Monster Hunting Part 1

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After we left the shop, we strolled down the bustling street. I walked alongside Marie and Glast, soaking up the lively atmosphere of the street. It felt refreshing to walk among so many people since we didn’t often get the chance to do so. Usually, we were either at home or riding in a carriage when we went to Istoria.

As we walked down the street, I saw a diverse range of people, including merchants, mercenaries, and local residents of all ages and genders. While there were no demi-humans around, it wouldn’t have bothered me even if I had seen one. In fact, I might have been a little fascinated by it.

“First, let’s go to the guild. It’s better to take on a request to hunt monsters there.”

“The guild?”

“Yeah, there are various guilds, but the one we’re going to is the adventurer’s guild. It’s a place that acts as an intermediary for requests from individuals, organizations, and countries. They have a wide range of requests, from hunting and capturing monsters to guarding and assisting with everyday household chores. It’s essential for any country since they mediate a wide range of requests.”

The adventurer’s guild. It’s a familiar term. It exists in this world too, huh? I didn’t know until just now. Normally, that would be the first thing I’d look up, but my interest was only in magic back then. Now, I’m little interested in monsters too since I know they have magical power. I don’t know if it’s only goblins or if other monsters have it too though.

“Why go to the guild?”

“There are many advantages. First, you get paid. This is a big deal since it affects your motivation to do the job. Plus, when you take on a request, you’ll receive important information about the monster, including its location, number, and type.

“Secondly, once you register, your evaluation score will increase as you complete more requests. This will allow you to climb the ranks and take on more challenging requests, receive direct requests, and even gain special privileges.”

I see. In that case, it would be better to take on a request first. From what I’ve heard so far, there don’t seem to be any disadvantages.

“What are some of the special privileges you can get?”

“Well, the most significant one would be the permission to access restricted areas. Since these areas are off-limits to the general public, you can obtain rare ores and materials. Additionally, you may receive special requests, and sponsored stores may offer lower prices. However, keep in mind that you may also be called upon in emergency situations, so it’s not all advantages.”

It seems quite useful, especially when it comes to being able to access restricted areas. As for magic, I don’t know much about it. One cannot gain knowledge of magic by merely sitting around.

Learning about the ecology of Ettentraut, magical reactions of monsters, and thunder ore were things I wouldn’t have known if I had stayed inside my house.

There must be many other magical things to discover in the outside world. If there are places where regular people cannot enter, then it would be wise to raise my adventurer rank. Of course, as a child, I don’t have to do it immediately. It’s just a matter of planning for the future.

“So first, let’s register at the guild. For children, a recommendation from an adventurer rank of Gold or higher is required. Since I’m Platinum, there’s no problem. The ranks are listed in order from Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Orichalcum. Only a handful of people hold the Orichalcum rank, and they’re considered legendary.”

From my perspective, the rank system is very easy to understand.

“Okay, I understand. Let’s go to the guild then. Is that okay with you, sis?”

“Y-yeah. It’s fine.”

Marie’s behavior is different from usual; she’s clearly nervous. It’s only natural since we’re about to face monsters. Fear is a reasonable reaction, and it would be strange to remain composed.

As Glast observed her behavior, he appeared concerned.

“Don’t push yourselves too hard. We don’t have to do it today. Theon is only eight years old, and Marie is ten. There are people who have already defeated monsters at that age, but that doesn’t mean you have to do the same.”

Marie shook her head firmly. “No, I’m fine. If I run away now, I’ll keep running away forever. That won’t make me stronger. I want to be strong. Strong enough to protect myself and everyone… Strong enough to protect Theon too.”

She clenched her fist and looked straight at Glast. Her eyes were filled with a strong determination. Seeing her like that, Glast showed a broad smile.

“I see. Hey, as I said earlier, it’s not a problem because I’m here. I’ll definitely protect both of you. It’s your first time, so just relax a little.”

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Marie nodded quietly. I realized that a fire was burning in my chest, knowing my sister’s resolve.

I understood why my sister had made up her mind to go monster hunting: to overcome her fear of goblins. If one becomes frightened of fighting, it may result in trauma and hinder them from fighting again. While many people would choose to flee, my sister had the determination to confront her fear.

Though I knew her motives, I didn’t voice my opinion. When I told my plan to go monster hunting, she wanted to come along. My reason for going was to test whether magic was effective against monsters. Since I knew it would be dangerous to go alone, I decided to ask for someone’s company. I was sure my father would object if I told him, so I sought Glast’s assistance, who had prior experience, and he agreed without hesitation.

When I turned to face him after being lightly tapped on the shoulder, Glast had approached and leaned in.

