Chapter 139: Why Not Just Become an Adventurer?

“This is the Royal Capital…”

“Wow! So many people!”

After everything we’d been through, we had finally reached our original destination: the bustling heart of the kingdom, the Royal Capital.

As Sena’s high-pitched, excited voice exclaimed while darting her eyes around, the streets were indeed packed. People flowed in every direction, filling the city with a constant hum of life. It was no wonder—the Royal Capital’s population dwarfed that of Arcel many times over.

Elves, dwarves, and even beastmen wandered among the crowd—rare species that always caught the eye. Well… I had seen elves in the forest not long ago, and the dwarves and beastmen were familiar too, thanks to our second home garden.

Tall buildings rose densely around us, casting long shadows that mingled with the midday sun. Just beyond the main gate, shops lined the streets, their shopkeepers energetically calling out to passersby, inviting them in. The city exuded an intoxicating, vibrant energy.

In the distance, a massive structure towered above all else. It was likely the royal castle. I had thought Arcel’s lord’s castle was impressive, but this… this was in an entirely different league. I made a mental note to see it up close if the opportunity arose.

“The Royal Capital has branches of the Adventurers’ Guild in all four directions. The closest one is to the east,” said Shifa, starting to walk in that direction.

“Eh—no sightseeing?” Sena’s disappointed voice rose immediately.

“Sightseeing? You want to?” Shifa tilted her head, a faint bemusement in her expression. Judging by that reaction, it seemed that the idea of sightseeing hadn’t even crossed her mind when coming to the capital.

“But it’s the Royal Capital! We came all this way, so at least a little sightseeing! Honestly, sightseeing could be the main event!”

“There’s no ‘main event,’” Shifa replied dryly.

True to form, Sena had no intention of working.

“Fine, we’ll go sightseeing later. But for today, the Guild comes first.”

And so, we made our way to the Adventurers’ Guild.

“Wow… it’s huge…” I muttered, unable to hide my awe.

Even though there were supposed to be four branches scattered around the city, each one was far larger than the guild hall back in Arcel.

Inside, the crowd was just as overwhelming. Clearly, the demand for adventurers here was enormous.

“The Royal Capital houses the largest dungeon in the kingdom. That’s why adventurers come from all over the world,” Ani explained.

Adding to that, Sarassa-san said,

“There are also smaller dungeons scattered around the city’s outskirts. This city originally grew as a base for exploring and conquering those dungeons.”

So, it seemed Shifa-san and her team would primarily be delving into dungeons from here on out. And… that meant I would probably be left behind?

“The dungeons in the Royal Capital are vast. They span multiple floors, and clearing even one floor can take days. To explore deeper levels… it’s practically an expedition,” Shifa continued.

“Ehh—!”

Sena shouted, her voice echoing across the hall.

“No way! That’s awful! Even Arcel’s dungeon was tough enough! That was already my limit! I don’t want to do it! No, no, no! I’m never going in there!”

“Hey, Sena! Watch it—people are looking!” I protested.

“Oh, right! Onii-chan, you have to come too! Then I’ll consider it!”

“What are you talking about? I’m not an adventurer,” I said.

Only those with special permission could enter the dungeons. It was far too dangerous to let just anyone inside, and the rules also served to keep criminals out.

“Then just become an adventurer! Registration only takes a moment!”

“Me… become an adventurer…?”

Her words made me pause and think.

Originally, I had dreamed of becoming an adventurer like my father. But my Gift… it was clearly unsuitable for actual adventuring, so I had given up on that dream.

Yet here I was, following Shifa-san’s party all the way to the Royal Capital. In a way… I was already acting like an adventurer.

“No, no, I can’t fight at all…” I protested weakly.

“Some adventurers specialize in being ‘pack carriers.’ You don’t have to fight,” Shifa replied matter-of-factly.

“Besides, you can control golems! That’s basically earth magic!” Sena insisted.

“True… that golem’s abilities surpass most earth mages by far,” Anii agreed.

“And even without that, you can fly freely, block attacks, and retreat at will. You’re basically a powerhouse on the battlefield.”

Wait a second… thinking about it that way, maybe I can fight, after all…?

“The real question is whether you can bring your garden into a dungeon,” Shifa added.

“Right… I don’t even know if garden transfer would work in there…” I murmured.

“Then we’ll just try it,” Shifa said.

“Exactly! Let’s give it a shot, let’s go!” Sena grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the registration desk.

“Register Onii-chan as an adventurer!” she demanded.

“Adventurer registration, right. Please fill out this form,” said the receptionist, handing me a sheet of paper.

Sena really was relentless… I could barely process my thoughts as I looked over the form.

Becoming an adventurer didn’t require a particular type of Gift. The only requirements were being an adult and having no criminal record. There was no exam, so essentially anyone could become an adventurer.

Criminal history was typically verified using [Identification] or similar Gifts. However, if you had a recommendation from an active adventurer, that step could be skipped.

Of course, if any falsehood was discovered later, both the applicant and the recommender would face severe consequences.

“I’ll recommend him,” Shifa said firmly.

“Shifa-san… are you sure?”

“Of course. …No criminal record?”

“None at all!”