Chapter 4

“The White Spring”

This was the name of the inn. There was a clear spring to the east of the town, often covered by a thick morning mist around dawn. It was called the Sunius Lake, named after the previous owner of the inn who had loved it.

While Alesia went to put the cart into the shared stable, I entered the inn with Kiara.

“Hello, innkeeper! Is the usual room available? Also, Iriya-neechan and the others’ rooms as well…”

“Kiara-chan, welcome back! I’m so glad you’re safe. The room is available, so no worries. You brought guests with you, thank you!”

The innkeeper, who appeared to be around forty, smiled at us. With her short light brown hair and a soft-looking yellow-green sweatshirt, she had an apron over it.

“Oh my! What a handsome guest…!! Kiara-chan, you’re amazing bringing such a good-looking person to stay!”

…So this is Belial, I see.

For a brief moment, I hated myself for thinking I was being complimented as handsome. Belial, looking quite pleased, approached the innkeeper. He gently took her hand and lightly kissed the tips of her fingers.

“You are an honest lady. I request that you prepare the most expensive single room in this inn for me.”

He stared at her with eyes like rubies and smirked, clearly pleased with the situation.

“Of… of course…!!”

The innkeeper was already blushing fiercely. Indeed, his face was very striking, and it must have been quite overwhelming to be gazed at so closely. However, expensive… I’m the one paying, though! Currently, I’m unemployed!

Alesia, who arrived later, looked at the flustered innkeeper with curiosity as she headed towards the twin room on the first floor with her younger sister Kiara.

My room was on the second floor. The corner room was Belial’s, and mine was next door. The corner room had a better view and was a bit more spacious. Although it was said to be expensive, it was only slightly pricier than the others.

The room had a closet and a shelf beside the door, and a large safe was placed inside. There was a clean bed, a table with chairs, and a stand to place luggage. There was a shared washbasin on the second floor, but the shower was only on the first floor. By the way, the shower was an additional charge.

Speaking of which, Belial already had a palace back in Hell, so there was no need for him to rent a room. He could just be summoned whenever needed. However, he had said he was tired of Hell and wanted to “play” with humans. Of course, I’ve told him to refrain from such activities.

Now, I have to earn enough to support both of us…!

There’s no time to rest! I need to make products and sell them…!

As I left the inn and headed toward the town center, the buildings grew more dense, and the streets were crowded with people. I could also see a few beastmen mixed in among the crowd.

“That large intersection ahead is where the Commercial Guild is.”

Following Alesia’s directions, we soon arrived at a splendid stone building. The round sign hanging at the entrance had a pentagon shape, with a cross inside it. Below the symbol was the name of the Commercial Guild. Apparently, the pentagon represented the number of fingers.

“Hello~”

With Alesia’s cheerful voice, I followed her through the guild’s door. Now, we were acting alone.

There was a reception desk in front, with two women standing at the counter. They were both wearing the same pale yellow shirts and khaki vests.

“Hello. How can I assist you today?”

Alesia walked up to the woman with light blue hair. She seemed to be about the same age as me.

“Um, this is Iriya, and she makes magical potions and elixirs. I was thinking of selling them, but…”

“Well, that will be very helpful. Recently, the number of adventurers has increased, and many items are becoming scarce.”

The woman smiled happily, placing her hands together in front of her chest.

“Do you have any samples?”

“No, we just arrived in this town the other day. We’re here to ask about how to obtain the materials necessary to make potions as soon as possible.”

Thinking of it as work made me even more nervous. Compared to Alesia, who was handling the reception with her usual friendly demeanor, I felt like the receptionist was standing a bit more stiffly when addressing me.

“Materials, yes. There are various ways to obtain them… However, at this guild, only registered members can buy and sell. But we can introduce you to stores. If there is something you are missing or that is not carried by any store, you can request it through the Adventurers’ Guild. In this case, you’ll need to set a deadline and pay half in advance to the guild.”

“…Is it possible for me to gather the materials myself? If so, I would be grateful if you could inform me of any restrictions or prohibited activities, as well as the locations where I can find the herbs.”

The receptionist nodded with a slightly higher voice than before and pulled some papers from under the counter.

She first unfolded a map of the town and began explaining while pointing to it with her index finger.

“This is the map of the town of Renant. The symbol on the map is the same as the one on the sign; this is the Commercial Guild. Across the main street is the Adventurers’ Guild. You’ll be able to spot it as soon as you step outside.”

The receptionist took a red pen from the penholder on the counter and drew a line beneath the words “Commercial Guild.”

She then pointed further down the street.

“Shops are clustered around the area marked by this light blue line, and the yellow line marks the area where guild members can set up stalls for a fee. There are also stalls in the back alleys, but be cautious as they may have illegal or low-quality items.”

After explaining this, she turned the map over to show the reverse side.

“The numbers assigned to the shops are listed on the back. You can find the shop names and the main products they handle, so please refer to this. Also, if you encounter any issues or troubles while purchasing, feel free to consult with our guild.”

“Also…”

She neatly folded the map and spread out another piece of paper. This one depicted the surrounding area.

“This is a map of the surrounding area. It marks places where materials can be gathered and the monsters that appear there. It’s brief, but it’s a good reference. For more detailed locations, some individuals may have private gathering spots, so you’ll need to explore them yourself. If you encounter a strong monster that isn’t listed here, please report it to the guild or the guards. We ask for your cooperation in keeping everyone safe.”

“Understood.”

After confirming my nod, she neatly folded the surrounding map and handed it to me along with a simplified map of the country.

She also briefly explained some documents related to both the Commercial and Adventurers’ Guilds. There was a membership application for the Commercial Guild, along with an introductory guide titled “What Can You Do at the Guild?” aimed at beginners.

The Adventurers’ Guild documents included guidelines on how to hire escorts when going gathering, the price variations based on adventurer ranks, and essential contract terms regarding meals and accommodations during expeditions. Knowing these things in advance would be very helpful.

Well, I don’t think I’ll be hiring any adventurers, but there’s no need to mention that.

“Thank you very much for the detailed explanation. I’ll refer to this. Once we’ve made the potions, I’ll come by to apply.”

“Y-Yes, we’re always here to help. Also, there’s one more thing… We offer two types of guild membership: regular membership and artisan membership. Artisan membership requires you to take a course and pass a test or submit certain items for approval. If the items are recognized, you’ll be certified as an artisan by the guild, which will make buying and selling smoother. There are three ranks: normal, advanced, and meister. If you’re making items, you might want to consider this.”

“I see. I’ll think about it.”

We both bowed to each other, and the conversation ended. I thought it was very informative, especially the helpful materials!

However, Alesia stared at me with a puzzled expression and said:

“That was… really stiff, wasn’t it?”

“Well, I guess that’s how it is for work… Right? It was our first meeting, after all.”

“No, that woman is polite but easygoing. She’s actually the type that talks casually and is much easier to approach!”

“Oh?”

Later, the receptionist herself said, “They were so stiff, so polite, and so formal… I thought they were either related to nobility or that I was being tested by the guild’s upper management in a surprise customer service test. I was so nervous!”