren't a picky eater~. People should take a lesson from you~." - Rassel

"Mister, you're worthy of the Chef title." - Garami

"Silly, it's 'miss'~. And I already have that title, thank you very much~." - Rassel

Silly me~.

"Wait just a sec, did you speak to another person normally!?" - Gust

...Oh yeah. Guess I did. Huh, it wasn't so bad~. But before I forget:

"Where's the Adventurer's Union?" - Garami

"Seriously, why're you suddenly speaking fluently like that!?" - Gust

I don't know. Shock treatment?

"The Union is located in the Magician's Road, just past this Warrior's Road. It is a big building with a coat of arms made with a sword and a staff, you can't miss it, sweetheart~.  But if it is a Quest, then you can come back and ask this big sis for help later~." - Rassel

"Not Quest. Joining." - Garami

"Wow~! All Ogres makes excellent warriors, so the Union will accept sweetie with open arms~. I guarantee it~." - Rassel

Seriously? When I looked at her titles, I saw that miss Rassel one, so if she says so, then it has to be true. 

"But I'm a Rogue, not warrior?" - Garami

"Really~? You did seem thinner than Ogres... oooh~. Like that handsome fellow~!" - Rassel

Oh, it's a real Ogre. A Red Ogre, to be exact. Yup, just as macho as miss Rassel. And his stats... barely above 100 on average!? And that's counting with his 152 STR! 

I swiped through the crowd that had started to populate the streets, and the average total never exceeded 150 at most. Are humanoids weak species? Of course, like with miss Rassel, they can cultivate their stats to stupidly high levels.

"Warrior or not, the Union will be happy for all the help they can get, especially now when the city has to adapt back to becoming the city of water rather than of the wasteland." - Rassel

"Speaking of which, how did they get down from these towers when the water was away? Do the roads go all the way down to the bottom of the lake?" - Gust

"No, no~. The Union Master is an expert in Earth Magic and alchemy, so he created new roads for us to descend to the ground back then~." - Rassel

Oh-ho? That sounds impressive. Earth magic may not be the most famous type back on Earth, but here you can build whatever you want with a single spell. 

Enough chattering. I wanna go and register... when did so many people arrive on the streets? When I was in food-coma? No matter how well my progress is, throwing me into a river of people is too much!!

Urgh, just think of this as training, just think of this as training... just think of finding some sweets after you've registered, just think of finding sweets after you've registered... alright, I'm ready! Come at me!

"H-hey, Garami! Wait for me!" - Gust

"Ah, and please come by at my store later, sweetie~!" - Rassel

Miss Rassel and Gust shouted something behind me as I dived into the sea of people, but I didn't catch what the contents were. I need to focus so I won't drown in this ocean of death!!!

---

"...*Sniff*, *sob*..." - Garami

"You could just take the sideways instead of rushing through like that. Even normal people would avoid such a stupid move if they could." - Gust

Shut it... I got cocky... you happy?

I think I can survive by having simple conversations, even if I don't enjoy them. But crowds... no way.

"Yeah, yeah, you did great. Now, stand up already. People... aren't watching?" - Gust

He's right. Despite there being a frail, beautiful (self-proclaimed), and depressed maiden here, no one is stopping to help, or take advantage, of me. No wonder, since I've been running various types of stealth for the first few seconds in that dreaded ocean. I tried not to, but the pressure, the human-wave pressure-!!

No matter the tragedy, talented people have to make the best outta any situation!

Lv.50 came!!!! Class, check. Points, check. Building rumored to have an item that lets me see available classes I can take? Super-check!!

"Alright, let's gooo!!" - Garami

"Whah, what's up all of a sudden?" - Gust

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I left the birdbrain behind and entered the Union.

The inside of the building looked like a tavern, but one-half of it had several information counters and a large board filled with papers. The Quest Board, if my linguistics for this world and the writing on top of the board are not wrong.

Most of the counters were empty, except for three of them. The first two had either a female cat-eared receptionist, but the other one was manned by a Skeleton with flames where his eyes should be. Even undeads are ok with the populace...?

The two mentioned counters had lines of people in front of them, probably the local adventurers like miss Rassel. However, the third counter, manned by a bored-looking man in his early twenties, was for some strange reason deserted.

No need to explain why I chose the third one. Wait, isn't this guy-!?

"...Hmm? What can I help you with?" - Elf(!!!)

I knew it! Those ears! They're undoubtedly those of an elf! This is the first time I've ever seen one up-close. There was one that tried to challenge the Water-Knot before, but that's a no-count. 

"Are you here to submit a Quest? Or... completing one?" - Elf

Oops. I forgot to speak up. Damn, this fantasy world sure knows when to hit me when I least expect it. Heck, I took so long that Gust could catch up with me even. *Cough*...

