Chapter 12

“What’s wrong, Rose? Is there a problem?”

The man with an unkempt beard had sunken cheeks, giving off a somewhat unhygienic vibe.
His armor was well-worn, and he carried a sword.
He perfectly matched the image I had of a rough, hardened adventurer.

“Welcome back, Leonard-sama. This is the newcomer who was scheduled to arrive today.”

“Oh, that was today, huh…”

The man addressed as Leonard silently stared at me for a moment.

“Um, is something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing… But still, a little runt like you joining? You look like a kid. Can you even handle it? A brat like this?”

“Ausel-sama, this is Leonard-sama, the guild’s resident adventurer. He’s akin to a bodyguard for this guild hall.”

“Pleased to meet you…”

“Well, do your best. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”

“Hey, Leonard! If you’re free, get the ingredients from the storeroom!”

A loud voice came from the direction of the dining hall.
Behind the counter that opened into the kitchen, I saw someone wearing a chef’s hat—it seemed to be the cook.

“Huh? That’s not my job!”

“Just do it already! Or you won’t get any breakfast!”

“Tch… Fine, whatever.”

Grumbling, Leonard reluctantly scratched the back of his neck and trudged off.

“That person is Sammy-sama, the head chef. The guild hall’s dining hall is reputed to have delicious food. …Though I can’t personally judge human food tastes…”

Rose scratched her cheek shyly.

“Lanak-sama should be in his office. Go straight down this hallway and turn left at the end. That’s the guildmaster’s room.”

“Thank you, Rose-san.”

Rose gave a soft smile and bowed gracefully, maintaining her composed demeanor.

When I entered the guildmaster’s room, a man seated at a desk stood up with a bright expression and approached me.
When I extended my hand in response, he clasped it warmly with both hands in a firm handshake.

“Welcome to the Adventurer’s Guild Hall. I’m Lanak, the guildmaster of the Rubient Branch in this royal capital. Pleased to meet you.”

“Pleased to meet you, too.”

He was shorter than me, at 140 cm.
With glossy black hair neatly parted, a suit, and a bow tie, he looked rather affluent—round and slightly overweight.

“I’ve heard about you from Arthur-sama. I know you struck Arthur-sama’s son and that it was a lie meant to protect your friend. Turning down admission to a prestigious school like Wemons, even for a friend, isn’t something anyone can do easily. I’m rooting for you.”

“Th-thank you very much.”

“If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask those around you. Everyone here is friendly, so don’t worry.”

It’s been a week since I started working at the guild hall.

In conclusion, this workplace is better than I imagined.
The staff is kind, and they always lend a helping hand when needed.

Even though I’m supposedly a criminal for hitting a noble, no one here judges me for it.
Some adventurers even praise me for standing up to a noble.
Apparently, being a bit rough around the edges is appreciated here.

The dining hall food is delicious, there’s running water, and the living facilities are well-maintained.
With private rooms for each staff member, it’s arguably a better environment than the orphanage.

Arthur-sama probably set this up as “punishment” for my sake.
I understand that now.

“Alright, focus… focus…”

In the staff locker room, I created fine bubbles.
Tiny bubbles burst quickly, and new ones formed to fill the gaps.
The fizzing bubbles seeped into even the toughest grime, lifting it off surfaces.

If I filled the entire space with bubbles, dirt from walls and ceilings would slide down along with them.
After a few minutes, I could dispel the bubbles and mop the floor to finish the job.

Every corner sparkled.
The beauty of these bubbles is that they’re made of my magic, not water, so nothing gets wet.
Even if the library was full of bubbles, the books wouldn’t get wet.
Likewise, weapons in the armory wouldn’t rust after a cleaning.

This is why I was hired as a cleaner.
The skill I stumbled upon while training for the entrance exam finally proved useful.

“Wow! So shiny!”

“A clean workspace boosts morale!”

“Thanks, Ausel-kun!”

“Not bad for a little guy. Keep it up and clean the whole place.”

Everyone’s feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
I used to think this was a weak skill, but now I’m grateful for these bubbles.
Without them, I probably wouldn’t have gotten this job.

It’s true what they say: when one door closes, another opens.
Thank you, bubbles.

“The first floor is nearly done. The problem is…”

I turned my gaze toward the kitchen.
The cooks were busy, but my concern was with the greasy mana-powered stoves and ovens caked with grime.

I desperately wanted to clean them, but…

“What are you staring at! Order something or leave!”

“Um…”

“I’ve told you before, the kitchen doesn’t need cleaning! If you’re looking for work, find it elsewhere!”

It seemed my intense gaze had annoyed Sammy enough for him to firmly shut me down.