kscans

Chapter 73 - An Invitation to Become an Adventurer

"Alright, then."

Yuri slowly approached the Greed Wolf carcasses and was about to begin dismantling them, but...

"H-hey, Yuri, what are you planning to do with that?"

"What? I was thinking of bleeding it and butchering it. Oh, right. That would take too much time, wouldn't it?"

They were in the middle of traveling to the post town, and there was no time to spare for butchering. Realizing this, Yuri was about to put them away in his Storage for later dismantling when he remembered, just in the nick of time, that he had an audience. He had not told them about his Storage skill. He would have to disguise it as if he were putting them into his Magic Bag. That was a close call. As he stood up and took out the Magic Bag he was wearing to put the carcasses away, Kudol continued speaking.

"Well, there's the time, but it's also standard practice to bring your kills to the Adventurer's Guild without dismantling them yourself."

"What? Is that so?"

This was news to Yuri.

"Yeah. I don't know how good your dismantling skills are, but we can't butcher them as well as the guild's dismantling staff. If you cut them up badly, some parts get damaged and the buyout price drops. It's also to prevent cheating."

"Cheating?"

One new piece of information after another came up, deepening Yuri's look of confusion. Seeing this, Kudol explained that a long time ago, there was a fool who bought the materials of a powerful monster and submitted them to the guild, falsely claiming to have defeated it himself. Well, the guild staff were no fools. They saw through it easily and he was punished.

"Since then, to prevent such idiots from appearing, it was decided that they should be brought in whole."

"Wow, I had no idea."

"Well, for things like Wild Dogs that the guild doesn't buy, you don't need to worry about that."

In that case, he thought, and looked over at the Wild Dogs.

"The meat and pelts are in tatters."

"Ah, well, we only need the proof-of-kill parts."

Greed Wolves were one thing, but to Kudol, Yuri's attachment to the meat and pelts of worthless Wild Dogs seemed strange. When he mentioned this...

"Without meat and pelts, I'd die."

A heavy reply came back nonchalantly.

It was true that if he was living a self-sufficient life in such a dangerous area, he probably could never have enough meat and pelts. Kudol nodded in understanding, but...

"Well, it should be fine. If we leave the carcasses here, the Greed Wolves that escaped will probably eat them."

"Eat them?"

Not pursuing the escaped Greed Wolves was one thing, but why worry about them having food? Kudol found it strange and asked.

"If this experience leads to an increase in Greed Wolves that don't attack people, wouldn't that be a help?"

"I've never thought of it that way before."

Regardless of its effectiveness, Yuri's way of thinking seemed fresh to Kudol.

Kudol was impressed in a strange way, and eventually, a proposal came from his lips.


"Register as an adventurer?"

"Yeah. If you're as skilled as you are, Yuri, you could reach the upper ranks in no time."

Even if he said that, I have no intention of becoming an adventurer. As I was hesitating over how to answer, he must have seen my indecision. He told me the merits of registering. The content was shocking to me, though.

"Besides, if you're a registered adventurer, the buyout price for materials goes up too."

So materials are something you normally sell.

For me, materials are nothing less than daily necessities. I had never even thought of selling them.

"I appreciate the invitation, but I have my fields and all."

When I answered that, Kudol-san and the others were stunned for a moment, but...

"Come to think of it, that's right."

"Yuri's a farmer, isn't he? I completely forgot after that shocking display."

Well, for a farmer, fighting pests is a daily occurrence, you know?

"You call Greed Wolves pests?"

"As expected of someone who lives on Salt-Sour Mountain."

Salt-Sour Mountain?

"Um, is Salt-Sour Mountain the name of the mountain near where I live?"

"Or rather, that's what we call that whole area."

So that place had a name. Well, more importantly than that,

"It's the home that my late grandfather and I rebuilt together, so right now, I'm just not in the mood for that sort of thing."

There. This reasoning should get through to them. I'd rather not get involved in trouble by carelessly venturing out. After all, I'm a reincarnator. I've falsified my skills and status, but it's not like there's zero chance of being seen through. I can't risk getting found out by carelessly registering as an adventurer.

"Besides, don't adventurers get penalties, like their qualifications being revoked if they don't accept a request for a certain period of time?"

When I asked this question based on knowledge I had gained from light novels, just as I expected...

"Ah, come to think of it, F-class adventurers do have a penalty like that. But as long as you're doing something, even gathering quests..."

"No, that's what I'm saying. There's no Adventurer's Guild anywhere near where I live. If I have to come out to town every few months, it will interfere with my farm work."

When I repeated this, Kudol-san and the others backed down, looking disappointed. I'm grateful for the invitation, but I don't think a rough line of work like being an adventurer is suited for a youngster like me. I'm content with my lot, dealing with pests in the countryside. Yes.

And so, Yuri remained unaware to the very end that these "pests" were monsters feared by adventurers.