NOVEL WEB Chapter 1: The Starting Town (part 2)
“Seryy-sama.”
“I-I see. I see. Okay. So what can I help you with today? Are you looking for a quest? To register as a member? Replacement card?”
“Uhhhh……..Yeah, so I want to register as a member and get a card. And if possible a suitable quest.”
“Understood. Please follow me to the front desks.”
I guess she doesn’t want to talk about it because she changed gears. That's fine, I don’t want to force her and worsen her mood. That would only hurt me. But….I am really curious about the reason. Maybe I’ll try slipping it in somewhere.
While I was thinking that, we were already out of the abandoned room and going upstairs as everything around me started to brighten.
“So um…I’m Itsuki Harunomi.”
“Ah…my apologies. I’m Fiona. A pleasure to meet you, Itsuki. Or would you prefer Harunomi?”
“Oh um, anything is fine.”
“Then, is ‘Haru’ fine with you?”
“....y-yes. That’s fine.”
“Great. For starters, I’ll register you as a member and debrief the rules and regulations. Basically, I’ll be giving you a rundown on how things work here.”
As we walked into a crowded hall, the area was lit with what seemed like oil lamps, but their glow was strange. Five lamps illuminated the whole area, which is clearly impossible for ordinary oil lamps.
Meaning, it’s an ability.
We arrived at an empty front desk and she told me to wait for her to go around. She walked to the leftmost corner, while dodging people, where a simple, white sliding door with thick black border led to the back.
“Haru, let’s get you set up. You have already provided your full name, so I’ll only need your age and handprints, and your signature here on the form.”
“O-okay. I’m 17. And where do I sign?”
“Right here, at the very top next to your name. Here’s a pen.”
“Whoa….it’s an actual feather, very pretty. Do I dip this in an ink pot?”
“Yes.”
She gently slid the small, square, glass inkpot towards me. It was branded with A.B.A.M. Very classy.
I slowly dipped the nip of the feather in the inkpot and clumsily signed on the form. I didn’t remember it so I resolved to write my name. It was in this world’s language I suppose since the letters were a little different.
“Alright. Now if you could place your right hand on this panel. Make sure to gently press for a proper imprint.”
“Ye-yes.”
I placed my shaky right hand on the transparent, glass panel, and made sure to gently press upon it.
“Great. Now if you place your left hand on the panel as your right hand.”
“O-okay.”
Upon pressing either of my hands on the panel, nothing visibly happened. I only felt a small vibration each time.
“Now your registration has been completed. I will go submit this to start the processing for your card. While we wait, I’ll run down the rules and regulations as I mentioned before.”
She gave the form and the glass panel to another staff member who happened to be passing by. She thanked him and returned to the desk.
“Haru, I’ll start by saying that you do not have to reveal your ability unless you would like to. Everything depends on your ‘credit’. If you have a high credit score, you will have a high rank, and proportionally a low rank with low credit. It is illegal to buy credit with a currency and will result in a permanent ban and punishment by the appropriate authority. Available quests are restricted by rank, however it is possible to take a higher rank quest by the authority of the branch manager and a supporting receptionist. That rule only applies if you are requesting to take a quest more than 2 ranks above your current rank. You can form a duo, a party of 3 to 5 people, and if there are more than 5 members then you have to create a guild. Although you are allowed to create a guild with 5 members. A party has a leader and a guild has a leader and a second-in-command. If you want more information about guilds you can come another time as I’m trying to keep it brief. Are you keeping up, Haru?”
“Ye-yes. I’m trying to keep note of everything. It’s just I haven’t used my head in a while so it’s going to take me some time to understand all of it. It seems simple and similar to bank systems from my world.”
“Yes. This association was organized by a person from your world. It is quite simple and I have taken a liking to it myself. If you do not have any questions, may I continue?”
“Pl-please continue. I’ll ask any questions at the end.”
The ends of her baby pink lips curved up slightly.
“Understood. The only way to raise your credit score is by completing quests and receiving achievements, passing tests, and favors. Depending on the evaluation of your completion of the quest, you will accordingly be awarded credit score and the listed reward. Passing tests will only raise your score by a bare minimum since they are usually used by beginners or people with a negative score. Lastly, depending on what achievement you are awarded, or the favor, you will gain an amount of credit score. To promote your rank, you have to pass the rank test. Upon failing, you can take the test the next time you have to renew your card, which is every 100 days. Appointments are recommended. There is a late penalty, depending on how many days you are late. There is no required fee to renew your card.”
That was a lot. A whole lot. I don’t think I can remember all of it except what I picked up. I hope she won’t get upset if I ask about this again in the future. I’ll ask just to be sure.
“Um, I hope you won’t mind me asking stupid questions later on. I don’t think I can remember all of it.”
I made a difficult expression as I tried to express my trouble.
“Don’t worry. I won’t mind Haru. It’s my duty to answer your questions, and I don’t think you would ask any stupid questions. Just think of this as a formality. Fufu.”
Her beautiful lips curved into a gentle, caring smile, like the one when it was just the two of us in that dull, abandoned meeting room. Her older-sister aura was back. It kind of made me feel a little relaxed in this loud, crazy place.
“I will just remind you of the most important things everytime you come, so make sure to visit regularly, okay?”
“O-okay. So what are the ranks?”
“The highest rank is S and the lowest is F. I’m sure you are familiar with it so I will not explain further except for that…..there is a weird rank. It’s given to extraordinary abnormal entities. In simple terms that rank is open to everything. Place, any species, phenomenon, ability, and the like. However, that rank does not necessarily mean that that entity is dangerous, it only separates them, I think. I’m actually not supposed to tell this to a newbie.”
“Then why did you?”
“Right….why did I? Maybe because you are one of her’s. Is this what it feels like? I don’t feel anything different but it’s strange.”
“I guessed you don’t want me to bring her up, but are you talking about Seryy-sama?”
Her lips pursed and it seemed like she formed a fist under the desk. It looks like she really doesn't want to talk about her.
“.........Haa. It can’t be helped. If you must know, then I’ll tell you about it somewhere else.”
She closed her eyes momentarily, and then her troubled expression changed to a mischievous grin as she leaned close to my ear.
“How about your place? Are you free later tonight?”
“Ehh…..my-my room?”
“Yes. So are you free, Haru?”
Her warm breath gently tickled my ear as she pronounced the nickname she gave me. I scratched my ear and exhaled slightly.
“Yeah. B-but in return, could you do me a small favor?”
“Hmm? That doesn’t seem fair, but alright. As long as it’s a small favor I can do, I’ll accept it. But you owe me one, okay?”
“O-okay.”
What exactly wasn’t fair though?
“Then write down your inn’s name and room number. I’ll be there tonight. Please don’t forget and make me wait, okay Haru?”
“Ye-yes. Then, umm by-bye.”
“Don’t forget your card, it should be done by now. Or would you like me to bring it with me?”
“I-I guess you could. That would help. Thank you.”
I gave a small bow and left.
“Kawaii….”
Her voice was drowned in the sea of hectic, boisterous, hot, sweaty, stuffy, crowd.
1Kawaii: cute.
Author: also sorry about the long paragraph