Chapter 35 - Sending Out Letters
・Kikyo Society Recruitment Notice, Seeking Women
【Race】Any
【Origin】Any
【Status】Any
【Age】Any
【Experience】Any
【Requirement】Women only
【Reward】Depends on performance
【Benefits】Provision of adequate meals and lodging, medical treatment
【Danger】No guarantee of life, constant danger
【Duration】As long as you live
【Gathering Place】In front of the Kikyo Society on Lightning Street.
【Gathering Date and Time】Either morning or afternoon of the next day, or three days from now. Any time within the specified morning or afternoon.
*There is a training period. If the set standards are not met during this period, you will be disqualified. Benefits are guaranteed during the training period.
*Those with ambition, who wish to utilize their abilities, or who seek something, please come to the Kikyo Society.
"Does this look good?"
The Kikyo Society gathered at the office early in the morning. When I showed them the recruitment notice we had worked on all night, the reactions were less than enthusiastic. I was pretty confident, but something seemed off.
"Does it look like this?"
"Yukarinowe, are you serious?"
"True, no guarantee of life and constant danger. But it is accurate."
"If someone comes running after seeing this, they must be an idiot. I like idiots, though."
"Well, it’s not like we want wimps. But will anyone actually come?"
"To be honest, I think it’s too honest… but if someone responds to this, they’d be promising new members."
Mixed reactions from the others. I think being honest is fine, but—
Our Kikyo Society is about to face some dangerous situations. We don’t want half-hearted people.
"If no one applies, we can always change it. Just go with this for now."
I made a few copies and handed them to the outreach team. The question is, where to post them.
"Is it okay to post them on Lightning Street and Sixth Avenue? There are bulletin boards there, so no complaints should come our way."
We should post them in the streets where we usually operate for better effect.
Apparently, the bulletin boards managed by the administration can be used by anyone. However, anything not specifically approved will be removed at night. So, if we only need it for a day, we can post it without permission.
"Where else do determined, ambitious people gather?"
"Probably in the slums or refugee areas. What do you think?"
Hmm, that’s a tough call. There might be people with ambition and drive, but there could also be a lot of deadbeats. I don’t want to waste time on them.
"Don’t worry, Yukarinowe. If there are any cocky types, we can politely send them away. It’s the same as usual."
"You’re right. Just post some there too. Thanks."
After seeing off the patrol and training groups, I leaned back on the sofa in the reception area. Whether anyone responds to the recruitment notice or not, we’ll find out tomorrow. I’ll try to be hopeful.
Leaving the headquarters in Gradena’s and Roberta’s hands, I headed out to send some letters.
I’ve never been to any guild except the Commerce Guild, so I’m looking forward to it. I wonder what the atmosphere is like.
First, I stopped by the Adventurer Guild. The first thing that caught my eye was the reception counter, similar to the Commerce Guild, with a beautiful receptionist. There was a large board with requests posted on it, and a room that looked like a cafeteria in the back.
Armed adventurers were scattered around, chatting and doing various things. No one seemed to be paying any attention to me, so I didn’t expect any trouble. It wasn’t a busy time, so there weren’t too many people around.
I approached an empty counter, and a glamorous, urban beauty greeted me with a smile.
"Welcome to the Adventurer Guild. I don’t recognize you. What brings you here?"
She’s pretty friendly. I don’t mind that.
"I need to send a letter. Would this be considered a request?"
"Well, it would be handled as a request. Which city are you sending it to?"
"Um, I’m not sure. It’s for an adventurer named Ophelia."
"Ophelia… I don’t think she’s in this city. If we check through other guild branches, there might be someone with the same name. Do you know her party name?"
Oops, I didn’t ask for that. I stumbled right away.
"Do you have any other information? Like the names of her companions?"
I was at a loss, but the receptionist offered to help.
"Ah, right. There’s an elf named Albert. Then there’s Violante, Liliane, and Mia."
As I mentioned Ophelia’s companions, the receptionist wrote down the names neatly.
"Having these names should be enough. However, we’ll need to search through guild communications, so the cost will be higher."
"I see. How much exactly?"
"The communication fees are quite high. If we can find her in one try, it won’t be too bad, but if we have to contact each branch, it will add up."
"Guess we’ll have to see."
