An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

"Ah~ Anyway, when operating in the human realm, being a slave is actually your amulet. Without it, trouble will ensue."

"That's true...but..."

She certainly understood Hajime's reasons and the effect of the collar, but she still looked dissatisfied, as if unable to accept it. Perhaps she was so attached to her partner that she couldn't easily let go? Seeing Shia's expression, Zai Yue spoke:

"...Don't worry about what others think."

"Ms. Yue?"

"...The most important thing is that the people you cherish know the truth... isn't that right?"

“…Yes, that’s right.”

"...Well, although I'm reluctant...but you are my recognized opponent...so you can't get hung up on trivial matters."

"...Ms. Yue... hehehe, thank you."

This was the new answer that the vampire princess, who once listened to the people and did her utmost for them, gained after being cruelly betrayed. Though simple in content, it held a profound weight. It was precisely because of this that these words resonated deeply with Shia. Her family in the Hauriya tribe, as well as Yue and Hajime, all understood that she was a valuable partner to them, and that she didn't need to risk the consequences of seeking everyone's understanding. Of course, it would be even better if everyone knew...

After listening to Yue's words of comfort, Shia smiled shyly and looked at Hajime, as if expecting him to say something. Hajime shrugged helplessly and said:

"However, even if the fact that you are not a slave is exposed and you are attacked by others, I will not abandon you."

"Even if I have to make the whole town my enemy, you won't?"

"I'm telling you, I've even killed Imperial soldiers before, huh?"

"Then~ even if we're enemies with the entire country, it's still the same! Hehe."

"What are you talking about? It doesn't matter if it's this world or God. As long as they are my enemies, I will stand up and fight."

"Hehe, Miss Yue, did you hear that? Hajime-san said that? It seems like he really values ​​us~"

“…The only person Hajime cares about is me.”

"Hey, you should also take the atmosphere into consideration! At this point, you should just respond with '...hmm' as usual!"

Despite her complaints, Xia's expression was quite cheerful. After all, as a woman, hearing someone say they'd risk their lives for her in the unlikely event of an emergency was naturally a source of joy. Furthermore, when that person was someone she admired, her happiness naturally reached a new level.

Ignoring the two who were (seemingly) playing around, Hajime started talking about Shia's necklace.

"Also, this collar is made of telepathic stones and special stones. You can use it when necessary. Simply infuse it with magic power and it will be usable."

"Telepathic Stone and Special Stone...?"

As the name suggests, the Telepathic Stone is a mineral that allows telepathy. This ability is bestowed upon the stone through magical enchantment, and depending on the magical power it possesses, it can even communicate with distant individuals. However, currently, it's not possible to communicate with a specific Telepathic Stone. Once a telepathic message is transmitted, it will be received by all those possessing a Telepathic Stone within range, making it unsuitable for sharing confidential information.

The Special Stone, through the power of Generative Magic, grants it the ability to sense auras [+Specific Sense]. Using this ability allows it to detect a specific aura from a vast array of other auras, distinguishing it from others. By effectively infusing it with magical power, it can create a beacon-like effect, with the effect increasing in direct proportion to the amount of magic infused.

Shia let out a sound of admiration at Hajime's explanation.

"By the way, if you pour a certain amount of magic power into the collar, you can remove it, right?"

“I see~ So this… means that Hajime-san always wants to hear my voice, always wants to know where I am? Damn, are you already this obsessed with me? This is incredible, although this feeling is a bit heavy, ah, but I don’t reject it, huh!?”

"...Don't get carried away."

"Um! I'm sorry."

Yue's leg, swishing gracefully through the air, struck Shia in the back of the head, sending her sprawling to the ground with a strange scream. Yue then delivered another cold remark. The high kick was so impressive it made one want to ask, "Aren't you bad at close combat?" Shia could only tearfully apologize. While Yue allowed her to travel with him, he seemed unable to tolerate her aggressive behavior towards Hajime. However, whether Shia's words and actions had any effect on her was still debatable.

The group walked happily along the main road until they came across a sign with a large sword painted on it. It was the sign of the Adventurer's Guild. Hajime had seen it before in [Horyard], but this one was much smaller.

After confirming the sign, Hajime pushed open the heavy door and stepped inside.