"I wanna join." - Garami

"...As in, joining the Adventurer's Union?" - Elf

"Yes." - Garami

The elf started to fiddle with some machine on his table before looking back at me.

"Alright. Can you pay the registration fee?" - Elf

Eh, a registration fee? Wait, did he think I couldn't pay due to how shaggy my robe's become? How rude!

"...How much?" - Garami

"A silver is enough. But if you came from outside the city, then you should have a temporary City Pass. That works as well." - Elf

Oh, that makes things simpler. I gave the elf the wooden pass I had gotten from the guards earlier, which he used some kinda machine, or magi-tech, to authorize if it's real... or that's what it seems to be.

"All well here. Then can you place your hand on top of this crystal so we can create your Adventurer ID? Be careful not to remove your hand while the ID is being constructed." - Elf

I did as he said and placed my hand on the crystal sphere on top of the magi-tech. A beam of light came from the sphere and hit the surface, which gradually started to thicken into a physical card. 

"There you go. One Adventurer ID, fresh from the printer." - Elf

The card looked like a transparent plate of glass, but the touch was no different from the plastic cards on Earth. Did they use my mana, or aether, to make it? Like how Earth Magic and Water Magic create substance by converting MP? 

"You have to start as a G-Rank adventurer, but completing enough Quests and you will be able to rank up to F-Rank. The card will change appearance based on your rank, with G-ranks being transparent, F-Ranks looking like wooden materials, and those above like precious metals. And if you lose the card you need to pay the fine of 5 silvers to get a new one." - Elf

Expensive! But that's probably to ensure that people treat these cards properly, so I can't bitch about it.

The information on the card only told me about my name, gender, my classes plus their levels, as well as my adventurer rank. There's a strange icon in the upper-left corner, and when I touched it, a list similar to when I use [Identification] popped up.

"That is your visa. Be sure to enter the Adventurer's Union whenever you enter a new city and register your card to that area. Also, in case you join another Union in addition to the Adventurer's Union, you can change between the Adventurer ID or that other Union's ID from that list as well." - Elf

Ooh! Fancy! But mister elf, why're you taking back the card all of a sudden? What are you doing with it there? And what's that level-up like jingle just now?

"Congratulations. You have reached rank F." - Elf

EEEEHHH!?

"Wait for just a second! What are you meaning about that?" - Gust

"Why, she completed an S-rank Quest for locating a missing person. That is more than enough for a rank-up for a G-rank." - Elf

Missing person? I and Gust looked at each other in confusion...ah, AAAAHHH!!!

"Good work in finding the missing Wisdom Raven of the Grand Library Tower, miss Garami. The Sage of the Tower, Ordion Alberloft will be more than happy in knowing that his student is in one piece." - Elf

---

The elf receptionist showed us to the Union Master's office. Gust's old master, Ordion Alberloft, had given the Union a special Quest, an S-rank Quest, for returning Gust home, safe and sound. 

And here I came in with the bird in question, which got a hit on that DNA-detection-like magi-tech that the elf worked with when Gust caught up with me.

No wonder I got the instant rank-up. But no matter the circumstances, no, because it is these circumstances, that we need to meet the Union Master.

We entered the office where the Union Master should be... and it's empty.

The room was filled with documents, and for some reason, statues made of clay. They look strangely lifelike... but where's the man of the hour?

While I and Gust are busy looking over the room, the elven receptionist went to the desk filled with documents and scrolls and sat down in the expensive-looking chair there.

"Now, what can this Union Master, Carion Verde help you with today?" - Carion

"Wait, you're the Union Master!?" - Gust

"...Despite being a receptionist?" - Garami

"That's just a hobby of mine. But you are not as surprised as I had hoped for. What a disappointment." - Carion

No, I'm so surprised that I've gone all the way back to being calm again. It's the second coming of miss Rassel.

"Oh well. As for why I wanted to meet you two officially, it is to first congratulate a job well done as the Union Master. The Union and the Grand Library Tower have close ties, so this was a Quest we needed to fulfill no matter the cost. But, with the culprit being a King of Ghosts, not to mention the remnants of King Avalar himself..." - Carion

Crap, they know about the king? Then if I say that I beat him, they will understand that my fake status page is made with the ring's bogus.

 Attack Skills: Magic Skills: Crafting Skills: Active Skills: Passive Skills: Resistance Skills: Perception Skills: Leadership Skills: Elements: Monster Skills:

Hunting Titles:

Status Titles:

This is the fake page. The backstory is that a lonely little demon managed to kill enough Dread Spirits with her inborn skill she got by pure luck, then getting thought about Rogues and Spectermancer by a passing-by teacher in those classes. A story of love and drama... alright. I'm gonna stop.

