Water Magician

Sorry for the late release! Missed out the release yesterday.

After recording the size and number of magic stones, Hugh stored them in the safe in the office. Then, they heard the sound of running from the hallway.

Along with that…

“Wait, everyone. They are still talking inside.”

He heard Nina’s voice.

After hearing running footsteps that were much lighter than Hugh’s footsteps previously, the door was opened vigorously.

Standing there was a short female magician in a black robe and with a large staff in her left hand.

“Abel… I’m glad…”

The magician mumbled and collapsed to her knees.

(That’s a scene I saw somewhere else.)

Ryo thought of something rude.

“Rin, sorry for worrying you.”

It was Rin, the Wind-Attribute Magician of Abel’s party 『Crimson Sword』.

After that, a woman in white priesthood clothes and a giant man carrying a huge shield came into the room.

“Abel…”

Ryo heard a beautiful voice like the chiming of a bell come from the priestess.

“Rihya, Warren, I’m back.”

“Yeah… welcome back, Abel.”

A tearful Rihya, a totally crying Rin, and Warren, silent but with a relieved expression.

Abel smiled bitterly at the three varied appearances of the three people.

Ryo wasn’t the only one who was wondering what kind of expression he should have while looking at that scene.

“Abel, well, you guys probably have a mountain of stories piled up so use this room. Ryo and Nina, let’s finish the procedures over there.”

Hugh commented and left the reception room with Ryo and Nina.

In the Guild Master Office.

Hugh sat down in a chair that seemingly came in a set with the one in the reception room.

“Phew, I’m not good with that kind of atmosphere. Ryo should take a seat too. Nina, I will be registering Ryo as D-rank, so sorry but please bring the necessary over.”

“I understand.”

Nina replied and left the room to prepare.

Ryo was left alone in the room with the fierce-looking guild master.

“Are you sure I can register for D-rank?”

“Oh, I don’t mind. After showing such a large amount of Wyvern magic stones, I have no choice but to be convinced.”

Hugh said and laughed loudly.

“Well, Abel was the one who dealt the final blow.”

“I know Abel’s abilities. He’s definitely a genius. But even so, he’s a swordsman. Knowing his abilities, I am aware that he can’t beat Wyverns on his own. In that case, you are a Magician with considerable ability capable of assisting and raising Abel to a level sufficient to defeat Wyverns. That’s undoubtedly ability sufficient to register as a D-rank.”

Hugh explained and slammed Ryo’s shoulder excitedly.

His bones creaked under the force…

“Oh? Ryo, you seem to be a Magician but aren’t your body quite well trained too?”

Hugh noticed when he slapped his shoulder.

“I have been hunting alone so I would be in trouble if I run out of stamina and can’t fight.”

Hugh nodded many times when he heard that.

“That’s right, that’s so true. No matter how great a person is with skill and magic, it’s over when you’re exhausted. But lately, those brats don’t understand.”

For a while after that, he complained about the young people these days.

That said, even Hugh was still in his mid-thirties.

After complaining for a while, there was a knock on the door.

“Enter.”

“Excuse me. Guild Master, I have the registration tool.”

Nina, the receptionist who went out earlier, came in holding a tray with a large crystal.

“Oh, then please settle Ryo’s procedure. Ryo, you’ll be fine if you follow Nina’s instructions. I’ll wrestle with the documents.”

With that said, Hugh returned his desk.

“Once again, Ryo-san, I’m Nina, a Rune Adventurer Guild employee. I’ll be in your care.”

“That’s polite. I’m Ryo. Thank you for taking care of me.”

The two exchanged greetings.

A proper greeting, that was important.

“Then, I’ll gather some information. I’ll ask the questions so please assist to answer them.”

“Understood.”

(I feel like usually there are many patterns where you are handed a piece of paper and asked to write your name, etc …. then, when asked “Do you need a ghostwriter?”, there will be an exchange like “No, it’s okay.”… I wonder if the guild staff will fill in the data from the beginning because there are many such cases.)

It seemed that the development of the event was different from the other world stories that Ryo knew…

“Name is Ryo. For your job, is it okay to list it as Magician?”

“Yes, Magician.”

“What are your magic attributes?”

“Water Attribute.”

“Address… I guess you have not decided where yet.”

“Yes, I just arrived.”

“For 300 days from your registration, you may live in the guild’s dormitory. Take it as something to put you on track. Also, it is meant to allow you to make acquaintances with fellow young newly-registered adventurers.”

Nina presented a paper explaining the dormitory to Ryo.

“Within these 300 days, you can move in and out at any time so please consider it as one of the candidates for a living place.”

“I’ll think about it.”

(This paper… I didn’t think there would be letterpress printing… but it feels like they prepared a lot of guides with the same content. The mystery increases by one yet again.)

The mysteries had been increasing for Ryo ever since he came to 『Phi』.

“And Ryo-san has never been in a dungeon, right?”

“Yes, I have not.”

“The guild holds a monthly dungeon beginner’s course. It is meant for inexperienced dungeon divers and has pointers on what to watch out for in the dungeon, what you can collect, or how much you can redeem them for. And the guild also has beginner’s courses for adventuring outside dungeons. You can learn such things for free. If you plan to enter the dungeon, I highly recommend that you attend it.”