He'd assumed the guild was a bit grimy, assuming the people who frequented it were rather rude. But the space he saw was surprisingly clean. There was a counter in front of the entrance, and to the left was a restaurant where a few people who looked like adventurers were dining and chatting. Since no one was drinking, it seemed they probably didn't sell alcohol. After all, if you wanted to get drunk, a tavern would be the better place.

As Hajime and his group entered the guild, the adventurers naturally looked over. At first, since it was a familiar group of three, they drew only a few glances. But once their eyes met Yue and Shia, curiosity intensified. Some exclaimed in admiration, while others, like the guards, were stunned. Some were assaulted by the female adventurer, presumably their lover. The fact that they weren't simply slapped in the face proved they were adventurers.

Hajime had expected someone to come and pick a fight under the guise of a greeting, but surprisingly, the adventurers here merely observed them rationally. While this left him a bit unsure how to react, he was still thankful to be able to reach the counter without any obstruction.

Behind the counter stood a charmingly smiling... auntie. She was voluptuous, her width about the size of two months' worth. So, it seemed like beautiful receptionists were just fantasies? Just like on Earth, the maids in reality were all aunties. Reality was always harsh, no matter which world.

By the way, Hajime wasn't particularly expecting a pretty receptionist to show up. If she said no, then she didn't. So he really hoped Yue and Shia would stop glaring at him with such cold eyes. He had been feeling like a thorn in his back since a while ago.

The lady at the counter, not knowing if she had noticed his thoughts, greeted Hajime and the others with a friendly smile.

"Holding two such beautiful flowers in my hands isn't enough? What a shame, I'm not some beautiful receptionist."

...Maybe the lady at the counter can use some special magic like mind reading? Hajime's cheek twitched, but he still tried to continue:

"No, I'm not thinking about that."

"Ahahahaha, don't underestimate women's intuition, okay? Men are very simple-minded and can see through it at a glance. I hope you won't be abandoned because of your greed?"

“…I’ll keep this in mind.”

"Oh, that's annoying. You always get so nagging when you get older. This was our first meeting... Sorry?" Upon hearing Hajime's response, the receptionist immediately apologized with a face full of regret, making it seem less annoying. Hajime stole a glance at the restaurant and saw the adventurers all had "Ah, that guy got lectured by the receptionist too!" expressions on their faces. It seemed the receptionist was the main reason these adventurers were so well-behaved.

"Now, let's get straight to the point. Welcome to the Brook branch of the Adventurer's Guild. What can I do for you?"

"Ahh~ I want to sell the materials."

"You want to sell materials, huh? Could you show me the status board?"

"Hmm? Do I need to show a status board to sell items?"

After hearing Hajime's question, the lady at the counter immediately said with an expression that said "Oops!"

"You're not an adventurer, are you? You don't need a status plate to sell items, but if you verify your adventurer status, the selling price will be increased by 10%."

"I see."

As the lady at the counter explained, becoming an adventurer offers a wide variety of benefits. Essential materials like magic stones and healing potions are often gathered by adventurers. Since monsters can attack at any time in the countryside, ordinary people don't usually collect these items themselves. Adventurers, who specialize in these dangerous tasks, naturally enjoy greater discounts.

"There are also other discounts like 10% or 20% off at inns and shops that partner with the guild. If your level is high enough, you can even get a free carriage ride. How about signing up? It costs 1,000 Ruta, though."

The luta is the universal currency of the northern continent of Todas, a world known as the world of Zagruta. Made from a mixture of a special ore called Zagruta and other minerals, its color varies depending on the ore used, and only ore specially engraved with a special marking is legal tender. The currency comes in blue, red, yellow, purple, green, white, black, silver, and gold, representing, from top to bottom, one, five, ten, fifty, one hundred, five hundred, one thousand, five thousand, and ten thousand luta. Surprisingly, the luta's value is the same as the Japanese yen.

"Hmm~ I see. Since we're here, let's register. But I'm sorry, I don't have enough money on me. Can you deduct it from the sale price? Of course, the original price can be used for the first transaction."

"You brought two such lovely girls with you and you're broke. What on earth are you doing? I'll give you a discount, but don't treat them unfairly, okay?"

The lady at the counter is so pretty! Hajime decided to accept her offer and handed over the status board.

This time, he remembered to hide his status values; only his name, age, gender, and vocation would be visible. Although the receptionist asked if he wanted to register with Lian Yue and Shia, he declined. Since they didn't have their own status boards, they would have to apply for one. However, doing so would expose the stats and skill fields on the status board to the receptionist.

