kscans

Chapter 420 - Choosing a Course

The discussion about titles had left the mood a little awkward, but Rose, ever the capable Maid Chief, dispelled the atmosphere by casually offering sweets and drinks while bringing up a different topic.

And then, they finally got to the main point.

"So, what do you think, Parfait-chan. Would you like to join the Maid Guild?"

Originally, anyone could take on hospitality quests, so there was no need to officially join. That said, it seemed a waste not to belong to a guild that offered so many benefits.

It wasn't that she wanted to join any other guild. In fact, she didn't know any other guilds, so Parfait thought this place would be fine. Plus, it was the guild her mother had belonged to, and her heart began to sway at the thought of hearing all sorts of stories.

"Alright, I think I'll join the Maid Guild."

"Understood. Will the Assassin Maid course be acceptable?"

"Of course it won't be, right?"

The Assassin Maid. The words alone sounded powerful.

As a fan of fiction, Parfait was familiar with the concepts that "maids are strong," "maids are kunoichi," and "a maid is one who has mastered the path of the underworld." But that was all just fiction.

AFO was also a work of fiction, or rather a game based on fantasy, so it wasn't a problem. Still, she wondered why a Maid Guild would have an assassin course.

Then again, the maids she saw at the cafe were clearly formidable warriors. The course probably existed in all seriousness.

As Parfait was getting a little confused, Rose pressed her advantage.

"The assassin path is a good one. Right now, there's even a beginner bonus, so your combat skills will shoot right up."

She didn't know what a beginner bonus was, but upon asking, she learned it was a system that added a bonus to skill experience. For the first month after starting the game, you could gain double the normal skill experience.

With the guild affiliation bonus added on top of that, it was said to be easy to level up skills.

That was probably true, but becoming an assassin was out of the question.

"Um, are there any other courses?"

"We also have the General Maid course, the Combat Maid course, and the Magical Maid course. However, I recommend the Assassin Maid course. I'm not suggesting this to just anyone. I'm recommending it specifically because it's you, Parfait-chan."

The recruitment method was a bit shady. The kind where you end up buying a bunch of things at the end. And the pressure was intense.

To somehow fend it off, Parfait continued the conversation, trying to draw out information first.

"Um, what changes depending on the course?"

"The skills targeted for the experience bonus change. In the end, that's the only difference. Everything else is the same. That's why I'm recommending the Assassin Maid course."

She sensed there was something more to it, but she held her tongue and listened further.

"Out of curiosity, what kind of skills does the Assassin Maid course have?"

"Oh, has it piqued your interest?"

She couldn't bring herself to say, "No, quite the opposite," so Parfait just smiled back.

"First, Sniping Skill."

"That's violent right off the bat."

"Well, it is the Assassin Maid course."

Then wouldn't the Assassin Guild be a better fit, she thought, but kept it to herself. She wasn't sure if such a guild even existed, and she'd be in trouble if Rose announced she was also in charge of the Assassin Guild.

"There's also Poison Skill, Swordsmanship Skill, and so on."

"Aren't those skills unnecessary for a maid?"

"Not to your liking? There are also methods like calming down guard dogs or using animals to attack, so Taming Skill levels up as well."

That felt a tiny bit closer to the image of a maid. Maids were often imagined walking the pets of nobles. Though, considering Rose's explanation, it was completely divorced from that image.

"By the way, there is a demerit. The skill experience gain for Cooking and Sewing drops significantly. To be blunt, they won't level up."

"I think that's a course that has no place in the Maid Guild. Shouldn't it just be the Assassin Guild at that point?"

"That one already exists, you see. It used to be called the Bodyguard Guild, but it went back to its old name. We've been plotting to somehow absorb them, but they're quite formidable."

She wondered if there was some kind of battle going on between the AFO staff, but Parfait deleted that information from her mind as irrelevant.

The problem was the current situation.

"If I'm going to join, I'd like to request the General Maid course."

"What? But you'll only get benefits for skills like Cooking and Sewing. I think not having any benefits for combat skills is a fatal flaw."

Would someone trying to join the Maid Guild really need benefits for combat skills? Parfait, who held the common sense belief that one does not commit the outrage of ordering curry at a sweets shop, continued to resist.

After a long back-and-forth, Rose let out a long sigh.

"No good again, I see. It's an unpopular course, you know. Even though it's my top recommendation."

"You were trying to put me in a course like that?"

"I thought if it were you, Parfait-chan, you'd become famous right away and people would flock to this course. It's truly a shame."

She was very scheming.

Parfait re-evaluated Rose, realizing she was definitely her mother's friend.

"It can't be helped. The General Maid course it is. We accept course changes at any time, so please let me know if you change your mind."

"I don't think I'll change my mind, but I'll keep it in mind just in case."

"Well then, would you like to take on a quest? If you clear a few, you'll receive a title right away."

"No, that's alright for today. I was thinking of taking a stroll around town."

Since it was her first day logging in, she wanted to look around. Her friends wouldn't be arriving for a while. She decided that serious playing would be for another time, and for today, she would focus on gathering information to understand the game's mechanics.

"I see. It's a fun place just to look around... Oh, right. Here."

Rose said this and handed Parfait 1000 G.

"Um?"

"It's some pocket money. Please buy something delicious at a shop and enjoy a walk."

"Oh, but..."

"Giving cash for a birthday might seem impersonal, but this is a game. Of course, please rest assured that I have a present prepared for you in the real world as well."

"Okay. I'll gratefully accept it. Thank you very much."

"You're very welcome. I recommend the Cheesecake Deluxe sold at our cafe."

"I'll go buy one right now!"

"By the way, now that you've joined the Maid Guild, you will be provided with one sweet as a meal every day starting tomorrow, so please come and pick it up."

It was like a login bonus, and for that alone, Parfait felt it was worth joining the Maid Guild. Though she might quit if they recommended changing to the Assassin Maid course every day.

"By the way, you can't get seconds."

"I think that's a given, but...?"

"A long time ago, there was a person who, despite being a maid, did nothing but eat without working at all. Because of that, a 'No Seconds' sign was posted in the dining hall. I thought I should let you know, just in case."

"...Should I be the one to apologize?"

Rose didn't say who it was. Because Parfait knew exactly who she meant.

"No, no, there's no need for that. Besides, we managed to push such a girl off on Hayato-san... I mean, Hayato-san hired her for us."

She seemed to be on the verge of saying something she shouldn't have, but Parfait let it slide.

"So that's what happened."

"Yes, which is why the Maid Guild used to call Hayato-san a savior. That story is still passed down in the Maid Guild to this day."

Was it really okay to pass down a story like that? And what was this about her father being called a savior and her mother being someone who was pushed off on him? Parfait felt a little complicated, thinking that this might have been how her parents met.