Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 23
“Is it about time? The sun’s already up.”
“Mm… yeah. You’re really going to the General Guild?”
“You’re persistent. I said I’d register with that Adventurers’ Guild, didn’t I? No complaints, right?”
“Senpai, maybe we should check on this later. Hey, you, you know we can verify your claims instantly, even if you lie, right? You do understand that, yeah?”
“Yeah. Also, I’ll remember the two of you. Especially you—if we meet on the battlefield, I’ll make sure you’re the first to die quickly. Don’t worry.”
“Eek!”
“Just kidding. Later.”
It was early morning, and I finally made it into the city. But I was so sleep-deprived that I felt a little unhinged.
Probably look 30% more intimidating than usual too.
People walking by are all veering out of my way.
“Just the outcome I was hoping for.”
Even if it’s the wrong kind of attention, standing out was part of the plan—so why does it feel so sad?
Is this… is this what Silent-style emotion is? Like being sad because people are scared of you?
…No, it’s just plain sad. I didn’t think I’d get avoided this much.
So, dragging the weight of awkward public reactions behind me, I finally reached the General Guild.
Naturally, I headed straight for the Adventurers’ Guild reception desk.
“Hey, got a minute?”
“Good morning, how can I—ah…”
Whoa! Impressive! As expected of the Adventurers’ Guild receptionist! She looked like she saw death itself for a second, but still managed to keep her composure! That’s amazing!
“I want to register as an adventurer. Can you do it?”
“Eh…? Then, please submit your tag from your current guild.”
“I don’t have one.”
“W-What? A tag from the Explorer’s Guild, Mercenary Guild, or even a mercenary company would be fine…”
“Still don’t have one.”
“U-Um… okay, then… please fill out this form… should I help you write it?”
“No need.”
The knowledge I picked up from Sheele is coming in handy. I want to try writing it myself.
But maybe she thought I was offended, because now the receptionist is starting to tear up. That hurts.
“…It’s really fine.”
At a nearby desk, I quietly filled out the required information—though really, it’s just a name.
Place of origin: Unknown
Previous occupation: “Mercenary”
Special skills: “Fighting and killing”
Explorer history: None
I handed in a form that’s either serious or completely absurd, I’m not even sure myself.
For the record, I can read and write. But my handwriting is clearly worse than Sheele’s. Guess I’m just not cut out for fine motor tasks.
“Will this do?”
“U-Um… yes, that’s fine… Please wait a moment.”
Despite it being early morning, the receptionist looked absolutely drained as she went to the back.
I’m probably going to have an interview next… but I don’t know anything about herbs or quest records, so I’ll obviously start from the bottom rank, right?
After a short wait, the same older man who did Melt’s interview the other day appeared.
But his demeanor was totally different—he didn’t even bother hiding his suspicion, and now he had a sword on his belt.
“…So you’re the applicant, Silent?”
“That’s right.”
“You listed ‘mercenary’ as your previous job. You’re sure you don’t want to register with that guild instead?”
“If it becomes necessary, I will. But this is fine for now.”
“…I see. You’re pretty capable, aren’t you?”
“…Above average, maybe.”
“No need to be modest. I don’t think we need a test—if we crossed blades, I’d probably come out worse.”
Oh? I know where this is going…
“What kind of things have you done as a freelancer?”
“Wartime killing. Taking down big monsters. That’s about it.”
“…Yeah, I figured. I’m not about to send someone like you on herb gathering or errands. A bit of a special case…”
He pulled out a notice and handed it to me.
“Take this request as a test. Sometimes we get people like you—way above standard. When that happens, we assign them something a newbie couldn’t possibly handle. If you complete this, you’ll start at Ruby Rank. Got that?”
“I know what that means. So all I have to do is complete this request, right?”
The request was basically a wanted poster for a monster.
But not just any monster—it strongly hinted at one trained or conditioned by humans.
Hmm… smells like a shady job.
“This request doesn’t just mean ‘kill this monster,’ does it?”
“No comment. Are you accepting it or not?”
“I’ll take it. The location… ah, I know it.”
According to the notice, the monster was last seen near a cave upstream of the river.
I know the place well. Likely, further up the mountain is where the monster—and whoever’s training it—is hiding. Maybe even an entire organization.