Of course, Hajime also wanted to see the ability values ​​of these two people, but the skill column would probably list a complete list of unique magic, etc. Considering that that information would be seen by others, and the existence of the three of them was not yet known to the public, keeping a low profile would be less troublesome, so he had to give up for now.

When Hajime retrieved the status board, he noticed new information. Next to the vocation column, there was a new profession column with the word "Adventurer" written on it, and a blue dot appeared next to it.

The blue dot represents the adventurer's level, and as you level up, it changes to red, yellow, purple, green, white, black, silver, and gold... Did you notice? That's right, the color of the adventurer's level matches the currency value. In other words, it's like saying to a blue adventurer, "You're only worth one luta, ugh!" It's frustrating, and he's sure the first guild master who created this system must have a very twisted personality.

Incidentally, those without a combat-oriented vocation can only reach Black. While it still requires some effort, it's still a top-four rank, so those who reach Black without a vocation are highly praised. It's said that those who reach Black without a vocation are more admired than those who reach Gold with a vocation, so adventurers place great importance on rank colors.

"If you're a man, then try to move towards Hei Deng, right? I hope you don't let the ladies see you embarrass yourself."

"Okay, I'll do that. Can I sell the materials here?"

"Sure! I'm qualified to do this, so let me have a look."

It seems that the aunt at the counter can not only accept various applications, but also identify and sell items. She is an excellent aunt.

Hajime had already packed the materials from the "treasure house" into his backpack. He took out monster pelts, claws, teeth, and magic stones, and placed them one by one into the container on the counter for receiving items. When the counter lady saw these materials, she was once again surprised.

“This, this is!”

She picked it up carefully, carefully checking every detail. In the breathtaking tension, the counter aunt finally raised her head, exhaled heavily, and moved her gaze to Shi.

"You've brought out something truly extraordinary. This is... a monster from the sea of ​​trees, right?"

"Yeah, that's right."

Hajime's behavior here was still out of character. Materials for Abyssal monsters couldn't possibly be found in a place like this; bringing out such unknown materials would instantly cause a stir. He'd already assumed the materials for the Sea of ​​Trees monsters were quite rare, so he felt a bit lost. However, lacking any other suitable materials, he ultimately had to sell them. Judging by the reaction of the woman at the counter, these materials were indeed very valuable.

He'd just produced a few Abyss materials, and the receptionist was stunned. Then the guild master appeared! He instantly identified him as a high-ranking adventurer! The receptionist's eyes lit up with love! This clichéd adventure scenario... he hadn't even considered it. So, he really hoped Yue and Shia would stop glaring at him with such cold eyes. It made his body tremble.

"...You truly are unrepentant."

The aunt at the counter glanced at him with an unbearable look.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Even if he had completely changed, his otaku spirit hadn't died yet... What a grave sin. Hajime pretended to be stupid and avoided reality.

"The sea of ​​trees has a lot of high-quality materials. It's a great help that you can sell them to me."

The counter lady continued nonchalantly, seeming to know how to read people's faces. What a wonderful lady! There's no one better than her.

“Are these really that valuable?”

"Well... because humans' senses become distorted in the forest, and if they get lost, they can't get out. It's a high-risk area, and no one would voluntarily go there. Of course, some people who own demihuman slaves will enter the forest for profit, but if they anger the demihumans in that environment, they'll lose their lives. Even if they're lucky enough to obtain materials, they'll choose to sell them in the center, because the price there is better and it helps them build a better reputation."

The receptionist glanced at Shia. She probably assumed that Hajime was exploring the Sea of ​​Trees with Shia's help. Thanks to Shia, he wasn't suspicious even if he brought out the Sea of ​​Trees materials. On the contrary, she had a worried look on her face, as if to say, "He's so young, and yet he's acting so recklessly."

If he told the receptionist that he had actually entered the demihuman realm of Feyalbergen and performed magical transformation on the bunnymen... what kind of expression would she give? He thought she might be unexpectedly calm, and he couldn't help but smile bitterly inwardly.

Then the lady at the counter identified all the materials and gave a price. The total was 487,000 rupees, which was a very good price.

"Is that okay? You might get a better price if you go to the central area."

"No, this is fine."

