Chapter 13

Newbie

*Mataru*

I run my hand up and down the side of the sheath of my new sword as I examine the wood-rank missions on the board. The receptionist wasn't dishonest when she said it wasn't of great quality. I'm going to have to put some savings toward a proper whetstone and give it a thorough sharpening, but it will do to defend myself until then.

The buckler, too, is the very definition of basic. I'll have to be careful how much I trust it with my life. Maybe I can get someone to teach me how to make my own. It would be a useful skill, so it would be a step toward that goal, it would make me more useful to a team, and I would be able to make sure my gear was always up to par.

Of course, I still want Wilderness Survival, too, and I'm willing to bet field dressing and butchering animals and monsters is its own skill. Hopefully, Mei will be able to pick up skills like cooking and mending so that I don't have to do all of it myself. She already has some groundwork in that regard, since she would occasionally help Mother with such tasks.

The tasks on the board that fall within my new rank are menial, with paltry sums as rewards, but it's true that they'll pay to feed my sister and I both, if only just. The best we'll be able to rent is a barn loft, though, so it might still be camping for us, but some civilization is better than none. My birthday, though I will be only thirteen in truth, is the better half of the year away, so we will simply have to make do until then.

Herb picking is a simple option that will also help me gain more knowledge about survival by teaching me what is valuable and what is a worthless weed. Logging is available in the area, as well, but I don't own an ax and I don't dare loose another tin without it being essential. I could do the herb picking today, then use the pay from that to buy an ax tomorrow if I really wanted to get in some physical training, too.

"Hey, Newbie!"

I turn toward the voice since it's close behind me, and Mei looks up from the juice the receptionist purchased for her. The word isn't accompanied by a sharp tone, as one would deliver an insult, and the people I see waiting for me look cheerful and friendly.

There's four of them, two men and two women, all of them over fifteen but, if I had to guess, under twenty-five. The one who seems to be in front, likely the one that addressed me, has a curved sword at his hip and his black hair is in a ponytail. The one behind him is in leather and has a pair of shorter swords. One of the women is an archer and the other is presumably a mage.

"Sorry," I greet them, "were you talking to me?"

"Yeah, uh, Alice, right?"

His face says he doesn't mean anything by it, and it does sound a lot like Arisu. Is that why the adventurers started chuckling before? They misheard my name? That would explain a lot.

"Arisu," I correct him, opting not to take offense until I have better reason to do so. "Yes, that's me." I look to their chests and see badges of iron there, except for the one addressing me who has a bronze one. "I'm just a Wood rank, though, so I don't know what I can do for you."

He rubs the back of his neck. "Ah, no, see, that's backwards."

"Backwards?"

"Yeah, Missa was saying you were looking for someone to take you under their wing?" he asks. "That's kinda what our group was built on, so she figured we'd be willing to give you a hand and asked us to scope you out."

"Missa?" I feel left out of the loop having to ask so many questions.

"Ah, pink hair, bright smile, big--" He starts reaching toward his chest for some reason, but the archer cuts in.

"Don't finish that sentence, Tan."

"Ah, right, right!" Instead of whatever he was going to say, he rubs the back of his neck again.

It takes me a moment, but then I realize who he must be talking about. "Oh! You mean the receptionist!"

"Yeah, she's one of them," he immediately agrees. "Is she the only one you've dealt with?"

I nod. "So far, all I've done is file my application and pick up some basic equipment." I pat the sheath of my new sword.

Tan gets a look on his face like I've caused him physical harm. "Yeah, that stuff from the guild ... it's ... I mean, if you've got nothing else, it's better than a punch to the face, but it's really there to help support novice smiths ..."

Stolen story; please report.

"It doesn't matter," I assure him with a shake of my head. "For now, it's all that I can afford, so I'll take it over the punch to the face, thanks."

The swordsman cracks a grin at that and gives a short laugh. "You've got a good sense of humor, kid! Anyway, yeah, Missa asked us to check you out, see how you'd mesh with us, if you're interested."

This guy really isn't giving me much to work with, is he? Maybe it's something that he just assumes is self-explanatory? I decide to ask some more questions. "Should I be interested? I don't really understand what you're offering, here. Some sort of apprenticeship?"

"A bit apprenticeship," Tan admits, "a bit probationary team member. You learn what it's like to work as part of a team, we teach you various skills that'll help you get another team later on if you decide you don't want to stick around."

"And what skills can I learn from you guys?"

"Iana knows Wilderness Survival, that's pretty rare," he opens, and I'm already sold, but I wait for him to finish. "Aiele can teach you some magic support skills if you've got an interest in that sort of thing. Mitoro does our weapon maintenance and knows some basic leather and smithing he can teach you, and I specialize in using most sorts of weapons, so I'd be your trainer for actual combat stuff."

