Chapter 45: Rumors 1

The day after acquiring [Cleaning], its effect amazed me even while doing the morning laundry.

When I put strength into scrubbing clothes on the washboard, the skill used precisely the right amount of force to remove the dirt.

I always finished my laundry quickly, but today it took even less time.

“If only I’d known about this skill sooner…”

I couldn’t help thinking that, but I was truly glad they’d told me about it when they did.

After finishing my laundry, I began [Swordsmanship] training in the backyard.

Amanda arrived a little later, so I helped with the inn’s laundry as usual.

“What? You’re already finished? That was faster than normal.”

“Hee hee. I actually acquired [Cleaning] yesterday. The skill’s effect helped me save time.”

“My, that’s impressive. If I remember correctly, [Cleaning] makes you better at cleaning?”

“That’s roughly correct. If there’s ever somewhere difficult to clean, please tell me. If you ask, I’ll help as a simple favor rather than as a request.”

Amanda smiled.

“If that happens, I’ll submit it as proper work. An adventurer mustn’t work for free.”

“But you and the others do so much for me. Think of it as repaying you…”

“We’ve already received proper compensation for what we’ve done. And if you want to repay us, what we desire is for you to remain alive and live your life. Come back to the inn occasionally and show us your smiling face. That’s the greatest repayment you could give us.”

Like Reina, Amanda must have lost many people in the past.

Sorrow appeared in her expression.

“Understood. Then I’ll continue living without dying, and if the inn ever faces trouble, I’ll rush back immediately!”

That was my promise to Amanda.

We finished the laundry early, and it still wasn’t time for breakfast, so I resumed training.

After approximately an hour, I went into the dining hall for breakfast.

“Huh? Has the inn begun serving rice?”

“Ah, that? I heard that you’d recently eaten it. My husband and I went to the restaurant to try it, and he became completely fascinated. He asked the owner to teach him how to cook it, so we’re beginning to serve it today.”

I’d told Amanda and Ted about the rice I’d eaten at the restaurant Reina showed me.

They’d known rice existed, but the inn normally served bread and noodles and hadn’t offered it.

Ted himself loved bread and had eaten it throughout his childhood.

Even now, he baked all the bread served at the inn.

Despite loving bread that much, he’d been prejudiced against rice without trying it.

“If he likes it that much, didn’t he have opportunities to try it before I mentioned it?”

“He did. Reina once recommended it, in fact. At the time, he wasn’t willing to give rice a chance. But recently, he’s wanted to understand food more broadly. When you recommended it as well, he finally went.”

Amanda laughed, and Ted emerged from the kitchen.

“I feel bad about what happened with Reina. If you’re going to see her today… tell her to come eat at the inn again sometime.”

“He’s still worried because they argued a little when she invited him. Reina isn’t concerned at all. He looks like this, but he’s extremely sensitive inside.”

“Q-Quiet!”

Ted shouted, then returned to the kitchen.

After breakfast, I prepared and left the inn.

The Adventurers’ Guild wasn’t especially crowded today.

“Good morning, Reina.”

Nobody was waiting at her counter, so I went directly to her and greeted her.

“Good morning, Erik. You’re energetic again today.”

“Yes. I came early because I intend to accept another household-assistance request. Are any available?”

“There are many. In fact, the number has increased since yesterday.”

Reina produced a bundle containing dozens of forms she was permitted to show me.

“Th-This many? Is it still because of the earthquake?”

“That’s part of it, but most clients appear to have submitted them after hearing a recent rumor.”

“A rumor?”

“Yes. There’s a rumor about a new adventurer who’s exceptionally good at cleaning.”

Hearing that, I realized the rumor probably referred to me.

“Has Marina’s story been spreading?”

“That probably contributed, but you’ve taken household-assistance requests at many places since coming to the capital. Apparently, people in several parts of the city are discussing you. They say you properly clean whatever you’re asked to handle.”

“I can’t perform an accepted request carelessly.”

After talking at the counter, Reina processed my first request of the day.

It paid thirty copper coins to clean a living room.

Once the procedure was complete, I left the Adventurers’ Guild and went to the address.