"Exactly. Even if we can’t find her, you’ll still have to pay the communication fees. What do you want to do?"
"I’ll go ahead with it. How much should I pay as a deposit?"
—
It’s an unexpected expense, but it can’t be helped. I’ll come back tomorrow to check the results and pay any additional fees if needed.
While I was there, I asked about the state of the Royal Capital. Many people are working hard to rebuild it. If that’s the case, Zenobia and Caroline might still be there. So, I also asked the Adventurer Guild to deliver letters to the Mercenary Guild in the Royal Capital.
To officially request this, I had to fill out some forms. When I wrote my name, the receptionist commented, "Oh, you’re the one they’re talking about," with a meaningful tone. I was curious about what they were saying, but it’s fine.
"See you tomorrow."
"Sure, see you tomorrow."
I was impressed again by the receptionist’s charming smile as she saw me off.
She’s beautiful, friendly, and curvy. Plus, she seems tough. She could easily charm and disarm even veteran adventurers or enthusiastic newbies.
After leaving the Adventurer Guild, I headed straight to the Healer Guild.
The reception counter there was similar, but the receptionists were different. Instead of a beautiful lady, there were a nervous-looking man in glasses and a bored-looking woman.
The atmosphere was more like a government office than a service-oriented business. The first impression wasn’t great.
Healers, with their high-demand magical abilities, hold a significant social status. Especially those working for the guild are considered elite.
The receptionist’s attitude was far from service-oriented, exuding a sense of pride even in their role as a receptionist.
Fine, I don’t really care. I just need to get my business done. I’m not trying to be friendly.
Ignoring the slightly unwelcoming air, I approached the man who happened to meet my gaze.
"Be brief."
Standing in front of the counter, I was greeted with this. No proper greeting, just a cold response.
Well, I guess he’s straightforward. Let’s get this over with quickly.
"Um, I need to deliver some items."
"Hmph, items? The Healer Guild isn’t a delivery service. Try the Adventurer Guild."
Maybe I should have said "deliver a letter" instead. But it’s a letter with healing potions, so it’s more like a delivery. If he had interpreted it more kindly, he might not have reacted so rudely.
But, he’s pissing me off. I didn’t come here to start a fight, but I have a reason to be here. Rosabel-san asked me to send the letter from the Healer Guild, so I came all the way here. I don’t deserve this attitude.
What’s his problem? I need to say something.
"Hey, listen. A healer friend told me to send it from the Healer Guild, so I came here. What’s with this attitude?"
"Hmph, I don’t know who told you that, but you should leave now. This isn’t a delivery service. Don’t make me repeat myself."
I’m losing my patience. If he says one more thing, I might lose it. I’ll leave before I do something I regret.
I can’t waste my time on an ignorant fool.
"Just a moment! Wait a minute. At least tell us who told you this."
As I turned to leave, an older woman called out to me.
"Hey, don’t get involved. We’ve already told her to leave."
"Just wait a moment. It’s part of our job to accept letters and items for healers."
What the hell? These people are so frustrating.
"If you’re not going to help, I have no business here. Keep talking like that, and I won’t hold back."
"Hey, lady. What can you do? I won’t go easy on you."
"Wait a minute! Tell us who asked you to come here. Hurry up!"
I’m trying to avoid trouble, but—
I’m about to snap.
"…It was Rosabel. I won’t come back here again."
"Wait, wait! Rosabel-sama?!"
"No way! Wait, what’s your name?!"
"Shut up. What’s your problem?"
"Just tell us your name!"
The man and woman suddenly became anxious. The other healers, who had been watching coldly, started to panic.
"Listen carefully, I’ll only say this once. I am Shinogami. I won’t tolerate any more of your nonsense."
"Lies! You’re a liar!"
The man suddenly got angry and insulted me. I don’t understand.
I sighed deeply. I clenched my fist with quiet anger and turned back to the counter.
The moment the man started to speak, I leaned over the sturdy counter, raised my fist from my shoulder, and brought it down with a straight punch.
The result was clear.
With a single punch, the counter was shattered dramatically, far more than what a small fist should have been able to do.
The Healer Guild fell silent, as if they had just witnessed something unbelievable.