Judging from the guards’ high alert and this request, something’s going on behind the scenes.
…My instincts are sharp today. Must be all that Silent experience.
“Sounds like you know the place. Well then… I’m counting on you, Silent-san.”
“Got it.”
Alright, time to get moving. No worries—I’ll just tear apart the whole mountain top if I have to!
Meanwhile, at a nearby inn…
While Silent was getting started at the guild early that morning, Melt was just waking up in her room.
She glanced at the empty bed beside her and showed a fleeting look of sadness.
Though she had lived alone for over a decade, the past month she had always been with others—Same and the rest of Shizuma’s characters.
Having once felt the warmth of companionship again, even briefly, returning to solo adventuring was unbearable for her.
“Silent might be coming today… but I’ve got to earn some money too…”
She made up her mind. It was fear—fear that if she stayed weak, Same might abandon her.
She wanted to prove she could be useful. That she could earn money. That she could live as a proper adventurer.
And so, Melt psyched herself up with the sunrise and the start of a new day.
“Good morning!”
“Oh, good morning, Melt dear. You’re on your own starting today, right? I wonder when Same will return?”
“Hmm… not sure. But I’m getting work from the Adventurers’ Guild today!”
“My, you really are an adventurer then? You’ll be alright, won’t you? Don’t do anything dangerous, okay?”
“It’s fine, it’s fine… I might not look it, but I’m actually kinda strong!”
“Is that so? Still, don’t get overconfident. I’ve run this inn for a long time, seen many new adventurers come and go. The most dangerous time is when they start gaining confidence. I’ve never seen a first-time monster-hunting adventurer come back uninjured. Every single one got hurt. So please… really, be careful, alright?”
The innkeeper had grown fond of Melt, who always greeted her cheerfully with a smile.
Her innocent, genuine demeanor was almost healing to be around. The innkeeper thought that if anything were to happen to Melt, she would truly be heartbroken.
“Hmm… then maybe I’ll just go with a gathering request for now…”
“That sounds good. Around this time of year, they’re buying not just medicinal herbs but also rare mushrooms. I hear it can be a surprisingly decent source of income.”
“Wow! I’m really good at mushroom hunting! I see… so it’s actually profitable.”
Melt, pleased by this new information, happily headed toward the guild.
In truth, her mind was already imprinted with complete knowledge of the mushrooms native to this continent. After reading through dozens of encyclopedias and documents, she had lived on her own for years using that knowledge. For her, this would undoubtedly be a perfect way to earn money.
And so, Melt made her way to the General Guild—the same one where, just moments ago, the terrifyingly dangerous would-be adventurer had drawn so much attention.
“Good morning~!”
In the morning, as the guild grew more crowded, Melt arrived at the reception of the Adventurer’s Guild within the General Guild building.
Though slightly overwhelmed by the crowd of adventurers gathering to search for today’s jobs, Melt also felt a faint easing of her loneliness at the realization that it was okay for her to exist in a world full of people.
“Yes, yes. Oh, you must be Melt, right? How can I help you?”
“Um… how do I take on a job?”
“Oh… didn’t Same teach you that? Isn’t he with you today?”
At that question, Melt’s expression darkened for a moment.
“Same has a separate mission for a bit. So I thought I’d take on some work by myself while he’s away. Could you tell me how to accept a job?”
“I see. No problem. It’s actually pretty simple. Look, turn around.”
Melt turned and saw several large bulletin boards lined up in the distance.
“From the left, they go: ‘In-town requests,’ ‘Gathering requests,’ ‘Subjugation requests,’ and ‘Escort requests.’ Each bulletin board has papers with the job details posted. If you find one you’d like to take on, just come back here and tell me the request number. That’s it.”
“Oh, wow! That is simple!”
“Right? Easy. But some jobs have limited spots, so it’s best to come back and claim one quickly. I’ve heard you’re quite capable in combat… if you’re going for an Emerald Rank request, there are a lot of subjugation jobs. Or, this time of year, I recommend gathering in the mountain regions.”
“Then I’ll go with a gathering request! That’s the second board from the left, right? I’ll go check it out!”
“Hehe, off you go then.”
Watching Melt happily run off, the receptionist let out a quiet sigh of relief.
