Chapter 24: Level 4

After our discussion, it was decided that I’d accept the request tomorrow, so I took a different one for today.

“Marina, how did you make this much of a mess in only a few days?”

“Ah ha ha… Some acquaintances happened to gather at my house recently. I left the plates and other things we’d used sitting around, and they piled up…”

After the discussion with Harold, I decided to accept a request within the city for the morning.

As usual, Reina presented me with several request forms.

One of the names looked familiar.

The reward was good again, so I accepted it.

“Why don’t you simply hire someone?”

“Well, I may not look it, but I’m shy around people. And, well, I look strange, don’t I? Nobody would want to work for someone as odd as me…”

It was true that Marina habitually kept her robe pulled over her head and that her hair was disheveled.

However, she didn’t appear like a strange person to me.

“It’s true that your appearance isn’t particularly tidy, but that’s only because you’re so focused on your work. I don’t think you’re strange at all.”

“Ah! Ugh, Erik, you’re far too good a boy…”

Marina collapsed at my words.

“Have you ever considered cutting your hair?”

“…I’ve tried several times, but it always turns strange when I cut it myself. I’d like to visit a barber, but those places are so bright and sparkling that I find them difficult to approach.”

There were several barbershops in the royal capital’s commercial district.

However, all of them had bright, cheerful atmospheres.

“In that case, would you like me to tidy it up? I’m not extraordinarily skilled, but I don’t think I’d make it look strange.”

“What?! Erik, you can cut hair too?”

“I cut my own, and back in the village I needed to find every possible way to earn money.”

Cleaning had earned me the most, but cutting hair came next.

People’s hair grew quickly.

Women in particular sometimes cut theirs short during the hot season.

Many people asked members of their families to do it, but things often went wrong, and I’d frequently seen arguments break out over it.

Watching that, I realized I could earn money if I developed the necessary skill, so I practiced.

Thanks to that, many people in the village began asking me to cut their hair, allowing me to make some money.

“I’ll finish cleaning first.”

With that, I began cleaning the living room and kitchen Marina had managed to dirty in only a few days.

They were messy, but at least nothing had become badly stuck to the surfaces yet.

Most of it was merely dirt that had fallen onto the floor, so everything came clean without much scrubbing.

After finishing the living room, I moved to the kitchen.

I washed the enormous number of dishes according to type. Once they were all clean, I dried them carefully and returned them to the cupboards.

“…It took less than an hour. Erik, you truly are a cleaning genius.”

“I’m simply accustomed to it. Now, what would you like to do about the haircut?”

“I-I suppose I should take you up on the offer. But is that included in the request?”

“The request was for household assistance, so I think it should be…”

Marina’s question made both of us uncertain.

We were afraid of being scolded if we decided on our own, so we went to the Adventurers’ Guild together to ask Reina.

“You’ve brought Marina with you this time.”

“There’s something we weren’t sure counted as household assistance. Even the explanation in The Adventurer’s Handbook was ambiguous, so we came to ask.”

According to what I’d learned from The Adventurer’s Handbook, cutting hair could be considered a form of household assistance.

Household assistance meant helping with the things that troubled a client in daily life.

The book said that cleaning, shopping, and solving other problems a client had were all included.

A barbershop could certainly cut Marina’s hair, but because visiting one was difficult for her personality, it was still one of her problems.

When I explained all of that, Reina thought for a moment.

“You’re right that it’s ambiguous whether a haircut counts as household assistance when a shop can provide it. However, Marina, visiting a shop is difficult for you, correct?”

“Yes. I’m not comfortable with that atmosphere, so I can never bring myself to go. As a result, my hair remains disheveled, and it does trouble me.”

“…In that case, you may include it under household assistance.”

Once Reina confirmed that, I sighed in relief.

Marina and I left the guild and returned to her house.

We’d been offered the use of a room at the guild, but Marina refused because that would feel the same as having it cut in a shop.

Once we returned home, I prepared to cut her hair.

“Erik, do you always carry those scissors?”

“I never know when I’ll need my work tools, so I’ve recently begun carrying them. I use different scissors for harvesting materials, so don’t worry.”

Until recently, I’d left them in my room at the inn.

However, once I received my new bag and had room to carry various things, I’d begun keeping my tools with me.

After I finished preparing, I began cutting Marina’s hair.

She wanted a refreshing style suitable for the coming hot season but wished to keep her bangs.

Since someone else was finally cutting it, she also wanted a complete change of image and asked me to make it short.

“It’s finished. What do you think?”

“…No. Is that really me?”

Marina’s appearance had changed considerably after the haircut.

Her hair had originally been disheveled, while her bangs had grown unchecked until they covered her eyes.

The robe she wore also made her head look larger, but I’d cut all of that long hair away without hesitation.

I trimmed it to just below her ears, around the base of her neck, creating a short bob.

Marina’s hair was naturally slightly wavy, so I’d chosen a style that used that texture.

“Erik, thank you! This is the first time in my life that I’ve ever had such a wonderful hairstyle!”

“I’m glad you like it. I was nervous because it had been a long time since I cut anyone’s hair, but I’m relieved it went well.”

I’d been tense inside, but I’d hidden it while cutting.

Marina then gave me thirty silver coins as an additional fee for the haircut.

“That’s too much, Marina!”

“Erik, this hairstyle is worth that much. Please accept it as payment for your skill.”

“B-But…”

“I actually want to give you more. You solved a problem I’ve had for years. If you refuse, I’ll double it!”

Faced with that incomprehensible threat, I ended up accepting the thirty silver coins.

When the request was finished, I naturally went to deliver my report to the Adventurers’ Guild.

“An additional reward of thirty silver coins? …Erik, what did you do?”

“I only cut her hair. Marina was so happy about it that she gave me that much…”

“…The guild can’t interfere with additional rewards, but keep a close eye on your money pouch, all right?”

I nodded repeatedly at Reina’s warning.

After receiving such a large sum of money, I couldn’t bring myself to leave the royal capital that day.

Feeling strange because of the fortune I’d acquired, I returned to the inn.

Still, remaining in my room all day would waste time, so I spent the rest of it training in the backyard.