"I said I won’t tolerate it. Next time, I’ll take you down. Don’t worry, there are plenty of healers here, so you won’t die. Isn’t it great to have healing magic?"
They were overwhelmed by my presence and said nothing. I decided to leave.
"Wait! Wait a minute. Are you Yukarinowe, no, Lady Yukarinowe?"
The woman recovered and started talking again. I don’t need to stay here.
"You’re being stubborn."
"I apologize. Is this a delivery from Lady Yukarinowe to Lady Rosabel?"
"That’s what I’ve been saying. Now, cut it out."
The healers turned pale at my angry response. They started the trouble, yet they’re acting so pitiful.
Just as I was about to leave, another man appeared.
"What’s going on here?"
Another authority figure.
"Guildmaster!"
"It’s about the special instructions from Lady Rosabel."
The Guildmaster seemed to understand the situation by looking at the destroyed counter.
The staff clearly need better training. This is the responsibility of the higher-ups.
"I apologize for the poor service. Please come to my office for a better discussion."
To my surprise, he apologized.
Even if it’s troublesome, I can’t dismiss the Guildmaster. He seems reasonable.
"You people need to listen to others. It took a big detour just to get that through. Honestly, you’re something else."
"You—!"
The receptionist reacted quickly to my sarcasm but was silenced by the Guildmaster’s sharp glance.
"Again, I apologize. Please come with me."
He led me to his office, accompanied by the woman, to avoid any further interruptions.
Finally, we can get to the point.
The Guildmaster’s office had a maid preparing tea, which surprised me.
"Let me introduce myself. I am Termiode of the Exembra Healer Guild. I apologize for the poor service."
"It’s fine. I can’t refuse an apology from the Guildmaster. Since I broke the counter, we can call it even."
"You’re quite frank. Given the poor service, I can understand your reaction. If you weren’t a guest of Lady Rosabel, I might not have been so lenient."
The Guildmaster seemed slightly displeased. I would have been more polite, but after what happened, I lost all patience.
The scent of the tea poured by the maid helped calm my frayed nerves.
"Anyway, what about Rosabel-san?"
Satisfied with the pleasant tea, I prompted him to continue.
"Yes. A while ago, we received a notice from the healer guilds. Any letters or items from someone named Yukarinowe should be delivered immediately."
"Ah, Rosabel-san is a respected figure in the Healer Guild. She must have arranged this. She’s considerate."
"Rosabel-sama specifically instructed us to treat you with respect. I didn’t expect this to happen. Your reputation and abilities were well-known, and you lived up to them."
The Guildmaster looked at me suspiciously. I wonder what Rosabel-san told them about me.
"Since you know, why did it come to this? Oh well, I’ll let it go. I brought a letter and some items. Please deliver them. That’s all I need."
"The contents are not to be inquired about. Is that correct?"
"Exactly. Guildmaster, the quality of your staff is poor. I’ll say this clearly: if you pry into these items, regardless of Rosabel-san’s influence, I will consider it a challenge to the Kikyo emblem. No matter how much the guild protects them, they will face consequences. Remember that."
The woman tensed at my words but remained silent under my pressure. I wasn’t bluffing.
The Guildmaster, a man of his position, should understand the significance of my black coat. If he knows my capabilities, he won’t take any more risks.
"…The Kikyo Society. I’ve heard rumors, but it seems to be more than that. I understand. I will personally take responsibility for the items."
"Really? The Guildmaster will deliver them himself?"
"Given the poor quality of my staff, I have no choice. I understand your seriousness. I must do it myself."
"Guildmaster, that’s too much!"
I don’t want to make the Guildmaster run errands. I just want them to do their job properly.
"I had business in the city where Rosabel-sama is staying. I’ll deliver them on my way."
"Is that so? If you insist, I have no complaints. I trust you to deliver them to Rosabel-san."
"Understood. My departure will be a few days from now. Is that acceptable?"
"It’s fine as long as it’s not too late. I’ll leave it to you."
A few days shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll leave it to him and head back.
On my way out, I ignored the broken counter. The men were cleaning up, and their gazes were uncomfortable, but I didn’t want to make eye contact. It’s best to avoid unnecessary trouble now that we’ve settled things.
I bought some delicious junk food near the guild and headed back to the headquarters.
Just sending a letter was surprisingly tiring.