She had been worn out—from the nerve-wracking experience she’d had that morning.
“There really are all kinds of people… even cute adventurers like her…”
Her words were in stark contrast to the massive man who’d appeared earlier claiming to be an aspiring adventurer.
Due to her line of work, she had encountered more than a few dangerous individuals who reeked of bloodshed.
She had even spoken with people hailed as “heroes.”
And yet—even with all her experience—it was that man, Silent, whom she found truly terrifying.
“…I wonder if he’s going to come back.”
She shuddered at the memory.
She recalled the presence he carried, as if he had walked straight from the battlefield, bringing all its horror with him.
What could have possibly happened to that man to turn him into someone like that?
What kind of life would one have to lead to carry such a grim, dreadful, and ominous aura… and to do so with such ease, even without guild backing?
And even after being assigned what could only be called an unreasonable trial request, he had accepted it without hesitation.
“…I wonder if someone could take the night shift for me…”
At the same time, her instincts whispered:
“He’ll definitely be back by tonight.”
That man would return—having calmly completed the request—once again radiating the scent of war and bloodshed.
She felt that no matter how difficult the mission, he would handle it like it was nothing.
He had the same aura she’d seen in many top-tier adventurers.
“…It’s not just about the success rate. Without the right personality, you can never truly be called an adventurer.”
Saying this, she turned her gaze toward another reception desk a short distance away.
The Mercenary Guild—home to the roughest, most troublesome people, where death was a constant companion.
That, she thought, might be where that man truly belonged.
But at the same time, another thought crossed her mind:
“Maybe… there’s a reason he insists on being an adventurer.”
Perhaps, just perhaps—
“Because he doesn’t want to kill anymore.”
Before she realized it, the receptionist found herself thinking about that man—Silent—for the rest of the day.
——————————-
“Hmm… gathering Silky Sprouts, huh…? The unit price is a bit higher than usual, but you can’t really find any rare mushrooms that would sell for a good price in the same habitat…”
At that time, Melt was carefully evaluating the posted requests.
She was trying to find one that would let her earn money efficiently—something that required minimal travel but allowed her to gather a large quantity of high-selling items.
“Huh? What’s a ‘standing request’?”
She had noticed a slightly different-looking notice at the edge of the bulletin board and was instinctively drawn toward it.
At that moment—
“That one’s not really a request, per se. It’s more like a notice that says, ‘If you happen to gather this while doing another request, we’ll pay you for it.’ This time of year, it’s usually mushrooms or nuts. If you bring them in, they’ll appraise and buy them from you.”
A party of adventurers, also looking over gathering requests, explained it to her.
“Haven’t seen you around before. Are you new here?”
“Me? Yeah, that’s right. I became an adventurer a little while ago.”
One of the party members—a girl around Melt’s age—spoke to her, and Melt answered honestly.
Then, the young man who first spoke grinned and said—
“Oh, for real? Then you’re our junior, huh? We only became adventurers about a month ago ourselves.”
“Yeah, the three of us are still newbies too.”
“That’s right.”
The third member, who had been quietly observing the conversation, also chimed in.
They were clearly a party of new adventurers. As Melt listened, she started to think deeply:
“So I’m technically their junior… They’re being kind and explaining things… Maybe I don’t need to be so wary of them…”
Her caution had stemmed from the fact that all three were humans—not beastfolk.
Melt still harbored a slight wariness toward humans.
Though, to be fair, she also got over such feelings rather quickly.
“So you’re my seniors, huh~? Then if I take a gathering request, I can make money by also collecting nuts and mushrooms on the side, right?”
“Yeah, that’s pretty much it.”
“Hey, could you tell us your name?”
The only girl in the party asked for her name.
After pretending to think for a moment, Melt once again gave an honest answer.
“I’m Melt. From the White Fox tribe.”
“Oh, you’re a White Fox? I’ve never seen one before. Your beautiful hair really caught my eye. I’m Rikka. Just a regular old human, as you can see. And these two are—”
“I’m Kash.”
“I’m Grant.”
The group exchanged introductions.
And then—
“Melt-chan, we’re actually planning to go on a gathering request too. If you’d like, want to join us? Just for today—we could form a temporary party together.”
That’s how the invitation came.