Hajime accepted the fifty-one luta coins. Perhaps due to the properties of the ore, the coins were surprisingly light and thin. Even with over fifty of them, they didn't feel heavy at all. However, no matter how difficult it was to carry, all he had to do was put them into Hajime's "treasure vault."

"By the way, the guard said we could get a simple map here..."

"Ah, wait a moment... Here you go, this is it. It also has recommended hotels and shops, so take a look."

The map he received this time contained detailed and useful information in a concise and concise manner. It was truly remarkable, like a guide to Earth's tourist destinations. It was so beautiful that he couldn't believe it was free.

"Hey, is this okay? Such a great map is being given away for free. I think it might be worth selling..."

"It's okay. I just wrote it for my own pleasure. I have the vocation of a scribe, so it's just something I wrote casually."

The lady at the counter was so talented that I couldn't help but wonder, "Why is this person working as a counter clerk in a guild on the border?" She must have had considerable life experience.

"Is that so? Well, that was a big help."

"That's good. Anyway, now that you have money, why don't you find a nice place to live? Although the security here is not bad, there is still a possibility of uncontrolled hooligans appearing with you two."

The counter lady, still showing her caring nature, gave Hajime a wry smile, then replied, "I'll do that," and turned towards the entrance. Yue and Shia followed, their heads bowed. Although a few adventurers in the restaurant were whispering among themselves, they all watched Yue and Shia leave with their eyes.

"Hmm~ They're an interesting team from many perspectives..."

Then the aunt at the counter murmured happily.

Using a map that could be considered a guidebook, Hajime and the others found the "Masaka Inn." The description suggested delicious food, strong security measures, and a bathhouse, which was key to Hajime's decision. While the room rate was a bit high, he had the money, so it was no problem. He was a bit puzzled about what it was, though. "How could it be possible?"... (Editor's note: "Masaka" is pronounced the same as "how could it be possible" in Japanese.)

The first floor of the hotel was a restaurant, and many people were already dining there. As soon as Hajime and the others stepped inside, everyone's eyes turned to Yue and Shia, as if by agreement. He ignored them and headed straight for what looked like a counter. There, a girl around fifteen appeared, greeting them energetically.

"Welcome to the Masaka Inn! Would you like to stay overnight, or just have a meal?"

"Accommodation. I came here based on this guidebook. Is it okay to just follow what's written there?"

After Hajime showed the counter lady a specially made map, the girl nodded in understanding and said:

"Yes, Ms. Catherine recommended you here, right? Yes, it's exactly as written. How many nights do you plan to stay?"

As the girl briskly began checking in, Hajime's eyes drifted off into the distance. He seemed a bit shocked to learn that the receptionist's name was Catherine. "Uh~ guest?" He only came to his senses when the girl called out. (Editor's note: The heroine in the game "Catherine" is a beautiful woman.)

"Ah, ah, sorry. One night's stay is fine, with meals and a bath."

"Okay, the bathhouse is 100 rupees for 15 minutes, and it's available right now."

The girl brought out a timetable, and since he wanted to enjoy the bath properly, he decided to buy a two-hour bath, taking into account the separate time for men and women. Even though the girl exclaimed in surprise, "Huh, two hours!?" after he asked, he, being Japanese, refused to give in.

"Uh, uh~ How should we arrange the rooms? We still have double and triple rooms available..."

She gazed at Hajime and his group with a hint of curiosity, as she was still in her prime. However, now even the other patrons in the restaurant were listening intently, and Hajime couldn't help but think, "Give me a break." While he knew Yue and Shia were both beautiful, their conspicuousness had surprised him. Perhaps the strange way he'd met them had made Hajime somewhat numb to their beauty.

"Well, please arrange a triple room."

Hajime answered without hesitation, and the surroundings immediately erupted in uproar. The girl in front of him also blushed slightly, but someone refuted his decision.

"...No, please arrange two double rooms."

It was Yue who spoke. The guests around him—especially the men—all gave Hajime a look of "Serves you right!" They probably thought Yue meant to separate the rooms for men and women, but their expressions turned to despair after Yue's next words—

"...Hajime and I will be in one room, and Shia will be in the other."

"Hey, why are you doing that?! I don't want to be alone and be ostracized by you guys! Isn't a triple room great?"

Yue spoke openly, words that others would find difficult to say, in response to Xia's sudden protest.

"...We can't concentrate while you're here."

"I can't concentrate... What do you want to do?"