“You’re quite fortunate, aren’t you? To be loved like that.”

I don’t know how to respond to that…”

“Haha, I get it. Even though it’s your sister who loves you, having a good relationship with your family is important. She’s a good sister, so take good care of her.”

“Absolutely. That’s my intention.”

“Heh, nice expression you got there. Despite being young, sometimes I think you’re already an adult.”

Well, I am an adult. Even so, I rely on my sister for many things and I also have some childish traits. I believe that both adults and children can learn from each other. This is my second life, one that includes magic and an important family, so I must cherish it. I’m determined to spend every day seriously and to the best of my abilities.

“Today, I plan to go on a kobold hunt. They’re relatively weak compared to other monsters, making them a good choice for a first battle. The three species with the largest presence among monsters are goblins, kobolds, and orcs. Kobolds have a large population and remarkable breeding power, but they lack individual strength. Goblins, on the other hand, have fewer numbers, but they make up for it with their violent individual strength. Orcs have an even smaller population, but their enormous bodies give them significant individual strength.”

“Are there any other types of monsters?”

“Yes, there are others. But, in terms of power distribution, it’s mostly these three species and some others. The ‘others’ category includes many different species, but they are generally fewer in number. The subjugation of the three main species is a constant request from all guilds.”

Monsters always have the potential to harm humans, and the three species mentioned are especially dangerous. They even lived near our village. Their subjugation wouldn’t trouble anyone.

As we walked and talked, we arrived at our destination, which was quite large and had many people coming and going, looking busy. Seeing the huge wooden building made me feel nostalgic. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling.

“Well, let’s go in.”

Glast quickly entered the guild, and we followed him indoors. There were people wearing armor or carrying weapons, as well as many ordinary people.

There seemed to be various reception desks, such as for request submissions and acceptances.

I see. Even when making a request individually, people come to the reception desk, so there are many people other than adventurers. There were few children, so that’s probably why we didn’t stand out much.

We headed to the adventurer registration reception desk. It seemed to be vacant now, and we were able to move to the front of the reception desk immediately.

“Registration for two people. These two.”

Glast took out a necklace he was wearing around his neck and showed it to the receptionist. A thinly shining decoration was attached to the tip.

Is that platinum? Or is it an imitation?

The receptionist seemed quite young. Maybe she was in her late teens.

“Okay… Eh? Um, these children?”

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“Well, I’m a platinum rank, so there’s no problem with the recommendation, right?”

“Well, yes, if it’s a recommendation from someone of Platinum rank or higher, you can register as an adventurer. However… Um, the two of you look like you’re under ten years old.”

“Age doesn’t matter, right? There should be many precedents. Besides, I’ll take care of them while they’re working. No problem.”

Glast seemed a little irritated and made a scene with the receptionist who was at a loss for words.

My sister and I looked at each other wondering what to do.

“Um, well… There are two of them, so if there was only one, it would be okay, but…”

“Oh? It’ll be fine. It’s just a simple request. Come on, register them.”

“How about stopping there? That’s not very mature of you.”

A voice was heard from behind. Glast turned around with a displeased expression.

“Hey, who’s sticking their nose in someone else’s business?”

We knew the person who was there.

“It’s me.”

“Father?!”

We stood frozen, mouths agape, in shock at the unexpected appearance of our father.

How did he find us? Why is he here?

Father had come to stop us, and various thoughts raced through my head as I felt like mischievous child afraid of getting scolded.

Ignoring our stunned silence, Dad spoke to the receptionist.

“I’ll also accompany them. I’m a Diamond. Will that be a problem?” He took a necklace out of his pocket. It was a highly polished piece, unlike Glast’s.

“Y-Yes, that’s fine if you’re a Diamond rank!”

“Um, please sign this.”

Prompted by my father, we signed at the reception desk, and it seemed that registration was complete with just that. We were given a small necklace with a bronze ornament hanging from the tip, which served as proof that we were adventurers.

“This is proof that you’re adventurers, so be sure not to lose it. There’s a charge for reissuing it. Well, cough, congratulations. Please take good care of it as an adventurer and carry out your requests with dignity. That being said, have a safe trip!”

The woman showed us a smile and voice that seemed straight out of a manual, waving goodbye.

We bowed and left the reception.

For some reason, the atmosphere was heavy, and the three of us, except for Father, felt awkward.

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“It’s better to accept the request first. We’ll talk later.”

“Ah, yes, that’s right…”

Glast appeared puzzled as he gave us a quick glance before taking a piece of paper from the notice board and heading towards the request acceptance desk. We trailed behind him. Accepting the request was easy – all we had to do was bring the request form.