This seems almost too perfect to be true. "What would be required of me? Like I said, I'm only Wood-rank."

"That's not a problem," Tan assures me. "If you can't fight well enough yet, you'll do things like carry gear and other support roles until your training reaches a point where you can."

The archer, who I assume to be Iana, speaks up. "And we've got our own place. Your sister's fine to stay there even while we're out and about if she's up to a little housework."

"Does that mean I'd be going on missions with you?"

They all nod, and Tan explains. "If you're with a party, you can take missions up to the average rank of the group. With us, that means you can take Iron-rank missions. Of course, that also means the pay's split five ways, but that's still better than Wood missions. Which you're still free to do on your own time if you want, they're good for building up your basics."

They've made this kind of offer before, I realize, but that doesn't mean it's bad. It might have even been how they built their party.

"This sounds like an amazing offer," I admit, "but would you be offended if I check with the receptionist first?"

Rather than getting offended, they chuckle. "Worried we're targeting newbies with bad deals? Yeah, heard that before."

"One girl hit you in the head with her staff when you offered," the mage, Aiele if I'm tracking them correctly, shares smugly.

Tan scowls over at her. "Hey, that mystery girl was you!" He held a hand to his forehead as if remembering the blow. "You even called me a pervert!"

The man in leather, presumably Mitoro, laughs at what I can only assume is the normal back-and-forth energy and antics of the group. "Yeah, sure, by all means, do your due diligence and double check with reception. We'll wait."

I nod to him, then guide Mei out of her seat and out and around the now quieter duo. We make our way back to the desks at the front of the guild hall.

I find the pink-haired one from before. She has her back to us, dealing with some paperwork, and isn't actually manning one of the desks. "Missa?" I try anyway.

"That's me!" she says as she spins around. She takes a moment to settle her eyes on us, then grins brightly again. "Hey, it's the cuties! You're back! Something up? I'm not on desk duty right now, but if you've picked out your first mission, one of the other girls can help you!"

Cuties. I hope that doesn't end up sticking as our nickname. It's fine for Mei, I suppose, and perhaps it's childish of me, but I'd hope to earn something a little more ... intimidating.

"No, actually, it's about something else," I correct her. "There's a group that approached us, claiming that they were sent by you. I just wanted to make sure that they were telling the truth."

I turn and point back to Tan's group, who are apparently gossiping among themselves about something with energetic zeal. They notice us pointing them out, anyway, however, and they all wave back.

"Oh, yes, Tan's group," she nods along, still all smiles, and she even takes the time to return their wave. "They do a lot to help new adventurers. They've made a name for themselves doing it."

"So you did send them?"

She nods. "I did! I shared that you were looking for someone to teach you some skills and were interested in learning about higher-rank missions, and asked that they consider you. Oh, but only because you expressed such interest to me. Rest assured that your records are kept confidential."

I blink at the extra explanation, but she seems to think it's because I didn't understand, because she leans down to me and explains, "That means we keep it secret. We don't even tell anyone you're fourteen." She even says it this time with air quotes.

Because, thanks, I still wholly had failed to get the message that she is seeing through that. I suppose I should be grateful that she filed my application at all. It was probably out of pity for us being on our own and because I already had a class.

"Then thank you very much," I say instead with a short bow of my head. "They sound like a great opportunity."

She giggles and waves me off. "Oh, what a gentleman! It's not a problem, helping connect adventurers is part of our job here, after all!"

This isn't a decision I can make on my own, however. I turn to look at Mei. "What do you think, Ayumi? They'll be asking things of you, too, after all. Do we do it?"

My sister has always been one of few words, but strong emotions, even if those emotions don't always get blatantly displayed. Here, she simply nods before lowering her juice that she's still sipping on. "I want a bed," is all she says.

I smile back at her. "Then you'll have it." Then back at the receptionist. "Thank you again, Missa!"

The women of the party seem even more enthusiastic than they did when we left, now that we're returning. "So?" Aiele asks. "Did we pass inspection?"

"Yes," I confirm, "I'm sorry for second-guessing you." Then I turn my attention back to Tan, who seems to be their leader. "I would graciously accept your offer, if you'll have me."

Iana gives a fist pump into the air. "Yeah!" she cheers enthusiastically before also wheeling toward Tan. "That means a shopping trip! We can't have team members going around in rags! You promised!"

So the truth comes out, that's what they were talking about while we were gone. At the prospect of new clothes, I notice Ayumi perking up, too, so maybe this will be a good thing ...