As for my real stats at the moment:

 Attack Skills: Magic Skills: Crafting Skills: Active Skills: Passive Skills: Resistance Skills: Perception Skills: Leadership Skills: Elements: Monster Skills: Extra Skills:

Wow, my resistance skills... no, after that meteorite from yesterday, that's acceptable. But [Battle Survivalist] went up twice... just how close to death was I back then?

More importantly, how am I gonna fool this elf...

"Ah, you do not need to reveal how you saved this fellow..., Gust, was it? Adventurers are people that need to keep their abilities a secret. The Union respects that." - Carion

Phew, that was close-

"Of course, that does not mean you are allowed to defy the law. If you do, be prepared to get a bounty on your head." - Carion

I-I-I wouldn't do something like that!! ......So much for hunting thugs in the back allies...

"Back to the main point, I want to assign a new Quest for you, miss Garami." - Carion

"Quest?" - Garami

"Yes. It will take some time before the Industria continent is close enough for the airships to reach it. So in the meanwhile, I wish that you keep on protecting Gust here until that time arrives. The Union is already got its hands full with the recent flood and all..." - Carion

...Isn't that the same I agreed with Gust? Well, better take advantage of this situation.

"The reward?" - Garami

"The reward? Well... this is something akin to a personal request, so... can we make a compromise-" - Carion

"Nope." - Garami

"-...Right. Then, what do you want? Please, I beg you, do not ask for anything too expensive..." - Carion

The last part was barely a whisper, but my ears caught it anyway. 

Hey, he's asking for my sake here, and the old man will reward you handsomely anyway. - Gust

There's also the reward for the S-rank Quest itself... Now then, what am I in need of that can't normally be bought with money? A bed can be fixed by going to an inn. Food's no problem either. And in case of enjoyment, I overheard people talking about slaves when I walked through that sea of terror, so that's also an idea if the red-light district's no good. Then...

"Magic Stone." - Garami

"Excuse me?" - Carion

"Magic Stones. From C-ranks or higher." - Garami

"Wait, you are talking about Magic Stones from C-rank monsters?! What are you supposed to do with them?" - Carion

"Adventurer, so I keep my secrets hidden." - Garami

I threw his line from before back at him. The reason I want those is for the Dungeon Core I got from the Glavras-incidence. The city's good and all, but the thought of a home that I own myself is a better option. And with these Magic Stones, I can force the normally random Dungeon-creation to become something more that I want. I'll even get a discount when spawning monsters related to those of the Magic Stones that were used.

Of course, I want some of those. The downside is that I can only use 3 different ones when building the Dungeon, but getting even a single one will improve the quality of my future rent-free home.

"...If you say so," said Carion, while taking out a box, from his desk and emptying its contents. 

Gems!? Wait, [Magic Sight]'s acting up. These are... Magic Stones, just as ordered. And many of them. [Identification] told me they were from the following monsters:

• Troll Braver, rank C, Earth attribute, Demi-Monster
• Fata Morgana Snake, rank C, Heretic attribute, Serpent monster
• Dreadnought Trout, rank C+, Water attribute, Fish monster
• Slime Lord, rank C-, no attribute, Slime monster
• Kresnik Bat, rank C+, Moon attribute, Bat monster
• Nightmare Centipede, rank C-, Earth attribute, Centipede monster
• Vibrofang Tiger, rank C, Wind attribute, Tiger monster

"...That's an impressive collection." - Garami

"Despite my appearance, I have been a Union Master for longer than you have lived, obtaining one of these beauties from each of the seven islands surrounding this city... except the Haunted Castle. That place is scary." - Carion

He seems to be more proud of the fact that these are "local products" rather than having obtained them on his own. And the fish, it's not from an island, but from the Lake Sea itself.

"Then them all-" - Garami

"OIII! That's no matter how you look at it too much! Just one. Just one is enough for this mission." - Carion

"Six." - Garami

"Just one!" - Carion

"Five." - Garami

"There are other candidates than you, you know?" - Carion

"Of course. A single guard won't be enough. Four." - Garami

"Grr... then the deal-" - Carion

"Gust, you don't wanna be guarded by me?" - Garami

"...... I-want-Garami-as-a-guard-or-else-I-will-give-the-old-man-a-bad-review-of-the-Adventurer's-Union." - Gust

Nice~. But you gotta get rid of that monotone voice.

"Aw, come on!! Fine, but only two! These are like my secret savings, so I cannot afford to give away more." - Carion

"Tch. Then I wanna chose." - Garami

"Did you click your tongue at me? Hey, did you click your tongue at me?" - Carion

"Union Master. You just have to get used to this treatment if you plan to have this girl work for you." - Gust

I left the two dorks to bond together while looking at the Stones. Which one should I take...

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