It appeared that we were required to bring back a part of the defeated monster’s body to verify if the request was fulfilled. For kobolds, this part happened to be their ears, most likely because teeth were too numerous. It was difficult to accurately count if we had hunted the right number.

After accepting the request, we stepped outside into an atmosphere that was difficult to describe. The three of us lined up side by side and faced my father.

“So, is there anything you want to say?”

“We’re sorry!”

“I apologize!”

“I’m sorry!”

We all apologized and bowed our heads. We couldn’t do anything else. Our father had seen through our plans, although we didn’t know when or how he had found out. There was no point in making excuses in this situation.

I glanced at my father’s expression, but he didn’t seem angry.

“Just as I expected,” Father said.

“As expected? Did you know that we were going to hunt monsters, Father?”

“I didn’t. But I knew you were plotting something. Marie’s eyes were wandering when she talked to me or Emma. It was clear that she was hiding something.”

“Uh, sorry, both of you.” My sister said.

It was like my sister to be so honest. I thought I was acting normally, but I must have been too focused to notice her behaviors.

“Seriously, trying to hunt monsters without letting me know. They’re dangerous. It’s unthinkable to go to a place where they exist. We talked about it, didn’t we?”

“Y-yes, Dad.”

“I’m sorry, Father…”

My sister and I hung our heads in shame. We were aware that we were breaking the rules, but we thought it was necessary, even if it was in line with our father’s wishes.

“Both of them had a lot of ideas, so don’t be too harsh on them.”

“You’re one to talk.”

Glast, who was being stared down by Father, looked uncomfortable and began to whistle poorly. He wasn’t able to cover up anything.

Father let out a big sigh.

“Tell me the reason…”

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Upon Father’s request, we explained ourselves. Marie wanted to become stronger and overcome the fear of that day. I wanted to test the effects of magic and see what effect it had on monsters.

When we finished speaking, Father sighed again.

“I see. I had a feeling that there was more to it than just having fun. From the very start, I knew that the two of you wouldn’t do anything reckless. But I needed to confirm my suspicions… Look at me for a moment. Your actions held a purpose, didn’t they? So, even if you end up being scolded, be proud of yourselves.”

We looked up at Father, who was smiling slightly. He sewmed a little happy.

“I understand your decision to seek a reliable and strong escort, rather than proceeding on your own. Planning ahead and being prepared is crucial in such situations. Even if I wasn’t available, with Glast around, you could have counted on him to keep you safe. However, we must keep in mind that there are no guarantees in life. It’s always better to minimize the risks as much as possible. Going forward, make sure to inform me as well. With two high-ranking individuals, we can take on any challenge with confidence and peace of mind.”

“Huh? Th-That means…”

“Yes. I’ll accompany you as well.”

I was left stunned by the unexpected words. Father had been on our side in many ways, but he had also been opposed to dangerous things and had placed many restrictions on us.

In recent times, he’d even suggested that if Marie were present during the experiment, it would be enough, and had loosened some of the restrictions. However, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was really okay, despite his approval.

“Having observed your magic experiments and swordsmanship training, I thought it would be okay if the two of you could challenge yourselves to new things. But it’s much safer for me to be with you and guide you rather than having you engage in dangerous activities where I can’t keep an eye on you.

“I know that you’re still children and as an adult, I need to supervise you. However, it’s not right to think that you can’t accomplish anything just because you’re young.

“You’ve both learned a lot and made great progress in a short period of time. There are things that you can do that I can’t. That’s why I’ve changed my perspective a bit. That’s all.”

Did doubts show on my face? Father proceeded to explain the reason behind his actions, but it seemed too sudden, almost casual.

It’s definitely a relief to have him on our side and willing to assist us. There’s no question that it’s safer with Father around.

“Thank you, Father.”

“Dad… thank you! I’ll do my best!”

“Haha, don’t worry. But when it comes to fighting, take it seriously. Don’t let your guard down.”

“Yes!” We responded energetically, and Glast nodded along.

“Glast, you’re up for a hundred rounds of sparring next time.”

“Are you trying to kill me!? Alright, alright! I’m sorry! Jeez, I’ll show you what I’m made of! I’m pretty strong too, you know!”

“Hmph, let’s see you prove it!”

For some reason, only Glast seemed to be punished. I’ll apologize to him later…

“Well then, let’s go. We need to move quickly or we won’t make it home on time.”

Father took the lead, and we left the guild.

It was full of unexpected events and twists and turns, but ultimately, everything turned out as we had hoped with no problems. And so, we headed towards our monster hunt

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