The Start of a Routine

Two weeks have pa.s.sed since I first registered .

Ever since then, I’ve been ridiculed and called Black Rabbit every single day . After that, Ness must have heard of which inn I was staying at, because he paid me a visit .

“Asagi, uh…sorry…I, uh, didn’t quite think it would take on like this…”

“It’s fine . No one really knows what’s going to happen with anything . ”

“That may be, but…”

He looked pretty sincere about it . There was no culture of kneeling on the ground here, but he lowered his head regretfully . I couldn’t be angry with him after seeing him like that . There was no malice on Ness’ face, even though he had been the one to first use the name . Though, there was clearly a little contempt there at first .

This was just a case of everyone else making a lot of noise like the fools that they were . The guild was civil when Gardo and the others were there, but the drunkards would jeer to a disturbing degree once they left .

Yes, there were days when Gardo and Ness were not at the guild . h.e.l.l, recently there would be more days where they were away . The two of them worked as a team and took on advanced quests together . The last one was towards the south of this town…they went deep into the forest from a different gate than the one I had entered in, and killed some orcs . The whole thing

took them five days, so the guild house was pretty much the worst possible environment during that time . No matter how much they mocked and laughed, the guild did not intervene . They would, of course, interfere with fights that could result in injury, but they had a rule about not meddling in anything else . One must establish their own position on their own . That was the rule . I knew this for a fact because the bookworm at the ‘QUESTIONS & OTHER’ counter told me so . Her name was apparently ‘Flo . ’ She never actually introduced herself, but it was on her name tag .

“What will you do today?”

I was standing at the Quest Counter, which I’ve visited quite often recently . I was holding a torn piece of paper that I got from a notice that was nailed to the quest board .

“Ah, ‘Medicine Gathering’ again, I see . So you will be working in the forest . Please show me your status card . ”

I was already holding it in my hand, and so I placed it on the counter .

“Yes, thank you . Please wait a moment . …Yes, quest information is now registered . Good luck, and have a safe trip . ”

The guild worker smiled pleasantly handed back my status card . I accepted the card back and repeated the now familiar words .

“Status open . ”

Name: Asagi Kamiyas.h.i.+ro

Race: Human

Job: Adventurer(Rank: G)

LV: 10

HP: 180/180

MP: 70/70

STR: 58  VIT: 50

AGI: 190  DEX: 90

INT: 44  LUK: 11

Skills: Jack of all trades, master of none

Magic:

none

Magic: None

Current Quest: Medicine Gathing

All Equipment: Head – none

Body – Leather armor

Arms – Leather gloves

Legs – None

Feet – Leather shoes

Weapon – Iron sword

– Iron short sword

Accessories – None

Well, the quest was there . I said my thanks and turned on my heels . And of course, the usual insults came flying .

“Oi, is the Black Rabbit feeling vegetarian today as well?”

“Buwahahaha! He does love his leaves!”

Adventuring s.h.i.+ts . They came here to the bar when it was still midday and drank . I once asked when it was that they worked, and they said that they were drinking off the money made by other people . But that didn’t mean that they never worked . They were all a part of different parties . Or in other words, ‘Clans’ that they were registered to, and they took turns earning money . It was a set rule for them, which apparently prevented fights over ‘whose money’ was being spent . It was quite the gathering of b.a.s.t.a.r.ds . All of them . I hated them .

“Those plants can be used for anything, and they’re quite handy to have . ”

“We’re so blessed to have the Black Rabbit, with his fondness for leaves! Hahaha haha!!”

I had no intention of arguing with them, but the one-sided jabs did get on my nerves . But there was no point in firing back . I sighed once, then left the guild behind me .

I made my way towards the gathering area for the medicinal herbs that I always went to . This is the only quest

only quest I’ve been taking ever since becoming an adventurer . While it was rather boring, it was good for making money . But appearances clearly meant something here, and there were few people who accepted this quest . Except for ‘rocks’ like me .

However, this quest was really nothing more than an excuse to go to the forest . My real targets were the goblins . I saw that my level had increased by 10 when I had just checked my status . When I had turned level 6 and went to the Reward Counter, the friendly guild worker had asked me about my ‘level suddenly being higher?’ I just said then, that I encountered a goblin and had no choice but to fight . Goblin slaying was restricted to F Rank adventurers, so they would usually have been forbidden for G Rankers like me .

And so I used the medicine as an excuse to invade the forests . Of course, I gathered the herbs as well . And I was able to use the money that I made through it to buy some equipment . The armor was a used piece sold at the armor shop . My sword was a trial weapon made by the blacksmith’s apprentice and was very cheap . The old billhook was melted down and made into a short sword . With my sword and short sword in hand and the help of the unique skill ‘Jack of all Trades…’ I was a type two-handed fighter now .

“Ho Asagi . Are you going to the forest?”

“Russell .

the forest?”

“Russell . ”

He was standing right by the gate . I guess he was in charge of the south side today .

“I am . I’ll return before the sun sets . ”

“Ah, you’ve walked through the hills . I’m sure you could handle the night?”

He gave a throaty laugh . I sighed .

“I don’t ever want to sleep in a tree again…”

“Hahaha! That story is a cla.s.sic!”

A while ago, Russell had come to see how I was doing, during a dinner at the inn . It was then that I told him my entire story of coming to Fhiraldo, and apparently, the part about sleeping in a tree had amused him . He had laughed so hard that he had tears in his eyes . It was still laughter towards me, and yet it was one of the few moments where I felt a sense of comfort .

“Ugh… Anyway, I better get going . ”

“Aye, you be careful!”

He slammed a palm into my back . The pain was a sign of trust . His att.i.tude towards me had not changed even when seeing others ridicule me as the Black Rabbit . He was a good person . Maris, the innkeeper, was also a kind person who always had a smile when greeting me . She had even offered a fifty percent discount after a week had pa.s.sed and I asked to extend my stay . Of course, I rejected her offer…

In any case, I was now heading for the forest . To raise my level as I gathered herbs .