“I wish to attend by all means!”

Ryo was sold.

“This month’s course will start the day after tomorrow. It’s a course with different content every day for five days, so it would be nice if you could attend all five days.”

Nina explained and smiled sweetly.

Her smile was very attractive and it could be said to be expected from the receptionist of the largest guild in the frontier.

It was a secret that Hugh nodded approvingly while watching from his seat.

“Then, I’ll apply for Ryo-san’s attendance in the course. Please come to the lecture room on the third floor of this guild by 9 am the day after tomorrow.”

“Nine o’clock?”

Same as on Earth, 9 o’clock?

“Yes. There is a clock tower in the square, so look at the time there. In the City of Rune, the clock tower bell rings at 9 o’clock, 12 o’clock, 15 o’clock and 18 o’clock.”

Apparently, it was 9 o’clock, the same as on Earth.

“That’s all for the information gathering. After that, Ryo-san has to register yourself.”

“Register myself?”

“Yes. Could you place your hand on this crystal?”

Ryo placed his right hand on the crystal Nina had brought as he was told.

“Register.”

The crystal began to glow after Nina muttered that.

Then, Ryo felt a small amount of magical power, just a tiny bit, was taken from him.

The crystal light focused, entered the card in Nina’s hand, burst and disappeared.

“Ryo-san, it’s okay to let go now. Thank you very much.”

Ryo let go of the crystal as he was told.

No change happened to Ryo himself.

Nina verified the card that had a burst of light.

And it seemed that all the checks were complete. She presented the card to Ryo.

“Here you go. This will function as Ryo’s guild card. It will also act as your identification card, so please report to the guild immediately if you lose it. Recreating it will cost 10,000 Florin, or one gold coin, so please be careful not to lose it.”

When Ryo received the card, he confirmed what was written.

Name, adventurer rank D, and affiliation 『Kingdom of Knightley Rune』.

That was it.

“Do you have any questions?”

“I’m sorry, just one question. I heard from Abel that the guild offers to safe keep money which can be withdrawn from any guild in the country…”

“Yes, that’s right. If you tell us at the counter, you can complete the procedure in a separate room. You will need to verify your identity with this crystal that you used for registration earlier.”

“In other words, that crystal is connected all over the country…?”

What a construct.

Such a fantasy setting, completely magical.

The online system on Earth that was realized in modern times had already been realized on 『Phi』!

“Yes. You may take it as such.”

Nina nodded once.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Nina looked at Hugh, the guild master and the owner of the room.

“Enter.”

Hugh said without raising his head from the paperwork.

The people who came in were Abel and others from the 『Crimson Sword』.

“Guilmas, thanks for the reception room. Our discussion is done so we’ll be heading home.”

Abel reported to Hugh.

“Oh, don’t mention it.”

“Guild Master, Nina, we will be having a 『Abel’s Return Celebration Party』 at 『Golden Wave Pavilion』 at 18 o’clock today, so please come by.”

Said the Magician Rin.

“Of course, Ryo is the guest of honor so your participation is compulsory.”

Abel grinned and added on.

“Eh……”

Ryo hardened.

“Golden Wave Pavilion is our regular inn. We have Ryo’s room prepared so it’s okay even if you get drunk.”

“I wouldn’t consider that as okay…”

“In any case, Ryo is participating. Also, before that, there is a place I’d like to take Ryo to for a little while.”

Abel said and looked towards Nina.

“The Adventurer registration is complete. If there are no further questions from Ryo, this concludes it.”

“Oh, if you have any questions, I’ll answer them. Okay, then let’s go, Ryo.”

Abel replied and made Ryo stand.

“Then we’ll return to the Golden Wave Pavilion first and get ready.”

The priest Rihya said, and Rihya, Rin, and Warren left the room.

“Then, Guilmas, I’ll be taking Ryo.”

“Ah, Guild Master, Nina-san, thank you for everything.”

Ryo bowed and thanked them.

“Sure. Now that Ryo is an adventurer in the City of Rune, I look forward to working with you.”

Hugh said and raised one hand.

Nina also bowed to Ryo.

Then, Abel brought Ryo out.

“Then, Guild Master, I’ll be returning to the counter.”

“Sure, thank you.”

Nina also went back to her counter.

Hugh McGrath, the guild master, remained alone in the office.

“Ahhhh, I’m so glad~~~”

The voice was so quiet that it couldn’t be heard outside but it was full of emotions.

“The atmosphere when Abel was reported missing… I don’t want to experience that ever again. I’m really glad he came back… Sheesh… he actually drifted to the other side of the Devil’s Mountain… No matter how you look at it, that was a desperate situation… for Abel and me.”

Grumbling to that point, he collapsed onto his office desk.

“Seriously, I shouldn’t have asked him to investigate the smuggling incident. Yes, at least stay on the ground. As long as it could be solved with a sword, that guy would not lag behind… Even if it is in the dungeon, he’ll somehow survive. But because he was on the sea that it was so dangerous. Yeah, seriously. Yeah, I truly have to thank Ryo for bringing him back. He really saved us… If he didn’t return, I would definitely lose my life… Ah, I have to report that he’s back.”

Hugh said to himself as he activated the communication alchemy crystal installed in his cupboard.