"I see. At your age, becoming a craftsman or merchant might be difficult," the proprietress nodded thoughtfully.
"Is being a merchant out of the question, too?"
"It's not impossible, but it's tough, you know? Both jobs require training from a young age."
"I see... That's a bit of a problem," Silva feigned disappointment.
"You mentioned you could use a sword, right? In that case, becoming a mercenary or adventurer might be your best bet," she suggested.
"So that's an option... But how does one become a mercenary or an adventurer?" Silva inquired.
"What? You don't know?" she asked, surprised.
"Not really... I'm not very familiar with it. I'd appreciate it if you could explain," Silva said politely, lowering her guard and making her more inclined to help. His courteous tone would likely have elicited a helpful response from her regardless.
"I wouldn't say I'm an expert, but we do get adventurers and mercenaries here to drink, so I know a bit about it," she explained.
"Please, I'd love to hear it," Silva said, bowing his head slightly.
"Well, it's not too complicated. You just go to the guild and register your details, and that's about it."
"Wait, I thought you needed some kind of background check or something...?" Silva asked, curious. As someone from another world, he didn't have any form of identification or a guarantor. If these were required, he'd be in quite a bind.
He'd be forced into a more desperate path, possibly becoming a road-man, oh they are called highway robber here.
However, the proprietress's response was unexpectedly straightforward. "You don't need a guarantor to become an adventurer. That's more necessary if you want to be a craftsman or merchant, or if you're joining the military. Just go to the guild by yourself, and they'll handle the registration."
A broad smile spread across Silva's face. It seemed like he could get a job after all.
"Really? I'm glad I asked you, proprietress. I thought I heard somewhere that a guarantor was necessary! Guess I was mistaken." Silva laughed, then took a hearty swig from the large mug of ale.
"You probably confused it with the requirements for becoming a merchant or something. Anyway, if you head out of the store and take the alley to the left towards the main street, you'll find the guild in no time," she directed.
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"Thank you very much! I'll head there right away," Silva said, standing up.
"Alright then, come back for dinner and tell me how it went."
"Sure! I'll just settle the bill now."
"Alright! A lunch, 25 Baht."
At this, Silva froze. It wasn't that he didn't have money; it was something else entirely...
(Damn it. I have no idea what the currency's worth...)
Earlier, when he bought clothes, he managed to get by using a bag of coins as collateral, but he couldn't use the same trick here.
With no other choice, Silva pulled out what he assumed to be the highest denomination—a gold coin—and placed it on the table.
"Whoa, whoa! You can't just throw down 10,000 Baht in a place like this... I don't have change for that..."
Seeing the gold coin on the table, the proprietress looked flabbergasted.
"I can give you change in 100 Baht silver coins if you have any?"
(Alright, I've figured out the currency values.)
One gold coin = 10,000 Baht
One silver coin = 100 Baht
(So, a copper coin must be 1 Baht?)
"Oh, uh... Sorry about that. Just a moment." Silva pretended to be flustered, pulling out another pouch from his pocket.
"Let me see if I have it in here... Ah! Looks like I do. 25 copper coins, right?"
"That's right, 25 Baht."
"Ah, here we go... Sorry about that, I had my small change in a different pouch." He handed over 25 copper coins.
"That's perfect! Thank you very much." The proprietress pocketed the coins in her apron and then asked, "By the way, don't you have a card? You can use one here, so next time, go ahead and use your card."
(A card? Does she mean a credit card?) Silva wondered, deciding not to reveal his ignorance.
"Ah, I actually lost mine recently... I still have some cash, so I should be fine for now, but..."
"Oh, I see. Well, it's only usable by the registered holder, so your savings are safe, but it is a bit inconvenient, isn't it? Why not get it reissued? There's a bank right next to the guild."
(I knew it was a bank. Wait, there's a bank in this world?) Silva thought. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he asked, "Do you need identification to get it reissued?"
"Nope, just like when you make one, you can apply at the bank, and they'll check your details and reissue it right away."
"Wow, I didn't know that! Thanks for the information!"
Silva bowed his head to the proprietress.
"Don't mention it! Come back anytime!" she said warmly as Silva left the restaurant and headed for the main street.
(First, the bank!) Silva decided, following the directions given by the proprietress. He turned down an alley and emerged onto the main street, spotting a sign with a pile of coins and another with a picture of a soldier in armor.
(Easy to understand signs... though they're just pictures,) he mused, entering the bank.
Carrying seven pouches filled with coins was quite heavy, and with the possibility of pursuers, he wanted to travel as light as possible. That's why Silva chose to go to the bank before heading to the adventurer's guild.
"Welcome. How can we assist you today?" a middle aged man greeted Silva in a manner similar to a British gentleman. He was dressed in a black suit with a lace blouse and a red bolo tie.
(A suit? Why is he wearing a suit?) Silva was puzzled. This world had a medieval European feel, but there were strangely modern elements. Suits and cards were perfect examples.
(Such contrasting elements... very inconsistent.)
"Um... Excuse me, sir?" the man asked, sensing Silva's confusion.
"Oh, sorry. It's my first time in a place like this... I'd like to open an account."
The man nodded and led Silva over. "This way to the reception desk, sir."
"Thank you."